TCC Press Review 2 Apr 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

‘She was strangled and couldn’t breathe’

An autopsy on the body of Hacer Ulaş, who had claimed to have been frequently threatened by her estranged husband, confirmed that she was murdered. Her husband was arrested.  

  • PM Erhürman: “We must focus on repairing the damage caused” – Flood disaster and Agricultural Products Marketing Board discussed in parliament.
  • From goalkeeper of Limassol Türk Ocağı to Mayor of Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul.

Kıbrıs Postası

Authorities said he is not physically disabled

Ebubekir had been receiving social welfare payments for two years due to his physical disability but the payments stopped three months ago. Ebubekir’s brother pleaded with the authorities, asking for the continuation of social welfare payments.

  • We delayed in implementing the necessary measures – PM Tufan Erhürman asked that the focus be on healing wounds from the damage caused by the floods rather than on accusing people.
  • “I didn’t kill my wife” – Husband of Hacer Ulaş denied accusations that he murdered his wife.

Kıbrıs

Hacer Ulaş murdered

Autopsy concludes Hacer Ulaş was murdered. Her husband was brought to court on Monday as the prime murder suspect.

  • We will have to shut down – TC hoteliers, restaurant owners and travel agencies emphasize the price hike in electricity will raise costs too much, resulting in the closure of many businesses.
  • Morphou Dam dried up in three months – The water level at Morphou Dam is low despite the heavy rains since January.

Havadis

Suspicions become real

Autopsy concludes Hacer Ulaş was murdered. Her husband was arrested as the prime murder suspect. Ulaş was laid to her eternal rest on Monday.

  • Yet another CMC threat – The 300m deep air vent for the CMC mine in Karadağ (near Kyra in Lefka region) posing a serious threat to residents in the area.

Diyalog

Strangled to death

It has been confirmed, mother of two Hacer Ulaş was murdered.

  • No change in 64 years – Greek Cypriots who celebrated the 64th anniversary of EOKA terrorist organisation observed a minute of silence in front of the statue of Grivas who drenched Cyprus in blood.

Afrika

Coup in Istanbul

A decision has yet to be made regarding elections in Istanbul. They can’t admit Ekrem İmamoğlu won; they just say he is leading the race. Both the Anadolu news agency and the Supreme Electoral Council finally decided to talk, announcing the outcome.

Main News

New road map is a must

Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, External Security, Energy

OVERVIEW

Alternative models for a solution in Cyprus are being discussed at the second conference on Cyprus hosted by the Near East University in Nicosia.

Over 50 academicians, diplomats, politicians, researchers and experts from various countries are taking part in the three-day conference which began on Monday.

Also attending the opening session of the conference was Turkey’s Deputy Director General for Maritime and Aviation Affairs at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Çağatay Erciyes, Turkish Ambassador to Nicosia Murat Başçeri and other high-ranking officials from the Turkish foreign ministry.

Prof. Dr Hüseyin Gökçekuş, in his opening address on Monday, said that the discovery of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean had added a new dimension to the Cyprus Problem and highlighted the need for regional stability.

He said that the natural reserves belonged to both communities and needed to be used jointly in a stable environment.

The Turkish Deputy Director General for Maritime and Aviation Affairs Çağatay Erciyes for his part said that all negotiation processes since 1968 had failed to achieve a solution.

He said that Turkey was open to “all new ideas” as long as the political equality and security concerns of Turkish Cypriots were addressed.

Erciyes said that the last round of talks had collapsed for the same reason the Cyprus Republic had collapsed in 1963, the Greek Cypriots’ reluctance to share power and their refusal to recognize the political equality of Turkish Cypriots.

The Turkish official also said that a healthy dialogue was necessary for any future talks to be successful.

The Greek Cypriots are too focused on security and guarantees and make a false assumption that all problems on the table will be solved once Turkey’s role as a guarantor power ends, said Erciyes.

This, he added, was a complete distortion of the realities.

Erciyes said that Turkey’s presence as a guarantor country was more important than ever, adding that no new talks will begin until this condition is agreed upon.

