TCC Press Review 14 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Vaccines available, all eyes on the plan

Johnson & Johnson vaccines have a one-month expiry date. Even though a total of 46,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines were delivered from Turkey and South Cyprus, the health ministry has yet to announce a vaccination plan. There is still no information as to who will be vaccinated and when. Health Ministry Undersecretary Düriye Deren Oygar said that it was important to use the limited time well and to act quickly. She said that there were working against the clock to ensure that the vaccines are administered on time and that they do not go to waste. Oygar added that they were thinking of extra hours.

Kıbrıs

The real estate market is coming back to life

The revised decisions regarding entry procedures into the country have raised hopes for the construction sector. Foreign investors who made down payments up to £2,000 for thousands of accommodation units in Kyrenia are expected to arrive in our country in July to sign contracts and complete transactions.

  • I’m a patriot, not a nationalistPresident Ersin Tatar during an interview with Kıbrıs columnist Hasan Hastürer said he is acting in the best interest of the TRNC and the Turkish Cypriots. He said, “I am not against the solution of the Cyprus problem,” and added that “if I were, I would not have gone to Geneva however I can’t accept any solution for the sake of it.”

Havadis

We sold by the spoon, purchased by the shovel

The TRNC’s exports for 2020 was $101,1m whereas total imports reached $1.22bn. According to the Trade Department report, there was a decrease in imports by 23 per cent in 2020. TRNC’s exports after so many years exceed the $100m mark in 2020. According to the same reports, the TRNC’s exports increased by 22.6 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year. The biggest chunk in exports was in dairy products in 2020. Out of the overall $101,1m exports, dairy product exports were measured at $44.2m, citrus at $27.4m and scrap metal at $6.47m.

Diyalog

We are in pain

The historic harbour in Kyrenia as well as other ancient monuments in the area have been abandoned to their fate. While the debate on the flags erected on top of Famagusta’s historic walls rages on, the neglect of the old harbour and its surroundings in Kyrenia saddens everyone. The authorities on the other hand are ignoring the neglect and destruction that has been going on.

  • ‘The aim is the Eastern Mediterranean’This is the Greek Cypriot administration’s claims regarding Turkey’s plans to set up an airbase at Geçitkale (Lefkoniko) and a naval base at Boğaz (Bogazi).

Avrupa

Biden – Erdoğan showdown

The most critical meeting for Tayyip Erdoğan…US President Joe Biden who said he will topple down Erdoğan two years ago will meet face-to-face with Erdoğan for the first time since he won the elections. Expert writer Hüsnü Mahalli evaluates the Biden-Erdoğan meeting. All the issues related to Turkish US relations will be tabled. Cyprus is also among these issues. People are anxiously waiting to see what Biden will tell Erdoğan regarding the Turkish side’s insistence on a two-state solution model. It is believed that if Erdoğan fails to receive support from the US administration, he will give up on his insistence on a two-state model and will revert to a federal settlement.

  • The Gönyeli (Geunyeli) massacre remembered for the first timeThe Gönyeli (Geunyeli) massacre whereby eight Greek Cypriots were killed with knives, adzes and bullets on June 12, 1958, in the fields of Gönyeli (Geunyeli) was marked by a group of Turkish Cypriots for the first time.

Main News

I’m a patriot, not a nationalist, says Tatar

Kıbrıs
Negotiations Process, Property, Territory

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Monday said he did not oppose a solution to the Cyprus Problem but that this did not mean he was ready to accept any form of settlement just for the sake of reaching a solution. He also said that any settlement, other than a two-state solution, will only remain in words or on paper and will be still-born just like the 1960 Republic of Cyprus (RoC).

During an interview with Kıbrıs columnist Hasan Hastürer, the Turkish Cypriot leader said he had not made any promises regarding a solution and that what was important for him was the interest of the Turkish Cypriot state (TRNC) and Turkish Cypriots.

“I am a patriot and not a nationalist,” Tatar stressed, adding that he only advocated for a feasible, lasting and sustainable settlement based on two states. Responding to a question on Maraş (Varosha), Tatar underlined the importance of the political decision to reopen the fenced-off town. He noted that the reopening process, which is known as the Maraş (Varosha) initiative is continuing as planned.

