TCC Press Review 16 Feb 2020

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

‘Closed initiative’

The meeting titled “Legal, Political and Economic Aspects of the Maraş (Varosha) Initiative” organised under the auspices of the TRNC Prime Ministry was held at the officers’ club in the fenced-off city with the participation of Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.

  • “It’s my home. Let me in” – Greek Cypriot protestors Celia Hadjihambi Habibi and Anna Marangou who used to live in Maraş (Varosha) before 1974 spoke to Yenidüzen.

Kıbrıs Postası

“The opening (of Maraş (Varosha)) is more than words”

It was emphasized during the meeting held in the fenced-off town with the participation of high-level Turkish officials that plans to re-open Maraş (Varosha) will go ahead as planned. It was also emphasized that Maraş (Varosha) is within the TRNC territories and owned by the (Evkaf) foundation. The view that both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from reopening of the town was expressed. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said the effort to open Maraş (Varosha) is proof of Turkish Cypriots’ rejection of the status quo. “The opening of the town is more than just words,” Oktay said.

  • Erhürman: “We have to get moving to establish peace

Kıbrıs

Maraş (Varosha) is TRNC land

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said, “It is absolutely legitimate for the Turkish Cypriots to take steps for their economy on their land” during the historic meeting held in the fenced-off town on Saturday.

  • Brought by helicopter to Ercan (Tymbou) airport but could not be saved – 53-year-old British citizen Christopher Ross McCulloch, working on the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa seismic research vessel, fell ill. A helicopter that took off from Turkey and picked him off the ship brought him to Ercan (Tymbou) airport but despite the attempts of the paramedics, he could not be saved. 

Havadis

Maraş (Varosha) show on the eve of the election

The government’s Maraş (Varosha) initiative was carried to the top of the agenda with Turkey’s support on the eve of the elections. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said “Maraş (Varosha) will be opened” during the meeting organized by the Turkish Union of Bar Associations in the fenced-off town.

  • They used Maraş (Varosha) as bait for the elections – President Mustafa Akıncı shared his views regarding the meeting held in the fenced-off town on social media. He said it would only be meaningful if Maraş (Varosha) was evaluated in a way that would contribute to a solution, would be in accordance with international law and the United Nations (UN) resolutions.

Diyalog

The cost of the one in the south is €205m

A 500-bed capacity modern hospital is to be built in Nicosia upon the instructions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The news was announced yesterday (Saturday) by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. “Our initial plans were for a 400-bed capacity hospital but our president wanted us to raise this to 500, Koca said. According to research carried out by Diyalog, the construction of the hospital in south Nicosia which came into service in 2006 cost €205m to complete. The construction of the building started in 1997 and took nine years to complete.

  • ‘This is TRNC soil’ – Oktay said that keeping Maraş (Varosha) fenced-off was ridiculous.
  • It will not serve the desired goal –President Mustafa Akıncı criticized the organization of a meeting on Maraş (Varosha) ahead of the election.
  • They prayed for peace

Afrika

The occupiers were at Maraş (Varosha)

They bombed it, they looted it and abandoned it to its fate for the past 46 years. Then they gathered with the intention of re-opening it! A meeting which will go down in infamy in our political history was held yesterday (Saturday) in the fenced-off city of Maraş (Varosha). The roundtable meeting organized by the Turkish Union of Bar Associations was protested by some political parties and organisations. A sign held up by one of several Greek Cypriots who joined the protest left its mark on the day. The sign read, “It’s my home. Let me in”.

Main News

Ankara holds Maraş (Varosha) roundtable amid protests

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Property, Territory, Economy

OVERVIEW

Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials met on Saturday in Maraş (Varosha) to discuss potentially re-opening the fenced-off area after 46 years, a move that Ankara said was a “historic” opportunity to bring tourism and economic benefits.

The roundtable meeting on the “Legal, Political and Economic Aspects of the Maraş Initiative” was organized by the Turkish Union of Bar Associations.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar, Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Turkey’s Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül delivered opening remarks at the meeting held at the officers’ club building in the fenced-off city.

The meeting was also attended by law professors, retired diplomats, representatives from tourism organizations and trade chambers.

Oktay told participants that it was a historic day and that it was neither legal nor politically or economically acceptable for this area of Famagusta, which he called a “heavenly coast”, to remain idle.

He said it was time to lift Maraş’s (Varosha) fenced-off status.

Oktay also said “this magnificent view” had been turned into a ghost town during half a century of seeking peace on the island, adding that Turkish Cypriots could not wait for another half-century.

On the issue of property, he said Evkaf land could not be sold, while others could file property claims with the Immovable Property Commission (IPC).

“Maraş (Varosha) belongs to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” he added, saying: “Steps by the TRNC for the economy and welfare of the area are legitimate.”

The Turkish Vice President also that efforts to open the abandoned town proved that Turkish Cypriots would not accept the status quo.

In an interview with Turkish channel NTV while in Maraş (Varosha), Oktay said that it was time for a change so that people could enjoy the resort.

He said the round-table discussion was on the political and economic aspects and was part of the inventory on buildings and other infrastructure.

Oktay said they would look into the state of the approximately 8,650 buildings in Varosha.

“There are banks, workshops, car dealerships, markets. Time stopped. There are remarkable hotels, even after half a century,” he said.

