Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-02-09

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Soyer visited the power station near occupied Klepini. The damaged unit to start operation next Sunday.

[02] Nami and Tacoy were received by the President of the European Parliament in Brussels.

[03] Statements by Mr Talat on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem.

[04] The Speaker of the TGNA met his Azerbaijani counterpart.

[05] The Turkish Foreign Minister met with his Moldovan counterpart.

[06] The National Unity Party continues to challenge the Property Law.

[07] The Turkish occupation army ignores Talat regarding Turkish Cypriot journalist.

[08] Turkish Cypriot daily assesses the contacts of Mr Bryza.

[09] Namik Tan says that the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from Cyprus is now a non-realistic expectation.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET on Mr Talat´s statement for Turkish troops withdrawal from Cyprus.

[11] Columnist in Turkish Cypriot paper argues that Mr Talat put off the mask and openly supports two states solution.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Soyer visited the power station near occupied Klepini. The damaged unit to start operation next Sunday

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer visited the Teknecik power plant this morning to inspect the repair work that has been going on at the plant since the 16th of January.

Mr Soyer was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Huseyin Oztoprak and the Director of the Cyprus Turkish Electricity Department Fuat Mertay.

During the visit, Mr Soyer was briefed on the work being carried out at the plant.

Speaking during the visit, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer thanked personnel for their efforts and said that problems being faced at the plant were caused by structural disorders that have been continuing for years.

He expressed the need for a spare power plant and a power distribution centre to overcome the difficulties being faced.

On the same issue Turkish Cypriot YENIDUZEN newspaper (09.02.06) reports that the damaged unit will resume operation on Sunday 12 February.

[02] Nami and Tacoy were received by the President of the European Parliament in Brussels

Members of the Parliament, Ozdil Nami and Hasan Tacoy have met the President of the European Parliament Joseph Borrell at his office this morning in Brussels. The meeting is the first of its kind.

During the meeting, Mr Borell and `TRNC´ parliamentarians exchanged views on the Cyprus problem.

The two MPies reminded Mr Borell that promises had been made to the Turkish Cypriot people for the lifting of embargoes on it, and complained that they were still inforce.

The two men also asked the Parliaments support for the approval of the Financial Assistance and Direct Trade Regulations prepared by the European Commission with the aim of helping the Turkish Cypriot economy.

For his part, Mr Borell said he knew the difficulties being faced in Cyprus very well and that he will again pay a visit to the island. Mr Borell expressed his readiness to help the Turkish Cypriots.

Yesterday, the two MPies attended the meeting of the European Parliaments High Level Contact Group.

During the meeting, views were expressed by members of the Group in support of improving relations with the Turkish Cypriot people and in support of the continuation of the efforts towards keeping the promises made to the Turkish Cypriot people to maintain their trust to the European Union.

[03] Statements by Mr Talat on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem

President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that the Greek Cypriot Administration will be forced to return to the negotiating table.

Speaking during a visit paid to him today, Mr Talat pointed out that positive results of the Action Plan prepared on Cyprus by Turkey will be seen in time, adding that the Leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Tassos Papadopoulos will have to sit at the negotiating table in face of pressure from the international community.

The President also announced that he expressed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus full support to the Action Plan in a letter he sent to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The President said that the Plan was broadly welcomed by the international community - including the European Union as a new attempt to end the current deadlock being faced on the Cyprus problem.

Mr Talat said that the Greek Cypriot Administration which is a member of the European Union and has responsibility to work towards ending the current deadlock being faced- has been acting as if it is unaware of the existence of the Cyprus problem.

The President complained that the main aim of the Greek Cypriot Side was to get control of the north of the island by osmosis, and that instead of working towards a solution, the Greek Cypriot Administration was trying to cover up the problem.

He said Mr Papadopoulos will understand that he has to sit at the negotiating table, warning that otherwise the division of the island will become permanent and lead to unexpected negative developments.

President Talat also said that Turkeys Action Plan will open the way for a solution in Cyprus, adding that it brought together the responsibilities of Ankara towards the European Union and responsibilities of the Union towards the Turkish Cypriot people.

