Noting that the date of August 8, 1964, is a very important symbol for the Turkish Cypriots, Akinci added that the passion of the people for freedom has become a symbol, giving meaning to this date.

Reiterating that the recent history of Cyprus is full of blood, tears and pain, Akinci said that lessons should be learnt from the past sufferings in Cyprus and that the main aim should be to establish a future that guarantees the political equality, freedom and security of the two "peoples".

Akinci further said: "As it is known, equality is one of the basic conditions of human life, we, as people, will never accept to become a minority", adding that it is a common responsibility of all people in the region to learn the necessary lessons from historical and geographical reality.

Recalling that he will meet tomorrow with the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades, Akinci made the following call: "The time to show the necessary attitude to safeguard lasting peace in our island is already overdue. Let us make Cyprus a place of peace and cooperation instead of tension and conflict".

Akinci further claimed that it is not only him but Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Turkey made also a call, and added: "Respecting each other's rights, let us evaluate the potential resources as a factor that unites societies and not separating them. Let today's youth live in equality and prosperity in a secure and free future in this island, where the past generations spent their youth on the fronts."

Welcoming Turkey's National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, the General Staff General Yasar Guler and all the commanders, who came to the occupied areas of Cyprus, Akinci said that their presence there is an indication of solidarity and strong ties between them.

(DPs)

[03] "Ozersay issues threats on Varosha"

In statements to Anatolia news agency in Ankara, Ozersay said he expected nothing from the meeting to be held on 9 August between President Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci as regards the comprehensive solution and argued: "I guess that it will be a meeting during which some issues regarding confidence building measures will be discussed and perhaps decided. I have to say, regrettably, that I do not expect many things as regards going somewhere in the context of the negotiations for a comprehensive solution […]".

According to Ozersay, the Greek Cypriot side will most probably make some moves which would secure its participation in the process regarding the occupied fenced-off city of Varosha. He reiterated that the "TRNC government" did not find this correct and alleged that the Greek Cypriot side had always been preventing the issue of the opening of Varosha. "Therefore, exactly at a time when the TRNC government is at the stage of taking steps regarding the future of fenced off Varosha and while it has taken some steps, the Greek Cypriot leadership should not be included in this issue, but they will most probably come with this demand", he claimed and added: "Therefore, our expectation from the president is not to allow this. If there is a development which the TRNC government does not find correct, does not see positive on the issue of fenced off Varosha, we will accordingly have a different stance as TRNC governme nt".

Ozersay alleged that the Greek Cypriot side's stance of trying to keep the Turkish side outside the process regarding the natural gas on the one hand and on the other asking to have a say in fenced-off Varosha was not acceptable. Arguing that the Greek Cypriot leadership would go to the meeting with some proposals aiming at stopping the Turkish side's activities in the field on the issue of the natural gas, Ozersay claimed:

"If they come with a proposal, such as 'let us establish a bi-communal committee on the natural gas and we will discuss these issues among ourselves', this should not be approached positively, because what we want is not only a dialogue between the two sides. We should be together in the decision making process, because the natural gas issue is related to the natural resources which we also own. We should also be a part of the decision making process. We should sit and discuss which companies will extract this, when and how, the percentage which the companies will take and the share of the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots. As long as an effective and competent mechanism is not created in this sense, this means that we are excluded on the natural gas issue. I think that proposals on the natural gas issue which are ineffective, incompetent, without a role and are only keeping up for appearance should not be seen positively and I am feeling the need to make this warning […]"

Reminding of the proposal submitted by Akinci on the natural gas issue, Ozersay reiterated that this had been prepared together with the "foreign ministry" and argued that if the Greek Cypriots had a good will, they would have approached positively this proposal, but the message they gave until now showed that they do not accept it. "Therefore, I think that we should not allow them to water this [proposal] down with other proposals which they will make", he argued.

