TCC Press Review 3 Dec 2021

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

“It’s possible through a comprehensive study”

A phased switch to the Euro is not impossible. Economists who evaluated the possibility of switching to the use of the European currency in the north which is EU soil after the deep loss in the value of the Turkish Lira proposed a phased transition. They say it would be a long process but technically not impossible.

  • Pope Francis in CyprusPope gives a message of reunification, peace and mercy.

Kıbrıs

150 per cent increase in prices! What could the people do?

In parallel to the surge in the value of the foreign currencies, and given the constant price hikes the people have cut their budget. The supermarket owners cannot change the price tags of the goods they sell as fast as the price increases. The supermarket owners also said some of the people when they hear the total amount of their shopping, were outraged and leave the supermarket without purchasing anything.

  • Pope Francis is in South CyprusPope Francis arrived in South Cyprus yesterday for a three-day visit.

Havadis

Pope Francis will only see half of the island

The spiritual leader of the Catholic world, head of the Vatican City, Pope Francis arrived in South Cyprus. He decided to keep his visit limited to South Cyprus only despite Catholic Maronites living in the north and despite the presence of Catholic churches in the north.

  • Police operation ‘Dead-end street’The narcotics police carried out a raid finding drugs and three weapons and 26 bullets. The suspect M.A. told the police both the drugs and the weapons are for a customer living in South Cyprus.

Diyalog

We’ve jumped an era

This is not a wedding convoy; it’s a queue for petrol. Long queues formed in front of petrol stations in North Cyprus yesterday, a scene that has not been witnessed for years. While some stations turned away customers, stating that their stocks had been depleted, others continued to serve customers but through a rationing system. The public was outraged with the long queues that formed in front of stations last night. Many Greek Cypriots who cross over to the north to purchase petrol because of the cheaper prices were also shocked with what they saw. “The government is making us pay for the disagreement they have with the fuel companies. This is unacceptable,” people said.

  • The world watchedThe Pope visited South Cyprus, Tatar invited him to the north.

Avrupa

Erman Çitim arrested

Erman Çitim, who posed as a member of the Turkish secret service (MIT) is accused of espionage. Police raided his home and found top-secret military documents. According to information obtained by our newspaper, the police, who suspected Çitim of being behind the video blackmailing gang, carried out raids at several locations finding top-secret military documents and CDs. It is claimed that the police carried out the raid upon complaints from Ersan Saner.

  • PCR condition imposed at crossingsA negative PCR test obtained within the last 72 hours is required from anyone above 12 at the crossings.

Main News

New SRSG to arrive in Cyprus next week

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The UN Secretary General`s new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Colin Stewart, will arrive on the island on December 6, to assume his duties, as Elizabeth Spehar`s term of office as head of the UN mission in Cyprus ended on November 30th.

Turkish Cypriot dailies, citing Greek Cypriot media outlets, report that the new SRSG is expected to hold meetings with the two community leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Ersin Tatar within the first week of his arrival in Cyprus.

Stewart will also meet, during the next couple of weeks, among others, with members of the UNFICYP, Ambassadors of foreign countries serving in Cyprus, and the members of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP).

The UN announced Stewart`s appointment on November 4. According to the UN, Stewart, who most recently served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (2017-2021), brings a demonstrated record of leadership and management, with over 28 years of experience in peace and security and international affairs.

He previously served as Deputy Head and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, and held appointments in several United Nations field missions, including as Acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Political Affairs at the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) (2007 to 2009).  He was a Canadian diplomat from 1990 to 1997.


Tatar invites Pope Francis to visit the north

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar invited Pope Francis, who will be in South Cyprus for three days starting from Friday, to also visit the north.

In a statement issued from his office, Tatar noted the Greek Cypriot side is likely to use Pope Francis’ visit to the island as an opportunity to make political gains against Turkey and the “TRNC.” “This is yet another proof that the Greek Cypriot side is abusing people’s religious faith,” Tatar claimed, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side respects the leaders of all faiths.

“There are not only Christian Greek Cypriots living on the island. There are also Muslim Turkish Cypriots in the north. This is one of the basic facts of Cyprus,” Tatar stressed.