“Turkey will want to continue being a guarantor in Cyprus until the political equality of Turkish Cypriots, who are co-owners of the island, is established and safeguarded,” he said.

Erciyes said that Turkish Cypriots needed to have an equal say in decision-making mechanisms regarding steps taken on the issue of hydrocarbons.

Regarding Turkey’s rights in the region, Erciyes said that Turkey will do everything to protect its rights and interests on the issue of its continental shelf.

The heightened tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean demonstrated the necessity to reach a political solution to the Cyprus Problem, Erciyes concluded.

KEY ACTORS
Erciyes (Turkish MFA)
>> Turkey open to “all new ideas” as long as political equality & security concerns of TCs addressed.
>>
RoC collapsed in 1963 for same reason Crans-Montana failed, GC reluctance to share power & recognise TC political equality.
>>
Healthy dialogue a must for future talks to succeed.
>>
GCs wrongly assume that all problems will be solved when Turkey stops being a guarantor power.
>>
Turkey’s presence as guarantor more important than ever. No new talks will begin until this condition is met.
>>
Turkey wants to continue guarantor status until political equality of TCs is established & safeguarded.
>>
TCs need to have equal say in decision-making mechanisms regarding steps on hydrocarbons.
>>
Turkey will do all that is necessary to protect its own rights and interests in continental shelf.
>>
Heightened tensions in area demonstrate the necessity for political solution to the Cyprus Problem.


Orthodox Church and EOKA continue to influence Greek Cypriot leadership

Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Deputy Speaker of Parliament and National Unity Party (UBP) MP Zorlu Töre on Monday claimed the Greek Cypriot administration remains under the influence of the Orthodox Church and members of the EOKA organisation.

In a statement, Töre said that the Greek Cypriot side had recently increased its racist and fascist rhetoric. He stressed that the emotions of animosity, hatred and violence escalated on 1 April EOKA Day.

Töre accused the Greek Cypriots of starting the war against Turkish Cypriots, claiming that EOKA was established to go against Turkish Cypriots.

He added that the Turkish Armed Forces and the Cyprus Turkish Security Forces will remain as the Turkish Cypriots’ assurance of security as it was certain that Greek Cypriots would use their absence to attack Turkish Cypriots once again.

Töre also drew attention to the fact that the Greek Cypriot side continues to arm itself while the embargoes and isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriot community remain.

He also noted that confidence-building activities were deceiving.


St. Panteleimon Church bell found, three arrested

Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Three people were arrested by police on Monday in connection with the stolen bell of the St. Panteleimon Church. One of the church’s two bells, located in Çamlıbel (Myrtou), was believed to have been stolen in October or November. Police carried out an operation on Monday and found the bell in a barn in Gayretköy (Avlona), arresting three men in connection with the theft.


Ercan (Tymbou) provided service to 5,777 flights

Yenidüzen, Diyalog, Afrika
Economy

OVERVIEW

Ercan (Tymbou) airport provided services to 5,777 flights in the first quarter of 2019, the Turkish Cypriot Civil Aviation Department announced on Monday via social media.

The Civil Aviation Department also said that the airport had provided air traffic control for 53,377 planes crossing over the North’s airspace. A decrease of 13.5 per cent in flights landing and taking off from Ercan (Tymbou) was observed for the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period the previous year.


300m deep ventilation hole left by CMC is a threat

Havadis
Economy

OVERVIEW

The 300m deep air ventilation hole/chimney opened by the CMC (Cyprus Mining Corporation) mine in Karadağ (near Kyra in Lefka region) poses a serious threat to residents in the area. There are no safety measures in place around the ventilation hole. 

Mehmet Türkay Fotalı, president of the Denizli-Gemikonağı (Kyra-Karavostasi) Development Association, stressed there are livestock breeders near the area and that the ventilation hole poses a serious threat to both shepherds and to grazing animals. Fotalı noted that he has informed both the municipality and the district office in the area but no security measures have so far been implemented.


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