TCC Press Review 11 Apr 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“Lift the sports restrictions on Turkish Cypriots”

CTP (Republican Turkish Party) MP Armağan Candan addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with a football in his hand, giving the message that discrimination in sports is unacceptable.

Kıbrıs Postası

Vital to create an autonomous structure for KIBTEK

Ahmet Dargın, Director of Turkish Cypriot Electricity Company (KIBTEK), said his priority for the company is to create a self-sufficient KIBTEK that is autonomous.

  • 4G and 5G to be launched in 2020 – Public Works and Communications Minister Tolga Atakan announced 4G and 5G internet connection will be introduced in the North by July 2020.
  • We must implement our own measures – Economists Okan Veli Şafaklı, Ahmet Saydam and Ünal Akifler evaluated Turkish Finance Minister’s structural reform package announced on Wednesday.

Kıbrıs

Increase in traffic offences

People resist complying with traffic rules despite a high number of fatal accidents. Traffic violations top the list in number of court cases. 45,830 new cases on traffic violations were filed in 2018.

  • Annual applications more than the country’s population – Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Union (TIP-İŞ) president Dr Ahmet Varış underlined that the emergency services provided by public hospitals are inadequate to cope with the population.

Havadis

Their load is heavier than their weight

Children forced to carry heavy school bags revolted, asking their school to build lockers for each student to leave their books at school.

  • Cannot be functional – Cannot start from scratch – Greek Cypriot leader criticized TC side’s political equality demands while the Turkish Cypriot leader evaluated statements from the GC side in a written statement.  

Diyalog

It’s worrying

In addition to 35 TRNC citizens and 43 Turkish nationals, 129 foreigners living in the country have been diagnosed with AIDS.  

  • Menendez and Rubio give assurances – Draft legislation presented to US Senate for the lifting of arms sanctions on South Cyprus.

Afrika

Look at the population in the Emergency Room

Some try to determine our hidden population figures by counting the number of mobile phones, others the number of bread loaves or the amount of garbage produced. Some count the number of cars. But you should also ask the doctors. The head of TIP-İŞ (Doctors’ Union) Dr Ahmet Varış says that the number of patients seeking treatment at ER services at state hospitals exceeds the population figures announced.

Main News

Blame game continues – Akıncı lashes out at Anastasiades

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

President Mustafa Akıncı said on Wednesday that Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades should abandon his aggressive attitude, adopt a constructive approach and act in line with his historical responsibility to contribute to the efforts to find a solution.

Akıncı, in a written statement, said the Turkish Cypriot side, from the start, has been contributing positively and constructively to UN Secretary-General’s envoy Jane Holl Lute’s efforts to produce the Terms of Reference document.

Akıncı’s latest statement was a response to angry comments Anastasiades made on Tuesday when the two leaders engaged in a public spat that highlighted the differences between them only days before the UN chief is to hand over his latest Cyprus report to the Security Council.

“The reasoning is not to have to start negotiations from scratch but to focus on existing convergences going forward within a reasonable timetable by remaining committed to the 11 February 2014 Joint Declaration and the 30 June 2017 Guterres Framework,” Akıncı said in a written statement.

Akıncı added that the Greek Cypriot leader, unable to keep up with this clear and constructive attitude of the Turkish Cypriot side, was making aggressive and confrontational statements during such a delicate period.

“It is not a sincere approach to waste opportunities for a solution by trying to maintain the status quo and then complain about the status quo,” said Akıncı.

Akıncı added, if Anastasiades had been sincere about a solution, he would have made every effort to reach a settlement when the Turkish Cypriot side had provided him with the population figures.

Anastasiades’ stance on political equality, he said, was unacceptable, given it was already within UN parameters “and the right of the Turkish Cypriot people to participate effectively in decisions”.

Political equality was a convergence which both sides had agreed to in the past, he said, reminding that Anastasiades had publicly announced that he accepted the one positive vote for a Turkish Cypriot minister in the Council of Ministers of the future federal partnership during his opening remarks at the Cyprus conference in Crans-Montana.

Akıncı gave the example of political equality within the European Union where member states all exercised effective participation in decision-making mechanisms regardless of their size or population.

Akıncı stressed that a culture of reconciliation is at the core of every partnership.

“The approach that rejects the political equality of Turkish Cypriots and their active participation in decisions points to a serious mentality problem,” he added.

Akinci also said it was offensive to the Turkish Cypriot side for Anastasiades to act like the Cyprus problem began in 1974 as this ignored “the historical facts and the pain of the Turkish Cypriots” from the outbreak of the intercommunal troubles in 1963, until 1974.

“As I have always said, both communities have suffered deeply in Cyprus and the realistic way to resolve it is through the sincere acceptance of this, not its denial,” he said.

“The way in which Mr Anastasiades interprets the history of the Cyprus problem is a reflection of the unilateral and problematic approach that indicates that he is not accepting political equality today.”

The president urged Anastasiades to adopt a balanced approach regarding the reasonable security needs of the two communities, adding that one side’s security should not pose a threat to the other.

