Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-03-29

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriot organizations met with the Austrian ambassador to Nicosia; Discussions on the financial aid by the EU.

[02] Serdar Denktas describes President Papadopoulos request for a meeting with Mehmet Ali Talat as a new manoeuvre.

[03] Soyers opposition to the decoupling of the two EU regulations.

[04] Ozgurgun accuses the Turkish Cypriot leadership of making contradictory statements on the Cyprus problem and criticizes the Property Law.

[05] Erdogan refers to Cyprus during contacts in Sudan.

[06] Turkey denies a mediator role on impending US strike on Iran. Erdogan to meet Merkel in May.

[07] The foundation of a new transformer was laid in Morfou area in the presence of the Turkish ambassador.

[08] The inhabitants of Pyrgos and Limnitis villages formed a joint initiative group asking for the opening of new barricades

[09] The Turkish national handball team played a match with the TRNC handball team.

[10] Justice Ministry asked for disciplinary action against Sarikaya.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriot organizations met with the Austrian ambassador to Nicosia; Discussions on the financial aid by the EU

According to the paper, the worries of the above-mentioned organizations regarding the non-solution of the Cyprus problem are noted in the letter. The organizations are also asking the as soon as possible recommencement of the negotiations on the basis of the Annan Plan. Furthermore, they are expressing their expectation that the Austrian term presidency of the EU undertakes a more active role in the search for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

The paper notes that the representative of the Association of Artisans and Small Shop Keepers, Mrs Emel Kisi stated that Mrs Hager told the Turkish Cypriot delegation that the Direct Trade Regulation prepared by the EU for the Turkish Cypriots is not done away with and that it is still on the agenda. Mrs Hager also said that the issue of the channels through which the financial aid of the EU will be transferred to the Turkish Cypriots is still being discussed. The Austrian ambassador noted that this issue should not be looked at from the political point of view, but from the technical point of view and from the point of view of the development of the country.

According to the paper, Mrs Kisi stated that Ambassador Hager said that the Greek Cypriot sides putting a veto on this issue is out of the question and added that on issues which concern both communities the views of the Greek Cypriot side are taken as well. Mrs Hager noted also that the 120 million euros, the financial aid which had been lost for the Turkish Cypriots in the end of 2005, came onto the agenda again and that efforts are being continued on this issue.

According to Mrs Kisi, Mrs Hager pointed out that the Annan Plan could come again onto the agenda after some changes and that in the meantime the two communities must continuously have relations.

Meanwhile, referring to the issue of the financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots, Turkish Cypriot daily HALKIN SESI newspaper (29.03.06) reports that officials from the Commission of the EU said that the Commission will be administrating the Financial Aid Regulation.

Quoting ABHaber website, the paper notes that the spokesman of the Commissioner responsible for the Enlargement, Krisztina Nagy told Turkish daily ZAMAN newspaper that the Commission is directly responsible for the administration and the application of the financial aid. Commission officials said that during the use of the money they could have consultations with the Greek Cypriots, but the money being given by the Greek Cypriots is out of the question.

Furthermore, under the title Return to the 259 million euros, Turkish Cypriot daily YENI DUZEN newspaper (29.03.06) reports that the EU will open an office in Cyprus for the use of the financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots where twenty persons will be working. The places where the money will be used, adds the paper, will be decided together with the Turkish Cypriot government.

Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (29.03.06) refers to the issue under the title Bombing with lies by the CTP-DP government on the issue of the financial aid and writes that the projects over five million euros and the investments on the occupied Greek Cypriot properties will be controlled by the Greek Cypriot Administration, as it calls the government of the Republic of Cyprus.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Serdar Denktas describes President Papadopoulos request for a meeting with Mehmet Ali Talat as a new manoeuvre

Mr Denktas was speaking at the TRT television yesterday, prior to his departure to Brussels for contacts with political groupings at the European Parliament. Mr Denktas is also expected to hold discussions with the European Parliaments High Level Contact Group with north Cyprus.

The self-styled prime minister stated that President Papadopoulos has been cornered lately and added that his statements that he is ready to meet Mehmet Ali Talat, is a new manoeuvre.

Serdar Denktas also said that Mr Papadopoulos and Mr Talat can meet after June, after the parliamentary elections of the Republic of Cyprus and the municipal and by-elections to be held in the TRNC and he added that the process of the dialogue between the two sides in Cyprus is very important. However, he said that Mr Papadopoulos must firstly put openly his priorities and his worries as regards the Annan Plan before the Turkish side determines its position on them. A long procedure is needed for this. However it is the beginning of a start. It is important, he said.

(C/S)

[03] Soyers opposition to the decoupling of the two EU regulations

Mr Soyer said that neither the government nor the self-styled president Mehmet Ali Talat have rejected the Financial Aid Regulation.

The delegation from a Guzelyurt based (occupied Morfou) society working on ways of helping develop the districts economy, led by Hakan Kuntay paid separate visits today to Mr Soyer and the Secretary General of the Peace and Democracy Movement Mehmet Cakici.

Pointing to the delegations recent contacts with EU officials in Brussels, Mr Soyer said the society has been successful in providing a healthy briefing to the EU officials on Guzelyurt (occupied Morfou) people´s concerns and hardships, economic, social and other.

