Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-06-12

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Three-day symposium about Cyprus began today in the occupied areas.

[02] Turkey/s image tarnished in European Court.

[03] Salih Cosar comments on the UN Secretary-General/s report to the Security Council.

[04] Panel Discussion on the effects of the ECHR decision to be organized by so-called University Women/s Organization.

[05] Akinci says that the aim of the Turkish side by putting the condition of recognition was to abandon the negotiating table, while Talat refuses to talks with Etkin.

[06] Twenty five Iraqis landed at occupied Rizokarpasso.

[07] The chairman of the «Turkish Cypriot Public Workers/ Union» in Geneva for ILO meeting.

[08] A large number of employees without a health card are being employed in the occupied area/s hotels.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Three-day symposium about Cyprus began today in the occupied areas

According to KIBRIS, the first part of the symposium started today at 9.00 am, with the Turkish national anthem, a film projection, an exhibition and speeches by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash and the General Secretary of NEU, Dr. Huseyin Gokcekus.

The part concerning «Cyprus` past» will start today at 2:30p.m. The discussion will be co-ordinated by Professor Ilber Ortayli. The conference will be addressed by the following persons: 1) Ahmet Gazioglu who will speak about «The Turkish Period in Cyprus (1571 - 1878) and the transfer of the island's administration to Britain», 2) Ismail Bozkurt who will speak about «The Greek expansionism and Cyprus (1821 - 1974)», 3) Sabahattin Ismail who will speak about «Lausanne, Ataturk and Cyprus», 4) Scott Gibbons who will speak about «Genocide in Cyprus» and 5) Hamza Eroglu who will speak about «The historical procedure which has created the TRNC (1940 - 1983)».

The paper reports that tomorrow's session, which will be on Cyprus` present, will be co-ordinated by the retired general, Cevik Bir. The speakers of the conference will be the following: 1) Retired general Kemal Yavuz who will speak about «The feasibility of the Common Defence Doctrine between the Greeks and the Greek Cypriots, the dangers created by the Greek Cypriot Administration's being a part of the Defence System of Greece, the S-300`s and the TOR - M1`s», 2) Professor Osman Metin Ozturk who will speak about «The security of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus», 3) Professor Patrick Hugg who will speak about «Cyprus Advances Towards Europe: Realism and Rationalism», 4) Professor Adel Safty who will speak about «Arap perspectives on the Cyprus Question» and 5) Hasan Unal who will speak about «The Balkans and Cyprus», 6) Naim Necatigil who will speak about «Assessments from the TRNC point of view about the decision of the European Court of Human Rights».

As KIBRIS reports, at tomorrow's afternoon session, which will be co-ordinated by the former so-called ambassador of Turkey to occupied Nicosia, Ertugrul Apakan, there will be the following speeches about «The vision regarding Cyprus` future»: 1) Retired general Cevik Bir will speak about «The Analysis of the Armaments` programme applied by the Greek Cypriot Administration. Having in mind the Greek Cypriot Administration's Armaments Programme what is its Strategy? What are the potential dangers which are going to be created by the excessive armaments of the Greek Cypriots?», 2) Professor Rasat Ozkan who will speak about the «Accession of the Greek Cypriot Administration to the EU and its aims/ The contribution of the Greek Cypriot Administration to the main goal of the EU», 3) Professor Nanette Neuwahl who will speak about «The EU and Cyprus», 4) Professor Haluk Kabalioglu who will also speak about «The EU and Cyprus», 5) Michael Stephen who will speak about «UN Security Council Resolutions 186 and 541 and the Recognition of the TRNC».

