Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-07-09

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkey has begun to encounter difficulties with regard to Cyprus

[02] Mehmet Ali Talat calls for resumption of the talks on Cyprus

[03] The pseudostate expects more money from Turkey

[04] Eight Iraqis were arrested in occupied Cyprus

[05] The Turkish Prime Minister was forced to deny rumours that he died

[06] Only 20 participants in NPM`s activity in occupied Famagusta

[07] The Turkish Cypriot Association for Human Rights accuses the EU for the situation in the pseudostate

[08] Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister will visit the occupied areas

[09] Avrupa holds Ankara responsible for the crisis in the occupied areas

[10] The church and the cemetery in the occupied village of Thermia have been destroyed

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkey has begun to encounter difficulties with regard to Cyprus

"Greece has gained a very important advantage with regard to the target it has set on securing full EU membership for the Greek Cypriot administration in the south in 2003. It has been learned that Greece will be an "actual partner" in the EU term presidency in the second half of 2002 when Denmark takes over the EU term presidency. The responsibility for handling the EU defense and foreign affairs will be transferred to Greece in July 2002 in view of the fact that Denmark has vetoed a number of EU policies in the past.

Following the transfer of the EU term presidency to Greece in 2003, there will be no significant obstacles left before the EU membership of the Greek Cypriot sector. Meanwhile, the EU will determine in 2002 the first batch of EU candidates that will gain full EU membership.

As the year 2002 approaches, Turkey has begun to encounter difficulties with regard to Cyprus as a result of the developments emerging in the EU and as a result of Greece's initiatives. The EU is required to determine by the end of 2002 the names of the countries that will become full EU members in the first wave of the EU enlargement. This period will coincide with Denmark's EU term presidency.

The prospect of the Greek Cypriot sector being among the first batch of countries to gain EU membership appears to be extremely probable now. Meanwhile, Greece, which has started unofficial talks with Denmark regarding the EU term presidency, will take over the responsibility of handling EU defense and foreign policy affairs in the second half of 2002. Greece, which will decide the issues that carry special importance with regard to EU membership and which will also determine the issues that must be pushed forward with regard to cooperation with the EU, will be responsible for drawing up the agendas of these meetings as well as of planning and administering these meetings.

In remarks he has made to Cumhuriyet regarding the matter, a high-ranking EU diplomat has said that Denmark has vetoed the Edinburgh summit that was held in 1992 as well as EU policies such as defense and foreign policies, the Euro, judicial cooperation, and citizenship.

In further remarks about the matter, the same diplomat has said: "Plans are under way envisaging the transfer of the responsibilities in this field to Greece, which will take over the EU term presidency after Denmark. Officials from the two countries will meet in autumn 2001 to discuss the details of the transfer. These officials will thereafter put their suggestions before the European Council".

Meanwhile, in remarks he has made about the EU membership of the Greek Cypriot administration, the same diplomat has said: "The situation of each candidate will be assessed in accordance with objective criteria. The decision that will be made in the end will be a political decision."

Subtitle: Lack of Solution Not an Obstacle

Confirming the aforementioned developments, a high-ranking Greek official, for his part, has said: "Cyprus will not gain any priority during our EU term presidency. Cyprus has registered progress, and will most probably be among the first wave of countries that will gain EU membership. Conditions that are not imposed on other countries with regard to EU membership cannot be imposed on Cyprus. Within this framework, the failure to find a solution to the Cyprus problem cannot pose any obstacles before Cyprus' EU membership."

[02] Mehmet Ali Talat calls for resumption of the talks on Cyprus

In a written statement he issued yesterday, Talat criticized the National Unity Party-Democratic Party "coalition government" for the price hikes it announced and for allowing the "Assembly" to go into summer recess. He said that the latest developments show that the current "government" has pinned its hopes on getting money from Turkey and plans to run the "country" based on those funds. This "government" will drag itself and the people to disaster, he said.

The RTP leader stated that by allowing the "Assembly" to go into summer recess, the "government" wanted to escape the inspection of the opposition, mainly the RTP. He urged the "government" to give up this stand and to try to solve the basic problems.

[03] The pseudostate expects more money from Turkey

Speaking on the programme Eroglu alleged that the Greek Cypriots are playing for time and that their appeal for EU membership is one of their ploys. "What the Turkish Cypriots must do", he said, "is to protect the TRNC together with Turkey." In the policies we jointly formulate with Turkey, he added, "we must display our determination not to change our minds under no matter what pressure."

