Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 11-10-12

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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] Eroglu: "We achieved convergences on some chapters at the give-and-take bargain"

[02] Talat stated that the Turkish side should have established an oil drilling platform instead of sending Piri Reis for exploration

[03] Ten thousand homebuyers are victimized in the occupied area of Cyprus

[04] Self-styled ministers are reportedly holders of passports of the Republic of Cyprus

[05] Turkish official says Turkey not to hold talks with the Republic of Cyprus during EU term presidency

[06] Vice-President of the Italian Senate comments on Cyprus and Turkey's EU accession course

[07] Erdogan's harsh criticism to Sarkozy over his Armenia remarks

[08] French and German Foreign Ministers to hold separate visits to Turkey; Cyprus problem among the matters of discussion

[09] London Turkish Radio stops broadcasting

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's criticism to French President Sarkozy over his Armenia remarks, the separate visits of the French and German Foreign Ministers to Turkey, accusations by the leader of CHP Kemal Kilicdaroglu that Turkish deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay is involved in a fraud case and other internal issues are some of the main stories covered by today's Turkish dailies.

[01] Eroglu: "We achieved convergences on some chapters at the give-and-take bargain"

Referring to President Christofias' statements on return of land, Eroglu argued that it is wrong to mention place's names, when they still have not discussed maps and figures on the chapter of territory. He claimed that this influences negatively the negotiation process, adding that he conveyed that to the President Christofias.

[02] Talat stated that the Turkish side should have established an oil drilling platform instead of sending Piri Reis for exploration

Talat made these statements in an interview with the Kibris TV where he evaluated the latest developments regarding the "continental shelf delimitation agreement" signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime, the decision of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) to vote against the "agreement", the Cyprus problem and the future of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Talat stated that Turkey's threats against the Greek Cypriots on the issue of oil and gas drillings are as valid as the threads made by the late Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem regarding the Republic of Cyprus "unilaterally becoming member of the EU", as he claimed. He also said that Turkey did not take the necessary measures to prevent the Greek Cypriots from conducting the drilling, like it had not taken the necessary measures to prevent Cyprus from becoming member of the EU.

Talat stated that if he were in Eroglu's place he would have been against sending the Koca Piri Reis vessel for conducting seismic exploration saying that there was no reason for it. "If we want to stop the Greek Cypriots, we should do the same; this is to conduct drilling. According to me, we could find ship-platform to do this", he stated and added that perhaps no firm will undertake the task of conducting the drilling, but "motherland" Turkey, the only country that recognizes the "TRNC", will accept the task. "If the Turkish side was really determined to stop the Greek Cypriots it should have done this", he stated.

On the issue of the sharing the natural gas between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots, Talat stated that the Turkish Cypriots should have acted in two directions: Firstly they should have proposed to the Greek Cypriot side to hold talks on the issue and find a solution, like the two sides did on the opening of the Limnitis barricade. Secondly they should have made the international factor to get into action on the issue, in order for pressure to be exerted on the Greek Cypriots to launch a discussion on this. Talat said that the approach of threatening the Greek Cypriots is wrong and this will lead to the isolation of the Turkish side since Greek Cypriots are strong in the international arena. "If this had taken place in the past, this platform would have been bombed. You cannot do this now. Reciprocity should take place through peaceful means", he stated.

Referring to the "continental shelf delimitation agreement" signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime, Talat said that it was not necessary and added that if he was in Eroglu's place he would not have signed the agreement. He said that he conveyed his thoughts to Ankara, but they told him that "TRNC, has rights in every part of the island" and therefore they gave Piri Reis authorization to conduct exploration at the 12th plot.

He went on and added that he agrees with CTP's decision to vote against the "agreement". He stated that it is his party's democratic right to take a stand against Ankara.

Talat stated that as long as Dervis Eroglu sits at the negotiation table, a solution of the Cyprus problem will not be found. He referred to the various problems faced by the Turkish Cypriot youth and added that the solution of the Cyprus problem is a must.

[03] Ten thousand homebuyers are victimized in the occupied area of Cyprus

The chairman of the association Rahmi Ozsan pointed out during the meeting that approximately 10,000 people have been victimized due to the lack of "legislation" that exists in the real estate sector of the breakaway regime.

Ozsan added that 120 European citizens, who face problems with the property they bought in the occupied area, have applied to the European Court of Human Rights. He also said that they want the "government" of the breakaway regime to take measures and create a "legal" framework for their protection. "We want to secure support on this issue with our visits," said Ozsan and added that "laws regarding mortgage must come into effect in the TRNC."

TDP's chairman Mehmet Cakici said that the association stepped in an important subject and that they also monitor closely the subject. He agreed that there must be a "legal" framework and said that if such a proposal appears, his party, being a social democratic one, will support it.

