TCC Press Review 3 Nov 2019

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“Good relations on proper grounds”

Leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman who spoke exclusively to Yenidüzen underlined the importance of establishing good and balanced relations with Turkey. “Relations between the two countries and peoples should take into account mutual sensitivities,” he said.

Kıbrıs Postası

It will be expensive to warm up

People are worried about how they will cover the cost of heating as the winter months grow closer. The public’s worries have been heightened by the current economic crisis, the devaluation of the Turkish Lira as well as expected price hikes in electricity and bottled gas.Kıbrıs Postası presents heating alternatives with unit prices.

  • Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez: “Data from the Eastern Mediterranean are extremely  positive.”

Kıbrıs

What kind of priority is this?

Even though the government claims its priorities are the roads, schools and building new hospitals, none have been able to produce any solutions for the ongoing problems.

Havadis

The roads are drenched in blood

29 people have died as a result of fatal car crashes on our roads in the past ten months. Devrim Yılmaz-Seda Suat Yılmaz couple were the latest victims. Four of the 29 dead were pedestrians.

Diyalog

We are sad

The funeral for Seda and Devrim Yılmaz couple cannot be held tomorrow because the ‘only’ forensic coroner in the TRNC Dr İdris Deniz is in Ankara. Since Dr Deniz is the only one who can carry out an autopsy on the bodies of the deceased, their funeral has been postponed. Dr Deniz who was contacted by Diyalog said he was in Ankara to sit an exam and would be returning to the island late on Sunday. He said he would be conducting the autopsies on Monday.

  • He gave a message in Thessaloniki – Anastasiasdes suggested that if the Turkish side acts rationally an outcome can be reached at the November 25th meeting.

Afrika

The reward for supporting the war

The government who can’t find funds to build hospitals, schools and roads had raised the state’s financial contribution to political parties by ₺2.5m. The overall contribution to the political parties which enthusiastically supported Turkey’s military operation in Syria was raised from ₺14.5m to ₺17m in the 2020 budget. The same parties had expressed support to the operation in Afrin last year.

Main News

Erhürman says balanced relationship with Ankara is important

Yenidüzen
Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhürman highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance and proper relationship with Turkey.

In an interview with Yenidüzen published on Sunday, Erhürman said it was important to establish good, balanced and ‘proper’ relations with Turkey.

“What do I mean by proper? I mean for Turkish Cypriots to create a democracy and economy that can stand on its own feet, to determine their future through their constitutional institutions and to have a relationship with the people of the Turkish Republic and its institutions on the basis of respect and love,” he said.

Erhürman said that establishing a relationship on respect and love was just as important for Turkey as it was for Turkish Cypriots.

“Unfortunately, problems are experienced in relations between the countries from time to time. If the basis of the relationship is not established properly then good relations between heads of state or governments may not be enough to overcome these problems,” he said.

Erhürman said that the citizens of both countries need to respect each other, their institutions and sensitivities.

“Both countries also need to respect each other’s sensitivities when establishing or maintaining their relations,” he said.

Regarding the forthcoming tripartite meeting in Berlin, the CTP leader said he could not understand the rationale behind the National Unity Party’s (UBP) insistence that Akıncı should not attend the Berlin meeting.

“The leaders have been invited by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG). Ankara is giving positive messages regarding a tripartite meeting and a five-party meeting. You wouldn’t expect the president to reject such an invitation just because the government doesn’t share his views or because there is an election in six months. Therefore, the government’s call is illogical,” he added.

The CTP leader went on to say that the UNSG and the UN Security Council (UNSC) should uphold its statements and parameters.

“The UNSG is saying that any new talks cannot be conducted in the same manner as previous processes and that the new process must respect past convergences, must be results-oriented and should not be open-ended. This is something we support,” said Erhüman, adding that the issue of political equality should not be reopened to a discussion in any such process.

He said that should the UNSG display a determined stance in Berlin on these issues then this could open the way for steps forward.

“This is our wish. This is what we are asking ambassadors we meet with. To extend their support to the UNSG in that direction,” he said.

Asked to comment on forthcoming presidential elections, Erhürman said the CTP’s authorized bodies had intensified its efforts to decide how to proceed.

We believe that what is important when holding these discussions is the vision of the Office of the President, he stressed.

He recalled that the CTP has been advocating in support of a three-pronged vision, the first of which is to reach a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus Problem.

“However, we are saying that there is much to be done by the Turkish Cypriot community in the absence of a comprehensive settlement.  This includes taking steps that will help solve domestic problems, help integrate the Turkish Cypriot community with the international community, build confidence between the two communities, conducting pro-active policies for unilateral moves and to create an economy that can stand on its own feet, Erhürman said.

He pointed out that the Office of the President was important for all these goals.

“This is why we believe that all these efforts and discussions should be carried out within the framework of a vision,” he added.

Erhürman also said that the Office of the President which was recognized by the United Nations (UN) as the office of the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community was an important political window to the world.

“We need to establish relations with the UN, the European Union (EU), Turkey and the rest of the international community at every possible level. Relations to be established by the office will not only contribute to a comprehensive settlement but will help us solve domestic problems and to integrate with the international community. These will be the factors that will help shape the CTP’s decision,” he said.

KEY ACTORS
Erhürman (CTP)
>> Important to establish a proper and balanced relationship with Ankara.
>> TCs should create a self-reliant economy and democracy. TCs should establish relations with Turkey, its people and institutions based on respect & love.
>> Establishing a relationship on this basis is important not only for TCs but for Turkey as well.
>> Both countries should take into account each other sensitivities when establishing or maintaining relations.
>> Not possible to understand government’s insistence that Akıncı should not attend Berlin meeting.
>> Expecting Akıncı to reject UNSG’s invitation because the government doesn’t share his views or because there is an election in six-months time is illogical.
>> UNSG & UNSC should uphold its statements and parameters.
>> Political equality should not be reopened to discussion.
>> Process could move forward If UNSG displays a determined stance in Berlin.
>> CTP has intensified its discussions on the presidential election.
>> President’s Office is an important institution that supports CTP’s vision for a solution, solving domestic problems, integrating TC community with the international community, confidence building efforts, lmplementing pro-active policies & creating a self-sustaining economy.


Drilling results are promising, Dönmez says

Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Energy

OVERVIEW

“We are hopeful of the exploration results from the Eastern Mediterranean. The results are promising,” Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Saturday.

Speaking to Turkish daily Milliyet, the Minister noted that Turkey’s hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean will continue.

“We are continuing with our activities within a planned schedule and our vessels are currently drilling in the Mediterranean,” Dönmez added.

He noted that there are also parallel explorations underway both in the Black Sea and in the Marmara Sea.

“If there’s gas, we will find it either in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea or the Marmara Sea,” Dönmez concluded.

KEY ACTORS
Dönmez (Turkey)
>> Exploration results from the East Med. are positive and promising.
>> Drilling in the East Med. will continue as scheduled.
>> If there’s gas, we will find it either in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea or the Marmara Sea.


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