Front Page Headlines
Deadline is complete but still no protocol
According to the five-month agreement signed on July 20, the proposal for the two-year economic protocol was to be completed by the end of October. The protocol has not been prepared at the promised date.
“Municipalities need special units to deal with extraordinary situations”
Dozens of people experienced difficulties due to floods which hit many of the districts. Dr Deniz İşçioğlu, who is a local administrations expert, spoke to Kıbrıs Postası regarding infrastructure problems of municipalities. She noted that most of the 28 municipalities are unable to overcome problems with existing financial problems and lack of resources. She urged the government to upgrade municipalities’ capabilities to deal with such situations.
The plane hit the ground following a swirling nose dive
The team of experts investigating the training plane crash, which resulted in the death of two experienced pilots, has arrived from Turkey. Following initial inspections, one of the experts shared his findings with the team. A detailed technical report is to be prepared within a month.
- President Mustafa Akıncı’s report sent to Guterres
Team to uncover the reasons for the crash
A two-person expert team to investigate the crash site, which resulted in the death of Serkan Özcezarlı and Hakan Çetinkaya, arrived from Turkey. The expert team will investigate the causes of the crash for the next three days. The detailed technical report will be ready in a month’s time.
- Leaders’ letters reached Guterres – TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades submitted their reports requested by the UN Security Council.
No support
A proposal by Public Works and Communication Minister Tolga Atakan for the state to temporarily halt its financial contribution to political parties in parliament so that the money can be used for road works has not received support.
Cartoon case in appeals court
The hearing of the appeal filed by the prosecutor’s office regarding the cartoon/collage case which Afrika was acquitted of started yesterday. The head of the Supreme Court Bertan Özerdağ, judge Beril Çağdal and Peri Hakkı in an unprecedented move, split the case in two following separate appeals filed by the prosecutor’s office. While Şener Levent and Ali Osman had been tried together in the lower court. They will now be tried separately.
Main News
Özyiğit says tripartite meeting upsetting anti-solution camp
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Leader of the Social Democratic Party (TDP) Cemal Özyiğit said on Wednesday that the tripartite meeting scheduled for November 25 was disconcerting and upsetting circles opposed to a solution.
“The barrage of statements they are issuing is the most concrete proof of this,” he said.
The TDP leader said that the National Unity Party (UBP) and Peoples’ Party (HP) were in complete harmony when it came to their opposition to a solution.
“We can see this from Prime Minister Ersin Tatar’s and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay’s statements,” he added.
Özyiğit said that the government’s insistence that Akıncı should not attend the meeting and should seek parliament’s consent was the product of mentality absent of democratic understanding.
“It will be the Turkish Cypriots who will give the necessary response when the time comes to those whose mentality opposes the integration of Turkish Cypriots with international law,” he added.
Özyiğit expressed hope that the summit will progress on a positive foundation.
“We hope the process leading to a federal settlement will speed up. It is our greatest hope that an agreement on the terms of reference will be reached at the tripartite meeting paving the way for a five-party conference followed by the launch of negotiations,” he said.
The TDP leader said that the negotiations process must be results-oriented and should not be open-ended.
“More importantly any solution must include rotational presidency and effective participation in decision-making processes,” he added.
European MEP Niyazi Kızılyürek said on Tuesday that Turkish Cypriots cannot become political actors if they do not focus on a federal solution.
Speaking at this week’s “Famagusta Chats” organized by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Kızılyürek said that Turkish Cypriots throughout the island’s history have been waging a struggle to become political actors.
“Turkish Cypriots are still asking what will become of them as they continued to live a life of uncertainty,” he said.
Kızılyürek explained that Turkish Cypriots have been experiencing an existential crisis throughout history and had launched an existence struggle following the rise of Greek nationalism in the 50s.
He pointed out that Turkish Cypriots had become more dependent on Turkey over the years.
“Nevertheless, they still have not lost the chance to become political actors. What will make us political actors is self-governance. In other words, becoming partners in a federal solution. There is no other alternative,” he added.
Kızılyürek also pointed out that a two-state solution under the EU umbrella which various circles were advocating for was unrealistic.
“Whoever is saying this is deceiving the public,” said Kızılyürek who argued that it was not possible to have a second state on the island.
“This is very clear. The north can become part of Turkey, it can be annexed but a separate state in Cyprus is not possible. The Turkish Cypriot community cannot be a political actor unless it focuses on establishing a federal state,” he added.
