Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-11-10

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktas announces from Ankara the date for so-called elections in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[02] Talat comments of President Papadopoulos proposal for the use of Larnaca port by Turkish Cypriots without any mention to the 40,000 occupation troops in Northern Cyprus.

[03] The US embassy in Nicosia co-organizes a seminar with the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

[04] Turkish MP wonders how Turkey can continue to have relations with "TRNC" in case the Republic of Cyprus is recognized.

[05]HURRIYET puts an end to the fuss about the plane that landed at occupied Tymbou.

[06] The Turkish Cypriots hope that direct flights will start to the illegal Tymbou airport in the year 2005.

[07] The court of the occupation regime asked a five year sentence for Sener Levent and Nilgun Orhon for calling Turkey invading force.

[08] Dutch wants control on Turkey's EU entry talks.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktas announces from Ankara the date for so-called elections in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Upon a question, Denktas said: "If the current coalition initiatives fail, early general elections will be held on February the 20th, 2005."

[02] Talat comments of President Papadopoulos proposal for the use of Larnaca port by Turkish Cypriots without any mention to the 40,000 occupation troops in Northern Cyprus

Talat said: ''Greek Cypriot press published a suggestion of Papadopoulos proposing to give a dock at Larnaca Port to Turkish Cypriots for trade and provide an opportunity to them to make trade under the control of EU. This suggestion was not made officially to us. Thus, there is not such a suggestion.''

''This suggestion can be a will of Papadopoulos, but we know that it is not a good will,'' alleged MrTalat.

Speaking to a private radio channel Talat said: ''Papadopoulos considers the Turkish Cypriots as a patch of South Cyprus which he mentions as ' Cyprus Republic'. So why will he give a place to Turkish Cypriots at Larnaca port? Is there something wrong with Famagusta port.? Why will it be closed? Why will it not function? If he really loves us that much and gives us a place at Larnaca port, then we will give them a place at Famagusta port. Or we can manage both ports together.''

Alleging that Papadopoulos tries to play nice guy by such proposals, Talat said: ''It is as if the Famagusta port and all people working there and all trucks, goods and such items are of no importance. We will give up all these and they will give us a small section in Larnaca port and we will make export from there. Why? 'Because the Cyprus Republic will keep us under its wings.' This is the mentality. I do not think there will be anybody who will favor this mentality.''

Talat alleged that President Papadopoulos was in a very difficult situation and as he was trying to get rid of this situation, he was becoming comical.

[03] The US embassy in Nicosia co-organizes a seminar with the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce

Addressing the seminar, the American ambassador to Nicosia, Michael Klosson said that the US is open to trade with the Turkish Cypriot businessmen and added that his country is working together with the Turkish Cypriots in the direction of overcoming the obstacles standing in the way of the development of commercial relations between them and the USA.

According to the paper, Mr Klosson noted also that his country is working on finding ways to apply the financial aid program prepared in order to support the restructuring of the Turkish Cypriot finance, infrastructure and energy sectors.

Referring to statistical facts, the US ambassador said that in 2003 the imports of his country from the occupied areas of Cyprus reached 3.5 million dollars, while in 2002 they were only 100 thousand dollars.

"The USA is obviously open to trade with the Turkish Cypriot businessmen. We shall work with you in order to overcome the obstacles that you will face", said Mr Klossson.

[04] Turkish MP wonders how Turkey can continue to have relations with "TRNC" in case the Republic of Cyprus is recognized

During the meeting, the Deputy of the Republican People's Party (RPP), Mr Mustafa Ozyurek, said that the EU progress report is not balanced or fair as the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Noting that the EU asked from Turkey conditions that they did not ask from countries that became members before, Ozyurek said that nowadays messages such as we will veto if the Republic of Cyprus is not recognised as the only representative of Cyprus, are coming from Greece and the Greek Cypriot side.

Ozyurek asked: "Is it possible that Turkey will recognize in this way the Greek Cypriot sector? When this recognition is realised, accordingly that the 'TRNC' would not be recognized. How will the relations of Turkey and the 'TRNC' be?"

[05] HURRIYET puts an end to the fuss about the plane that landed at occupied Tymbou

The paper, quotes Greek and Greek Cypriot press reports that the plane was a US Air Force fighter plane, that its landing is a sign that the USA will recognize the occupation regime and that the governments of Greece and Cyprus were getting ready to launch protest to the USA.

