Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-07-06

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

[A] NEWS ITESM

[01] AKEL and RTP agreed on exerting efforts towards the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan Plan.

[02] JDP Government allocates 3.5 million NTL to built 12 mosques in the occupied area.

[03] METU Northern Cyprus Campus will be opened in September in the occupied area of Cyprus.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[04] Turkish Cypriot columnist says that 50 thousand persons will become registered workers and stay in the occupied areas for many years.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] AKEL and RTP agreed on exerting efforts towards the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the Annan Plan

As the paper writes, the aim of the efforts that will be exerted by the two parties is the Turkish Cypriots yes not be reversed, and, at the same time, the Greek Cypriot people to turn to yes as regards the Annan Plan.

The leaders of the two parties, Mr Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Mr Dimitris Christofias, respectively, met at the AKEL headquarters in Lefkosia to take up the Cyprus problem and other issues.

Mr Christofias, and Mr Soyer, speaking at a press conference after the meeting, stated that they have a common objective and this is to promote yes. Our duty is that the two sides in Cyprus with complete peace and comfort to say yes and to reach a solution plan, they stressed. The two leaders, who sent the message that a solution must be found as soon as possible in Cyprus, also stated that holding regular meetings between them would be useful as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

The paper notes that Mr Soyer answering questions about a comment he had made as regards resemblance between President Papadopoulos and the former military dictatorship Agusto Pinochet in Chile, claimed that his words had been misinterpreted. He said that he did not compare President Papadopoulos to Pinochet, but he tried to explain how the fact that the United Nations recognized only one side in Cyprus was neither just nor legal. I have mentioned Chili as an example, he said.

In addition, as Turkish Cypriot daily VATAN newspaper wrote, Mr Soyer stated that the Greek Cypriot administration, as he called the Republic of Cyprus, is not the Turkish Cypriots Government.

[02] JDP Government allocates 3.5 million NTL to built 12 mosques in the occupied area

The paper reports that the demand for building new mosques is due to the fact that in the Annan Plan it is envisaged that churches which were turned into mosques after 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation will be returned to the Greek Cypriot Church.

The so-called Turkish envoy to the occupied area, Aydan Karahan said that building mosques in the occupied area is not a new element. He also said: Since 1974 our brethrens were holding their prayers here, in churches which were turned into mosques. When the return of old churches, according to the Annan Plan, was on the agenda, this gave certain signal to the Turks. The villagers, started demanding mosques, calculations showed that building a new mosque is more suitable than restoring a church. All the new mosques will be built in the villages.

Following are the names of the occupied villages where 12 new mosques are planned to be built: Kapouti, Sirianochori, Eptakomi, Yialousa, Livera, Ortakoyu, Monarga, Lefkoniko, Ay. Amvrosios, Flamoudi, Marathovouno, and Chartiza.

[03] METU Northern Cyprus Campus will be opened in September in the occupied area of Cyprus

METU Northern Cyprus Campus will become fully operational by 19 September 2005. At a first stage, it will accept 500 students to a total of eight undergraduate programs. By 2015, METU Northern Cyprus Campus will be offering a full spectrum of degree programs and will have reached an enrolment of 5,000 students.

The Dean of the METU Northern Cyprus Campus, Prof. Dr. Ahmer Acar with the members of the administration board paid yesterday a visit to the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Prof. Dr. Acar said that the duty of METU Northern Cyprus Campus is to be the centre of the islands development and its opening to the international platform. He also asked the support of Mr Talat, adding that they will try to repeat the success of METU in Ankara.

Mr Talat, on his behalf, said that METU Northern Cyprus Campus will be a source for life in the area.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[04] Turkish Cypriot columnist says that 50 thousand persons will become registered workers and stay in the occupied areas for many years

Describing the situation after the law came into force, Mr Duzgun writes, inter alia, the following: In the past ships have been emptied and hundreds of unqualified workers entered the TRNC under the name of tourists. Now the ships are filled at the Kyrenia harbour and thousand of tourists are trying to leave the TRNC. It seems that the most important reason for their return is the high penalties with which the illegal workers will be fined.

However, it is true that the situation that will be created right after these positive steps is fraught with dangers. What are these dangers?

I think that there is no other community in the world like the Turkish Cypriots, with the population and the demographic structure of whom so many plots were played. Great and many problems occurred in the past because the citizenship was distributed haphazardly to all who came, before the integration of the population brought into the island since 1975 as work force in the agriculture to be completed. I think that there is no other country in the world that has so bad citizenship regime. The council of ministers can grant citizenship when it likes and give the citizenship to as many foreigners as it likes without taking into consideration any rules or regulations.

Even during before the last elections the National Unity Party tried to make thousand of persons, citizens and voters. We remember that in the past even the artists who visited the officials were given the citizenship. In parallel to this, those, who work in the country for five years after having acquired permission, get the right of citizenship. It is no secret that in this situation thousands of persons were continuously visiting the ministries in order to get their rights. Something else that is not a secret is that the council of ministers behaves very unproductively on the issue of making new citizens. Today there is no danger, but what will the situation of those who have been registered with the new laws and get the right of the TRNC citizenship within five years be? According to statements repeatedly made by the honourable minister, there is no such problem because no one will be given the citizenship. If it happens like the hounarable minister said, will there not be coming another problem onto the agenda? In the whole world the foreigners that lived legally five years in a country are given citizenship. In Europe they go further and even the issue of giving the legal inhabitants the right to vote in the local elections is coming onto the agenda. What could be done in such a situation?

During the last two months 25 thousand persons were registered, secured work permit and became legal. During the last four days about 10 thousand persons abandoned the TRNC and went to Turkey. Experts are saying that a significant part of these persons will return with their passports and apply for registration. It seems that 50 thousand persons will become registered workers and work for many years in the TRNC. What will be done when the time comes and these 50 thousand persons want to become citizens? Has the government an answer on this issue or has it considered this issue? Will this time other and more serious problems be caused while we say let us register the illegal workers? We could ask more and more questions. The solution is making more hard regulations for the laws regarding the citizenship. .

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