“Our road map on Maraş (Varosha) is in line with human rights and compliance with international law,” Tatar stressed, arguing that all relevant sides will benefit from the Initiative. Tatar also dismissed attempts to associate him with various criminals on social media. He added he has built a political career by being among the people, saying that he could not perform ID checks on everyone who wanted to take photographs with him.

Asked to comment on the reports on election meddling, Tatar dismissed the claims made in the said report stating that the Higher Electorate Board has decided to validate the election results.

Tatar added what is more important is to maintain good relations with Turkey. “This is in the best interest of the Turkish Cypriots,” he said adding that the Turkish Cypriot community must find a way to act in solidarity and unity just like the Greek Cypriot side. “We have to learn from the Greek Cypriot politicians and their restricted opposition on the issue of the Cyprus problem as there is a state policy on it in the south,” Tatar argued.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Not possible to agree to any form of settlement just for the sake of reaching a solution.
>> Another alternative to a two-state solution will be still-born.
>> TC side’s roadmap on Maraş (Varosha) is in line with human rights & in compliance with international law.
>>  It is important to maintain good relations with Turkey. This would be in the best interest of TCs.


All eyes set on the Erdoğan-Biden meeting

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Regional/ International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday will hold his first face-to-face meeting with US President Joe Biden since Biden’s election to office, on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Monday to discuss the Cyprus problem as well as the Eastern Mediterranean alongside other pertinent issues. The relevant parties have vested a lot of hope in this meeting which will be held in Brussels.

The dailies, citing sources close to the Turkish presidency, reported that respect for Turkey’s sovereignty and security sensitivities with regard to regional developments are expected to top the country’s agenda at the NATO summit.

Erdoğan in a televised address last week had said his first meeting with Biden “will mark the beginning of a new era.”

In an interview with Turkish state-owned broadcaster TRT, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, regarding the Erdoğan-Biden meeting, said Turkey “will approach the meeting with a positive agenda.” Çavuşoğlu noted that the United States wants to cooperate with Turkey not only on the issues of Libya and Syria but also in many areas from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and Caucasus regions.

On the other hand, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday, June 9, that Biden will raise the issue of Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean during his upcoming meeting with the Turkish President.

According to reports by international news agencies, responding to a question by Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat and chairman of the foreign relations panel, about what the administration was doing to address a series of provocative activities by Turkey under Erdoğan, Blinken said he shared the concerns about Ankara’s behaviour which he described as “deeply disturbing.”

“Our differences with Turkey… are no secret,” Blinken said, adding that Washington was “pleased” to see Ankara pulling back from some of its activities in the region, “including removing its ships from waters that Cyprus considers to be part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and stopping the drilling.”

Erdoğan will also hold one-on-one meetings with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian President Egils Levits, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He is also expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.


Kızılyürek awarded “Yiannos Kranidiotis” prize for creativity

Yenidüzen
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

AKEL MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek has been awarded the “Yiannos Kranidiotis” prize for creativity in 2021 for his creative and innovative contributions made to a United Cyprus in line with the European Union (EU) values.

The annual award is given by The Association for Social Reform (OPEK) in collaboration with the European Commission representation office in Cyprus. Speaking during the award ceremony, a member of the award jury Larkos Larkou said Kızılyürek is an activist, pragmatist and a visionary European. He added Kızılyürek is an intellectual for the entire Cyprus – both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots – who displays his courageous attitude, knowledge, consistency and endurance at the most difficult times.

Kızılyürek, also speaking stressed he believes the most important value of the EU is lasting peace, adding that he sees it will come with sharing of sovereignty, federalisation and interaction of the two communities in an interdependent relationship based on mutual interests of the communities.

He nonetheless, added that even though it is not possible to talk about a relationship as such, he still feels hope in seeing thousands of people fighting for the same values.

“I receive this award today as one of the thousands, I receive it on behalf of them,” Kızılyürek said, adding that there is no need for pessimism. “We will continue to fight for federal Cyprus, lasting peace and brotherhood,” Kızılyürek concluded.


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