Front Page Headlines
Many placed in quarantine after contact tracing
Health workers are working intensively to end the chain of locally transmitted cases in the Mesaoria area. Tests are being carried out in many areas and a large number of people have been placed in quarantine as a result of contact tracing.
- From the south: We shall be giving Turkish Cypriots 200,000 coronavirus vaccines
- Prime Minister Saner: “500,000 vaccines will be arriving from Turkey”
- Ankara promises to give financial support
₺800m (€86m) from Turkey to the TRNC
Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Deputy PM and Economy-Energy Minister Erhan Arıklı and Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, who paid an official visit to Ankara, were received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vice President Fuat Oktay.
- Abandoned the migrants in the middle of a rived bed and fled – The Coast Guard discovered 14 undocumented migrants seven nautical miles off the coast of the Gaziveren (Kazivera) in the Güzelyurt (Morphou) bay. The police, additionally, found six other migrants in the Şahinler river bed.
Oktay gave the “good news”
The National Unity Party (UBP) – Democratic Party (DP) – Rebirth Party (YDP) minority government as expected went to Ankara. Prime Minister Ersan Saner held a joint press conference with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, who announced that ₺800m (€86m) will be transferred to the TRNC for salary payments.
- Record and document political equality – AKEL has shared its proposals for the resumption of talks with (UNSG) Antonio Guterres and Turkish Cypriot political parties advocating for federation.
- Pyrgos is a new route for the Syrians – 12 undocumented Syrian migrants were discovered at Kato Pyrgos. The Greek Cypriot police also detained two individuals for taking the migrants to Pyrgos.
- Oruç Reis sets sail for the Mediterranean.
‘We are by your side to the very end’
The TRNC which has been worrying for days about how it will be paying 13th salaries, has been promised ₺800m (€85.7m) from Turkey. The good news was given by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay. Oktay promised an ₺800m (€85.7) support package to Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Deputy Prime Minister Erhan Arıklı and Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu to be used to pay 13th salaries as well as other areas. The news announced by Oktay not only pleased public sector workers and pensioners but also shopkeepers who are waiting to do business before the New Year. Oktay also gave reassurances on completing the new Ercan (Tymbou) Airport terminal and the construction of a 500-bed new public hospital. “We are by your side to the very end. We stand by the Turkish Cypriots in every field,” he said. The TRNC delegation was also received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday (Wednesday) evening.
Prison sentence requested for (Şener) Levent
Cases filed against Şener Levent at Ankara Penal Court for insulting (Turkish President) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The three cases filed against Şener Levent in Ankara have been relayed to the Nicosia District Court…Levent was summoned to the court to testify yesterday (Thursday)…He refused and said: “I reject the allegations.” According to Article 299/1 of Turkish Penal Code, Ankara court will hear the case in Levent’s absentia. According to the same article, he could be sentenced to a prison term from one to four years.
- ₺800m (€86m) from Turkey – Ankara has full control (over the north) … Ersan Saner said: “2021 will be easier…”
- Seven positive cases of coronavirus in the north, 477 cases and three deaths in the south…
Main News
Ertuğruloğlu: Two-state solution now official TC position
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruoğlu said on Wednesday that a two-state solution based on sovereign equality had become the Turkish Cypriot side’s official policy.
Ertuğruoğlu, in an interview with the Anatolian News Agency, said Turkish Cypriots had wasted 50 years negotiating a federal settlement.
He said that it had become obvious that a solution in Cyprus would not be possible with the Greek Cypriots the minute the UN recognized the Greek Cypriot side as the legitimate government on the island.
Ertuğruoğlu argued that this must change if a settlement is to be reached on the island through negotiations.
“Furthermore, the Turkish Cypriots should not be treated as a minority on the island but politically equal founding members of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC),” he said.
Regarding the resumption of the negotiations, Ertuğruoğu said that it was out of the question for the Turkish Cypriot side to resume talks from where they left off in Crans Montana.
“Nonetheless, the Turkish Cypriot side is ready and willing to take part in a new process to discuss the two-state solution model based on sovereign equality,” he stressed, stating that a five-plus-UN conference would be a good opportunity to agree on what could be discussed in the new process.
Ertuğruloğlu, nevertheless said that the negotiations process will either resume based on a two-state solution or it will not start at all.
In response to a question on the reopening of Maraş (Varosha), he noted that the initiative will continue as planned with removing the town’s status as a military area.
Ertuğruloğlu noted that Maraş (Varosha) was a good example of why the status quo was unacceptable and why the “ghost town” must be brought back to life.
“The Maraş (Varosha) Initiative will be a process in which the rights of former residents will be protected in line with international law while the town will be opened under Turkish Cypriot administration,” Ertuğruloğlu said.
