Today, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç is visiting TRNC in order to make several contacts and participate in the ground breaking ceremony of the new terminal building and the runway of Ercan Airport.
Arınç will be received by President Dervis Eroğlu and then the Speaker of the TRNC Assembly Sibel Siber and Prime Minister Özkan Yorgancıoğlu. After accomplishing his contacts Arınç is going to depart for Ankara by the 21.05 pm plane tomorrow.
TRNC Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Tourism, Culture and Sports Serdar Denktaş stated that Greek Cypriot Agriculture Minister’s explanation as the authority for the supervision of halloumi will belong to South Cyprus and South Cyprus will also supervise the Turkish Cypriots, does not reflect the reality.
In his written statement regarding this issue, Serdar Denktaş recorded that their government made effective efforts on finding a common solution in the EU’s process of halloumi’s geographical registration which will also include Turkish Cypriots.
After the Greek Cypriot Ministry of Finance released the statement on income tax debts of 50 natural people and legal entities, it has been clear that there are 13 MPs and party leaders among them and declaration of their names is being asked. Pointing out that there are 13 tax dodger MPs and party leaders, Southern Cyprus’ Citizen’s Alliance demanded the list of names to be submitted. In the statement of the Citizen’s Alliance it has been highlighted that tax dodger people and companies’ names are exposed, however, the same name list is disguised when it comprises the names of MPs and party leaders.
On the other hand, Greek Cypriot Newspaper Fileleftheros stated that there are 308 Greek or South Cyprus Citizen businessmen, companies and offshore companies who are customers of HSBC Switzerland Branch on the Lagarde List and 574 million Euros in the HSBC Switzerland Branch are related to the South Cyprus.
In a statement to Kıbrıs newspaper, Foreign Minister Özdil Nami described the statement of UK High Commissioner Rick Todd pertaining to the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriots as a “statement of the obvious”. Relaying that High Commissioner Rick Todd has not touched on anything new, Minister Nami stated that the British diplomat expressed the facts on the matter.
Regarding the isolation suffered by the Turkish Cypriots, Minister Özdil Nami referred to the fact that the relevant report of former UN-Secretary General Kofi Annan contains expressions to the effect that the 65% “yes” vote of the Turkish Cypriots to the Annan Plan has undone any rationale pertaining to the implementation of the isolation. Minister Nami added that the report of incumbent UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus also makes reference to the isolation.
“There is no longer a valid reason for the DTR not to be discussed”
Pointing to the EU General Affairs Council’s decision in 2004 towards the lifting of the isolation on the Turkish Cypriots, Minister Nami expressed that due to the behaviour displayed by the Greek Cypriot side at the negotiations, justification for not bringing the Direct Trade Regulation (DTR) to the agenda no longer exists.
Stating “The calls that the Turkish Cypriots should not pay the price of the Cyprus problem have begun to be considered more carefully and options pertaining to what can be done are being discussed more widely within EU circles”, Minister Nami expressed that while the priority of the Turkish Cypriot side is to reach a comprehensive settlement, the Turkish Cypriots cannot be expected to pay the price of the prolongation of the settlement process.
Minister Nami expressed his expectation for the world to take a concrete step to lift the isolation which it describes as “a violation of human rights”, and expressed that the initiatives of the Ministry are ongoing in this regard.
“The issue will be brought to the EP agenda this year”
Minister Nami referred to the statement of European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schulz that the DTR will be brought to the agenda of the EP General Assembly in 2015 and that the EU wishes to explore all its options regarding the DTR prior to exerting pressure on the EU member states which are against it, adding that the EU is nearing that point. Expressing that EU member states are discomforted by the fact that the Greek Cypriot side turns a blind eye to the isolation, Minister Nami stated “our hope is for a more constructive stance to be taken regarding the isolation and for a formula to be generated within the framework of respect towards the single international identity of Cyprus. We expected them to allow the use of the name `Hellim`, which is the inherent right of the Turkish Cypriots, rather than prevent it”.
“The Greek Cypriots rejected the EU proposals”
Underlining the rejection by the Greek Cypriot side of the EU proposals regarding a separate Turkish Cypriot control mechanism for hellim, Minister Nami referenced the Greek Cypriots’ description of the TRNC as “areas not under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus” upon their accession to the EU, hence the claim that controls over hellim cannot be conducted in the north.
“Solutions pertaining to hellim were developed and the process had entered its final phase, however the Greek Cypriot side attempted to exert its own sovereignty over the North instead of engaging in cooperation”, stated Nami. Also mentioning that he doesn’t want the issue to turn into a diplomatic battle, Minister Nami added “We want the interests of the entire island to be protected through cooperation”.
According to the article of Elena Holodny published in Business Insider under the headline ‘Russia is reportedly getting military bases in an EU state’, Greek Cypriot side has offered Russia to have air and navy bases on its territory.
The article states that the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades announced that the country is ready to host Russian aviation and naval bases, and the official agreement on military cooperation between the two nations is expected be signed on February 25, 2015, according to Lenta.ru. The article continues as: “There is an old [defense] agreement, which should be renewed as is. At the same time, some additional services will be provided in the same way as we do with other countries, such as, for example, with France and Germany,” Nicos Anastasiades said. “Cyprus and Russia have traditionally had good relations, and this is not subject to change.”
