Front Page Headlines
The waiting ordeal
The Pandemic Hospital is full of people… It’s bad whether having to wait outside or inside. Yenidüzen was at the hospital to observe the situation. The most common complaint is having to wait for long hours. As daily case numbers rise, doctors are warning: “More people need to get vaccinated, most of the cases are unvaccinated.”
- Classified document regarding flexibility of Treaty of Guarantees – What are the Crans Montana minutes leaked to the press say?
“Short budget marathon”
As little time is left until the early general elections, only three days were allocated for the budget discussions instead of 10 days. The parliamentary assembly will launch discussions on the “2022 Budget” today. The goal is to complete the process by Wednesday, November 24.
- Historical monuments are under threat – Turkish Cypriot chair of the bicommunal technical committee on cultural heritage Ali Tuncay said the stone quarry at the Famagusta Free Port area must be reactivated to protect the historical monuments.
The drought is catastrophic
The drought hit the lagoons in the country. Two out of 15 lagoons have dried up while water levels in eight of them have dropped below 50 per cent.
- UBP members are also concerned about the economy – Centre for Social Research and Policies (POLMER) established at the Rauf Denktaş University, and is run by Kudret Akay, surveyed members of the National Unity Party.
People don’t have the strength to hold on
Shopkeepers in Kyrenia who are already experiencing difficulties due to the lockdown earlier this year have been dealt a second blow from foreign currency. The shopkeepers talking to Diyalog said that there were almost no customers and that they could not sell anything to locals either. They urged everyone to get vaccinated and for Covid-19 measures to be adhered to to raise the number of tourists. “Act quickly or we will all go bankrupt,” they told the daily.
- ‘Red level’ rules to be implemented – As of today vaccinated or non-vaccinated will require a negative Covid test to cross between north and south.
What would Akıncı say to these records?
The leaked Crans Montana documents caused reactions. Speaking following the leak of the documents, Nicos Anastasiades said: “Turkey never wanted the removal of the guarantees; they did not even discuss it nor did they accept it…This can be seen clearly in the minutes of the meetings kept by the Secretary-General.”
- Records from the Crans Montana dinner revealed – The Greek Cypriot media continues to reveal what had happened in Crans Montana. The details of the dinner held before the July 6 and 7 meetings were also revealed. The document, which was kept by Celia Richardson as the note-taker, was marked classified.
Main News
Tatar: TCs will not give up on Turkey’s guarantees
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The war of words between the two leaders continued on Sunday as Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said that Turkish Cypriots will never give up on Turkey’s guarantees. He argued that Turkey never even tabled an option to revoke the guarantees either.
In a statement issued from his office, Tatar responded to Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ who in his latest remarks accused Turkey of fuelling conflict on the island since 1956 and of never having the intention of removing the system of guarantees.
Tatar said, reminding him that EOKA with the goal of Enosis was established in 1955 and the ‘Akritas Plan’ was created in 1962.
Reiterating his view that the Turkish Cypriots were “kicked out of the partnership republic in 1963,” Tatar stressed since 1963, the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) has turned into a Greek Cypriot state.
“The Turkish Cypriots are against the idea of returning to pre-1974 days and against revoking of Turkey’s guarantees,” Tatar reiterated, adding that the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo’s attempts are futile.
Tatar urged the Greek Cypriot leader to respond positively to the Turkish Cypriot side’s calls for dialogue. “A fair, lasting and sustainable agreement on the island can only be established through a two-state solution model based on the sovereign equality of the two sides,” Tatar said, arguing that this model will not only ensure the continuation of the peace environment established since 1974 but will also be in the best interest of Cyprus and the region.
Meanwhile, journalist Esra Aygın summarized the classified minutes of meetings held in Crans Montana, recently leaked to the press in the south.
She said that the minutes which were also published in the Greek Cypriot daily Politis in English revealed important details concerning the discussions held in Crans Montana and the proposals tabled.
Aygın outlined how Turkey despite refusing to scrap the system of guarantees had expressed its readiness to revise the treaty, replacing it with a mechanism that would address the security needs of the parties as and when needed.
She added that the two sides failed to reach an understanding due to Anastasiades’ insistence on zero troops and zero guarantees and refusal to budge on other matters until the issue of guarantees was settled.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> TCs & Turkey will never give up the system of guarantees.
>> A fair & lasting solution on the island can only be achieved through a two-state solution based on the sovereign equality of the two sides.
Greece unable to accept Turkey’s key role in regional stability
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday responded to Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ remarks made against Turkey and said “Greece is not able to digest the crucial role Turkey plays in its region and its immediate surroundings in the context of ensuring peace and stability.”
In a statement issued, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tanju Bilgiç said Greece maintains a provocative and adversarial attitude towards Turkey while talking about dialogue.
The ministry’s statement came after Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said Friday that, “Turkey continues to threaten Greece with war, it continues to violate our sovereignty and sovereign rights, it continues to illegally occupy the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, it continues to violate its maritime zones, it continues to shelter the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Greece’s attempts to rival Turkey on every issue, preferring tension over cooperation and trying to create artificial alliances against Turkey are futile efforts,” Bilgiç stressed, urging Greece to common sense, honesty and sincerity.
Turkish & TC energy delegations met in Antalya
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriot Economy and Energy Minister Sunat Atun on Sunday met with his Turkish counterpart Fatih Dönmez in Antalya within the scope of the 11th Energy Summit. Following a tête-à-tête between Dönmez and Atun, the delegations of the two ministries also held a meeting on “ensuring energy supply to the north
Speaking to reporters after the meeting Atun, said that Ankara gave its support to help the north convert to cleaner energy production. He said that Turkey will be donating two power generators to the north that will allow the current 25-megawatt capacity power plants running on diesel fuel to natural gas.
Also speaking during the meeting, Turkish Energy Minister Dönmez reiterated that Ankara will continue to support the Turkish Cypriots in every area.
“We will first focus on abandoning fossil fuels and then with another project, we will deliver LNG to the north. We will have clean energy in power plants first, followed by tourism and industrial facilities,” Dönmez concluded.
March to be organised on violence against women
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
A group of civil society organisations will march on November 25 on International Day for the elimination of violence against women to draw attention to increasing violence against women.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the organizing committee highlighted the increase in violence against women, especially under pandemic conditions.
“Despite the increase in sexual assault, abuse, rape, and violence against women and children, the government does not implement any measures to prevent such incidents,” the statement read, adding that it is not acceptable for the authorities to remain callous to such incidents.
The march is organized and supported by the Road to Independence (Bağımsızlık Yolu), Baraka Cultural Centre, BASIN-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Press Workers’ Union), GÜÇ-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Customs’ officers’ union), HAK-SEN (Turkish Cypriot Trade union for equal rights and justice) Alevi Cultural Centre and Women Education Collective.