Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-05-10

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Prime Minister's statement on the meeting with President Papadopoulos and Kofi Annan.

[02] The spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticizes the Greek Cypriots who try to defend their human rights violated by the occupation army.

[03] Gul says Turkey is ready to sign the Additional Protocol when the EU will be ready.

[04] The Report that made Ankara angry.

[05] The new Turkish Cypriot so-called prime minister accuses President Papadopoulos of having fascistic mentality.

[06] Serdar Denktas sets the time limit for a solution.

[07] The British Ambassador to Ankara reportedly said that Turkey fulfilled its duties regarding the Cyprus problem.

[08] A "Legal Committee" has been established at the so-called Presidency.

[09] The so-called coalition government will discuss with the opposition political parties the property issue.

[10] The Commanders of the occupation army and the illegal ambassador met with Rauf Denktas in his new office.

[11] So-called Compensation Committees have started to operate in the occupied areas.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Prime Minister's statement on the meeting with President Papadopoulos and Kofi Annan

When asked to comment on his meeting with President Papadopoulos in the presence of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Moscow, Erdogan said: "During the tripartite meeting with esteem Kofi Annan and esteem Papadopoulos, Mr Annan had himself said that as regards the referendum held after the Burgenstock meeting and the process after that had remained behind and that a new process could be started. I have noticed that the South Cyprus is not looking negatively to this process and also I noticed that bearing in mind the previews statements, it is approaching positively in putting into action such process".

Today's Turkish Cypriot newspapers, in their front leader pages, cover the above tripartite meeting as follows:

* KIBRIS: "The light of hope for a solution"

* YENIDUZEN: "The meeting of Erdogan-Annan-Papadopoulos. A surprise meeting."

* AFRIKA: "A surprise meeting in Moscow"

* VATAN: "Light in the Cyprus negotiations from Moscow!..."

* KIBRISLI: "A surprise meeting in Moscow"

* VOLKAN: "Scandal: Erdogan surrendered to Papadopoulos"

* HALKIN SESI: "Light of hope for the negotiation's procedure!"

* GUNES: "What abnormality is this; Erdogan met with Tassos prior to meeting with Talat".

* CUMHURIYET: "Unbelievable, but unfortunately true! Erdogan: 'I saw that South Cyprus does not adopt a negative approach on this'."

[02] The spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticizes the Greek Cypriots who try to defend their human rights violated by the occupation army

Tan held a weekly press conference today (May 9th).

Answering a question on individual property cases filed by the Greek Cypriots who were forced by the Turkish occupation army to abandon their homes and live in tents for years, Tan said: " The Greek Cypriot side is taking steps away from a solution with such initiatives."

Noting that they believed that a fair and comprehensive solution within the scope of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's good offices mission should be found to the Cyprus issue, Tan underlined that Annan called on the international community to lift isolations imposed on the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", as the Turkish Republic called the areas of the Republic of Cyprus under the occupation of 40,000 troops. "We expect these calls to be fulfilled as soon as possible," Tan added.

[03] Gul says Turkey is ready to sign the Additional Protocol when the EU will be ready

[04] The Report that made Ankara angry

"The joint work being carried out by the Centre for European Security Services (CESS) and the Turkish, Eurasian Strategic Research Centre (ESRC) for preparing a report, which was going to be used by the EU Commission as reference for arranging civilian - military relations in Turkey, gave way to a crisis. When the Europeans in the final part of the report, have included the view that the Office of the Chief of the General Staff, (OCGS) be under the Turkish Ministry of National Defence (MND), the ESRC withdrew from the working group an 28 April 2005.

The "Final Report of the Civilian-Military relations in Turkey prepared by the working group which was financed by the Dutch foreign Ministry was made up of civilians and Army officers, was completed in February.

The Chairman of the working group, former Dutch Defence Minister Win Wan Eekelen, without paying attention to the Turkish side's views, has included the proposal that the Turkish OCGS be under the Turkish MND. In its objection, against this development the Turkish ESRC said: In the report there are issues, which were not discussed, and decided. In this form the report cannot be accepted. This cannot be the report that we jointly prepared.

Upon this development the CESS had gave a briefing to the ESRC with the following heading: Civilian-Military relations in Britain, France, Germany, Holland, FYROM and Turkey. At the briefing it was conveyed to ESRC that in all the countries, with the exception of Turkey, the OCGS are under the national defence ministries and that the headquarters at the MND have the capability of taking major and operational decisions. To this the ESRC replied that it was wrong to make comparison regarding Turkey's security structure.

