TCC Press Review 2 Feb 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

‘More tests are needed’

Experts speak about locally transmitted cases. A total of 407,115 PCR and rapid tests have been carried out in our country. Experts point to the importance of carrying out more tests at a time when locally transmitted cases continue to rise. They say that the number of daily tests is not enough and that more random testing is needed.

  • Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu speaks on Maraş (Varosha): We shall be discussing what steps we can take without violating UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Kıbrıs

The storm caused damage worth millions of lira

The livestock breeders and producers were dealt another blow by the storm. The thunderstorm and heavy rains which ripped through the country caused severe damage to many livestock breeders, greenhouse owners and farmers. Some livestock perished in the villages while many greenhouses were downed, destroying the crops.

  • We will continue to send the vaccines as they arrive – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who arrived in the north yesterday for a two-day working trip, congratulated the government for its successful struggle against Covid-19 and emphasized that Turkey will continue to give support.
  • 35 local, 46 positive coronavirus cases – Health Ministry announced the results of the 3,157 (PCR) tests carried out in the last 24 hours.

Havadis

Running away from a federation

Turkey and the TRNC are making efforts to elevate their new policies ahead of the 5+1 conference, which is planned to be held in March upon an invitation from the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu came to the TRNC to prepare for the five-party conference.

Diyalog

There is a need for ₺500m (€57.6m)

The government is planning to provide a monthly assistance payment of ₺1,500 (€178) to private sector employees for three months. Preparations for a financial package reached their final stages at a meeting attended by Prime Minister Ersan Saner and Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Erhan Arıklı as well as economic experts. A total of ₺500m (€57.6m) is needed for these payments. According to information obtained by Diyalog, there will be no price increases to petrol or electricity. Instead, there are plans to issue state bonds under the guarantee of the Central Bank to create the resources needed.

  • Intense preparations(Turkish) Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu will be meeting with President Tatar today to discuss 5+1 conference.

Avrupa

Police raid Yeni Bakış

­Police carried out a raid at the building of Yeni Bakış newspaper located at the Hamitköy (Mandres) roundabout coinciding with the arrival of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. The reason for the raid at the daily was a camera installed on the top of the building which recorded traffic at the roundabout. The raid was carried out when the newspaper’s Web TV was doing a live broadcast on the curfew violations. Police seized the web cameras, and Yusuf Kısa, editor-in-chief of the daily was taken into custody for questioning but was later released. In a statement made by the police, it is reported that the security cameras were installed without permission and violated surveillance laws.

  • We will give you the vaccines when we get them – Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said: “Turkey will send the vaccines to the TRNC once they receive the shipment.”
  • Sinovac is not safe – Scientists call for a stop to the use of Sinovac vaccines until clinical trials are completed.
  • The lockdown will be extended – Health Minister Ali Pilli pointed to the increasing number of cases and said: “We cannot end the lockdown with so many cases.”

Main News

Çavuşoğlu arrives in north for consultations ahead of ‘5+1’

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu arrived in the north on Monday for consultations with Turkish Cypriot officials ahead of the informal five-party summit to be convened by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) in early March.

Shortly after his arrival, Çavuşoğlu paid courtesy visits to Parliamentary Speaker Önder Sennaroğlu, Prime Minister Ersan Saner and Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu. He is scheduled to meet with President Ersin Tatar on Tuesday.

The talks on Tuesday will focus on establishing a joint strategy on the informal summit. Tatar and Çavuşoğlu are expected to hold a joint press conference after the meeting.

Speaking during his meeting with Ertuğruloğlu, Çavuşoğlu said his visit was important in terms of showing Ankara’s support and solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot side ahead of the informal meeting. He added that the informal meeting will also be important in determining whether there is ground for a new process.

“We, however, need to discuss what we are going to negotiate. Our position is clear. Of course, there are questions we will seek answers to. We will find the opportunity to see how sincere the other side is,” Çavuşoğlu said.

He also said that negotiating a federal settlement would be a waste of time.

The Turkish Foreign Minister said that they will also be discussing on Tuesday what new steps can be taken on Maraş (Varosha) without violating UN Security Council Resolutions or bringing any detriment to property rights in the fenced-off city.

Ertuğruloğlu for his part said that the informal meeting will be nothing like previous meetings.

“We will not discuss details or any of the chapters. The sole purpose of the meeting is to explore whether there is a common ground. We shall be attending the meeting in good faith,” he added.

Meanwhile, a separate meeting was held on Monday between Tatar’s Special Representative Ergün Olgun and Deputy Turkish Foreign Minister Sedat Önal in preparation for Tuesday’s meeting.

According to a statement released by Tatar’s office, the necessity for cooperation between two states based on sovereign equality, given the shifting conditions in the region, was highlighted during the meeting.

KEY ACTORS
Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> Informal meeting will be good in terms of exploring whether there is ground or sincerity for new talks.
>> Negotiating a federal settlement will be a waste of time.
>> Discussions (on Tuesday) will also focus on which new steps can be taken on Maraş (Varosha) without violating UNSC resolutions & property rights.


Özyiğit warns against pursuing two-state solution

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The opposition in the north continues to warn the Turkish Cypriot leadership about the dangers of pursuing a two-state solution in Cyprus.

Social Democratic Party (TDP) leader Cemal Özyiğit on Monday warned against the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s attempt to pursue a two-state solution at the upcoming 5+1 informal meeting.

He said that such a move will have irreversible consequences for the Turkish Cypriot community in the international arena.

In a written statement, Özyiğit reminded what happened the last time the Turkish Cypriot side had tried to table such a move which had ended with the entry of South Cyprus to the EU on behalf of the whole island.

The TDP leader reiterated that a bicommunal, bizonal federal (BFF) solution was the most realistic and feasible model for Cyprus and that it had become a UN parameter after both sides had agreed to it. Özyiğit also recalled that the latest UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on UNFICYP had reaffirmed that the basis for a Cyprus solution was a BBF.

He said that any new talks must resume based on the understanding reached at the Berlin trilateral, that is, based on past convergences – including provisions on the rotating presidency, effective participation in decision-making processes and political equality – the Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014, and the Guterres framework of 30 June 2017.

“Abandoning the UN parameters would be a grave mistake for the Turkish Cypriot side,” Özyiğit warned, arguing that in such a case, the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades will no longer be accused of being intransigent whereas Turkish Cypriots will continue to live in limbo.

KEY ACTORS
Özyiğit (TDP)
>> BBF is a UN parameter & is the only realistic & feasible solution model for Cyprus.
>> Pursuing a two-state solution will have irreversible consequences for the TC community in the international arena.
>> Negotiations must resume based on past convergences, 2014 Joint Declaration & Guterres Framework.


GCs in Dipkarpaz (Risokarpaso) vaccinated

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Greek Cypriots living in the village of Dipkarpaz (Risokarpasso) in the north have been administered Covid-19 vaccines, the town’s mayor Suphi Çoşkun announced on Monday.

In a social media post, Coşkun said the Greek Cypriot residents of the village had been administered their Covid-19 vaccines by the Turkish Cypriot medical workers.

On the other hand, the Greek Cypriot dailies, contradictory to what Coşkun said, reported on Monday that the vaccines were delivered to a nurse living in the area with the assistance of UNFICYP.

Quoting Photis Photiou, Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots for the Republic of Cyprus, the dailies also noted that the procedures for the vaccination of the Maronites living in the western part of the island were underway.


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