Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-11-08

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat and Uzun commented on the Financial Aid regulation.

[02] Ecevit: "What Talat did is tactlessness".

[03] The occupation regime is still not permitting enough number of teachers to work in the Greek Cypriot gymnasium at Rizokarpasso.

[04] The cultural heritage of Cyprus is still being destroyed in the occupied areas of the island.

[05] Self-styled Minister of Economy and Tourism will attend a tourism fair in UK.

[06] Turkey's authorities did not give permission to a German plane departing from Pafos to land in a Turkish airport.

[07] Onur air flights end.

[08] The President of PACE will visit Turkey.

[09] Group in Belgium expresses concern over Abdullah-Ocalan´s health.

[10] One Greek Cypriot is among the 1172 persons who are in the Turkish prisons.

[11] Turkish Cypriot daily GUNES: Is it towards common football league?

[12] Turkey's National handball team in the occupied area.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat and Uzun commented on the Financial Aid regulation

Commenting on the issue, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said the EU's Financial Aid regulation cannot be applied, as long as the stance of the Greek Cypriots is being tolerated. He also added that the Greek Cypriots are trying to prevent the Turkish Cypriot economy from benefiting from the EU's financial Aid regulation and that they are exerting efforts so that financial aid is granted with their permission.

Mr Talat said a mechanism that would lay any kind of foundation for the Turkish Cypriots is being denied by the Greek Cypriots, adding that this is one of the latest obstacles that the Greek Cypriot side is throwing up.

Noting that Turkish Cypriots know that the Greek Cypriots will postpone approval of the regulation, Mr Talat said discussion could revolve around whether this would be called postponement or veto, but the result would be the same.

Mr Talat said that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to prevent the Turkish Cypriots from becoming beneficiaries of this aid and added: "All their efforts are this. Because of this, our words, 'Financial Aid and Direct Trade regulations are interdependent. If the Direct Trade is not approved then it would be difficult for the financial aid to be implemented', are being affirmed with their stance". Mr Talat said that for this reason, the Greek Cypriots are blocking the financial aid package without direct trade because they do not want the strengthening of the Turkish Cypriot economy.

Mr Talat concluded that the EU mechanism, which would approve the regulation, is the COREPER and the EU Council. For this reason, discussions would continue and the Turkish Cypriot side would insist on the simultaneous approval of both regulations.

Moreover, the self-styled Minister of Finance Ahmet Uzun is in Brussels and is holding contacts with EU officials, in order to find ways to channel the 259 million Euro aid package for the Turkish Cypriots.

Mr Uzun said that he will continue his contacts intensively and that in his talks with EU officials so far, details were discussed on finding ways of using the financial aid and added: "Our priority is projects that would benefit the Turkish Cypriots: the raising of the ports' standards, the support of tourism and infrastructure projects."

Replying to a question, Mr Uzun said that the Turkish Cypriot side has not changed its policy regarding the two regulations and that he conveyed his views during the meeting with the EU officials. Mr Uzun also added: "However, the possibility of the two regulations not being separated will gradually disappear. If EU prefers that the Financial Aid regulation be applied alone, then we must be ready, we must describe our priorities".

The paper reported that in case the Financial Aid regulation is not approved by December 31st, the Turkish Cypriot side will lose the first portion of the 259 million euro, which is 120 million euro.

(DPs)

[02] Ecevit: "What Talat did is tactlessness"

(MHY)

[03] The occupation regime is still not permitting enough number of teachers to work in the Greek Cypriot gymnasium at Rizokarpasso

The students stated that their boycott would last for an indefinite period of time in case the teachers are not appointed until Monday.

School officials said that fifteen teachers were working at the school, that they needed eight more teaches and that they were expecting the approval from the self-styled ministry of foreign affairs in the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

"Officials" from the above-mentioned self-styled ministry told KIBRIS that they were still evaluating the application made regarding the appointment of teachers at the Greek Cypriot gymnasium of Rizokarpasso.

I/Ts.

[04] The cultural heritage of Cyprus is still being destroyed in the occupied areas of the island

The paper notes that the church belongs to the Middle Ages. The identity of the treasure hunters has not yet been known.

Residents of the area said that they informed the "Antiquities and Museums Department" and the "police", through the so-called municipality of the occupied part of Nicosia, but the tomb has not yet been closed.

The paper adds, inter alia, the following:

"...Foreigners who visit the monastery are amazed and take the picture of the hole that had been dug and the stones of the medieval tomb.

The picture of a woman and some writings in Latin are engraved on the stone of the tomb, which belongs to the 15th century. This destruction at the Armenian Church is showing once more the crime against the antiquities in northern Cyprus".

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily ORTAM newspaper (08.11.05) reports that a historical building which is at the main square of occupied Kythrea is facing the danger of collapsing because of the lack of care. The roof of the building, which is named "Osmanli Saray" (Ottoman Palace) by the Turks, is in very bad situation, the rain leaks into the building and a part of the supplementary buildings has already collapsed.

The main building is currently used for courses for women living in Kythrea and Trachoni, but its situation is also bad. The top floor is used as a library and it is very moist, notes ORTAM adding that the yard of the building is full of ruins and garbage.

I/Ts.

