Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 11-11-25

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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 says Barosso gave him the message that lifting of the "isolation" might be discussed again

[02] Eroglu addresses a symposium on so-called isolations

[03] Ozersay holds contacts in Sweden

[04] Davutoglu argued that President Gul pointed out to the reality by describing the EU as "miserable" and Cyprus as "half state"

[05] Bagis says Turkey has prepared alternative plans in case no solution is found to the Cyprus problem until the Republic of Cyprus' EU presidency

[06] Talat: "Christofias wanted to say "yes" to the Annan Plan but he changed his mind after Papadopoulos' pressure"

[07] EP President comments on Cyprus

[08] The unemployment rate in occupied Cyprus reached 15%

[09] KTAM celebrated its 55th anniversary referring to the problems of the breakaway regime

[10] More than 80% of the population in occupied Trikomo is of Turkish origin

[11] Turkish Cypriot daily wonders whether Turkish Airlines will land to Larnaka

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

The Dersim crisis continues to be the main topic in the Turkish press today. The papers write that the chairman of Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu stated that his party will not apologize for the Dersim massacre, and called on the Turkish government to release documents from the state archives on the incident. The papers also report about the political situation in Syria and publish statements by Bulent Arinc, who speaking in Bursa, ruled out any Turkish military intervention in Syria over its crackdown on protesters. Finally the papers reports about the visit of the Turkish President Gul in the UK and his contacts with British officials.

[01] Eroglu says Barosso gave him the message that lifting of the "isolation" might be discussed again

Eroglu also said that during his meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule he raised the issue of the obstacles allegedly put by the Greek Cypriot side to the Turkish Cypriot bus and truck drivers who want to cross over to the government-controlled area of the island and asked from Fule to examine this issue in depth. He claimed that this issue is contrary to the principle of reciprocity, adding that he will discuss with the self-styled government the issue of taking the necessary measures.

Commenting on the so-called isolations, Eroglu claimed that if there is no agreement until the end of June, the EU should make a new evaluation of the situation. Regarding the "Direct Trade Regulation" prepared in 2004 by the European Commission for the lifting of the so-called isolations on the Turkish Cypriots and the Lisbon Treaty which introduced the implementation of the weighted vote to the EU, Eroglu said: "You know that there are rules of veto here. However, there are some people who say that according to Lisbon Treaty we can overcome this. This time will show this."

Eroglu argued that the "isolations" should be removed, because the Turkish Cypriot side is not the one that started the Cyprus problem and it is the side which takes part in the negotiations with good will said "yes" to all past agreements. Eroglu also argued that the UN Secretary-General in the report, he prepared after the referendum in 2004, asked for the removal of the "isolations", however, this proposal was not materialized due to Russia's veto.

Claiming that the impression which is given is that the aim of the continuation of the "embargoes" is to encourage the Turkish Cypriot side for an agreement, Eroglu alleged that if the "embargoes" are removed then the Greek Cypriot side will be forced for a Cyprus settlement. He added that he explained this to Barroso and Fule.

Referring to the Cyprus talks, Eroglu said that one of the most serious problems they have at the negotiation table is the issue of property and territory. Of course, he added, there are also differences on the issue of power sharing and governance. As Eroglu argued there is no connection between the rotating presidency and the cross-voting issue.

Eroglu reiterated the views that the agreement which would be reached by the two communities in Cyprus should become primary law of the European Union, and that they are in favour of the continuation of the guarantees.

[02] Eroglu addresses a symposium on so-called isolations

Eroglu, in his opening speech, argued that if they want peace, they have to be strong economically and politically. He also alleged that it is unfair to impose "embargoes" on the Turkish Cypriot side and called on the United Nations and the European Union to lift the "embargoes" allegedly imposed on the Turkish Cypriots for half century now.

Eroglu also said that although there are "embargoes", the breakaway regime exported in 2010 products which were worth 136,594,000 Turkish Liras (TL) and it expects revenues from tourism this year which will have worth 400 million TL. He also explained that the number of students in the illegal universities has increased and that many of their athletes participate in international competitions.

Referring to the hydrocarbon issue, Eroglu said that they have taken the necessary "legal" steps by signing an agreement with Turkey. He added that they defend the view that all the natural wealth of the island should be shared between the two "peoples".

[03] Ozersay holds contacts in Sweden

Illegal Bayrak recalls that Ozersay was accompanying Eroglu during his contacts in Brussels at the European Parliament, and that before going to Brussels he had visited Slovakia, where he gave a lecture on the Cyprus problem.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Davutoglu argued that President Gul pointed out to the reality by describing the EU as "miserable" and Cyprus as "half state"

In statements to London Turkish Radio (LTR), Davutoglu explained his view: "The word used was the word 'miserable', meaning helpless, having no capacity, that is, in a sense having no capacity to find a solution. The meaning of the half state is that the EU has accepted Cyprus as a whole, but only the half of it is represented. Therefore, this is what our esteemed President meant. Of course, I agree with this view".

Moreover, Davutoglu noted that during the meeting he held with his British colleague William Hague he expressed the view of organizing an international conference on the Cyprus problem with the participation of the three guarantor powers and added that Britain sees positively this view. Davutoglu added that the British side said it would offer every support.

Davutoglu alleged that if the Republic of Cyprus overtakes the EU term presidency on 1 July 2012 without a solution to the Cyprus problem to be found, the EU will add another "mistake" to the "mistake" it committed by accepting Cyprus as member. "If no solution is found by 1 July next year, if Cyprus is not unified, a half country will be presiding to a big international organization such as the EU. This will be ironic and will make the situation more serious", he alleged.

