Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-10-16

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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 number of Turkish Cypriots voters is 140.832 and it is expected to increase according to the "SEC"

[02] "Council of Europe postpones Loizidou session after row in EU caucus"

[03] Turkish Cypriot press reports that the Foreign Ministers of ICO expressed support to the "just positions" of the Turkish Cypriots

[04] Erel calls on the Greek Cypriot side to get used to the idea that the Turkish Cypriots will have a separate flag

[05] Four political parties are now represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The number of Turkish Cypriot voters is 140.832 and it is expected to increase according to the "SEC"

This number was valid on 30 September 2003, but it could increase at any moment, as the final lists are expected to be announced on 6 November 2003 and persons who are not on the lists will have the right to raise their objection within one week so that they also are included.

According to Mr Erginel those who were granted the "citizenship" of the regime between 30 September and 15 October 2003 are not registered in the lists but they could be included in case they apply and will acquire the right to vote.

Noting that no "official" knows the exact number of the voters, KIBRIS writes that Mr Erginel pointed out, inter alia, the following: ".In spite of the difficulties, we have not given up our idea of conducting exemplary elections. Our goal is to make exemplary elections. The citizenship granted during the last days created a picture, which is not in harmony with our goal. Granting citizenship on the eve of the elections is not very appropriate. .In spite of the fact that people granted the citizenship between 30 September and 15 October are not registered in the list, they could be added in case they personally apply for it and could acquire the right to vote".

KIBRIS notes that according to an announcement made by "SEC" on 19 September 2003, the number of the voters was estimated to be 137.500. During the "municipal elections" conducted in June 2002, the number of the voters was 134.628.

According to the announcement of the "SEC" the number of the voters in every occupied region is as follows:

Nicosia: 43.833
Famagusta: 37.131
Kyrenia: 25.893
Morfou: 19.421
Trikomo: 14.554

The paper writes that commenting on the statement of Mr Erginel, Mustafa Akinci, leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM) said that the number of the voters is already excessively increased and drew attention to the fact that only 1.700 persons out of the 7.000 new voters who were added to the lists since the June 2002 "municipal elections", were persons who reached the age of 18. Mr Akinci said that he has sent a letter to the other two opposition party leaders, Mr Ali Erel and Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, asking them to meet in order to discuss the issue of the arbitrary way of granting citizenship.

After Mr Erginel's statement, Mr Ali Erel, leader of the Solution and European Union Party (SEUP), suggested that only the new voters who have become 18 years old should have the right to vote and the persons (from Turkey) who have recently been granted the "citizenship" not to have this right.

The General Secretary of the Republican Turkish Party, Ferdi Sabit Soyer said that great confusion would continue to be created in case deception is established on the "citizenship" issue after the lists are announced.

The General Secretary of Democratic Party, Kemal Havali argued that there was no big increase in the number of the voters and noted that the important thing is that some more people, who became "citizens" between 30 September and 15 October, will be added to the lists.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily YENI DUZEN newspaper (16.10.03) reports that the number of the voters increased by 20 thousand and 874 persons since the last "general parliamentary elections" in 1998. The paper writes that this number had been 75.824 in 1976 and since then it increased as follows during each "general election":

1981: 84.721, 1985: 95.124, 1990: 103.218, 1991: 106.303, 1993: 108.622, 1998: 120.758, 2003: 140.832.

[02] "Council of Europe postpones Loizidou session after row in EU caucus"

The Committee of Deputy Ministers was prepared on Wednesday to debate an initiative proposed by the Turkish side designed to "strike out" a controversial 1998 verdict of the European Court of Human Rights that sentenced Turkey to pay compensation to Greek Cypriot Titina Loizidou on the grounds that the Turkish military presence in the island has blocked her access to her property on the Turkish side of Cyprus since 1974.

With the blessings of Walter Schwimmer, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Turkey launched an initiative in May and has promoted a solution formula to this most serious-ever dispute with Strasbourg under which it would pay the $875,000 compensation to Loizidou pursuant to the emergence of an "understanding" that the 1998 verdict would not set a precedent for hundreds of "clone applications" that are currently before the court.

