Akıncı: “I think we should start to hold regular meetings”
A meeting between President Mustafa Akıncı and the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades regarding EU and economic matters, was described by President Akıncı as “fruitful”.
President Akıncı said that issues such as the federal executive, legislature and judiciary, will be discussed on 22 July, while internal security issues will be discussed on 26 July. Akıncı also noted that the chapter on territory will form part of a broader discussion without mentioning place names, percentages or maps.
Technical issues such as VAT were discussed during the meeting, where economic and EU experts were present, President Akıncı noted.
The President stated that the remaining time will be used in the best possible way to reach a solution in Cyprus in 2016.
President Akıncı said that although the main responsibility belongs to the Turkish and Greek Cypriots and their respective Leaders, the role of third parties and the developments around Cyprus should not be ignored. He added that the Greek Cypriot authorities have indicated that if a solution cannot be reached by March 2017, the Greek Cypriots will become engaged with their upcoming leadership elections. President Akıncı also pointed out that a new UN Secretary General will be taking office in 2017 and a new political cycle will begin in the USA.
Akıncı stated that depending on how much progress is reached, territorial issues and guarantees are likely to be taken up at a five-party conference between October and December, and added that it will be necessary for the leaders to meet on a regular and constant basis in order to reach a solution.
President Akıncı received the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
President Akıncı received the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Victoria Nuland.
Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu, the Turkish Cypriot Negotiator Özdil Nami, Special Advisor for Diplomacy and the EU Dr. Erhan Erçin, Presidential Advisor for Political Affairs and History Meltem Onurkan Samani and the US Ambassador to Nicosia Kathleen Ann Doherty were also present at the meeting, which lasted nearly two hours.
After the meeting, Nuland stated, “I’ve had good meetings. Everyone is working hard and we must continue to do so.”
Küçük: “Paşaköy village will be excavated”
The Turkish Cypriot member of the Committee on Missing Persons, Gülden Plümer Küçük, has stated that investigations continue to have support from both sides and are taking place in accordance with scientific best practice.
In a written statement, Küçük reiterated that Paşaköy village has been included in the excavation plan, and that a consensus has been reached regarding the use of archives, and affirmed that all missing persons are on the island.
“Recently, there has been a need to inform the public correctly about our work due to some inaccurate news regarding the Missing Persons Committee and its members” Küçük noted.
“All missing persons that the committee seeks are on the island. In 1974, the prisoners of war who were taken to the Republic of Turkey were registered by the Red Cross in accordance with international law and all of them returned to the island. This information has been provided by the Red Cross and is available in our own archives.”
Tender process for the conservation of the Archangelos Michael Church in Geçitkale has begun
The Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and UN Development Programme have formally opened the tendering process regarding the conservation of the Archangelos Michael Church in Geçitkale.
According to the joint statement of the Committee and UNDP, the conservation work on the church will be financed by the Cultural Heritage Committee, which is being implemented through the UN Development Programme in Cyprus, with 8.1 million euros of funding from the European Commission.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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Akinci “I Think We Should Start To Hold Regular Meetings.” Oh what have they been doing the last year. Just having coffee at intervals. Cypriot politics is ever more confusing