Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-11-18

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan repeats from Luxembourg that the Turkish occupation of Cyprus is not on his government's agenda

[02] British Minister of State for Europe stresses that for years the Turkish side has been rejecting repeated U.N. plans for a solution to the Cyprus problem

[03] New members of the so-called Compensations Committee

[04] A delegation of the British Parliament "Friends of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Group" is visiting the occupation regime

[05] ORTAM newspaper expresses the hope that the de-mining of the buffer zone will be followed by the removal of the barbed wire

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Erdogan repeats from Luxembourg that the Turkish occupation of Cyprus is not on his government's agenda

Mr. Erdogan described his meeting with Juncker as fruitful, he saw how positive Luxembourg's perspective on December 17th and the process after that day was and added: ''Luxembourg will be the rotating President of the EU when the decision will be made about our negotiation process on December 17th, and the first six months of the negotiation process will begin within 2005. To this end, our meeting is very important. We discussed Turkey-EU relations, Turkey's position regarding Greece and Cyprus . And, we exchanged views about the expectations of not only Turkey, but also the EU member states in the coming process.

Turkey has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria. Fulfilling its duties is important for Turkey. And, now the EU member states will undergo a test on December 17th. I think they will successfully pass this test.''

Replying to a question whether Turkey would recognize EU member Cyprus till December 17th and withdraw the Turkish occupation soldiers from the island, Erdogan said: ''There is no such issue on our agenda on December 17th. We wait for the negotiations to start. Together with our western friends, we have fulfilled our responsibilities within the scope of the Annan plan. We have voted 'yes' and they have voted 'no'. Those questions should be asked to Southern Cyprus authorities.''

On his part Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker issued three important messages on Turkey-EU cooperation. First, he said that the heads of state and government on 17 December would most probably adopt a decision for the commencement of the negotiations, that there will be no provision for granting Turkey a special status or channeling the negotiations towards a special status, and that he himself is totally opposed to such an alternative.

Juncker declared that the reforms achieved by Turkey particularly in the last two years and the political will it has demonstrated to meet the Copenhagen political criteria cannot be ignored, adding that in view of this a decision will be made to commence the negotiations in 2005. He said the exact date for the commencement of the negotiations has, however, not yet been determined. Noting that he discussed the Turkish file with French President Jacques Chirac for two hours today but no decision has yet been made on this issue, Juncker said that what is certain is that the talks will commence in 2005.

He also touched on the Cyprus problem, saying that Turkey has fulfilled its duties on the Cyprus issue but the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, adding that certain initiatives might again be requested from Turkey from the moment that the Cyprus problem enters the process of solution.

[02] British Minister of State for Europe stresses that for years the Turkish side has been rejecting repeated U.N. plans for a solution to the Cyprus problem

Asked about the possibility of Cyprus exercising its veto right during the 17 December Summit for Turkey's getting a date for accession negotiations with the EU, the British Minister replied that during his talks with the Greek Premier, the President of Cyprus and the Foreign Minister of Cyprus he did not hear them mention the word "veto". "Turkey will get a date for starting accession negotiations on the 17th of December but the negotiations will be extremely difficult", said Dr MacShane.

The British Minister stressed that in a short period of time after the commencement of Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU the Cyprus problem will again come to the fore and it will be necessary for the sides to sit around the negotiating table.

Dr. MacShame also stated that if the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Rauf Denktas, had accepted the Annan plan and the Turkish Prime Minister had been in power before, it would be better because now a new approach will be required. He also stressed that Turkey should stop refusing to have diplomatic ties with an EU member state.

Reminded by Mr. Birand the position put forth by the Turkish side that the Annan plan was rejected by the Greek Cypriots in the referendum while the Turkish Cypriots accepted it, the British Minister Responsible for Europe said that it must not be forgotten that it was Mr. Denktas who for years rejected five U.N. plans for a solution to the Cyprus problem even from the time of the U.N Secretary-Generals Mr. Cuellar and Dr. Butros Butros Ghali.

The British Minister repeated that it will be necessary for the sides to sit again around the negotiating table and allowed that what the Greek Cypriots want is guarantees.

