15 NOVEMBER WILL BE CELEBRATED WITH CEREMONIES

15th of November which marks the 23rd Anniversay of the Establihsment of the TRNC will be celebrated throughout the country with various ceremonies.

The celebration ceremonies started with a speech by President Mehmet Ali Talat at BRT at 12 pm.

This year’s celebrations will be attended by the General Secretary of the Turkish Presidency Kemal Nehrozoğlu representing Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul representing the Turkish government, representatives from Turkish Grand National Assembly and delegations representing Turkish Armed Forces.

Within the framework of the celebrations, the TRNC will host 52 visitors from 22 countries.

Meanwhile, President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday (13 November) received Veterans Delegation of the Turkish Chief of General Staff. President Talat stated that the whole world has started to see the fact the Greek Cypriot side had failed to extend its hand for peace and the days when the attitude of the Greek Cypriot side was receiving support, will soon stay in the past.

Two Kyrgyz Deputies - Asgar Aytmatov and Iskender Gayipkulov who are in the TRNC for the celebrations paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Turgay Avcı yesterday.

Speaking during the visit, Foreign Minister Avcı said the Turkish Cypriot people were ready to do their best for further developing their relations with Kyrgyzystan. Avcı said: “Despite the international isolations, our close relationship with brother countries like you and Turkey’s continuing support give us strength."

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot people would be at the negotiation table with good will for a settlement based on political equality, Avcı said however at the same time they would spend efforts to further develop their state. He added that the Turkish Cypriot would never accept to become a minority.

TURKISH TECHNICAL DELEGATION VISITING TRNC FOR ECONOMIC PROGRAM STUDIES…

AVCI: "TRNC WITH A STRONG PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BE MORE POWERFUL"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Turgay Avcı received Turkish Delegation headed by the Deputy–Under-Secretary of Turkey’s State Planning Organization Halil Ibrahim Akca who is in the TRNC with aim of carrying out contacts and studies within the framework the economic program.

Akca explained that they were working on an economic program, which would help to develop the TRNC in the long term. He said reforms played a very important role in this process.

Stating that they were first of all aiming to create an effective public administration, Akca said secondly, they desired a sustainable financial structure in social security. Akca reminded that in the past they faced financial problems, therefore they were working on series of measures, in order to maintain a healthy functioning system.

For his part, Foreign Minister Avcı stressed that the delegation with its high-level representation was the clear indication of Turkish government’s continuing support to the TRNC.

THE TRNC’S SECOND OMBUDSMAN; FERIDUN ONSAV

Feridun Onsav has been elected by the Republic’s Assembly as the new TRNC ombudsman.

Onsav will start his duty by taking oath before President Mehmet Ali Talat.

ANNAN: CYPRUS PROBLEM IS STILL IN UN’S AGENDA

The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that Cyprus file was still at the UN and that everyone was aware that he was trying to help find a mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem in good will.

The UN Secretary General speaking during a joint press conference held with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at the end of the fourth meeting of the high-level Alliance of Civilizations initiative said:

"As the United Nations we are still dealing with the Cyprus issue and my special representative is currently working with both sides on the island on a series of new confidence building measures aimed eventually at launching a new negotiations process. I will also meet with the two sides in Geneva next week.

Cyprus file is still at the UN and that everyone is aware that I am trying to help find a mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem in good will. I will inform the new UN Secretary-General very well about the issue and help him to settle the problem in the best way."

REHN: "IT IS TIME TO APPROVE THE DIRECT TRADE REGULATION"

The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn who attended the panel entitled "Are we losing Turkey" stated that Turkey was carrying out two processes during its EU negotiations process; one making reforms and the other the Cyprus issue.