Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-06-27

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader in Istanbul on his way to Crans Montana

[02] The National Security Council convened yesterday

[03] Efforts by Turkey towards the recognition of the regime in occupied Cyprus through trade via Famagusta and Karavostasi ports

[04] A new movement under the leadership of Mustafa Akinci is established

[05] Angolemli stated that the pseudostate grants "citizenships" to anyone without a criterion

[06] Representative of WWF warns that the tuna fish hatcheries are harmful to the environment

[07] The Turkish Cypriot leader wants to bargain his return to the negotiating table

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader in Istanbul on his way to Crans Montana

Replying to a question about "what Turkish Cypriots would do regarding the issue of compensation", Denktas said that "a special application department was to be formed under the Chief Prosecutor`s Office regarding compensations". Denktas announced that nobody would pay to lawyers for the lawsuit and added: "Our lawyers who will follow the developments regarding the applications will launch the necessary initiatives to compensate the losses of Turks since 1963. The door of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will be opened by filing lawsuits in the Greek Cypriot side".

"They would ask for an explanation for the demolition of 103 villages, and the profits gained from the fields and vineyards that Turks had to leave. The Greek Cypriot administration seized Turkish properties under a name 'obligatory expropriation' and did not make this news public for years", Denktas stated.

The Turkish Cypriot leader pointed out that they would file the necessary lawsuits for compensation of Turkish lands. ``We want the Greek Cypriot administration to urgently give us the list of Turkish properties seized by saying `obligatory expropriation` since 1963 as an indicator of good will. Therefore, nobody should worry that `this or that happened in the Loizidou case. ` What is right and lawful for both of the sides will be put into practice. It is the Turkish side which is the injured party in Cyprus and nobody should forget this, `` Denktas alleged.

[02] The National Security Council convened yesterday

Another item in the behind-closed-doors meeting was government plans to grant partial amnesty for members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members, mostly based in northern Iraq.

Details of the draft law were not available but it is expected to exclude leaders of the terrorist group and those members who were actively involved in killings.

The PKK has said it would not disarm without a general and unconditional amnesty.

The United States, which has pledged to cleanse Iraq of terrorist groups, is also interested in the amnesty plans and reports said it would be pleased with an amnesty that would help disarmament of the group, which is estimated to have some 5,000 armed militants in northern Iraq.

Top military commanders, key Cabinet members and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer met at the NSC's monthly meeting for talks, which included restructuring the powerful council.

Turkey wants to open entry talks with the EU by the end of next year and is carrying out reforms aimed at boosting its chances for joining the 15-nation group.

The military maintains a strong influence over national policy through its presence on the NSC, a key advisory board.

In an effort to trim military influence in public and political life, the government seeks to reduce the number of military officers on the council. Five top officers now sit on the council.

The EU has repeatedly called for reducing the military's influence in politics.

The government has said it is working on a new reform package to be presented to Parliament before a summer recess in early August.

Parliament earlier this month passed sweeping human rights reforms, including allowing private broadcasts in Kurdish, despite concern from the military that the reforms could benefit the PKK.

The ruling Justice and Development Party has made EU membership a top priority and has vowed to carry out reforms. EU nations will decide in December 2004 whether Turkey is ready to start membership negotiations.

Bureaucrats of the Secretariat-General for EU Affairs have drafted Turkey's new National Program expected to be presented to Parliament next week. The Program, setting out Turkey's commitments towards EU membership, was also discussed by the generals and political leaders attending Thursday's meeting.

According to HURRIYET (27/06/03), the National Security Council also discussed the latest situation in Cyprus and the Aegean.

[03] Efforts by Turkey towards the recognition of the regime in occupied Cyprus through trade via Famagusta and Karavostassi ports

The paper writes that the director of the company, Metin Yalcin, has been one of the 103 Turkish businessmen who participated in the visit of Prime Minister Erdogan to Malaysia and Pakistan between 12 and 17 June 2003 and "returned from this tour having acquired positive impressions and new contacts".

According to KIBRIS, both Mr Yalcin and his assistant, Kerim Harunoglu, explained to the businessmen they met the importance of occupied Cyprus and its ports, deriving from the island's position on the crossroad of the trade paths. The Turkish businessmen told their interlocutors that occupied Cyprus offers many advantages for the investors and distributed to them a brochure regarding the pseudostate and the occupied ports of Famagusta and Karavostassi.

The paper writes that a decision has been taken regarding the materialization of visits from both Malaysia and Pakistan to the occupied areas of Cyprus as soon as possible.

[04] A new movement under the leadership of Mustafa Akinci was established

"The Peace and Democracy Movement, at tomorrow's press conference, will turn the December elections into a referendum embracing all sides that want Solution and Peace guided by the will of the people who took to the streets in an unprecedented show of unity aiming at Solution and EU. And the press conference will also be the starting point of efforts to reach a settlement in Cyprus and achieve accession to the EU," the paper reports.

[05] Angolemli stated that the pseudostate grants "citizenship" to anyone without a criterion

As the paper reports Mr Angolemli stated that during the last period the "government" granted the so-called citizenship of the pseudostate without any criterion. "The 'government' makes citizen anyone who comes along.There is no other place in the world where citizenship is granted so easily", he stressed. He also said that the Annan plan provides that some of the settlers' families who came from Turkey years ago to settle in Cyprus will remain in the island. However, he pointed out that the pseugogoverment's action to give citizenship to anyone adds another dimension to this issue.

[06] Representative of WWF warns that the tuna fish hatcheries are harmful to the environment

In an interview with KIBRIS, Dr Tudela noted that all the tuna fish hatcheries have negative influence on the environmental, social and economic structure of the Mediterranean Sea.

Dr Tudela stressed that hatcheries should be established at places where the seawater is as deeper as possible.

Responding to a statement made by the administrative council of the "Dardanel" company, which has built a hatchery in the sea of the Karpass peninsula, Dr Tudela said that the distance in which the hatchery is built was not important. The important thing is the depth of the seawater, he added.

[07] The Turkish Cypriot leader wants to bargain his return to the negotiating table

Mr Denktas made this statement to Reuters news agency in Crans Montana, Switzerland, where he is attending the economic forum. The Turkish Cypriot leader is expected to address today at 15.00 the forum on the issue of the "EU enlargement process in Cyprus".

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