Front Page Headlines
‘We are very hopeful this time’
The father of Asya Polatlı, Ozan Polatlı speaks to Yenidüzen, telling readers what they experienced during the process. He said that this was the first time they were so close to treatment and that they were very excited. “The TRNC health ministry made statements regarding Asya which did not reflect the truth. They said that we had left Turkey despite the fact they were covering her treatment but that was not the case. The treatment we were receiving there was not the Zolgensma treatment. We wouldn’t have left if that was the case,” he said. Polatlı added that the treatment his daughter was receiving had been initially brought for a Greek Cypriot child. “Now it has become a hope for a Turkish Cypriot child,” he said.
Don’t harm the riverbed habitats
The riverbeds in our country are cleared each year, all vegetation and shrubbery are removed with heavy machinery. As a result, the habitats in the riverbeds are being destroyed…Environmental organisations hope that the riverbeds will not be cleaned the same way this year.
- Hellim (Halloumi) registration process gives foul odour – The Product Designation Origin (PDO) registration for Hellim (Halloumi) entered into force on October 1, but “Bureau Veritas,” which is contracted as an independent inspector on this issue, has not given any information to dairy producers in the north or accept any applications from them.
- Guterres must make a new appointment limited within a given period – President Ersin Tatar’s special representative Ergün Olgun said the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres must appoint a ‘personal envoy’ to find a common ground between the two sides in Cyprus.
The government distributing citizenship indiscriminately
The government, which is drawing reactions from the public and civil society with many of its practices, was protested over its citizenship policies yesterday. Speaking during the protest, the head of KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union) Güven Bengihan said the Interior Minister is giving 75 new citizenships per day, which amounts to nearly 500 per month and almost 10,000 since the government has come to power.
Those arriving are extremely regretful
Passengers arriving at Ercan (Tymbou) are being subjected to torture after torture. The difficulties created at the airport by the government which finds vaccination certificates enough to allow people to cross through the checkpoints has brought tourism operators to the brink of rebellion. The head of the Turkish Cypriot Tourism and Travel Agencies Association (KITSAB) Orhun Tolun who pointed out that South Cyprus was planning to accommodate two million tourists and Turkey 25 million tourists this year said, “We won’t be even able to attract 15 per cent of the figure the south will achieve. What we are demanding is that the same rules that apply for tourists arriving in the south be applied to passengers arriving from Ercan (Tymbou) airport.”
Denktaş: Don’t bother holding a ceremony on November 15
Serdar Denktaş said the state’s failure to complete his father’s mausoleum was nothing but disrespect and disloyalty to the late Turkish Cypriot leader. He said the enclosed parts of the park where his father’s grave is located, has become a hangout for drug addicts. Serdar Denktaş added that the government should not bother holding ceremonies at the park on November 15 or February 13 (Death anniversary for Rauf Denktaş).
- Citizenship record – KTAMS (Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union) staged a protest outside the interior ministry and said: “Kutlu Evren (minister) wants to break his citizenship record he achieved in 2016.”
- “Turkey’s puppet” – Ersin Tatar said the “opposition claims I’m Turkey’s puppet to the entire world…”
Main News
Olgun: “UNSG must appoint a ‘personal envoy’ to find common ground”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s special representative Ergün Olgun on Tuesday said the UN Secretary-General must appoint a ‘personal envoy,’ with a limited mandate to seek common ground between the two sides.
Evaluating the recent developments in the Cyprus problem to the Turkish Cypriot news agency, TAK Olgun noted Jane Holl Lute’s term as ‘special envoy’ had ended when she was appointed as a top executive to Shell Petroleum.
Olgun noted that there needs to be a common ground between the two sides before the official negotiations could be launched. He recalled that the UNSG had stated clearly after the five-plus-one meeting in Geneva that the two sides failed to reach a common ground.
“The talks will only start when a common ground is found but the Greek Cypriot side has the false expectation that the UNSG will appoint a special envoy who will oversee the process from where it left off in Crans Montana,” Olgun said, arguing that if the negotiations were to be launched without a common ground, it will lead to yet another failure thus only prolonging the status quo on the island.
