Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-09-07

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Verheugen: "The promises we have made are valid".

[02] The Republican Turkish Party is seeking support on the issue of conducting early "elections" in occupied Cyprus.

[03] Deferment for Turkish Cypriots studying in schools and higher education establishments in the Republic of Cyprus.

[04] The construction boom in the occupied areas is leading to poor quality buildings.

[05] Turkish Cypriots from Louroudjina village are subjected to body search before going to their homes.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Sener Levent comments on Commissioner Verheugen´s statements in Turkey.

[07] Columnist argues that the army supports Talat in the "elections"

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Verheugen: "The promises we have made are valid"

After the meeting the two men held a joint press conference. When asked how the difficulty between the EU Commission and the EU Council would be overcome as regards the direct trade regulations in Cyprus, Verheugen said that the Turkish Cypriots should not be pessimistic as regards the assistance to be given by the EU. "All the EU countries and the EU institutions have made certain promises to the Turkish Cypriots that after the referendum they will not be punished, that they will receive economic assistance, and that the isolation will be removed", Verheugen said and added that the promises made by the EU Commission are valid and that they would do all they could and try to convince the Council as regards the Commission´s proposals.

Verheugen went on and said that despite the fact that there are different views, as Commission they do not intend to change their proposals. He said that their proposals were submitted to the Council, they are on the Council's table and as the case is they could not do much.

When asked whether recognition of Cyprus by Turkey is a condition for commencement of accession talks with the EU, Verheugen said: "We have never put this issue before Turkey as regards the commencement of accession talks as condition. The time has passed to create new conditions. From our point of view there is nothing to negotiate. Putting new conditions or placing new demands are out of the question. This is an issue that interests Turkey and Cyprus. Most probably this will be removed as the relations between Turkey and the EU progress".

[02] The Republican Turkish Party is seeking support on the issue of conducting early "elections" in occupied Cyprus

The issue was discussed the previous week by the "legal and political affairs committee" of the "parliament" of the occupation regime, which has approved a draft "bill" calling for early so-called general elections on the 6th of November.

Speaking at KTOS, Mr Soyer stated inter alia that the issue of early elections will be discussed in the pseudoparliament by the political parties in a few days and noted that the RTP-UF is having contacts with the civil society organisations in order to hear their views and to materialize their will on this subject. On his part Mr Ertan Aligulu, the General Secretary of KTOS, stating that that KTOS will show the necessary support for early "elections", said that the trade union will support in this procedure the parties which are in favour of a solution as regards the Cyprus problem.

Speaking at KTOEOS, Mr Soyer said inter alia that his party is having an exchange of views as regards basic issues of the pseudostate like the solution of the Cyprus problem and the procedure existing after the referendum and asked for KTOEOS´ support on the issue of early elections. The chairman of KTOEOS Mr Adnan Eraslan stated that the trade union supports that the conducting of early elections "is a must" in order for the referendum results to be reflected in the "parliament".

[03] Deferment for Turkish Cypriots studying in schools and higher education establishments in the Republic of Cyprus

"With this decision the citizens of the north Cyprus studying in the educational establishments in the south Cyprus will be able to defer their military service", KIBRIS reports adding that because their diplomas or the documents taken from these educational institutions will be valid, they will be treated as documents taken from third countries and when they graduate they will be considered and treated as graduates from a third country education establishment. The paper reports that this is "good news" for our students and graduates.

Until now Turkish Cypriot students studying in the free areas in order to get permission to postpone their military service they were forced to register simultaneously in schools in the occupied area. This was a financial burden to the families.

The so-called Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education of the occupation regime Erdogan Sorakin has told KIBRIS that with this arrangement the moral and material injustice incurred by the students studying in the south has been done away with. He stressed that the decision was taken in order to facilitate the deferment formalities of the military service of the students studying in "south Cyprus". He said that there are around 70Turkish Cypriot students studying in south Cyprus.

[04] The construction boom in the occupied areas is leading to poor quality buildings

According to statistical information gathered by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Architects and Engineers (KTMMOB) the construction sector is developing in Kyrenia at the fastest rate and at the slowest rate in Morphou, which, stresses the paper, was to be returned to the Greek Cypriots on the basis of the Annan plan.

During the first four months of the year 2004 an area of around 540.468 square metres have been built in occupied Kyrenia, a number that covers the 70,4% of the new constructions in occupied Cyprus. During the year 2003, an area of around 295.720 square metres were built in occupied Kyrenia a number that covers the 60,8% of the new constructions in occupied Cyprus. During the same period the total area constructed in occupied Morphou was only 0.04%. The above numbers do not include unauthorized constructions.