The third day session of the conference will be co-ordinated by Professor Faruk Sonmezoglu and will by addressed by the following persons: 1) Retired general Necati Ozgen who will speak about «Taking into consideration that there was no armed conflict in Cyprus from 1974 until today, is there a need for the presence of the Peace Keeping Force on the island? Which are the factors inciting the Peace Keeping Force to act in no neutral way? What are the measures needed to be taken for ensuring the neutrality of the Peace Keeping Force?», 2) Professor Clement Dood who will speak about «UK Policy on Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean», 3) The advisor of Rauf Denktash on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Osman Ertug who will speak about «The UN`s approach to the Cyprus problem and the UN Peace Keeping Force», 4) Professor Mumtaz Soysal «The Confederation Proposal by the TRNC», 5) Rauf Denktash`s advisor Ergun Ogun, who will speak about «Cyprus: possible dangers and opportunities» and 6) Turkey`s ambassador to London, Korkmaz Haktanir who will speak about «Cyprus: What should be done for a settlement?»

The final speeches of the symposium will be made by Rauf Denktash, Korkmaz Haktanir, the retired general Yavuz and professor Sonmezoglu, concludes KIBRIS.

[02] Turkey/s image tarnished in European Court

Turkey has been sentenced to pay compensation of 4.5 million sterling, $706,000, 8 million French Francs and DM 60,000 as a result of the trials at the European Court of Human Rights.

Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz answered questions from Sait Acba, Afyon deputy of the Virtue Party (FP) on the charges against Turkey at the European Court.

According to the answer given by Yilmaz, 2,700 cases have been filed at the court of human rights since 1990, when Turkey recognized the obligatory justice authority of the court.

Over 4,000 individuals filed applications in 701 cases against the Turkish government. It has been declared that the number of applicants is not known regarding the other 2,000 cases, which have not been presented to the government.

One case was filed by the Greek Cypriot administration, 598 by Turkish citizens and 103 by foreigners. The files of the Turkish citizens are mainly on the burning and evacuation of villages, mysterious and extrajudicial killings, torture, maltreatment, prolonging of detention periods, violation of the right to live and closure cases for political parties.

[03] Salih Cosar comments on the UN Secretary-General/s report to the Security Council

In a written statement issued yesterday, Cosar recalled that Annan's report will be discussed at the UN Security Council and a final decision will be made on 15 June. Cosar alleged that the United Nations will be responsible for the possible reactions in the event the Security Council concludes a unilateral agreement with the Greek Cypriot side with regard to the Peace Forces in Cyprus [UNFICYP]. Cosar said that the world should see the realities in Cyprus, otherwise, any decision to be adopted in line with the interests of the Greek Cypriots will not bring peace to the island.

Cosar further alleged that treating the Greek Cypriot side as the government of Cyprus is perpetuating the non-solution of the Cyprus problem, and said that Cyprus should join the EU only after a balanced solution has been attained. Cosar expressed the belief that the UN Security Council should see the realities on the island and make a decision accordingly.

[04] Panel Discussion on the effects of the ECHR decision to be organized by so-called University Women/s Organization

During the meeting Gulden Plumer Kucuk invited Rauf Denktash to a panel discussion they will organize next Friday on «The Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and their Effects on Turkey and the TRNC».

The so-called Under-Secretary to the Presidency Ergun Olgun, the former so-called Attorney-General Zaim Necatigil and Lawyer Emine Erk will address the panel.

Gulden Plumer Kucuk informed Rauf Denktash that the so-called University Women/s Organization is planning to carry out two new projects on library and women/s research with the support of UNOPS.

On his part Denktash said that in the latest decision of the ECHR there are 19-20 issues which the Greek Cypriots wanted to achieve but «they did not succeed in winning them, they butted them» and that through the panel the politicians/ and lawyers/ observations on the issue will be conveyed to the public.

Denktash went on to criticize voices heard among members of the so-called University Women/s Organization in favour off accession to the European Union and repeated his known views alleging that the Greek Cypriot side turned down the federation envisaged in the Set of Ideas and suggested the German type federation which provides for freedom of movement, settlement and acquisition of property.

