Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-03-10

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ferdi Sabit Soyer says many ambassadors have met him at the self-styled Prime Ministers office.

[02] The leader of the UBP asked for a common Turkish Cypriot stance abroad.

[03] Turkish Foreign Minister: Not submitting the Additional protocol to the Turkish Grand National Assembly cannot stop the negotiations.

[04] Human traffickers and illegal immigrants who were planning to go to Europe through Cyprus were arrested in Mersin, Turkey.

[05] The Turkish Prime Minister denies the existence of problems between the army and his Islamic government.

[06] Turkey to start construction of first nuclear plant soon. Statements by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Industry. Plans until 2060.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ferdi Sabit Soyer says many ambassadors have met him at the self-styled Prime Ministers office

Addressing yesterday the self-styled assembly, Mr Soyer argued that from the moment the EU representatives cross the Ledra Palace barricade they enter into a different administration named TRNC, even if they do not recognize it. He noted that the Turkish Cypriots will discuss with no one their identity as a people.

Mr Soyer noted that their basic principle is for the meetings with the president of the TRNC to be conducted at the self-styled presidency and added that because of the health problems that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Talat faces, the members of the European Parliament High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots met with the speaker of the assembly, Mrs Fatma Ekenoglu.

Mr Soyer said that they apply a common policy with the self-styled deputy prime minister, Mr Serdar Denktas on the issue of the meetings with foreign delegations and diplomats and added that until today he met with many ambassadors at the self-styled prime ministers office. Noting that these meetings are not reflected in the press, Mr Soyer said that they are opposed to meeting the EU representatives at the headquarters of their party and suggested for the meeting to take place at the so-called EU Coordination Center, which is attached to the prime ministry.

Mr Soyer noted that the Cyprus problem is an obstacle for Turkeys EU accession course and reminded that this problem did not come up today.

Referring to the issue of the decoupling of the EU regulations regarding the Turkish Cypriots, Mr Soyer said that they do not approve of this and that they are ready to discuss the issue with EU officials. He described the decoupling of the regulations as a negative and unacceptable development and argued that there is a difference between the statements of the Austrian term Presidency of the EU and the statements of the Commissioner for the Enlargement, Mr Olli Rehn on the issue. He also said that they do not feel the need to have relations with the EU for money.

Mr Soyer said that his government follows a common policy on the Cyprus problem and that the main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) supports also this policy.

Mr Soyer reiterated the Turkish stance that the issues of demilitarization and the return of the closed city of Varosha to its legal Greek Cypriot owners are a part of the overall solution of the Cyprus problem.

He alleged that the people in the Greek Cypriot side are being manipulated, that the structure which does this is being disputed with and that the withdrawal of the Democratic Rally Party (DISY) from the National Council is a positive step towards the solution.

(I/Ts.)

[02] The leader of the UBP asked for a common Turkish Cypriot stance abroad

Addressing the session, the leader of the main opposition National Unity Party (UBP), Huseyin Ozgurgun repeated his partys call for a consensus to be reached between the government and the opposition on the Cyprus problem.

He said it will be more appropriate to present a solid Turkish Cypriot stance abroad whenever and wherever the Cyprus problem is being discussed.

He said that his party will support the national policy which will be established on the Cyprus problem and pointed out to the need of the Turkish Cypriots having one voice abroad. He said that to this end they are ready for everything, including the creation of a National Council.

Addressing the session, the former chairman of the UBP, Mr Dervis Eroglu described as positive the stance of the Democratic Party which refused to meet with the members of the European Parliament High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots.

Reporting on the deliberations at the self-styled assembly Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (10.03.06) reports that Mr Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots must not use the 139 euro financial aid approved by the EU.

Turkish Cypriot daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (10.03.06) reports that the self-styled deputy prime minister and leader of the Democratic Party, Mr Serdar Denktas referred also to the issue and expressed the opinion that the Turkish Cypriots should not get the financial aid from the EU. He added, however, that they will take the final decision with their partners in the self-styled government.

Mr Denktas said also that they are expecting explanations from the UN on the issue of the technical committees and expressed the opinion that these committees cannot take upon an overall solution. He said that they did not yet receive an answer from the UN, but the situation is not as the Greek Cypriots present it.