The chairman of KTMMOB, Mr Ahmet Ulas said that the revival of the sector is related to the Annan plan but it is not certain where it will lead to and when it will stop. He stressed that in addition to the illegal contractors the illegal workers are factors which contribute to the decline in the quality and safety of the buildings because one arrives at Famagusta port, he puts an adze on his shoulders and says "I am a building worker".

On his part, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Association of Building Engineers, Mr Salim Piyale, said that since the Annan plan came to the forefront the construction sector experienced two tendencies.

"One section thought `I was given a plot of land. In order to become owner of it the (Annan) plan provides that I must invest so much in it´. In order to invest he took a loan from the bank and started construction", explained Mr Salim Piyale and added: "This by itself, however, did not boost the sector. The real acceleration came from the speculative mentality of how to turn the property in my hands into the highest amount of money in the shortest period of time".

[05] Turkish Cypriots from Louroudjina village are subjected to body search before going to their homes

The paper notes that the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Louroudjina village, their cars, wives and children are still being searched by the Turkish occupation army before given permission to enter or exit from their village.

The paper writes that the villagers are fed up with those searches, which are conducted with the pretext that their village is in a military zone. Last weekend some persons who went to Louroudjina in order to attend a circumcision feast were not allowed to enter the village, notes the paper.

A citizen said to AFRIKA the following: "I work in Nicosia. I go to my work in the morning and I return at night. Both upon my departure and arrival they search my personal belongings. We thought that the situation would improve after the opening of the gates, but on the contrary it has gotten worse. I am asking the `government´: Is this the way of demolishing the status quo?"

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Sener Levent comments on Commissioner Verheugen´s statements in Turkey

"We should make Mr Verheugen turn back from his travel to Diyarbakir, who said that Cyprus is no longer a condition for Turkey. We should bring him to Louroudjina. Do you want to see the Sirnak criteria Mr Verheugen? As you command. What do we have more than these criteria? When you embark for Louroudjina village the Mehmetcik (Translaotr's note: The Turkish soldiers) will come in front of you with their bayonet. And they will tell you to get off the car, get you off the car and tell you to put your hands up, make you put your hands up, look to your right and left, look in your car trunk, hold their flashlight inside the car and ask you who you are, where you come from and where you are going traveler. Take interest in this. The heart of Sirnak beats here. Leave aside the Copenhagen criteria. Look at the Louroudjina criteria. '

The entrance and the exit of the village are under the control of the infantry units! Do not worry Mr Verheugen, these things happen here. Look at the full part of the glass. Do not bother about the empty half. '"

Mr Levent says the following addressing the Greek Cypriots:

"Have they not told you that we are a free country? Walk around, wander. Go wherever you can Greek Cypriot brother, but pay attention to the military zones. I am saying this to you now so that afterwards you will not say that I did not. Take a good look at the signs. A forbidden area, a night club. Leave aside the tutti-frutti! Look at the soldier with the bayonet! Shortly we are going to write these signs in the Greek language, so that no one falls onto a mine while entering his house. Violating a military zone is considered a big crime here. '

And Mr Levent concludes:

"Come Verheugen come. Before you give a date to Turkey let me give you a date. Our tanks talk here, our witnesses remain silent. We are going to our village after being searched from top to bottom and longing for freedom".

[07] Columnist argues that the army supports Talat in the "elections"

"A few days ago I was in Morphou. I met some friends whom I had not seen for a long time. In the environment I was, I witnessed the conversations others had as well. I am not one of those who expect that freedom and the will (of the Turkish Cypriots) will come out from the election ballots. However, answers to issues like the bombing attack against the Saint Mamas church and who would win the elections if they were conducted today have been discussed at our table. '

While we were chatting with my friends, the voice of those who were sitting at the table next to us got louder. 'After we commented on what we heard the turn of what our friends from Morphou would do in the elections came. I said my opinion. 'Everybody at the table agreed that RTP would, in spite of everything, get more than 40 percent. A bearded citizen, who was sitting at the table behind us and afterwards told us that he was an immigrant from Kayseri (Turkey) (!), joined our conversation. 'I will vote for RTP from now on', he said. 'Why', we asked. 'Because the commander asked me to', he answered. 'Who is the commander', we asked. 'The general of the Turkish army', he said. 'Does the army support RTP'?, we asked. 'You should know this. He called us and told us this. Talat, he said, continues from where Denktas left it. Our Turkey trusts him a lot, he said. Are we to oppose the army and vote for someone else since the army supports him?', he said. '".

/SK

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