“It is, for this reason, the Turkish Cypriot side will not accept the appointment of a ‘special envoy’ in line with the Greek Cypriot side’s desire to launch negotiations without a common ground,” Olgun stressed, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side has already informed its interlocutors on its decision.
“Respecting the Turkish Cypriots’ rights emanating from history and agreements could form the much-needed common ground that will lead to a sustainable agreement on the island,” Olgun said, reiterating his view that the Turkish Cypriots are as sovereign as the Greek Cypriots in Cyprus.
He added that the moment the UN Security Council (UNSC) placed under record that the Greek Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot side have equal status in all aspects, the official negotiations could resume. Olgun pointed out the Greek Cypriot side rejects negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side based on sovereign equality and equal international status.
“This is the very reason for the failure of the past processes on the island,” Olgun stressed, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side was not asking the Greek Cypriot side to recognize the “TRNC.” He further claimed that the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on rejecting the Turkish Cypriot side’s sovereign equality proves their goal that is to ‘absorb’ the Turkish Cypriots into the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) by protecting their superiority.
Olgun also noted that the Greek Cypriot side reversed its decision on the appointment of a ‘personal envoy’ after the trilateral meeting in NY, even though the UNSG had presented the two sides with a draft statement to be released on the appointment of a ‘personal envoy.’
He said the Turkish Cypriot side refrains from dictating what will come out of following the official negotiations to be carried out based on sovereign equality and equal international status of the two sides. “There is a broad spectrum of areas which the two sides can collaborate on,” Olgun stressed, arguing that this is a rational approach.
“The end-product can only be decided upon with the consent of the two sides following the official negotiations based on equality,” he said. Olgun also underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to work towards implementing new confidence-building measures (CBMs) that will have an impact on the daily lives of the people and help build trust between the two communities.
Finally, responding to a question on the appointment of a new special representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Cyprus to replace Ms Elizabeth Spehar, the Turkish Cypriot side gave its consent to the appointment of Mr Colin Stewart as the new SRSG in Cyprus.
KEY ACTORS
Olgun (Tatar)
>> UNSG must appoint a ‘personal envoy’ with a limited mandate to seek common ground between the two sides.
>> Common ground needed before official talks can begin. Starting official talks without common ground will only lead to failure & continuation of the status quo.
>> TCs just as sovereign as GCs. UNSC has recorded that both sides have equal status in all aspects.
>> TC side will continue to work for CBMs.
Tatar: GC side’s unilateral activities are not acceptable
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday said the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities, as well as the launch of scientific research by Nautical Geo, were unacceptable.
“These kinds of issues are handled through cooperation, solidarity, and law in the world. The Greek Cypriots should stay away from researching wealth before an agreement is reached in Cyprus,” Tatar told the Turkish news agency Anadolu.
The Greek Cypriot side’s attitude towards the exploration of hydrocarbon resources is not “correct,” Tatar said, adding that such studies are risky without an agreement on Cyprus. He said it was a “great injustice” that the Greek Cypriot side behaved as if the so-called Republic of Cyprus belonged only to itself and carried out activities by ignoring the Turkish Cypriot people.
The Greek Cypriot side should consider Turkey’s warning, he urged, warning that if the tension escalates, things will get worse than before. “I don’t think anyone would benefit from such tensions,” he added. He went on to say that if any gas is found in the region, Turkey is the safest route to transfer this gas to Europe.
On the issue of Nautical Geo, which attempted to enter the Turkish territorial waters twice, Tatar said the Turkish navy has given the appropriate response to the vessel. Echoing Tatar’s views, the National Unity Party (UBP) General Secretary and member of the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu gave a stern message.
“If the Greek Cypriot drills for hydrocarbons, so will we,” Hasipoğlu said, arguing that the “Greek Cypriot side’s actions prove once again they do not have any intentions of reaching an agreement with the Turkish Cypriot side.”
In a statement issued by the UBP, Hasipoğlu recalled that the Turkish Cypriot side proposed to establish an ‘energy committee for revenue sharing and distribution of authorities’ three times however all the proposals were rejected by the Greek Cypriot side.
