Front Page Headlines
Documented history of the Turkish Cypriot Evkaf: “The compensation was paid and it was shut down”
Mustafa Yeşim Altan’s book titled, “A documented history of the Turkish Cypriot Evkaf”, published in 1986 sheds light on the Maraş (Varosha) debate with official documents. The documents brought to light by Yenidüzen changed the scope of the debate on the fenced-off city.
- Exchange on “Federation” – The Turkish Foreign Minister and Greek Foreign Minister spoke in New York, Turkish Cypriots learned about it from the media.
- Erhürman: The formula of those who argue that negotiations for a federation have been going on for 50 years could never be accepted even if it were negotiated for 150 years.
- Kızılyürek launches initiative to make Turkish an EU language
Prime Minister’s five per cent economic growth goal unrealistic
Kıbrıs Postası asked economic organizations and economists about the five per cent growth target. All agree the goal is wishful thinking and unrealistic.
- “Efforts to find a solution without guarantees ill-motivated” – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the UN General Assembly.
- A tense encounter between Çavuşoğlu and Christodoulides in New York
Hotels and banks top the list of taxpayers
Voyager Kıbrıs Ltd. (Merit Hotels) ranked top of the list of taxpayers. It was followed by Turkish Garanti Bank and Turkish İş Bank. T&T Development, which was the tax champion in previous years ranked 5,323rd out of 5,325 establishments.
- “Your leader rejected the federal solution” – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu responded to Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides’ question in NY.
- “We will continue our efforts until a solution is found in Cyprus” – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Shoreline seized
Fishermen are outraged with news that a strip of the shoreline allocated for building a small fishing shelter in Karaoğlanoğlu (Agios Georgios) has been given away to an investor to build a hotel. The Karaoğlanoğlu Fishermen, Hunting and Shooting Association filed an injunction at the Kyrenia court to halt the Tourism Ministry’s decision. The investor in response took the issue to the appeals court. The case will be heard on October 8.
- The best option for Cyprus is federation – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman said the formula supported by the National Unity Party (UBP)-Peoples’ Party (HP) coalition government in support of a two-state solution under the EU umbrella was unrealistic.
He should be tried
Representatives of economic organizations argued that ten schools and a hospital could have been built with the money spent on expired medicines. They want those responsible for the negligence that cost the state ₺200 million to be tried.
- He had the final say – Erdoğan who addressed the UN General Assembly said those who wanted the solution model without guarantees were ill-intended.
Çavuşoğlu leaves Christodulides’ hand hanging in the air
An interesting exchange took place between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides who bumped into each other in the corridor at the UN headquarters in New York. Christodoulides asked Çavuşoğlu to shake hands and officially agree that a bizonal, bicommunal federation was the only solution on the table but Çavuşoğlu refused to shake his hand.
Main News
Erdoğan: Turkey will continue to support solution efforts
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process, External Security, Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s determination to continue supporting efforts for a solution in Cyprus that will safeguard the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots, in his speech made at the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.
Erdoğan pointed the finger of blame at the Greek Cypriot side for the non-solution of the Cyprus Problem.
The Cyprus issue remains unresolved due to the “uncompromising position of the Greek Cypriot side despite 50 years of negotiations,” Erdoğan said.
He pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side refuses to share political power and prosperity with Turkish Cypriots, stating that those who claimed the problem could only be solved with the condition of “zero security, zero guarantees” had “ill-intentions.”
As the international treaty-based guarantor, Turkey will continue its efforts until a solution that guarantees the security and rights of Turkish Cypriots is found, Erdoğan said.
“We believe that the energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean constitute an important opportunity for cooperation if we all adopt a ‘win-win’ approach,” Erdoğan added.
The Turkish president said some countries in the region were trying to turn “the issue of energy resources into an area of conflict.”
“In the Eastern Mediterranean, we will protect the legitimate rights and interests of both Turkish and Turkish Cypriot people till the very end,” Erdogan said and added that Turkey will be open to all proposals based on cooperation and equitable sharing.
Also on Tuesday, Erdoğan met with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York.
The Cyprus Issue and hydrocarbons were discussed among other issues.
President Mustafa Akıncı on Tuesday drew attention to the rising tensions as a result of the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean during his meeting with Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Kajcak whose country currently holds the term presidency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Akıncı, in addition to discussing the developments on the Cyprus problem, briefed the Slovakian foreign minister on his proposal for the co-management of the island’s hydrocarbon resources which had been presented to the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades as well as to the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
KEY ACTORS
Erdoğan (Turkey)
>> Cyprob remains unresolved due to “uncompromising position of the GC side.
>> Those who claim problem can be solved on the condition of zero security, zero guarantees have ill intentions.
