[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reactions continue as regards the news that Austria has proposed the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha to the Greek Cypriots

Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper reports that Mr Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the self-styled prime minister in the TRNC (the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus), stated that the news as regards the returning of Varosha are related to the elections that will take place in the Greek Cypriot side, as he called the Republic of Cyprus. Mr Soyer said that the manipulation news are increasing in the Greek Cypriot side because of the elections and added that this issue is on the political agenda of the Greek Cypriots because of the forthcoming elections. Mr Soyer also stated that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has suggested the returning of the occupied closed city of Varosha on the condition that all the isolations on the Turkish Cypriots are lifted. However, the Greek Cypriot leadership has rejected this proposal, he said.

In addition, as KIBRIS also reports, the self-styled ministry of foreign affairs noted in a written statement that the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha to its legal owners could only be discussed when a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus Problem is negotiated. The statement stipulates that the occupied Famagusta port will continue to operate under TRNC authority and control.

KIBRIS also writes that Mr Turgay Avci, the General Secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP) issued a written statement on the issue. According to the statement, the European Union was trying to trick Turkey and the TRNC into making more concessions on Cyprus. UBP calls on the self-styled government to refrain from taking any decisions that will weaken or endanger the position of the Turkish Cypriot side. M. Avci underlined the urgent need for the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations process under United Nations auspices.

On its part Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI paper under the title Out of the door!, and subtitle If Austria comes with the proposal, we will show it the door, writes that the issue of the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha, was carried out in the framework of Papadopoulos election campaign and accused the Turkish Cypriot press of falling into the trap. The paper also invokes information by a TRNC official according to whom the Austrian presidency has not informed yet the Turkish side as regards the issue. He has also supported that the Austrian officials cannot submit such a proposal to the TRNC and noted that if this happens the TRNC authorities will show the door to the Austrians.

KIBRISLI also writes that commenting on the same issue, the sposkeman of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Namik Tan, stated that the Greek Cypriot side must consent to the lifting of the embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriots for years. While the situation is like this it is wrong for Austria, or any other state to think the development of a proposal as regards Varosha. They cannot even dare to do this, he said.

C/S

[02] Statements by Mr. Robert Wexler in Ankara

The Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy PM Abdullah Gul told U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler that Turkey had no more endurance regarding terrorist organization PKK.

Mr Gul had a meeting with Mr Wexler who also serves as the U.S. House of Representatives Turkey Friendship Group Co-President, who is currently in Ankara. Diplomatic sources quoted Mr Gul as telling Mr Wexler that Turkey appreciated the United States' efforts regarding fight against terrorist organization PKK and its announcement which said that PKK was a terrorist organization, but Turkey expected the U.S. to take more concrete steps on the matter. Mr Wexler said that concrete steps on cutting financial sources of terrorist organization and regarding intelligence have been taken, noting that they needed time for more concrete steps.

In regard to the Cyprus problem, Mr Wexler said that Turkey and `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus´ (`TRNC´) put forward their stance very clearly, indicating that Greek Cypriots who said ''no'' to the Annan plan deceived the Turkish Cypriot party. Mr Wexler underlined that he was exerting efforts for Turkish party to be awarded. Mr Gul said in his part that he was pleased with the U.S. stance regarding Cyprus problem.

In regard to Hamas delegation's visit to Turkey (in February 2006), Mr Wexler noted that there might be disagreements over the matter, stating that the two countries should leave behind them.

Mr Gul stressed that Turkey has given messages of common sense from the very beginning as it wanted Hamas to take accurate steps, noting that talks with Hamas delegation should be considered under this view.

(Tr. Note: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the illegal regime the Turkish Republic has set up in the occupied territories of Cyprus).

[03] Turkey´s delay returns EU finding

Sluggishness on the part of Ankara in terms of financial union with the EU is costing Turkey a lot. A total of 1 billion Euro which had been tagged for use in 2005 has returned to EU coffers following Turkey's failure to take certain steps. The EU is expected to announce the decision to freeze its financial cooperation with Turkey on April 26. Negative results expected from this result are as follows:

There are some accession talks subjects which will not start. These include "public bidding," "competition," and "business start-ups."

There will be a stop on funding from the EU for certain projects

The EU Commission is preparing right now to freeze its "financial cooperation" with Turkey. With Turkey apparently failing to take steps requested since 2002 by the EU on the subject of financial cooperation, the EU's decision to put the brakes on its own contributions to this arena looks like it will carry a heavy price tag for Turkey.

The decision from the EU Commission on this front is expected at the April 26 meeting in Ankara of the "EU-Turkey Joint Control Committee."

It has also been revealed that the "Screening Period," which is under way and will continue until October, is experiencing problems, both on the Turkish and the EU sides of the screening. Problems are purported to be in connection with both the contents and the timing of the talks.

Why are the funds being frozen?

