Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-03-29

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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] Kibris: The negotiations will end and Varosha will open if there is no invitation for an international conference; Blackmailing, a well known Turkish trade

[02] Eroglu stated that today's meeting with President Christofias may the last ?Downer said that he will meet with the UN SG on April 19

[03] Ozersay says there will be no meeting between the sides until the UN takes its decision as regards the negotiations process

[04] Talat evaluates the Cyprus problem and the issue of the opening of Varosha

[05] "TMT Fighters' Association" stressed the need for the occupied closed city of Varosha to open under Turkish control

[06] Self-styled forestry minister stated that they are ready to share the water to be transferred from Turkey with the Republic of Cyprus

[07] ECHR rejects an application by Turkish Cypriots against the Republic of Cyprus

[08] Fule calls on Turkey to draft new constitution through democratic process 9. A Turkish Technical Committee is illegally visiting the occupied area to help the economic development of the breakaway regime

[09] A Turkish Technical Committee is illegally visiting the occupied area to help the economic development of the breakaway regime

[10] Disappeared register of "title deeds" in occupied Famagusta allegedly contains information on "illegal transfers" of Greek Cypriot properties

[11] Eroglu and Bozer met with CIOFF' delegation

[12] "54% of Turks support nukes if Iran has them"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Kibris: The negotiations will end and Varosha will open if there is no invitation for an international conference; Blackmailing, a well known Turkish trade

According to the paper, this weekend, Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus, will submit his report to Ban Ki-moon regarding the progress in the negotiations. The report is expected to determine the decision of the UN Secretary-General as regards the continuation of the talks.

Citing information from a reliable source, Kibris writes that in the last stage of the report, Downer who had met with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels, demanded more concessions especially on property and territory.

The source said that the meeting today between the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu and President Christofias will most probably be the last one. "The Turkish side, which has put the condition of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inviting a five-party conference, will declare that the negotiations ended in case this does not happen", writes the paper adding, inter alia, the following:

"?The Turkish Cypriot side and Ankara believe that in case a five-party conference is held, the Cyprus problem could be solved in a much shorter period of time than it is hoped. And therefore, an international conference, in which the three guarantor powers; Turkey, Greece and Britain together with the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders will participate, is proposed. In case the UN Secretary-General refrains from doing this and does not invite an international conference because the Greek Cypriot side opposes to it, the Turkish side will announce that there is no meaning to continue the negotiations and put an end [to them]?"

According to Kibris, the Turkish side will not take into consideration the resolution of the UN Security Council, which forbids the opening of the occupied closed city of Varosha [unless it is returned to its legal Greek Cypriot owners]. The paper writes: "An official, who drew attention to the fact that in this situation the city of Varosha might be gradually opened in the forthcoming summer months, said: 'As long as the negotiations lasted, we complied with the resolutions of the UN Security Council, but if the negotiations end, we will have no obligation any more to comply with this. As Turkish side we will do whatever we like'".

The paper concludes noting that Downer will inform the members of the UN Security Council today on his report through a teleconference.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu stated that today's meeting with President Christofias may the last ?Downer said that he will meet with the UN SG on April 19

Making a statement regarding the Cyprus negotiations process, Eroglu also said that the Turkish Cypriot side is "eagerly awaiting Downer's progress report on the Cyprus talks and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's final decision regarding the process".

In addition, Illegal Bayrak television (28.03.12) also broadcast that Eroglu held a meeting yesterday with Downer. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the UN Special Advisor said that they had a good meeting with Eroglu where they discussed the latest stage reached in the talks.

Reminding that he will be meeting with the UN Secretary General on the 19th of April to evaluate the latest stage of the talks and to decide on future steps, Downer reminded that he will be submitting his evaluation report to the Secretary General by the end of this week.

Asked to comment on his report, the UN Special Envoy refrained from giving details, stating that the outcome will be determined following his meeting with the UN Secretary General.

"It will be a matter in the short term between me and the Secretary General" he added.

[03] Ozersay says there will be no meeting between the sides until the UN takes its decision as regards the negotiations process

In statements to illegal Bayrak, Ozersay referred to the letter sent by Ban Ki-moon to the sides on 6 January, before the second Greentree summit in which he was saying that we had entered into the final stage of the negotiations, that this has four elements and that holding a multilateral conference is the last element of this stage.