[04] Self-styled ministers are reportedly holders of passports of the Republic of Cyprus

Columnist Aysu Basri Akter, writing in the same paper, comments on the debate created after the statements by the self-styled minister of foreign affairs Huseyin Ozgurgun at Turkey's Assembly that "100,000 Turkish Cypriots are holders of passports of the Republic of Cyprus" and that "the Greek Cypriots deceive their young people, the Turkish Cypriots with the passport". Akter publishes, inter alia, the following commentary, under the title "Ozgurgun's passport":

"(?) The passports of the Republic of Cyprus is an issue exploited for years now. While efforts were exerted in the assembly [Translator's note: The illegal assembly of the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of Cyprus] for enacting a law which envisaged punishment with imprisonment, MPs and Ministers holding passports were in newspapers headlines. Although years have passed, they are again newspaper headlines. Because the issue is exploited with hypocrisy. (?)

Today, the Turkish Cypriots not only take passports, but they also benefit from the Republic of Cyprus' civil rights. With these passports, they benefit from specific conditions in education and in health.

Today, the Turkish Cypriots not only take passports, but for any kind of health problems the first they trust South Cyprus. With the health cards they benefit from broad health services for paying nearly nothing.

Today not only the Turkish Cypriots, but also the people who come from Turkey and settle in Cyprus demand to get this passport, and use legal means in order for their children who are born here [Translator's note: in the occupied areas of Cyprus] to gain these rights.

Greek Cypriot lawyers are also deal with these cases.

Today the Turkish Cypriots, not only take passports, but they also work at South Cyprus? Some even prefer to live there.

While Ozgurgun was making complaints about this at Turkey's Assembly, in the reality, he confessed that this land, which they named republic, cannot protect its citizens.

Otherwise, why are there en masse demands of ministers, MPs, and nearly the whole number of people of a country in order to get the citizenship of another republic?

There must be another meaning apart from being deceived. (?)

In reality, the Greek Cypriots should complain, and not our politicians for the passports which the Turkish Cypriots take. Because, the Greek Cypriots pay taxes and only those who's earning within certain limits, may benefit from privileges in the public services.

For the Turkish Cypriots, however, there is not such limitation. They are not evaluated having as criteria their profit, staying in the South or paying taxes.

(?) Words alone cannot build either democracy or a state."

[05] Turkish official says Turkey not to hold talks with the Republic of Cyprus during EU term presidency

Speaking to the AA in Milan where he arrived for an international conference, Volkan Bozkir said that he was disappointed by the remarks Sarkozy made during a recent visit to Armenia.

Sarkozy's remarks could hurt Turkish-French relations, Bozkir said.

Touching on Turkey-EU relations, Bozkir reiterated the Turkish position that it was out of question for Turkey to hold talks with the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, during their EU term presidency in the second half of 2012.

"We will not hold talks with an entity that we do not recognize just because they have assumed EU term presidency for six months", Bozkir said.

[06] Vice-President of the Italian Senate comments on Cyprus and Turkey's EU accession course

Bonino also argued that the EU has not kept its word nor has been a fair partner to Turkey, because some countries are hidden behind Cyprus in order to oppose to Turkey's EU accession process. Referring to Bozkir's speech [tr. note: the chairman of the Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee who spoke before her], Bonino said that in an era of inter-dependency, Turkey does not have the luxury to say that it will act on its own. She also said that Turkey can strengthen its economy as much as it wants, but they will still need partners and sent the message that there is no alternative for Turkey than the EU.

[07] Erdogan's harsh criticism to Sarkozy over his Armenia remarks

Delivering a speech at his party's parliamentary group meeting, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "The French President gave some advice to Turkey in a move to invest in the elections. You (Sarkozy) should give such advice to yourself first. There cannot be a political leader with so many faces. Politics require honesty." he said.

"There are nearly 600,000 Armenians and 500,000 Turks living in France. The two countries have relations," he said.

"A statesman must act by considering the next generations, not the upcoming elections", Erdogan added.

Sarkozy drew a strong negative reaction from Turkey when he said last Thursday in a short trip to Armenia that Turkey should recognize the 1915 incidents as a genocide, noting that he would pass accordingly a law in France.

Turkey rejects the term and denies that up to 1.5 million Armenians died. It alleges that many Muslim Turks and Kurds, as well as Christian Armenians, were killed in inter-communal violence, as Russian forces invaded eastern Anatolia during World War One.

[08] French and German Foreign Ministers to hold separate visits to Turkey; Cyprus problem among the matters of discussion

Juppe's visit is of special importance after the remarks made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the incidents of the 1915.

French FM Juppe will arrive in Turkey on October 26.

Preparations for G-20 Summit set to be held in Cannes on November 2 and 3 are expected to be taken up during Juppe's visit to Turkey.

Juppe and Davutoglu are expected to discuss developments regarding "Arab Spring" and Middle East peace process during their meeting.

Turkey's EU accession process and the Cyprus problem are the other topics to be discussed by the two foreign ministers.

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (12.10.11) reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is expected to visit Turkey on October 13.

A statement released by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said both foreign ministers will discuss bilateral relations and recent international and regional developments during their talks in Istanbul.

It pointed that the visit comes at a time when discussions between Turkey and Germany intensify regarding current developments, adding that Turkey believes Westerwelle's visit will improve, already, strong relations between Turkey and Germany.

[09] London Turkish Radio stops broadcasting

/EG

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