Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-08-07

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT - ERDOGAN`S STATEMENTS

[02] SPOKESMAN - TURKEY - NATURAL GAS

[03] GOVERNMENT - ECONOMY

[04] PRESIDENT - FAMAGUSTA

[01] PRESIDENT - ERDOGAN`S STATEMENTS

During an illegal visit to Cyprus in July, Erdogan had questioned the existence of the Republic of Cyprus, warned the EU that its accession negotiations with Ankara would freeze if Cyprus assumes the Unions rotating presidency in July 2012 without a political settlement and ruled out the return of the Turkish occupied areas of Morphou and Karpass to the Greek Cypriots in an overall solution.

If this is the official Turkish policy on the Cyprus issue, it unfortunately wrecks of any prospect for an agreed, viable and functional solution of the Cyprus problem, President Christofias stressed, in a speech at the anti-occupation event organised by the Famagusta Municipality.

He noted that Erdogans statements abolish the agreed basis of the Cyprus talks.

His behavior is characterized by cynicism and arrogance, which have nothing to do with a behavior of a modern leader or a modern state, he underlined.

Erdogan has even questioned the return of Varosha under Greek Cypriot leadership, President Christofias added, referring to the UNSC 550 of 1984, which provides for the return of the fenced off area of Varosha, in Famagusta, now under Turkish occupation, to the UN.

We send a message to the leader of Turkey and to all those in the international community, who cover his unacceptable behaviour that the international law and order, the United Nations and the Security Council, of which Turkey was a non permanent member state, were created and function so that no state acts aggressively, he said.

He also noted that the Turkish foreign policy, apart from threats, it links the return of Famagusta, Morphou and Karpasia, under Greek Cypriot administration, with Turkeys EU process, threatening to freeze the EU Turkey relations when Cyprus undertakes the EU presidency in the second half of 2012.

It should be understood by all that the Republic of Cyprus is a full EU member state and should be respected and treated as such, he stressed.

He recalled that the government of Cyprus has made representations regarding Erdogans statements, but pointed out that we have the view that the EU demonstrates more tolerance than needed as regards Turkey.

If international relations were based only on law and justice, the EU should have demanded the immediate implementation of the Ankara Protocol by Turkey he went on to say.

We expect, he said, a reaction on behalf of the EU regarding Turkeys defiance of its EU obligations, as well as the ones concerning the Republic of Cyprus.

The Cypriot President noted that the solution of the Cyprus problem before Cyprus assumes the EU rotating Presidency in the second half of 2012 is an issue, which fully depends on Ankara itself.

If the Turkish Cypriot side continues, with Ankaras support, to submit to the negotiating table unacceptable positions, which have no relation to the agreed principles of one sovereignty, one international personality and one citizenship, Turkey can not continue trying to shift the burden for non-solution on the shoulders of the victim, he said.

President Christofias said that in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus thousands of so called citizenships are given to illegal Turkish settlers, Greek Cypriot properties are being illegally exploited and areas like Karpasia are being destructed by unacceptable, illegal development.

At the same time, he said, thousands of our compatriots, Turkish Cypriots, are demonstrating against the demographic change in the Turkish occupied areas which threatens their own existence.

Concluding, he refereed to his working visit in Paris last week, where he held a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying that Sarkozy supports Cyprus struggle for justice and denounces Erdogans statements.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Peace talks are currently underway between President Christofias and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community to find a negotiated settlement that will reunite the country under a federal roof.

[02] SPOKESMAN - TURKEY - NATURAL GAS

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Cyprus plans to explore and exploit its hydrocarbon reserves is not in line with international law and does not contribute to efforts to solve the Cyprus problem. The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right to exploit its natural resources and it does so always in accordance to the international law and order the Spokesman underlines.

Noting that Turkey continues its policy of threatening Cyprus, the Spokesman stresses that ``the Cyprus problem can not be solved with threats``. The Cyprus problem can be solved by respecting and implementing the UNSC resolutions on Cyprus, resolutions which Turkey provocatively ignores and does not implement, he underlines.

According to Stephanou, it is up to Turkey to solve the Cyprus problem, so that the illegal Turkish occupation of 37% of Cyprus territory ends and its people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are in the position to jointly exploit the islands natural resources.

Drilling for natural gas off the southern coast of Cyprus will begin around October.

[03] GOVERNMENT - ECONOMY

Speaking at the anti-occupation event organized by the Turkish occupied Famagusta Municipality, the President said that compromises and sacrifices are needed to be made to tackle economic problems.

The governments goal is to proceed, through a dialogue, to agreed measures because if we do not act now, others will take measures for us, and those measures will be painful ones, he underscored.

Referring to the economic situation in Cyprus, he said that we are faced with a difficult situation and sacrifices and compromises are needed to be made by all, political parties and social partners.

[04] PRESIDENT - FAMAGUSTA

In a speech at the anti-occupation event organized by the Turkish occupied Famagusta Municipality, President Christofias recalled that last year he had put forward a three-tier proposal in a bid to help make headway at the Cyprus talks he is currently engaged with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Dervis Eroglu.

One of the proposals was the implementation of Security Council resolution 550 which provides for the return of the fenced off area of Varosha, now under Turkish occupation, to the UN.

The return of the town would help create a good climate to both communities and give new impetus to the Cyprus negotiations, while it would also facilitate Turkeys EU process, President Christofias said, explaining that such a move would enable Cyprus to have a positive approach as regards the opening of new EU Turkey negotiation chapters.

He reassured the legitimate inhabitants of Varosha that despite the course of the Cyprus talks, we will continue having as our priority the UNSC resolution 550 which provides for the return of the town to its legitimate inhabitants.

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