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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-05-11

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>


TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

[A] NEWS ITEMS

  • [01] Turkish General questions defense ties with US.
  • [02] Former ``minister'' accused of ``selling'' so-called citizenship and passports.
  • [03] Denktash comments on Cyprus issue, Greece, Greek Cypriots.
  • [04] Demirel: No turning back in Cyprus.

  • [A] NEWS ITEMS

    [01] Turkish General questions defense ties with US

    Anatolia Agency (21.13 hours, 6.5.99) reports that Turkish General Batmaz Dandin, the Chairman of the General Staff Planning and Principles Department has said that Turkey´s FMS to the US (credit debts for military exports) have to be cleared up, the Agreement on Defense and Economic cooperation between the two countries has to be revised and the American administration has to support the defense demands of Turkey in order to improve defense relations between Turkey and the US.

    General Dandin said that the US gradually becomes a source which can`t be trusted, adding ``if the US wishes to get shares from our defense purchases, they should support our demands of purchase''.

    Addressing the defense group of the 18th anniversary of the Turkish- American Relations Council meeting, General Dandin said that the Agreement of the Defense and Economic Cooperation which was signed in 1980 is being implemented in a way which does not meet the demands of Turkey.

    Recalling that the US`s military assistance and credits reached 800-900 million dollars annually in recent years, General Dandin said that this assistance was also cut off last year, adding these developments and the unwillingness of the US in providing various weaponry systems to Turkey is negative.

    Noting that the US brings the issue of human rights to the agenda when selling weapons to Turkey, General Dandin claimed that double standard is applied against Turkey regarding this issue.

    Turkish sources said that the US`s giving the statute of most favoured nation statute to China, where human rights are seriously violated and her selling weapons to Saudi Arabia show the double standard against Turkey.

    ``Our purchase of weapons from a country which does not limit our purchases will be quite normal'', said Dandin, recalling that Turkey will buy 150 billion dollars of weapons in 30 years and the US has to take this reality into account.

    He noted that the ethnical lobbies in the US effects the US administration which negatively influences Turkish-American relations, adding ``issues like the Cyprus problem and human rights should not come to the agenda of all Turkish-American contacts. The US should rather attribute importance to issues like the Middle East and Caucasus which are to the interests of the two countries''.

    [02] Former ``minister'' accused of ``selling'' so-called citizenship and passports

    KIBRIS (9.5.99) in its front-page article writes that Kenan Akin, so-called deputy with the Democratic Party, during his tenure as so-called minister, ``had offered the granting of TRNC citizenship and passport to foreigners after pay up'', in the framework of a so-called investor program.

    The paper publishes the text of a letter by ``Vigor Time Ltd'', an immigration consultant company in Hong Kong whose clients had been promised such ``citizenship'' and a ``passport'', paid a $10,000 deposit and are still waiting for a reply by Kenan Akin and an associate of his. They are now accusing him of cheating.

    The letter as it appeared on the Internet is as follows:

    ``December 28, 1998

    To Whom it May Concern:

    We are writing this letter to let the world know that there was an unfair matter happened to us in North Cyprus.

    Firstly we want to thank you for your time to read this letter and we sincerely hope that you are able to assist us in this matter, we are ready to provide all the detail information to you.

    Date: 29-April-1997 to 13-June-1997 in Nicosia Place: Nicosia (Lefkosia) - North Cyprus

    We stayed in the Saray Hotel in Nicosia People: Uysal Altug (From Mersin, Turkey)

    Kenan Akin (Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Cyprus)

    Three Chinese clients from China

    Two representatives from Vigor Time Limited

    (Maggie Lai & Murat Ozen)

    Serdar R. Denktash (Deputy Prime Minister & State Minister)

    Taner Etkin (Foreign Affairs & Defence)

    Mehmet Ayder (Icisleri ve Koyisleri Bakanligi)

    (Ozel Kalem Mudurlu)

    Vigor Time Ltd. is an immigration consultant company in Hong Kong, we assist our clients to immigrate to another country, such as Canada, America & Australia etc. In 1995, we have tried to discuss the ``Investor Program'' with Mr. Tufan Alpman in the Turkish Consulate in Hong Kong, & he referred us to see Mr. Serdar Akar in Ankara in January 1996.