Ozersay said that Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus, stated that he would submit his report to Ban Ki-moon on Friday. Ozersay added that in case this report is positive, they expect the UN Secretary-General to invite a multilateral conference in the end of April or in the beginning of May. Noting that Downer would meet Ban Ki-moon in New York on 19 April, Ozersay said that we have to wait for the decision of the UN Secretary-General. He concluded: "As it would be understood, in the period between next Friday and 19 April, there will be no meeting. According to the timetable drawn by the UN Secretary-General, the time has come now for the UN to decide and we think that we have to wait this decision".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Talat evaluates the Cyprus problem and the issue of the opening of Varosha

In statements during the program, Talat supported that in case of a "negative report" by Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus, and if the UN's Secretary General, will criticized both sides in the island for their stance in the talks, this would be against the Turkish Cypriot side.

Referring to the 1st of July, he said that the Turkish Cypriot side has rightly set as a deadline for reaching to a solution to the Cyprus problem the 1st of July, supporting that by setting this date as a deadline, the international community will motivate, more pressure will be exerted towards the efforts to find a solution and also the Greek Cypriot side will be forced to exert more efforts for the solution.

Commenting on the possibility that the UN's Secretary-General will not call for an international conference to take place and how it will declare the stalemate of the talks, Talat referred to the three different scenarios.

According to Talat, the first scenario has to do with the declaring of the end of the talks, by the UN Secretary General, a scenario which is considered to be a very weak possibility. The second scenario according to Talat is for the talks to continue with an idle mode and the third scenario is for the Secretary General to suspend the talks after the presidential elections in the Republic of Cyprus.

Regarding the issue of the opening of the fenced off city of Varosha, Talat said that it is an issue of historical process saying that Maras has been brought to the agenda during Papadopoulos' period. Talat added that that the response of the Greek Cypriot side towards the proposals submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side during that period was "We did not came here to commit a suicide".

Talat stated further that he is not aware whether the Turkish Cypriot side has a plan for the opening of Maras or not.

(AK)

[05] "TMT Fighters' Association" stressed the need for the occupied closed city of Varosha to open under Turkish control

The "TMT Fighters' Association" pointed out also in the written statement the need for the issue of the recognition of the "TRNC" to be brought to the agenda right after the 1st of July, when the Republic of Cyprus will overtake the EU term presidency.

The statement also claims that the Cyprus negotiation talks are leading to a stalemate due to the intransigence attitude of the Greek Cypriots and underlines that they will not accept any solution in Cyprus that will not protect the separate sovereign existence of the Turkish Cypriot "people" and the "TRNC state".

(AK)

[06] Self-styled forestry minister stated that they are ready to share the water to be transferred from Turkey with the Republic of Cyprus

Ali Cetin Amcaoglu, self-styled minister of forestry and agriculture commenting on the project stated: "This is the project of the century", and added that they can share their water with the Republic of Cyprus.

He also said that a water pipeline could be laid from Turkey via the occupied area of Cyprus to Palestine in the future.

On his part, the Turkish Minister of Forests and Water Veysel Eroglu, commenting on the issue stated that Turkey's Prime Ministry was authorized to make that decision, but the Ministry is capable of sharing water with the Republic of Cyprus.

He made these statements speaking at a meeting in Ankara.

[07] ECHR rejects an application by Turkish Cypriots against the Republic of Cyprus

The Court unanimously rejected all nine applications filed by Turkish Cypriots from Vroisa on the ground that the internal remedies had not been exhausted, noting that the new measures taken by the Republic of Cyprus with the amendment of law No 139/1991 as regards the Guardian of the Turkish Cypriot properties are in harmony with the European Convention of Human Rights and constitute an affective local remedy for the Turkish Cypriot property owners.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Fule calls on Turkey to draft new constitution through democratic process

Fule was discussing developments in Turkey ahead of a voting on Thursday on a draft report on Turkey written by European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Ria Oomen-Ruijten.

Fule said reform process continues in Turkey although sometimes it is slowed and added that many taboos have been broken in Turkey and many things could be freely discussed in public.

Speaking about Cyprus peace talks, Fule said he is "astonished that no one is talking about Cyprus peace talks to reunify the long divided island" and asked if this shows that the Parliament is satisfied with the status quo. He added that there is no option other than a comprehensive settlement in the island.