He added that a study into the Ottoman archives would be completed soon since (Maraş) Varosha was Evkaf land before 1878, the year the island passed under British administration.

“No matter who lived here in the past, Maraş (Varosha) will be a place where everyone wins,” he said.

Tatar, addressing the opening session of the roundtable, praised the meeting and its organisers.

He reminded that the roundtable for the continuation of an earlier meeting held in September 2019 in Ankara.

Tatar pointed out that re-opening Maraş (Varosha) was a legal matter which required careful planning so as not to fall in contradiction with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

“Reopening Maraş (Varosha) will be an important milestone in the political life of the TRNC,” he said

Tatar said he was convinced that they could come up with a model that will not violate international law.

Özersay who also spoke at the roundtable said it was important not to allow the issue to be exploited for political means.

He said that the government’s decision to re-open the fenced-off city will be carried out in a way that will not harm the rights of former residents or the Evfak.

Özersay said that the inventory had reached a stage where the condition of buildings in the town was being assessed and recorded.

“We believe that we can break the status quo without having to wait for a solution by taking steps within the framework of international law. We believe we can remove the word fenced-off from Maraş (Varosha),” Özersay noted.

He added that any decision on the town will be taken after the presidential election in the north.

The President of the Turkish Union of Bar Associations (TBB) Metin Feyzioğlu argued that the Maraş (Varosha) Initiative will pave the way for a solution to the Cyprus Problem.

He said that they will look into ways of establishing direct trade with third countries, turning the north into the Singapore of the Mediterranean.

Representatives of the Famagusta Initiative, the New Cyprus Party (YKP) and United Cyprus Party (BKP), the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS), The Press Workers’ Union (Basın-Sen) and Revolutionary Workers’ Union (DEV-İŞ) staged a protest in front of the entrance to the fenced-off city.

A small group of Greek Cypriots also joined the protest, holding up signs in protest.

Speaking to Yenidüzen, Celia Hadjihambi expressed her frustration for not be allowed to go in and see her home.

Another protestor, Anna Marangou said that there should have been more Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots joining the protest.

Security was tight at the entrance of Maraş (Varosha) with riot police waiting on standby.

Protestors were prevented from approaching the entrance.

A joint statement read out during the protest said that reopening the fenced-off city to anyone other than town’s lawful residents would be a violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 550.

It added that the meeting was a direct provocation and attempted to create an artificial agenda.

Meanwhile, President Mustafa Akıncı criticized the meeting held on Maraş (Varosha).

Akıncı stressed that Maraş (Varosha) should not remain closed, but he stated that the steps to be taken should be in international law.

“It makes sense if it is handled in a way that contributes to the solution [in Cyprus] without conflict with the United Nations,” Akıncı said.

“Otherwise, this initiative, which was held before a near future election, was very faulty in terms of participation scope and timing” Akıncı noted.

“It is also obvious that it will not serve the desired goal,” Akıncı added.

He recalled that an agreement had been reached on July 18, 2017, at a meeting attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and representatives of political parties in the Turkish Cypriot parliament to give priority to the Maronite Initiative.

He said that the National Unity Party (UBP)-Peoples’ Party (HP) coalition government had then gone behind his back and announced it was launching an initiative on the fenced-off city.

Akıncı pointed out that the whole process that has followed has been marked with confusing and contradictory remarks.

“It has been observed that there is no comprehensive plan or consistency on how this issue is being handled by the government,” he said.

KEY ACTORS
Oktay (Turkey)
>> It neither legal nor politically or economically acceptable for Famagusta to remain idle.
>> The time has come to lift Maraş’s (Varosha) fenced-off status.
>> TCs cannot wait another half-century for a solution.
>> Maraş (Varosha) is Evkaf property & Evkaf land cannot be sold. GCs can file property claims with the IPC.
>> Maraş (Varosha) belongs to TRNC & steps for the economy & welfare of the area are legitimate.
>> Efforts to open Maraş (Varosha) proves TCs will not accept the status quo.
>> No matter who lived here in the past, Maraş (Varosha) will be a place where everyone wins.

Tatar (UBP)
>> Re-opening Maraş (Varosha) is a legal matter which requires careful planning so as not to fall in contradiction with UNSC resolutions.
>> Reopening Maraş (Varosha) will be an important milestone in the political life of the TRNC.
>> It is possible to come up with a model that will be under int’l law.

Özersay (HP)
>> It is important not to allow the issue to be exploited for political means.
>> Government’s decision to re-open the fenced-off city will be carried out in a way that will not harm the rights of former residents or the Evkaf.
>> It is possible to break the status quo without having to wait for a solution by taking steps within the framework of int’l law.
>> Any decision on the town will be taken after the presidential election in the north.

Feyzioğlu (Turkey)
>> The Maraş (Varosha) Initiative will pave the way for a solution to the Cyprob.
>> Ways establishing direct trade with third countries, turning the north into the Singapore of the Mediterranean will be sought.

Akıncı
>> Maraş (Varosha) should not remain closed, but steps taken should be in int’l law.
>> Initiative will make sense if it is handled in a way that contributes to the solution [in Cyprus] without conflict with the UN.
>> Initiative, held before a near future election, is faulty in terms of participation scope & timing.
>> It is also obvious that it will not serve the desired goal.
>> Process since the start of the initiative reveals a lack of consistency on part of the government.


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