Eide: “Leaders to meet on 11th April”
The UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide has announced that the Cyprus negotiations will resume on 11th April.
In the statement made by the UN Press Spokesman, Eide explained that the leaders decided to resume the Cyprus negotiations following consultations on both sides, as well as yesterday’s meeting between President Mustafa Akıncı and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Brussels.
According to the statement, negotiations will resume under the auspices of the UN in the buffer zone at 10.00 on Tuesday 11th of April.
Akıncı meets with UN Secretary General Guterres
President Mustafa Akıncı met with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Brussels yesterday.
After the meeting, Akıncı noted that Guterres maintains a strong interest in the Cyprus issue. He said, “We saw the valuable contribution of Secretary General at the Geneva conference. I understand that such interest and contributions to the process will continue”.
Akıncı also said that he had the opportunity to inform the UN of the latest developments, and the Turkish Cypriot side’s stance on the issue.
“We have once again found the chance to reaffirm our commitment towards finding a bi-communal, bi-zonal solution based on political equality, which will allow the two peoples on the island to live in peace and harmony” said President Akıncı.
Pointing to his meeting with the Greek Cypriot Leader Anastasiades on the 2nd of April, Akıncı said: “We are ready for the negotiations to recommence on the 11th of April. Our position is clear. It is our shared perception that developments over the next few days will make a fresh start possible”
“I hope that this new beginning will bring positive outcomes for all sides in Cyprus, the region, and all other relevant parties,” Akıncı added.
Additionally, President Akıncı will meet President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker today in Brussels. The meeting will take place at 19.45 TRNC time, before the President’s departure for İstanbul tomorrow.
Özgürgün: “The negotiating table to return to is the one in Geneva”
Speaking on a private TV channel, Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün said that the negotiations process can only be resumed in Geneva from where it was stalled, and only after the Enosis decision taken by the Greek Cypriot parliament is overturned.
The Prime Minister argued that that the Greek Cypriot side’s decision to commemorate the Enosis plebiscite was a confirmation of their intention not to return to the negotiating table while the five-party process in Geneva was on hold., Özgürgün said that the Enosis decision was a clear statement which actually meant, “we do not have any intention to negotiate or reach an agreement; our intention is to annex the island to Greece and we are continuing negotiations unwillingly.”
The Prime Minister noted that President Akıncı did not leave the negotiating table, that both the Greek Cypriot side and Greece wanted to postpone the process, and that the UN and Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide showed an insincere stance with regards to this matter, accusing the Turkish Cypriot side for the failure of talks. Özgürgün added that if the Greek Cypriot Parliament shifts decision-making power to commemorate Enosis to the Ministry of Education, the situation could be described as ‘tragicomic’.
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu continues diplomacy over Cyprus on call
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had a separate telephone conversation with President Mustafa Akıncı and the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide.
According to information received from diplomatic sources, the latest developments regarding the Cyprus issue were discussed during the telephone conversations.
Culture Department organises event for young Turkish Cypriots in Europe
The Culture Department Directorate will organize an event entitled “Youth Bridges from Europe to the TRNC” on Saturday, with the participation of young people living abroad.
The event will involve various group showcases among the activities.
Robinson Club members to visit the TRNC
Members of the tourism organisation, the Robinson Club in Belgium, will complete a tour of European destinations later this year, including a visit to the TRNC.
The visit takes place following trips to the TRNC by members of the Robinson Club, over the past few years, many of whom have discovered the natural beauty of Northern Cyprus through hiking and cycling tours. Robinson Club members will depart from the Belgian town of Vorselaar in October, and travel to numerous European countries before heading to Turkey, and finishing in the TRNC.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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