Subtitle: You have to adjust yourself

Upon the Turkish side's objection, the CESS side said and warned boldly: The EU is a club. If you want to enter to this club, you have to adjust yourself to these rules. In their turn the ESRC members replied: "There are no conditions that Turkey should enter EU, entry to EU is an issue of choice, and not a condition". Despite the fact that there was a pledge that the Turkish side's views shall be taken into consideration, when the final report arrived in Ankara, it was realised that nothing has been changed from the CESS views. The report will be published today.

Subtitle: "The report was going to be submitted to the EU"

The report, which caused crisis, carries major importance because it was going to be submitted to the EU. The Commission, which prepared the progress reports, was going to use this report as reference, as regards the road map of the steps that Ankara should take on the civilian-military relations. Similar works are being carried out with other candidate countries.

Following are the names included in the Group: Turkish side: Retired Major General Armagan Kuloglu, retired general Edip Baser, Prof. Nilufer Narli. Dr Mustafa Sahin, Prof. Ali Karaosmanoglu, Prof. Ahmet Evin, Prof. Metin Heper, Prof. Ersin Kalaycioglu, Prof. Haluk Kabaalioglu, retired naval staff colonel Yilmaz Aklar, Prof. Uskun Erguder.

European side: Former Dutch Defence Minister Win Wan Eekelen, Prof. Peter Votten, and Prof. William Hale, Prof. Erik Jan Zurcher, Jack Petri, Jan Dirk Blaauw, Gareth Jeankis, Michael Lake, Jan Folmer, Dr. David Greenwood, Dr Sami Faltas, Jos Boonstra, Merign Hartog and Dutch embassy's Military Attaché Colonel Ritske Blomendaal.

Subtitle: The report will be exploited

The co-chairman of the working group, retired major-general Armagan Kuloglu, in a statement to MILLIYET newspaper made the following evaluation: "The reason we have withdrawn from the working group is that it is considered that since the report was going to be nothing but a one-sided document, that it was going to give way to unnecessary speculations, that it was going to be exploited by some circles and that it was not going to be useful for the EU policy-makers to channel them to right path.

[05] The new Turkish Cypriot so-called prime minister accuses President Papadopoulos of having fascistic mentality

In statements yesterday before the first meeting of his "council of ministers", Mr Soyer said that the solution of the Cyprus problem was important not only for the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots but for the peoples of Turkey, Greece and Europe as well.

Mr Soyer continued:

"...Therefore, I would like to send a message from here to all the leaders and the peoples of Europe: Let them not tolerate the Turkish Cypriot people to be left outside (of Europe) because of the ultra nationalist views of the dominant understanding of Papadopoulos which 60 years ago caused the war and the end of which was ensured at this point. I want to underline that the dominant understanding of Papadopoulos is contrary to the basic principles of Europe and similar to the ultra nationalist tendencies that steeped Europe in blood and caused pain to all the peoples. ...".

[06] Serdar Denktas sets the time limit for a solution

In statements yesterday during a press conference at the so-called ministry of foreign affairs and defense of the regime, Mr Denktas claimed that the Annan Plan was not perfect for the Turkish Cypriots and that the Turkish Cypriot side will exert efforts towards the direction of improving some issues in the new plan to be presented.

During the press conference, Mr Denktas informed the journalists about the contacts he had last week in Qatar and evaluated the latest developments regarding the Cyprus problem.

Referring to the issues on which the stance of the Turkish side could be re-evaluated, Mr Denktas said that they had for example accepted the re-evaluation of the presence of the Turkish army in the island every three years after Turkey becomes a full member of the EU and added that a step backwards will be made on this issue because of the "negative stance" of the Greek Cypriot side.

Referring to the issue of the possible appointment of a Turkish Cypriot representative, Mr Denktas noted: "There is no decision taken at this moment on this issue. However, it could be necessary. We shall be exerting a great effort on the issue of going to every place that the Greek Cypriot side goes and convey our views. The Greek Cypriots will nowhere be alone anymore. ...".

Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot daily CYPRUS TIMES (10.05.05), alleging that the Greek Cypriot side is using delaying tactics, Mr Denktas gave a deadline of two years to the Greek Cypriots for finding a solution. In case a solution is not found "the northern Cyprus has to set forward its own solution and exert efforts in this direction", he argued adding that the structure of the solution the Turkish Cypriots will put forward in case an agreement is not reached with the Greek Cypriots is: "integration with the world with the current state of affairs, but not dependent on the Greeks, but rather independent from them. This of course is nothing but the continuation of the TRNC".

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (10.05.05) reports that Mr Denktas said that the efforts of the Turkish Cypriots in the countries members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) began to give results and claimed that the Greek Cypriots are in a state of panic because of this. The paper alleges that "while the EU and the USA are using delaying tactics, the hope of the Turkish Cypriots is reposed in the countries members of the OIC".