>> Turkey will continue its efforts for a solution that safeguards security & rights of TCs.
>> Energy resources in the East Med constitute an important opportunity for cooperation if a ‘win-win’ approach is adopted.
>> Some countries in the region trying to turn the issue of energy resources into an area of conflict.
>> Turkey will protect legitimate rights & interests of both Turkey and TCs till the very end.
>> Turkey is open to all proposals based on cooperation.
Erhürman: Coalition’s two-state solution formula unrealistic
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman said that the government’s ‘Cyprus formula’ was unrealistic.
Addressing party members on Monday night in Lefke (Lefka) at an event to promote candidates for the upcoming CTP general congress, Erhürman said that the formula supported by the National Unity Party (UBP)-Peoples’ Party (HP) coalition government in support of a two-state solution under the EU umbrella was unrealistic.
“This government since its first day in office has been insisting that prospects of reaching a federal settlement in Cyprus are over and that future talks should focus on alternative solution models such as a two-state settlement under the EU umbrella. The coalition defines a federal settlement as an adventure,” said Erhürman.
The CTP leader questioned how it would be possible for the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades to accept a two-state solution under the EU when he claimed that he could not even persuade his community to accept the political equality of Turkish Cypriots.
Erhürman added that Anastasiades would not only have to convince his community but members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to recognize the TRNC.
He expressed the view that this was highly unlikely, especially when the EU was already struggling with other issues such as Brexit and Catalonia’s move for independence.
“Is this their understanding of reality? Is pursuing this goal not as adventurous as pursuing the goal of a federal settlement?” Erhürman asked.
He said that even if by some miracle a two-state solution was agreed upon, the Turkish Cypriot side would still have to deal with issues such as property and territory.
“All that the coalition government is doing is criticizing efforts in support of a federal settlement but there is no serious explanation on other alternatives which it claims to support. The formula of those who argue that negotiations for a federation have been going on for 50 years could never be accepted even if it were negotiated for 150 years,” he said.
Erhürman also criticized Anastasiades for his actions following Crans-Montana, stating that these actions had dealt a serious blow to efforts aimed at reaching a federal settlement in Cyprus.
“I only hope that the UN Secretary-General will remind Anastasiades of his obligation to accept past convergences and will show the determination to open the way of the process,” Erhürman concluded.
In the meantime, the senior coalition partner of the Turkish Cypriot government, UBP on Tuesday continued to vilify efforts to reach a federal settlement.
Deputy Speaker of the Turkish Cypriot parliament Zorlu Töre said that it was not possible to reach an agreement on political equality and effective participation in decision-making processes while the Greek Cypriot side maintained its current mentality.
In a written statement on Tuesday, Töre said that the Greek Cypriot side was aiming for talks to preserve the homogenous Greek Cypriot state created after the 1960 partnership had been hijacked.
“It is obvious that a new partnership state will not be formed with the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo which is strongly opposed to Turkey’s guarantees,” he said.
Töre added that the whole world was witnessing the fact that the Greek Cypriots have no desire to share anything with Turkish Cypriots.
“Our political equality and security, the preservation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey’s active and effective guarantees are vital and indispensable. Do not leave our future to the mercy of foreigners,” Töre said.
KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> UBP-HP formula for a two-state solution under EU umbrella unrealistic.
>> Extremely unlikely for GC side or UNSC to accept two-state solution & recognize TRNC.
>> Government is criticizing federal solution efforts but not offering realistic explanations on alternatives.
>> UNSG should remind Anastasiades of his obligations to accept past convergences.
Töre (UBP)
>> Current GC mentality makes it impossible to reach an agreement on political equality & effective participation in decision-making.
>> GC side aiming for talks to preserve the homogenous GC state created after the hijacking of the 1960 Republic.
>> Obvious that a new partnership state will not be formed with the Greek-GC duo who are strongly opposed to Turkey’s guarantees.
>> World witnessing the GCs lack of desire to share anything with TCs.
>> Our political equality and security, the preservation of the TRNC & Turkey’s active and effective guarantees are vital & indispensable.
Kızılyürek pressures EU to make Turkish an EU language
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Afrika
EU Matters, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Akel’s MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek is pressing the EU to expedite procedures for the introduction of Turkish as an official EU language, it emerged on Tuesday.
In a question to the European Commission submitted on September 13, Kızılyürek, referred to the letter the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades had sent in February 2016 to the Presidents of the Council, Commission and European Parliament, stating that Turkish was one of the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus.
He asked for it to be introduced as an official EU language in accordance with Article 342 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on the rules governing the languages of the institutions of the Union.
“Turkish Cypriot citizens of the EU are certainly expecting their mother tongue to become an official language of the EU,” Kızılyurek said in his question, published in the European Parliament’s question section.