Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-08-06

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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 occupation army commanders were promoted.

[02] The Turkish Cypriot press reports that there will be no resolution on Cyrus by the UN Security Council.

[03] The hotels in the occupied areas of Cyprus are almost full.

[04] Ali Erel sends a letter to the Dutch presidency of the EU regarding the Green Line Regulations.

[05] "Autumn campaign" in view of the EU Commission report.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The occupation army commanders were promoted

Lt. Gen. Isik Kosaner, commander of the Turkish Occupation Force in Cyprus, was promoted to the rank of full general and appointed as the commander of the Aegean Army. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Necmettin Baykul, commander of the so-called Turkish Cypriot Security forces, was promoted to the rank of Major General.

According to the YAS decisions, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, commander of the 1st Army, was appointed as the commander of the Ground Forces; Gen. Fevzi Turkeri, commander of the 2nd Army, was appointed as the commander of the Gendarmerie Forces; Gen. Hursit Tolon, commander of the Aegean Army, was appointed as the commander of the 1st Army; Gen. Sukru Sariisik; secretary general of the National Security Council, was appointed as the commander of the 2nd Army; and Gen. Orhan Yoney, who served with the Joint Command of the NATO Forces in Southeastern Europe, was appointed as the commander of the 3rd Army. The promotions will be effective as of 30 August 2004.

[02] The Turkish Cypriot press reports that there will be no resolution on Cyrus by the UN Security Council

Invoking information acquired by the semi-official Anatolia news agency, the paper writes that the meetings and the bargaining which took place on the issue after the report of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, gave no result.

In spite of the wish of the United States of America for a strong decision by the Security Council, France opposes such a development, diplomatic sources told Anatolia news agency.

Instead of a resolution supporting the Annan report, the Security Council is expected to be content with a statement by its President or a simple press release.

Diplomatic sources told Anatolia that even if a decision is not taken by the Security Council, the Annan report itself is "a very important document supporting the end of the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots".

[03] The hotels in the occupied areas of Cyprus are almost full

Meanwhile the so-called Ministry of Economy and Tourism has announced that the number of the Turkish and foreign passengers who visited the occupied areas of Cyprus by air or sea, increased by 25 % during the first seven months of this year compared to the same period last year.

Seventy per cent of the foreign visitors are British, while the number of the German tourists varies between 2 % and 3 %. Twenty per cent of the clients of the hotels of the occupied areas are persons from Turkey, while almost no Turkish Cypriot stays in the above-mentioned hotels. Among the clients of the hotels are also some French and Israeli citizens.

[04] Ali Erel sends a letter to the Dutch presidency of the EU regarding the Green Line Regulations

Mr Erel alleged that in case the Regulations are applied only within the framework of these proposals, the Turkish Cypriots will be "imprisoned" in the market of the government controlled areas of Cyprus and the difference between the two communities in the economic field will be increased.

Mr Erel expressed the opinion that the Green Line Regulations should be applied together with the Regulations for Direct Commerce and Financial Aid to the Turkish Cypriots.

Mr Erel expressed also the opinion that some of the proposals made by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on 30 July are positive, but some of them, he claimed, are difficult to be applied.

[05] "Autumn campaign" by Turkey in view of the EU Commission report

Within the campaign, between 4 and 5 October the 57 Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the country-members of the Islamic Conference Organization will be meeting in Istanbul with their 25 EU counterparts.

Furthermore, the meeting of the Greens Group of the European parliament will be taking place in Istanbul between 18 and 20 October. The EU commissioner for the Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Joschka Fischer will be participating in the meeting.

The campaign will mainly focus on countries like France and Austria, which are hesitant regarding Turkey's EU accession. Turkish universities, businessmen, non-governmental organizations and the politicians will all together participate in the autumn campaign.

As part of the campaign State Minister Mehmet Aydin will visit 13 countries, while Prime Minister Erdogan will visit France on 20 October and deliver a speech at the International Relations Institute (IFRI).

/SK

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