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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-06-05
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
TURKISH PRESS
AND OTHER MEDIA
No.104/03
05.06.03
[A] NEWS ITEMS
[01] Ankara appears disappointed with EU aid for the Turkish Cypriots
[02] Turkish Gendarmerie Commander asked Azerbaijan to recognize the
pseudostate
[03] Measures announced by the so-called cabinet to maintain the
competitiveness of the occupied areas economy
[Á] NEWS ITEMS
[01] Ankara appears disappointed with EU aid for the Turkish Cypriots
TRT2 television (04/06/03) broadcast that Ankara is disappointed with
the economic package the EU Commission has announced will be extended to
the Turkish Cypriots.
The economic package aims at developing the economy of the "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus", and at bringing it closer to the EU. It
involves financial support, economic development, and the development of
trade. The part in the commercial section, which says that goods
produced by Turkish Cypriots must first be approved by the Turkish
Cypriot Chamber of Trade and then by another appropriate authority, has
been questioned in Ankara.
Diplomatic circles have expressed dissatisfaction with the ambiguity
surrounding the appropriate authority, saying they are concerned that
the authority will be the "Greek Cypriot Administration".
[02] Turkish Gendarmerie Commander asked Azerbaijan to recognize the
pseudostate
Milliyet newspaper (05/06/03) reports that the Commander of the Turkish
Gendarmerie Forces, Mr Sener Eruygur, met in Baku of Azerbaijan, with
President Haydar Aliyev.
In statements be made Commander Eruygur referred to Cyprus. He said
support shall be extended to the steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot
leader Mr Rauf Denktas, and added: "The time has come to recognize the
'TRNC'. Friendly Azerbaijan's support on this issue is very important
for us."
[03] Measures announced by the so-called cabinet to maintain the
competitiveness of the occupied areas economy
Ankara Anatolia news agency (04/06/03) reported from occupied Nicosia
that the so-called TRNC Council of Ministers, in a meeting chaired by
so-called Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, evaluated the package for
Turkish Cypriots which the EU Commission announced yesterday, and also
made important decisions regarding the economy.
Deciding to reduce or eliminate the fund contributions and customs
duties on imported goods apart from fuel, cigarettes, alcoholic
beverages, automobiles, and milk in order to increase the conditions of
competitiveness in the market and lower the cost of living, the "Council
of Ministers" did away with the fund contributions and customs duties on
goods that are not produced within the 'TRNC', and, for goods that are
produced within the 'TRNC', left unchanged the fund contributions and
customs duties up to 25 percent, reducing to 25 percent the fund
contributions that were over 25 percent.
It is expected that the "Council of Ministers'" decision regarding the
fund contributions and customs duties will be published, together with
lists of the relevant goods, in tomorrow's edition of the "Official
Gazette" and go into effect thereupon.
The "Council of Ministers" also decided to apply a 25-percent subsidy
for electricity in order to support domestic industry. During the
winter months this implementation will also be valid for tourism.
So-called Council of Ministers Spokesman and Minister of Transport Salih
Miroglu, in a statement made following the meeting, commented on the EU
Commission's document and stated that work has been completed regarding
the fund contributions and customs duties. He noted that the main wish
and demand of the "TRNC" and the Turkish Cypriots is for the elimination
of the embargoes that have been imposed for years.
Stating that "The embargoes that the world and particularly the EU have
imposed at the instigation of the Greek Cypriot side are the greatest
obstacle in front of the "TRNC" economy," Miroglu pointed out that it
has been noted that the embargoes are not eliminated in the document
announced yesterday.
Miroglu said that "We are not calling for material support from the EU;
but we have demanded, and are still demanding, that the world and the EU
lift the inhumane embargoes."
Alleging that the EU document is a text that the "Greek Cypriot
administration and EU officials have drawn up by working together",
Miroglu said that efforts are underway for everything to be done via
Greek Cypriot officials, and for the ports of the "TRNC" to be left out
of the picture.
Miroglu, stating that the EU document does not satisfy the "TRNC" side,
noted that they would nevertheless continue evaluations in this regard.
Meanwhile, so-called Economy Minister Salih Cosar, who provided details
regarding the fund contributions and customs duties, announced that
customs duties and fund contributions have been eliminated on goods that
are not produced in the occupied areas, but that fund contributions and
duties will be retained on fuel, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, and
automobiles, all of which ensure revenue support, as well as on milk.
Cosar noted that they will reduce the fund contributions and duties on
milk, and that it may also become possible to import cheese.
Noting that, with the opening of the crossing points, individual
shopping between Southern Cyprus and the "TRNC" is continuing, and that
initiatives are also underway for free trade, Cosar said that they are
making new arrangements so as not to lose the North's advantages in the
event of this coming about.
Cosar, pointing out those great reductions are being made in the fund
contributions and customs duties, said: "We are going to initiate this
implementation quickly, despite the loss to the state of a certain
degree of revenue. And we believe that it will bring about conditions
of competition, free trade conditions, and to a certain degree a lower
cost of living in the country."
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