TCC Press Review 11 Sept 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

Police officer testifies in court: One was under the influence of alcohol, the other reckless

A hearing was held for the fatal traffic accident which took place in the capital Nicosia. The drivers of the two cars involved in the crash which claimed the life of Ali Gökhan Demirbilek and the injury of four others were both arrested. Police officer Mustafa Özkantürk said that Nagehan Şentürk had turned recklessly onto the main street ignoring traffic rules and signs.  The officer said that the driver of the other car, Mehmet Behai Pınardan who was under the influence of alcohol and had his license revoked had fled the scene of the accident only to be captured by police 20 minutes later.

  • Political circles concerned with Cyprus Problem spoke to Yenidüzen: Expectations from New York low. “Leaders’ stances disappointing, completely opposed to each other.

Kıbrıs

What are you waiting for?

Unfortunately, the taxes we pay do not return to us as service. Among the areas where taxpayer money is not spent where it should be is street lighting and maintenance of roads. Both drivers and pedestrians risk their lives as this problem remains unresolved despite the fact it is regularly raised.

  • 18 schools will start with rotational education – National Education Minister Olgun Amcaoğlu said there will be rotational education at schools where classrooms are crowded. He said the school day is extended by one hour as well.
  • Tense protest – Tension escalated at the protest yesterday staged by “Volunteers for Asya” and the police and the protestors came face-to-face.

Diyalog

Daily decisions causing harm

Pointing out that tourism experienced a bad season, Peoples’ Party (HP) leader Kudret Özersay called on criteria for entry into the country to be rearranged in harmony with the south. He said that entry into the country should be eased without risking the public’s health. Özersay said that the health ministry should also update the list of categories for countries more often. Speaking to tv2020, the HP leader gave the example of South Cyprus, stating that vaccinated passengers should carry out PCR tests before arrival, and those arriving via the south should have a rapid test when entering the north, exempting them from quarantine.

Avrupa

Kick, Slap, Punch

These were for those fighting to save Asya’s life… A group of people who staged a protest outside the Health Ministry demanding state assistance to save 10-month-old Asya, who is struggling for her life in Ankara, were met with police violence. Two women were battered by the police and were hospitalised. One protestor was arrested, only to be released after the police initiated a lawsuit.

Main News

Tatar to raise two-state solution model in NY

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said he and his team will be travelling to New York on September 18 for meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to continue their efforts to promote the recognition of the “TRNC”.

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will be there as well. I requested appointments with various countries there to share the two-state solution, which we agreed on with Turkey,” Tatar said during an interview with Turkish news agency Anatolia,

He repeated that a two-state solution based on sovereign equality was the only realistic solution model on the island.

“A (federal) partnership is no longer on the table,” Tatar stressed, adding a federal settlement would not resolve the island’s problems. He also underlined that Turkey is fully behind the Turkish Cypriot side’s new position. Tatar repeated his argument that a federal settlement would result in a situation whereby Greek Cypriots would dominate Turkish Cypriots.

“In such a situation, both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots would have been stripped of their rights in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Tatar said, stressing that the Turkish Cypriots would never renounce Turkey’s role as a guarantor nation and its military presence on the island.

Arguing that the Greek – Greek Cypriot duo were pursuing expansionist policies in the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar said this was unacceptable for Turkey as it would curtain its maritime activities. Tatar further said neither Turkey nor the north will make any concessions at a time when its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean are at risk.

Meanwhile, political experts and analysts on the Cyprus Issue said that expectations from any meetings that might take place in New York are low. Speaking to Yenidüzen, they say that Anastasiades’ proposal to return to the 1960 constitutional order and Tatar’s insistence on a two-state solution will lead to further deadlock.

Tatar’s special representative Ergün Olgun said that the Turkish Cypriot side was clear on its position regarding a two-state solution and would not be budging from its point in New York.

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Özdil Nami said that it was not possible to restart talks under these circumstances. He said that New York will be a waste of time.

Academic Prof. Dr Ahmet Sözen said that the stance of neither Anastasiades nor Tatar was acceptable for the international community.

He said a positive outcome was unlikely to emerge from New York under the current circumstances.

International Relations expert İpek Borman described the two leaders’ stances as hope breaking.

AKEL representative Toumazos Tsielepis told Yenidüzen said that the stances adopted by the two leaders were pushing both communities away from a solution every passing day.

Academic Georgoris Ioannou who also evaluated the developments to the daily said that Anastasiades’ proposal was nothing more than a tactic, adding that neither leader was willing to work towards a solution.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Two-state solution is the only realistic option. Efforts to promote recognition of ‘TRNC’ will continue.
>> A federal settlement will result in GCs dominating TCs. A federal partnership is no longer on the table & would be unable to settle the island’s problems.
>> TC side will never abandon Turkey’s guarantees.
>> No budging from a two-state solution in New York.

Nami (CTP)
>> Not possible to restart talks under these circumstances.
>> New York will be a waste of time.

Sözen
>> Position of neither leader is acceptable for the international community.
>> Positive outcome from New York is unlikely.

Tsielepis (AKEL)
>> Leaders’ stance is pushing away two communities from a solution.

Ioannou
>> Anastasiades’ proposal is nothing more than a tactic.


Toros highlights need to return to UN parameters

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP and the party’s foreign affairs secretary, Fikri Toros emphasized the need to return to the basis of UN parameters in the efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Toros met on Friday with the representatives of the International Crisis Group (ICG) as part of their preparations for an ICG report on the Cyprus issue.

Toros in addition to briefing the ICG representatives on the CTP’s position on the Cyprus problem shared his viewpoints on how to hold a results-oriented negotiations process; the steps to be taken to have a leverage effect on the process and the roles of the international actors.

KEY ACTORS
Toros (CTP)
>> Necessary to return to UN parameters.


Tatar slams GC education ministry says TC history books should be rewritten

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Thursday revisited the issue of the Greek Cypriot education ministry’s decision to withdraw a textbook that includes a section of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during his press briefing at Ercan (Tymbou) airport upon his return from Izmir.

Tatar who also touched upon the issue during an interview with the Turkish news agency, Anatolia, described the move as insolence. He recalled that the Turkish Cypriot history books had been softened in the post-Annan plan era upon orders from the then Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

“The massacres in Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot atrocities, killing of the Turks were all removed from the books,” Tatar said. He noted that this was done to maintain good relations with the other side but it was not right to conceal the true history from our children.

“Young Turkish Cypriots must learn the real history,” Tatar said, adding that efforts are underway to do so. Tatar touching on the same issue at Ercan (Tymbou) airport, argued that the Greek Cypriot education was increasing become hardline and nationalist.

“We are being faced with such a mentality therefore we must strengthen our education system and teach our children our history,” Tatar said.

On the other hand, the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) on Thursday issued a statement condemning the Greek Cypriot education ministry over its decision. The statement however also criticized Tatar for his remarks on rewriting Turkish Cypriot history books.  

“Disrespectful and anachronistic mentality does not help peace,” the CTP said, adding that a country’s education system must be based on the fundamental principles of education sciences. The CTP said that any steps to be taken outside these principles would be the biggest disrespect to humanity.

“Tatar’s latest remarks on rewriting history books are not in line with modern and pedagogical approaches,” the CTP said, asking whether there is any scientific evidence to support his claims.

“No matter which side of the island, racism and discrimination are the same,” CTP stressed, adding that history education is not limited to knowing what had happened in the past. “History education independent from political and ideological tendencies means learning about understanding the people close and far, from a historical and cultural perspective,” the CTP concluded.


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