This week in North Cyprus >
26thSeptember-3rd October 2005
Doubt over EU Turkey talks deepens
Doubts grew yesterday over the start of European Union membership talks with Turkey. One senior EU embassador said the chances of negotiations starting on time were only 50-50 because Austria was holding out for the 25-nation bloc to spell out an explicit alternative to full membership.
Germany reminded its EU partners of their decision last December to begin accession talks with Turkey and urged Europe to meet its strategic responsibility and be fair. Meanwhile the crisis prompted the TRNC Parliament to meet in emergency session on Thursday. The 3 hour session debated Turkey EU relations and the possible impact on the Cyprus issue.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was still confident talks would go ahead on Monday, but he warned in a statement to journalists that Turkey had always been 'decent' about the negotiating framework and expected the EU to be likewise.
EP to talk to us
The Presidency of the European Parliament has adopted a decision to establish a 'Communication Council' to develop relations and direct communications with North Cyprus.
Buffer zone meeting row
The latest meeting at the Ledra Palace Hotal was attended by political party representatives from both sides of the border. The round table buffer zone session, staged by the Slovak Embassy had been due to debate the number of 'refugees' in both North and South Cyprus.
There was anger among Turkish Cypriot delegates when their Greek Cypriot counterparts failed to present information about their own population make-up. The row meant that no statement was issued at the end of the meeting. The issue is to be taken up at the next session on November 2.
Islamic comference call to 'end unjust isolation'
Foreign ministers from the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) ended their meeting in New York with a call to the international community to end the 'unjust' isolation of Turkish Cypriots. A final communique issued at the end of the summit reiterated support for the Turkish Cypriots and underlined the provisions of the Annan Plan, which envisaged Turkish and Greek Cypriots existing in two politically equal constituent states, neither of which could impose authority on the other.
Earlier, ministers had been presented with a report by OIC general secretary Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu complaining that the Islamic world had failed to give proper backing to the Turkish Cypriot people.
He welcomed moves to initiate direct flights between Baku and Ercan Airport as a astep in the right direction and urged other OIC states to follow suit.
President: 'We'll open Lokmaci as soon as possible'
The Lokmaci Barricade crossing between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides of the divided capital - closed since 1958 - will be reopened as soon as possible, president Mehmet Ali Talat announced this week during a visit to the area. Mr Talat said the opening up of the border at Lokmaci, in the heart of the capital- was vital in order to create a stable atmosphere for contacts between the two sides, vital for lasting peace on the island.
Antiques Smuggling
Three people, two of them Greek Cypriots, were arrested this week on suspicion of smuggling antiquities to the South from th TRNC. Police said the arrest followed a search of a greek Cypriot registered pick-up at the Tuzluca road junction at about 8pm on Monday in which an antique chest was discovered. Also held was a 26 year old Turkish Cypriot who had sold the chest.
500 a day from South shop here
Some 500 Greek Cypriots are crossing into the North daily to shop, fill up their petrol tanks and go to the casinos to gamble. It was reported that those crossing were not 'refugees' from the North, who mainly came to visit churches and see their former homes.
Currency Exchange Rates
US Dollar |
1.34 |
UK Pound |
2.36 |
Cyprus Pound |
2.72 |
Euro |
1.61 |
The weather this week in North Cyprus
It will be cooler but still quite humid this week with temperatures reaching 28-31C. There will be some cloud and rain over the weekend, becoming clearer from Monday. Winds will be moderate northerly to north-westerly but occasionally strong.
Minimum and Maximum temperatures in North Cyprus last week.
Town/City |
Minimum Temperature |
Maximum Temperature |
Lefkosa |
16.3 |
32.0 |
Ercan |
15.5 |
31.8 |
Gazi Magusa |
18.6 |
30.8 |
Girne |
20.5 |
29.9 |
Güzelyurt |
15.1 |
31.0 |
Resources: Cyprus Today and Cyprus Times
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