According to information from EU authorities, the EU Commission is expecting urgent steps from Turkey on three fronts in particular. These are:

1-The employment of at least 80 people at the "Central Finance and Bidding Organization" set up specifically to present projects to the EU. Currently, the number of experts working at this organization is only 52.

2-The encompassing by the Treasury Ministry of this "Central Finance and Bidding Organization." This must be approved by the Turkish Parliament.

3-The strengthening of the European Union General Secretariat in Turkey, an important factor in dialogue with the civilian population, according to the EU.

[04] Nuclear main component of Turkey´s energy

The fact that Turkey's energy demand, particularly for electricity, is predicted to double by 2020, according to a Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources projection, has recently made the issue of nuclear energy a priority topic on the country's agenda. In this respect Turkey's energy strategy is not only an issue for the Energy Ministry but is also on the top of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' agenda.

Most recently, during a round table meeting with a group of journalists last week, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül personally touched on the issue, saying that Turkey obviously needs more energy to sustain its current growth. Thus, Turkey has to diversify its energy resources. Nuclear energy will not be solely an energy resource for the country but will also serve as an impelling force in various fields, from medical science to education.

Noting that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan will soon announce a comprehensive nuclear energy program, Mithat Rende, deputy director general for energy, water and environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during an interview with the Turkish Daily News first of all emphasized that the per capita energy consumption of a country runs parallel to its level of welfare. For example, today per capita energy consumption in Turkey is around one-third the EU average.

Turkey needs a sound energy mix to be able to respond to increasing energy demand in the 2020s, and Ankara plans to put nuclear energy into this energy mix.

Nuclear energy is considered to be one of the main components of our energy strategy.

"Turkey, which is neither an oil nor a gas-rich country, is trying to have a sound energy mix by efficiently utilizing its domestic resources and reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels through the sequential commissioning of nuclear power into the Turkish electricity grid.

"Turkey is considering establishing around 5.000 MW nuclear capacity by 2015. Nuclear power should initially constitute 5 to 6 percent of Turkey's total energy generation. The total share of nuclear energy in electricity generation in Europe is about 31 percent.

"We consider nuclear power to be a realistic option to meet Turkey's future energy needs since it is not only affordable but also provides significant environmental benefits, in particular, in limiting CO2 emissions, Rende said.

The point is to make a good estimate of our supply and demand by constructing an energy model, which means a good prediction of demand and planning supply accordingly, he added.

There are numerous energy models, but Turkey is considering making use of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) new energy model. A group of experts has been appointed to study the model. They will soon go to IEA headquarters in Paris for the requisite training.

The IEA is an internationally recognized and credible organization, and it is an organization of consumers, so a demand and supply estimation based on their model might be healthier, Rende elaborated.

At global level a period known as a nuclear renaissance or a nuclear comeback is being experienced. Limited fossil energy resources in the world, increasing oil prices and global warming are among the main reasons for this comeback. We need more and more energy and more and more clean energy. All countries of the world have global responsibilities.

"Global warming is a common problem, so one needs to consider nuclear energy within this framework. We need affordable, clean and sustainable energy, which causes less damage to the environment.

One should also consider nuclear energy as a long-term technological process, which means benefiting from the technology in various fields. In fact Turkey is not inexperienced in nuclear energy. This year the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK) is marking its 50th anniversary. Turkey has been operating nuclear research reactors for almost 50 years; its first reactor was built in 1962. We already have two reactors in Küçükçekmece and a research reactor at Istanbul Technical University (0TÜ), he explained.

No government wants to leave its people or its industry in darkness, and it cannot tolerate a lower work capacity. A country like Turkey, which wants to rapidly develop and reach EU standards, cannot tolerate an interruption in energy.

[05] Syrian migrants captured in the occupied Cyprus

(Tr. Note: TRNC is an illegal regime subordinate to the Ankara government which keeps 40,000 Turkish troops in occupied Cyprus).

[06] Ahmed Necdet Sezer discussed Cyprus in Sarajevo

President Sezer met Sulejman Tihic, Chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency, in Sarajevo on Monday. Following the meetings between delegations of the two countries, President Sezer and Tihic held a news conference.

Sezer stated that Tihic and he discussed steps to boost economic and commercial relations in their meeting, noting that they also exchanged views on regional and international matters.

''Turkey supports transformation and arrangements that have been launched in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the recent period. We fully support Bosnia-Herzegovina's efforts to integrate into European-Atlantic institutions. We hope that it will finalize talks regarding Stability Pact conducted with EU as soon as possible,'' Sezer underlined.

On the other hand, Mr Tihic noted that he informed Mr Sezer on constitutional amendments fulfilled in Bosnia-Herzegovina and received Mr Sezer's support on this matter.

Mr Tihic indicated that Mr Sezer and he also discussed Serbia-Montenegro, status of Kosovo and Cyprus in the meeting.

/SK

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