Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 03-04-20

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Sunday, April 20, 2003

CONTENTS

[01] Denktash 'might sign' Annan plan if Turkey guaranteed resettlement

[02] Simitis: a Cyprus solution would improve Turkey's EU chances

[03] Euro court to hear lawyer's rights case

[04] Turkey 'would examine' Cyprus embassy request

[05] Tassos' voice 'back in six weeks'

[01] Denktash 'might sign' Annan plan if Turkey guaranteed resettlement

TURKISH Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has said he would consider signing UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan's plan on a solution to the Cyprus problem, on the condition that Turkey guaranteed it would resettle any Turks in the occupied areas who did not want to live under Greek Cypriot rule.

The Cyprus News Agency reported yesterday that in an interview with the Turkish Cypriot paper Vatan, Denktash said he would not sign the Annan plan in its current form.

Asked what he meant by the expression “current form”, Denktash said: “If Turkey adds an article that recognises Turks living in the occupied areas, who do not wish to live under Greek Cypriot rule, and gives them the possibility to relocate to Turkey, then I might sign it.”

“If Turkey gives these Turkish Cypriots a written promise to migrate and settle in Turkey and to secure them the possibility of work, then I might sign it,” he added.

Referring to his relationship with the new government in Ankara, the Turkish Cypriot leader said the only difference between it and the previous government was “the fact that they say they want a solution more often. (But) They too obey the decisions taken by the Turkish state and the National Security Council.”

“All these years I have done nothing without Ankara's knowledge and without her instructions. I never made any step without Ankara,” said Denktash, implying that Turkey had been behind his refusal to hold a Turkish Cypriot referendum on the Annan plan in March.

“I alone cannot take on the risk of carrying out a referendum,” he said.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said he also believed Turkey could ask the European Union to invite the occupied areas along with Turkey to talks on Turkey's EU accession. “This system can go ahead,” he said.

Asked what would happen if Turkey's financial relations with the EU became difficult over the Cyprus problem, he said Turkey could turn to the United States or the Far East.

Denktash also said in the interview he would not seek re-election in 2005, when 'presidential elections' have been scheduled for the occupied area.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, April 20, 2003

[02] Simitis: a Cyprus solution would improve Turkey's EU chances

Speaking at a joint press conference in Nicosia with President Tassos Papadopoulos, Simitis said: “It is not only in the interests of Greece and Cyprus that the Cyprus problem should be solved but in the interests of Turkey as well in relation to its European process.”

A joint statement by both leaders expressed hope that the Turkish government would review its policy and understand that it was in its own interests to solve the Cyprus question as soon as possible.

''The solution of the problem will facilitate relations between Athens and Ankara, will help Turkey's course for European integration, and it will create stability and security in the region,'' the statement said.

Simitis arrived on the island on Friday night and left yesterday. Cyprus, which signed the EU Accession Treaty on Wednesday, was first on his list of member states for an inaugural visit.

At the news conference Simitis said that as time passes the pressure for a Cyprus solution would intensify.

''As time passes Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots will begin to feel the need to create the preconditions that would enable them to achieve other goals, relating to the start of accession negotiations between Ankara and the EU,” he said.

“I believe that the possibilities are now better'' than in the past, he added, referring to the Cyprus accession.

“I have said repeatedly that we want to see the Turkish Cypriots participate through a reunited Cyprus in the benefits the Union will offer our country,'' Papadopoulos added.Simitis said that Greece and Cyprus were seeking improvements to the UN plan for a solution, which would make the central government more functional.

''The plan is a basis for negotiations. Some issues are regulated in such a way that we believe should be improved to render the solution more viable and make the state function more effectively,” he said.

''We believe that there could be an improvement of arrangements relating to the implementation of the acquis communautaire, and as we have said in the past, we shall seek in any future negotiations to have such improvements.”

Simitis said, however, that he would not be approaching UN Secretary- general Kofi Annan, who drew up the plan which Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash rejected at The Hague last month, to initiate a new round of Cyprus talks because the political will must first exist.

''We shall act in a way to create a better climate and show to the other side that its positions lead to deadlock. To create the conviction that a solution can be achieved we need to change the environment for the better, '' Simitis said.