He added that the “Evkaf Administration’s ownership of Maraş (Varosha)” will be taken into consideration while Greek Cypriots and other foreigners will be asked to apply to the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) for their properties.
Rejecting criticism on the reopening project, Ertuğruloğlu argued that the Greek Cypriot side benefited from keeping Maraş (Varosha) closed.
Ertuğruloğlu also said that the Turkish Cypriot side was seeking significant economic gains by reopening the town which he noted was located with the ‘TRNC’s’ borders.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, Ertuğruloğlu said as long as the Greek Cypriot side is seen as the sole representative of the RoC, it will never make any concessions on its current positions.
“As long as the international attitude towards the Greek Cypriot side does not change, they will not give up on their position that the natural resources are a matter of their sovereignty,” Ertuğruloğlu said and argued that it is only possible to discuss an equitable sharing of the resources if the world starts treating the two sides equally on the island.
“I hope one day that the Greek Cypriots will start seeing the Turkish Cypriots as equal owners of the island. Then only, we can expect solution models to be discussed,” Ertuğruloğlu concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Ertuğruloğlu (UBP)
>> A two-state solution based on sovereign equality is the TC side’s official policy.
>> The TC side is ready & willing to take part in a new process to discuss the two-state solution model based on sovereign equality.
>> Five-plus-UN is opportunity to agree on what needs to be negotiated in the new process.
>> Talks will resume to discuss a two-state solution or not resume at all.
>> Process to reopen Maraş (Varosha) will continue as planned.
>> Rights of former residents will be protected according to international law but the town will open under TC administration.
>> Evkaf’s claims will be taken into consideration but all applications will be made to IPC.
Ankara to pump ₺800m (€86m) into TC economy in coming days
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Economy
OVERVIEW
Ankara on Wednesday promised the north ₺800m (€86m) in financial assistance before the end of the year.
The announcement was made by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay who met with the heads of the new coalition government in the north, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Deputy Prime Minister Erhan Arıklı and Tourism Minister Fikri Ataoğlu.
The three had flown to Ankara on a private jet earlier in the day for talks with the Turkish government in overcoming financial difficulties being experienced in paying public salaries as well as completing other projects.
The Turkish Cypriot delegation was also received later in the evening by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“We shall continue to stand by you to the very end,” Oktay told reporters in a joint press conference with Saner after their meeting.
The Turkish VP also promised to help complete the ongoing construction of a new terminal building and runway at Ercan (Tymbou) airport and to build a new 500-bed state hospital in Nicosia.
He said that it was important to prepare for the process following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Saner for his part expressed gratitude to Ankara for its generosity and support.
He said that the ₺800m (€86m) will be used the solve the current financial difficulties being experienced.
“Things look brighter already for 2021,” he said.
He said that the rest of the money would be spent on projects and infrastructure repairs.
Speaking at Ercan (Tymbou) upon his return, Saner said that Turkey also promised to send 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to the north as well as 5000 sheep as part of a project to help boost Hellim (Halloumi) production.
Increased flows of undocumented migrants to island
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
A total of 33 undocumented migrants were found and detained in the western end of the island within the last 24 hours, the dailies report on Thursday.
The Turkish Cypriot coast guard came across 14 irregular migrants seven nautical miles off the coast of Gaziveren (Kazivera) in the Güzelyurt (Morphou) bay on Wednesday.
The police, additionally, found another six migrants in the Şahinler riverbed.
According to the report, the migrants were abandoned at the riverbed by traffickers.
Each had paid $3,000 to human traffickers.
The six migrants, following their medical checks, are in police custody until an investigation into the incident is completed.
The dailies, citing Greek Cypriot media, also reported that 13 Syrian migrants were discovered in Kato Pyrgos on Wednesday, bringing the total number of irregular migrants found to 33.
The Greek Cypriot coast guard also arrested two Turkish nationals in connection with the trafficking of illegal migrants.
The dailies report that there has been a surge in migrant arrivals in the past few weeks, most likely due to favourable conditions at sea.
Peace & Sports award nominees meet at Taksim football pitch
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis
CBMs
OVERVIEW
The Federation of International Automobiles (FIA) Peace and Sport award nominees, who were the organisers of the Super Special Stage of the European Rally Championship (ERC) connecting the two sides of Nicosia, met at the Taksim Football Field on Wednesday.
Winners of the special award by the FIA, member of the Turkish Cypriot Automobile Association (KKTOK) Canben Özpaşa on behalf of the organisers said “We have shown the world we can make our voice heard” in a social media post.
“The FIA, which organises events like the Formula 1, has nominated the Nicosia special leg of the ERC, which was organized by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots that want to live in peace together without borders, for the ‘World Peace and Sport’ award. What more can we do?” Özpaşa concluded.