Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-05-07

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: Cross talks by negotiators by the end of May

[02] Ozersay and Mavroyiannis started substantial negotiations yesterday

[03] Elcil: To bring to trial those who hoisted the Cyprus Republic flag is an occupation policy

[04] The regime will grant "citizenship" to those living in the occupied area for eleven years and those who invest three million euro

[05] Mehmet Birinci: "The elections in the TRNC are more democratic than the EP elections"

[06] Agios Panteleimonas church in occupied Myrtou village lucks of care

[07] Davutoglu calls for Ukraine territorial integrity

[08] Opposition in Turkey debating idea of joint candidate for presidency

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: Cross talks by negotiators by the end of May

He stressed that he knows very well how the Turkish Cypriots want a solution and added: "I have no suspicion that the Turkish Cypriots will approve my signature and I want to believe that Anastasiades' signature will also be embraced by the Greek Cypriots. But if Anastasiades follows the thesis of 'We have nothing to give. They [Turks] should be the ones giving' of Greek Cypriot Archbishop Chrysostomos II, we cannot reach an agreement." He also noted that a give-and-take process should begin. Eroglu claimed that there would be no solution if the Greek Cypriots want to continue the process according to the conditions before 1974.

A second round of cross talks by the negotiators from each side of Cyprus is planned to occur before the end of the month, Eroglu said. He added that it would be beneficial if the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay goes to Athens and if the Greek Cypriot negotiator goes to Ankara. Turkey will have the opportunity to listen from first-hand the Greek Cypriot's positions and Greece the Turkish Cypriot's positions.

Eroglu said that the negotiations had been ongoing for 50 years and that there was no topic left to be discussed, adding: "The substantive negotiations process has started. The difficult issues of property, governance and power share are being discussed. If the Greek Cypriots accept the convergences reached until today and if we arrange at the most end the territory issue, then a plan may emerge that would be brought for a referendum to both sides by the end of this year. Now we will see their real thoughts. Our aim for a solution is the end of 2014 but the Greek Cypriot leader mentioned the end of 2015 in a speech in Brussels."

Under the subtitle "USA interferes in the balance", Hurriyet reports that Eroglu said: "US Ambassador to Cyprus says that Turkey is eager for a solution. Turkey demonstrated to the whole world its will by supporting the Annan plan in 2004, which was rejected by the Greek Cypriots. During the Annan plan period, the USA campaigned for the plan by giving material, moral support and by pouring money. The Greek Cypriots should have taken some lessons by rejecting the plan. This time, they should be more careful. Under the condition that USA keeps the balance between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots, we are not restless on their initiatives for solution, these are useful".

[02] Ozersay and Mavroyiannis started substantial negotiations yesterday

In statements after returning to the occupied area, Ozersay described as "important" the fact that they met for five hours and "even more important" the fact that "approximately five different proposals" were submitted. He said that the proposals concerned the issues of "property, public service committee and the federal government", that "some negotiations" were held on these proposals and that at the same time they exchanged views on some issues regarding the territorial adjustment when discussing the property. "There are some proposals on which potential for progress exists", he argued noting that from time to time the delegations were withdrawing into separate rooms in order to make their own evaluations.

Ozersay said that the next meeting of the negotiators will be held on Tuesday 13 May, but before this meeting, experts on the property issue will meet with the aim of turning the 13 May meeting into a "more productive one" and UN officials will be holding shuttle diplomacy on Thursday and Monday. He also noted that they agreed that new issues will come onto the agenda during their meeting on Tuesday.

"I think we had a positive start", said Ozersay and expressed satisfaction with the fact that many "elements necessary for a negotiation existed" during the above-mentioned meeting. He noted that the sides, instead of saying "I like this point" or "I do not like this point", submitted counter proposals.

Ozersay said that President Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu will meet soon on a date which will be decided after the President's return from Germany. He reiterated the allegation that they expect the further intensification of the process.

Asked whether meeting with Pieter van Nuffel, special representative of the EU Commission's President Barosso, is on their agenda, Ozersay replied that they are always ready to exchange views on issues related with the EU, but actually the negotiations on the EU chapter, like on all the other chapters, should be held between the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side.

Ozersay said that the unsolved issues concerning the foreign relations, the election, the decision-taking mechanism and the composition of the federal administration, and the EU will come onto the table.

Ozersay noted that in the end of May or in the beginning of June, the negotiators' second cross-visit to Athens and Ankara will come onto the agenda.

Ozersay argued that they are not far away from the road map foreseen by the Turkish Cypriot side and added that they expect progress to be achieved by summer. Otherwise, he argued, the acceleration gained after February might be lost.

Replying to another question, Ozersay said that the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha had not even come onto the agenda of his meeting with the UN Deputy Secretary-General responsible for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Elcil: To bring to trial those who hoisted the Cyprus Republic flag is an occupation policy

In the statement Elcil said:

"This incidence has fully exposed the policies of this separatist structure, which was established by Turkey and their local collaborators through the violation of the international law and was designed to force Turkish Cypriots to flee from the Island.

It is clear that the ones who claim they saved us are actually after our soil. Like it was not enough that the Turkish Cypriots have become the minority in their own country and are impoverished and forced to migrate under migration laws, now we are brought at the courts for hoisting the Cyprus Republic flag. This is clearly an occupation policy. It is also evident that while they claim to be pro-solution, in reality they can't even stand Turkish Cypriots' rights in the Republic of Cyprus.

We urge the ones who pulled us off from the Republic of Cyprus, who doomed us to live in this 'lawless' system, who deceived the community with embargo lies and who judge us by their cheap nationalistic propaganda to immediately return their Cyprus Republic passports and IDs.

