TRNC News Today 5^th November 2015

Leaders to meet again today

President Mustafa Akıncı and leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Nikos Anastasiades are coming together today with the purpose of finding a solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework of the Cyprus negotiations.

The meeting will start under the auspices of Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide in the buffer zone at 18:00.

The leaders had agreed to intensify their meetings with at least 6 meetings this month. The rest of the meetings have been scheduled for 18, 20, 23 and 25 November.

The Negotiators are meeting every day in November.

Akıncı: “The People will decide for the solution”

Indicating that only the leader’s signature cannot be enough for a solution, Akıncı hoped that they will find themselves at the point where they can sign an agreement. President Akıncı said, “The People will decide for the solution”.

In his speech during receiving the Independence Alliance delegations, Akıncı emphasized that they entered into a very sensitive period about the Cyprus issue, and they are working with all their power to fulfill the responsibility given by the Turkish Cypriot community.

Stating that he will have six meetings in November, the Foreign Ministers of four different countries will come to Cyprus and at least three of them will visit him in his office, Akıncı said that they are in close consultation with Turkey. Akıncı said he expects the Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu and the assigned Ministers visits as soon as possible. Indicating that they are in cooperation with Turkey in every respect, Akıncı said Turkey is an extremely important country not only for Turkish Cypriots but also for the region. Moreover, President Akıncı said that Turkey also desires a settlement on the island.

President Akıncı remembered that the bi-zonality has been registered by the decision of the UN Security Council in 1992 and they are aiming to put into practice not only the EU but also the UN parameters by a solution. Akıncı also emphasized that the bi-zonality cannot be removed in any way.

TRNC Presidency donates 75,000 Euro to the CMP

TRNC Presidency donated 75,000 Euro to the Committee on Missing Persons(CMP). The military authorities have given the necessary permits with the initiative of the Presidency on the purpose of CMP excavation teams to all 30 currently known suspected burial sites in the military zone in the TRNC.

President Mustafa Akıncı informed the UN representative of the CMP Paul-Henri Arni and the Turkish Cypriot member of the committee Gülden Plümer Küçük this morning.

Stating that it is not possible to access all 30 military areas in a year, Akıncı said that 10 military areas could be accessed depends on the performance and the possibilities of the committee.

Akıncı also thanked the military authorities for their close interest and cooperation. Moreover, he said that the accusations made on the issue by the Greek Cypriot side should end.

For his part Paul-Henri Arni thanked the President Mustafa Akıncı for all his support and contributions to the CMP.

Özyiğit met with Meyer

The leader of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Özyiğit received the former negotiator and Minister of Justice from South Africa, Roelf Meyer.

At the meeting which took place at the Headquarters of the TDP, the Cyprus issue, ongoing negotiation process and present issues on the agenda have been evaluated.

The member of the Central Executive Committee (MYK) of TDP Mehmet Burhan was present at the meeting.

The Delegations of CTP and AKEL discuss the property issue

The Committee, which is formed by Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and AKEL in order to support the ongoing negotiations of the leaders and to contribute to rapprochement of the communities, met yesterday.

At the meeting which took place and continued for 2 hours at the Headquarters of the CTP, they discussed the criteria about the title of the property.

The members of the Central Executive Committee (MYK) from CTP, Muhittin Tolga Özsağlam, Fazilet Özdenefe, Güzelyurt Deputy Mehmet Çağlar, the member of CTP party assembly Çiçek Göçkün and from AKEL; the Members of Politburo Tomazos Çelebis, Christos Christophides and the Member of Central Committee Stavri Kalopsidiotou participated at the meeting.

The Committee will hold its third meeting on 18 November at the Headquarters of the AKEL.

Ireland donates 25,000 Euro to the CMP

Ireland has donated 25,000 Euro in financial assistance to the Committee on Missing Persons.

A statement by the CMP said the committee expresses its sincere thanks to Ireland for its donation of EUR 25,000 made today which brings the Irish financial assistance to the CMP to a total of EUR 275,000 over the past ten years.