Tatar in his statement recalled the Pope’s visit to Turkey in 2014 and quoted him asking to “develop inter-religious dialogue.” “It is also our desire that as the Pope said in his call, all people and communities must be treated equally and none should be discriminated against,” he said, adding that the Turkish Cypriots should not be discriminated against just because of their faith.

“In this respect, and with sincerity, I would like to invite Pope Francis to visit the TRNC,” Tatar said, expressing his expectations that he will respond positively to the invitation to show he stands at equal distance to all faiths.

Meanwhile, Tatar during a meeting with the Mayor of Büyükçekmece, Istanbul, reiterated his known stance against the federal solution model, accusing the Greek Cypriot side of the absence of a settlement.

In a statement issued from his office, Tatar argued that the Greek Cypriot side refrained from agreeing to the Turkish Cypriot side’s equality, therefore the efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem failed.

He also argued that a federal settlement would have meant the end of Turkey’s guarantees and the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the island. “It is out of the question for the Turkish Cypriots to accept something like that,” Tatar stressed. He also claimed that both Greece and the Greek Cypriot side are still “working towards enosis” but the Turkish Cypriots with Turkey’s help will not make any concessions from their sovereignty.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> GC side is responsible for the non-solution of the Cyprob.
>> Accepting a federal solution would have meant the end of Turkey’s guarantees & withdrawal of Turkish troops.


TC side launched initiatives to be integrated w/ Turkey’s ‘Healthpass’ system

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
CBMs, Internal Security

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriot Health Ministry undersecretary and head of the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases in the north, Dr Deren Oygar said on Thursday that initiatives were underway to include those vaccinated in the north to be included in the “EU Digital Covid Safepass” system without the need to produce a valid plane ticket.

Speaking to the Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK, Oygar noted that the current system in place only allows those Turkish Cypriots who are due to travel abroad to be included in the EU-wide digital safe pass system.

She said the issue of including all the vaccinated persons in the safe pass system was discussed with EU and Greek Cypriot officials including during the meetings of the bicommunal technical committee on health, several times but noted that “the talks have reached a deadlock with no conclusion thus far.”

Oygar said the current system being used was a quick fix for the Turkish Cypriots who had to travel abroad. “The Turkish Cypriot members of the said committee insisted on including all vaccinated persons in the north on the system,” she reiterated, adding that the Ministry has been working on the required QR code-reader system since April 2021. She added that the issue had been repeatedly raised with the EU officials as well.

“Nonetheless, we see that it has evolved into a political problem now and only those travelling abroad are included in the system for the time being,” Oygar complained.

“Another option to be included in the EU-wide system would be through integrating the Turkish Cypriot system with Turkey’s ‘Healthpass’ system,” she said, noting that Turkey has reached an agreement with the EU on the matter.

“We have achieved some progress on the issue, but we are now waiting for a response whether we could overcome the next step or not,” Oygar concluded.

In the meantime, Ersin Tatar’s Health Adviser Nedime Serakıncı on Thursday said the Greek Cypriot side has implemented a new set of measures due to the Omicron variant which is applicable at the crossing points as well.

Speaking to Bayrak, Serakıncı said all foreigners above the age of 12, crossings to the south through the crossing points will need to show a negative PCR test obtained within the last 72 hours. She said the measures will enter into force on Monday, December 6.

However, there were no official statements or announcements on either side corroborating Serakıncı’s statement. In a separate meeting on Thursday, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu said that there were no changes introduced in procedures concerning crossing points. 


Turkey slams RoC over exploration licence for Exxon & Qatar Petroleum


Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Energy, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

Turkey on Thursday accused the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) of violating its continental shelf by awarding an exploration license in the Mediterranean to Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum, adding it will not allow unauthorized exploration in its jurisdiction.

The RoC said on Thursday that its Council of Ministers had agreed to grant the license to Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum for hydrocarbon exploration in Section 5 of the south’s declared exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which lies south, south-west of the island.

“A part of the license field in question violates Turkey’s continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Just as before, Turkey will never allow any foreign nation, company or ship to carry out unauthorized hydrocarbon research in its maritime jurisdiction, and it will continue to defend the rights of our country and those of Turkish Cypriots,” it added.

KEY ACTORS
Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
>> RoC is violating Turkey’s continental shelf.
>> Turkey will continue to defend its rights & those of TCs.


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