Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-03-07

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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 returns to the occupied areas after his meetings in Ankara

[02] EU harmonization work has reportedly started in the occupied area

[03] Turkish Cypriot deputies held contacts at the European Parliament

[04] Soyer: Kosovo issue should not be identified with the Cyprus problem

[05] The occupied Lefkonico airport to be transferred to the private sector

[06] Soyer on the resignation of the self-styled minister of environment and natural resources

[07] Turkish politicians support restoring former names of villages in the occupied Cyprus

[08] The 12th Symposium on Mediterranean Archeology to be held in the occupied Cyprus

[09] The so-called minister of economy and tourism went to Berlin for the ITB Berlin 2008 Tourism Fair

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat returns to the occupied areas after his meetings in Ankara

Referring to the reports that a UN delegation will pay a working and evaluation visit to Cyprus in April, Mr. Talat said that the Turkish side will do all it could so that the visit signals the resumption of the negotiations.

When asked to comment on his visit to Ankara, Mr. Talat said that following the election of a pro-solution leader in the south Cyprus the necessary preparations were made here in Cyprus, and in Turkey they only discussed the coordination of these preparations. When asked about Ankaras reaction as regards the election of President Christofias, Mr. Talat said: Ankara listens to us. We know Mr. Christofias. And naturally it is us that can evaluate the situation here best. Most probably they share our views.

Responding to another question about possible trust building measures, the Turkish Cypriot leader answered by saying that the soundest trust building measure is the resumption of the negotiations. He said that the Turkish side had conveyed its trust building measures to the UN Secretary-General. Mr. Talat said: The problem in Cyprus is not the trust building measures. The question in Cyprus problem until today was the lack of desire in solving the Cyprus problem. For this reason the mistrust increased. The soundest trust building measure is the resumption of the talks. Responding to another question Mr. Talat said that he is expecting a UN initiative as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem.

When asked to comment on the possible date that he will be meeting with President Christofias, Mr. Talat said that the proposal that the meeting should be held between 17-24 March came from the Turkish Cypriot side. He said that prior to the above-mentioned dates, he will attend the Islamic Conference Organization and President Christofias will be in Brussels. As for the 8th July Agreement, Mr. Talat said that the 8th July agreement was a preparation agreement and that it was concluded in order to make preparations. He said: Preparation does not mean negotiations. Do we really need preparations? Will Christofias demand a long preparation period? We will see. Of course first we have to meet.

The Turkish press reports also today (07.03.08) on the Talats contacts in Ankara:

Under the title Strategic journeys to the motherlands, Hurriyet reports that while President Demetris Christofias went to Athens for contacts, in his first official visit as President to the Greek capital, the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat paid a working visit to Ankara yesterday where he held talks with the Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish President, Abdullah Gul. The paper writes that the policy to be pursued at the forthcoming meeting between Christofias and Talat was determined in Athens and Ankara. The paper, also writes that speaking at a press conference in Athens, Mr. Christofias made self-criticism for the events that took place in Cyprus between 1960-1970 and said mea culpa (we made a mistake). Moreover, the paper notes that Mr. Christofias referred continuously to Mr. Talat as my friend.

Under the title Three-party summit at Cankaya [Presidential Palace], Milliyet writes that Mehmet Ali Talat paid an one-day working visit to Ankara yesterday and that after the meeting held between the Turkish Cypriot delegation and the Turkish officials, a three-party summit between Talat, Gul and Erdogan took place at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. In the meeting, both the Lefkosia administration and the Ankara administration stated that the issue of the solution is more possible compared to the past after the election of Demetris Christofias.

Under the title Let us end it in 2008, Sabah writes about the visit of President Demetris Christofias to Greece and of Mehmet Ali Talat to Turkey and reports that Christofias and Talat determined their political tactics in Athens and Ankara respectively. The Turkish side determined its strategy for the new negotiations and decided to move towards finding a solution in 2008. The paper writes that Talat and the self-styled foreign minister Turgay Avci participated in the meeting, which lasted five hours, representing the Turkish Cypriot side and Abdullah Gul, Tayyip Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister, Cemil Cicek, represented the Turkish side. The paper writes that the Turkish side decided to pursue the same win- win policy that it followed in the 2004 negotiations. At the meeting it was established that the new Greek Cypriot leader is not expected to follow a different policy, but the Greek Cypriot side will not run away from the negotiating table. To this end Ankara will intensify its diplomatic initiatives towards the UK and the USA.

According to the paper, Talat will ask President Christofias a solution to be found to the Cyprus problem until the end of 2008. Thus, the Turkish side will propose the solution of the problem before 2009, the time limit set by the EU to Turkey for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Radikal reports about Talats visit to Ankara yesterday and writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader who met with Gul and Erdogan stated, inter alia, that Demetris Christofias supported the Annan Plan in 2004 but at the eve of the referendum withdrew his support. Talat said that despite the fact that in his first statements the new Greek Cypriot leader appeared to be in favor of a solution, the Turkish side must act very carefully in this situation.

