(Federation of Worker's Trade Union),
stated that he saw the economic protocol after it was signed. Eroglu,
also said that the occupation regime faces many problems, called on the
self-styled government to immediately take action and find solutions to
these issues.
Halkin Sesi writes that the chairman of the Republican Turkish party (CTP)
Ozkan Yorgancioglu criticized strongly the economic protocol and said that
games should not be played with the future of the Turkish Cypriots. He
also said that the rights of the workers are violated with the economic
protocol which provides for privatization and especially expressed his
reaction against the privatization of the illegal Tymvou airport.
The paper also writes that, the Turkish Cypriot Constructors Union (KTIM)
and the Turkish Cypriot Chambers of Engineering and Architectures are
extremely anxious regarding the existence and the future of the Turkish
Cypriots because of the economic protocol and called on for launching
a campaign against it.
In addition, Yeni Duzen writes that the discussion regarding the budget
of the breakaway regime for the year 2013 continues in the self-styled
assembly and notes that the opposition parties expressed their reactions
towards the economic protocol.
The "assembly" approved the 64.430 Turkish lira budget for the "ministry
of economy" and the 193.000 Turkish lira budget for the occupation army
in Cyprus.
[02] Eroglu on the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (14.12.12) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, stated that "a lot of water has
passed under the bridge", since 1974 and there is no way to return to
the pre-1974 period.
Eroglu, who was speaking to illegal Bayark television Turkish State
Television's TRT-Avaz channel, stated that we are entering a new period
after the Presidential elections in the Republic of Cyprus and claimed
that if the Greek Cypriots have the will, a settlement can be reached.
Eroglu, also reiterated his well know claims, that the European Union
committed a mistake accessing the Republic of Cyprus as a full member
without the solution of the Cyprus' problem.
He also said that the policy to be adopted by the new Greek Cypriot
leader will affect the future of the Cyprus negotiations and claimed that
Nikos Anastasiades, who is the most possible to be elected as the new
President and who now cooperates with DIKO, creates no hopes with the
speeches he delivers during his election campaign. He also said that
Anastasiades will not accept the remaining of 50 thousand settlers,
as the current President Christofias did.
He also claimed that there is a need for creating a new basis in the
Cyprus talks, and alleged that both sides on the island have lost their
excitement towards a settlement.
He also said that a time frame should be imposed on the Cyprus talks
once the process is re-launched.
[03] Ertug reiterated Turkish Cypriot side's position for a timetable
on the negotiations
Illegal Bayrak television (13.12.12) broadcast that Osman Ertug, the
special representative of the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu
reiterated that a timetable should be introduced in the Cyprus talks.
He however added that this timetable should not span over a number of
years and should not be open-ended, as stated earlier by the UN.
"A timetable consisting of weeks or even days would be sufficient if
the will and intention for a solution existed", he claimed.
Reminding that the technical committees aimed at building confidence
between the two sides continued to meet, Ertug said that some progress
was being achieved by the technical committees "despite the fact that the
Greek Cypriot side was dragging its feet over the issues", as he alleged.
He also said that within the framework of an agreement reached by the
technical committee a joint firefighting exercise will be held in the
UN controlled Buffer zone on the 13th of January.
[04] Eroglu due to Istanbul
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.12.12) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu is going to Istanbul this evening in order
to participate in two conferences.
According to the paper, Eroglu on Saturday will participate in the
Islamic World Civil Society Institutions Union where he will deliver a
speech under the title "Cyprus and Youth". In addition he will deliver
a speech on Monday at Kadir Has University on "the future of Cyprus
negotiations under the new international dynamic".
[05] Partial solution for occupied Lefkosia municipality's problem
Under the title "Time for action for Lefkosia", Turkish Cypriot daily
Havadis newspaper (14.12.12) reports that an agreement has been reached
towards ending the strike at the occupied Lefkosia municipality, after
a loan for 90 million Turkish lira was made by the Turkish Ziraat bank.
According to the agreement reached between the "municipality
administration" and the Municipal Workers' Union (BES), four departments
which collect "municipal revenues and taxes", the "Staff at the Cash
Desk", the "Finance Department", the "Property Department" and the
"Information Centre" returned to work as of yesterday.
