Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-09-10

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gul warns for "reactions" in case the decision of the EU regarding Turkey is subjective.

[02] The Turkish Cypriots believe that direct flights to the occupied areas will begin in 2005.

[03] EU Commissioner Fischler says the EU is ready to contribute to the modernization of the agriculture in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] Ankara does not want preconditions prior to EU accession talks.

[05] Guenter Verheugen assesses his visit to Turkey.

[06] The Turkish Prime Minister will participate in ECO Meeting in Tajikistan.

[07] "The Greek Cypriots cannot buy property from the occupied areas".

[08] An ancient tomb of the Roman and Hellenistic period was discovered in occupied Kyrenia.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gul warns for "reactions" in case the decision of the EU regarding Turkey is subjective

In statements during a joint press conference with the Estonian Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland during his visit to Estonia, Mr Gul said: "In case the decision about Turkey is subjective at the European Union (EU) summit in December, this will lead to reactions".

He also argued that Turkey passed the critical threshold and met the political criteria, and added that he is a hundred percent sure that the progress report on Turkey would be positive and fair.

Mr Gul noted that "if the political decision is subjective in spite of all these, this will of course lead to reactions".

Asked about his estimations about the length of the negotiations of Turkey with the EU and when his country could become a full member of the Union, Mr Gul said: "May be 10 years...Negotiations will take time. This depends on the performance".

Asked about the statement of the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, that there were still things which Turkey should do about the Kurdish issue, Mr Gul answered: "He praised Turkey. We said that he may visit any place he wants in Turkey. He said that the critical threshold has passed in Turkey. Turkey will certainly continue the reform process. Verheugen has very clearly said that everything progressed well in Turkey".

Mr Gul asked also the support of Estonia to Turkey's EU membership. Meanwhile, commenting on Mr Gul's statements, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (10.09.04) writes that Gul has also began threatening the EU, like former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem used to do. AFRIKA gives Mr Gul's statements under the banner headlines: "If there is no date there will be reactions".

[02] The Turkish Cypriots believe that direct flights to the occupied areas will begin in 2005

In statements yesterday Mr Deniz said: "It appears that the direct flights will begin in 2005 as a result of intensive efforts".

Mr Deniz said that the EU had legal problems to start direct flights with the occupied areas of Cyprus, but the United States is a step ahead on this issue. He noted that direct flights could begin from the USA through London.

Reminding that the International Aviation Organization could not permit landing in the illegal airports of the occupied part of Cyprus, Mr Deniz added that some companies could decide to use these illegal airports after getting guarantees from their governments.

[03] EU Commissioner Fischler says the EU is ready to contribute to the modernization of the agriculture in the occupied areas of Cyprus

In statements to the paper, Mr Fischler noted that the EU experts who will be supervising the trade of agricultural products within the island arrived in yesterday to Cyprus and went to the occupied areas.

Responding to a question, Mr Fischler said that the issue of trading fish between the two communities of Cyprus concerns quality and hygiene of the product. He added that the experts who are currently in Cyprus could not deal with this issue because persons having other qualifications are needed to do so.

[04] Ankara does not want preconditions prior to EU accession talks Ankara Anatolia news agency (08.09.04) reports that Ankara does not want the European Union (EU) to put preconditions before starting its full membership negotiations or to take a decision to monitor Turkey's situation on a later date, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.

The same sources said that Turkey had already fulfilled the political criteria, and talked about four possibilities regarding the recommendations that the EU would make in Turkey's progress report.

* According to the first possibility, the progress report might include expressions that "Turkey had not fulfilled the political criteria, and there was no need to continue the process", the diplomatic sources noted.

* According to the second possibility, the same sources said, the EU might decide that "Turkey had fulfilled all criteria, and negotiations could start". The diplomatic sources don't consider these two possibilities as likely.

* According to the third possibility listed by the diplomatic sources, the EU might think that Turkey had recorded progress in meeting the criteria, but it still had some shortcomings. The EU might think that it could start negotiations with Turkey despite these shortcomings, and ask Turkey to eliminate the deficiencies when negotiations continued.

* According to the forth possibility, the same sources noted, the EU might think that Turkey had recorded progress in meeting the criteria, but it still had some shortcomings. The EU might think that the Commission should express its views after those shortcomings were eliminated, and that the final decision should be made after the Commission expressed its views.

