Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-04-21

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Emphasis on the political equality from the Europeans of Turkish origin MPs who have illegally come to the occupied areas of Cyprus

[02] Slovenian politicians held contacts in occupied Cyprus

[03] A delegation from the UBP is holding contacts in Germany

[04] European mayors have reportedly apologized to Bulutoglulari

[05] Afrika: While the population carried from Turkey is treated as citizens, the Greek Cypriots who live in North Cyprus are treated as foreigners

[06] A workshop on the SMEs is organized by the Islamic Development Centre in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[07] UNFICYP Commander visited the General of Turkish occupied forces in Cyprus

[08] Turkish and Pakistani Foreign Ministers met in Islamabad

[09] Memorandum of Understanding signed between Turkey and Egypt

[10] European Parliamentary Committee to vote on Turkeys 2007 progress report today

[11] Turkey to educate young foreign diplomats

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Emphasis on the political equality from the Europeans of Turkish origin MPs who have illegally come to the occupied areas of Cyprus

The paper notes that the MPs expressed their satisfaction for the commencement of the process of the 21st of March and pointed out their expectations towards reaching a solution based on the political equality. A joint statement issued on behalf of the MPs, inter alia, stated: The continuation of the steps which will bring the two peoples closer will shorten the road leading to the solution and assist the increase of confidence between the two sides.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (21.04.08) refers to the same issue under the title Political equality should be brought to Cyprus and notes that the MP from Germany, Mrs Sevgi Hamuroglu read the joint statement issued by the MPs. The paper reports that the MPs of Turkish origin argued that the EU should keep its promises to the Turkish Cypriots and lift the isolations.

On the same issue Kibris (20.04.08) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, addressing the North Cyprus summit of Deputies in Europe having roots in Turkey said solution in Cyprus will not be easy.

There are obsessions which are the result of the so many years. The inalienable rights of both sides, demands and aspirations will be blended. It is not easy to reconcile them, Talat said and added: It will not be possible to reach agreement on every issue. A situation was created in such a way that a happy event for the Turkish Cypriots is a sorry event for the Greek Cypriots, this is a regretful development.

For this reason the international communitys contribution and efforts is an absolute must.

Noting that there is a serious normalization in the relations between the two sides, Talat said: There are also negative things, but there are very serious positive developments that did not exist before. The positive developments have the potential to be accumulated.

He praised the contribution made by the people coming from Turkey and now living in Europe. He said: You have the biggest share, especially in explaining in Europe the Turkish Cypriots´ thesis and their difficulties they are going through. Your contribution was unique.

He urged that the relation established with the deputies having roots in Turkey become permanent.

Referring to the 8 July agreement, Talat said that because it entered into a delaying tactic process there was no agreement. We did not agree on anything. No rapprochement was realized, he concluded.

(I/Ts.- MHY)

[02] Slovenian politicians held contacts in occupied Cyprus

Politicians from Slovenia, holding the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), arrived in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Friday.

Members of the second biggest opposition party in Slovenia met Turkish Cypriot executives in Lefkosa, TRNC.

Katarina Kresal, the chairperson of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), and an accompanying delegation of LDS MPs had brief meetings with President Mehmet Ali Talat, Premier Ferdi Sabit Soyer, and Foreign Minister Turgay Avci of TRNC.

With the pacifist policy it pursued in a region surrounded by wars, Slovenia improved its democracy, became an EU member and contributed to the EU and world peace, Premier Soyer said during his meeting with Slovenian politicians.

Also speaking in the same meeting, Kresal said she thinks the island should become a full member of the EU as a whole, after settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Later, the Slovenian delegation had a meeting with Foreign Minister Avci. After the meeting, Avci and Kresal held a joint press conference, in which the foreign minister expected support of Slovenian MPs to end isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

We see end of isolation as a means that will carry us to a comprehensive and lasting agreement, not as a target, Avci said.

Avci reiterated that Turkish Cypriots are ready for a new partnership based on political equality of the two nations, bi-zonal structure, equal status of founder states and Turkey's status as guarantor state.

