Front Page Headlines
Painful reunion after 42 years
Mustafa Şevket from Tohni, who was abducted from his home at the age of 22 and had been missing ever since, was identified through his umbilical cord which was kept for 42 years.
- Prices between the two sides double in difference – Prices of vegetables, fruits and various food supplies in South double to those in the North.
What we have been consuming since February 8 is unknown
Due to a breakdown at the State Lab, pesticide residue tests on imported fresh produce cannot be performed since February 8.
- Ozersay: “Cyprus negotiations process failed, federal partnership model exhausted” – Ozersay spoke to AAregarding hydrocarbons and the Cyprus problem.
- Tatar: “There will be a day when TRNC is recognized” – The world must produce a remedy for the Turkish Cypriots at the time when the talks fail completely. “We have reached 1.2 million tourists” – Tourism Minister Ataoglu on tourist numbers.
- Toros: “If I am going to be appointed to a post at Presidency, CTP will decide” – CTP MP Fikri Toros spoke on BRT on Cyprus problem developments.
Families are frightened
Following news of a mother, who handed her son over to the Police, many people called in to express fear for their children while experts highlight the threat is known but measures are inadequate.
- “No such thing as July 4 document,” says Burcu – Presidential spokesperson Baris Burcu reiterates the only Guterres framework document is dated June 30.
- CTP MP Akansoy: “Criticisms on consensus statement nothing but political insincerity” – Akansoy harshly criticized political parties who refuted Parliamentary Speaker’s consensus statement.
- “Federal partnership model exhausted in Cyprus,” said Ozersay – FM Ozersay spoke to AAregarding the developments in the Cyprus problem.
“There are standards, no embargoes”
Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Trade Development expert Izzet Adiloglu emphasized that what matters is quality, standards and competitive pricing and that there are no embargoes.
- Fuel oil prices go up but tanks still empty – Following the most recent price hike in fuel oil, the annual increase exceeds 30 per cent. A driver now can buy 6.21L less with the same amount of money.
We’re in God’s hands because of a five thousand dollar card
No tests and analysis are being carried out at the State Laboratory for the past 15 days.
- We’re starting to drill – Turkish FM Cavusoglu says that Turkey to start drilling off Cyprus soon.
- Very clear message – TC FM Ozersay says that a federation partnership model on the basis of sharing has been exhausted.
Europe draws stakes against Turkey
European Parliament adopts its harshest resolution against Turkey to date, calling for membership negotiations to be suspended, highlighting human rights violations.
Main News
Burcu says there is only one framework document
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Presidential Spokesman Barıs Burcu said there is only one Guterres Framework agreement document which was tabled on June 30, 2017, and that a second document, as claimed by the Greek Cypriot side, did not exist. This was known by all, including the UN, he said.
Burcu pointed out that should this framework document play a role in any future processes it should be in its original form without being distorted or watered down. The Presidential Spokesman said that no meeting had taken place at the leaders’ level on July 4, adding that no agreement or understanding had been reached at a meeting of the negotiators held at that date either.
KEY ACTORS
Burcu
>> June 30 document represents the only Guterres Framework tabled.
>> If the framework document is to play any role in future talks, it should be in its original form without being distorted or watered down.
Erhurman says Anastasiades must clarify what he wants at leaders’ meeting
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Prime Minister Tufan Erhurman says that Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades needed to clarify his views regarding a decentralized federation when he meets with President Akıncı next week.
Speaking after meeting with Akıncı on Thursday, Erhurman said Anastasiades had been tossing around ideas for a while now and that they expected him to clarify what he really means at the unofficial leaders meeting scheduled for Feb 26. Erhurman said that if the Turkish Cypriot side finds his clarified views or positions acceptable, the Greek Cypriot leader should also be ready for results-oriented talks within a timetable.
He pointed out that unfortunately, until now, Anastasiades has only been playing for time and delaying the process. Erhurman said the GC leader’s reluctance to implement confidence-building measures agreed upon with Akıncı was proof of this. Erhurman also said the Turkish Cypriot side had run out of patience and that it would not negotiate just for the sake of negotiating. He added that negotiating under conditions where the political equality of Turkish Cypriots was not recognized was unacceptable. “It would not be wrong to say that there will be no new developments if Anastasiades resumes the same stance he has adopted to this day when he meets with Akıncı this coming Tuesday,” the Prime Minister said.
