Front Page Headlines
It was kept a secret from parliament!
Education Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu spoke on the ‘Education Protocol’. Çavuşoğlu: “We’ll announce its details once it is approved.” It has been revealed that the memorandum of understanding signed between the TRNC Ministry of National Education and Culture and the Turkish National Education Ministry on increasing the quality of education has not been sent to parliament.
- There is a ceasefire for the past 45 years – The 45th anniversary of Turkey’s operation in Cyprus carried out on July 20, 1974.
The hottest 20 July
45th anniversary of the 20 July Peace Operation is being celebrated in a mixed atmosphere due to the tensions caused by the hydrocarbons. The two leaders on the island are expected to meet while the European Union imposed sanctions on Turkey due to its drilling activities around Cyprus, in addition to Turkey’s rift with the US over S-400s. President Mustafa Akıncı stressed “the Greek Cypriot side must decide on either solution or secession” in his 20 July message.
- Protocol expected amid ceremonies – Finance Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu had announced earlier the economic protocol agreement with Turkey would be signed until 20 July.
- No one had expected Turkey to carry out landing on this beach – Retired Navy Lieutenant Mesut Günsev talked about his memories of 20 July 1974.
Tractor accident kills this time
Traffic accidents continue to claim lives. This time 68-year-old Erdoğan İnce lost control of his tractor plunging down a 40 metre deep raven to his death on the Görneç (Kornokipos) road. 18 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents in the past seven months.
- 20 July celebrated with ceremonies – “Peace and Freedom Festival” is celebrated with ceremonies and various activities throughout the North.
- “We will never abandon the Turkish Cypriots” – Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, who arrived in the North to attend the 20 July ceremonies, gave important messages.
A solution or partition?
President Mustafa Akıncı asked the Greek Cypriot side to decide in his address to the nation, accompanied by a 21-gun salute, to mark the 20 July Peace and Freedom Day celebrations.
- 45th anniversary of 20 July – Many participated in the dawn vigil organized. 45th anniversary of the Peace operation will be celebrated with ceremonies and activities throughout the North.
- Went to collect wood – Erdoğan İnce lost control of his tractor to fall 40 meters to his death on the Görneç (Kornokipos) road.
Time to decide
President Akıncı asked the Greek Cypriot leader on the 45th anniversary of the Peace Operation: “Do you want a solution or partition?”
- Relations will be balanced – Özersay said that it was necessary to take action on Maraş (Varosha) and to break the wheel of the status quo.
20 July should never happen again
20 July, 1974, became a milestone in our history. 45 years ago, our newspapers hailed the arrival of the heroic Turkish troops with their headlines. A short while after that Ayşe went on holiday (code name used to launching Turkish operation). Our geography was torn in two and we have not found someone to stitch it back together ever since.
Main News
Akıncı says he wants clarity from Anastasiades
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing, Energy, Regional /International Relations, Property, Territory
OVERVIEW
President Mustafa Akıncı on Friday said the Turkish Cypriot side wanted clarity from Nicos Anastasiades.
“We see that this is also a growing desire among many members of the Greek Cypriot community. What does the Greek Cypriot leader want? What is his goal? What kind of a future does he envisage in Cyprus? Different statements at different venues or events should end,” Akıncı said during a speech to mark the launch of celebrations marking the 45th anniversary of the 1974 Turkish operation.
“He sometimes refers to a two-state solution and on another day a decentralized federation. His talk of a parliamentary system with a permanent Greek Cypriot president and Turkish Cypriot vice-president and rotating prime minister instead of a rotational presidency has created confusion. How much more will the Greek Cypriot leader’s mixed messages continue? All these questions need to be answered at the informal five-party meeting I have requested the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to convene,” he said.
Akıncı also emphasized the importance of collaboration and dialogue to overcome the current crisis over hydrocarbons during a visit paid to him later in the day by General Hasan Küçükakyüz representing the Turkish Armed Forces for the July 20 celebrations.
