TRNC News Today 29^th February 2016

Akıncı: “The issue of missing persons is our common pain”

Stating that the issue of missing persons is our common pain, President Mustafa Akıncı emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot side would continue henceforth with their positive attitude regarding a possible 30 burial places in the military area.

Akıncı also said: “The information that came to light recently about the possible remains of 100 missing Greek Cypriots, who were allegedly buried in Paşaköy and were later moved to another place, will be carefully evaluated”.

Mentioning that as the two leaders stated in their common call, over the years the number of both the relatives of the missing persons and the people who might have been witnesses has decreased. Therefore, the information pursuant to their call should be evaluated rapidly and seriously, Akıncı added: “I once again would like to emphasise that I would like all necessary action to be taken as rapidly as possible so that all missing persons, regardless of whether they are Greek or Turkish Cypriot, are found and the pain of their relatives is relieved at least to some extent”.

Çavuşoğlu: “Security of the Turkish Cypriots has a critical importance for Turkey”

In an interview with the Greek Cypriot daily newspaper Phileleftheros, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu pointed out that the issues of security and guarantees would be discussed at the end of the Cyprus negotiations in a five-party conference and he also said that the anxiety of the Turkish Cypriots concerning their security should be relieved.

He added: “I do not want to suggest that Turkey will be very flexible on the issue of guarantees. This would be discussed further with Turkish Cypriots whose security is critical for Turkey”.

According to Phileleftheros newspaper, Çavuşoğlu avoided getting into discussion on any sort of formulas on guarantees and he stated that security and guarantees do concern them since Turkey is a guarantor power. Moreover, Çavuşoğlu pointed out that the maps regarding territory should be discussed at the end.

Indicating that the territory and property are issues to negotiate and agree for both sides, Çavuşoğlu stated that Turkey supports the Immovable Property Commission in the TRNC for solving the problems.

Roth: “2016 is a unique opportunity for the solution of the Cyprus problem”

German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth said that a positive dynamic has been achieved therefore, 2016 is the solution year of the Cyprus problem.

Stating that Germany is following the positive dynamics and the important steps which are being taken in the solution process of the Cyprus problem, Roth said, “Eventually, this year is a unique opportunity to terminate the division of Cyprus.”

Furthermore, Roth stated that discovered hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean provide economic opportunities to the region and added that hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean can become a prosperity factor for the countries in the region if they can be used conscientiously.

Water agreement to be signed

Prime Minister Ömer Kalyoncu is going to Turkey in order to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the water issue upon the invitation of the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Wednesday, 2nd March.

Making a statement to a BRT reporter, Prime Minister Kalyoncu said that he will go to Ankara on Wednesday morning upon the invitation of the Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and will sign the water agreement.

The bi-communal Technical Committee on Education had its first meeting

The bi-communal Technical Committee on Education had its first meeting on Thursday at the buffer zone under the auspices of the United Nations. The UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide also attended the meeting. At the meeting, functioning and working methods of the committee were discussed.

Three working groups were set up on the basis of the Committee`s mandate “in order to be more productive”. The first group, “Literature Study Group” will look into the relevant bibliography to find the best practices that could be implemented. The second one, “Joint Working Group on Confidence Building Activities”, will work in order to establish a framework between students, teachers and families to enable them to come together and to support the cooperation of the educational institutions and organizations. The third group, “Policy Implications Working Group”, will work on the coordination and cooperation between the educational institutions of the bi-communal Cyprus federation.