In his speech he said that in the past two year parties in the Republic of Turkey and the "TRNC" had worked closely together and added that during this time there had been two UN Secretary General's that had come to office.

'Ban Ki Moon described the Cyprus issue as unprecedented and Guterres had said it was an historical opportunity' Akinci said.

Claiming that for the first time the Cyprus negotiations process had entered a phase where a 5 party conference was able to take place, Akinci said that he had been criticized widely regarding the issue of maps but added that if he too had not presented a map then the Cyprus negotiations process would not have proceeded to where it has today.

Noting that when he took over the "presidential office" he had not expected the Cyprus negotiations process to begin so quickly, Akinci said that within two weeks of coming into office the negotiations had begun and he had carried out a string of meetings with the negotiators and committees.

'A basis had been formed but only on paper, not within the Greek Cypriot mentality' Akinci claimed.

Alleging that no Turkish Cypriot will accept zero military or zero security on the island, Akinci claimed: "As the Turkish Cypriot side we showed flexibility on all chapters during the Cyprus negotiations process, we were positive and displayed a constructive stance. Turkey also showed the necessary flexibility and gave clear messages of this but the Greek Cypriot side did not choose the future generations but chose the upcoming elections".

Claiming further that "within the Cyprus negotiations process they had given great importance to confidence building measures but that when it came to implementing these they were met with great obstacles", Akinci alleged that the Greek Cypriot side always acted with the mentality that they were the state and the Turkish Cypriots were nothing.

"We have not given up on our hopes of a federation but all sides must accept this. The Greek Cypriot side is not taking the necessary steps. It's not internalizing the fact that we are in fact an equal entity on the island" said Akinci.

Touching upon the latest decision handed down by the European Court of Human Rights regarding the "Immovable Property Commission" in Cyprus, he said that he had for some time now been warning the "commission" that more funding needed to be found and that the process needed to be accelerated.

He also alleged that as Turkish Cypriot leader he had fulfilled all of his duties but that the Greek Cypriot leader had not and added that the Greek Cypriot side must realize what is possible and what is not and accept this.

"We will not become trapped in the buffer zone and discuss the same issues over and over again. The time for open ended talks are over. I will not play a part in such a process. Guterres has said that he will act according to the requests we make. We have given him the necessary message. A new approach is needed, maybe some form of a package within a certain timeframe" Akinci claimed.

[02] Yildirim discussed the Cyprus problem with Johnson and May; Yildirim: "It is too late for this issue"

Referring to his meeting with the UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Yildirm alleged: "Mr. Johnson told me about the Cyprus problem: 'Lets revive this issue…. And I told him that 'it is too late for this'…I told him that once more mistakes were made on the Cyprus problem from the beginning. 'You made openings for the Greek Cypriots and on the contrary you put several obstacles for the Turkish Cypriot side', I said. This is an unfair situation. What are they going to discuss? We have said: first lift the embargoes, undertake initiatives and then let's sit and discuss as equal partners. Otherwise, it is out of question for this issue to be solved. And this because the Greek Cypriot side is saying 'I am a state, I have no needs, so if you want come and discuss with us. Is it possible for such a solution to happen? No its not", Yildirim claimed.

(AK)

[03] Ozgurgun argued that "legal procedures" against those who published the caricature of Erdogan have been launched

Noting that "the necessary initiatives and complaints to the prosecutor have already been done in order to start the legal procedure within the framework of TRNC laws", Ozgurgun argued that those who did this, are trying to create a rift between "TRNC" and Turkey. He added that such humiliation should not be done not only against Turkey's President but not even to any state man.

(DPs)

[04] Support towards Afrika continues

As the paper writes, "Toparlaniyoruz" ( We are gathering) political movement as well as the culture unions Baraka and Pir Sultan Abdal, issued a common statement yesterday expressing their support and solidarity towards Afrika. The unions also criticize the statements by the Turkish Minister Responsible for Cyprus Affairs Recep Akdag calling them "unacceptable" and an intervention to the "legislative and judicial power" of the "TRNC".

(CS)

[05] Sucuoglu: "A new hospital is to be built in Keryneia"; The population of occupied Keryneia has reached 100 thousand according to Sucuoglu's claims

Alleging that the population of occupied Keryneia has reached 100.000, Sucuoglu explained that the existing "Girne Akcicek Hospital" is not possible to provide sufficient health services to the "inhabitants" of the city. "Due to the rise of the population, Keryneia is insufficient on the issue of health services", Sucuoglu argued.