On the British position, Dr. MacShane said his country wants a united Cyprus and that the Cyprus problem must be resolved the sooner possible. Regarding the settlers from Turkey he stated that on the basis of the Annan plan they must return to Turkey. He said the Turkish Cypriots are free to get the passport of the Republic of Cyprus and travel to any country of Europe they wish and that the Turkish and Greek Cypriot businessmen who are doing business in Europe are very clever and active and a very efficient cooperation could be established between them.

Asked by Mr. Birand whether the solution to the Cyprus problem was among the Copenhagen criteria Dr. MacShane replied in the negative adding that whatever the case the Cyprus problem must be solved and described the insistence on the part of Turkey, a candidate country, to refuse to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, as inconceivable. He also stressed that in the northern part of Cyprus there are two divisions of the Turkish army and raised the issue of whether the island could be demilitarised because 30,000 soldiers is an extremely large number.

Finally, the British Minister expressed his wish that the Cyprus problem will be solved soon.

(Tr. Note: The statements by Dr Macshane were translated into English from the superimposed Turkish translation broadcast by CNN Turk).

[03] Members of the so-called Compensations Committee resign in order to create positive impressions at the ECHR for the Turkish side

The paper writes, inter alia, the following on the issue:

".The appointment of Cetin Ugural, Sumer Erkemen and Aytekin Erin in the place of Necati Yazman and Halil Giray, who resigned two weeks ago, and Tamer Gazioglu who was appointed as representative in Ankara, was approved last week and the decision entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette.

According to information acquired yesterday from sources of the Committee, Salih Dayioglou, who was the chairman of the committee since its establishment, and its members Guven Silman and Yasar Boran resigned from their duties last Friday.

Salih Dayioglu confirmed the information regarding his resignation but made no statement regarding the reasons. However, according to information acquired from reliable sources, the resignations from the committee have been evaluated as a maneuver made in order to turn the negative developments, to which the Turkish Cypriot side has been exposed at the cases that the Greek Cypriots filed against Turkey at the ECHR and still continue, into positive. .

According to the same reliable sources, in the decision which will be taken in the Xenides- Aresti against Turkey case, that is currently before the ECHR and is described as a pilot case, either the Compensations Committee established by the TRNC will be considered as an internal law method and the responsibility will pass over to the TRNC or the decision taken in the Loizidou case will be repeated and Turkey will continue to be considered the only responsible for the Greek Cypriots not being able to get their properties.

At the session conducted on 2 September 2004 regarding the Xenides - Aresti against Turkey case, some questions were addressed by the Court to both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot side and the comments of the sides were asked. At this very stage, the Greek Cypriot side, giving the names of the persons who were in the decision taking mechanism serving at the compensations committee established by the TRNC, submitted documents that they were living in houses belonging to Greek Cypriots or they were possessing houses given to them as an equivalent. Reliable sources the opinion of whom we have taken, noted that the resignation of the persons serving in the compensations committee, except Tamer Gazioglu who was appointed as representative in Ankara, were submitted in order to change the negative conditions in which the Turkish Cypriot side is and not to give any trump - card to the Greek Cypriot side on this issue".

[04] A delegation of the British Parliament "Friends of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Group" is visiting the occupation regime

The delegation is composed of the following: Baronesses Joan Christabel, Jill Night, Lord John David Kilclooney, Lady Doris Butterworth, Lord Dennis Rober David Rogan, Lord Kenneth Wiggins Maginnis, Ben Chapman and Maureen Ann Chapman.

The paper writes that in the framework of their contacts the British parliamentarians visited the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (TCCI) and they were informed about the latest economic and political developments in Cyprus. Speaking to the British delegation, Mr Salih Tunar, the chairman of the TCCI, called on them to help in the direction of lifting the "embargo" faced by the Turkish Cypriots.

[05] ORTAM newspaper expresses the hope that the de-mining of the buffer zone will be followed by the removal of the barbed wire

"The works are starting today for the cleaning of the mines which were put in the buffer zone and divide Cyprus into two", writes the paper adding that now there is common understanding on both sides of the island as regards this issue. There is no reason the "mines which divide Cyprus" should remain there. It also writes that from now on 'entering the forbidden military zone without permission' will not carry the punishment of death if one step on a mine.

/MD

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