Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-06-24

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Sir Kieran Prendergast briefed the U.N. Security Council on his recent visit to Cyprus.

[02] The occupation regime extends the term of office of the so-called Compensations Committee for the occupied Greek Cypriot properties.

[03] Azeri State Minister visits Talat at his office in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] Dervis Eroglu: There is neither NUP nor Denktas Why do you not solved the Cyprus problem?

[05] The so-called attorney general stated that the Greek Cypriots will be punished for their actions regarding their occupied properties.

[06] A Greek Cypriot, Themistoklis Georgiou, has sought refuge in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[07] Reports that the JDP is heading for early elections. Erdogan against lowering the 10% threshold.

[08] The leader of the Nationalist Action Party on the early elections issue.

[09] Erdogan insists that the Turkish side is one step ahead in the Cyprus problem.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Sir Kieran Prendergast briefed the U.N. Security Council on his recent visit to Cyprus

In his report to the UN Security Council on his recent tour of Cyprus, Turkey and Greece, the UN envoy said he may agree that outsiders may be helpful in the process, but warned that it is the parties which must summon the vision, courage and political will needed for a settlement, by way of compromise, which would solve the problem.

Leaders have to lead, not just follow their supporters, Sir Kieran Prendergast said in his report, expressing the view that a settlement to the Cyprus problem will only be possible if the parties act towards each other in a way that conveys respect, understanding for one anothers concerns and a desire for an early settlement.

Reminding that the UN solution plan for Cyprus was overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriot side last year and approved with a big majority in the Turkish Cypriot side; Sir Kieran underlined the fact that the Annan Plan was fully in accordance with the vision of a settlement contained in Security Council Resolutions.

He also stressed that the Plan would have created a United Cyprus Republic with a Greek Cypriot constituent state and a Turkish Cypriot constituent state, linked by a federal government.

Launching an intensive new process prematurely would be inadvisable, and the Secretary General would reflect on the future of his mission of Good Offices, taking into account the Councils reaction to this assessment he said.

In his report, Sir Kieran also refers to the Greek Cypriot leaders remarks that he wished fresh negotiations to be held on the plans main issues without establishing a hierarchy, including governance, security, citizenship, residency, property, territory, economic and financial issues, transition periods and guarantees of implementation a list, he said, the Turk1sh Cypriot side would find daunting.

Sir Kieran Prendergast also underpins the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat s wish that the UN Security Council respond to the Secretary-Generals May 2004 Good Offices Report published after the referenda in the two sides on the island.

He also noted in his report that the lack of Council Response to the Turkish sides compromises had surprised not only the Turkish Cypriots but also the Secretary General himself.

He completes his report by saying the following: Depending on the evolution of events and attitudes on the island, it may become appropriate to consider appointing a Special Adviser, on a when-actually-employed basis, since only through negotiations between the two sides on the basis of the plan could - a settlement - be achieved.

[02] The occupation regime extends the term of office of the so-called Compensations Committee for the occupied Greek Cypriot properties

The term of office of the Compensation Committee for Immovable Properties, which was established with a law in 2003 as internal legal means before the ECHR for the properties that the Greek Cypriots left in the north, has been extended. According to the draft-law published in the official gazette, the time limit regarding the working period of the committee which ends on 30 June was lifted. The draft-law, which has been prepared on the grounds that the property issues are densely on the agenda and to give the opportunity to those who could not appeal to do so, will become a law and go into effect after it is approved in the Parliament. The relevant law bears the name Compensation for the Immovable Properties which are within the Borders of the `TRNC´ and come under Paragraph 4 of Article 159 of the Constitution. The chairman of the committee established in 2003 with the goal of finding a solution to the compensation or the exchange of the Greek Cypriot properties which are within the borders of the TRNC is Kutlu Fuat and his Deputy is Cetin Ugural. Sumer Erkmen, Oral Andiz, Erol Erozan, Aytekin Erin and Ozkan Yalcinkaya are members of the committee.

[03] Azeri State Minister visits Talat at his office in the occupied areas of Cyprus

The paper writes that the visit was realized yesterday at 17:30 at the so-called presidents office in the occupied part of Nicosia. Mr Ibrahimov was accompanied by an Azeri delegation.

[04] Dervis Eroglu: There is neither NUP nor Denktas Why do you not solved the Cyprus problem?

Mr Eroglu described the property issue as the most important problem of today. He said that the Greek Cypriots have passed to an all-out attack and he was concerned that a crisis might erupt.

Accusing the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) of deceiving the Turkish Cypriots that it wants a solution in order to rise to power, Mr Eroglu said: Where is the solution? There is neither Denktas, nor NUP Why do you not solve the problem?