The fact that "northern Cypriot athletes" will not participate in the Olympic Games in London next year, claimed Davutoglu, is "contrary to the fundamental human rights". "We will continue brining onto the agenda this injustice", said Davutoglu arguing that everybody knows that injustice is made against the Turkish Cypriots. "This situation will not last forever", he alleged.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Bagis says Turkey has prepared alternative plans in case no solution is found to the Cyprus problem until the Republic of Cyprus' EU presidency

Bagis went on saying that the contribution of the common state will be very important to Turkish-EU ties and pointed out that if this does not happen neither the occupation regime nor Turkey should pay the bill.

Asked what will happen with Turkey's EU negotiation process during the Republic of Cyprus's EU term presidency, Bagis said that practically they will not face any problem since there are two meetings where the candidate countries are interlocutor with the term presidency, adding that one of these meetings is related to the opening and closing of chapters and the other is the Partnership Council.

Reminding of the fact that Turkey has not opened or closed any chapter for 1 year and that during France's EU Term Presidency the meeting of the Partnership Council was postponed, Bagis said the following: "If you look at the 52-year EU history of Turkey, the six-month period of the Greek Cypriot's term presidency is a very short time. We consider that it is not necessary to think very much on this. This will come and pass. However, it is the Greek Cypriot Administration and the EU countries that will lose from this".

Bagis, who did not want to speak a lot of the possibilities related to what will happen in case no solution to the Cyprus problem is found, said: "Turkey has prepared a plan A, a plan B, a plan C and a plan D. Do not worry at all about this".

Referring to the possibility of a solution being found, he added: "If a comprehensive solution is found, for us the Greek Cypriot EU term presidency will be an event that will be celebrated".

(AK)

[06] Talat: "Christofias wanted to say "yes" to the Annan Plan but he changed his mind after Papadopoulos' pressure"

Talat, who was speaking to Hasan Hasturer's TV show broadcasted on Ada TV, evaluated the progress of the Cyprus negotiations and referred to the period of the Annan Plan.

Talat said that he believes that President Christofias wants a solution and that he wanted to say "yes" to the Annan Plan, but he changed his mind after the late President Tassos Papadopoulos' pressure.

He went on and said that during the time he was negotiating the Cyprus problem with President Christofias, they prepared 30 rapprochement papers, in which they came in common ground. According to Talat, it was the first time that the two sides in Cyprus prepared some papers in the negotiations.

[07] EP President comments on Cyprus

"The tensions we have witnessed in the recent months between Turkey and Cyprus concern me greatly. I would like to reiterate the European Parliament's call on your government to continue to actively support the on-going negotiations between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. A fair and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, is now urgent," he noted.

"In the current crucial phase of the process, all efforts and minds should focus on the comprehensive settlement, and should not be distracted from this priority. In this respect, it is indispensable that all parties do their utmost to ensure a positive climate that will facilitate a successful completion of the talks. I therefore don't want to speculate on anything else than a settlement before the Cypriot Presidency of the EU in July 2012 and I believe that this is possible given that good progress was achieved since 2008. I trust that Turkey, like the EU, will continue to give its total support in this final phase of the talks," he added.

Buzek said that a solution to the Cyprus issue would bring a welcome boost to Turkey's accession negotiations. "But it will also guarantee a bright future for all Cypriots. This is in everyone's interest," he added.

[08] The unemployment rate in occupied Cyprus reached 15%

The paper writes also that in one year a total of 1054 vacant posts opened in the so-called employment centre in the occupied area, stressing that 981 of these vacancies were cancelled afterwards. Also, in the "public sector" of the occupation regime a total of 263 vacant posts opened and 233 of them were cancelled.

(AK)

[09] KTAM celebrated its 55th anniversary referring to the problems of the breakaway regime

Speaking during the conference, KTAMS' chairman, Ahmet Kaptan stated that the Turkish Cypriots are in a very difficult situation these days, like in 1956 during the British colonial rule, when the Turkish Cypriots could not find a job or get a promotion and they faced serious economic problems.

He went on and added that the Turkish Cypriots are harmed because the uncontrolled population flow is ignored, because they are forced to immigrate, because the producers of citrus fruits and other agriculture products cannot sell their products and because of the uncontrolled entrance of persons in the "country".

[10] More than 80% of the population in occupied Trikomo is of Turkish origin

The paper also notes that occupied Trikomo has a population of 8,000 people and more than 80% of them come from Turkey's Black Sea region. Halil Ibrahim Orun, so-called mayor of occupied Trikomo, answering to questions as to whether residents of the area can affect "elections" through their vote, said the following: "80-90% of the people living in Trikomo are citizens [of the breakaway regime] coming from Trabzon. They came in 1976; these people and their offspring, along with their children are Cypriots. These people do not vote according to origin, but according to ideology."

Orun also pointed out that the number of houses in the area is 4.500, which compared to the permanent population of 8,000, seems disproportionate. He justified this saying that the dwellings built, are destined for vacation and added that during the construction boom in 2004, only in occupied Trikomo area, 3,000 villas with swimming pools, were constructed.

[11] Turkish Cypriot daily wonders whether Turkish Airlines will land to Larnaka

The paper notes that Turkish Airlines sponsors Manchester United and Barcelona football teams. It wonders, whether Turkish Airlines aircrafts carrying these teams will land in Larnaka airport, if APOEL is matched against them in the next round. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EG

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