KEY ACTORS
Erhurman
>> Anastasiades needs to clarify his views (on decentralisation) when he meets Akıncı on Feb 26.
>> If TC side accepts his views, GC leader must be ready for time-tabled and results-oriented talks.
>> TC side has run out of patience and will not negotiate for the sake of negotiating.
>> No negotiations can take place in conditions where political equality is not accepted.
Ozersay argues federal partnership model has been exhausted
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay emphasized that efforts towards creating a federal partnership model based on sharing has been tried and exhausted. The negotiations process in Cyprus has collapsed, Ozersay said. Since the Greek Cypriot side is reluctant to accept a partnership model based on sharing, then an attempt should be made at a partnership model based on collaboration or cooperation, he added.
He noted that the conditions conducive to establishing a federation in Cyprus are not in place and stressed the need to have two sides willing to share power and wealth in order to establish a federal partnership.
There is a general consensus that the Greek Cypriot side is not ready to share anything with the Turkish Cypriot side, Ozersay said, adding that 50 years of fruitless talks have proven that a federal settlement is not possible.
Regarding the upcoming meeting of the two leaders, Ozersay warned that the Greek Cypriot side is deliberately trying to muddy the waters with the intention of dragging the Turkish Cypriot side into a new open-ended negotiations process.
Ozersay underlined that it is vital for the two sides to see if there is a common vision and to see the core of the problem rather than focusing on the methodology of the process.
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister said that if the negotiations process were to resume without a joint vision, it would only mean to imprison the Turkish Cypriots in the talks and in the status quo.
He also said that the lack of willingness to share power and wealth is not unique to Anastasiades and that all the Greek Cypriot leaders past and present have refrained from doing so.
Asked about hydrocarbon activities, Ozersay said the international community has the responsibility to force the Greek Cypriot side to seek the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side in natural gas exploration.
He pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot side, will carry out drilling within the framework of the licenses granted through bilateral agreements signed between Turkey and the TRNC and that the Turkish Cypriots’ rights on the issue of hydrocarbons were recognized by the international community.
Ozersay also said Turkish Cypriot rights will be protected without resorting to conflict.
KEY ACTORS
Ozersay
>> Federal partnership model exhausted. Need for new model based on collaboration.
>> Both sides need to be willing to share power & wealth to establish a federal partnership. No GC leader has ever been ready to do so.
>> Upcoming leaders’ meeting an attempt by GCs to pull TCs into never-ending talks & to keep the status quo.
>> Need to focus on substance and whether there is a common vision, not on methodology.
>> International actors & companies must put pressure on GCs to seek consent of TCs on hydrocarbon exploration.
>> TC rights on hydrocarbons recognized by international community.
>> TC rights will be protected without resorting to conflict.
Tatar says the day will come when TRNC is recognized
Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Ersin Tatar, leader of the main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) said it is wrong to claim the TRNC would not be recognized at all, adding that the world must produce a remedy for the Turkish Cypriots when all prospects for a solution fail completely.
Speaking at a party gathering, Tatar reiterated that recognition is possible as long as Turkish Cypriots act in solidarity and work towards a better economy. He also urged all to advocate for a two-state solution following the collapse of talks for a federation.
In criticism of the government, Tatar said the government does not have a position on the Cyprus problem, while the President and government are not aligned, which actually harms the Turkish Cypriot community.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> There will be a day when TRNC is recognized because the world must produce a remedy for Turkish Cypriots when all prospects for a federation end.
>> Government & President not aligned on Cyprob, which harms TC community.
>> All must advocate for a two-state solution after collapse of talks.
Fikri Toros: “Political equality sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriot side”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Political equality is a sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriot side, said Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Fikri Toros, pointing out that there could be no negotiations without political equality.
He criticised ongoing debates in the domestic political arena on the Cyprus Problem, noting that a solution is vital for Turkish Cypriots and therefore should be approached in a non-partisan manner.
