Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-03-28

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader met with Mr Michael Moller

[02] Statements by Soyer.

[03] Turkish Transport Minister: Our air corridor is open to all passenger planes including the Cyprus Airways

[04] Workers in the occupied ports to hold a demonstration

[05] Decrease in Januarys imports and exports for the breakaway regime

[06] Womens letter of peace to the Austrian EU presidency

[07] The German Christian Social Union has cast a no vote to AKP s application for membership to the European People s Party

[08] rdogan to address the Arab League Summit in Sudan

[09] Turkish sources on the discussion over political criteria during Turkeys accession negotiations

[10] Details of how the Property Commission came about

[11] Turkish Cypriot paper argues that it is unlikely that Myra Xenides Arestis house in occupied Famagusta is eligible for return under the new law

[12] How the new «property law» will affect foreigners

[13] General Buyukanit paid a surprise visit to Prime Minister Erdogan

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[14] Columnist assesses the Erdogan-Buyukanit meeting

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader met with Mr Michael Moller

The Paris meeting between the Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President Tassos Papadopoulos was high on the agenda at today s meeting which took place at Mr Talats home, in occupied Kyrenia.

Speaking after the approximately two and a half hour meeting, the self-styled Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev said that Mr Mehmet Ali Talat and the UN Secretary-General s Special Representative discussed the content of last month s Paris meeting between the Secretary-General and r Tassos Papadopoulos.

Regarding the Paris meeting between the Secretary-General and Mr Papadopoulos, Mr Pertev said this was only a routine meeting normally held on an occasional basis between the parties involved and the UN.

He said that a general evaluation of the latest developments on the Cyprus issue was also made at today s meeting between rTalat and Mr Moller.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot side still honours the earlier agreement in principle regarding the establishment of the technical committees, Mr Pertev said that the need for a comprehensive settlement to solve the Cyprus problem was also stressed. All other efforts will only serve to delay a solution, and are tactics that will only lead to loss of time, he said.

Expressing the need for the re-start of the negotiations process under the auspices of the United Nations, Mr Pertev again stressed the importance of the need to move towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, rather than attempting a chapter-by-chapter solution.

Responding to a question Mr Pertev said that the negotiations process for a comprehensive settlement would start only after the Greek Cypriot side has submitted its official views to the UN Secretary-General, something, which, he said, hasnt yet taken place.

Responding to another question, Mr Rasit Pertev said that r Talat is ready to discuss humanitarian issues with Mr Papadopoulos, but warned against politicising the Missing Persons issue, as this matter has been progressing very well until now because it was kept outside politics.

Meanwhile, Mr Talat in the afternoon met with the United States Ambassador to Lefkosia Ronald Sclicker. No statement was issued after the meeting.

On the same issue Ankara Anatolia news agency (27/03/06) reported the following from occupied Kyrenia: ''The Cyprus issue should be taken into consideration comprehensively, not partially,'' Rasit Pertev, Undersecretary of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Presidency, has indicated.

A meeting between President Mehmet Ali Talat of TRNC and Michael Moller, special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to Cyprus, ended in Girne (occupied Kyrenia) on Monday.

After the meeting which lasted two hours, Pertev recalled that the UN earlier sent a letter to Talat about a meeting between Annan and Greek Cypriot leader T. Papadopoulos in Paris, held on February 28th. ''Moller informed us on the Paris meeting during today's meeting. We are assessing those information,'' Pertev stated.

Stating that the Paris meeting was qualified by the Greek Cypriot administration as ''Paris agreement'', Pertev underscored, ''UN SG's letter demonstrated that there is no such a (Paris) agreement. It was just a meeting between the UN SG and the Greek Cypriot leader.''

Pertev stressed: ''We told both the UN SG and Moller that the Cyprus issue should be discussed in depth and as quickly as possible. We also underlined that the parties should resume negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution on the basis of the Annan plan.''

''We also expect Greek Cypriot administration to take significant steps toward a comprehensive solution,'' he added».

(.r Note: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the illegal regime set by the Turkish Republic in the areas of Cyprus occupied by Turkish troops.)

[02] Statements by Soyer. He continues to argue about the paternity of the idea of forming technical committees

Mr Soyers words came in response to remarks by the Greek Cypriot leader Mr Papadopoulos - as published in the Greek Cypriot media - that he was ready to hold a meeting with President Mehmet Ali Talat.

