Foreign Minister Özdil Nami visited the Martyr’s Families and Disabled Veterans Association. During his visit, Minister Nami stated “We are aware of our own pain but the Greek Cypriot community experienced pain as well. People died. Our duty is to create a peaceful and tranquil Cyprus where these painful events won’t be repeated”.

Minister Nami added “The Turkish Cypriot people arrived at today following an epic struggle. Every family has lost a relative, martyrs and veterans. There are bleeding wounds in us all. God forbid our future generations from experiencing such painful days”.

Underlining that the struggle must continue unabated and tirelessly, Minister Nami stated “We will ensure a peace which will never put our people’s security at risk. We will achieve this through cooperation. The Turkish Cypriot people have shown that following over half a century of hardship, they are a community which is able to say yes to a settlement plan which is supported by the entire world”.

Stating that a painful past is not an impediment to holding out the hand to a peaceful future, Minister Nami added “Our neighbors should know that the security, rights and interests of both communities are very important and it is the responsibility of politicians to protect them. We will carry out our future duties with this in mind”.

ERSAN

President of the Association Ertan Ersan explained the activities of the Association and conveyed information regarding those who have visited them to date.

Following the visit, Ersan presented Minister Nami with a plaque.

UN Security Council has approved 6 month extension for the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2015, noting that despite some progress made in negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, a “comprehensive and permanent settlement” is still lacking.

In a unanimously adopted resolution, Council members urged both sides to further implement confidence-building measures and move towards the establishment of “mutually-acceptable steps”.

UNFICYP has been deployed on the island since 1964, when inter-communal fighting erupted.

In his statement to the press following his briefing at the UN Security Council, UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide expressed that he was optimistic about resumption of negotiations but there was still a deadlock between the sides on the issue.

British High Commissioner Ric Todd stated that they supported the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide towards resumption of negotiations, adding that they encouraged both sides to return to the structured negotiations.

Furthermore, underlining that there is lack of confidence between the sides, Todd said that this problem is the basis of the disputes between the sides. (Havadis)

South Cyprus is continuing its reactions against the attempt started by European Union for extending the sanctions imposed on Russia for six months and taking new measures.

Greek Cypriot daily Alithia and other newspapers reported that some EU countries including  South Cyprus and Greece have reacted against new sanctions imposed on Russia and the issue will be discussed in the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers to be held in Brussels.

The newspaper noted that Greek Cypriot government declared that it has reacted against the new sanctions and also Greek Cypriot political parties made statements critisizing EU yesterday.

In his statement made the day before, Greek Cypriot government Spokesman Nikos Christodulides expressed that Greek Cypriot government does not support the sanction document prepared by EU and most probably the document will not be approved because of reactions of many countries.

Turkish Cypriot Bussinessmen Council held contacts in Holland and Belgium between 24-27 January 2015.

The Council met with authorities of Holland’s Young Bussinessmen Federation and also visited the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Brussels Office and TRNC Representative Office in Brussels.

According to the statement of Chairman of Turkish Cypriot Bussinessmen Council M. İlker Züğürt, a signing ceremony was realized between the Turkish Cypriot Bussinessmen Council and the New European Bussiness Confederation for observer membership. The delegation had also meetings with the authorities of the European Parliament and they conveyed their sensitivities and demands regarding the trade embargo and isolations on the TRNC and registration of hellim.

Refugee Rights Association – North Cyprus (RRA-NC) held a meeting with the authorities of European Commission in order to give information on sheltering policies, practices and immigration flows.

According to the written statement made by RRA-NC, it was stated that in the meeting the authorities of the Association expressed their attempts for protecting the rights of refugees in spite of the deficiency of a local asylum and added that there is an obstacle in front of the refugees for using their fundamental rights.

In the report submitted to the EC authorities by the Association, it was drawn attention that  refugee flows to Cyprus have increased prominently in 2014 because of the ongoing clashes especially in Syria.

The Association stated that in 2014, RRA-NC gave support to nearly 200 Syrians who were not given permission for entering into the country in contravention of the international human rights and refugee law and were treated like a criminal.

Faika Deniz Paşa and Tegiye Birey attended to the meeting on behalf of RRA-NC, European Commission was represented by Alessandra Viezzer (the Head of EU Program Support Office), Francesco Luciani (Policy Officer, International Affairs Unit), Anne- Catherine Claude ( EU Commission Task Force for theTurkish Cypriot Community), Martin Panov ( EU Commission Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot Community) and Charlotte Goyon (Civil Society Task Manager,  EU Commission Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot Community)

According to the Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros, Greek Cypriot authorities are displeased for the two films which were shooted with the support of Greek Cypriot producers and directors and Greek Cypriot Ministry of Culture and took part at the “Golden Island International Festival” organised in November in the TRNC disregarding the Greek Cypriot authorities.

Fileleftheros also reported that Greek Cypriot authorities have launched investigation about the issue and Greek Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also making investigation about “ Goethe Institute” and UK’s role in the festival.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution (2197/2015) dated 29 January 2015, which extends the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2015, states that it welcomes the Report of the UN Secretary-General on UNFICYP. In the said Report, the UN Secretary-General makes reference to the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people and emphasizes the necessity for the removal of such restrictions and barriers. The omission of the UN Security Council to make a clear reference to the unfair and illegitimate isolation which is still imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people, has rendered the Resolution inconsistent and lacking. Similarly in the said Resolution, the customary reference to the so-called “Republic of Cyprus”, as well as the lack of reference to the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the extension of the mandate of UNFICYP, is not an acceptable approach and is contradictory to the historical, legal and political realities of the island of Cyprus.

It is amply clear that the call made in the Resolution towards the resumption of the comprehensive settlement negotiations in the shortest possible time is aimed at the Greek Cypriot leadership who withdrew from the settlement talks. The fact that the Resolution refrains from using a language which could be interpreted as a precondition for the commencement of the negotiations, clearly indicates the expectation of the Council in this regard.

Our expectation from the Greek Cypriot side is to act in line with this call by displaying a sincere approach and returning to the negotiation table as soon as possible without any preconditions in order to reach a settlement based on equality and compromise. The Turkish Cypriot side maintains its decisive stance towards the immediate resumption and conclusion of the negotiation process based on the established UN parameters, convergences achieved between the two sides and the Joint Statement of 11 February 2014 within a specific timeframe under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Good Offices Mission.

Bi-communal All-Cyprus Trade Union Forum will organize a conference titled “Reuniting Cyprus: Social and Economic Benefits for Cypriots”. The conference organized by the forum composed of the Turkish Cypriot Public Servants Union (KTAMS), the Cyprus Turkish Workers Union Federation (Türk-Sen) and Revolutionary Trade Unions Federation (Dev-İş) as well as PASYDY, SEK and PEO will take place at SEK Head Office.

Cyprus Turkish Municipalities Union and Mediterranean Municipalities Union signed a “Friendship and Cooperation Protocol”.

The Head of Cyprus Turkish Municipalities Union and Mayor of Gönyeli Ahmet Benli stated that TRNC is a peaceful country thanks to Turkey and added “ We aim to increase social welfare with such cooperations. Cooperations will give us chance to develop the local authority”.

Furthermore, during the signing ceremony, Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Menderes Türel said that the protocol which was signed between the municipalities is very important for putting forth common synergy and experience between the municipalities.