HURRIYET then gives the brief account of the whole story that caused so much fuss. The paper claims that on 2nd November Ali Sen with his American friend were in Rhodes and decided to visit the occupied area, so they took off from Rhodes to fly to the occupied area. The Air Control tower in Rhodes informed the Austrian pilot of the small plane that he should fly to Larnaca Airport and immediately warned the Larnaca Air Control Tower about the incoming plane as well. Around 11:00 hours, when the plane was approaching Cyprus, the Larnaca Control Tower established contact and told the Austrian pilot that he should land at Larnaca airport. The pilot immediately informed Ali Sen and upon Sen's instructions he changed his course and landed at Bodrum-Milas airport. The plane then took off again from Milas airport and informed the Tymbou airport about its flight route and landed in the occupied area.

Sen and his American friend, who wanted to invest in the occupied area, then landed at the occupied Tymbou airport. They had met with Talat and Serdar Denktas and then left the occupied part of the island for Turkey. Turkish Cypriots announced that it was a courtesy call.

[06] The Turkish Cypriots hope that direct flights will start to the illegal Tymbou airport in the year 2005

Mr Deniz said the following: "Direct flights have not started yet from Ercan (Tymbou). However the efforts towards this direction continue. Technical studies and contacts are taking place. Some countries are in serious efforts as regards the conducting of direct flight but I cannot get into details. We hope to start the direct flights in the year 2005. This will increase even more our development in the area of tourism. After the opening of the gates, it is possible for tourists who come from Larnaca (airport) to stay overnight to the north'We hope that the direct flights will start firstly from America, and it will be easier for the rest in this way. Meaning that the European countries will follow America. We are a part of the EU and the EU has also said this. Of course it is more important to start direct flights from the EU but a step that will be taken by America will also alert them".

Mr Deniz also said that after the "yes" vote of the Turkish Cypriots in the referendum, they are more respected in the world and added that this had a positive effect as regards the tourism of the pseudostate. In addition he said that the per capita income of the pseudostate has increased from 5,600 to 7,350 dollars.

[07] The court of the occupation regime asked a five year sentence for Sener Levent and Nilgun Orhon for calling Turkey invading force

Nilgun Orhon was suspended from the school that she was working for two whole years now, because of her articles in the column "A letter inside the bottle" published in AFRIKA in 2001. For this reason, her salary was stopped and a case has been opened against her. The next hearing of the case will be on 23 November.

[08] Dutch wants control on Turkey's EU entry talks

"The Dutch government has provided a cautious backing to Turkey's bid to join the European Union, but said the bloc must say clearly what will happen if Ankara strays from the path of reform.

Public opinion in the Netherlands opposes Turkey joining the EU and the Dutch government has sought to play down internal differences over the issue within the centre-right coalition while it holds the rotating presidency of the bloc.

But the Dutch parliament, where leaders of several large parties have expressed doubts over Turkey's readiness to join the EU, demanded a clearer statement of government policy.

"The government is in principle of the opinion that, in line with the recommendation of the Commission, that the European Council can take a positive decision (to start talks with Turkey," Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot and European Affairs Minister Atzo Nicolai said in a letter to parliament.

The Netherlands wanted fears that Turkish workers will flood the bloc to be addressed, the letter said.

The country is home to some 350,000 Turks and the Dutch are increasingly hostile towards immigration, an issue that was magnified by last week's murder of an outspoken filmmaker by a suspected Islamic extremist.

The Netherlands also wants its demands on EU finances to be met given its fears that costs will spiral if poor Muslim countries join, the letter said. The country is the biggest net contributor to EU finances.

The Dutch government will chair a summit of EU leaders in December which is due to decide whether to launch membership negotiations with Turkey.

Member states were still discussing how to implement a proposal in October by the EU Commission that entry talks should start, but that an "emergency brake" could be triggered to halt them if Turkey backtracks on reform, the letter said.

Before talks could actually start, Turkey would have to implement several laws. EU leaders would also have to agree on measures to strictly control this implementation as well as the "emergency brake" procedures.

Issues that the Dutch want closely monitoring include Turkey's policies on torture and freedom of religion."

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