Responding to reporters questions on Mr Papadopoulos announcement that he is ready to discuss humanitarian issues with President Talat, the Prime Minister said the Greek Cypriot Leaders decision who, until now, refused to meet the TRNC President - even for a social come-together, is a step in the right direction.

He made it clear, however, that the Cyprus problem can only be solved through a negotiated settlement.

Expressing the Turkish Cypriot Sides broad support for such contacts between the two sides, the Prime Minister said it was very pleasing that realities concerning the Paris meeting between the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mr Papadopoulos came to light thanks to the efforts by the Presidential Palace and the Government.

Voicing the Turkish Cypriot Sides readiness to resume the Cyprus negotiations process, Mr Soyer reminded that the setting up of technical committees was first proposed by the Turkish Cypriot Side».

[03] Turkish Transport Minister: Our air corridor is open to all passenger planes including the Cyprus Airways

The paper reports that last week the Foreign Ministry denied a press story claiming that the Turkish Government had recently decided to allow international airlines use the Turkish airspace en route to south Cyprus. However, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday that all passenger planes flying to southern Cyprus could freely use Turkish airspace, and that Turkish planes are allowed to use Greek Cypriot airspace. Minister Yildirim added: As our air corridors are open to their passenger planes, our planes are having transit passage both over north and south Cyprus. All the passenger planes whether they belong to the Greek Cypriot side or not, use our air space for transit flights. However, they cannot land on the Turkish airports. Landing permission is given for only emergency cases.

Mr. Yildirim went on and said that only cargo planes are prevented from using each other's airspace. Recalling that last year a cargo plane from the Greek Cypriot side wanted to make a fait accompli and land at a Turkish airport Mr. Yildirim said: We want not only the isolations on the air and sea transports to be taken up but all the isolations as a whole, otherwise, we cannot allow securing concessions piece by piece.

Last Friday, Turkish Cypriot self styled Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas said that the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Cypriots had agreed to allow Greek Cypriot planes to use Turkish airspace. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, said that all foreign planes flying to southern Cyprus, excluding Cypriot Airlines planes, have been allowed to use Turkish airspace for many years.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (28/03/06) reports under the title: No permission to the Greek Cypriot planes to use Turkish airspace and says that the Turkish Ministry of Transport has published a statement and said that no permission is given to the Greek Cypriot registered planes to use direct the Turkish airspace. KIBRIS, quoting AB Haber, reports that chartered and scheduled passenger planes registered in third countries are allowed to use the Turkish air space to fly to the south Cyprus.

(MHY)

[04] Workers in the occupied ports to demonstrate against exports from the ports of the Republic of Cyprus

The workers will protest against the efforts for exports from the Limassol port in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

The workers of the occupied Famagusta Port will hold a strike between 08:00-12:00 in the morning in order to participate in the demonstration which will take place at the various barricades

[05] Decrease in Januarys imports and exports for the breakaway regime

The paper writes that there was a 5% decrease in the imports while there was also a 21% decrease in the exports.

[06] Womens letter of peace to the Austrian EU presidency

[07] The Germany Christian Social Union has cast a no vote to AKPs application for membership to the European Peoples Party

The chairman of the CSU Edmund Stoiber, speaking after the partys executive committee meeting yesterday said that as the CSU they are against Turkeys EU membership. Therefore he said, admitting the AKP could give a wrong message. Stoiber said: I do not believe that Turkey will be an EU member, so for this reason it is necessary to develop special status to Turkey and to some other countries

(MHY)

[08] rdogan to address the Arab League Summit in Sudan

Prime Minister Erdogan will deliver a speech at the summit on the issue of ''Alliance of Civilizations'' this evening. He is expected to hold a series of bilateral talks with his counterparts.

Erdogan is scheduled to meet President Umar Ahmad Al-Bashir of Sudan and First Vice President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister. Turkish state ministers Besir Atalay and Mehmet Aydin are accompanying Prime Minister Erdogan.

[09] Turkish sources on the discussion over political criteria during Turkeys accession negotiations

According to sources, EU authorities earlier said that the Education and Culture chapter did not contain citation of political criteria, adding that however there were attempts to put political criteria into this chapter especially upon France's initiatives.

