Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-08-24

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkeys EU General Secretary Ambassador Demiralp: Turkey should not open the ports but unilaterally close them.

[02] EU official confirms the opening up of an EU office in occupied Cyprus.

[03] US congressional staffer delegation departs from occupied Cyprus.

[04] Turkish Foreign Ministry sources and spokesman on Annan´s visit to Turkey.

[05] British Vodafone signed an agreement with the breakaway regime.

[06] Religious classes in mosques confirmed. Muezzin arrested.

[07] Problems with electricity continue; The increase of the constructions after the 24 April referendum is seen as one of the reasons.

[08] Soyer is visiting Turkey.

[09] Turkey is preparing for a bird flu pandemic.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkeys EU General Secretary Ambassador Demiralp: Turkey should not open the ports but unilaterally close them

The ambassador said the issue of opening the ports and airports is not an easy issue: The ports issue is not a simple Customs Union issue. Had it been an easy issue the EU would have not taken this case at such a political level, ambassador Demiralp stressed.

Regarding Cyprus the Ambassador said: We propose a solution to the ports issue within the framework of removing the inhuman and illegal ´isolations´ imposed on the ´TRNC´. A guarantor country could not act otherwise. It cannot take a step that might harm the ´TRNC´, therefore, what Turkey should do is not the opening of the ports but unilateral closure of them.

He said that the issue of opening of the Turkish ports to the Cyprus registered ships came on the agenda as part of the general Cyprus problem.

(MHY)

[02] EU official confirms the opening up of an EU office in occupied Cyprus

This written statement by Mr Rasbash puts an end to speculations that have emerged in the Greek Cypriot press that no EU office would be opening up in the north of the island.

Using the EU programme support office in the `north´ of the island, the team will intensify the Commissions on-the-spot contacts with beneficiaries, other donors and contractors responsible for implementing aid projects. They will oversee ongoing EU financed projects and programs.

The statement continued to emphasize that the team will also develop and implement the projects financed from the major EU programme to aid the reunification of Cyprus and end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community through the economic development of the northern part of the island.

The programme will bring direct benefits to the Turkish Cypriot community, for example better solid waste management, better waste water treatment which will improve the environment of all Cypriots, and improved electricity supplies.

In addition the programme will support preparations to implement the EU compatible rules and regulations which will be needed for the economic integration of the island.

[03] US congressional staffer delegation departs from occupied Cyprus

The congressional staffers one-day visit organized by the American Turkish Council was part of a wider regional tour that includes Turkey.

The delegation which arrived in the TRNC through Ercan (occupied Tymbou) airport the day before yesterday afternoon was received by the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and by the Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer.

As part of its other contacts in occupied Cyprus the delegation also met with the self-styled Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas and the Minister of Economy and Tourism Dervis Kemal Deniz.

All visits were held closed to the press.

Meanwhile a dinner was given in honor of the congressional staffers by the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry and other Turkish Cypriot businessmen.

(Tr. Note: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the puppet regime the Turkish Republic has set up and maintains with 40,000 Turkish troops in occupied northern Cyprus)

[04] Turkish Foreign Ministry sources and spokesman on Annan´s visit to Turkey

On the same issue, Turkish Daily News newspaper (23.08.06) reports that the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to visit Turkey in early September as part of a tour to a number of countries in the region for talks expected to center on the deployment of additional troops to beef up a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Annan, whose visit is planned for September 6, will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Another issue expected to be discussed is the deep-seated Cyprus problem.

Foreign Ministry sources said the visit was still in the planning stages.

Annan, whose term in office will expire at the end of this year, will be bidding farewell to the Turkish government. The Turkish side, which does not expect further initiatives to resume Cyprus talks from the outgoing Secretary-General, will express gratitude for Annan's efforts to reunify the island during his term.

On Saturday Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Annan on the expanded U.N. peacekeeping force.

During their conversation Annan underlined the importance of a lasting peace between Israel and Lebanon and stressed that the peacekeeping force to be deployed in the region would be an important step to ensure it.

Sources said Erdogan and Annan exchanged views about the structure of the peace force. Annan expressed the expectation that Turkey would contribute to the peace force, while Erdogan said that Turkey wanted to safeguard peace and stability in the region and welcomed the process.