''We both believe that the present stalemate in the peace effort, as well as the continuation of the current unacceptable situation, are due to delaying tactics on the part of the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot sides, '' the joint statement issued at the end of the news conference said.

Simitis later addressed a special session of the House of Representatives before his meeting with both Greek and Turkish Cypriot party leaders.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday repeated that a solution to the Cyprus problem could be found before the island joins the EU on May 1 next year.

"I believe that the conflict in the island will be resolved within a year," Gul told the liberal daily Radikal in an interview. "Everybody is supporting the negotiations ... This job does not end here. Let the dust settles first."

But Gul said the signing of the Accession Treaty with Cyprus on Wednesday has created difficulties. "The EU made a mistake by importing the (Cyprus) problem. The Turkish side is tense because a settlement has not been possible," he said in the interview.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, April 20, 2003

[03] Euro court to hear lawyer's rights case

THE EUROPEAN Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted the application of Greek Cypriot lawyer Michalakis Kyprianou, who claimed his human rights were violated after he was jailed for five days for contempt of court in February, 2001.

In an announcement issued yesterday his lawyers Clerides & Pirilides said that in its decision the ECHR said there was enough evidence for Kyprianou to make a case for violation of his right to freedom of speech.

Kyprianou was jailed for five days on Valentine's Day, 2001, by the Limassol court during a murder trial, where he was defending one of two local men accused of killing British tourist Graham Mills the previous year.

Kyprianou had complained to the judges that they were not paying due attention to his cross-examination and accused them of passing “love notes” to each other. He had objected to being told by the judges to keep his questions "short and to the point".

The judges found him guilty of contempt after he twice refused to apologise for the “love notes” remark. He served just over 36 hours behind bars.

The Cyprus Supreme Court later upheld the decision of the Limassol criminal court to find Kyprianou in contempt. During the hearing Kyprianou's then lawyer argued that the criminal court had acted as both accuser and judge, thus violating his human rights. He also attributed the sentencing to "personal animosity" between Kyprianou and the three Criminal court judges.

The ECHR has set June 16 for Kyprianou's lawyers to submit a demand for financial compensation.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, April 20, 2003

[04] Turkey 'would examine' Cyprus embassy request

TURKISH Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has said that if Cyprus applies to open an embassy in Ankara the request would be examined.

“If such a demand comes on the agenda it will be very well examined and the decision will be taken,” Gul was quoted as saying in an article in Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Duzen.

“Turkey does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. However in the broad platform we are now on, we shall have to meet with the Greek Cypriots often and be in the same pictures with them,” the Turkish minister added.

Cyprus has more than 30 embassies abroad, 18 of which are in EU member states.

Reports yesterday said that only 13 of the expanded EU's 25 countries have an embassy in Cyprus.

The EU headquarters, Belgium, which currently has no embassy in Cyprus, announced this week that it was planning to open an embassy on the island soon. Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Sweden do not have embassies on the island.

Four countries, Austria, Latvia, Luxembourg and Malta, are represented in Cyprus through their embassies in Athens. Finland, Lithuania, Portugal and Sweden are represented here by their embassies in Israel, Denmark by Rome and currently Belgium through Beirut.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

Sunday, April 20, 2003

[05] Tassos' voice 'back in six weeks'

PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos will regain his voice in a matter of weeks, according to government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides, saying that his duties as president of the Republic would not be affected in any way.

Questions were asked about Papadopoulos' health after his speech at the EU Accession Treaty ceremony in Athens on Wednesday. His voice was barely a hoarse whisper, and he clearly found it difficult to speak.

But Chrysostomides said the president's voice was not an indication of ill health and that Papadopoulos was on the mend.

“The president's voice in no way affects his health or his duties as president of the Republic ... If the slightest thing prevented the president from carrying out his duties, he would announce it to the Cypriot people immediately,” he said.

Referring to the Accession Treaty ceremony, Chrysostomides said that the president should have been hailed for the fact that he had “made the effort, despite the state of his voice”.

The government spokesman added that following Papadopoulos' recent treatment in the United States, his doctors had said the recovery period would take at least six weeks, as long as the president spoke as little as possible.

“I hope that in six weeks the President will fully regain his voice, and I do not think it is a matter that needs further comment,” Chrysostomides said, adding that Papadopoulos' voice had significantly improved since his return from the US last month for treatment.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2003

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