[05] Self-styled Minister of Economy and Tourism will attend a tourism fair in UK

According to the paper, the self-styled Minister of Economy and Tourism, Mr Dervis Kemal Deniz and his undersecretary, Mr Mehmet Basel, will attend the tourist fair.

(DPs)

[06] Turkey's authorities did not give permission to a German plane departing from Pafos to land in a Turkish airport

The pilot of the German charter flight, in response to Turkish officials who said, "first, you should land to Rodos, in order to be able to continue to Dalaman", preferred to fly directly to Stuttgart.

Some political circles claimed that the reason that the above-mentioned plane wanted to land directly from Pafos to Dalaman could be a trap by the "Greek Cypriot administration" in order to test whether Turkish air and sea ports are opened to aircraft and ships departing directly from the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus, the paper reported.

(DPs)

[07] Onur air flights end

"Onur Airways, the troubled flight carrier for TWI holidays cancelled their UK to Ercan operation on the 31st of October, it was revealed to the Cyprus Times today. A spokesperson for TWI said that all passengers who flew in with Onur will be transferred to Cyprus Turkish Airlines as from the lst of November. Spokesperson for TWI London office Nejat Ibrahim revealed, `the route was no longer financially viable for TWI to charter as sometimes the plane would be over three quarters empty during off season creating losses for the company´. All customers expecting to fly back with the airline have been asked to submit their flight reference so that the new flight can be arranged back to the UK with Cyprus Turkish Airlines. Onur Air was in the news over the summer when its fleet was grounded in Germany, Holland and Belgium for safety concerns leading to an intervention by the Turkish Prime Minister to plea with the European authorities to lift the ban. This is the second private airline to cease its UK to Ercan operations following the bankruptcy of Istanbul airlines in the 1990´s. This now leaves Cyprus Turkish Airlines (CTA) as the only air carrier to operate flights from the UK to the TRNC (occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus). Consumer watchdogs and media are warning CTA not to abuse the monopoly of the air route by hiking prices and dictating what and where travel routes will be permitted in the future. It is also believed that Pegasus airlines, a Turkish carrier owned by mainland oligarch Sabanci family, will begin to charter flights to and from the UK in the coming 2006 summer season".

[08] The President of PACE will visit Turkey

"Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) President Rene van der Linden will pay a formal visit to Turkey between November 9th and 13th.

Linden will meet Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc on Wednesday. He will address deputies at Parliamentary General Assembly and meet Yasar Yakis, chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Adjustment.

Linden will also have a meeting with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal the same day.

Linden will meet Religious Affairs Director Prof. Dr. Ali Bardakoglu on Thursday. Later, Linden will have a meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

After his meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, PACE President will hold a press conference in Ankara.

Linden will depart from Turkey on Sunday."

[09] Group in Belgium expresses concern over Abdullah-Ocalan´s health

"Speaking at the press conference they held in Brussels, a group of individuals disclosed that a letter has been conveyed to EU Commissioner Olli Rehn, expressing concern over terrorist chieftain Abdullah Ocalan's health. Selahattin Demirtas, leader of the Human Rights Association branch in Diyarbakir, Nazmi Gur, Deputy leader of DEHAP [Democratic People's Party], and a number of Belgian politicians participated in the convocation. They focused on the Accession Partnership Document and the EU progress report, which the EU Commission will disclose on Wednesday, and claimed that the EU must "find a more daring formula for the Kurdish problem."

[10] One Greek Cypriot is among the 1172 persons who are in the Turkish prisons

According to the statistics prepared by the relevant department of the Ministry of Justice for the first seven months of 2005, among the prisoners in Turkish prisons are 251 persons from Iran, 102 from Syria, 99 from Bulgaria, 69 from Azerbaijan, 63 from Georgia, 58 from Iraq, 54 from Romania, 40 from Germany, 33 from Afghanistan, 30 from Tanzania, 25 from Ukraine, 24 from Moldova, 21 from Nigeria, 19 from Albania, 17 from FYROM and Holland, 15 from Morocco and Russia, 14 from Somalia, 13 from Poland, 11 from Ghana and Tunisia, 10 from Yugoslavia, 9 from Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Palestine, 8 from Austria, Armenia, Lebanon and Greece, 6 from the USA and Egypt, 5 from Uzbekistan and Mauritania, 4 from Britain and France, 3 from Cyprus etc. The two are from the occupied areas of the island and the one is Greek Cypriot.

I/Ts.

[11] Turkish Cypriot daily GUNES: Is it towards common football league?

The paper claims that the UEFA is inclined to solve the football issue in Cyprus through establishing "a common league". It adds that the UEFA has speeded up its work towards this end following a meeting between Cyprus Football Federation officials and the so-called Turkish Cypriot Football Federation where both sides were warm to the `common league´ idea.

The paper goes on and reports that Sener Erzik sent a special message to Niyazi Okutan and asked him to prepare proposals, translate them into English and send them to him until 14 November.

GUNES further reports that the football issue in the occupied area, will be taken up on 14 November meeting in Istanbul.

The paper claims that on 14 November a representative from the UEFA will be arriving in Istanbul and most probably Niyazi Okutan as well will go to Istanbul on that date.

(MHY)

[12] Turkey's National handball team in the occupied area

The match will take place in the Ataturk´s Sports Hall in the occupied Nicosia.

The paper reports that preparation for the "historic" match has already started.

(MHY)

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