Diplomatic sources said that a letter, which put forward political criteria in the chapter on education and culture, was attempted to be delivered to Ankara through the Office of Turkey's Permanent Representative to the EU, but it was not accepted by Turkish authorities. ''Upon this development, EU authorities brought up an idea of preparing a cover note for use of member states.''

The same sources said, ''The EU thinks of using this cover note as a reference point (for putting political criteria) during the mentioned chapter discussions.''

Stating that Turkey was also against EU's idea of preparing a cover note, the sources said that EU countries could not yet reach a consensus on this matter which is expected to be taken up in tomorrow's meeting of the enlargement sub-group.

Sources said that those attempts to add political criteria to chapters were led by France.

Diplomatic sources added that chapters during which political criteria, like broadcast in mother tongue and education right would be discussed, were clear, and those issues would be discussed under the headings of ''Judiciary and Fundamental Rights'' and ''Justice, Freedom and Security''.

[10] Details of how the Property Commission came about and what it means for the victims and the usurpers

The previous form of the legislation had included only compensation to Greek Cypriots in exchange for the return of their title deeds.

The driving force behind the amendment was the European Court of Human Rights December 22 ruling in the case of Myra Xenides-Arestis, who had claimed for her property in the abandoned Gazi Magussa (Varosha) suburb of Maras (Famagusta).

The court held that the TRNCs previously established Immovable Property Commission could not be accepted as an avenue for redress, as it did not provide for the «possibility of restitution . The court also criticized the fact that the commission included people currently living in former Greek Cypriot properties. It called on Turkey and the «subordinate» orth Cyprus administration to provide an «effective local remedy» that gives «redress»to Greek Cypriot refugee Myra Xenides-Arestis, who fled her property in 1974.

The court gave three months for the mechanisms for redress to be put in place and gave Turkey six months to process Mrs Xenides-Arestis claim.

Under the legislation establishing the reformed Immovable Property Commission any Greek Cypriot with property in the North can apply for compensation, exchange or return-the latter within certain conditions.

Those conditions specify that some properties may be returned immediately and others only after a solution to the Cyprus problem.

If return is not possible the Greek Cypriot will be offered either compensation or exchange for a Turkish Cypriot-owned property abandoned in the South, title deeds of which are held by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. In the case of exchange, the values of the houses will be considered: If the house in the South is deemed to be worth more than the house in the North, the difference will be made up by the Greek Cypriot: In the opposite case, the difference will be paid by the commission to the Greek Cypriot.

Properties without title deeds issued by the TRNC, which are not being used and which do not cause a threat to national security or public order would be eligible for immediate return.

Properties with TRNC title deeds would be eligible for return after a solution to the Cyprus Problem. Those eligible would be properties where the increase in the current value of the property through investment or a project approved by the authorities, does not exceed its value when it was abandoned in 1974.

Anyone who had to leave such a property would be compensated with a similar home of the same value.

If the increase in value of a property claimed was deemed to be higher than the 1974 value, then the Greek Cypriot would be offered a former Turkish Cypriot South Cyprus property in exchange or given compensation.

All compensation is to be paid by the commission using funds from Turkey- and no current user or owner in the North will be expected to pay.

There is no guarantee that the European Court will accept this as an internal legal remedy to Greek Cypriot property claims. But legal experts are hopeful that it will be accepted, as the new composition of the commission addresses the concerns raised by the court.

They also believe the European court will not wish to deal with an estimated 1,400 Greek Cypriot cases currently awaiting hearing».

[11] Turkish Cypriot paper argues that it is unlikely that Myra Xenides-Arestis house in occupied Famagusta is eligible for return under the new law

The new TRNC Immovable Property Commission, tasked with weighing Greek Cypriot claims on property in North Cyprus, came into being this week.

But the announcement of the seven strong commission on the eve of the expiry of a three-month deadline set by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to set up a domestic remedy to such claims immediately drew fire from opponents of the controversial property legislation which spawned it.

Two opposition political parties lodged court challenges to the legislation, claiming it violated the TRNC Constitution by providing for the possible return of former Greek Cypriot property.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the «Green Line», it remained unclear whether any Greek Cypriots would apply to the commission, and lawyers locked horns over plans by about 1,000 to appeal to the ECHR.