In the same press conference, Kresal said her party will always stand by Turkish Cypriots, and try to do their best to help them and that the Slovenian government does not want this problem to last long and be uncertain. The Slovenian MP also said her government is in a position to undertake initiatives to make a progress in the settlement process.

Slovenia joined the EU on May 1st, 2004, together with the Greek Cypriot administration, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovakia. It is actually the president of the union, and will hand over the presidency to France on July 1st, 2008.

[03] A delegation from the UBP is holding contacts in Germany

Tomorrow the delegation will hold contacts at the German Bundestag and the Berlin Province Centre with MPs of Christian Democrat Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democrat Party (SPD).

According to the paper, the UBP delegation will exchange views on the TRNC the future of the TRNC, and the Cyprus problem. It will also ask for support on the issue of the lifting of the isolations.

The UBP will submit a proposal for the creation of a brother parties union with the CDU and CSU, notes Gunes adding that preparation on the issue of the cooperation with these parties will be carried out. The UBP delegation will invite to the occupied part of Cyprus the German MPs with whom it will meet. The delegation will return to the island on 23 April after meeting with the Berlin German Turkish Businessmens Association.

(I/Ts.)

[04] European mayors have reportedly apologized to Bulutoglulari

According to a statement issued by the municipality under the title Apology visit, the delegation visited Mr Bulutoglulari to apologize to him about the fact that he did not participate in the activity that took place recently in the free areas of the island under the title Mediterranean Cities and Intercultural Dialogue.

Mr Bulutoglulari told the members of the European delegation that he did not participate in the activity as a result of the obstacles put by the Greek Cypriots and that he protested for the situation. He said that he is not offended by the Union and expressed his readiness to participate in any program to which he will be invited in the future.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Afrika: While the population carried from Turkey is treated as citizens, the Greek Cypriots who live in North Cyprus are treated as foreigners

While the population carried from Turkey are treated as citizens, the Greek Cypriots who live in North Cyprus are treated as foreigners, points out Afrika.

The paper notes that Mr Angastiniotis said that the occupation regime permitted him to talk about the crimes in Maratha, Aloa and Sandalaris villages, pointing out that then he was not a foreigner for the regime.

I was not a foreigner when I was talking about the crimes in Maratha. I was not a foreigner when I was crying on the grave of Selden. I was not a foreigner when I said that I am giving my house to you for the sake of peace, said Mr Angastiniotis, who is currently a lecturer at the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University (DAU).

(I/Ts.)

[06] A workshop on the SMEs is organized by the Islamic Development Centre in the occupied areas of Cyprus

He said that experts from Islamic Conference Organization member countries will participate in the workshop as a result of a decision taken by the Director of the Islamic Trading Development Centre, Allal Rachdi, who visited the occupied areas last year. Mr Avci said that on 26 April they will organize a tour in the occupied areas of the island for the participants in the workshop.

(I/Ts.)

[07] UNFICYP Commander visited the General of Turkish occupied forces in Cyprus

Lieutenant General Hayri Kivrikoglu thanked the new UNFICYP Commander for his visit and wished him every success in his new duties.

(DPs)

[08] Turkish and Pakistani Foreign Ministers met in Islamabad

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Saturday that there has been a consensus of opinion to organize second summit of presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Turkey in June.

Babacan, currently on a formal visit to Pakistan, started his schedule by meeting Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi of Pakistan.

Speaking at a joint news conference after the talks, Babacan said Turkey would host a working group meeting in May in the level of undersecretaries aiming to improve relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Babacan said a meeting of presidents of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan was also planned to take place in June in Turkey.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi said there was consensus between Turkey and Pakistan over the international matters as well as the bilateral relations. Qureshi said boosting bilateral and strategic relations was discussed during his meeting with Babacan, and thanked Turkey's support on Kashmir.

Pakistan's support to Turkey on Cyprus will continue, he underlined.

Qureshi said economic and defense cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan made progress. Trade volume is 690 million USD. Both parties should endeavor to amount this figure to 2 billion USD, he said.

