Front Page Headlines
They robbed, toured a bit and ran off
The two Iranian men who robbed the Senak jewellery store in Kyrenia smiled to the cameras. They were first seen in Nicosia and later in Famagusta. They then freely left the country via Ercan airport (Tymbou). Police confirmed the identities of the two robbers as 47-year-old J.B and 23-year-old M.N, both Iranian nationals. Police announced that the two suspects left the island via Ercan on the afternoon of the same day.
- The gold has been found – While the police let the suspects get away, an important amount of the stolen gold was found buried near the port in Famagusta.
Too bad! We forgot to inform Ercan (Tymbou)
A big scandal came out of the jewellery store robbery in Kyrenia. Even though the majority of the stolen jewels were found, the suspects flew out of the country easily when the Kyrenia police forgot to share descriptions of the robbers with the Ercan (Tymbou) police.
- Turkey will not allow anyone usurp Turkish Cypriots’ rights – Turkish Foreign Ministry stressed Turkish Cypriots have equal rights on the natural resources with the Greek Cypriots.
- Revenue sharing agreement is nothing but usurping equal rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots – Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry said Greek Cypriot side’s agreement with Noble Energy and its partners is not acceptable.
No way! Robbers escaped by getting on a plane
Even though the police asked for the public’s help regarding the robbery in Kyrenia in which 150 thousand GBP worth of jewellery was stolen, the robbers managed to escape via Ercan (Tymbou) right under the watchful eye of the police.
- 1.2bn Turkish Lira to be sent by Turkey – PM Ersin Tatar said Turkey will be sending 695m TL as a grant and 575m TL in loans to support defence and public finance as well as to fund investments.
- “We will not allow [anyone] to usurp Turkish Cypriots’ rights” – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stresses Turkey is determined to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.
No way
Two suspects believed to have robbed Senak Gold & Diamond exited the country via Ercan (Tymbou) airport. Some of the stolen gold was found in Famagusta.
- “Do whatever is necessary for public order”– PM Ersin Tatar warned and ordered Police Commissioner Süleyman Manavoğlu to do everything possible. PM Tatar and Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars briefed about the developments by Manavoğlu.
They should have paid the price
The daughters of Gülesan Aksay react angrily to the escape from Ercan (Tymbou) of the two Iranian suspects who shocked the country with the jewellery store robbery they carried out. Part of the stolen gold was found buried in the sand near the Famagusta port. This raised the question as to who their partners in crime in Cyprus were.
Safety of community zero
Their photos were even distributed to the press. After carrying out the robbery in Kyrenia, they first toured around Nicosia and then Famagusta. In the end, the jewellery thieves flew out of Ercan (Tymbou) freely. The police announced that the suspects were Iranian nationals and confirmed they had escaped via Ercan. A big portion of the stolen gold was found buried north of the Famagusta Port. The discovered jewels and money was put on display at the police headquarters in Famagusta.
- Akıncı asks Palmer: Why have you lifted the arms embargo on Greek Cypriots?
Main News
Revenue sharing deal signed by S. Cyprus and its partners angers TC side and Ankara
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Energy
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the revenue deal signed between South Cyprus, Noble Energy and its partners was usurping the equal rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.
In a written statement, the TRNC Foreign Ministry said that the deal which has the potential to bring $9 billion in revenue over an 18-year period from the Aphrodite reserve was totally unacceptable.
It said that the Greek Cypriot side’s continued refusal to cooperate on the issue of hydrocarbons and its insistence to continue unilateral, unjust and lawful activities once again revealed that Greek Cypriots were not ready to share the island’s wealth with Turkish Cypriots.
It also stated that such moves continued to threaten the stability and security of the island and the region.
The TRNC Foreign Ministry said that the international community which encouraged these activities were just as much to blame as the Greek Cypriot administration for the current situation.
It added that the TRNC and Turkey will continue to take all necessary steps with the aim of protecting the equal rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots as long as the Greek Cypriot administration continued its unilateral activities.
“Turkish Petroleum will commence drilling activities in areas licensed by Turkey and the TRNC in the shortest possible time,” the statement concluded.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Friday that the deal was a concrete example of the Greek Cypriots’ continuation of the violation of the rights of the Turkish Cypriots who have equal rights on the natural resources of the Island. He said that the deal made no reference to the Turkish Cypriots and that they were not being offered a share of the revenues.
“This is unacceptable for both Turkey and the TRNC. But the parties to the deal “cannot ignore the fact that Turkish Cypriots are co-owners of the island and that they have equal rights on (its) oil and gas resources,” he said in his statement.
“Therefore, Turkey will maintain its principled and resolute stance to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, as well as its own rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, and will not hesitate to take the necessary steps for this purpose,” he added.