[07] The British Ambassador to Ankara reportedly said that Turkey fulfilled its duties regarding the Cyprus problem

Noting that Turkey should speed up its reform process, Mr Westmacott also said that Britain would assume the role of the term presidency in the European Union and that Turkey has some positive expectations accordingly. "What you have to do must be done on time. During our term presidency, we have to be objective. Therefore, there should not be great pressure put on Britain," said Mr Westmacott.

[08] A "Legal Committee" has been established at the so-called Presidency

Mr Pertev also noted that the matter, which is on the agenda, is the summonses that send the Turkish Cypriots to the courts of the Republic of Cyprus.

[09] The so-called coalition government will discuss with the opposition political parties the property issue

According to an announcement issued by the so-called Presidency, the so-called

President Mehmet Ali Talat called for a meeting today. The so-called Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the so-called deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas, the leader of the National Unity Party Dervis Eroglu, the leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement, Mr Mustafa Akinci as well as political party officials will participate in the meeting.

At this first meeting the "coalition government" will meet with the representatives of the opposition political parties in the "assembly". The matters that will be discussed are the latest developments on the Cyprus problem including the issue of property.

[10] The Commanders of the occupation army and the illegal ambassador met with Rauf Denktas in his new office

The paper also reports that the so-called ambassador of the country holding Cyprus occupied for 31 years, Mr Aydan Karahan, also met with Rauf Denktas, in what the paper calls courtesy visits.

[11] So-called Compensation Committees have started to operate in the occupied areas

"The first applications by Greek Cypriots to receive compensation for properties in the north that they were forced to abandon, have been made to the commission that was formed recently, and it is expected that these applications will be resolved in the months ahead. No information about the identities or number of the applying Greek Cypriots was divulged.

On the other hand, the bureau that will handle the restitution for Turkish Cypriots concerning properties in the south started operating today and accepted its first applications.

Hatice Sadik who is at present living in the UK made the first application to the bureau this morning. Sadik lodged a complaint through her son Huseyin Sadik concerning two separate properties in the village of Polemidhia, one of which was expropriated for road construction and the other, which was used for constructing a house.

The Bureau for Turkish Property in the south has been set up in the same building as the Commission for the Compensation of Immovable Property opposite the courts in Nicosia, and is attached to the Attorney General's office. The Bureau will be administered by State Prosecutor Gulser Akanyeti, and will employ the services of solicitors Zeki Bayram, Ergin Ulunay and Gursel Kadri to follow proceedings in south Cyprus.

Attorney General Akin Sait held a press conference at his office today to announce the incorporation of the bureau and also gave information concerning the activities of the Commission for the Compensation of Immovable Property abandoned by Greek Cypriots in the north.

"All Turkish Cypriots that feel they have endured injustice due to property they had to abandon in the south will be able to apply to the bureau by simply filling out a form concerning their title deeds", Sait stated.

The Attorney General further explained that Turkish Cypriots would also be able to apply to the bureau concerning compensation for movable assets such as stocks and company shares they abandoned after 1974.

The bureau will conduct investigations on behalf of the applicants and request compensation from the Greek Authority. All expenses will be covered by the state", Sait added.

Over the past two years it has been determined that approximately 600 properties have been expropriated.

Attorney General Akin Ait stated that the first applications for resolving the issue of Greek properties in the north through either compensation or exchange have been accepted. Despite persistent questions from the press, Sait refused to divulge any information concerning the identities or number of Greek Cypriots that have applied to the commission.

Akin Said said: "Greek Cypriots that apply to the commission are being threatened in the south and they are being prevented from entering the north. That is why we are resolute in not giving out names".

"Applications made by Greek Cypriots will be investigated and decided within a few months of the application," stated Sait, adding that it was a legal obligation to pay the settled amount within one month of the decision.

When asked how the necessary resources for compensation would be found, Sait responded: "This is matter for the state. If the state thought it would be unable to find the necessary resource, the state wouldn't have prepared such legislation".

"After 1974, these properties were expropriated, but the owners were not paid", said Sait. And when confronted with the fact that it is in breach of the constitution to pay compensation for loss of use concerning expropriated property, Akin Sait replied: "I respect this opinion but don't agree with it. There was no demand at the time of expropriation; the request is recent and will be paid now. The time lapsed will be made up for".

According to applicable legislation, Greek Cypriots can apply for compensation or the exchange of land they abandoned in the north by paying a 100 Million TL application fee to the Commission for the compensation of Immovable Property".

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