Mr Denktas described as unacceptable the expression a small group of nationalists used by the self-styled speaker of the assembly, Mrs Fatma Ekenoglu about the protestors against the members of the European Parliament High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots. He argued that Mr Talat would not use such an expression and added that Mrs Ekenoglu did so because of her inexperience.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Turkish Foreign Minister: Not submitting the Additional protocol to the Turkish Grand National Assembly cannot stop the negotiations

When asked to comment on the statement made by EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehns statement that non implementation of the additional protocol by Turkey could stop the negotiation process, Gul said: This is their way of perceiving the issue. The reality is not the way they say. The negotiation process is a technical process. It is not right to bring in political issues in this process. Demands as regards implementation of the Additional protocol could be raised when the chapters regarding transport, Customs Union and free movement of the services are opened for negotiation.

He also said that he had warned the Troika that the Cyprus problem is a UN problem and if you start getting involved in this issue slowly then you could be drifted away to a course that you do not want.

Gul went on and said that nobody wants to experience a crisis as regards the Cyprus problem, however, he added: We do not do something that we have to do because of the concern that there will be a crisis.

(MHY)

[04] Human traffickers and illegal immigrants who were planning to go to Europe through Cyprus were arrested in Mersin, Turkey

As the paper writes, seventeen persons, four Georgians and thirteen Syrians who wanted to go to Europe through Cyprus, were caught in Mersin. In addition seven persons who were members of the network, who wanted to take the illegal immigrants to the TRNC, were also arrested.

The network took 2,500 dollars from the Georgians and 1,700 dollars from the Syrians for the operation. The illegal immigrants would have been sent to the break away regime, from there to the Republic of Cyprus and then to Europe.

C/S

[05] The Turkish Prime Minister denies the existence of problems between the army and his Islamic government

Abdullah Karakus from Ankara under the title: "'They are trying to spoil our relations'":

Speaking during the Council of Ministers meeting and the AKP [Justice and Development Party] Central Executive Council meeting the day before yesterday, Erdogan stated that "efforts are being made to spoil the relations between the army and the government." Erdogan also warned the deputies who adopted a stance against the army. Stressing that there are no problems between the TSK [Turkish Armed Forces] and the government, Erdogan described the allegations to the effect that "efforts are being made to block the promotion" of Ground Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit who is expected to be appointed chief of staff on 30 August as "disturbing, ugly, and baseless." Erdogan said the following:

"The army and the judiciary are very important for us. Efforts are being made to spoil our relations by making ugly allegations. The speculations disturb me. We will not allow the efforts to wear out these two institutions. Neither shall we allow the government to be used as a tool to this end. Those who want to confuse the minds of the people will not achieve their goals."

Erdogan also warned Adiyaman Deputy Faruk Unsali who said: "The indictment did what we were not able to do." Abdullah Gul, in turn, said: "We are charged with the duty of protecting all our security forces, the TSK, and the security establishment and to live in solidarity with them."

[06] Turkey to start construction of first nuclear plant soon. Statements by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Industry. Plans until 2060

After the meeting, Gul told reporters that Mr Muhammad al Baradei briefed him on IAEA's initiatives, and the recent IAEA executive board meeting in which Iran's nuclear file was debated.

Recalling that Turkey aimed to start using nuclear energy soon, Gul stated that he discussed this matter with the IREA Director General.

Gul, who arrived in Vienna on Tuesday to participate in the Turkey-EU Troika meeting, will be interviewed by Austrian state TV Orf and some newspapers later in the day.

Foreign Minister Gul is also expected to meet Austrian diplomat Albert Rohan, who is UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Deputy Special Envoy to Kosovo.

On the same issue Ankara Anatolia news agency (09.03.06) reported the following from Rome:

"The Turkish government will call in the near future a tender to assign the works to build the first nuclear power plant in Turkey," Turkish Industry Minister Ali Coskun declared.

"Turkey realized late the need to seek alternative energy sources and now has to resort to remedies. We shall run out of all the most popular energy sources in 2060 and then we'll have to be prepared. We need alternative energy resources and we have to think of nuclear energy," Coskun said on the sidelines of the Italian-Turkish seminar in Rome yesterday.

/SK

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