Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-02-19

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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 met with Mr Alvaro de Soto. Talks resume today at 10 a.m.

[02] Turkish Cypriot newspaper urges the EU not to allow the closing of the door of the EU courts to the Cypriots.

[03] Explosion in front of Mehmet Ali Talat's residence.

[04] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader before the resumption of the talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader met with Mr Alvaro de Soto. Talks resume today at 10 a.m.

Stressing that Verheugen and the EU didn't have any status regarding the negotiations, Denktas said: "We will see how the EU could help us. Verheugen will also visit us at 3.00 p.m. and we will discuss in details our derogations and how they could be included in the EU laws."

Denktas said that they brought onto the agenda the issue of making amendments in the Annan plan during the negotiations in New York, adding that it was accepted to discuss those amendments.

"Earlier, they told us not to ask for many amendments, and not to get out of the framework. They had even thought of submitting blank sheet of papers to referendum. This attitude has changed. Now there is some flexibility," said Denktas.

On his part Mr. Alvaro de Soto said that he met with the two leaders, adding that the first meeting in the framework of the Cyprus negotiations would start at 10.00 a.m. on Thursday. He added that the technical committees would convene at 3.30 p.m. the same day.

[02] Turkish Cypriot newspaper urges the EU not to allow the closing of the door of the EU courts to the Cypriots

"Mr Gunter Verheugen EU Commissioner

The rights of the Cypriot people, who have been forced to bear the results of an unjust war for 40 years, are violated. Now in this period, we are learning that Denktas has gotten into action in order to eliminate the right (of the Cypriot people) to apply to the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of War Crimes because of the inhuman treatment they had. As 'AFRIKA' newspaper, we hope that the EU will not commit the mistake to permit the efforts for closing the door of the courts to the Cypriots to be successful.

With respect

AFRIKA"

[03] Explosion in front of Mehmet Ali Talat's residence

As the paper writes the explosion occurred at 01:30 in the morning, in front of Talat's three storey house in occupied Kyrenia, where the Medical Laboratory of his wife Oya Talat is located. The explosion caused only material damage.

Mr Talat strongly condemned the incident, saying that the Turkish Cypriots are in the right course and nobody can deter them from their path. He also said that this kind of efforts are aimed to harm the peace and the rapprochement between the two communities in Cyprus and described them as "extremely ugly incidents". Mr Talat went on and said:

"It is not possible to be successful with this kind of threats. They cannot scare us with this ugly and distressing attack. It is an attack against the community reconciliation. It is an attempt by those who want to destroy the communal peace. It is not possible to be successful.

It addition, some other Turkish Cypriot papers reported the incident as follows:

KIBRIS under the headline "Bomb attack against the residence of 'Prime Minister' Talat" writes that an ugly incident occurred only hours before the resumption of the Cyprus talks. HALKIN SESI under the title "They bombed Talat's house", writes that unknown persons put the bomb in the residence and stressed that Mr Talat and his family are in good condition. VATAN wrote that the house of the so-called Prime Minister was bombed and that Talat stated that the bomb aimed to harm the Cyprus talks.

[04] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader before the resumption of the talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem

Regarding the explosion that took place in front of Mr Mehmet Ali Talat's home, Denktas said: ''This news got all of us down. I hope it won't be repeated.''

Mr Denktas also stated that the Cyprus problem would be sorted out through negotiations and the vote to be given by people in referendum. ''We are very sorry about the explosion which took place in front of the house of Mr Talat hours before the beginning of the talks today. The Turkish Cypriots don't deserve that", he said.

Denktas stressed that the decision would be given by the people at the end of the negotiations, adding: "Rather than bombing places, resorting to violence, and swearing, they should watch the negotiations well. They should understand what the Annan plan means if we can't change it and they should go and vote in all conscience.''

Ankara Anatolia further reported that Mr Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos came together under the supervision of U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan's special envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto.

Therefore, the new negotiation process has started in Cyprus and on the first day of the negotiations the two sides are expected to decide on how many days a week they will come together.

Following the negotiation under the supervision of De Soto at Nicosia International Airport, Denktas and Papadopoulos will come together with European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen.

The Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot technical committees which were formed within the scope of negotiation process are expected to start their work at the Nicosia International Airport at 3.30 p.m.[1330 GMT].

At the end of the month, a fourth committee on the issues of the flag and the national anthem will also be added to the technical committees for international agreements, federal laws and economy-finance issues.

The sides are expected to sit at the negotiation table with proposals of change in the plan of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan during the negotiations which will be held after the first negotiation on Thursday.

Sources said that the Turkish side's proposals for change in the plan focused on sovereignty, bi-zonality, guarantees and making borders straight.

The Greek Cypriot side's proposals are expected to be on the issues of the use of the executive and the legislative authority, people of Turkish origin, constitutions, economy and Turkey's and Greece's approval of the agreement which will be reached in Cyprus before the referenda on the island. Many reporters from Turkey and Greece are following this first step which was taken in the new negotiation process in Cyprus.

/SK

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