Speaking at a joint press BES' chairman Sava Bozat and the self-styled
Mayor of Lefkosia Cemal Bulutoglular1 said that their aim in allowing
the strike to be lifted in the following departments was to collect much
needed revenues for the "municipality".
Bulutoglulari said that their ultimate aim was to settle the
"municipality's" problems once and for all so that BES Union would lift
the strike.
[06] Big crowd said farewell to Arif Hasan Tahsin
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (14.12.12) reports about the
funeral of the paper's journalist and columnist, Arif Hasan Tahsin,
which took place yesterday and writes that a big crowd said farewell
to the great Cypriot and notes that even Greek Cypriots attended the
funeral to say hello to Tahsin.
President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis
Eroglu sent wreath to the funeral while many Turkish Cypriot politicians
participated in the ceremony.
Almost all the Turkish Cypriot newspapers cover in their first page the
funeral, noting that Tahsin was a real Cypriot who struggle in favor
of peace.
[07] "Late President Ozal not poisoned to death"
Turkish daily Hurriyet daily news (14.12.12) reports that a report by
Turkey's Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) has not found any evidence
that late Turkish President Turgut Ozal was poisoned to death following
a recent autopsy, officials announced yesterday.
The statement by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office, however, also
said the investigation over late President Ozal's death would resume
with the help of other findings and evidence.
The prosecutor's office received the ATK's report, which was unanimously
approved by the institute's experts, earlier this week.
There were no clinical and laboratory findings that suggested ex-President
Ozal had been poisoned or that there was radioactive material present
in his body, the statement said.
Nonetheless, the prosecutor's office also said the definitive cause
of Ozal's death could not be determined because an autopsy was not
immediately conducted following his death in 1993. Authorities also said
a sudden cardiac death ? the reason officially given at the time ? could
not be excluded as the cause of Ozal's death.
The level of heavy metals, including cadmium, found in the autopsy
samples are in line with the tissue level among the normal population,
as well as with the postmortem tissue level, the statement said, noting
that late President Ozal did not die to exposure due to heavy metals.
Forensic experts exhumed Ozal's body in October and tested samples for
possible poisoning after an official report concluded that his death
was suspicious.
When Ozal, who had undergone triple bypass surgery in 1987, died, doctors
blamed heart failure. But no autopsy was performed, and family members
have long claimed the president might have been poisoned.
Following the release of the report, Ankara Deputy Chief Prosecutor
Nuri Yigit was asked whether the investigation would continue despite
such findings.
"Our prosecutor in charge of the investigation on this issue will use
his discretional authority in line with the law and the regulations on
this issue, " Yigit said.
Ozal was elected prime minister in 1983 in the aftermath of the Sept. 12,
1980, military coup and later became the country's eighth president
in 1989. Born in the eastern province of Malatya, Ozal was of partial
Kurdish origin, and his policies led to a huge liberalization of the
Turkish economy. However, his tenure in office was cut short when he
died on April 17, 1993.
Doubts about the cause of Ozal's death, however, were never addressed
because no autopsy was performed following his passing. His widow,
Semra Ozal, and Ahmet Ozal have claimed that he was assassinated by
heavy metal poisoning.
Prosecutors reopened the case after Turkey's State Audit Board (DDK)
in a report last June ruled Ozal's death "suspicious" and said it should
be investigated.
[08] Panetta signs order for Patriots
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (14.12.12) reports that the U.S. Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta has signed orders to send Patriot missiles and
400 military personnel to Turkey to defend against rocket attacks from
Syria, news media reported early today.
A total of six Patriot missile batteries will be sent to Turkey, two from
the United States, two from Germany and two from the Netherlands, the
New York Times reported. All six batteries will be under NATO's command,
the newspaper said, and all six are scheduled to be operational by the
end of January.
The Patriot system is designed to intercept aircraft or missiles. Turkey
has asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles to shore up its 900-kilometer
border, where it fears security may crumble as the Syrian army fights
harder to contain the rebels, who have enjoyed sanctuary in Turkey.
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (14.12.12) reports that the historic
Great Turkish Bath in the walled city of occupied Lefkosia has been
restored and it was opened yesterday with a ceremony.
The restoration of the Great Bath was funded by the illegal Girne American
University's Cultural Heritage Management Centre, the UN Development
Programme- Action for Cooperation and Trust in Cyprus, as well as the
Great Bath's own resources.
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