Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-01-16

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat: As TRNC we give the struggle of strengthening and developing our existence and our structure

[02] Akinci: We do not want the control of the army

[03] Mustafa Akinci: First of all it is we who do not want Turkish armys control

[04] Turkish Cypriots attack the Minister of Foreign Affairs on issue of the crossing point in Ledra Street area

[05] Threats by the self-styled mayor of occupied Yiallousa

[06] The self-styled mayor of occupied Kerynia has addressed to an international meeting in Spain as Mayor of North Cyprus Kerynia

[07] The Heads of 28 villages in occupied Morfou area express support to the Turkish occupation army

[08] The national football team of the TRNC will visit Tanzania

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat: As TRNC we give the struggle of strengthening and developing our existence and our structure

Mr Talat alleged: Under these conditions as TRNC we give the struggle of strengthening and developing our existence and our structure. Today we are living difficult days when (the TRNC) draws more attention in the world, but in spite of this again the legitimacy of the TRNC is questioned. Talat claimed that the TRNC is more legal state than the Greek Cypriot state.

Referring to Talats statements, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (16.01.07) points out that on the one side he talks about united Cyprus and on the other he defends the TRNC.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily HALKIN SESI newspaper (16.01.07) emphasizes on Mr Talats statement that we promise once more that we will not leave the torch which Dr. Kucuk lit and we will not abandon the road he drew up.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (16.01.07) covers Talats statements under the title Expressions which we enjoy to hear came out from Talats mouth.

Finally, Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (16.01.07) refers to Talats statements under the banner front page title We will strengthen the TRNC and writes that Talat surprised everybody by defending the TRNC, in spite of the fact that he stated many times that he does not want the recognition of the TRNC and that his target is a United Cyprus.

(ITs)

[02] Akinci: We do not want the control of the army

According to AFRIKA, in these statements, which will cause great repercussions in Turkey, Akinci said, inter alia, the following:

The military-civilian bureaucracy of Turkey administers the TRNC. We do not want a TRNC which is governed by the military-civilian bureaucracy. The Turkish Cypriots do not want to be the minority of either Turkey or the Greek Cypriots. The statement of Buyukanit made Papadopoulos very happy, because it showed to everybody that the TRNC is not independent. The statement of the General Staff contributed to what the Greek Cypriot leader says. Our intelligence organization, the Civilian Affairs is under Turkeys control. Turkey appoints also its chairman. The independence of the TRNC is a make-up. Let them leave aside now the independent state expression. The TRNC must enter into the international law. Those who commit crime in other countries go around freely hereIn Northern Cyprus there is gambling mafia and narcotics as well as human smuggling

(ITs)

[03] Mustafa Akinci: First of all it is we who do not want Turkish armys control

RADIKAL journalist Nese Durel conducted the interview.

Nese Durel (ND): Cyprus is one of the most serious problems of Turkey. However, for some reason, there is a taste of comedy in this awakward unending adventure of us. First of all let me ask you the official status of TRNC. What is the TRNC?

Mustafa Akinci (MA): The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is an existence which is called state, but cannot fulfil the functions of a state. This is a structure under Turkeys control. Although it is declared in 1983, it is an entity that is not recognised by the world. In fact the TRNC is an entity to which even Turkey does not fulfil its obligations as an independent state.

ND: But the TRNC wants recognition from the whole world as an state, is that so?

MA: If you are asking a TRNC that can govern itself, that can take its decisions with its own will and that can establish its relations with the world then, yes, we do want this. The TRNC should not be characterised as forward post of Turkey. Here should be a separate existence because the Turkish Cypriots neither want to be considered as Turkeys minority nor the minority of the islands majority Greek Cypriots. At this moment we are being evolved to become the minority of Turkey. The number of the Turkish Cypriots in the TRNC are diminishing every passing day, on the other hand the number of people coming from Turkey increasing. Because we speak this way people get angry against the Turkish Cypriots in Turkey. But

ND: Yes, go ahead continue

MA: Today, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), that is Tayyip Erdogan, has more influence on the electorate in the north Cyprus than the local politicians, because these are people settled here by Turkey. Their ears and eyes are fixed on to Ankara. This electorate and population issue in the TRNC is very important.

ND: In reality who governs the TRNC?

MA: On the paper the TRNC is independent.

- Turkey governs the TRNC with military-civilian bureaucracy. It has always been like this. In the course of the Annan Plan, elections were held, a new government and president was elected. An image was created as though the status quo was destroyed. Although this was also favourable for Turkey, the status quo in the TRNC was never ever destroyed. As a matter of fact, it emerged that even the president of this state, was unable to remove a footbridge in his countrys capital without taking permission. For years, Turkey tried to show that the TRNC is an independent state. But the recent events demonstrated to everybody that in reality the TRNC is not an independent state that governs itself and that it is an entity under the armys tutelage. Anyway, in the North Cyprus, the (Turkish) Foreign Ministry bureaucracy together with the Army are very dominant.

It is necessary to free the TRNC from the military civilian bureaucracys dominance and to redefine the relations between Turkey and the TRNC.

ND: As far as you are concerned, how could the relations be defined?