Referring to a statement made by Krisztina Naggy -the spokesperson of the EU Commissioner in Charge of Enlargement - that the Commission would be directly responsible for the implementation of the Financial Assistance Regulation, he said that the promise has been made by the spokesperson but that Brussels still needs to coordinate the whole operation.

The GUKAD delegation later paid a visit to the Secretary General of the Peace and Democracy Movement- Mehmet Cakici.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr Cakici pointed to the lack of investment in the area and pointed to the need for more serious steps to be taken.

[04] Ozgurgun accuses the Turkish Cypriot leadership of making contradictory statements on the Cyprus problem and criticizes the Property Law

During an interview with the ART television, Mr Ozgurgun noted: One day they say one thing and the other day they say something different. One says something and other says something else. They are facing the difficulty of supporting their policies that went bankrupt. It is obvious that they do not know what they are doing. Everything that Mr Talat and the government said was proved wrong. The Regulations have been decoupled, the embargoes continue. Papadopoulos has not been isolated. Even the Turkish Prime Minister Mr Erdogan says now openly that the Turkish Cypriots lost and the Greek Cypriots were awarded.

Mr Ozgurgun expressed the opinion that the Turkish Cypriots approving the Financial Aid Protocol of the EU with its current form is not possible and described as unacceptable the fact that the issue of the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha to its legal Greek Cypriot owners entered into EU documents and it has been made an issue of discussion at technical committees.

Referring to the so-called property law approved by the breakaway regime and the Compensations Committee established within this framework, the paper notes, inter alia, the following:

When reminded of the statement of Kruger, member of the Compensation, Exchange and Reinstatement Committee established in the TRNC, who said that we must begin working first by returning to Arestis her property, and when he was asked for his opinion, the president of the UBP said the following:

This statement shows how right our worries are and how right we were by going to the Constitutional Court. If we conform to the ECHR and to the foreigners in our committee and begin returning property, what will happen with the overall solution? How will the Greek Cypriot side, which does not favour the solution, approach to a solution? Now there are two foreigners in this committee. If tomorrow their wish is not realized and they say that we must be four persons (foreigners in the committee), what shall we do? Making the two thirds of our land disputable is definitely not right.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Erdogan refers to Cyprus during contacts in Sudan

"Our top priority is to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots. An action plan has been announced. We expect support in this direction," said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

Erdogan separately met Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, King Abdallah of Jordan, Qatar's Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Palestinian Head of State Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanon's President Emile Lahud and Lebanon's Premier Fuad Siniora at the Arab League Summit today.

Erdogan also met United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's assistant in charge of political affairs Ibrahim Gambari, Middle East peace process special coordinator Alvaro de Soto and UN special representative for the Iraqi affairs Ashraf Gazi.

During the meeting with Erdogan, Palestinian leader Abbas thanked Turkey for its support to the democratic process in Palestine and informed Erdogan that Palestine looks forward to Turkey's continued support of Palestine.

Bashar al-Asad told Erdogan that "Syria finds the UN report positive. The report has brought the level of tension down. We are thankful to Turkey." In return, Erdogan reiterated that the UN report has been pleasing for regional stability.

Al-Asad assured Erdogan that Syria is ready for cooperation with Turkey against terrorist PKK organization.

[06] Turkey denies a mediator role on impending US strike on Iran. Erdogan to meet Merkel in May

According to our information, Merkel telephoned Erdogan during a meeting of the Justice and Development Party's parliamentary faction. The two leaders exchanged information on the subject of Iran, and they expressed concern over the developments. Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan denied the allegation that Merkel told Erdogan that the United States will strike Iran and asked Turkey to act as a mediator.

Erdogan and Merkel will also hold a face-to-face meeting. The Turkish prime minister will meet with Merkel in Germany, where he will attend an economic conference on 28 May. The German chancellor, in turn, is expected to visit Turkey in the second half of the year. Ankara is seeking Germany's support with regard to the EU and Cyprus problem.

[07] The foundation of a new transformer was laid in Morfou area in the presence of the Turkish ambassador

The paper notes that this is the second out of eight transformers to be built in the occupied areas of Cyprus within the framework of the efforts for solving the electricity problem. All the transformers are financed by Turkey.

Mr Karahan said that they are determined to solve this problem, that the government of the TRNC is exerting efforts towards this direction and that they, as embassy, are contributing to these efforts.

(I/Ts.)

[08] The inhabitants of Pyrgos and Limnitis villages formed a joint initiative group asking for the opening of new barricades

The members of the group called on the officials of both communities in Cyprus to open the barricades of Limnitis and Kokkina village.

The formed group´s name is Citizens who wage a struggle for the opening of crossing points.

(C/S)

[09] The Turkish national handball team played a match with the TRNC handball team

[10] Justice Ministry asked for disciplinary action against Sarikaya

Sources told A.A that inspectors (who were assigned with the approval of Justice Minister Cemil Cicek) prepared a report, and wanted Sarikaya to be given disciplinary penalty due to two reasons.

Those are: "Indicating issues which should not take place in the indictment (he prepared) according to CMK-i.e Criminal Procedure" and "writing a letter to Provincial Gendarmerie Regiment Headquarters".

The report requests Sarikaya to be punished with disciplinary penalty in line with Judges and Prosecutors Law. It will now be referred to the Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors for decision, sources said.

/SK

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