Speaker of the Parliament Teberrüken Uluçay told a group of visiting foreign parliamentarians on Friday that the island’s natural gas should be used as a tool for reconciliation and not conflict.
He added that reconciliation on the natural resources is equally important for the island and the region in terms of peace and stability.
On Friday, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said that Turkish Cypriots and Turkey would continue to protect their rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Turkey’s military intervention in 1974 not only brought peace to the island but also averted a bigger crisis. The two peoples on the island cannot live together due to the intercommunal fighting that took place, Tatar said during a visit paid to him by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy leader Ünval Çeviköz.
He said that the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean proved how justified Turkish Cypriots were when declaring their own state in 1983.
Çeviköz recalled that the Turkish parliament had approved a joint declaration highlighting Turkey’s determination to protect its rights and interests in the region.
Former President Derviş Eroğlu on Friday said that no one had a right to talk about the legitimate rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He added that no one could force Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots to abandon their rights or their drilling activities in areas licensed by the TRNC.
Touching upon the issue of Maraş, Eroğlu said that the inventory of immovable properties in the fenced-off city must be completed as soon as possible and that the issue of resettlement must be addressed through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).
He added that the town must be managed by the Famagusta municipality.
Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday said the Turkish Grand National Assembly declared to the world it will not allow anyone to usurp Turkey’s or the Turkish Cypriots’ legitimate interests and rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Oktay was in the TRNC to attend the July 20 celebrations.
He also said that Turkey will continue its hydrocarbon activities in the East Med with determination & will not refrain from using its rights, emanating from international law.
Pro-reunification group UniteCyprusNow (UCN) on Friday welcomed the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ positive response to the call by Akıncı to come together for an informal five-party meeting.
It called on all parties involved to put words into action and set aside any preconditions for the benefit of the country.
“It is crunch time for Cyprus and the success of this initiative could determine the future of the country. We call the guarantor powers to play a constructive role and refrain from actions that would damage or hinder this initiative. We expect all sides to act responsibly towards the people of the country and to avoid the blame game,” UCN said in a statement.
“We expect commitment by all parties involved in reaching the best and only viable solution for a stable and united Cyprus, that of a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF) so that we can become a normal country, which is what all the people of the island want.”
The leaders of the two communities must first come to an agreement on the way forward and then reach out to Guterres, a UN source said on Friday.
The UN said the positions voiced by the two leaders on having an informal conference were not enough as “both of them still have their conditions and that is not what the Secretary-General asks for. The Secretary-General asks for an agreement between them on when, how, where to proceed,” Turkish Cypriot dailies reported, based on a quote obtained by the Cyprus News Agency.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> GC leader must provide clarity on what kind of a solution he wants.
>> Informal five-party meeting must clear confusion on vital issues concerning governance & power-sharing.
>> Collaboration & dialogue needed to overcome the current crisis over hydrocarbons.
Uluçay (CTP)
>> Natural gas should be used as a tool for reconciliation, not conflict.
>> Reconciliation on the natural resources is equally important for the island & the region in terms of peace and stability.
Tatar (UBP)
>> Turkey and TCs will continue to do what is necessary to protect their rights & interests.
>> 1974 operation brought peace to the entire island, averting bigger conflict.
>> Latest East Med developments prove how justified TCs were in declaring their state.
Eroğlu (UBP)
>> No one will be able to force Turkey or the TC side to give up the struggle to defend their rights.
>> No one has any right to talk about Turkey & TCs legitimate rights or ongoing drilling activities in the East Med where TRNC has granted licenses.
>> Maraş (Varosha) inventory study must be concluded ASAP.
>> Property issue should be settled under IPC.
>> Town must come under jurisdiction of the Famagusta Municipality.
Oktay (Turkey)
>> Turkish parliament’s joint declaration gives a message to the world that Turkey will not allow anyone to usurp its or TCs’ rights.