He went on explaining that it's been a long time that the "ministry" is carrying out studies for a new "hospital" to be constructed in occupied Keryneia. He claimed that the "project for the new hospital" is already ready, adding that it is going to be constructed in a "plot of land" near the restaurant called Ezic Premier which is located on the occupied Keryneia-Lefka road.

(AK)

[06] Data on the crossings between the occupied area of Cyprus and the government controlled area of Cyprus

While the "TRNC citizens", who crossed from the "north" to "south", were 1,660,456, the Greek Cypriots, who crossed from "south" to "north", were only 991,164. The foreign tourists, who crossed from "south" to "north", were a total of 1,402,261, while the foreign tourists, who crossed from "north" to "south", were 1,399,716.

The paper reports that there is an increase of foreign tourists, who cross to visit the occupied area of Cyprus, especially in the number of Israelis and Russian tourists. In 2017 until the end of November, 366,726 persons have arrived in Larnaca airport and crossed to the occupied area of Cyprus from Britain. The 43,090 of these travellers were Turkish Cypriots the rest were of foreign nationality. In the same way, 112,094 persons, who arrived in Larnaca airport from Israel, crossed to the occupied area of Cyprus, 96,794 persons from Germany, 94,098 from Russia and 91,953 from Greece.

(DPs)

[07] Turkey: OIC's decision not 'retaliation' for US move

Speaking to state news channel TRT Haber, Ibrahim Kalin said that not only the OIC's 57 members but also European, Latin American, and Asian countries rejected the U.S. decision.

His remarks came a day after the OIC summit in Istanbul issued a declaration recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

"Islamic countries are united and strengthened more in the wake of the U.S. decision," he said.

He said the summit resolved to take other important steps such as bringing the Jerusalem issue to the UN, speeding the process of Palestine's recognition as a state, merging funds to boost Jerusalem's economy, and bringing the forgotten cause of Palestine to the international arena.

Kalin also said Turkey's Consulate in East Jerusalem has already been serving as an Embassy. "It's important to make this official," Kalin said.

He underlined that peace and stability in the Middle East is "impossible" without solving the Palestinian issue.

Kalin also said he expected that several issues concerning Palestine such as the two-state solution, ending the occupation, recognition of Jerusalem as its capital, return of Palestinian refugees to their land, and the Middle East peace process would gain fresh momentum after the OIC declaration.

The peace process can be revived at the end of a negotiation process that would follow the establishment of a sustainable Palestinian state, according to Kalin.

He said Turkish officials had warned their U.S. counterparts against Trump's unilateral decision, as the decision would endanger the peace process and isolate the U.S.

[08] Turkey says credit deal with Russia on S-400 missile system may be signed this week

"We reached a loan agreement with Russia during [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's visit [to Ankara]. Although not yet committed to paper, if the technical aspects of the deal are finalized it could be signed this week," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara on Dec. 14.

Putin paid a brief visit to Ankara on Dec. 11 to conduct meetings on bilateral and regional issues with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan informed the media that the credit deal on the S-400 anti-ballistic missile systems purchase could be signed this week.

A Russian newspaper said the signing ceremony of the deal was initially scheduled for Dec. 11 but was postponed at the last minute. The high-tech S-400 anti-ballistic missile systems are believed to cost Turkey approximately $2.5 billion.

A Russian official stressed that Russia could only provide a partial loan to facilitate Turkey's purchase of the systems.

Cavusoglu said Ankara had started technical works on deploying the anti-ballistic missile system, adding that Turkey could count on Russian assistance while Turkish military and civil engineers underwent training to operate the systems.

[09] Turkey says it is committed to peace protocols 'despite Armenia's negative stance'

"Despite Armenia's negative stance on the Protocols, Turkey is committed to the primary clauses of the Protocols. These Protocols are still on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Commission. For their ratification it is essential that a favorable political atmosphere and peace in the South Caucasus is secured," read a written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Dec. 14.

The statement came after Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said Turkey is responsible for the delay in the ratification of the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 10, 2009, vowing that the Armenian government would annul the said protocols.

"These claims do not reflect the truth and aim to mislead world public opinion," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in response, suggesting that Ankara had made efforts to normalize relations with Armenia "on several levels" after Armenia proclaimed its independence in 1991.