“The Greek Cypriot side is insincere both at the negotiations table and outside and has no intention of jointly managing the issue,” Hasipoğlu said, arguing that the Greek Cypriot side’s only goal is to return to pre-1974 days without Turkey’s presence on the island.
He stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side together with Turkey will not allow the Greek Cypriot side to usurp the Turkish Cypriots’ rights. “We are determined to continue with our arguments for our sovereign equality both on land, in the seas and the air,” Hasipoğlu concluded.
Meanwhile, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday said Turkey will not allow anyone to violate the Turkish Cypriots’ rights nor will allow any fait accompli in the region. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with his counterparts from Georgia and Azerbaijan, Akar reiterated that Turkey is in favour of resolving its differences with Greece in line with international law and through diplomacy.
“We are in favour of dialogue and diplomacy,” Akar said, warning that Ankara is determined to continue to act in good neighbourly manners. “However, Greece despite all our warnings, continue with its violations,” he highlighted, adding that the Nautical Geo was the latest example and the Turkish navy gave the necessary response.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Unilateral hydrocarbon activities by the GC side is unacceptable.
>> Escalation of tensions could lead to more serious problems than before.
>> Transporting natural gas via Turkey is the most feasible option.
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> TC side will conduct its activities if the GC side proceeds with its activities.
>> GC side has no intention of cooperating on the issue of hydrocarbons.
>> Turkey & TC side determined to defend its rights.
Akar (Turkey)
>> Turkey will not allow anyone to violate the rights of TCs nor allow a fait accompli in the region.
>> Turkey favours dialogue & diplomacy. Ankara will continue to act on the principle of good neighbourly relations.
Tatar: “Our sovereignty must be accepted before anything else”
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side’s prerequisite to launching the official negotiations is the acceptance of the Turkish Cypriot side’s sovereignty.
In an interview with the Turkish Cypriot news agency, TAK Tatar argued it is necessary to be realistic, fair, practical and to act given the realities on the island to find a settlement on the island. Tatar said the two sides will sit around the table as two sovereign peoples to negotiate a two-state solution.
“Issues like territory, property and guarantees will then be discussed as part of the official negotiations to reach a comprehensive settlement as two states,” Tatar said. He also pointed out that the hydrocarbon activities must be ceased until after a solution, warning that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side will make reciprocal moves on natural resources.
“Despite all the warnings, it is unacceptable for the Greek Cypriot side to continue with its unilateral activities on natural resources,” Tatar said, pointing out that even if they were to find the natural gas, it will not be possible for them to market it. He noted that marketing the natural gas via Turkey after a comprehensive settlement is the most feasible option.
Touching on his meetings in New York, Tatar reminded that the Greek Cypriot leader had abandoned the talks in Crans Montana after insisting on its position of ‘zero troops/ zero guarantees’. “Turkey’s position on this issue however is that the issue of guarantees will be revised 10-15 years later but not revoked,” Tatar argued, adding that the majority of the Turkish Cypriots want the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees as a deterrent force on the island.
“Zero troops – zero guarantees is not something we can accept. This will take us to pre-1960 days,” Tatar claimed. Criticizing those claiming that the system of guarantees is anachronistic, the Turkish Cypriot leader said the Turkish Cypriot side had to take into account past experiences when making decisions concerning the future of the community.
He gave the recent examples of the Greek Cypriot education minister’s instruction to tear a page out of an English textbook because of a section that focused on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the slamming the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in New York for attending the inauguration ceremony of the Turkish House and changing the date of the Independence Day for the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) from August 16 to October 1 without the consent of the Turkish Cypriots.
“It is vital for everyone to know their history and to be aware of the ploys being played,” Tatar stressed, accusing the Greek Cypriot side of being insincere in the negotiations processes. “The Turkish Cypriot side’s position is the two-state solution model based on the sovereign equality of the two sides and their equal international status and these must be accepted before the Turkish Cypriot side sits at the negotiating table,” he added.
