Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-10-21

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The US State Department Co-ordinator for Cyprus held contacts in Ankara

[02] Talat says quarrelling with Erdogan was not right

[03] German Cyprus Forum (DZF) condemns Turkey for allowing the Extreme Rightwing "Grey Wolves" to operate in the occupied part of Cyprus

[04] A large crowd welcomed Mustafa Akinci who argued with Erdogan during an international conference in Spain

[05] Piri Reis research vessel is visiting occupied Kyrenia

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The US State Department Co-ordinator for Cyprus held contacts in Ankara

In a short statement after the meeting, Weston said that they discussed the Cyprus problem and that the meeting was held in a very open and friendly atmosphere. He pointed out that after his talks in Ankara, he will be going to Athens and Cyprus too.

According to information received from diplomatic sources, Weston indicated that the focus on the solution of the problem should come after the voting by the Turkish Cypriots in the occupied area of Cyprus. At his meeting, Weston reportedly said that the Annan plan continues to be a reference point for the United States and that the Turkish side should also contribute to the plan.

During the talks, the Turkish side recalled the Greek Cypriot side's objections to the elections in the occupied areas, and stressed that Ankara is upset by the efforts to create the impression that "Turkey and TRNC President Rauf Denktas are intervening in the elections." The Turkish officials noted that the invitation extended to international observers are a sign of goodwill, and stressed that the Greek Cypriot side's concern that this will make the "TRNC recognized" is groundless. US Ambassador Eric Edelman was present during part of the talks.

Meanwhile, Turkish Daily News (21.10.03) reports that Ankara has served a diplomatic warning to the United States on Monday that it should stop trying to portray Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas as an obstacle for peace on Cyprus.

In talks with U.S. State Department special coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston Turkish Foreign Ministry officials expressed Turkey's irritation with the remarks by senior American officials, including Weston, putting all the blame of the failure of reaching a settlement on Cyprus on Mr Denktas.

The sources said Ankara also advised Weston that the U.S. and all outsiders should stop meddling in the Turkish Cypriot domestic affairs and refrain from trying to influence the Turkish Cypriot electorate ahead of the December 14 parliamentary "elections" there.

The sources said Turkish officials also expressed Turkey's annoyance with efforts aimed at portraying Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas of trying to influence the electorate in northern Cyprus.

The paper writes that Washington, the U.N. secretariat and the Cyprus Government have pinned their hopes of a Cyprus settlement along the lines of a blueprint presented by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the two sides last year but collapsed last March at a meeting at The Hague, on an election victory by the leftist Turkish Cypriot opposition parties.

At the meeting, Weston reportedly underlined that Washington continued to consider the Annan plan as the sole comprehensive proposal for a settlement on Cyprus and reiterated American dismay with the refusal of the Turkish Cypriot side in accepting the document as a framework for a settlement.

Talking to reporters after his meeting with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Cyprus Affairs General Director Ertugrul Apakan, Weston said he discussed Cyprus developments with Turkish officials in an "open and friendly atmosphere."

Weston, who will be travelling from Ankara to Athens and later to Cyprus, reportedly told Ziyal and Apakan that Washington believed Cyprus peace efforts must pick up after the elections in northern Cyprus.

[02] Talat says quarrelling with Erdogan was not right

In statements after a meeting with the Serbian ambassador to Nicosia, Mr Svetislav Basara, Mr Talat expressed the following opinion when asked to comment on the disagreement between Mr Erdogan and the leader of Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM), Mustafa Akinci in Mallorca, Spain:

"I do not know within what framework this quarrel took place or to what extend Mr Erdogan has been accused by Mr Akinci. However, in my point of view, especially the recent statements of Turkey's Prime Minister regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem are extremely important. His approach that the solution of the Cyprus problem is a necessity, that (the solution) is inevitable for Turkey's EU accession course and that he does not reject the Annan plan which has to be negotiated, is hopeful for us. Therefore, in parallel with our satisfaction regarding the stance of the Turkish government on the issue of the solution of the Cyprus problem, we have to follow policies according to this stance and (our policies) should encourage the continuation of this stance. Within this framework, quarrelling with Mr Erdogan is not the right approach. However, I do not know within which framework this happened and whether it was exaggerated or not".

[03] German-Cyprus Forum condemns Turkey for allowing the extreme rightwing "Grey Wolves" to operate in the occupied part of Cyprus

The DZF, which is a non-governmental organization supporting the rapprochement between the two communities in Cyprus,in its statement declared that internationally the Grey Wolves organization is known as a terrorist organization which was involved in the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in the 80s and many other political intimidations, kidnappings and killings such as Turkish Cypriot writer-journalist Kutlu Adali and in 1996 a Greek Cypriot youth by beating him to death .

The DZF called on Turkey to do away with this organization both in Turkey as well as in the occupied area using legal means.

[04] A large crowd welcomed Mustafa Akinci who argued with Erdogan during an international conference in Spain

As the paper writes a large crowd gathered at the illegal Lefconiko airport to welcome the leader of PDM. The paper stresses that hundreds of persons went to the airport and it looked as if a demonstration was taking place. The persons who gathered chanted slogans in favour of reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem, peace in Cyprus and in favour of the political forces of the Turkish Cypriot opposition.

Addressing the crowd, Mr Akinci stated that what he did during the conference was just to express the will of the Turkish Cypriots. He also said that the PDM "does not hide behind its finger" and that it will continue to convey the voice of the Turkish Cypriots to every platform. He also pointed out that this is not a hostile policy. "We do not quarrel with anyone, our policy is not hostile to anyone, it is a policy which raises the honoured voice of the Turkish Cypriots", he stressed. Mr Akinci went on and added: "Our quarrel is a quarrel for humanity, democracy, descent life and a place in the European Union for the Turkish Cypriots".

In addition, speaking on KIBRIS FM radio yesterday morning, prior to his arrival to occupied Cyprus, Mr Akinci stated that the Turkish foreign policy has difficulties to accept the realities. "If the government of the Justice and Development Party really wants a solution, it must show this with its actions", he said.

5. Piri Reis research vessel is visiting occupied Kyrenia Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (21.10.03) reports that the Piri Reis researches' vessel, which belongs to Turkey's 9 September University, anchored yesterday in the occupied harbour of Kyrenia, within the framework of the so-called "Bio-ecological Research Project of the Maritime Zone of northern Cyprus".

This is the third time that the above-mentioned vessel, which is expected to stay for 15 days in the occupied sea of Cyprus, visits illegally the pseudostate since 1997-98 within the framework of the "project".

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