The Greek Cypriots claim they should not have to seek redress in the North for abandoned property. But the lawyer handling the case which sparked this latest chapter in the property dispute, Achilleas Demetriades, criticised the appeal saying: «t just doesn t make sense to challenge a court (ECHR) from which you expect redress and justice».

Ironically, although the case brought by Myra Xenides Arestis led to the TRNCs new property regime, it is unlikely that her Maras (Varosha) property would fall into the category of those eligible for immediate return. Properties may only be handed back if they are not deemed to constitute a security threat, and the military-patrolled «ghost» suburb on the fringe of Gazi Magusa ( Famagusta) is unlikely to be seen in the light.

The commission is created under the Law on Property Compensation Exchange and Reinstatement passed by Parliament in December as the Xenides Arestis case was about to be heard.

Headed by Sumer Erkmen, its other six members are deputy chairman Erol Erozan, foreign members Hans Christian Kruger and Daniel Tarschys, Gungor Gunkan, Ayfer Said Erkmen and Aytekin Erin.

Mrs Erkmen said the members had started to meet in the old Bayrak Radio and Television premises opposite the courts in central Lefkosia, but she declined to say whether the commission had yet received any application from Greek Cypriots. Nor did she know when the ECHR might decide whether it would accept the new commission as an adequate domestic forum to which Greek Cypriot property claims must be addressed before they could be brought to the European court. She said the ECHR had been informed in detail of the developments.

As the commission was unveiled, the main opposition National Unity (UBP) and the Communal Liberation (TKP) parties lodged appeals at the Constitutional Court on the last day of the three-month period allowed under TRNC law for demands to change or rescind new legislation.

After a two-hour meeting on Monday night, a UBP party assembly voted by a majority to challenge the Law on Property Compensation, Exchange and Reinstatement.

Filing the case on Tuesday, UBP general secretary Turgay Avci commented: «From now on the matter is in the hands of justice».

[12] How the new «property law» will affect foreigners who bought Greek Cypriot property in occupied Cyprus

«The controversial Property Law, and its Immovable Property Commission, should be no cause for alarm to foreigners living in the TRNC, said a university-based legal expert.

Assoc Prof Tufan Erhurman, the deputy head of the Department of Law at Eastern Mediterranean University who was involved in drawing up the legislation, told Cyprus Today no-żne s rights would be jeopardized within a solution based on bizonality, bicommunality and political equality.

He said the new property regime would have no serious implications for foreign people who have brought a property in North Cyprus. Nor would the new law discriminate between Turkish Cypriot property owners and other nationalities.

Dr Erhurman said the number of houses owned by foreigners in which the investment made was less than the value of the land in 1974 would be very small and so they would not even fall into the category of properties eligible for return after a Cyprus solution. Even if the commission decided for the return, after a solution, of a house occupied by a foreigner, they would only be expected to vacated it after receiving an equivalent property or compensation.

[13] Joost Lagendijk addressed the Turkish-American Council. Reference to Cyprus

Taking the floor at a panel on Turkey-EU relations held under the 25th Annual Conference of the American Turkish Council (ATC) and the Turkish American Business Council (TAIK) in Washington D.C., Lagendijk stated that EU made big mistakes on Cyprus issue, and that's why, it is still difficult to find a common ground on the issue. Lagendijk indicated that Turkey was right in expecting the EU to fulfill its promise.

On the other hand, U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel stated that there have been important developments worldwide, noting that Turkey and the United States passed through a tense period especially regarding Iraq. Underlining that the two countries were working to overcome problems, Hagel added that Turkey was a close and reliable friend for his country.

[14] General Buyukanit paid a surprise visit to Prime Minister Erdogan

The purpose of the meeting between General Buyukanit and Prime Minister Erdogan, which lasted around one-and-a-half hours, wasnt disclosed. But circles close to the Prime Ministry said that the issues debated in the meeting were the bombings in Semdinli and the problems that arose thereafter. No statements were made after the meeting.