Fule also blasted members of the European Parliament who said that the 27-member club must freeze accession negotiations with Turkey due to the candidate country's poor human rights record. Fule said the best way to strengthen democracy in Turkey is membership talks.

Oomen-Ruijten reiterated in her speech that Turkey needs a civilian constitution. She said the European Parliament completely supports Turkey's responsibility to draft a new civilian constitution that includes a principle of power sharing ? something modern and prosperous Turkey needs.

Swedish Christian Democrat Alf Svensson said the EU must immediately decide whether or not it wants Turkey as a member of the bloc. He said EU's need for Turkey is bigger than Turkey's need for the EU, adding that Turkey is a big power and could walk on its own.

Dutch Socialist Emine Bozkurt said that while the EU is calling on Turkey to ensure press freedom, it must also seriously investigate attacks on Turkish media institutions across Europe.

Bozkurt was referring to recent incidents in the Netherlands, France and Germany, where offices of Turkish Zaman daily were stormed by unknown assailants.

English Conservative Geoffrey Van Orden called on the 27-nation bloc "to lift economic isolation on Turkish Cyprus", as, he alleged, it promised earlier to do so.

In addition, Turkish daily Zaman (29.03.12) reports that Nicolai Wammen, the Danish Minister for European Affairs stated that the fact that Turkey did not open its ports and airports for the vessels of the Republic of Cyprus, this creates irritation.

[09] A Turkish Technical Committee is illegally visiting the occupied area to help the economic development of the breakaway regime

Kucuk met with members of the Turkish Technical Committee which was headed by Mehmet Sirin. No statement was issued before or after the meeting.

The visiting delegation later met Tatar. According to the press statement issued from the "finance ministry", Tatar underlined the importance of financial discipline during the visit and said the following: "Joint efforts of motherland Turkey and the TRNC are aimed at ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for the people of the TRNC".

Sirin, for his part, said that the Technical Committee will continue to provide its support to economic initiatives in the breakaway regime.

[10] Disappeared register of "title deeds" in occupied Famagusta allegedly contains information on "illegal transfers" of Greek Cypriot properties

(I/Ts.)

[11] Eroglu and Bozer met with CIOFF' delegation

Speaking during the meeting, Eroglu referred to the so-called embargoes in the "TRNC" saying that the "TRNC" confronts the obstacles set by "south Cyprus" as he referred to the Republic of Cyprus and stressed the need for not taking into consideration if a country which participates to cultural events is recognized or not.

Eroglu continued and said that despite the efforts exerted by the Greek Cypriots, the "municipality of Trikomo" and the "municipality of Kioneli" have achieved to become members (observers) at the CIOFF.

Also speaking, the chairman of CIOFF Dr Udomsak Sakmungvung expressed his pleasure for being in the occupied area of Cyprus and said that they will be very happy if a peace solution is found in Cyprus.

Also, Halil Orun, "mayor" of the so-called municipality of occupied Trikomo stated that despite the efforts exerted by the Greek Cypriots to exclude them from CIOFF, they feel pleased from the fact that CIOFF's spring meeting will take place in the "TRNC".

Meanwhile, CIOFF's delegation met also with the "speaker" of the so-called assembly Hasan Bozer.

Speaking during the meeting, Bozer accused the Greek Cypriot side for making propaganda and for posing "embargoes" to the "TRNC" in several fields, like in sports, politics, and culture. He said that that despite of the "embargoes", the Turkish Cypriot side is willing for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

(AK)

[12] "54% of Turks support nukes if Iran has them"

"More than half of Turks support the option of Turkey's obtaining nuclear arms in case of a possible threat from a nuclear-missile armed Iran, while 35%believe that Turkey should not develop nuclear weapons, a recent public opinion survey revealed.

The survey, carried out by the Economy and Foreign Policy Research Centre (EDAM), asked the following: "In reaction to a possible threat from a nuclear-armed Iran, should Turkey develop its own nuclear weapons or rely on NATO's protection?" According to the survey's results, 54% of the participants supported the option of Turkey's nuclear armament, while 8.2% believe that NATO's security umbrella is sufficient, and therefore Turkey shouldn't develop nuclear weapons. 34% of the participants believe that Turkey shouldn't develop nuclear weapons under any conditions." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EI

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