Akıncı underlined Cyprus is now at a very important juncture that requires responsible acts. At such a time, distorting facts, repeating cliché rhetoric and adopting the aggressive mentality that resulted in the grave suffering of the two communities in the past, can in no way be considered acting responsibly.

On the contrary, it is time to act with a constructive approach and everyone must be fully aware of their historical responsibilities, he said.

KEY ACTOR
Akıncı
>>
GC leadership must adopt a constructive approach rather than aggressive attitude & act with historical responsibility to contribute to solution efforts.
>> Solution can be found by focusing on existing convergences within a reasonable timetable.
>> Side must remain committed to the 11 February 2014 Joint Declaration and the 30 June 2017 Guterres Framework.
>> GC leader trying to maintain status quo, then complains about status quo. If Anastasiades had been sincere about a solution, he would have made every effort to reach a settlement when the TC side provided him with the population figures.
>> GC leader rejects political equality and effective participation in decision-making processes for TCs even though the issue had been agreed upon in the past.
>> GC side’s rejection of these points reflect a serious mentality problem.
>> Offensive to ignore pain of the TCs pre-1974. Both sides suffered deeply. Resolution comes through accepting this fact, not denying it.
>> One side’s security cannot be a threat for the other therefore a balanced approached needed.


Özersay says the process has ended

Kıbrıs Postası
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The leader of the Peoples’ Party (HP) and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said on Wednesday that there was no consensus within the coalition government regarding the Cyprus Problem.

He noted that different government institutions or offices needed to work together on the Cyprus Problem.

Speaking on Hakikat newspaper’s web portal Hakikat TV, Özersay said that they were trying to make a more realistic analysis on the Cyprus Problem which disturbed the Greek Cypriot side.

He argued that someone needed to come out and bravely say the Cyprus negotiations process that has been continuing for 50 years should not continue.

“In this sense, the Greek Cypriot leader opened Pandora’s Box and since this is the case we too should tell the truth,” he said.

Özersay argued that negotiations for the past 50 years had been carried out merely for the sake of negotiating.

“Once the process collapsed, the UN Secretary-General admitted in his own report that a common vision and ground was needed before any future talks were held. Do we have a joint vision or common ground? They’re telling us to resume negotiations from where they left off but we should first look to see if the ground exists for talks to resume. The UN’s envoy held all those meetings but could not announce that a joint vision existed,” he said.

Özersay also said that the Turkish Cypriot side needed to pursue active diplomacy from this point onwards.

KEY ACTOR
Özersay
>> No consensus within coalition on Cyprus Problem.
>> No common ground or vision exists for the resumption of talks. The end of the 50-year talks process should be openly announced.
>> Turkish Cypriot side needs to pursue active diplomacy in the period ahead.


Menendez and Rubio give assurances

Diyalog
External Security, Energy, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Members of the Democratic and Republican parties presented draft legislation to the US Senate for the lifting of arms embargoes on South Cyprus that has been in place since 1987. New Jersey Democrat Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation to reshape US strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean.

 “The Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 would allow the US to fully support the trilateral partnership of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus through energy and defence cooperation initiatives – including by lifting the embargo on arms transfers to the Republic of Cyprus,” a press statement released by the two reads.

“The United States has significant national security interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, bolstered by strong and expanding relationships with Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. The cooperation in energy security among these countries in recent years has paved the way for cooperation on a broad, regional security, economic, and energy agenda,” said Senator Menendez. “The time has come for the US to deepen this cooperation and build on the constructive progress made by our allies to help ensure a secure Eastern Mediterranean. This legislation seeks to strengthen our bonds of friendship through joint efforts to promote peace, prosperity, and security for our nations,” the statement added.

Rubio said that the legislation will continue to enhance mutual energy and security cooperation with US allies in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

“By lifting the US Arms Embargo on Cyprus and extending necessary Foreign Military Assistance to Greece, this legislation brings forth a comprehensive approach to the stability of key regional partners,” he added.

The two senators also said that the legislation will also impede the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey, as long as Turkey continues with plans to purchase the S-400 air defence system from the Russian Federation.

In regards the issue of hydrocarbons, the statement said the legislation also seeks to update US strategy in recognition of consequential changes in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the recent discovery of large natural gas fields, and deterioration of Turkey’s relationship with the United States.


Lift sports embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Armağan Candan urged the member states to lift the sports embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots during his address of the Parliamentary Council of Europe (PACE) on Wednesday. Candan, while holding a football in his hand, protested the prevention of Turkish Cypriot athletes from competing in international tournaments.

He said such discriminatory acts, despite the European Union’s claims that “sports are for all”, against Turkish Cypriots who are members of the European family is unacceptable.

While PACE participants talk about the unifying power of sports, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot teams cannot even play friendly matches, Candan added.

When the youth cannot even play a friendly, those on the island naturally question how the two sides will govern a state together, Candan pointed out

Candan also called on FIFA, UEFA and the International Olympics Committee to seek formulas and take steps to end restrictions imposed on Turkish Cypriot athletes.

The Turkish Cypriot parliament is represented at PACE by National Unity Party (UBP) MP Ersan Saner and Candan. 


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