In the meantime, the Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Stanislav Osadchiy visited the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) on Wednesday where he met with party leader Tufan Erhürman and members of the Central Executive Committee.
The latest developments on the Cyprus Problem, the upcoming tripartite meeting in Berlin and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean were discussed during the meeting.
Speaking during the meeting, Erhürman repeated his party’s position in favour of a results-oriented and time-framed negotiations process which included past convergences.
He said that steps towards achieving a comprehensive settlement could be achieved if the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres adopted a determined stance regarding the fundamental principles of political equality as stated in UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
Erhürman also said that it was important UNSC members supported the Secretary-General on this issue.
KEY ACTORS
Özyiğit (TDP)
>> The tripartite meeting is upsetting circles opposed to a solution. Statements they by anti-solution camp is concrete proof of this.
>> UBP & HP are in complete harmony in opposition to a solution.
>> Government’s insistence on Akıncı not to attending Berlin meeting before receiving parliament’s consent is the product of mentality absent of democratic understanding.
>> Progress should be achieved at summit to speed up efforts for a federal settlement.
>> An agreement on the ToR should be reached at the tripartite meeting paving the way for a five-party conference followed by the launch of negotiations.
>> The negotiations process must be results-oriented & should not be open-ended.
>> Any solution must include rotational presidency & effective participation in decision-making processes.
Kızılyürek (EP)
>> TCs cannot become political actors if they do not focus on a federal solution.
>> TCs had become more dependent on Turkey over the years.
>> TCs still have not lost the chance to become political actors. What will make TC political actors is self-governance. There is no other alternative.
>> Two-state solution under the EU umbrella is unrealistic. It is not possible to have a second recognized state on the island.
Erhürman (CTP)
>> CTP is in favour of a results-oriented & time-framed negotiations process which included past convergences.
>> Steps towards achieving a comprehensive settlement could be achieved if the UNSG adopts a determined stance regarding the fundamental principles of political equality as stated in UNSC resolutions.
>> It is important UNSC members supported the Secretary-General on this issue.
TC & GC parties agree on need to combat climate change
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Leaders and representatives of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties agreed on Wednesday on the need for environmental legislation to be introduced and strictly adhered to across the island to combat climate change.
In a joint communique issued at the end of a meeting at Ledra Palace, the leaders agreed that climate change was a problem that already affects Cyprus, with extreme weather conditions and the “danger of desertification already occurring in our common land”.
According to the joint communiqué, the leaders and representatives of the political parties “commit to introducing measures to combat climate change and prevent further environmental catastrophes on the whole island, recognizing that this homeland was only lent to us for safekeeping for future generations”.
They called upon the two leaders to resume the negotiations, according to UN resolutions under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
The leaders and the representatives of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot political parties met for their regular meeting on Wednesday under the auspices of the Slovak Embassy in Nicosia, during which they expressed their views on the issue, proposed by the hosting Greek Cypriot political party, Cyprus Greens-Citizens’ Cooperation: “How urgent is the need to combat climate?”
The political parties agreed that the adverse weather conditions as a result of global climate change already affect the island.
“It is essential that environmental legislation is introduced and strictly adhered to, that mitigation measures are horizontally agreed upon and enforced across the island if we are to save it from impending ruin,” the communiqué stated.
The political parties, as stated in the communiqué also expressed the need to commit towards the targets laid out by the European Union for the year 2020 and 2030 subsequently and to the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations in producing policy decisions.
“These targets could become the focus of joint task forces or of a joint technical committee that could initiate efforts towards preparing the island as a whole to mitigate the consequences of climate change,” the communiqué noted.
TC side submits report to UNSG
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Mustafa Akıncı submitted the Turkish Cypriot side’s report in support of the relevant parts of the UN Security Council resolution 2483, dated 25 July 2019 , all six dailies reported on Thursday.
In a written statement issued on Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu said the report, which was submitted to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, consists of three parts covering substantial steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot side towards a sustainable and comprehensive settlement in Cyprus since 2015; confidence building measures with the aim of developing intercommunal contact and reconciliation; and the de-escalation measures and proposals by the Turkish Cypriot side on the issue of hydrocarbons.
Burcu noted that the report was submitted as part of a requirement from the Secretary-General in UNSC resolution 2483.