Aksoy also said that Turkey will do all that is necessary to protect the continental shelf rights of the Turkish Cypriots if the Greek Cypriot side does not cease its unilateral hydrocarbon activities or fails to include the Turkish Cypriots -as an equal owner of the island- in decision-making mechanisms and revenue sharing.
“To this end, our drilling vessels, Yavuz and Fatih, will commence drilling activities in the near future, in the areas where TRNC granted licenses to the Turkish Petroleum in 2011,” he added.
Turkish Finance and Treasury Minister Berat Albayrak said Turkey is under an economic attack, which includes its activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. Albayrak stressed Turkey has managed to stand strong against the said economic attacks.
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said Turkey’s own hydrocarbon search and drilling activities were underway and that the first results were expected by July or August. Dönmez added the Greek Cypriot side was outraged when Turkey deployed its own vessels to the region.
He argued that the Greek Cypriot side was trying to pull a fait accompli on Turkey by hiding behind actors from outside the region but that Turkey will not allow it.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan too reiterated the rights of Turkish Cypriots over matters related to drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Our Turkish kin in Northern Cyprus are entitled to the same rights as the people in southern Cyprus, especially on matters such as oil in Eastern Mediterranean,” Erdoğan said after Friday prayers in Istanbul.
“We are dedicated to protecting our Turkish kin in Northern Cyprus especially in areas exclusively related to the economy.
“So our newly-purchased oil drill and exploration ships are in the region […] They are protected by frigates of Turkish Armed Forces,” he said.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay
>> Revenue deal usurping the equal rights and interests of TCs. The deal is totally unacceptable.
>> GC’s continued refusal to cooperate on hydrocarbons proves their unreadiness to share the wealth with TCs.
>> Unilateral moves continue to threaten the stability and security of the island and the region.
>> International community which encourages these activities just as guilty as GC side for the current situation.
>> TRNC & Turkey to continue to take all necessary steps with the aim of protecting the equal rights & interests of TCs as long as GCs continue unilateral activities.
>> Turkish Petroleum to commence drilling activities in areas licensed by Turkey and the TRNC in near future.
Aksoy (Turkey)
>> Deal concrete example of GCs’ continued violation of TC’s equal rights
>> Deal makes no reference to TCs and is excluded from a share of the revenues. This is unacceptable for Turkey & TRNC.
>> Parties to the deal “cannot ignore the fact that TCs are co-owners of the island and have equal rights on (its) oil and gas resources.
>> Turkey to protect its own and TC rights in the Eastern Med. Will not hesitate to take necessary steps for this purpose.
Albayrak (Turkey)
>> Turkey standing strong against economic attack.
>> Economic attack includes Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Dönmez (Turkey)
>> First results from the EastMed hydrocarbon activities to come in July or August.
>> Turkey will not allow GC side trying a fait accompli by hiding behind international actors.
Erdoğan
>> TCs are entitled to same rights as GCs.
>> Turkey will protect TCs especially in the area exclusively related to the economy.
Akıncı warns top US diplomat not to lift arms embargo on South Cyprus
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, External Security, Energy
OVERVIEW
President Mustafa Akıncı met with the US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Mathew Palmer on Friday.
According to a press release from the President’s office, Akıncı conveyed to the senior US diplomat why the Turkish Cypriot side did not believe the US arms embargo on South Cyprus should be lifted.
He warned that such a move would have a negative impact on peace efforts in Cyprus.
The two also had the opportunity to discuss the Turkish Cypriot side’s views and positions regarding the issue of hydrocarbons, the statement read.
“The President once again explained to Mr Palmer how the Greek Cypriot side has always rejected the proposal to establish a joint committee to take up the issue leaving the Turkish Cypriot side with no options but to take reciprocal steps on drilling,” the statement added. According to the press release, Akıncı also conveyed to the US state department the fact that the UN Secretary General’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute had not yet been able to complete her mission to find common ground between the two sides due to the fact that the Greek Cypriot side has been backtracking on previous agreements reached on political equality.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> Lifting US arms embargo on South Cyprus will have a negative impact on peace efforts in Cyprus.
>> GC side’s rejection of a proposal to set up a joint committee on hydrocarbons left TC side no option but to take reciprocal steps on drilling.
>> UN envoy Lute has yet to complete a mission due to fact GC side is backtracking on previous agreements on political equality.
Hundreds visited Hala Sultan Tekke during Bayram
Kıbrıs Postası
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Religious Affairs Office organized a visit to Hala Sultan Tekke in Larnaca on the third day of Bayram (Eid al-Fitr) on Thursday. Cyprus Police escorted the nearly 600 “TRNC citizens” of mainland Turkish origin in 20 buses to Hala Sultan Tekke. 15th special pilgrimage, which was held on Thursday, is one the three special pilgrimages to Hala Sultan Tekke taking place annually as a result of an agreement reached in 2014 among the religious leaders of Cyprus, within the framework of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process under the Auspices of the Embassy of Sweden (RTCYPP).