[05] Vodafone signed an agreement with the breakaway regime

Vodafone paid 30 million dollars for TRNC Telsim. The paper notes that Vodafone will do what the politicians of the guarantor powers, the United Nations and the European Union could not do for so many years and unify Cyprus in GSM services.

According to the paper, the state signed the transfer agreement after having taken all the assurances it wanted from Vodafone.

The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Salih Usar, the permanent under secretary of the Ministry Sener Cagnan, the director of the Telecommunications Department, Mustafa Berktug, Vodafones representative in Turkey and its legal advisors as well as officials from the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) participated in the negotiations yesterday.

According to the agreement, after Vodafone takes over the TRNC Telsim it will share its income with the state until August 2009. One of the conditions of the agreement is also the obligation of Vodafone to make investments in the occupied areas of Cyprus. Due to its financial problems, Telsim could not make the necessary investments and provide sufficient services to its subscribers, writes KIBRIS.

In statements after the signing of the agreement with Vodafone, Mr Salih Usar said that the meeting with Vodafone and the TMSF had positive results and that they officially signed the agreement with the British company. He noted that the representatives of Vodafone accepted all the conditions put by the state, after consulting with their headquarters.

Mr Usar said that there was no serious obstacle in the negotiations they conducted the day before yesterday and that they only wanted the speeding up of investments, which the TRNC Telsim did not make.

Noting that they secured that the necessary steps will be made and that they transferred the TRNC Telsim to Vodafone until August 2009, the self-styled minister added: The agreement of Vodafone will last until August 2009 in case the `state´ does not conduct any license transfer procedures.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Religious classes in mosques confirmed. Muezzin arrested

Charges were filed against Balci who after that was set free with the children. Nedim Ozgen, the imam of the mosque, said that they will continue the religious lessons in line with instructions given by the Religious Affairs Department. He noted that they have 30 students, the age of whose is between 8 and 12 years and added that they are giving lessons for three months now.

Pointing out that they stopped the lessons for 15 days because of some reactions against them, Mr Ozgen said the Religious Affairs Department is aware of the classes and that a meeting took place in occupied Lefkosia last Saturday during which they decided to continue the classes..

(I/Ts.)

[07] Problems with electricity continue; The increase of the constructions after the 24 April referendum is seen as one of the reasons

The paper writes that the trade union of the workers in the electricity authority (El-Sen) issued a statement arguing that there was no breakdown at the power plant and that the private sector leaves the country in darkness every three days with the excuse of a breakdown.

According to El-Sen, the real reason of the interruptions in the supply of electricity is the lack of fuel.

The paper poses the question to the electricity authority (Kib-Tek) to state who else, besides the municipalities which owe 49 trillion Turkish liras, does not pay his electricity bills. It also asks to be informed how many buildings were constructed after the 24 April referendum and the amount of electricity consumed for them.

Furthermore, according to AFRIKA, Huseyin Ozgurgun, chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP) said that the government does not take any measures in spite of the increase in the constructions and the growing need for electric energy. Mr Ozgurgun called on the government to resign.

The majority of the Turkish Cypriot newspapers cover the issue on their front page.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Soyer is visiting Turkey

The paper notes that the visit of Soyer to Turkey in a period when the problems in the government continue creates some question marks.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Turkey is preparing for a bird flu pandemic

In it, it was indicated that influenza was a rather contagious disease among people particularly in autumn and winter.

The notice indicates bird flu, which was detected in many countries including Turkey, may mutate to a new form and cause a new type of influenza virus that may transmit from human to human and may lead to a pandemic throughout the world.

The notice listed the measures that should be taken by the state and public institutions and organizations against such a pandemic.

The National Pandemics Plan, prepared by the Turkish Health Ministry is published in the website www.grip.saglik.gov.tr.

It reads:

-In case of a pandemic, all hospitals and health institutions will work in coordination.

-In case of a global influenza pandemic, Prime Ministry Crisis Management Center and City crisis centers will start to take action within the directives of the Health Ministry.

/SK

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