News from the President's office - 14/09/2020 unedited

[Soner]

President Akıncı reacted to US State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s visit

President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Mustafa Akıncı reacted to US State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s visit to the Greek Cypriot Administration without also visiting himself.

Mustafa Akinci said that he told the US Ambassador to the Greek Cypriot Administration, Judith Garber, in a phone conversation that it would not be helpful for State Secretary Mike Pompeo to only hold meetings with the Greek Cypriot side about ongoing disputes surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus. In addition, this attitude would be negative encouragement for the Greek Cypriot Administration.

In response to President Akıncı’s reaction Judith Garber said Pompeo only visited the Greek Cypriot Administration due to a lack of time. The US Embassy added that Pompeo could later hold a telephone conversation with Akıncı. However, citing a previous visit by former US Secretary of State John Kerry to the TRNC, Akıncı said a phone conversation would not be enough or appropriate.

Tatar: “As long as EU continues to spoil Greek Cypriot-Greek duo, possibility to reach a solution will continue to decrease”

Prime Minister Ersin Tatar stated that as long as the EU continues to spoil the Greek Cypriot-Greek duo the possibility to reach a solution will continue to decrease. Stressing that the expressions within the joint statement approved during the 6th Summit of the Southern European Union countries (MED7) regarding the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus issue are far away from the realities and support Greek Cypriots, Tatar said “Our aim is to take place within the EU with our rights and law. I make a call to the EU to be prudential”.

In his written statement, Tatar stated “President of France Emmanuel Macron uses the Greek Cypriot-Greek duo for the interests of his country but creates great harm to world peace and regional peace.

The resolution taken by 7 EU Member Southern European Countries in Corsica with pressure of France is wrong and will not contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem and to decrease the tension in the region. As long as those who have taken these resolutions are not prudential, they will not contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem. There is not a threat by Turkey for the sovereignty rights of the Greek Cypriots in the resolution as it is claimed. On the contrary, Greece and the Greek Cypriot side try to ignore the sovereignty and sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. The side which should be supported by the EU is the Turkish Cypriot people whose sovereignty rights are being usurped.”


Turkey’s Foreign Ministry reacts to memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Greek Cypriot administration

A memorandum of understanding signed between the US and the Greek Cypriot administration will harm efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue instead of contributing to peace and stability, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has stated.

"The MoU signed between the US and the Greek Cypriot administration on 12th September 2020, envisaging the establishment of a ‘Land, High Seas and Port Security Centre’ in the Greek Cypriot administration, ignores the Turkish Cypriot side," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a written statement.

The steps taken by the US in lifting an arms embargo on the Greek Cypriots and including the Greek side in its International Military Education and Training (IMET) program disrupt the balance between the two peoples on the island and increases tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aksoy said.

In this respect, it is noticeable that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not meet with the TRNC during his visit to the island, he added.

"We call on the US to return to its traditional policy of neutrality regarding the island and to contribute to the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue," he underlined.

On 1st September the US partially lifted an arms embargo on the Southern Greek Cypriot administration while Pompeo announced in July that the US has included the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus in its military training program for 2020.

5 countries have been transferred from category "A" to "B"

The Ministry of Health announced that 5 countries in group A have been transferred to group B, according to the risk assessment made last Friday (11/09/20). It was noted that these countries are Liechtenstein, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Georgia, and people from these countries will remain in quarantine for 1 week from September 15, 2020 at 23.59pm.

The categories and conditions are listed as follows:

Category A

1. Estonia
2. Finland
3. South Korea
4. Lithuania
5. Latvia
6. Maldives
7. Norway
8. New Zealand
9. Canada
10.Thailand


Those persons from the countries in category A who come to the TRNC via South Cyprus and show negative PCR test results carried out in the last 72 hours as a document to the Ministry of Health officials at the entrance will be able to enter the country. These persons will not be subject to routine testing or quarantine.

The rules of Category B will be applied to those persons coming from the countries in category A who come to the TRNC via Turkey.