Eroglu also added that if there was no intervention from the foreigners the Cyprus problem would have been solved more easily. Alleging that the USA is putting obstacles to the solution of the Cyprus problem, Eroglu stated that the foreign interference is delaying the solution of the Cyprus problem. He also said that because USA and Britain have laid their hands to the issue, the Cyprus problem is in a blind-alley.

Eroglu explained that as a result of the problems, the Turkish Cypriot economy has been hurt: "The banking problem created the depositors' problem, but there was no depositors' problem in Turkey even though there was a banking problem there too. The depositors' problem in the TRNC can be resolved at one go, and what is needed is $200 million. The amount being sought by the TRNC to solve its economic problems is not very large," he said.

He alleged that the Turkish Cypriot economy cannot be strengthened because the pseudostate cannot export. He stressed that the Turkish Cypriots are desperate because of the recent economic problems, adding: "We might find it difficult to persuade the Turkish Cypriots who suffered from hunger in the past to wage the same struggle against hunger once again."

Eroglu noted that Turkey is the only place from where the occupation regime can ask for funds. He recalled that Turkey drew up an additional budget and that he asked the Turkish authorities to increase the amount allotted to the pseudostate. He complained that because of insufficient jobs, youths are looking for employment outside the country. He said: "I worry that the national cause may become a secondary consideration for parents who are heartbroken to see their children leave the country to look for jobs after having worked so hard to give them an education."

[04] Eight Iraqis were arrested in occupied Cyprus

The paper also reports that the so-called police is carrying out investigations.

[05] The Turkish Prime Minister was forced to deny rumours that he died

He said that the spreading of such disinformation usually came from stock exchange speculators and the media in its turn fan the flame of such rumours.

[06] Only 20 participants in NPM`s activity in occupied Famagusta

Yeniduzen writes also that the Association of Turkish Cypriot Pensioners has abandoned NPM. The Association issued a statement declaring that it does not participate in any institution and noted that it is not a member of NPM.

[07] The Turkish Cypriot Association for Human Rights accuses the EU for the situation in the pseudostate

In a written statement issued by TCAHR`s president, Hasan Yilmaz Isik, the association alleges, among other things, the following:

'...The real responsible for the economic crisis which exists today is the EU. ...The EU does not fulfil its financial obligations towards the Turkish Cypriots which originate from Cyprus` accession course. The European Union supports financially only the Greek Cypriots, denies the partnership rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus, with its policy it aims at eliminating these rights, ignores the Turkish Cypriots and their state in Cyprus and expects the Turkish Cypriots to accept the rights of a minority.

Furthermore, the European Union, which violates and denies the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus deriving from the international law, puts embargoes, applies sanctions and racist policies towards the Turkish Cypriots, must pay compensations to the Turkish Cypriots for the harm they are suffering from these policies.

Our Association calls on the governments of the TRNC and Turkey to apply to the European Court of Human Rights against the European Union, so that the Turkish Cypriots may take their legitimate rights'.

[08] Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister will visit the occupied areas

During a press conference held yesterday, Irsen Kucuk said that apart from the renovation of the energy lines and transformers stations which will cost 7 million dollars a 30 diesel generators unit will be established at the occupied village of Trikomo, which will cost another 4 million dollars.

[09] Avrupa holds Ankara responsible for the crisis in the occupied areas

"Although the opposition always criticizes the fact that the "TRNC" was turned into the 82nd province of Turkey, and that all the decisions were taken in Ankara it is not understandable why then they consider responsible for the increases the government here and not Ankara.

The opposition parties and the democratic organizations, do they not accept the "TRNC government" as the "government" which can take independent decisions?

If we behave as if we are in reality a province of Turkey, are we all then responsible to any "TRNC government" for the increases? Which province of Turkey, which regional government is responsible for the fuel increases in this country?"

Avrupa (9/7/01) covers the same issue. In its first page under banner headlines "State or Province" Avrupa writes: "The demand of the businessmen: Let Turkey decide, "TRNC" is an independent state or Turkish territory?"

Some businessmen asked Turkey to decide, whether Cyprus is an independent state or a region of Turkey. Our businessmen said: "If we are Turkey's territory, let them make a planning within the framework of Turkey's development plans".

[10] The church and the cemetery in the occupied village of Thermia have been destroyed

The newspaper writes that the only thing they know is that the owner of the building is Naciye Turksever according to a sign in front of the church. The cemetery in the yard of the church has been destroyed.

The paper publishes some photos of the church and the cemetery.

Halkin Sesi (8/7/01) reports that many archaeological sites in the occupied areas of Varoshia and the Karpas peninsula are in a bad condition and the tourists cannot visit them. The so-called director of Antiquities Department of Famagusta, Hasan Tekel, said that they couldn't preserve all the archaeological sites because they do not have enough employees.

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