Finally, Denktash strongly condemned the Turkish Cypriots who urge him to go to the negotiating table since the political equality was accepted and everything was on the negotiating table and since any agreement will be put to separate referenda and accuse him of missing the Cyprus train to the EU, alleging that he spent his life in talks but he was lead to the abyss and that the EU train was not a Cyprus train but a Greek Cypriot train.

[05] Akinci says that the aim of the Turkish side by putting the condition of recognition was to abandon the negotiating table, while Talat refuses to talk with Etkin

Speaking at a discussion in the so-called Cyprus International University (CIU) with the co-ordinator of the recently established Nationalist People/s Movement (NPM) and advisor of the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, Taner Etkin, Mr. Akinci noted that if the negotiations do not start and the Republic of Cyprus enters the European Union, then the number of the Turkish Cypriots who emigrate will be increased.

Mr. Akinci claimed that no one would benefit from the accession of the Greek Cypriots to the EU and stressed the need of the resumption of the negotiation procedure. «We must be liberated from the syndrome of considering ourselves 100 % right», said the Turkish Cypriot politician adding that «If an agreement is to be achieved we must think that the other side may be also right».

Referring to NPM, Mr. Akinci underlined that this is no «Non-Governmental» Organisation, because «the main characteristic of the NGO`s is that they are not related with the government and the state». «If the organisation is established by the President's office then how could it be NGO», he wondered.

Mr. Akinci expressed the view that the aim of NPM is to intimidate those in the Turkish Cypriot community who support the EU.

On his part, Mr. Etkin said that NPM is not an underground organisation and that it is an «NGO». Mr. Etkin, who had been so-called Foreign Minister of the pseudostate in the past, alleged that NPM was established «because of the need of struggling against the psychological war started by the Greek Cypriots who, having the co-operation of internal and external circles, are trying to achieve what they were not able to do with guns».

Meanwhile, Republican Turkish Party (RTP) leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, who had also been invited to the discussion, refused to participate in it. Instead he issued a statement, saying among other things the following: «RTP could not discuss with an underground organisation established by Denktash in order to terrorise our people and murder the democracy. Therefore, we could not participate in the discussion organised by the CIU».

[06] Twenty five Iraqis landed at occupied Rizokarpasso

KIBRIS writes that the boat carrying seven Iraqis was caught.

The illegal immigrants were arrested and Denktash/s court issued a three-day remand for the seven people and 10 days for the second group of 18 people. The arrested boat people said that by mistake they have landed in the occupied areas but their aim was to go to the free areas.

They said that they were under persecution by Saddam Hussain and they will be executed if returned to Iraq.

[07] The chairman of the «Turkish Cypriot Public Workers/ Union» in Geneva for ILO meeting

According to a statement made by the General Secretary of KAMU-SEN, Mr. Sener Ozburak, the Chairman of KAMU-SEN will attend the meeting as part of the delegation of HAK-IS Confederation of Turkey.

The paper also reports that Hasan Kozok will hand a letter with the positions of the Turkish Cypriots to all the delegations attending the meeting, which started yesterday and will last until 17 June.

He will also hold bilateral contacts.

[08] A large number of employees without a health card are being employed in the occupied area/s hotels

The so-called director of the Labour Office, Mehmet Metcooglu declared that there were 2,959 registered workers working in the touristic establishments. On the other hand the so-called chairman of the Union of the Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers Turhan Beydagli has declared: «There are six thousand persons working in our hotels». With this statement, reports the paper, it becomes clear that the number of the «unregistered» workers working in the hotels is much higher than the figure given by the so-called «Labour Office».

KIBRIS further says that with these figures it is clear that the employers of the touristic establishments do not comply with the quota established by the so-called «Labour Office, which is 70% «TRNC» citizens and 30% foreigners.

According to the investigation carried out by the so-called office only 28.8% of the employees in Casinos are «TRNC citizens».

The paper stresses that in tourism, which is a vital sector for the pseudostate/s economy, a large number of unregistered workers without a health card are being unemployed.

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