“This donation to the CMP Project on the Exhumation, Identification and Return of Remains of Missing Persons in Cyprus will contribute to the Committee’s goal of identifying and returning as many remains of missing individuals as possible in order to bring an end to the uncertainty which has affected so many families for so many years”.

So far, 614 missing persons from both communities have been identified and returned to the families for a dignified burial.

The CMP statement added, that it relies on donor support to alleviate the suffering of the concerned families.

According to the list of the missing persons, all the missing Turkish Cypriots were civilian and 25-28% of them were women and children, however 12% of the missing Greek Cypriots were women and children and 55% of them were Greek and Greek Cypriot soldiers.

Trautmann presented her books to Akıncı

Artist-author Heidi Trautmann who was received by President Mustafa Akıncı yesterday, presented her first and second volumes of the books “Art and Creativity in North Cyprus” which were prepared in English and Turkish, to President Akıncı.

The first volume of the book, which was published by European-Mediterranean Art Association (EMAA), consists of interviews with plastic artists, photographers, and promotions of the educational institutions and universities. The second volume consists of literature, theatre, music, dance and caricature.

EDON reacted to the circular sent by the Greek Ministry of Education

It was announced that AKEL’s youth organization EDON reacted to the circular, which was sent by the Greek Ministry of Education to all schools in South Cyprus, about the inclusion of EOKA and Grivas museums to the school trip programs.

Greek Cypriot daily Haravgi wrote that EDON accused the Greek Ministry of Education for trying to erase the democratic resistance and distorting the history.

According to the news, EDON indicated that as a new generation they would not accept feeding by chauvinism, racism and fascism poison.

Protest of the refugees in Dhekelia

It was announced that the refugees who landed to the Akrotiri Base in fishing boats, and were then taken to the Dhekelia Base last week, protested about the living conditions.

The Greek newspaper Fileleftheros stated that the video which was published on the website of the Guardian newspaper in the UK, showed that the refugees revolted, a person tried to end his life, another person is bloodstained, two tents were set on fire. In the video it was shown one of the refugees saying that “we are human beings, not animals”, and a child is saying that the weather is cold and he had no shoes to wear.

The newspaper stated that the refugees are angry because they live in tents, and feel uncomfortable because of the black screens that cut their communication with the outside world. The newspaper also wrote that the British people do not allow the refugees to move freely.

Joint exercise between South Cyprus and Israel within Nicosia

A joint exercise between South Cyprus and Israel takes place this morning in the Nicosia FIR. The “Onisilos – Gedeon – 2/2015” exercise which runs on Thursday from 0700 to 1400 hrs will see the armed forces of the two countries undertaking the scheduled exercise on the ground and in the air within the Nicosia Fir in the wider region of Paphos – Troodos – Larnaca an official press release says.

The exercise takes place in the context of the annual cooperation programme between the two countries.

Rüya Taner gave a concert in Baku

Our country’s renowned pianist Rüya Taner gave a concert together with the Presidency Symphony Orchestra percussion artist Dinçer Özer in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku.

The Concert organized by the North Cyprus Baku Representation. Turkey’s Ambassador to Baku Ismail Alper Coşkun, Military Attache Brigadier General İhsan Başbozkurt, embassy employees, Azerbaijani parliamentarians and many guests attended the concert.

Cyprus is being represented at the World Travel Market 2015 Tourism Fair

TRNC is being represented at the World Travel Market 2015 Tourism Fair which was organized in London between the dates of 2-5 November.

North Cyprus tourism is promoting in the “DLR Custom House” train station in the fair, which is considered as the world’s second largest tourism fair.

Tourism Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu who is having contacts in the UK within the framework of the campaign indicated that promotion and advertising in the fair is important for raising awareness among the people of foreign countries and said that they will continue with the promotion in the UK market which has great importance for the growth of North Cyprus tourism.