Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 11-09-02

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Greek Cypriots attended evening prayers at occupied Morfou's Agios Mamas church; Great security measures by the so-called police

[02] The Cyprus problem to be discussed at the Turkish-Spanish Intergovernmental Summit in Ankara

[03] Peace Day celebrations and protests in the buffer zone

[04] Turkey is accused of preventing the work of the "property compensation commission" by prohibiting the entrance into occupied fenced Varosha

[05] Tourists visit the occupied area of Cyprus for gambling

[06] Slight improvement to Denktas' health condition

[07] Project for replacing the water-pipe system in Famagusta

[08] Davutoglu met with Clinton in Paris; Developments in Libya, Syria and the Turkish-Israeli ties among the matters of discussion

[09] Davutoglu on Turkish ?Romanian ties

[10] "Turkey seeks UN role in rebuilding Libya"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

Ties between Israel and Turkey, after the expected UN's report on last year's Mavi Marmara incident, the contacts of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in the framework of his meetings on the margins of the Libya Contact Group in Paris, the hosting of the third intergovernmental summit between Spain and Turkey to be held in Ankara and other internal issues are some of the main stories covered by today's Turkish dailies.

[01] Greek Cypriots attended evening prayers at occupied Morfou's Agios Mamas church; Great security measures by the so-called police

Reference is also made to today's mass that will be held at occupied Agios Mamas church.

[02] The Cyprus problem to be discussed at the Turkish-Spanish Intergovernmental Summit in Ankara

Diplomatic sources said to the news agency that "providing Spanish companies' participation in infrastructure projects in Turkey and exchanging views on the Middle East are the priority issues of the Spanish Government. It was added that bilateral relations, Cyprus, Iran, Syria, Libya, the Alliance of Civilizations and Turkey's EU accession process will also be discussed.

The summit will take place upon Zapatero's insistence although an early general election is scheduled for November 20 in Spain, Anatolia said, while noting that the summit in Ankara will be the latest bilateral summit Zapatero will participate in since the Spanish Prime Minister announced in April that he will not stand for re-election in 2012.

Spanish companies are eager to strengthen cooperation with Turkish companies in air and maritime transportation, and some of them are willing to sell military ships to Turkey, Anatolia said, citing anonymous sources.

[03] Peace Day celebrations and protests in the buffer zone

Upon reaching Ledra Palace, they laid a black wreath in the entrance of the UN quarters and continued singing and dancing. Among the participating organizations were the following trade unions, and NGOs: Cyprus Turkish Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS), Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOEOS), Customs Workers' Union (GUC-SEN), Eastern Mediterranean University Unity and Solidarity Trade Union (DAU-BIRSEN), Cyprus Turkish Physicians' Trade Union (TIP-IS), Press Labourer's Trade Union (BASIN-SEN), Cyprus Turkish State Employees Trade Union (Cag-Sen), Baraka Cultural Centre, Barikat newspaper, Gelecek newspaper, Pir Sultan Abdal Association and the New Cyprus Party (YKP).

The paper also reports on a press conference that the 1st of September organizing committee gave in the buffer zone. The committee which consists of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot organizations organized the press conference in order to protest and express their disappointment for the decision of the UN forces not to allow the bi-communal activities to take place. The conference took place in the Community Media Centre (CCMC) and a declaration for the 1st of September and statements regarding the UN forces decision were read in Greek and Turkish. The declaration, which was signed by many organizations, expressed inter alia support to the ongoing negotiations and the wish to be continued in a constructive and intensive manner.

[04] Turkey is accused of preventing the work of the "property compensation commission" by prohibiting the entrance into occupied fenced Varosha

"?It [the ECHR] cannot say that 'Lordos is right?Turkey should pay this sum of compensation to him'! In order for it to say this, first the value of Lordos' property in Varosha should be determined. However, this procedure cannot be carried out! Why it cannot be carried out? Because Turkey, which has lost the case, does not give permission for this! The permission for entering into Varosha, which has been a dead city abandoned to snakes and centipedes for 37 years and for carrying out this procedure should be taken by the Turkish army. However, the Turkish army, which turned down all the applications on this issue, does not allow this! ?"

Noting that the ECHR could do nothing about this situation, Levent says, inter alia, the following:

"Even the MPs of the EU and the EU officials cannot enter into Varosha which is an EU territory. Leave this aside. The Turkish army does not allow the entrance into Varosha even to high ranking officials of the TRNC!

Who has established the property compensation commission in the TRNC? Turkey. Why it has established it? In order to allegedly settle in this commission the disputes with the Greek Cypriots and prevent them from going to the ECHR. Afterwards this commission was accepted as Turkey's local remedy and it was imposed as such to the ECHR. Now it [Turkey] does not allow the entrance into Varosha even to the members of this commission established by itself! However, the evaluations of this commission in Varosha are very important for determining the compensation to be paid to Lordos. Without these evaluations it is not possible to decide on the sum of compensation to be paid by Turkey. Exactly on this point, Turkey prevents these evaluations to be carried out by not allowing the entrance into Varosha!

Very recently the TRNC property compensation commission stated that many applications had been made to the military authorities in the TRNC with the aim of forming a solution proposal to businessman Andreas Lordos from Varosha, but all these applications were rejected and the permission of the Turkish army is still expected for this.

