Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-05-07

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Weston describes as "not enough" the steps taken by the EU for the Turkish Cypriots; The US is working on the opening of the illegal airports of occupied Cyprus.

[02] Gul states that Turkey will try to upgrade the pseudostate´s status at the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

[03] The US embassy to Ankara denies plans to establish military bases in occupied Cyprus.

[04] The UN's advisor on constitutional issues regarding Cyprus supports that a second referendum should be held on a new plan.

[05] Serdar Denktas says that it is possible to held "early" elections - Salih Cosar makes contacts heading the Free Thought Movement.

[06] An Economic Cooperation meeting was held in occupied Cyprus.

[07] Unknown persons placed three bombs at the headquarters of KIBRIS Media Group.

[08] The Illegal Airport of occupied Tymbou will re-open on 10 May after various reconstructions.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Weston describes as "not enough" the steps taken by the EU for the Turkish Cypriots; The US is working on the opening of the illegal airports of occupied Cyprus

In statements yesterday at a press conference organized by the Voice of America radio, Mr Weston said that his country would make steps consistent with the steps of the EU towards overcoming the problems of the Turkish Cypriots, but at the same time the US would take some "unilateral actions" as well.

Asked when his country is planning on taking concrete steps on the issue, Mr Weston noted that this would be done within few weeks, as "our political goal is ending the isolation of northern Cyprus".

Mr Weston announced that at the moment the US officials are working on the issue of being able to conduct direct flights to the illegal airports in the occupied areas of Cyprus. Mr Weston noted that they could directly give financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots, something for which the approval of the Congress is needed.

Furthermore, Mr Weston argued that the most important financial aid would be given to the Turkish Cypriots from the EU, due to its geographic location. The American diplomat said he was expecting the report of the UN Secretary-General to the Security Council within the next two weeks and supported that if a solution is reached in Cyprus it would not be much different than the Annan Plan. However, he added that he did not see a possibility for a solution in the near future.

[02] Gul states that Turkey will try to upgrade the pseudostate´s status at the Organization of the Islamic Conference

Mr Gul, who is currently in Dublin, Ireland to attend the Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers, held various bilateral meetings.

Replying to questions of reporters after his meetings, Mr Gul said that they have frequently met with the European Union (EU) countries recently, but they could not often hold those meetings with Mediterranean countries. He added that he conveyed messages regarding Cyprus and OIC during his bilateral meetings.

Noting that `Turkey's Cyprus policy had positive reflections on Islamic countries´, Gul stressed that it was necessary to put this into practice. He recalled that OIC foreign ministers meeting would be held soon in Istanbul and said that Turkey was trying to change the status of the pseudostate which has the observer status in OIC.

[03] The US embassy to Ankara denies plans to establish military bases in occupied Cyprus

The U.S. Embassy to Ankara issued a statement referring to ''several recent reports in the Turkish press which claimed that the United States is seeking to establish military bases in Cyprus".

Recalling that one such report alleged that Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed the issue with Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) during their meeting in the United States earlier this week, the statement described ''these reports as completely false.''

[04] The UN's advisor on constitutional issues regarding Cyprus supports that a second referendum should be held on a new plan

Responding to the questions of Turkish semi official Anatolia News Agency, Prof. Delperee supported that reaching a solution in Cyprus is now more difficult than before, because of the accession of the Republic of Cyprus in the EU and because Turkey is outside the Union.

The Belgian Professor said that there were three conditions for reaching a solution in Cyprus, which are: The resumption of the negotiations between the communities, the preparation and submission of a new plan on behalf of the United Nations and a referendum on this new plan. "If a referendum is made on the same plan, the results will be the same", he noted.

[05] Serdar Denktas says that it is possible to held "early" elections - Salih Cosar makes contacts heading the Free Thought Movement

Pointing out that the `domestic political problems´ would occupy the top of their agenda with Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, so-called Prime Minister of the pseudostate, after the latter´s return from the United States, Serdar Denktas said that they would produce remedies `within the democratic rules´, and if not, then early `elections´ might be considered. "We will first exhaust the potential remedies and continue on our path accordingly", he said.

Meanwhile, as illegal Bayrak television (06.05.04), broadcast Mr Salih Cosar, former chairman of the DP who resigned a few days ago from the party, held various contacts in the pseudostate, heading the newly established "Free Thought Movement" (FTM).

The FTM was established by the group that resigned recently from the DP, including the "deputies"Ahmet Kasif and Unal Ustel. A delegation of the FTM met yesterday with Mr Dervis Eroglu, the leader of the National Unity Party.

[06] An Economic Cooperation meeting was held in occupied Cyprus

Delegations from Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Tajikistan and an ECO Secretariat delegation attended the meeting at the Illegal Eastern Mediterranean University campus in occupied Famagusta

Making opening remarks of the meeting Ayse Donmezer, the so-called Economy and Tourism Minister of the pseudostate, called the Islamic countries to "lift `sanctions´ and `embargoes´ on the Turkish Cypriots".

The pseudostate can participate in ECO's economic, technical and cultural activities under a decision made at the meeting of the Council of Ministers in Islamabad between November 28-29, 1992.

A seminar on ''Control of Air and Sea Pollution'' was held under the ECO structure in occupied Kyrenia between August 25-26, 1998 with participation of representatives from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

ECO is an inter-governmental regional organization established in 1985 by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan for the purpose of sustainable socio-economic development of the member states.

ECO is the successor organization of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) which remained active from 1964 up to 1979. In 1992, the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Islamic State of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.

[07] Unknown persons placed three bombs at the headquarters of KIBRIS Media Group

The explosions did not cause any casualties or damage. According to information obtained from employees of KIBRIS newspaper, three consecutive explosions were heard around 23:40. One of the bombs exploded in the region where the papers are distributed, another in the cafeteria area, and the third near the section close to the office of the Editor in Chief Basaran Duzgun. "Police" forces launched an investigation soon after the explosions.

In addition, as KIBRIS newspaper (07.05.04) reports, the KIBRIS Media Group has received various threatening calls recently. Mr Basaran Duzgun writes in his today's column, they have received hundreds of threatening calls and warnings recently. Mr Duzgun writes that they have not informed anyone about these threats and they did not publish or broadcast these warnings, because they did not want to spread the fear among the Turkish Cypriots.

As the paper writes the attacks against the KIBRIS Media Group related to the Groups stand as regards the latest developments on the Cyprus Problem, the positive stand towards the Annan Plan and the 24 April referendum. Various Turkish Cypriot political parties and organisations condemned the attack against the KIBRIS Media Group.

KIBRIS Newspaper, which is the paper with the highest circulation in occupied Cyprus, KIBRIS TV, KIBRIS FM, and another English-language daily are situated within the KIBRIS Media Group complex.

[08] The Illegal airport of occupied Tymbou will re-open on 10 May after various reconstructions

The illegal airport was under major reconstruction, which lasted more than a year and a half. Under these reconstructions, the terminal building of the illegal airport has been enlarged in size and a new runway and apron were built. The project was funded mainly by the Turkish Ministry of Transportation. It cost total of 19-trillion Turkish Liras.

/SK

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