Moreover, Toros emphasized that consensus exists on issues such as political equality and implementation of timeframes in any new process to be started.
On the upcoming leaders’ meeting, which he deemed very important, Toros highlighted the need to know details of Anastasiades’ proposals on decentralization.
Regarding reports of him joining the President’s office, Toros said he is only trying to contribute to the process in close contact with Akinci and in view of the tasks assigned to him by his party. Referring to the recent Akinci meeting with DISY leader Averof Neofytou, Toros said he was invited as the former president of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.
On relations with Turkey, Toros underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side is working closely with Turkey on the Cyprus problem, adding: “it is not possible to solve the Cyprus problem without Turkey.”
KEY ACTORS
Toros
>> Political equality is a sine qua non for TCs.
>> TC consensus exists on political equality & timeline for talks.
>> Anastasiades needs to come to the meeting with substantial proposals on his decentralization proposal.
>> TC side working closely with Turkey on Cyprob. Not possible to solve it without Turkey.
Akansoy responds to critisism on consensus statement
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Asım Akansoy accused political parties of insincerity over their criticism of Parliamentary Speaker Teberruken Ulucay’s statement that there was a strong consensus in parliament on the Cyprus Problem.
Speaking separately to Kıbrıs and Yeniduzen on the subject, Akansoy reminded that President Mustafa Akıncı and the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had talked about a joint position when they held a joint press conference earlier, to which the parties had all expressed support.
Akansoy said claims made by some party leaders that only a ‘handful’ of MPs supported a federal settlement did not reflect the truth.
He said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Ozersay had evaluated the closed session held in parliament according to his own views but contrary to criticism, consensus did exist in parliament on the following issues:
- A settlement will be reached through negotiations held under the UN umbrella.
- Any new talks to be held cannot be open-ended.
- Any settlement to be reached has to be on the basis of political equality.
- Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades needs to openly clarify his views and intentions.
- The Turkish Cypriot side does not want conflict over the issue of hydrocarbons.
- Political power and wealth should be shared in a new partnership.
- There is also general agreement that cooperation is extremely important.
“All these issues have been agreed upon by President Akıncı, Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu and the political parties,” he said. The CTP deputy said there were deputies who support other options or ideas such as a two-state solution but the purpose of the closed session was not to determine a new solution model but to determine a roadmap for the future and to understand why any new process had to be on the basis of UN parameters.
Akansoy highlighted that both members of the government and opposition needed to respect the general understanding and consensus. He acknowledged that CTP supported a federal settlement and would continue to work in that direction, but also warned that seeking alternative options that exclude UN parameters would only take Turkish Cypriots to pre-2004 conditions.
KEY ACTORS
Akansoy
>> All parties expressed support to joint position announced by Akıncı & Cavusoglu.
>> Political consensus does exist on vital issues such as: political equality, reaching a settlement under UN umbrella, new talks cannot be open-ended, Anastasiades must clarify his views, power & wealth should be shared in any new partnership.
>> Consensus also reached on energy, in that TC side does not want conflict over hydrocarbons.
>> CTP supports & will continue to work for a federal settlement.
>> Abandoning UN parameters would take TCs to pre-2004 conditions.
TC Chamber of Commerce resumes contacts with EU ambassadors
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Economy, EU matters
OVERVIEW
Turgay Deniz, President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce continues his meetings with the Ambassadors of the EU member states with the aim of developing trade relations and to share the Chamber’s views on the Cyprus problem.
Expressing the Chamber’s desire to develop trade relations while the efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem are underway, Deniz has already met with French Ambassador Rene Troccaz and German Ambassador Franz Joseph Kremp.
KEY ACTORS
Deniz
>> It is important to develop trade relations while efforts to solve the Cyprus problem continue.
Turkey set to begin oil and gas drilling off Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkey will begin drilling for oil and gas near Cyprus in the coming days, Turkish state-owned news agency Anadolu reported Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu saying on Thursday.
“In the coming days we will start drilling with two ships around Cyprus,” Cavusoglu was quoted as saying in a speech to a business conference in western Turkey’s Aydin province.
