Road map for joint understanding between Akıncı and Guterres outlined
The details of the roadmap for the joint understanding between President Mustafa Akıncı and the UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres, have been set out following their meeting in Brussels earlier this week. It was planned that the Greek Cypriot side’s decision to commemorate the Enosis plebiscite at schools will be revoked on Friday, April 7, and the negotiations will be resumed on Tuesday, April 11.
According to information received by the AA news agency, the previous day’s meeting agenda, which lasted for an hour and a half in Brussels, included plans in case the Greek Cypriot Parliament does not reach a result concerning the elimination of the commemoration of the Enosis Plebiscite at schools on Friday. If this is the case, it was clarified that the planned leaders’ meeting on Tuesday, April 11 will not take place.
It was reported that Guterres agreed with Akıncı’s stance and confirmed that it would not be possible to restart the negotiations, which are planned to continue on Tuesday, should the Greek Cypriot Parliament fail to revoke the Enosis decision. He further said that the responsibility would fall on the Greek Cypriot side if this is the case.
The agency reported that that Akıncı and Guterres’s approaches towards the Enosis decision correspond with one another; and it was stressed that “the negotiation ground can only be formed if this decision is revoked”.
Akıncı: “Serious work to be done” to harmonise TRNC institutions with the EU acquis if solution is reached
President Mustafa Akıncı has said that that if a solution is reached on the island, and the Turkish Cypriot people become one of the constituent states and equal partners of a new partnership, “serious work” is needed to ensure the harmonization of the TRNC institutions with the EU acquis.
Akıncı said, “When we reach a solution, we want the Euro to go into circulation from the first day”
Making a statement after his meetings with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, Akıncı said that he addressed the issues in detail at the meeting with Juncker. Akıncı said that they discussed the reasons for the deadlock in the negotiation process and why these are important for the Turkish Cypriots, as well as the framework for the new negotiation process that will begin on Tuesday.
He said, “In the forthcoming process, we will try to make progress on the important issues regarding the Cyprus issue. We will try to achieve greater rapprochements on these matters and I hope the Geneva conference will resume with the EU in attendance as an observer. The EU has confirmed that it is ready to sustain its relations with the Turkish Cypriot side”.
Stating that the communication channels between the EU and the Turkish Cypriot people will always be open, Akıncı expressed that both meetings were constructive and fruitful.
President Akıncı also met with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Jonathan Cohen. At the meeting, the President explained the reasons the negotiation process has stalled and the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side. Akıncı also added that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for the resumption of the negotiations on Tuesday, 11th of April, if circumstances develop positively. Cohen, for his part, stated that the US is ready to provide all kinds of support for the solution of the Cyprus problem upon request.
Özgürgün: Greek Cypriot’s Enosis decision designed “to bring darkness and conflict back to the future of Cyprus”
Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün has said that the Greek Cypriot’s decision to commemorate the 1950 Enosis plebiscite would “bring darkness and conflict back to the future of Cyprus”
Prime Minister Özgürgün made the comments at a conference entitled “Cyprus” at the Near East University (NEU).
Ahead of the conference, the Near East University Golden Key Honorary Award was presented to Prime Minister Özgürgün by Dr. Suat İ. Günsel, Founding Rector of the Near East University.
Prime Minister Özgürgün evaluated the Cyprus problem from the British occupation to the present day, accompanied by presentation slides at the conference.
Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün said that Cyprus is the longest-running and the greatest problem for the United Nations (UN) and that Cyprus is also the oldest problem in international relations.
Moreover, Özgürgün indicated that seven UN Secretary Generals have been in place until today, but despite their struggles, the Cyprus problem has still not been solved.
Özgürgün added that the Security Council Resolution no. 186 on Cyprus had clarified that the Cyprus problem began in 1963 and that there was no occupation in 1974.
EMU listed among the World’s Best Young Universities
UK-based Times Higher Education (THE), 
one of the most reputable publishers of the worldwide university rankings, announced The World’s Best Young Universities Rankings 2017, the list of the world’s best universities under the age of 50.
In the rankings, the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) from the TRNC has achieved remarkable success, and was ranked within the 151-200 band.
The Times Higher Education ‘Under 50 Rankings’ applies performance indicators to provide most comprehensive and balanced comparisons between institutions. The performance indicators are grouped into five areas, namely teaching quality, scientific research, citations, international outlook and industrial income. Featuring 200 institutions, the World’s Best Young Universities Rankings have been announced on the official webpage of the Times Higher Education.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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