There is no sound from the ECHR in front of all these developments! There is no move in any of the EU organs regarding this issue! Even when EU Parliamentarians were not permitted by the army to enter into Varosha, the EU put up with it in an unbelievable manner and accepted silently the fact that no permission was given even to its own Parliamentarians to enter into a territory which belongs to itself in Cyprus!

Turkey, which is not member of the EU, keeps Cyprus, a member of the EU, under military and political occupation for 37 years and the EU says nothing against this occupation as if it is powerless! The EU is absolutely ignored on its own territory which is under Turkey's occupation for 37 years! It has no authority?"

(I/Ts.)

[05] Tourists visit the occupied area of Cyprus for gambling

Speaking to Kibris, some restaurant owners said that more than 600 flights took place to occupied Cyprus during the Ramadan period, but the tourists did not come out of their hotels. The owners said that the gambling tourism is not beneficial for the "country".

[06] Slight improvement to Denktas' health condition

Denktas, who had been unconscious when he was admitted to the "Near East University Hospital" after returning from Turkey, is becoming conscious from time to time.

Denktas was treated at the Gulhane Military Hospital in Ankara where he underwent surgery due to a second brain haemorrhage last week. There, he also received physical rehabilitation treatment.

Denktas was paralyzed on the left side after suffering a stroke and brain hemorrhage earlier in May.

He was transferred back to the "Near East University Hospital" upon his demand.

Doctors say Denktas seems to have a positive response to the treatment but it is better to wait for 48 or 72 hours to make more certain statements about his condition.

His son and Democratic Party leader Serdar Denktas, told reporters that his father is now able to breathe without the respiratory device.

[07] Project for replacing the water-pipe system in Famagusta

[Tr. Note: The above are the names of occupied areas in Famagusta as changed by the occupation regime. These areas are located outside the fenced city of Varosha. Last Monday (29.08.11). Kibris newspaper reported that one million Turkish Liras will be spent on a project of replacing the water-pipe system within the occupied fenced city of Varosha].

[08] Davutoglu met with Clinton in Paris; Developments in Libya, Syria and the Turkish-Israeli ties among the matters of discussion

In addition to bilateral ties, issues concerning the Middle East region, including Libya and Syria, issues regarding NATO, the Balkans, and the Turkish-Israeli ties were reportedly discussed during the meeting.

Minister Davutoglu arrived in Paris on 31 August, to attend the Libya conference initiated by France and the United Kingdom.

[09] Davutoglu on Turkish ?Romanian ties

Speaking during the joint press conference, Davutoglu referred to the Turkish-Romanian relations and said that the two countries had perfect relations in political, economic and cultural areas.

Baconschi, on his part, said that Romania supported Turkey's EU bid.

After the press conference, the two Ministers signed a cooperation agreement between the two Foreign Ministries.

Davutoglu also met with a group of Turkish businessmen and listened to the problems they faced while doing business in Romania.

(?) Also, according to Turkish daily Today's Zaman (31.08.11), the Turkish Foreign Minister told the news conference that he had productive talks with his Romanian counterpart, stressing that Romania is both Turkey's neighbour, ally and an important partner for Turkey.

Noting that the political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries are excellent, Davutoglu said both countries will sign a strategic partnership declaration during the scheduled visit of Romania's President to Turkey.

According to Davutoglu, Turkey and Romania, already show signs of acceleration in mutual trade, with an estimate of $10 billion trade volume to be reached in the near future.

[10] "Turkey seeks UN role in rebuilding Libya"

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Turkish journalists in a plane en route to Romania from Bosnia - Herzegovina that it is important that the messages are delivered through the United Nations, not this or that country.

(?)

Sources claim that Turkey had offered to the US to make political decisions regarding Libya within the UN meetings and that Washington is warm to the idea. Officials say that US President Obama could possibly host a similar meeting.

In March, Turkey harshly criticized the Paris meeting on Libya, which it said lacked the unity of allies and demanded NATO's leading role in a military operation against the North African country. Davutoglu voiced similar remarks and said that Turkey does not want to see Libya stuck in what he called "the East-West dilemma."

According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, relevant decisions with respect to Libya's reconstruction should be made by the Libyan people until the elections, which Libyan officials say might be held in eight months.

Davutoglu underlined that Libya's relations with the international community must be under the coordination of the UN and its regional ties should be coordinated through the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League and the African Union. He added that NATO should also maintain its role within the UN's decisions until security is restored in Libya. "The distribution of roles must be like this," Davutoglu said.

Ankara stressed that urgent decisions, including economic matters, must be made before the elections and decisions that are not so urgent, particularly those regarding Libya's energy resources, are not necessary to be made as of yet.

Turkish diplomatic sources claim that Turkey's involvement in Libya had a psychological effect on strengthening the legitimacy of the Libyan rebels, adding that the position of Western nations, because of their history of colonization, was met with suspicion among the Libyan public.

Turkey, which was the first country to send its Foreign Minister to Libya immediately after Gaddafi was overthrown, also appointed a new Ambassador to Libya right before the Libya meeting in Paris on Thursday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry appointed Ambassador Ali Kemal Ayd1
n, who has sufficient political and economic experience and knows Libya well, to Tripoli. Sources said that Turkish technical committees went to Libya on Tuesday for initial preparations. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

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