    That´s the beginning of the story, after our trip to Ankara, we were still working on this project, trying to get some more information from the Turkish Government.

    In October 1996, Uysal Altug started to send faxes to us in Hong Kong, he told us that North Cyprus Government will issue passport to foreigner if they invest money in their country; it will be easier for our clients to apply for the North Cyprus passport before the Turkish passport. Then we asked him to show us the approval letter from the Government official, then he sent us the letter from one of the Ministers in North Cyprus, the letter is signed by Kenan Akin with the Government official stamp.

    (Attached please finds a copy of the letter).

    In 1997, three of our clients were interested to immigrate to Cyprus & Turkey and apply for the passport. At the same time, the North Cyprus Government is advertising their investor program in Hong Kong. The investor program was available at that time; the Turkish Government in North Cyprus was accepting investor from another country. With the approval letter from the Minister - Kenan Akin, therefore we went to North Cyprus with our clients for the application.

    On 30 April, 1997, after our arrival in Nicosia, Uysal Altug brought five of us to see Kenan Akin in his office, in fact, Kenan Akin was expecting to meet with us, he knows about the purpose of our trip. We gave Kenan Akin all the required documents and he promised that he will go ahead to make their application.

    We showed all the documents to Kenan Akin, even though with that letter signed by him, he doesn´t say anything about the letter at that time. During the meeting, we mentioned about to pay the deposit to Kenan Akin in his office, but in front of Kenan Akin, Uysal Altug said we better give it to him, then he will deal with Kenan Akin, Kenan Akin doesn´t say anything about that arrangement, so we believed that Kenan Akin is aware of this procedure, then we paid TEN THOUSAND AMERICAN DOLLARS to Uysal Altug.

    Since 30, April 1997, we were waiting at the Saray Hotel, we went to see Kenan Akin once in a while, he told us that the clients have to wait for the interview, do the medical examination and do the security check in North Cyprus before they can get the passports. We were waiting for long enough & started to feel uncomfortable, again we went to see Kenan Akin in his office, he explained to us that this procedure will take longer time to proceed, but he premised that he would finish their application.

    In June 97, a friend bought us to see Mr. Taner Etkin at his home, we told him everything about the application. Mr. Etkin seems very surprised to hear about this matter, then our case was bought up to Mr. Serdar R. Denktash finally. Mr. Serdar Denktash said they have never heard about the application, he called Kenan Akin to his office & asked Kenan Akin to explain this matter. Kenan Akin first time said that the letter is not issued & signed by him.

    At that time, we understand that Kenan Akin is lying to us start from the beginning. HE RECEIVED OUR MONEY AND DOESN´T DO ANYTHING FOR US. A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FROM NORTH CYPRUS, HE IS CHEATING. Mr Serdar R. Denktash asked Kenan Akin to call Uysal Altug in Mersin in front of us, we heard that Kenan Akin told Uysal Altug to give us back the deposit, the deal is over, he can´t do anything for the application. Mr. Serdar R. Denktash at that time understands that Kenan Akin is lying too. THE TRUTH IS KENAN AKIN AND UYSAL ALTUG ARE TOGETHER.

    At that time, Mr. Serdar R. Denktash promised us to follow up this matter, he said that nobody can represent the Turkish Government to receive any money, he will get back the money for us. We went to see Mr. Serdar R. Denktash in his office many times. But time is flying; we are still waiting the reply from Mr. Serdar R. Denktash until now. We think that we are waiting for long enough since June 1997.

