Front Page Headlines
No outcome, just a ‘message’
No concrete outcome from the separate meetings the two leaders had with the UN Secretary-General in New York. The possibility of a tripartite or five-party meeting was discussed at the highest level. Speaking after a 40-minute meeting with Guterres, Akıncı said: “There is not a definite decision for a tripartite or five-party meeting but Guterres gave us the message that such a meeting could take place in October or November.”
“Why not? Our views overlap on the national cause”
Although the alliance between the Democratic Party (DP) and Re-birth Party (YDP) is currently limited to parliament, DP’s future leader Fikri Ataoğlu and YDP leader Erhan Arıklı hinted at the possibility of the alliance being extended to the presidential elections. Arıklı noted “the two parties’ views on the national cause overlap.”
- Akıncı met with Guterres: “Guterres ready to take on the initiative for the tripartite or the five-party meetings.”
- Yavuz to start drilling in its new location in the coming days – Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said.
Tragedy strikes sorrow into hearts
35-year-old Sedef Sevgi Derin died in a car crash after losing control of her vehicle due to speeding on the old Alayköy (Gerolakkos) road. The speed pointer of her car was stuck at 190km per hour!
- “Our people do not want yet another failure” – President Mustafa Akıncı met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
A tripartite meeting could be left to November
President Mustafa Akıncı met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for more than half-an-hour. “We do not want another failure,” President Mustafa Akıncı said during the press conference held after his meeting. “We asked for the Secretary-General’s active participation in the process. We have had the impression the Secretary-General will take on the initiative to call for either a tripartite or a five-party meeting,” he added. Prior to that, UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute will be in consultations with the two sides to complete the Terms of Reference document.
He was going to become a millionaire
Ercan Yılmaz who stole 32 TRNC state lottery tickets and 40 (Turkey’s) National lottery tickets from a kiosk in Kyrenia won the consolation prize in six tickets. Yılmaz had stolen the tickets from a kiosk in Atatürk Square shortly after midnight on September 23.
I was made a target
Tacan Reynar who resigned from the post of senior judge following the incident on January 22 in front of Afrika newspaper said that he had been made a target. Reynar said: “I was accused of discrimination and of being a member of a terrorist organization just for doing my job involving the most systematic, planned and political incident the north has seen. Why am I bringing this up?
- They’re going to blow up a munitions depot in Arapköy (Klepini) –The Turkish Cypriot Security Forces warned the public to be careful while it carried out controlled explosions. It said that it was going to blow up munitions which were too dangerous to transport.
Main News
Akinci: Tripartite or five-party meetings possible but not definite
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The possibility of an unofficial three-party meeting between the island’s two leaders and UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres or a five-party meeting including the guarantor powers could be on the cards in the months ahead, President Akıncı said on Monday after a meeting with the UN chief on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
“It seems that a tripartite meeting could be possible in late October or November but there is nothing definite yet,” Akıncı said, adding that his meeting with Guterres had been “very productive”.
Akıncı added that the UN Secretary-General had yet to decide on whether or not to hold such meetings but that they had received the impression he had such an intention.
He said he informed Guterres about the Turkish Cypriot side’s positions, determination and its readiness to agree on the terms of reference, which are based on the joint statement of February 11, 2014, the convergences that were achieved up to the conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana in 2017, and the framework set out by Guterres himself on June 30 during the same conference.
“We are working for a federal partnership based on two constituent states. The Greek Cypriot side is displaying an unclear stance. The Terms of Reference are important in removing any ambiguity,” he said
Akıncı pointed out that the UN Secretary-General was keen on taking an initiative on the Cyprus issue but added that such a process required good preparation.
He added that the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute will be continuing her efforts and could be visiting the island soon.
“He informed us that Ms Lute may continue with her consultations… at a later time, he might convene an informal three or five-party meeting. He has not decided how to convene this meeting. He will be in consultation with the sides before he decides,” he said.
Akıncı underlined the need to remove any ambiguity concerning political equality.
He also said that the principle of effective participation in decision-making processes was of paramount importance for the Turkish Cypriot side.
“We do not want endless negotiations. We have been holding negotiations for the past 50 years. We’ve had more than enough. So, any new process needs to be well structured, it has to be results-oriented, well phased so that it gives us results. We do not want a new failure,” he said, adding that the Secretary-General was thinking along the same lines.
Asked about the Greek Cypriot side’s stance, Akıncı said he did not want to engage in a blame game but said things did not look very positive.
“What we are defending or supporting have been included in UN reports and have become UN parameters. We have been trying to remain committed to these convergences. Both political equality and effective participation in decision-making processes are clearly stated in UN documents,” said Akıncı.
He said that the Greek Cypriot side couldn’t back out of these convergences, warning that if it did it could be officially held responsible for rejecting political equality.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, Akıncı said that all interested parties were concerned about the level of heightened tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“I told the Secretary-General once again about my proposal. It is extremely important that Guterres adopts a more active stance on this issue,” he added.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> TC side ready agree on ToR based on 11 Feb 2014 joint declaration, past convergences & 30 June Guterres Framework.
>> ToR important in removing any ambiguity caused by the GC side’s unclear stance.
>> Principle of effective participation in decision-making processes of paramount importance for TCs.
