Burcu to the Greek Cypriot side: “Try to understand Turkish Cypriot people, stop distorting the truth”
The Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu called upon the Greek Cypriot authorities to try to understand the feelings and the reaction of the Turkish Cypriot people and to stop distorting the truth.
In his statement yesterday, Burcu accused Greek Cypriot authorities of continuing to issue insubstantial and false statements, instead of addressing the damaging situation caused by the Greek Cypriot House of Representatives’ decision to celebrate the Enosis plebiscite at schools.
Barış Burcu also said that those who tried to sabotage the negotiation process by pursuing a far-right party such as ELAM and those who have played a role in taking the Enosis decision were trying to blame the Turkish Cypriots for the current crisis in the talks instead of correcting their mistakes and rectifying the situation.
Burcu also referred to the latest remarks made by the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasulidis, who accused President Akıncı of deliberately stalling the negotiation process and of abandoning the negotiating table to attend the upcoming Economic Cooperation Organisation’s summit in Pakistan.
“President Akıncı’s visit to Pakistan was known by both the UN and the Greek Cypriot leader when planning February’s meetings. There weren’t any meetings scheduled for March” Burcu stated.
Burcu also said that it was not clear why even the most foresighted politicians, such as the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasulidis, had adopted an attitude which disregarded the facts and took advantage of the current situation.
Social Security Agreement has been signed between Turkey and the TRNC
A new Social Security Agreement has been signed between Turkey and the TRNC, which updates the cooperation between the two countries in accordance with the social security requirements under changing and evolving conditions. Minister of Labour and Social Security Hamza Ersan Saner has signed the agreement on behalf of the TRNC in Ankara.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Saner stated that Turkey supports the TRNC in the social security field as well other areas and added that the TRNC would benefit from the experiences of Turkey in this area.
Indicating that five agreements have been signed between the two countries so far, Saner stated that the two agreements signed in the last eight months, the cooperation on work life and social security, including occupational health and safety, have been approved by the two countries.
Turkish Minister of Labour and Social Security Mehmet Müezzinoğlu for his part stated that the first cooperation agreement between the two countries was signed in 1987.
Müezzinoğlu also mentioned the Cyprus issue. Stating that he hopes the negotiations between the two sides will reconvene and produce a positive outcome, Müezzinoğlu said that the important point is the coexistence of two societies in peace and justice. However, the Enosis idea of the Greek Cypriots may undermine this opportunity.
President Akıncı to go to Islamabad
President Mustafa Akıncı will go to Islamabad to attend the 13th Economic Cooperation Organization Summit.
President Akıncı will depart for Islamabad on 27 February and return to the island on Friday, 3 March.
Çelik: “They did not act according to the spirit of negotiations”
Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik said: “The Enosis decision revealed that the Greek Cypriot side did not act according to the spirit of the current negotiation process. This is a situation that needs to be corrected by them and our European friends need to press South Cyprus for this.”
According to reports by Anadolu Agency, Çelik also mentioned the Cyprus issue in evaluating the agenda.
Çelik stated that it is clear that Turkey supports the process, yet Greece did not show the same attitude, adding that the EU has not been able to maintain peace or security in any country.
Pointing out that the Greeks Cypriots’ decision to commemorate Enosis during the process is also striking, Çelik continued: “If we really want peace and the establishment of a state based on two constituent states, then South Cyprus should not do this, but it seems to suggest a Greek Cypriot mentality of, “We are an EU country, whereas the TRNC is merely a community.” We cannot accept such mentality as the Republic of Turkey.”
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here
Pictures shown are courtesy of the TRNC Public Information Office Facebook page.