The paper writes that the public prosecutors office became involved in the Semdinli incidents and prepared a 100-page indictment about the bombings. The indictment accused General Buyukanit and other commanders of setting up a gang and interfering with the judiciary.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) reacted to the indictment quite negatively and claimed that the claims of the public prosecutor were tendentious. After the TSK called on the government to take action against those who are responsible for the allegations, Police Headquarters Intelligence Department head Sabri Uzun was removed from office. Uzun testified at a parliamentary commission probing the incidents in Semdinli, saying that the military is responsible for the incidents, and said, If the thief is in the house, locking the doors would be of no use.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] Columnist in Milli Gazete assesses the Erdogan-Buyukanit meeting

Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan held a meeting last Friday with Ground Forces Commander [General] Yasar Buyukanit, the key figure in the developments in the recent period. It is quite clear that this meeting was not in accord with established practice. In the corridors, there are those who are saying that the Prime Minister was briefed regarding the outlines of "a comprehensive operation planned to be conducted against the PKK in April". But if the issue at hand is a matter of security and the like, Erdogan's interlocutor is the Chief of the General Staff. So one must seek some other rubric as the background to this meeting.

If we look a bit further back, the following view had begun to prevail following the Semdinli indictment which has caused so much controversy: The government, or at least Erdogan and his "team", were not a part of this process; indeed, they were even disturbed by the way in which the indictment came out, and by its style. [Erdogan's] reaction of "We will pursue this to the end" following the Semdinli incidents evolved during the indictment process and, following his meeting with Buyukanit, came to take this form: "Our General [referring to Buyukanit] is outside of this affair; he has been removed from the case-file."

It is being said in the corridors that Buyukanit conveyed to Erdogan the demand that, following the dismissal of Security Directorate Intelligence Department Chief Sabri Uzun, [Prime Ministerial] Undersecretary Omer Dincer be removed as well. Let me add another special bit of rumor. During this period, the transcripts of various telephone conversations among the trio of Omer Dincer, Sabri Uzun, and the prosecutor [Ferhat Sarikaya] were reportedly conveyed to Erdogan. According to those making this claim, the military are going to be quite insistent regarding Omer Dincer, and will not hesitate to turn this into a crisis if it should become necessary.

I could convey to you a great deal of detail, both necessary and unnecessary, regarding this meeting, ranging from the "neutralization of the Security Directorate's intelligence apparatus" to the presence of a good many important officials in the Interior and Justice Ministries on a list of individuals who are to be dismissed. But these are really unimportant details.

We are all aware that there is a coalition that forms the AKP [Justice and Development Party] government. Claims that one part of this coalition revealed the Semdinli indictment in spite of Erdogan are gradually being voiced more loudly. Expressed in other words, the alliance formed on the basis of investigating the Semdinli incidents split apart with the indictment crisis. It turned into "Our General is outside of this affair; he has been removed from the case-file."

What was the goal in going after Yasar Buyukanit? To prevent him from becoming General Staff Chief? To turn him into a General Staff Chief who would be crippled [by his past]? Or else, with an attack that was evident from the start, to make him the hero of the period in front of us? To force the government to take certain decisions by creating a crisis between the government and the TSK [Turkish Armed Forces]? It is not easy to find the answers to these questions.

Those who add to these developments President [Ahmet Necdet] Sezer's rejection of the Central Bank appointments are justifiably concerned that a political and economic crisis could emerge from all of this. If one looks at the Prime Minister's remarks regarding Undersecretary Dincer the day after his meeting, two possibilities can be seen. The first is that Erdogan, by risking all the various scenarios if necessary, including a crisis, is not going to take a step backward. Or else that the background to the Erdogan-Buyukanit meeting was not as it has been portrayed.

I do not want to confound your brains. But could this interesting meeting in fact have been an effort by Erdogan to regain control? In other words, could it not have been, rather than conceding to the things asked for after Sabri Uzun, "a step towards a new alliance"?

Could such an alliance strengthen Erdogan's hand or else, when one looks at what he would lose, weaken it? We will not have to wait for all that long in order to be able to answer this. How the Dincer crisis will be resolved will be very important and enlightening. If, as has been alleged, the Prime Ministerial Undersecretary really played an active role in the leaking of the indictment, and if these things have been documented, it is not possible to understand the statements that Erdogan and Dincer have made. Otherwise, the existing balances within the AKP will show startling changes. And perhaps they began to shift quite some time ago.

Or else perhaps the whisperings that "When Buyukanit comes [i.e., becomes General Staff Chief], difficult days will begin for the AKP", which we were intended to believe from the outset, were voiced specifically in order to produce just such an alliance...

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