(Tr. Note: The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the regime set up by the Turkish Republic in the territories of the Republic of Cyprus occupied by 40,000 Turkish troops since 1974, preventing 200,000 Greek Cypriots from returning to their homes and properties).

[04] The Speaker of the TGNA met his Azerbaijani counterpart

Holding a joint news conference with Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Oktay Asadov today, Arinc said that they discussed political, economic and cultural issues which concerned the two countries at their meetings.

Arinc said he expressed Turkey's pleasure over the democratization process in Azerbaijan, and added that they exchanged views about the common steps that could be taken for peaceful settlement of Upper Karabakh problem.

''Turkey wishes peaceful resolution of the problem within respect to territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and in line with the principles of international law. We told our Azerbaijani counterpart once again that we are ready to do our utmost for installation and maintenance of the lasting peace in the South Caucasus,'' Arinc said.

Arinc also expressed pleasure over the support of Azerbaijan to end isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

Arinc said both sides also confirmed the common resolution to increase the trade volume between the two sides, adding that ''both countries want opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas project as soon as possible. We also referred to the importance of realization of Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project.''

Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Oktay Asadov said in his part that Azerbaijani parliament wanted to benefit from the experience of the Turkish parliament in all fields. Asadov stressed the importance of increasing commercial relations with Turkey.

[05] The Turkish Foreign Minister met with his Moldovan counterpart

Gul said the two documents that were signed today are the proof of the existing political will and willingness of the two parties to improve relations.

Gul also noted that Turkey is supportive of the rapprochement between Moldova and the EU and NATO. The Turkish Foreign Minister underlined that Turkey also encouraged Moldova to take advantage of THE Partnership for Peace (PfP) and similar mechanisms within NATO.

Gul said Turkey attaches high importance to cooperation with Moldova, particularly within the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) mechanism. He also thanked Stratan over support of Moldova to Turkey's candidacy for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council and recalled that Turkey in the past supported Moldova's candidacy for a seat in the UN Economic and Social Council.

Commenting on the Cyprus problem, Stratan expressed belief that a solution would eventually be reached and said that a settlement in Cyprus would be in the best interests of the region and the EU.

Stratan invited Turkish businessmen to visit Moldova in order to enhance bilateral commercial relations.

[06] The National Unity Party continues to challenge the Property Law

Turkish Cypriot YENIDUZEN newspaper (09.02.06) reports the following:

The law that envisages compensation, exchange and return of the immovable property which comes under the Article 159, paragraph(1), sub-paragraph (b) of the Constitution, which creates the possibility for the Greek Cypriots to receive compensation, to exchange or return their old property left in the north Cyprus, continue to be on the agenda.

National Unity Party General Secretary, Huseyin Ozgurgun has said that as the main opposition party, they oppose the law because it is doing away with the bizonality which is one of the basic parameters of the Cyprus problem.

When we asked Mr Ozgurgun: `Are you going to recourse to the Constitutional Court?´ he replied: `For the sake of opposition we have to do this. Stating that their aim is to demonstrate their reaction, Ozgurgun said that legal experts are reluctant to take the case both legally and politically and until now no lawyer came up and seriously said to me. `Yes, I will immediately take it up´.

In a statement to YENIDUZEN Huseyin Ozgurgun said that at this moment they are dealing with the technical details included within the law. He said: We are unable to find legal experts in order to recourse to the Constitutional Court.

Referring to the political importance of the issue, Ozgurgun said that they could not recourse to the Constitutional Court and claim that the law does away with the bizonality and they could not state that returning of the property is contrary to the constitution. Ozgurgun said: We are trying to take this law to the Constitutional Court because there are points where politically we disagree.

(MHY)

[07] The Turkish occupation army ignores Talat regarding Turkish Cypriot journalist

Writes the paper: Although Mehmet Ali Talat promised that our colleague Evren Maner will not be inspected by Turkish officials at the border gates, the security forces, which keep the borders under their control, are doing their way and continue to treat Evren as a terrorist.