MA: - Of course there will be troops on these territories. However, will a President, elected by the people continue to face difficulty in making a footbridge to be removed? Will the fire brigade continue to be under the military? Will not the appointment of the governor of the Central Bank be possible among the Turkish Cypriots?

ND: During the recent Lokmaci crisis, the TRNC police, precluded, its own countrys presidents order. Is the police under the command of the Office of the Turkish Chief of the General Staff?

MA: Yes, there were reports in the press to the effect that do not come here and remove this footbridge. Those who come to remove it will be arrested and these reports were not denied.

ND: Well, in this situation if the Office of the Turkish Chief of the General Staff orders will the TRNC police arrest its President?

MA: I do not think that they will go so far, but here the police force is not under the Turkish Cypriots and TRNC officers authority. With us the police are not under the civilian authority that is under to the authority of the Interior Ministry. In the TRNC the civilian authority has no security force under its command.

Police is under the Security Forces Command. The Commander of this army is a general appointed by Turkey. Under this condition it is very clear whose authority is valid in the police force. Police moves according to the wishes of the military authority. As a matter of fact, the footbridge at the Lokmaci was removed after reaching a consensus with Ankara. In reality, do you know that nothing has changed in this country even with the establishment of the TRNC?

ND: What did not change?

MA: Turkey never permitted the Turkish Cypriots to govern themselves with their own free will. Turkeys military and civilian bureaucracy have always intervened. These interventions were done sometimes under the disguise of a political party, or as a deputy chairman of a party or under the disguise of military officer, sometimes under the disguise of a civilian bureaucrat, governments were brought down or governments were established. There were interventions to the elections. Turkey had intervened to 1990 elections in the TRNC. I have my experience in 2000 as regards putting the police under civilian authority. All these are the realities of Cyprus.

ND: You were deputy Prime Minister in 2000, what was your experience?

MA: We were in the coalition government at that time. We have demanded civilian authority in the TRNC and for a solution we have demanded not to avoid negotiations with the Greek Cypriots. Since we have demanded these the coalition government was toppled. The military authority openly intervened.

Then I said to our coalition partner, chairman of the National Unity Party and the Prime Minister of the government Dervish Eroglu that, democracy is needed to everybody. Today to me, tomorrow to you. He said to me: I do not punch to a knife. The prime minister said that, he could not oppose those authorities who were clearly the military that made the government to fall. This happened because I had demanded that police should be put under civilian authority that is under the Interior Ministry, as the case is, in any other independent state in Turkey, and in the South Cyprus.

Even our fire brigade is under military authority. Today a colonel heads the Civil Defence Organization sent from Turkey under civilian cloth.

The TRNC has an intelligence Organization under the name Civilian Affairs.

(MHY) To be continued

[04] Turkish Cypriots attack the Minister of Foreign Affairs on issue of the crossing point in Ledra Street area

YENI DUZEN, under the banner front page title The wall is not demolished, refers also to statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, George Lillikas, who said that the Greek Cypriot side asked from the UN to launch a dialogue for the removal of the obstacles in the Ledra Street area so that the crossings start.

Mr Lillikas noted that the Greek Cypriot side wants the Turkish Cypriot side to show its good will on the issue by removing the obstacles for the security.

The paper reports that commenting on the statements by the Greek Cypriot side, the self-styled presidency alleged that the allegation of the spokesmen of the Greek Cypriot side that the obstacle before the opening of the gate is the lack of good will in the Turkish Cypriot side, is an indication of the deadlock and the tragic comical situation to which the Greek Cypriot policy came.

It alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side has shown its good will many times and that the Greek Cypriots are the side which must show its good will now. The wall in the Greek Cypriot side stands like a monument of shame before the eyes of the whole world as an obstacle for the opening of Lokmaci gate, it claimed.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily VATAN newspaper (16.01.07) reports that the self-styled minister of foreign affairs, Turgay Avci replied also to Mr Lillikas and alleged that the Greek Cypriots exert efforts to prevent the opening of the crossing point by finding new excuses.

(ITs)

[05] Threats by the self-styled mayor of occupied Yalusa

Oykun said that the statement of the Archbishop distressed the people of Yalusa, raised its emotions to high pitch and made the national feelings of everyone to rise. He said that they want to live in peace now in Karpass.

(ITs)

[06] The self-styled mayor of occupied Kerynia has addressed an international meeting in Spain as Mayor of North Cyprus Kerynia

The paper writes that a statement issued by the Kerynia municipality notes that Aygin was invited to the floor as Mayor of North Cyprus Kerynia and that this happens for the first time. Mr Aygin met with the mayor of Seville, Alfredo Sanchez Monteseirin and asked for his support for the lifting of the isolations on the Turkish Cypriots. The two mayors who agreed on the issue of cooperation, promised to meet in Kerynia, writes KIBRIS.

(ITs)

[07] The Heads of 28 villages in occupied Morfou area express support to the Turkish occupation army

We declare once more that we see the TAF as the only guarantee of the TRNC, they noted.

(ITs)

[08] The national football team of the TRNC will visit Tanzania

(ITs)

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