ref Vaiz and the Minister of Agriculture and
Forestry Hüseyin Öztoprak said that the needed measures as regards the
bird flu have been taken.
Reminding that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had started a
work in July aimed at implementing the action plan towards
exterminating the epidemic in accordance with the proposal made by the
World Health Organization and the European Union, Mr Vaiz said tamiflu
and other anti-viral drugs have been stored as a precautionary
measure.
As for the small-game hunting, he criticized hunters for not knowing
the issue, adding that game animals are on the top of risk groups.
Also speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Hüseyin
Öztoprak said that the Veterinary Department has taken measures the
same that has been taken by other countries, adding that the culling of
infected animals, the setting up of a quarantina spot, and the
labaratory work have been planned.
Referring to poultries feed within villages, Mr Oztoprak called on the
people to keep them in shelters. If need arises, they can be culled in
order to prevent the spread of the disease he proposed.
[02] Ozgur Dusunce newspaper: Talat found the solution in attacking the
Greek Cypriots on El Cezire
Under the above title Turkish Cypriot daily OZGUR DUSUNCE newspaper
(10.01.06) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Mehmet Ali
Talat, participated yesterday in the main news bulletin of the Qatar
based El Cezire television and replied to questions regarding the
Cyprus problem. The interview was transmitted live from the studios of
illegal Bayrak Radio and Television.
Asked why a solution to the Cyprus problem was not found, Mr Talat
reminded that the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of the UN Secretary
Generals solution plan and argued that as from that date the Greek
Cypriots do not support having relations with the Turkish Cypriots. He
accused the Greek Cypriots of not exerting any effort in the direction
of the reunification of the Island and of not cooperating with the
Turkish Cypriots.
Mr Talat said that they were expecting the Greek Cypriot side to be
encouraged for a solution and for coming to the negotiating table. He
expressed the hope for reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem
through negotiations and reiterated the view that the so-called
isolations of the Turkish Cypriots must be lifted. He also said that
the lifting of the isolations cannot take the place of a solution to
the Cyprus problem.
Alleging that the Turkish side is not responsible for the non-solution,
he argued that the Turkish Cypriots have been isolated because of the
political situation and added: The isolation, the restrictions of the
freedom of traveling, the fact that direct flights cannot be conducted
to the northern part of the Island, all these constitute a problem for
the Turkish Cypriots. According to the UN Secretary General as well,
all these are unnecessary restrictions. The effort exerted at the
moment is in the direction of the lifting of the isolation applied on
the Turks. This will of course encourage the Greek Cypriot side to come
to a point of accepting that the solution and the unification of the
island should be reached.
Asked about the visit of the British Secretary for Foreign and
Commonwealth, Mr Jack Straw, to Cyprus, Mr Talat said that Britain is a
guarantor power and that it wants a solution to be reached. He added:
Britain knows the obstacles. It knows that it has to work with the
Greek Cypriots and convince them. I think that the aim of the visit of
the British Foreign Secretary is to convince the Greek Cypriot side. .
Responding to a question, Mr Talat alleged that the rejection of the
Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriots has a relation with the accession of
the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union. He claimed: In principle,
the Greek Cypriot side does not want to go for a sharing of the
leadership with the Turkish Cypriots. They want to be accepted as the
only authority on the Island. They want to represent Cyprus by
themselves internationally and at the international organizations. They
do not want to share this with the Turkish Cypriots. They want to
register their sovereignty to the north of the Island and in this
manner to control the whole Island. .
Furthermore, Mr Talat accused the Greek Cypriots of rejecting the
rights of the Turkish Cypriots and of using the advantages of the
accession to the EU to turn them into minority. Of course, this is not
possible, he said.
I/Ts.
[03] Mr Ferdi Sabit Soyer is not pleased with the Greek Cypriot
Administration for its initiatives to prevent a meeting between
President Talat and Foreign Secretary Straw
Illegal Bayrak television (09/01/06) broadcast the following:
Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer has stressed that ignoring President
Mehmet Ali Talat means the Turkish Cypriot people is being ignored.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting today, Mr Soyer criticized
sharply the Greek Cypriot Administration for its initiatives aimed at
preventing the meeting between President Mehmet Ali Talat and the
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw due to take place at the end of
this month.
Reminding that Mehmet Ali Talat won the Presidential elections by
taking 55% of the votes, the prime minister stressed that the Turkish
Cypriot peoples will can only be represented by President Mehmet Ali
Talat, the Republics Assembly and the government.
[04] The self-styled presidency denies that jurists from Turkey visited
the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus aiming at improving the
law regarding the occupied Greek Cypriot properties
According to Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI newspaper (10.01.06), the
self-styled presidency of the TRNC (occupied areas of the Republic of
Cyprus) issued yesterday the following written statement:
On 8 January 2006, the information that some jurists from Turkey have
come to the TRNC and began to work aiming at improving the Property Law
took place in some local papers published in the TRNC. In the
information, the source of which is he Greek Cypriot press, it is
alleged that establishing its weak points which is not possible to be
accepted, they will work on the necessary changes for giving the
Property Law a form that could be accepted at the ECHR as sufficient
local remedy. It is announced to the public opinion that the
above-mentioned information which took place in the Greek Cypriot press
and which the Turkish Cypriot press used as its source, is completely
groundless and untrue.
I/Ts.
[05] The Iranian President is calling for Improved Turkey-Iran relations
Anatolia news agency (09/01/06) reports the following from Tehran:
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmedinejad, stating that Turkey and Iran's
national, regional, and international interests are dependent on one
another, has said that he "expects progress in the relations between
the two countries."
Turkey's Ambassador in Tehran, Halit Bozkurt Aran, visited President
Mahmud Ahmedinejad due to his assignment in Iran coming to an end.
Ahmedinejad, in remarks he made while receiving Aran, noted that
"Turkey and Iran can be a bridge between East and West in the areas of
the economy, politics, and security."
Pointing to the "historical and deeply rooted" ties between the two
countries, Ahmedinejad stressed that "Turkey and Iran's national,
regional, and international interests are dependent on one another."
Ahmedinejad, noting that "Both countries have a determining role in
regional balances, and in issues of the Islamic world and the
international community", said that "The current positions of Turkey
and Iran require that their cooperation in all areas be developed, and
that the two countries meet the expectations of their own peoples and
the Islamic world."
Stating that the potential exists for cooperation between Turkey and
Iran to be further developed, Ahmedinejad indicated that officials of
both countries are eager to benefit from this potential. Ahmedinejad
also noted that he "expects progress in the relations between the two
countries."
Ahmedinejad, stating that there has been good cooperation in the past
in the area of security, said that a joint effort between the two
countries is needed in order for this cooperation to be made complete.
Turkey's Ambassador in Tehran, Bozkurt Aran, also noted the "friendly
relations" between the two countries, and said that the desire of
top-level officials to promote relations in every field has led to
striking growth in the economic area in particular.
Stating that Turkey and Iran's being located in "a fragile region like
the Middle East contributes to stability, peace, and security in the
region", Aran added that the cooperation between the two countries in
international organizations such as the Islamic Conference Organization
is important.
[06] President Sezer vetoed the law on establishing 15 new universities
Anatolia news agency (09/01/06) reported from Ankara that the Turkish
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has partially vetoed the law which
envisages establishment of new universities in 15 cities.
President Sezer returned the law to the parliament on Monday to be
debated again.
EG/
