ISTANBUL, MAR 7: An international economic summit meeting in Istanbul will kick off Monday under the theme of “Living In an Age Of Uncertainty.”

The 11th Bosphorus Summit, organized by the International Cooperation Platform, will host academics, politicians, and experts from all around the world.

Top Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu, are expected to participate in the summit.

During the summit, several topics will be discussed, such as agriculture, international cooperation, smart cities, defense industry, China’s One Belt One Road Initiative, finance sector’s future, and digitalization.

The two-day summit will be held in the Conrad Istanbul Hotel.

“While the road ahead will not be easy, solutions can be found,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in his comments after separate meetings with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot administration’s leader Nikos Anastasiadis.

A solution to the Cyprus issue is difficult but possible, the EU foreign policy chief said Saturday. “While the road ahead will not be easy, solutions can be found,” said Josep Borrell after separate meetings with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot administration’s leader Nikos Anastasiadis.

Borrell said he encouraged both sides to seize the opportunity of the 5+1 meeting in Geneva in April, and sit at the negotiation table prepared to compromise.

“The European Union fully supports the resumption of the Cyprus settlement process under UN auspices, as soon as possible,” he said.

Noting that the process is not supposed to start from scratch, Borrell said: “There is a framework, including UN Security Council resolutions, with convergences to build on, with the support of the UN, the Guarantor Powers and the European Union.”

“It will not be an easy process but it can be done, for the benefit of all Cypriots, for Europe, and for regional stability,” he underlined.

After meeting with Borrell on Friday, Tatar said the participation of the EU in the 5+1 meetings as an observer will not be right, and Turkish Cypriots will not approve of that, on the grounds that “they cannot be expected to be objective.”

CYPRUS DISPUTE

The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island’s Turks and Turkey’s intervention as a guarantor power.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and the UK.

The TRNC was founded in 1983.

In 2004, the plan of then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for a solution was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots in twin referendums.

The 2017 Crans-Montana Conference in Switzerland held with the participation of the guarantor countries — Turkey, Greece, and the UK — ended in failure.

The informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland on 27-29 April 2021, will seek to determine whether common ground exists for the parties to negotiate a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem within a foreseeable horizon. It will be attended by two parties on the island, the three guarantor countries of Turkey, Greece and the UK, and the UN.

While Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration support a federation on Cyprus, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) insist on a two-state solution reflecting the realities on the island.

BEIJING, MAR 7: The Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, on Sunday said Hong Kong’s electoral system must be improved for long-term stability.

Speaking at his annual news conference, he said during colonial times there was no democracy in Hong Kong, and that China has confidence it will usher in a brighter future for the territory.

ANKARA, MAR 7: It is a very important development that Egypt has made a tender on hydrocarbon exploration in the eastern Mediterranean respecting Turkey’s continental shelf limits, the Turkish national defense minister said on Saturday.

“We have many historical and cultural values in common with Egypt. When they are put in use, we consider that there may be different developments in the coming days,” Hulusi Akar said during the Blue Homeland 2021 tactical exercise.

He said Turkey considers works on such agreements and memorandums of understanding with Egypt under the maritime jurisdiction limits that the country declared to the UN.

“In this regard, our Foreign Ministry continues the necessary work in coordination with relevant institutions, organizations, and ministries,” he said, expecting to get positive results from these efforts.

Akar followed the Blue Homeland 2021 activities from the Turkish seismic research vessel Oruç Reis together with high-ranking military officials. He also addressed the personnel in the ships that took part in the exercise via video conference.

“You are not only protecting our rights, concerns, and interests in our seas but also making an important contribution to world peace and stability by waving our flag in all the world’s seas,” Akar said.Highlighting the importance of these exercises, he thanked all who contributed to the planning and performance of the exercise. The observer day activity of the Blue Homeland ended with a parade at sea.

Last August, Turkey resumed energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean after Greece and Egypt signed a controversial maritime delimitation deal, spurning Turkey’s goodwill gesture in halting the exploration.

Egypt last August signed an agreement with Greece, delimiting their borders in the Eastern Mediterranean, but some details of the deal only recently emerged, including Egypt respecting Turkey’s maritime territory.

Declaring the Greek-Egyptian deal “null and void,” Turkey authorized the Oruç Reis to continue its activities in an area within Turkey’s continental shelf.

TURKEY IN FAVOR OF DIALOGUE WITH GREECE

Drawing attention to issues between Turkey and Greece, Akar said: “We are in favor of solving problems through dialogue in line with international law, good neighborly relations, and we are open to talks.”

Turkey has consistently opposed Greece’s efforts to declare an exclusive economic zone based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of Turkey, the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean.

Ankara has also said energy resources near Cyprus must be shared fairly between the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus.

RELATIONS WITH NATO

Akar pointed out that countries carry out various exercises under international law to develop their armed forces, test their systems, and increase the skills of their personnel.

“Our Blue Homeland 2021 tactical exercise is an exercise carried out entirely within the framework of international law, to increase our experience, knowledge, and skills,” he said.

He also said the Turkish land, naval, and air forces along with Gendarmerie General Command and Coast Guard elements participated in the exercise.

“At the same time with the drill, we simultaneously continue our other national, international, and NATO missions with the same determination,” Akar noted.

He added: “In a period of rising risks, threats, and dangers, NATO solidarity has become even more important. In this regard, we have a very constructive, planned, and programmed relationship within NATO.”