Ankara doesn't consider the first two of these four possibilities as likely, the diplomatic sources said. The same sources think that Turkey cannot bear the first and fourth possibilities, between which they don't see any difference. These sources state that the third of these possibilities was used for Croatia's membership bid. Diplomatic sources drew attention that any of the countries had not totally met all the political criteria.

On the other hand, the EU will prepare a report on Turkey's effects on the EU for the first time in its history.

Diplomatic sources said that they had concerns when they heard about such a report, and thought that a negative report could be unveiled. But, they noted, they saw, at the end of their talks, that the EU was in fact planning a positive report.

Therefore, the same sources stated, they did not react to EU's decision to release such a report. The same sources said that the report would have a positive effect on the EU's decision regarding Turkey in case it was prepared objectively.

These diplomatic sources stated that the EU needed to prepare such a report since Turkey was a more different and bigger country than the other candidates.

The same sources listed the messages conveyed by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen's visit to Ankara as follows:

-"It is time to reveal the realities.

-There is no need for uncertainty from now on.

-The EU has sufficient data for preparing the progress report.

-Turkey has passed the critical stage.

-He won't give a new list of conditions to Turkey."

On the other hand, diplomatic sources said that whether or not to widen the scope of the Customs Union agreement adopted for nine new EU members was a decision to be made by the Turkish government.

The same sources noted that inclusion of the Cyprus Republic to the Customs Union agreement would not mean recognition.

Recalling that the EU General Affairs Council would discuss financial and direct trade regulations aiming to end 'isolation' of the Turkish Cypriots between September 13th and 14th, the sources said that they had got the impression that adoption of those two regulations would take some time.

The same sources added that the EU wanted to pass those two regulations at the same time.

[05] Guenter Verheugen assesses his visit to Turkey

Stressing the importance of struggling against torture in Turkey, Mr Verheugen said, ''torturers must certainly be punished.''

Mr Verheugen said, ''it is important to restore stability in Southeast Anatolia.'' He added, ''it is necessary to set up a strategy to give back the cultural rights (of the local population). I saw a very good start about this issue. Broadcasting in mother tongue and education in different languages have started. Especially the education in Kurdish language has started. It should be pursued.''

''Other important issues are betterment of socio-economic condition and eradication of disparities. The EU is already ready to support Turkey on this issues,'' said Verheugen.

Referring to changes to be made in Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Verheugen stated: Certainly Turkish Parliament will take the final decision. And we will make our assessments before we will complete our progress report about Turkey.''

Noting, ''Progress Report about Turkey will be published on October 6th as it was planned;'' Verheugen said, ''now I am returning to Brussels. I am sure that Turkey is really determined. Our assessment will be neutral. We will assess the progress that Turkey has made, but we will also underline its deficiencies. Implementations until today are very successful. The EU has undertaken an important catalyser role in Turkey's democratization and modernization.''

When recalled discussions on adultery, Verheugen said, ''Not only the adultery issue but the whole TCK is important. TCK is an important point of modernization. Turkish Parliament will take a decision. However I have to tell something on this stage. It is important to be very careful. Any misunderstanding should be avoided.''

[06] The Turkish Prime Minister will participate in ECO Meeting in Tajikistan

Turkish Prime Ministry Press Center issued a statement and said that Mr Erdogan will leave for Dushanbe on September 13th. According to the statement Mr Erdogan will attend a dinner which Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov host in honour of heads of state who attend the summit. The statement said that Erdogan will participate in the 8th Summit of the ECO on September 14th and will attend a ceremony which will take place to give 2004 ECO awards. Erdogan will hold a press conference after attending a lunch hosted by Rahmonov.

[07] "The Greek Cypriots cannot buy property from the occupied areas"

Mr Murat made this statement during a Press Conference, as regards the change of "law" in occupied Cyprus giving the foreigners the right to own property in the occupied areas for a limited period of time.

Mr Murat stated that the publications referring to the sale of property to the Greek Cypriots "does not reflect the true", because, as he said, according to the so-called constitution of the pseudostate the Greek Cypriots have no right to buy land in the occupied areas.

Speaking about the new "law" he said that the foreigners can only buy a 1000 square meter of land, or a house, or an apartment which will be returned to the "state" after 125 years.

[08] An ancient tomb of the Roman and Hellenistic period was discovered in occupied Kyrenia

/SK

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