    Now it´s time for us to let the world know about this unfair deal. Let the world know what is going on with the Turkish Government in North Cyprus. We decided to put this matter on the INTERNET, we want the people in the world give us a fair judgement, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK FROM KENAN AKIN AND UYSAL ALTUG.

    For this matter, we are ready to go to Turkey or North Cyprus anytime, what we want is OUR MONEY BACK AND FAIR JUDGEMENT. As a government official from Turkish Government, Kenan Akin is cheating. The people in the world should know about this matter.

    Our contact numbers in Canada: Telephone 1-604-6577188

    Fax: 1-604-9293382''

    Furthermore, KIBRIS (11.5.99) continues digging in the scandal and publishes advertisements appearing in Hong Kong, Canadian and USA newspapers where it is claimed that people who want to buy ``citizenship'' can do so.

    The advertisments claim that as of 1 July Cyprus will become an EU member and holders of the ``TRNC passports'' will be able to move freely in EU countries.

    The cost of getting the ``TRNC passport'' is 35 thousand USD.

    KIBRIS also gives addresses and the telephone numbers of the people who are involved in this business.

    The advertisements also claim that those who will acquire the ``TRNC passport'' will be able to keep his/her Chinese passport.

    (MY)

    [03] Denktash comments on Cyprus issue, Greece, Greek Cypriots

    According to Anatolia Agency (9:56 hours, 10.5.99), while visiting General Dogu Aktulga, the Commander of the Aegean Army, Rauf Denktash said on Monday that ``being together with soldiers always makes us happy and pleased. When we talk about Turkish soldiers, we remember peace and freedom that were brought to Cyprus by Turkish soldiers. Thus, showing respect to our soldiers is almost equal to worship. The Turkish army which comes among the leading powers in the world is the most experienced army today.''

    Meeting with Ahmet Piristina, the mayor of Izmir province, Denktash stated that he wishes to improve the relations between ``TRNC'' and Izmir municipality.

    Claiming that Greece wishes to transform Cyprus into a Greek island and to declare it as a second Greek Republic through membership to the EU, Denktash said: ``TRNC and Turkey told them that `if you take one step, we´ll take stronger steps´. We´ve once again understood that this policy is true in our recent contacts in Ankara with President Suleyman Demirel and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. Now we get information saying that Greek Cypriots try to activate G-8 countries including the US. We have to resist to that. Countries behave in a such way as if we don´t exist. All issues can be negotiated on table''.

    Referring to the Greek Cypriots he said: ``I wish them to see the existence of 65 million Turks who are against giving concessions regarding the Cyprus issue so that they should give up adventure and armament.''

    [04] Demirel: No turning back in Cyprus

    Turkish Daily News (10.5.99) reports that Turkish President Suleyman Demirel has said that the status quo on Cyprus cannot be reversed and that the final solution should be based on coexistence between the ``two states'' there.

    ``There is a de facto situation with two states (in Cyprus). The problem that should be solved is related to what the relationship between them will be… There cannot be any turning back… Bringing back the former conditions is impossible'', Demirel told reporters after a meeting with Rauf Denktash.

    Demirel also called on Western countries not to put the Cyprus problem on the agenda of their bilateral relations with Turkey.

    ``We have told our friends (in the West) that the Cyprus issue should not be put on the agenda of bilateral relations because this will further complicate the solution of the problem. I say this to the European Union in particular'', Demirel stated.

    He went on to say that, ``Nobody can dictate conditions that are not accepted by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots''.

    Demirel stressed that the new Turkish government, still to be formed, would not back off from Turkey´s policy on Cyprus. ``The position of the Turkish Parliament (on Cyprus) is in line with what the people think. Cyprus will be at the top of the agenda of the new government. Turkey will continue to deliver what it has promised to the Turkish Cypriots'', he said.

    The Demirel-Denktash meeting took place before the opening ceremony of an exhibition of Denktash´s photos in Ankara last Saturday.


    From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/


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