Qureshi underlined that Turkey assumed a key role in talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Babacan was later received by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. The meeting lasted for 35 minutes.

Babacan will also have a meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party and former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto's husband.

Turkish FM is expected to return to Turkey on Saturday night.

[09] Memorandum of Understanding signed between Turkey and Egypt

Turkish General Staff said Saturday that Turkey and Egypt signed an agreement to improve military relations and cooperation.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit paid a formal visit to Egypt from April 14th to 17th and met commander-in-chief of Egyptian Armed Forces Mar. Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who is also the defense minister, Turkish military said in a statement in its website.

The statement said that Buyukanit and Tantawi agreed to improve and further military relations and cooperation between the two countries and that a memorandum of understanding was signed on April 16th.

The agreement will boost military relations between the armed forces of Turkey and Egypt, it said.

The statement added that Buyukanit also met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during his visit to Cairo.

[10] European Parliamentary Committee to vote on Turkeys 2007 progress report today

The report, which was prepared by the Dutch rapporteur Ria Oomen-Ruijten, will be put to final vote at general assembly of the parliament in May.

Parliamentarians proposed more than 250 amendments to the report before the voting at the committee. One of the amendments says European Parliament is gravely concerned about the implications of a possible ban of the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party, and it expects the Turkish Constitutional Court to act in accordance with the Venice Commission guidelines on the prohibition of political parties.

Amendments also call on the Turkish government to respect pluralism, secularism and democracy while carrying out reforms and to reach a compromise with political parties. One of the amendments also urges the political parties to distance themselves from violence and terrorist organizations.

The draft report says the parliament takes note of the process under way to prepare a new, civilian constitution; regards it as a key opportunity to place the protection of human rights and freedoms at the core of the constitution and underlines the need for a broad involvement of civil society in this process.

The report says the parliament welcomes the commitment of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that 2008 is going to be the year of reforms; urges the Turkish government to make use of its strong parliamentary majority to resolutely pursue reforms that are crucial for Turkey's transformation into a modern democratic and prosperous society.

It says (the parliament) encourages the Turkish government to make further systematic efforts to ensure that the democratically elected political leadership bears full responsibility for formulation of domestic, foreign and security policy and that the armed forces respect this civilian responsibility; points out, in particular, the need to establish full parliamentary oversight of military and defense policy and all related expenditure.

The report also urges the Turkish government and the parliament to carry out, as a priority, the "repeatedly" promised reform of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.

It also says the parliament encourages the Turkish authorities to resolutely pursue investigations into the Ergenekon affair, to fully uncover its networks reaching into the state structures and to bring those involved to justice.

The report welcomes the recent adoption by the Turkish Parliament of the Law on Foundations and says the European Commission should analyze whether the Law addresses all shortcomings faced by non-Muslim religious communities with regard to property management and acquisition, including expropriated property sold to third parties.

The draft report also urges the Turkish government to launch, as a matter of priority, a political initiative favoring a lasting settlement of the Kurdish issue, and calls upon the Democratic Society Party (DTP), its members of parliament and mayors to engage constructively in the quest for a political solution to the Kurdish issue within the democratic Turkish state.

It strongly condemns the violence perpetrated by the terrorist organization PKK and reiterates European Parliament's solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. The report urges the Iraqi government and the regional Kurdish administration not to allow Iraqi territory to be used as base for terrorist acts against Turkey.

Committee draft report stresses the need to arrive at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question within the UN framework, claiming that the withdrawal of Turkish forces would facilitate the negotiation of a settlement. Oomen-Ruijten's report also calls on the European Commission and the Turkish government to start negotiations on an EU-Turkey visa facilitation agreement.

[11] Turkey to educate young foreign diplomats

Young diplomats from 48 countries in the Middle East, Far East, Balkans, Caucasus and Africa will attend a course in Ankara from Apr. 21 through May 30, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said Friday. Under the program, academics and senior diplomats will provide instruction to the participants. The Young Diplomats Education Program has been held since 1992.

EG/

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