People who work, get an education and have treatment in the Greek Cypriot side, and those who want to go to South Cyprus due to other reasons will be able to continue to cross the border to South Cyprus by having a PCR test done only once. However, these people will be given random PCR tests. In addition, everyone living in South Cyprus will be able to enter the country by showing a negative PCR result only once.


All citizens residing in Pile will be able to continuously cross to Pile or from Pile to North Cyprus provided that they show a PCR negative test result for once on their first pass.

Personnel on diplomatic missions, personnel of the UN, EU, British Bases Area and similar international organisations in Cyprus will be asked to show a negative PCR result only once at the first pass. These people will also be given random PCR tests.

Category B

1. Austria
2. Denmark
3. Ireland
4. Switzerland
5. Iceland
6. Japan
7. Poland
8. Belgium
9. Italy
10. Czech Republic
11. Monaco
12. Vatican
13. San Marino
14. Rwanda
15. Uruguay
16. China
17. Bosnia and Herzegovina
18. Singapore
19. Turkey
20. Jordan
21. Germany
22. Greece
23. Kuwait
24. United Kingdom
25. Sweden
26. Liechtenstein
27. Hungary
28. Slovakia
29. Slovenia
30. Georgia

People who come to the TRNC from countries in Category B

a) They will be able to enter the country by submitting a negative PCR test result which has been done between 0-120 hours before the travel start date to the Ministry of Health officer at the entrance as a document, and if they are unable to provide this, they will not be allowed to enter the country. Those persons coming from countries in group B will be quarantined in quarantine centres determined by the state for 7 days when entering the country. This application entered into force on 6/9/2020 at 23:59 and will continue until on 20/9/2020 at 23.59pm. These people will be required to have a second PCR test when necessary.

b) Those people who go from TRNC to Turkey for official visits or from Turkey to the TRNC will be able to stay only for 72 hours by implementing the necessary measures until they fulfil the task of their official visit and then return to their country immediately and will not be quarantined.

c) Students coming to the TRNC for higher education will be isolated in the dormitories or hotels determined by their universities for 7 days.

d) The quarantine applications of those who need to go abroad for health reasons will be evaluated if they apply to the Ministry of Health.

Category C

1. United States
2. Brazil
3. Argentina
4. Serbia
5. Montenegro
6. Portugal
7. Luxembourg
8. Romania
9. India
10. Iran
11. Israel
12. Kazakhstan
13. Kosovo
14. Mexico
15. Egypt
16. Pakistan
17. Russia
18. Turkmenistan
19. Bangladesh
20. Philippines
21. Iraq
22. Spain
23. France
24. Bulgaria
25. Algeria
26. Australia
27. Morocco
28. Qatar
29. Azerbaijan
30. Malta
31. Croatia
32. The Netherlands
33. Andorra
34. Tunisia

35. United Arab Emirates
36. Lebanon
37. Ukraine
38. Bahrain
39. Saudi Arabia and other countries

* For those coming from the countries in Category C, it is obligatory to submit a negative PCR test result, which is done between 0-120 hours before the boarding date, to the Ministry of Health officials when they enter the TRNC. These people will be required to have a second PCR test when necessary and will be quarantined in a quarantine centre determined by the Ministry of Health for 14 days.

Note:

a) PCR test results will not be requested from children in the 0-5 age group who will enter the country.

b) The 0-120 hours period before the boarding date stated above will be evaluated based on the date of submitting the PCR samples.

c) For those coming from the countries in Category B and C, the PCR test results taken 6 days before or earlier than the travel date will not be considered valid when entering the country. People who submit such tests will not be admitted to the country.

d) As a result of the meeting between the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Health, those people who come from Category B and will work in nightclubs and even they have stayed for 2 weeks in Turkey, they will stay in quarantine for 7 days in the TRNC. Those who come from a group C country for the same purpose will remain in quarantine for 14 days. Such people coming from B and C group countries must also present the negative PCR test result, which is done between 0-120 hours before the date of boarding when entering the country.

e) There should be a QR code on the PCR test results of the passengers coming from Turkey to the TRNC.