Regarding the signing of the Ankara Protocol by Turkey, Mr Eroglu argued that in time the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus will be realized if Turkey puts its signature and Turkey will be considered an occupying force in Cyprus if measures are not taken.

[05] The so-called attorney general stated that the Greek Cypriots will be punished for their actions regarding their occupied properties

Noting that no arrest warrant was issued against Mr Aziz Kent, Mr Sait stated that Interpol is looking only for four persons who live in occupied Cyprus and these are: Kutsal Tokatlioglu, Akan Kursat, Gerry Rob and Tahir Soycan. He said that the Turkish Cypriot side has in its hands the related documents on the issue and that he forwarded these documents to the president and the prime minister. He noted that all these cases refer to property issue.

The so-called attorney general also claimed that the property issueis a political issue and therefore the Greek Cypriot Administration, as he said, will be given a punishment with the lawsuits on the issue. He also added that this subject is not something related to Interpols duties. It is not possible to implement the decisions taken and the court warrants, he claimed.

[06] A Greek Cypriot, Themistoklis Georgiou, has sought refuge in the occupied areas of Cyprus

His application for refuge will be evaluated later at the forthcoming Council of Ministers.

Speaking at a press conference later, Mr Themistoklis Georgiou complained of years of un-ending hardships hes confronted mostly at the hands of the Republic of Cyprus, including, total disregard of his health problems he developed after a work-place accident in the past.

According to BAYRAK, in an apparent disapproval of the action by DIKO representatives who refused to go ahead with a pre-planned visit to the Republican Turkish Party headquarters because there were Turkish and flags of the TRNC in the room; Mr Georgiou requested that Turkish and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus flags be put on the table, before he began his press conference.

Complaining that the poor and the financially weak are not being treated well in the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Georgiou alleged that the already insufficient level of social welfare payments were demanded back, citing a small piece of land and a small business he has. What Im asking of Mr Mehmet Ali Talat now, is for him, to provide me with a room for shelter, and a carob tree he said.

Commenting on the Greek Cypriot´s refuge to the occupied areas, AFRIKA newspaper (24.06.05) writes that Mr Georgiou´s statements are not clear and one cannot reach a safe conclusion on the reasons for his seeking asylum in the occupation regime.

On the one hand he says he is unemployed since 1974, and on the other, he states that he was employed in the buildings nineteen years ago when an iron tube felt on his head. However, he does not say what he suffered as a result of this incident, writes the paper.

AFRIKA stresses the following: The pleasure should be ours if the `TRNC´ now became a place where the Greeks may seek refuge to! In the past we were used to cases of persons seeking refuge from the North to the South and we are not yet used to the opposite happening.

[07] Reports that the JDP is heading for early elections. Erdogan against lowering the 10% threshold

JDP officials have reported that they will hold an assessment meeting with all its deputies on July 2, one day after Parliament's summer recess starts. The meeting was originally set to be held at the Ankara Bilkent Hotel but JDP deputy group spokesperson Salih Kapusuz stated yesterday that the meeting will now be held at Parliament. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to thank his deputies at the meeting and to ask them to go to their constituencies and start preparations, following a short holiday until July 15. Erdogan will tell the deputies to brief the public about how the JDP has kept in touch with the public's concerns, focusing their efforts in districts and constituencies chosen by the party.

The JDP central administration will appraise reports from both their headquarters and deputies regarding the public's support for the various political parties over the summer. The JDP is also expected to periodically hold public surveys to gauge the public's support for their party.

JDP officials went on to say that all deputies will gather in Kizilcahamam to attend a three-day meeting in September to discuss the party's projects. Following this meeting, there will be a major Cabinet reshuffle, which they hope will be later confirmed by the public through a vote. The JDP officials stated that they expect 80 percent of voters in a headscarf referendum to mark "yes" to changing the law. The officials also voiced their concerns that a referendum on the headscarf issue would cause serious divisions, backlashes, and even clashes among the public. Early elections are then a possibility at the end of the summer.

Moreover, Istanbul NTV television (23.06.05) broadcast that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed opposition to the proposal to lower the 10 percent election threshold. Reiterating the formula about being a Turkish parliamentarian, Erdogan said: Let us subject 450 out of the 550 parliamentarians at the Turkish Grand National Assembly to the 10 percent election threshold.

Attending the last lesson of the JDP [Justice and Development Party] Ankara Province Chairmanship Political Academy, Erdogan opposed the proposal to lower the 10 percent election threshold by saying: We need the election threshold for stability.

