Akıncı: “It is not right to say that negotiations collapsed completely”
President Mustafa Akıncı has said that it is not right to say that negotiations have collapsed completely, adding “Now, we are waiting for the Greek Cypriot side to act wisely. We are calling on them to do this”.
Akıncı departed the island last night to head to the 13th Economic Cooperation Organisation Summit in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
In a press conference at Ercan Airport before travelling to Pakistan, Akıncı gave his evaluation of the Cyprus negotiations, saying “We are waiting for the Greek Cypriot side to take steps in the following days. If they do not take any positive steps, we will re-evaluate the situation with the whole community, because it will be a very important decision with great responsibility”.
Akıncı added that the Economic Cooperation Organisation Summit will be held at the highest level among presidents, prime ministers and ministers.
Referring to the Greek Cypriot side’s statements regarding his Pakistan visit, Akıncı said “the Greek Cypriot side is trying to create the impression that I am abandoning the negotiations and going to Pakistan. The Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister expressed the same view. Our taking permission to go to somewhere else is out of question. But as a matter of courtesy, while the agenda was being determined around a month ago, I said that a meeting would not be suitable at the beginning of March due to my visit to Pakistan. This was known by both the Greek Cypriot side and the UN. Despite the fact that the Greek Cypriot side knew this, they have sadly decided to exploit the issue.
Referring to the aftermath of the Greek Cypriot’s side Enosis decision, Akıncı said “I am following the process with great sorrow and astonishment. We will not be on the island for a few days. I hope that when we return, we see the Greek Cypriot side taking some steps. Greece and Turkey should help us. I have always warned that as the election approaches, the process will become more difficult. Therefore, if they want to take steps, they should do it as soon as possible”.
Siber: “The spirit of the negotiations has been damaged”
Speaker of the Assembly, Sibel Siber has said that recent events have proved that the security concerns of Turkish Cypriots are right, adding that the spirit of the negotiations has been damaged.
Siber also said that Enosis was the source of all the suffering experienced on the island.
Stressing that she consistently follows the meeting minutes, Siber said that she did not have the slightest hope for a solution in 2016. Indicating that she recognized the Greek Cypriot leader had not taken any positive steps regarding a rotating presidency and active participation in the decision making process, Siber said, “If he were sincere, he would explain to the Greek Cypriot people that a Turkish Cypriot leader can be president on a rotating basis in a federal structure.”
Siber said that the decision to introduce Enosis commemorations in schools had proved the Turkish Cypriots were right to be concerned over security, and that that the decision should be dismissed for the continuation of the negotiations.
Responding to questions from the Havadis newspaper, Siber emphasized that trust must be established again; otherwise instability will increase between the two societies.
Özgürgün: “Güzelyurt is the most important region of the TRNC”
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the new Güzelyurt Hospital, Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün said that these kinds of investments are proof that the Turkish Cypriots have deeply embedded roots in the island.
Özgürgün said, “I have drawn attention to the fact that the rumours about return of Güzelyurt have been spoken for years, and those who imagined this should now wake up. I reiterate that Güzelyurt is the land of the TRNC and that it is our most important and precious region. Everyone must realize that the prejudices and uncertainty about the region so far are unrealistic. The Greek Cypriot leader, who has been trying to usurp the fundamental rights, happiness and future of the Turkish Cypriots for years, should understand this as well.”
He also stated that the Greek Cypriot leader continues to perceive Turkish Cypriots as a minority group, like Armenians and Maronites, and that this perception did not surprise him.
Özgürgün added that it will not be possible to reach a federal solution in Cyprus unless the mentality of the Greek Cypriots changes.
Denktaş: Turkish Cypriot rights could be removed if a settlement does not include TRNC as an entity
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Serdar Denktaş has said that that all rights granted to Turkish Cypriots “on paper” in the event of a solution could easily be removed if the settlement did not include the TRNC as an entity.
In his statement yesterday, Denktaş said that the statements made by the Greek Cypriot side regarding the negotiation process were important in terms of understanding why the Cyprus issue could not be resolved.
Referring to the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades’ latest remarks that “the majority could not be equated with the minority”, Denktaş said: “This clearly means that the Greek Cypriot side does not accept the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot people and that their understanding, which led to the events of 1964, has not changed. This mentality, which sees us as a minority, will be resurrected if we reach a forced solution.”
Denktaş continued, “Today, Anastasiades and all Greek Cypriot political parties, who enjoy the comfort of realising their dreams of Enosis indirectly through EU membership, can openly state that they see us as a minority and that we do not possess any other rights than those of a minority”.
Denktaş said that the Turkish Cypriots should focus on strengthening their state in the face of such degrading and insulting statements.
“We need to voice in the strongest way possible the view that a settlement with the South can only be possible with the inclusion of our state” he said, adding that it should be understood that a solution without the TRNC could result in the rights of Turkish Cypriots granted on paper being easily removed.
Denktaş also pointed out that political equality was not an aspect of power sharing directly related to population size.
“Turkish Cypriots, who were one of the two equal partners of the 1960 Republic, did not give up their political rights which have been usurped by the Greek Cypriots since 1964 as a result of the persevering negotiations carried out by the founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş. These rights have been documented and accepted as a result of the right of self-determination exercised during the Annan Plan referendum” Denktaş added.
Minister of Economy and Energy Sunat Atun travels to Islamabad
The Minister of Economy and Energy Sunat Atun travelled to İslamabad yesterday.
Atun departed from Ercan Airport to attend the 13th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit and the 22nd meeting of the ECO Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad.
Atun, who will address the meeting, is expected to return to the island on 3 March, following his meetings in Islamabad.
The TRNC was represented at the Health Tourism Forum
The TRNC was represented at the Health Tourism Forum, where the health tourism map of the world is determined. It was organized by the World Health Tourism Council under the auspices of King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein in Amman, the capital of Jordan.
The TRNC was represented by the Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu and the President of the Health Tourism Council Ahmet Savaşan. The forum was held on 25-27 February 2017 and included 500 members from 42 countries, including Brazil, Croatia, Czech, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Britain and Greece.
Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Mulqi, Princess Ghaida Talal, Princess Dina Mired, Health and Tourism Ministers, the Founder President of World Health Tourism, Emin Çakmak, and President Fawzi Al-Hammouri visited the North Cyprus stand and also met with Ataoğlu, with whom they exchanged views on the steps that can be taken in order to develop opportunities for cooperation.
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.