(MHY/CS)

[02] EU harmonization work has reportedly started in the occupied area

(MHY)

[03] Turkish Cypriot deputies held contacts at the European Parliament

Two TRNC deputies Salih Izbul and Hasan Tacoy have called on the European Union to honour the promises it had made to the Turkish Cypriot people.

The call was voiced by the two deputies at the end of their discussions with EU officials in Brussels.

At the end of their contacts at the European Parliament, the two deputies Izbul and Tacoy - told the ABhaber that they once again called on the European Union to keep the promises it had made to the Turkish Cypriot people.

Mr. Tacoy said that positive winds have started to blow in Brussels since the election of Demetris Christofias as the new Greek Cypriot Leader in South Cyprus.

`There is a belief that progress will be achieved on the Cyprus issueWe are here to demand the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. If we strengthen our hand at the negotiations table, it will be easier to bring the Greek Cypriot side back to the table`, he said.

Mr. Tacoy said that the Turkish Cypriot people should be represented at the European Parliament and the Turkish language should be accepted as an official language of the Union.

The deputy also added that the Direct Trade Regulation should also be implemented, as the Green Line and Financial Assistance Regulations were put into practice after the approval of the UN-brokered Peace Plan by the Turkish Cypriot people.

For his part, Mr. Izbul said that the Turkish Cypriot side has been working on ways of bringing about a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the UN parameters.

He also noted that the European Union should use all its instruments to help the solution of the problem.

The European Union should encourage its members towards a solution. They have the necessary instruments. Lifting of the isolation on the Turkish Cypriot people is one of these instruments, he noted.

[04] Soyer: Kosovo issue should not be identified with the Cyprus problem

(MHY)

[05] The occupied Lefkonico airport to be transferred to the private sector

(MHY)

[06] Soyer on the resignation of the self-styled minister of environment and natural resources

(MHY)

[07] Turkish politicians support restoring former names of villages in the occupied Cyprus

A proposal regarding the restoring of former names of villages within the borders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) [the illegal breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] has found support from ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Zeynep Dagi and former parliamentary foreign affairs commission leader Mehmet Dulger.

Academic Mehmet Hasguler brought the issue to the agenda as a passive call for peace. Dagi emphasized that cultural heritage should be protected, while Dulger said there are examples of signage with place names written in different languages such as those in Brussels.

According to Hasguler, the names of approximately 300 villages in the KKTC were changed in 1974, including the village where the newly elected president of the Greek Cyprus, Demitris Christofias, was born. Christofias' village, Dikmen [occupied Dikomo], is located in Girne [occupied Keryneia]-- a town on the northern coast of the island known for its historic harbor and castle. `

Dagi, who is also the head of the Turkish group at the Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary assembly, stated that this new project would be viewed positively among the public and would be a step for peace. Dulger emphasized that the current names should be kept and the old names should be added to signs, saying that to drop the current names would be wrong in terms of cultural continuity. He also stated that keeping the former names of the villages would be a goodwill gesture.

Dulger reiterated that a change in the names of locations without keeping the current names also on the signs would break people's links to the past.

[08] The 12th Symposium on Mediterranean Archeology to be held in the occupied Cyprus

The 12th International Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology (SOMA) has started at the Eastern Mediterranean University.

The symposium, which is the first of its kind, is organized by the EMU Underwater Research and Imaging Centre.

Delivering an opening speech at the symposium, the deputy rector of the EMU, Professor Doctor Tahir Celik, stated that the symposium is aimed at bringing young scientists working in the field of Mediterranean archaeology together.

Addressing the session also was the Head of the Communication Department, Prof Dr Sevda Alankus, who said that participants from 14 countries were attending the symposium.

The symposium is the first to be held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [the illegal breakaway regime in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus].

A total of 70 presentations will be made at the Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology, which will end on Saturday.

[09] The so-called minister of economy and tourism went to Berlin for the ITB Berlin 2008 Tourism Fair

The Turkish Minister Mr. Gunay said that experts from Turkey were sent to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus last week to examine the potentials of tourism, explaining that they will evaluate what it can be done on the issue of promoting the tourism there.

Moreover, the paper reports that the illegal Cyprus Turkish Airways (CTA) opened a different stand at the fair. The so-called Chairman of the illegal Cyprus Turkish Airways, Mr. Mustafa Candanal, said that it is the first time that the illegal CTA opened an independent stand in the fair and added that if the isolations applied on the breakaway regime are taken into consideration, this development is something that they should be proud of. Moreover, Mr. Candanal said that although it is only the second day of the fair, German and other foreign tour operators showed a great interest in the stand.

(DPs)

EG/

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