Holding and hoisting the Cyprus Republic flag is not a crime. The related trial against Koray and Cinel Basdogrultmaci is completely political and the Turkish authorities are the ones who are responsible.

We strongly protest the expansionist and colonizing attitude that does not show any respect to the Turkish Cypriots and stress our support and solidarity with Cinel and Koray Basdogrultmaci. We will plea to the international law in support of anyone who is unfairly treated by this system."

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (07.05.14) reports that there was a group in the "court" to support the Basdogrultmaci couple. The group was consisting of Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Colombian and Swedish citizens. They were all carrying plackets reading "I am a Cypriot not a martyr".

The trial was postponed for the 11th of June. The "judge" said that he will charge the Basdogrultmaci couple with accusations of shouting at the "court" "I don't recognize the fake flag of your fake state".

The supporting group unfurled a flag of the Republic of Cyprus outside the "court".

[04] The regime will grant "citizenship" to those living in the occupied area for eleven years and those who invest three million euro

Ulucay said that the "draft-law" is providing for granting "white card" to people living in the occupied area for five years continuously after securing a "work permit". He noted that after the eleventh year the "citizenship" could be granted to "a certain percentage" of these people.

Ulucay went on and added that they are making a move towards the investors in the "draft-law" by taking into consideration the practices followed in the world. He noted that the "citizenship" will be granted to people who invest three million euro in the occupied area of Cyprus and to their families.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Mehmet Birinci: "The elections in the TRNC are more democratic than the EP elections"

Replying to the paper's questions, Birinci, inter alia, described the EU as an imperialist power and added that the EP's election process is anti-democratic. "The EU is not the champion of democratic formation as it looks like. It is completely fallacy. Only those who have money can attend these elections. The amount of 1000 euro is like a boundary. This is a completely wrong implementation".

Birinci went on and alleged that the "elections in the TRNC" are more democratic than the EP's elections. He said that in the "elections" taking place in the occupied area of Cyprus, the "voters" have the right of "cross voting" in comparison with the EP's elections that there is no right for "cross voting". He stressed that this method aims to hold the voter's will under control and to force the voters to remain under the domination of certain political formations.

(AK)

[06] Agios Panteleimonas church in occupied Myrtou village lucks of care

As the paper writes, the church and the monastery of Agios Panteleimonas which is expected to be restored, has become a place of use by alcoholics and people using drugs. The paper points out that there is a children's park near the church and underlines that the worries of the people living near the area have been increased.

A group of the paper visited the other day Agios Panteleimonas church and spoke with the so-called mayor of the occupied Lapithos municipality, Fuat Namsoy.

Namsoy expressed his sorrow for the situation of Agios Panteleimonas church and said that these kind of historical places belong to Vakif Foundation. He added that they are responsible only for the cleaning of this place.

The paper calls the "officials" to take measures as soon as possible, pointing out the safety issue in the area.

(AK)

[07] Davutoglu calls for Ukraine territorial integrity

"While protecting its unity, the Ukrainian government should take steps to make reforms that would give rights to all of its people with different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds," Ahmet Davutoglu said in a Council of Europe meeting in Vienna.

Regarding the situation of the Crimean Tatar community, the Minister stressed that Crimea is the homeland of Crimean Tatars. He also expressed his concerns over reports that the Crimean Tatars' leader Mustafa Dzhemilev was denied entry to his native peninsula.

"Ukraine should not be divided into eastern, western, or pro-Europe, pro-Russian borders," Davutoglu said.

[08] Opposition in Turkey debating idea of joint candidate for presidency

The idea behind a joint candidate is to name the strongest possible competitor against the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate, who will most likely be Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The elections scheduled for August will be different to those of the past, as Turks will be electing their President through direct voting for the first time.

The former leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) and Antalya Deputy Deniz Baykal visited his successor Kemal Kilicdaroglu on May 5 to suggest that the CHP head should meet with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in order to reach a consensus on a joint nomination for the presidency.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Baykal admitted that the presidential elections had come onto the agenda and proposed that the CHP and the MHP should agree on a joint candidate.

Baykal also reportedly said the Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) should be included in such an attempt against the AKP's candidate.

The HDP, however, made its objection to such an idea clear, with its co-leader Ertugrul Kurkcu labelling the main opposition party's quest "authoritarianism."

Kurkcu said Turkey was facing the prospect of the ruling AKP exploiting the presidential election as a tool to fortify its power. "Baykal's proposal, saying 'Let the CHP make an alliance with the MHP,' shows the presence of Islamist authoritarianism on one side and nationalist authoritarianism on the other. No, we will not be a part of this polarization. We will nominate our own presidential candidate as the joint power of everybody excluded by this system," he said, speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting on May 6.

HDN, under the title "MHP suggests joint opposition candidate", reported that MHP leader Devlet Bahceli has suggested that the opposition should unite behind one candidate in the presidential election in August to stop the ruling party's candidate.

"Turkey has unfortunately been polarized at the hands of the AKP [Justice and Development Party]," Bahceli added. "We do not want polarization. That's why we don't approve of the presidency of a politician who is responsible for this polarization." Asked whether he would ask support from other parties, Bahceli said he would go to talk to the Republican People's Party (CHP) as the main opposition party but also the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) and the Great Union Party (BBP).

"If not sufficient, I'll also go to various faith groups, including Alevis, to those who can contribute. I will not leave any doors un-knocked. I will tell them, 'The candidate we propose is not the MHP's candidate but the President who can rule the country. It's the first time that the President is being elected through popular vote. There should be no partisan outlook to that. Let's get someone whose common ground is larger,'" he said. Bahceli also said Turkey was passing through a very crucial period. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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