“Let those who come to the region from far away, and their companies, see that nothing can be done in that region without us. Nothing at all can be done in the Mediterranean without Turkey, we will not allow that,” Cavusoglu said.
Cavusoglu said Turkey will start offshore drilling with two hydrocarbon vessels around Cyprus, adding that the vessel currently in the Black Sea will be dispatched to the Mediterranean.
Cavusoglu also stated that Cyprus was a strategic goal for Turkey and a ‘national cause’. He said Ankara has never allowed the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in the region to be usurped.
KEY ACTORS
Cavusoglu
>> Turkey will start offshore drilling with two hydrocarbon vessels around Cyprus.
>> Hydrocarbon vessel in the Black Sea will soon be deployed to the Mediterranean.
>> Turkey will not allow anything to be done in the Mediterranean without Turkey.
>> Cyprus is a strategic goal and ‘national cause’ for Turkey.
GCs should have waited for a solution, says CHP’s Ozkoc
Yenidüzen, Diyalog, Afrika
Energy
OVERVIEW
The Deputy Group Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Engin Ozkoc criticised the Greek Cypriots for conducting unilateral drilling activities in the Mediterranean. He said that South Cyprus or Greece could be experiencing economic difficulties but it was not right to go ahead with such activities before solving the Cyprus Problem.
KEY ACTORS
Ozkoc
>> Greek Cypriots were not right to go ahead with unilateral hydrocarbon exploration before a solution.
Turkey’s EU negotiations on the road to suspension
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Afrika
Negotiations Process, EU matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Strained and soured relations between the European Union and Turkey reached a whole new level on Thursday following the adoption by the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee of a draft resolution calling for the bloc to suspend membership negotiations with Turkey.
Human rights violations and recession in the country’s democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights were cited as reasons for the call.
The Committee also recommended that the renewal of the Customs Union agreement with Turkey should be conditional to improvements in the track record of the country’s democracy and human rights.
The section on Cyprus was also expanded, calling on the EU to play a more active role in efforts to reach a settlement and for Turkey to respect (South) Cyprus’ sovereign rights in conducting hydrocarbon exploration activities.
KEY ACTORS
EP Foreign Affairs Committee
>> Calls on the bloc to suspend accession negotiations with Turkey.
>> Renewal of Customs Union agreement should be conditional on Turkey improving its human rights track record.
>> EU should play a more active role in Cyprus solution efforts.
>> Turkey should respect Cyprus’ sovereign rights in conducting hydrocarbon explorations.
“There are standards, no embargoes”
Havadis
Economy, EU matters
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Trade Development expert Izzet Adiloglu emphasized that what matters in Green Line trade is quality, standards and competitive pricing.
He added that there cannot be any obstacles to selling a product produced at EU standards and which has reasonable pricing. There are currently 15 to 20 products traded over the Green Line with an average annual volume of 4.5 million Euros. Plastic products top the list of items sold, worth 1.5 million Euros, followed by 900,000 Euros worth of fresh fish sales. Processed products, even though considered as locally produced, cannot be sold via the Green Line Regulation due to the EU food regulation.
The Greek Cypriot side claims that production standards in the north are not at adequate levels. Noting that the Chamber is working on a mechanism similar to the methodology on potato sales, Adiloglu argued that there were psychological reasons for Turkish Cypriot products not finding shelf-space in Greek Cypriot supermarkets. In view of the devaluation of the Turkish Lira, Adiloglu stated that many Greek Cypriot businesspeople were searching for ways to transport raw material over the divide to carry out production at plants in the north.
Adiloglu concluded by stressing that the Green Line Regulation resulted in standardization of food production and added, there cannot be any obstacles for high-quality products at reasonable and competitive prices.
KEY ACTORS
Adiloglu
>> High-quality products at reasonable pricing are what matters the most.
>> GCs use EU food regulation to prevent sales of processed food to the south.
>> Psychological barriers prevent TC produce finding shelf-space in GC markets.
>> Green Line Trade Regulation resulted in standardization of food production in the north.