Erdogan said that if [100] deputies are accorded seats in parliament in accordance with the share of votes received by the parties [regardless of whether the parties cross the election threshold], all political parties will have the opportunity to be represented.

Referring to the discussion over political appointment, Erdogan said that he cannot keep an unsuccessful bureaucrat in office by force, and added: I will render accounts for this at the election squares. Erdogan also noted that the government removed from office some of the bureaucrats it appointed itself.

[08] The leader of the Nationalist Action Party on the early elections issue

Claiming that early elections are seen on the horizon, Bahceli stated that the JDP [Justice and Development Party], "whose political bankruptcy has become official," is trying every method in order to delay this end. Bahceli underlined that the JDP's efforts to delay this bankruptcy and its resistance will not achieve any results.

Bahceli emphasized that the recent behavior displayed by Erdogan and the JDP administrators should be viewed as "the reflection of the destruction that has been brought about in their souls due to sad exhaustion as well as the reflection of the fear of rendering accounts." Devlet Bahceli said: "Otherwise, there is no other way to explain why [Erdogan and the JDP administrators] issue complaints against their country abroad, humiliate their country abroad, denounce the press and the opposition parties abroad, view national sensitivities as sentiments that lag behind their times, and make efforts to introduce all those who sincerely express these sentiments as marginal groups."

Asserting that the EU is undergoing a serious political and institutional depression due to the recent crisis regarding the Constitution and that this will certainly have an impact on the expansion process, Bahceli said: "The rope that the JDP had desperately held has also broken and the JDP's political capital in this field has also been exhausted."

Also assessing Erdogan's visit to the United States, Mr Bahceli said: "It is necessary to see this visit as the reflection of the JDP's panic to survive with artificial support from the outside."

Bahceli stressed that Erdogan visited the United States in order "to confess his sins and to render accounts." "His appearance and the stand he adopted during the visit have humiliated the Turkish nation," said Bahceli, adding: "Regardless of what the prime minister has personally gained from the visit to the United States, Turkey has definitely lost its respectability as a result of this visit."

Recalling that early elections appear on Turkey's agenda and that Turkey has already begun to hold discussions on the presidential elections that will be held in 2007, Bahceli claimed that Erdogan and the JDP's spokesmen actually utter empty words and waste everyone's time when they announce --with distress and humiliation -- that this issue does not appear on their agenda. Bahceli continued as follows:

"Obviously, these issues excessively preoccupy the JDP, which is undergoing a panic attack. The JDP is preoccupied with these issues due to its fears related to its political future, rather than Turkey's future or interests. Erdogan sees the presidential post as his last shelter. Being aware that he is moving toward the end of his political career and knowing that the JDP has entered the process of disintegration, Erdogan is trying to at least rescue himself. And therefore the presidential elections are a matter of life and death for him. Erdogan is not concerned about whether or not Turkey is being governed properly. If he is elected president, he will have an armour that protects him. His desire to have political power in one way or another is the only thing that directs him.

"It will not be surprising if the prime minister, who understands that early elections are inevitable, holds these elections at the most convenient time and under the most suitable conditions for himself. Neither will it be surprising if he enforces a constitutional amendment that will enable him to escape to the post of presidency."

Bahceli claimed that the JDP does not intend to resolve the Islamic headgear issue with a referendum, adding: "The JDP administrators once again want to use the headscarf issue as political material for the comprehensive and rooted constitutional amendments that they intend to make for the sake of their political future. They aim to pursue policies over the headscarf and to exploit this issue which they use as décor. This will never change."

Underlining that "Erdogan should stop complaining about the headscarf issue during his meetings with EU and US officials and using this issue as political material," Bahceli stressed that "Erdogan should also try to stand behind the promises he made to the Turkish nation," adding that this is the meaning and requirement of principled politics.

Explaining that the stones have been moved from their places in politics, Bahceli claimed that early elections are therefore Turkey's only recipe for liberation, adding: "To be in favor of holding elections at the beginning of 2007 with the hope that this period will further wear out the JDP will mean deliberately throwing this country's future into the fire." In answer to a question regarding the allegations that the grave of former NAP Chairman Alparslan Turkes was opened, Bahceli said: "Every drop of Turkes' ideas, opinions, and body was entrusted to the idealist movement."

[09] Erdogan insists that the Turkish side is one step ahead in the Cyprus problem

Speaking at a meeting, the Turkish Prime Minister referred to the Cyprus Problem and Turkeys bid to join the European Union, pointing to the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side is no longer perceived as the intransigent side in the Cyprus problem.

We are one step ahead of the Greek Cypriots and we are continuing our path in an honourable way he said, adding that all necessary steps set according to the principles and deadlines of the European Union are being taken.

/SK

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