It has also been mentioned in the article that the Greek Cypriot side’s announcement comes after Russia expressed interest in having a military base in South Cyprus in late January, according to the Global Post and Greek Reporter. Notably, South Cyprus is one of the 28-member states in the EU, which have been imposing sanctions on Russia over the past year in response to the actions in Ukraine. And just like Greece has recently caused a stir by complicating the process of extending sanctions on Russia, South Cyprus, too, just voiced some opposition to the additional sanctions on Russia, adding that many EU members share that opinion.
“We want to avoid further deterioration of relations between Russia and the European Union,” leader of the Greek Cypriot side reportedly said. So military cooperation between South Cyprus and Russia is yet another red flag for the EU.
Article also noted : “Presumably, the Russian Air Force will use the airbase “Andreas Papandreou,” along with the international airport of Paphos in the southwest of the island, approximately 50 kilometers from the air base of the British Royal Air Force “Akrotiri.” Additionally, the Russian navy will be able to permanently use the base of Limassol, according to Lenta.Ru.
“The Limassol port borders on the British air base of Akrotiri which serves NATO operations and is also an important hub in the electronic military surveillance system of the alliance,” according to the Global Post. Given Russia and South Cyprus’ shady economic relationship over the last two decades (ever since the fall of the USSR), perhaps this isn’t all that surprising. Russia Today reports that “Russians have transferred over $30 billion (around $1 trillion roubles) to South Cyprus over the past twenty years, according to a study published by a group of economists from Russia, Finland and Canada.”
According to the article, in 2013, during the South Cyprus financial crisis, analysts estimated that over a third of bank deposits in South Cyprus may have had Russian origin, and reportedly, many Russian companies are registered on the island. Some reports even went as far as saying that South Cyprus has become “a major money laundering machine for Russian criminals” back in 2013. Even today, Russia’s current economic problems are reportedly further dragging down South Cyprus.
According to the article, “Russia’s presence in the economy has been a huge supporting factor. Its footprint is everywhere from tourism to real estate, so it is worth monitoring the impact,” said Michael Florentiades, chief economist and head of investment research at XM.com, an online financial services company in Limassol.
The article recorded that naturally, Russia’s heavy-duty financial involvement in a EU state “raised concerns among the island country’s Western allies” over the past few years, according to Euractiv. But the most alarming Russia-South Cyprus dalliance came during the height of the South Cyprus financial crisis when South Cyprus was reportedly negotiating with Russia for a bailout in 2013. The EU was particularly nervous about this because there was speculation that Russia might ask for a naval port and access to the country’s gas reserves in return.
Finally the article mentions that ultimately the South Cyprus opted for a “€10 billion bailout agreed with the troika, in return for closing the country’s second largest bank Laiki, and imposing a one-time levy on all uninsured deposits, including those held by foreign citizens.”
British High Commissioner Damian Roderick Todd gave an interview to the weekly Greek Cypriot newspaper Kathimerini and said: “Turkish Cypriots’ isolation is an objective reality and it is one of those points that were repeated in the report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council last January.”
Todd declared that the UK and the EU aim to move Direct Trade Regulation forward with the TRNC. Todd said: “The EU has this policy since 2004 when both the EU and the UN promised to take steps to reduce the isolations on the Turkish Cypriots. The United Kingdom does what other EU members do and what is agreed by unanimous vote. Consequently, this is the EU’s aim.”
Todd also stated that Hydrocarbons will be one of those topics to be negotiated and he added that it would be realistic if the negotiations begin before April.
Todd warned the Greek Side about the possibility of signing Military Bases Agreement between Russia and the South Cyprus. Todd also highlighted that regarding a possible Military Bases Agreement; South Cyprus should take into consideration the joint position of the EU on Russia.
Leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Nikos Anastasiadis called British High Commissioner Damian Roderick (Ric) Todd to avoid using groundless expressions. Todd said that it is an objective reality that Turkish Cypriots are under isolations and that Direct Trade Regulation is the aim of the EU.
Greek Cypriot radio announced that Anastasiadis said: “It is better not to use such groundless expressions in a period when delicate actions are needed in the Cyprus issue.”
Reminding that there is a deadlock in the Cyprus issue, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said that the sides should return to the table and start negotiations. Cavusoglu also indicated that Turkey and the TRNC desire to continue the negotiations and they are waiting at the table.
Pointing out that difference in ideologies is not their concern Cavusoglu said: “We work with many parties and governments which have different ideologies all over the world. We know that Cipras views such problems as more international. It is obvious that they will defend their own interests. As the motherland and the guarantor country, we will continue to defend rights of Turkey, Turkish nation and the TRNC.”
Turkish EU Minister and the Chief Negotiator Volkan Bozkır said: “Cyprus problem is approaching towards a solution. The recent statement in February also comprises the elements of a solution. The solution of the Cyprus problem is easier than the solution of the problems in Syria, Ukraine and Palestine, since its parameters are known.”
Bozkır also said that natural gas reserves created problems in Cyprus however there may not be as much natural gas reserves as it has already been stated.
38 Syrians, composed of 25 men, 8 women and 5 children, were found in a house in Lapta after the operation carried out by the police. It has been announced in the police bulletin that 2 people are arrested within the framework of the investigation made.