The statement underlined the fact that the Constitutional Court of Armenia introduced "additional preconditions and restrictive clauses that are against the letter and spirit of the protocols through a ruling in 2010." It also recalled that Armenian President Serzh Sargysyan publicly announced in 2010 that the ratification of the protocols was suspended.

'Comprehensive peace needed in the region'

"Turkey's primary target pertaining to the Protocols process is to realize the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia so comprehensive peace and stability in the South Caucasus is provided," read the statement, referring to the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"In this vein, it is necessary that progress is achieved in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and in light of the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council. In any case, Armenia must put an end to its invasion of Azerbaijan's territories," it added.

'Genocide claims baseless'

The Foreign Ministry statement also responded to Nalbandian's remarks on the 1915 mass killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

"Mr. Nalbandian's claims on genocide in his speech do not reflect the truth either. As ascertained by the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, the 1915 events are a matter of legitimate debate within the framework of freedom of expression," it said.

"The attempts of ill-intentioned groups to impose their one-sided narrative and to exert pressure on world public opinion are morally and legally incorrect and do not contribute to peace and stability in our region. Our expectation from Armenia is that it answers for one of the gravest crimes against humanity in recent history, the Hocali Massacre, rather than dealing with controversial historical events," it added, referring to the February 1992 massacre of Azerbaijani civilians during the during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

[10] Columnist notes that Ankara calls for the world to respect the U N decisions on Jerusalem while Turkey does not do the same regarding Cyprus

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinion/ertugrul-ozkok/turkey-is-the-fieriest-audience-in-the-middle-east-124151)

"Russian President Vladimir Putin's final stop after Egypt and Syria was Turkey. It was nice to see President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Putin sitting next to each other in Ankara on Dec. 11. Their words were polite and no one hurt one another. But behind this shadow play, the shadows reflecting in the background were very different.

The Russian media declared this as "Putin's victory tour" and they were not wrong. In the Middle East, the first biggest winners, not only of today but of the century, were Russia and Iran.

Last week, Putin was in the spotlight while he was on his victory tour, but unfortunately, we are only a part of the audience.

A big man without doubt

It is a great success to gather the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in such a short period of time. No one can say the opposite.

The organization recognized East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine and invited other countries to follow suit. At a time when we remain spectators to everything occurring in the Middle East, this summit brought activity to Turkey on another front.

Making a strong argument with the wrong sentences

I am not a foreign policy expert. Please forgive me if I am asking naive questions, but I had some questions in the back of my mind while watching the OIC conference.

One: Is defining Israel as an "occupier" and inviting the world to respect the United Nation's decisions, a consistent policy for Turkey when the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has not yet been accepted by the U.N., when many countries define us as an "occupier" there and the only country in the whole world that recognizes the TRNC is us?

Two: Is it consistent foreign policy to call on the whole world to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine on Dec. 13 when we had defended the argument that "Jerusalem is a joint space of all three divine religions" against the United States decision on Jerusalem and argued rightfully that thus, Israel cannot declare Jerusalem as its capital?

As I said, I am not an expert and would be glad if an expert could explain this to me.

We sit next to each other but we say different things

We sit next to each other with Russia but we say different things.

We say the terrorist organization, the People's Protection Units (YPG), are still in Syria.

On the other hand, in Ankara on Dec. 11 Putin said almost all the terrorist organizations in Syria had been cleared.

We still hate Bashar al-Assad and we still believe we can get rid of him.

But Putin on the other hand, welcomes him in his own home and then goes to visit him in his home, openly giving the message that he can "stay" in his position.

We still make the "Rabia" sign (the four-finger hand gesture adopted in 2013 as a symbol of resistance by the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt) and still believe Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will be overthrown and the Muslim Brotherhood will return.

In contrast, Putin personally went to Cairo after Trump and also gave the message, "do not worry, we are behind you" to Sisi.

We continue to stir up an international storm and say whatever comes to our mind to Israel.

But in Ankara, Putin said the Palestinians and the Israelis should come together and find solution.

We say the Russian military should withdraw from Syria.

Putin, on the other hand, visits the bases in Syria, declaring from there that they will stay in the Mediterranean from now on."

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

https://www.pio.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio2013.nsf/All/EDB254ABD6F3EAE1C225816F00425E83?OpenDocument

(CS / AM)

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