The presidency, speaking with the `competent´ officials after we complained, in a statement made to us at the end of last December, had informed that Evren Maner would no more be inspected at the gates

The order was given from the commandership: Inspect closely Evren Maner on 13, 18,23 and 26 February.

This arbitrary action by the commandership constitutes one more example that the army in North Cyprus does not give a damn about the civilian administration.

(K/V)

[08] Turkish Cypriot daily assesses the contacts of Mr Bryza

Referring to the contacts of the Under Secretary of the US State Department, Mr Mathew Bryza, the paper writes that Mr Bryza has given the sign that during his contacts they will try to find a middle way between the above-mentioned proposals.

KIBRISLI reports that after a meeting of Mr Bryza with European officials in Brussels, the EU stated that the views of Brussels and Washington are almost the same on the Cyprus problem and the issue of Turkeys accession to the EU. The paper argues that the EU expressed its support to the proposals that Turkey had submitted to the UN.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Namik Tan says that the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from Cyprus is now a non-realistic expectation

Mr Tan said that the above-mentioned statement includes nothing new and that the issue has been a part of the discussions for reaching an overall solution to the Cyprus problem. He noted that the Turkish Cypriot side had accepted this while voting in favour of the Annan Plan.

Mr Tan alleged: We think that the words of Talat are a reminder to the Greek Cypriot side which does not want an overall solution. As long as the Greek Cypriot side does not approach the solution, I could say that it is useful to underline that it should not have non-realistic expectations.

(I/Ts.)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in HURRIYET on Mr Talat´s statement for Turkish troops withdrawal from Cyprus

Withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus is a very important issue and neither Talat nor the government of the Justice and Development Party could decide on it, Colasan stresses.

[11] Columnist in Turkish Cypriot paper argues that Mr Talat put off the mask and openly supports two states solution

It is understood that (Mehmet Ali) Talat has decided to put off the peace mask

Within the limits of the permission given by Ankara, he says the following to those who visit him.

The other day again he spoke of two states

What is the meaning of two states?

It means partition of Cyprus.

Talat says: `Unification will be between equals´.

That is, in South Cyprus one state and one in the North.

When sitting on the negotiating table everywhere in the world, (Greek Cypriot leader Tassos) Papadopoulos will accept the TRNC, or, whatever name it will have, another Turkish state With the spirit of Turks in the North, Greeks in the South

He alleges that only thus a solution may be reached at the negotiation table.

What can two separate states discuss? Compensations and borders.

Before the meeting with GIAD (Young Businessmen´s Association) he (Mr Talat) made similar statements to the leaders of the Fighters´ Association.

The strong state Talat referred to is an illegal structure in North Cyprus which is under Turkey´s control.

What should we do according to him?

We must strengthen this structure with all its institutions and orgnizations.

And then, having gained so much power before the world and the Greeks, they will take us into consideration and come to the negotiation table with us!

These in essence are not Talat´s ideas They Ankara´s orders! If they are not, then his own member of parliament Nazim Beratli too is telling lies.

These words of Talat are the same as the arguments used by the nationalist section.

To say that you want a strong state in conditions of non-solution, it means exerting more pressure on the people living in the North, and at least the structure which is not accepted by the world, it is thus accepted by them.

It means to present as legal everything anti-democratic, illicit, party favouritism, the robberies, bombings, threats, smuggling and abuses taking place in this structure so far.

Mr Talat alleges that one of the reasons why he wants two states is to safeguard the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot `people´.

Political equality with whom?

With the Greek Cypriots

How will this come about?

With forty thousand (40,000) troops and about half a million of settlers and the usurped Greek Cypriots properties

And what is more important, the peace-loving president says he is struggling for political equality with the Greek Cypriots, through a state which exists according to what Ankara says.

This is utopia!

Do you know the name of the delegation of the European Parliament which is about to visit the northern part of Cyprus in the months of March and April?

High Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Community in the north of the island

Those who insist on a separate state in order to protect their seats will lead the Turkish Cypriots to one and only place.

Annihilation!

(K/V)

/SK

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article