Noting that the Greek Cypriot side wanted the Turkish side's illegal activities in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone to end in order to begin negotiations, Ozersay argued: "Our concern is not the negotiations. Negotiating for the sake of negotiations is tantamount to the continuation of the status quo". Reiterating the view that since 2011 the Turkish side had changed a paradigm on the Cyprus problem [with the so-called agreement between Turkey and the breakaway regime regarding the hydrocarbons], Ozersay alleged that a change of paradigm was needed in the Cyprus negotiating process as well.

Referring to the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha, he alleged that this was a part of the "TRNC" under the Turkish occupation army's control and claimed that they were the ones who execute power there. "Of course, we could turn it into a non-military zone after a certain period of time […]", he said.

Ozersay recalled that they have been saying since the very beginning that they would behave in such a way as not to harm the property rights of the Greek Cypriot owners of the occupied city. He said that Turkish Cypriots and settlers from Turkey who came as labor force after 1974 had been using the properties which the Greek Cypriots had been forced to abandon during the Turkish invasion of the island and alleged that in time some rights had emerged [for these people] within the framework of the use of the occupied Greek Cypriot properties. He claimed that it was out of the question for these immovable properties to be returned to their "old owners". He said that they followed the way of paying compensations for these properties, but the case in Varosha was different, as the properties were not given to anyone.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Ozersay argues that a five-party meeting should take place only if other paths other than a federal partnership are discussed

Speaking at a television programme of the Turkish Cypriot private channel TV Gunes, Ozersay, referring also to the five-party meeting, argued that the informal five-party meeting may be a reason for the Turkish to be trapped in a new vicious circle. He noted that they should avoid a five-party meeting, which will start from the point that the negotiations left off, adding: "Before holding such a meeting, everyone should accept this: it should be a meeting where not just the federal partnership would be discussed, but paths apart from this would be discussed. There is no point in wasting time in this way. If the Greek Cypriot side is not ready to share, a model out of the sharing should be discussed. Then, let us discuss the gas issue without waiting for a solution".

(DPs)

[05] "It seems that Varosha will definitely open this time"

"[…] In Varosha, which once had been one of the most attractive tourism centers in the Mediterranean with 39,000 inhabitants living in it, there are only two buildings that were not abandoned to the destruction of time after its Greek Cypriot inhabitants ran away. Both are officers' clubs used by the Turkish army. All the other buildings, hotels, banks, restaurants, churches, shops, schools, houses have been plundered and are ruins. The infrastructure has decayed, [and] the roads are full of holes.

'We are not bluffing, this job will be done', said one of the persons who play a main role in the plan of rescuing Varosha from being a ghost. 'We will return Varosha area by area, step by step to its former owners. We will solve the infrastructure problems'. When I asked 'when', I received the reply 'patience'.

The Immovable Property Commission will carry out the job of giving back to the Greek Cypriots their properties. […] Until some days ago, 6,574 applications had been made to the Commission and 1,000 of them had been concluded, that is, they had been turned into Turkish properties in return for money paid to the Greek Cypriots. 160 of the applications which have not been concluded are related to properties in Varosha.

Some big problems exist before the opening of Varosha. The Cyprus EVKAF Foundation Administration, which this year became 448 years old, alleges that the whole of Varosha is EVKAF property. […] This demand is debatable, but the government does not want to sadden EVKAF. The solution it found is the application of EVKAF to the Immovable Property Commission, like everyone else. If the Commission accepts the application, then it will be okay. If it rejects it, EVKAF can apply to the European Court of Human Rights. However, because the Court does not examine property claims with such an old date, it is certain that this demand will be denied.

The second obstacle may be the United Nations. The UN Security Council has many resolutions regarding Varosha's return to its 'legal owners' and the transfer of the city 'under UN's control'. As I have found out from officials, the UN will not oppose the return of Varosha to its old owners under Turkish administration. 'If it does', said my source, 'they can also apply to the European Court of Human Rights. However, such a thing will not happen, because it is obvious that the Court's decision will be negative.

The biggest sign showing that Varosha could come to life, is the fact that behind this initiative is Ankara this time. 'They trusted us and handed over Varosha to us', said my source, 'And we will do whatever is necessary, the soonest'".

(I/Ts.)