>> TC positions have become UN parameters. Not possible for GC side to back out of past convergences. Doing so carries risk of GC side being held responsible for rejecting political equality.
>> UNSG needs to take more active stance on hydrocarbons issue.
Tatar: Kovoso model should be on the table
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said on Monday that Turkey’s active and effective guarantees were extremely important for Turkish Cypriots, particularly when taking into consideration that the Greek Cypriots were rejecting the political equality of Turkish Cypriots.
Speaking to Bayrak, Tatar claimed that going back to the point reached in Crans Montana was against the interests of the Turkish Cypriot side.
“That process is against our interests. The UN Secretary-General is trying to drag us back to that process,” he said.
Tatar also questioned how the Turkish Cypriot economy could overcome the financial challenges a settlement would bring, particularly concerning the transfer of territory and property to the Greek Cypriot side.
He said that alternative models such as the Kosovo model should be discussed at the table, arguing that there were similarities in the conditions of both countries.
“The differences between the two sides in Cyprus are too great. We need to approach this issue realistically,” he said, adding that the political leadership needed to listen to what the people had to say.
“There are two states in Cyprus. We could discuss the possibility of a confederation or a ‘velvet divorce’,” he said.
Speaking to ADA TV on Monday, the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) General Secretary Erdoğan Sorakin said that a federal settlement was the only solution model for his party.
He said that opinion polls and surveys showed that this was still the most popular settlement model.
Sorakin repeated his party’s position in favour of results-oriented talks which were not open-ended to reach a bizonal, bicommunal federal (BBF) settlement.
He said that a two-state solution under the EU umbrella, as claimed by the People’s Party leader Kudret Özersay, was not possible.
“Such a settlement would pose numerous challenges. How are we to solve the issue of territory, property and other issues within the EU?” he asked.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)
>> Turkey’s active & effective guarantees extremely important for TCs especially since GCs reject political equality of TCs.
>> Returning to point reached in Crans Montana against TC interests.
>> TC side could not overcome financial challenges a settlement will bring, particularly on territory & property.
>> Alternatives such as Kosovo model, confederation or ‘velvet divorce’ should be discussed at the table.
Sorakin (CTP)
>> Federal settlement only solution model for CTP.
>> Opinion polls & surveys show that BBF is still the most popular solution model.
>> Two-state solution under EU umbrella not possible. Would pose numerous challenges on territory & property.
Yavuz set to begin new drilling operations
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkey’s second drillship, the Yavuz, is due to commence its second drilling operation sometime over the next few days, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Monday.
Speaking to students at the Bilecik Şeyh Edebali university, he did not specify the location of the ship’s next drilling site.
“Today, with four ships, our flag is flying in every part of the eastern Mediterranean. Our teams are working with great dedication day and night to deliver the good news to our nation,” he said
“The Yavuz will start drilling at its new location in the coming days… the Fatih [drillship] also went below four thousand metres. Each time our drills pierce the seabed marks a milestone for Turkey’s bright future,” Dönmez added.
Last week the Yavuz, which had been operating off the Karpaz (Karpas) peninsula, returned for maintenance to the Turkish port of Mersin.
In a separate statement via Twitter, the Turkish Defence Ministry said the Fatih drilling ship and Oruç Reis seismic research vessel were being protected by ships from the Turkish navy as well as unmanned aerial vehicles during their activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
On Monday, the Turkish National Security Council, chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said in a statement that Turkey was determined to continue activities in the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of its continental shelf and the framework of the agreements signed with the TRNC.
DP and YDP join forces
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
All six dailies report the decision by the Democratic Party (DP) and Re-birth Party (YDP) to join forces in parliament to carry out their duties as the opposition more effectively in the coming legislative term.
The two political parties will also meet with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and Social Democratic Party (TDP) on Tuesday to broaden their alliance.
Former leader of DP, Serdar Denktaş emphasized the importance of the alliance especially for political parties without a parliamentary group in the assembly. “If you don’t have a group in parliament, you are only allowed to address the assembly and you end up watching the bigger parties govern the country,” Denktaş said.
He added, “In this respect, forming such alliances is vital for a strong voice.”
YDP leader Erhan Arıklı complained that some of the bills his party had prepared were not even brought to the attention of the parliamentary assembly in the previous legislative year. “In this regard, the YDP welcomes the alliance to put pressure on the ruling parties and the government,” Arıklı added.
Arıklı noted that YDP has prepared a constitutional amendment package that only includes provisions on the judiciary, parliament’s activities and political immunity.
He said his party will share the study with DP in the coming days.
The YDP also discussed the bills it had prepared earlier with DP. These bills included electoral laws, the wholesale of fresh produce and growing medicinal cannabis.
The alliance agreement between the two parties includes articles such as launching a petition within parliament for the lifting of all political immunities and submitting motions in the parliament jointly.
Speaking separately on Kıbrıs Postası Web TV on Monday, Ataoğlu said DP will evaluate the possibility of forming an alliance for the upcoming presidential elections when the time comes.
“Why not!” he said, leaving the possibility of an alliance open.
Arıklı, also speaking on the same programme, hinted that the alliance between the two parties in parliament could be extended to the presidential elections. Arıklı noted “the two party’s views on the national cause overlap.”