TRNC News Today 4^th January 2016

Greek Cypriots do not believe in a solution in 2016

The New Year, 2016, will not be the year that the Cyprus problem is solved, 65 per cent of people polled in a study published by the IMR institute at the University of Nicosia showed on Friday, in Sigma TV’s report.

Most people were not optimistic about many of the issues that they were polled on for the New Year.

Greek Cypriot Daily Simerini published the study on Friday, in which Greek Cypriot people were asked whether 2016 would be the year the Cyprus problem is solved. 65 per cent of those polled said that the Cyprus issue would not be solved in 2016, while 35 per cent were optimistic.

On economic issues, people were asked whether there would be development in 2016. 42 percent said yes, and 10 per cent said no.

Those polled were also asked whether they found the negotiations between the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades and the President Mustafa Akinci satisfactory in 2015. 21 percent said that they were not satisfied, 27 per cent said they were, and the remaining 30 percent said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.  37 percent were not satisfied with the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide and only 9 percent were satisfied with Eide.

Holland ready to help for solution of the Cyprus problem

Holland’s Ambassador to South Cyprus Brechje Schwachöfer stated that Holland is ready to help for solution of the Cyprus problem as from 1 January 2016 when the EU term presidency of Holland has started.

In her interview with the Greek News Agency (KİPE), Schwachöfer said that solution of the Cyprus problem would not be to the advantage of the Cypriots only but it will also be to the advantage of the EU and the international community.

Kyprianou: “We are not close to the solution of the Cyprus problem”

Greek Cypriot former Foreign Minister and DIKO official Markos Kyprianou said that we are not close to the solution of the Cyprus problem.

In his interview with the Greek Cypriot daily newspaper Fileleftheros, Kyprianou emphasized that there are some perspectives for the solution of the Cyprus problem in 2016, but a long time and very hard work is needed for this.

According to the news, arguments regarding the postponement of the referendum and the general election in South Cyprus are unnecessary.

Kyprianou also indicated that DIKO needs to prepare a detailed report of the relevant thesis and recommendations under the solution of the Cyprus problem and not only the general principles but also the basic thesis and specific objectives regarding the solution should be placed in this report.

The opening of 5 EU chapters of Turkey is certain

It was reported that the European Commission’s decision regarding the reopening of the 5 negotiation chapters of Turkey which were unilaterally frozen by South Cyprus is certain.

Greek Cypriot daily newspaper Fileleftheros wrote that the European Commission’s decision regarding the reopening of the 5 negotiation chapters of Turkey within the first three months of 2016 is ultimate and certain. Furthermore, the newspaper indicated that South Cyprus intervened to Brussels towards not to realize the declared intention but it was also known that no result was obtained from that intervention.

Statements of GKK regarding the drone found  on Tatlısu coast

Cyprus Turkish Security Forces (GKK) announced that a drone was found which fell into the sea long before and was dragged to the TRNC coast due to currents on 26 December 2015.

The drone is out of condition and it cannot be determined to which country it belongs.

GKK also announced that no evidence was found that threatens the safety of the public in the investigation carried out by the experts.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

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