Reiterating his views against a federal solution, Tatar said there has never been the issue of sovereignty in the federal talks but a system in which the majority would rule over the minority.
“Even the UN Secretary-General confirmed that the federation to be created will be established through a constitutional amendment made to the RoC,” Tatar said, arguing that there is no mention of equality in this structure.
Tatar also highlighted that the “TRNC” will cease to exist from the moment a federation is established. “However, the TRNC has achieved a lot in the past years, but the other side does not accept the TRNC as an interlocutor, nor do they accept what has been achieved in the north,” Tatar said.
“It is therefore vital to be realistic, practical, fair and be in line with the realities of the island for the solution of the Cyprus problem. This is not about political recognition, but my sovereignty must be accepted, and we will negotiate as two sovereign peoples,” Tatar concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> TC side’s sovereign equality & equal international status must be accepted to start official talks.
>> Issues such as territory, property & guarantees will be discussed as part of official negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution as two states.
>> All hydrocarbon activities must be ceased until a settlement is reached.
>> Turkey & TC side will take reciprocal action if GC side continues with its actions.
>> Majority of TCs want the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees as a deterrent force on the island.
KTAMS protests unrestrained distribution of citizenship
Havadis, Avrupa
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Public Servants’ Union (KTAMS) on Tuesday staged a protest outside the interior ministry building in the northern part of Nicosia against what it said was the government discretionary citizenship policy.
“Turkish Cypriots are faced with the risk of becoming a minority in their own country as a result of the government’s action to handout citizenships like candy,” KTAMS General Secretary Serman Yiğit said during the protest, adding that the coalition government in the north was granting 75 new citizenships each day and that around 10,000 citizenships had been given since the day it was established.
“The community in the north is being transformed into one that is dependent and submissive instead of one that defines the political will freely,” Yiğit argued, warning that the current structure of the community was not something that any patriot would accept.
He also argued that the unrestrained distribution of citizenships was taking its toll on the health and education system in the north. Yiğit even claimed that the Interior Minister Kutlu Evren has even employed a retired civil servant to work and head the citizenship department to increase the speed of processing citizenship applications and to grant citizenship to those who will vote for the National Unity Party (UBP). He said Evren was also in the same position in 2016 and was also known for frivolously distributing citizenship.
Naimoğulları: Bureau Veritas is ignoring dairy producers in the north
Kıbrıs
EU Matters, Economy
OVERVIEW
The European Commission (EC) decision on the product designated origin (PDO) registration of Hellim (Halloumi) has entered into force on October 1 but representatives from the dairy sector continue to complain that Bureau Veritas, the company contracted for compliance controls, has yet to get in touch with them or Turkish Cypriot producers.
Mustafa Naimoğullari, head of Turkish Cypriot Livestock Breeders’ Association, on Tuesday complained of double standards on the PDO registration process. Speaking on Kıbrıs TV, Naimoğullari said the livestock breeders and the dairy producers in South Cyprus have been given financial assistance to assist them with the process however nothing has been done so far in the north despite promises.
He pointed out to a Greek Cypriot Agriculture Ministry statement on the issue and argued that according to that statement, the Turkish Cypriot dairy producers will be forced a while more before they can be included in the PDO registration process.
Naimoğullari also complained that the Bureau Veritas has not contacted any one of the dairy producers in the north and the EC has not fulfilled its promises and its responsibilities towards the Turkish Cypriot livestock breeders yet.
Similar concerns had been raised by representatives from the Turkish Cypriot Chambers of Commerce and Industry on September 29 as well. Deputy General Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Mustafa Ergüven had said Bureau Veritas, within the scope of its contractual agreement, should have contacted KTTO to set up the necessary control mechanisms in the north but that nothing has happened even though the PDO decision was adopted in April 2021.
Kemal Öztürk, the representative of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry, had accused Bureau Veritas of being biased in favour of the Greek Cypriot side. Öztürk had claimed the company has already supplied the Greek Cypriot producers with the production guidelines whilst Turkish Cypriot producers were still waiting for the appointment of a representative who will inspect their products.