Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-07-01

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader insists that he will not negotiate on the basis of the Annan Plan

[02] President Sezer vetoed articles of EU package

[03] The "assembly" adopted the so-called "compensations law"

[04] Mustafa Akinci calls on the forces of the opposition to come together

[05] RTP's appeal against the so-called Council of Ministers' decision to grant citizenship rights to people from Turkey continues

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader insists that he will not negotiate on the basis of the Annan Plan

In statements at the airport Mr Denktas referred to the Annan plan and said: ``It is not on the table, we are saying that it can`t be negotiated, because, the two sides must reach an agreement. The Greek Cypriots put forward conditions that we can`t accept and they don`t accept our conditions. We can get somewhere only by showing our determination and protecting our state.``

Denktas recalled that certain circles are saying ``Turkey will have many losses in the property and territory issue, but that loss will not be much if the Annan plan is accepted.``

He added: ``This is not correct either. We discussed this issue with the Swiss experts and lawyers. What the personal rights will be after EU accession is not certain. Whatever an agreement says, Turkey can be sentenced again if people go to court claiming personal rights. Certain circles always think that Turkey will pay compensation, but nobody is thinking that there are compensations that Turkey and Turkish Cypriots should receive. With a new step we have taken, we are trying to bring onto the agenda those compensations which are our and Turkey`s rights.``

[02] President Sezer vetoed articles of EU package

The Turkish President returned to the parliament articles 19 and 20 of Law 4903, a part of the sixth package of legislation to harmonise Turkey's laws with EU standards.

President Sezer said that the changes, dealing with the abolition of the anti-terror law, would lead to a legal loophole and that article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code was able to fill the gap.

Both the Turkish anti-terror law and article 312 have been the focus of criticism from the West for targeting freedom of expression.

[03] The "assembly" adopted the so-called "compensations law"

The paper writes that the "draft law" was adopted with the positive votes of the "MPs" of the National Unity Party (NUP), Democratic Party (DP) and Renewal Progressive Party (RPP). The Republican Turkish Party (RTP) and Communal Liberation Party (CLP) voted against the adoption of the "draft - law".

Criticizing the "draft - law" and referring to information regarding Ankara' s involvement in adopting it, RTP "MP" Sonay Adem said that efforts have been exerted towards the direction of adopting this "law" "with remote control". Mr Adem argued that the authorities of the occupation regime "play with the future of the Turkish Cypriots in order to protect the property of some families".

Mehmet Ali Talat, chairman of the RTP, said that the aim of the "draft-law" was to deceive the European Court of Human Rights and gain time. However, he added, time works against the Turkish side. Mr Talat argued that the "draft-law" contradicts the "constitution" of which it is a part. Mr Talat noted that some circles in Turkey are exerting efforts towards the continuation of the non-solution in Cyprus and that the "draft-law" has been brought onto the agenda because of the fact that the Turkish government is "in despair straits".

Huseyin Angolemli, chairman of CLP, pointed out that the "draft-law" has been brought onto the agenda as a way of avoiding the comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

Mustafa Akinci, "MP" of CLP said that had this "draft-law" been mutually accepted he would have no objections and added that "something which is not mutually accepted cannot be implemented".

Huseyin Ozgurgun, "MP" of NUP claimed that the problems created to the Turkish side by the Loizidou case could be overcome with this "draft-law".

[04] Mustafa Akinci calls on the forces of the opposition to come together

According to the paper, Mr Akinci stated that the rivals of the new Movement is not the forces that support the solution of the Cyprus problem and the EU accession, but those who opposed these ideas. "Our rival are those whose fleshes crawl when they say European Union, our rival is the status quo", he stressed. Mr Akinci also stated that the forces of the opposition have to be "purged from their ego" and come together as a joint force in order to succeed in the forthcoming "elections". "Our mission is, as it happened in the squares, to abandon our differences and our parties' emblem and to exhibit unity", he said.

The leader of PDM pointed out that the struggle that the forces of the opposition have in front of them is not about who is going to become "prime minister", or how many seats they will take in the "assembly". He said that what it is important for the time being is the forces of the opposition to meet, talk and come together. "My goal is not to gain for 3-4 seats in the 'assembly', is not to become 'prime minister'. The goal is not to miss the date of 2004", he added. He also stated that during the period of 5 months, which is left for the "elections", the Turkish Cypriot politicians, the civil society organizations and the volunteers of peace and democracy must work hard in order to succeed in their goals.

[05] RTP's appeal against the so-called Council of Ministers' decision to grant citizenship rights to people from Turkey continues

KIBRIS reports that the leader of the RTP, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat stated that "the right to granting citizenship right should be taken away from the Council of Ministers". Mr Talat made this statement, yesterday after the so-called Court hearing on his party's appeal.

The leader of RTP criticizes the pseudostate's authorities that during the previous elections these rights were granted to many people whose addresses cannot be identified. He also stated that the so-called Parliament should change this shameful situation.

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