>> Turkey will continue its hydrocarbon activities in the East Med with determination & will not refrain from using its rights, emanating from international law.
UniteCyprusNow (UCN)
>> Success of the latest initiative for a five-party meeting could determine the future of the country.
>> Guarantor powers need to play a constructive role & refrain from actions that will hinder this initiative.
>> All sides must act responsibly towards the people of the country & to avoid a blame game.
>> All parties involved must be committed to reaching BBF, which is the best & only viable solution for a stable and united Cyprus
Özersay: collaboration before comprehensive solution
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Property, Territory, Governance & Power Sharing, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The sides of the Cyprus dispute need to talk and collaborate on specific issues before a comprehensive solution can be reached, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said on Friday.
Underlining the failure of 50 years of negotiations to solve the Cyprus Problem, Özersay told Anadolu News Agency that the fate of the fenced-off city of Maraş (Varosha) must also be decided.
Pointing out that negotiations for a comprehensive solution were in a deadlock, Özersay said Maraş (Varosha) had become “a symbol of the status quo” in Cyprus over the years.
Özersay argued that resolving the situation in Maraş (Varosha) could act as a much-needed jolt towards more productive talks.
He underlined that the TRNC government was in consensus on a future vision of the area and that it intended to formulate its future policy on the issue once it completed an inventory of immovable properties in the fenced-off city.
Regarding a federal solution in Cyprus, Özersay said that the Greek Cypriot community was not ready to share power or wealth with the Turkish Cypriot community.
He described wealth and power-sharing as one of the most important elements in a potential federal partnership.
Criticizing the Greek Cypriots’ accession to the EU before solving the dispute on the island, as well as the treatment of the Greek Cypriot administration as the only legitimate government, Özersay said the establishment of a federal government would require that “existing conditions” be changed.
Özersay expressed the need to discuss alternative models for partnership between the two sides.
He recommended the “gradual establishment of a partnership based on cooperation instead of a federation based on sharing.”
Noting that the Turkish side had ramped up its efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean after 2011, Özersay underlined that its recent steps were not intended to create tension.
“Our activities are not aimed at preventing Greek Cypriots’ activities, rather aimed to balance them,” he said.
Özersay added that Turkish Cypriots have been playing a central role in shaping Turkey’s policies in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Using force in the Eastern Mediterranean is out of the question unless someone tries to hinder our commercial activities,” he added.
Özersay argued that it was unfair to demand that Turkish Cypriots postpone their right to use natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean until a solution was reached, while Greek Cypriots are allowed to use these resources now, without a solution.
He highlighted that energy or natural resources represented another area in which the parties could make progress before a final agreement.
Stressing the importance of regional actors’ inclusion in any such platform for cooperation, he said this would facilitate greater stability and security.
“The issue of natural gas stands as a concrete opportunity for us to develop interdependence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots,” Özersay added.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay (HP)
>> Sides need to collaborate on specific issues before comprehensive solution is found to Cyprob.
>> Maraş (Varosha) has become a symbol of the status quo. The wheel has to be broken.
>> Solving Maraş (Varosha) could be jolt needed for more productive talks.
>> TC government in consensus on a future vision for Maraş (Varosha) & intends to formulate future policy once inventory is completed.
>> GCs not ready to share wealth & power with TCs, which are necessary for federal partnership.
>> “Existing conditions” need to change for establishing a federal government.
>> Need to discuss alternative models for partnership between the two sides.
>> Gradual establishment of a partnership based on cooperation instead of a federation based on sharing could be attempted.
>> Turkish side’s recent steps in East Med not intended to create tension.
>> Activities not aimed at preventing GC activities but aimed at balancing them.
>> Unfair to demand TCs postpone their right to use natural resources in the East Med until a solution was reached, while GCs allowed to use these resources now.
>> Energy or natural resources represents an area in which the parties could make progress before a final agreement.
>> Issue of natural gas stands as a concrete opportunity to develop interdependence between TCs & GCs.