[06] Turkish Cypriots want to claim their rights in the Republic of Cyprus, according to CMIRS survey

Asked to comment on the election of a Turkish Cypriot MEP at the European Parliament as candidate with AKEL party, 81% of the participants said that the see positively this development and 58.6% expressed the view that this would contribute in a positive way to the efforts aiming to reach a solution on the Cyprus problem.

In addition, asked to express their view on "the dissolution of the four-party coalition government" in the occupied area of Cyprus and the "formation of a coalition between the National Unity Party and the People's Party" (UBP-HP), 43.2% described the "dissolution of the four-party coalition government" as negative, while 47.6% said that they consider this development positive. In a question about the "establishment of the UBP-HP government", 44.6% said that this is negative while 44.8% said that they see this development positively.

(AK)

[B] Turkish Press

[01] Donmez: "Yavuz drilling vessel startED operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and reached a drilling depth of 1,710 meters"

Donmez expressed hopes that when they reach the target depth, they would find natural gas resources.

"Yavuz drilling ship is the latest in our fleet, while Fatih drilling vessel also continues to conduct its operations in the western part of the island," Donmez said.

"In August, our second seismic vessel, the MTA Oruc Reis, will also be sent to the Mediterranean. So we will continue to do our research and drilling activities in the Mediterranean with the two seismic and the two drilling vessels," Donmez said.

(…)

[02] Erdogan met with Ukrainian President: "Annexation of Crimea is illegal"

After meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Ankara, Erdogan told a joint press conference: "Continuation of our kinsmen's existence in their historical motherland Crimea, protection of their identity and culture, preservation of their basic rights and freedoms are Turkey's priorities."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Russia to act within international law.

He stressed that Crimea belonged to Ukraine and said his country and Russia would find a common path to re-establish peace and stability in the region.

He described Turkey as a "good neighbor, sincere friend and important strategic partner," in highlighting Turkey's importance to relations with Ukraine.

"I would like to thank you for your steady support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," Zelensky said.

Zelensky said he wanted to make his country a "center of attraction" for foreign investors through economic and trade reforms.

Trade reached $4 billion in 2018 between Turkey and Ukraine, said Zelensky and the figure does not reflect the potential of the two countries.

"The target trade volume between the two nations is $ 10 billion and a free trade agreement will also pave the way for reaching this goal", he said.

"I would like to invite the Turkish business world to Ukraine," said Zelensky and he guaranteed a comfortable work environment.

The Ukrainian leader is in Turkey for a two-day-visit.

Erdogan for his part stressed the importance of a "peace corridor" in Syria and said that Turkey and the U.S. agreed to establish a joint operation center.

"Three-day talks with the U.S. military delegation ended positively," said Erdogan, highlighting that the important thing is to take a step in east of Euphrates with the U.S.

Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed that the safe-zone in northern Syria will be a "peace corridor" for displaced Syrians longing to return home, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara also confirmed in a statement that the parties agreed to rapidly implement "initial measures" to address Turkey's security concerns and establish a Joint Operations Center in Turkey to coordinate the establishment of the safe zone.

(…)

[03] Turkey's Defense Ministry: "Turkey and the US agree on Syria peace corridor"

"The officials finalized key points of the safe-zone at a meeting in Ankara", the Ministry said in a statement.

"The immediate implementation of measures to address Turkey's security concern was discussed in detail", the Ministry said, adding that as it was planned, a Joint Operations Center in Turkey that would coordinate and manage the establishment of the safe-zone will be set up.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara also confirmed in a statement that the parties agreed to rapidly implement "initial measures" to address Turkey's security concerns and establish a Joint Operations Center in Turkey to coordinate the establishment of the safe zone.

The statement added that the safe-zone would become a "peace corridor" for displaced Syrians who want to return to their country.

YPG/PKK is the Syrian offshoot of terror group PKK, which has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people in Turkey, including many children, women, and infants, for more than 30 years.

Turkey has often raised concerns over U.S. support of factions of the PKK against Daesh in the region, saying one terror outfit cannot be used against another.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/EH)

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article