Talks at the Council of Europe had proved promising until recently; however, reconciliation efforts received a serious blow last week when the EU countries decided, for the first time in the history of the Council of Europe, to act as a caucus and adopt a common position on the issue.

But the caucus was apparently unable to bridge differences among members in their efforts to adopt a common position prior to yesterday's meeting, sources said, thus postponing the critical session to the upcoming gathering scheduled for next week.

During a June meeting of the Committee of Ministers' Deputies of the Council of Europe, Turkey expressed readiness to pay the compensation by the time a meeting of the committee was to be held on Oct. 7-8 and, having received positive signals for an agreement, had even transferred money to Strasbourg for immediate payment. But with the EU caucus inevitably including EU member Greece and member-elect Greek Cyprus, both bitter opponents of the Turkish initiative, the meeting proved fruitless.

Under the formula that Turkey has been trying to breathe life into since May, Turkey would pay $875,000 compensation to Loizidou in line with the European Court of Human Rights ruling.

But this solution would come in conjunction with a 'common understanding' emerging within the Council of Europe, to which the court is attached, that the Loizidou verdict should not set a precedent for some 420 "clone applications" to the court from other Greek Cypriots.

As part of the Turkish initiative, the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' ('TRNC') Parliament has passed a law establishing a special court empowered to resolve property disputes on the island and make compensation necessary for any expropriation that has been carried out since 1974.

That court is eligible to hear applications from Greek Cypriots who had to abandon their property in the Turkish section of the island after Turkey's military operation in 1974 that was sparked by a Greek Cypriot coup that effectively put an end to the Turkish-Greek Cypriot state in Cyprus. Turkey wants the European Court of Human Rights to refer hundreds of "clone applications" to this court.

If all had worked out as planned, the Committee of Ministers' Deputies would have approved a resolution, taking note of Turkey's payment of the compensation and referring to a unilateral statement by Turkey in which Ankara outlines its position on the issue.

The efforts now appear to be at a critical stage as the Turkish side feels it has acted as flexibly as it can and is convinced that further compromise is out of the question because no solution would come 'at all costs'.

The row over the Loizidou verdict has been a foreign-policy headache for aspiring EU member Turkey, but the risks facing of the Council of Europe are not insignificant, either.

The Council may find its credibility undermined with Turkey's persistent failure to comply with the court decision, setting into motion a dangerous trend of non-compliance among other members as well.

A solution to a dispute over the Loizidou verdict is inextricably linked to the longstanding Cyprus issue. U.N.-brokered efforts to reunite the island as part of a formula that would solve many other related problems including property disputes failed earlier this year".

[03] Turkish Cypriot press reports that the Foreign Ministers of ICO expressed support to the "just positions" of the Turkish Cypriots

The paper reports that the decision expected to be adopted at the meeting regarding Cyprus expresses "full support to the Turkish Cypriot people and stresses their equal existence on the island". The decision is also expected to express support to the 2 April 2003 and 31 August 1998 proposals of the Turkish side and blame the Greek Cypriot side for the collapse of the Cyprus talks. The Ministers are also expected to decide to "actively keep onto the agenda" the demand of the pseudostate to become a full member of ICO.

[04] Erel calls on the Greek Cypriot side to get used to the idea that the Turkish Cypriots will have a separate flag

Replying to a question two days ago at a meeting in the free areas of Cyprus, Mr Erel alleged that the Greek Cypriots should stop making policy in relation to the flag of the pseudostate, which is on the occupied mountain of Pentadaktylos.

Mr Erel argued: "The Greek Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot administration must learn to tolerate our equal political partnership status, our culture, our language, our religion, our flag, our elections, our parliament and our equal constituent state in northern Cyprus. .".

[05] Four political parties are now represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly

Speaking yesterday at the headquarters of LDP during the joining ceremony, Mr Emin Sirin criticized his previous ruling party for not fighting against poverty and irregularities and that no democracy functions within te JDP.

The new distribution of seats in the TGNA is now as follows:

Justice and Development Party (JDP)	: 368
Republican People's Party (RPP) 	: 175
True Path Party (TPP)			:   3
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)		:   1
Independent		 		:   3
					---------
Total					  550

EG/

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