Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-12-11

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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 called on Anastasiades to resume Cyprus talks this week after his meeting with Downer

[02] Eroglu: deadlock exists on the issue of the representatives' visits to Athens and Ankara; Comments on Bagis' and Mungan's statements

[03] Nami briefs Guinean journalists on the Cyprus problem

[04] Denktas holds contacts in London; He says they will re-establish an aviation company in 2014

[05] Ozgurgun: the regime's economy will "eternally need" Turkey's support

[06] Akinci announces he could run for "president" of the regime

[07] The Italian Ambassador promised to support Turkey's EU negotiations during Italy's EU presidency in 2014

[08] Turkey announced trade figures with EU countries

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu called on Anastasiades to resume Cyprus talks this week after his meeting with Downer

In the written statement, Eroglu said that he had a sincere meeting with Downer and they discussed the last point reached on the joint agreement and how they can surpass the difficulties. Eroglu claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side has a constructive stance on this critical stage. He argued that their strategic and approach is to secure the continuation of the new partnership that they try to establish. He also argued that they, as the Turkish Cypriot side, keep in mind the concerns of the opposite side and they try to reflect them in their proposals. In order for this to be possible, in parallel to overcoming the concerns of the Greek Cypriot side, one of the sides should be prevented by taking under its monopoly the international identity of the island alleging that it is the representative of the entire Cyprus.

He went on saying that he exhibited a political will towards establishing a permanent and viable united Cyprus and he expects the same stance from Anastasiades. He claimed that if the Greek Cypriot side accepts, they are ready to resume the Cyprus talks from the point they were left off within this week. He also extended a reconciliation hand to Anastasiades, claiming that if they resume the negotiations this week, they can reach a comprehensive solution the first quarter of 2014.

Moreover, the paper reports that Downer, speaking after the one and half hour long meeting with Eroglu, said that the two sides had reached a sensitive point in on the joint agreement but refrained from giving any details.

On the same issue, according to illegal Bayrak television (online, 10.12.13), Eroglu's special representative Osman Ertug, speaking to the "BRT" after the meeting, said that they focused on the joint statement.

Pointing out that Downer was continuing his efforts to reach a comprimise agreement between the two sides, Ertug claimed: "We, as the Turkish Cypriot side, will continue to maintain our constructive stance".

[02] Eroglu: deadlock exists on the issue of the representatives' visits to Athens and Ankara; Comments on Bagis' and Mungan's statements

According to a statement issued from his "office", in an interview with a TV channel, Eroglu argued that deadlock exists on the issue of the visits of the leaders' representatives to Ankara and Athens. Eroglu claimed that first they agreed on holding these visits in October, but Greece said that October was not a convenient period. He went on and claimed that according to recent statements by Greece, the visits would be held after the commencement of the negotiations and alleged that the obstacle for this meeting is the Greek Prime Minister Samaras.

Replying to a question on the issue of the "internal citizenship", Eroglu said that the "TRNC" would be a founding state [in case a federal Republic of Cyprus is established] and the "citizens" of the "founding states" would become "citizens of the partnership state".

He went on and said: "The point we disagree with the Greek Cypriots is that the persons that came from Turkey will go away. Now, we say that no one has the right to say 'go back' to these people after 40 years. The international law also does not reject this. If we come to the point of an agreement, who will vote in the referendum? The people will do this, the citizens of both founding states. These people will become citizens of the partnership state as well?"

Eroglu argued that the "citizens of the partnership state" will at the same time be "internal citizens" in case they want it.

Eroglu said also that on the territory issue, for example, the Greek Cypriots want the areas of southern Mesaoria, Karpasia and Morfou to be returned [under Greek Cypriot administration]. He added: "They do not stay only with this. They want Greek Cypriots to return to the lands which will remain to us. Very well, is this an agreement? Is this an agreement which will permit the Turkish Cypriots to live on these lands? We have to show these to the world. This is the duty of our foreign minister, of the officials of our ministries, of our special representative?"

Eroglu referred also to the statements made recently by Egemen Bagis, Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, who has compared the Cypriots to mules. Eroglu argued: "It is something else to say that the Cypriots are stubborn, but as he used the word 'mule', he said it without thinking. Of course the Turkish Cypriot people will be stubborn where they are right. Every man will persist, and insist when he is right in order for taking his rights. However, the comparison was wrong".

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (11.12.13) reports that Eroglu was asked to comment also on the agreement signed between the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and the Turkish Cypriot so-called football association ("TCFA") in Zurich. He said that according to the information he had acquired, the Turkish Cypriot clubs authorised the chairman of the "TCFA", Hasan Sertoglu to continue the negotiations. He argued that what was discussed in the recent general assembly of the "TCFA" was not the document signed in Zurich, but views on the content of the letter which Sertoglu would send to the President of FIFA. Eroglu noted that after the signing ceremony in Zurich Sertoglu had stated that he would work for changing the text. "However, CFA chairman behaved more cleverly and approved the document", he argued.

Referring to self-styled finance minister Zeren Mungan's statement that if they do not implement the "financial protocol" they had signed with Turkey, they could not pay the salaries, Eroglu said: "These statements are very wrong. No minister should use such expressions. This will both cause reactions against Turkey and lead people to having various thoughts towards the existing government".

He argued that the best way would be to submit some proposals to Turkey and added: "In the end, those who are before you are also people. They are people who do not want the Turkish Cypriot people to be victimized".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Nami briefs Guinean journalists on the Cyprus problem

According to a statement issued by the regime's "information office", Nami is in Conakry, the capital city of Guinea, for the 40th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in which the breakaway regime is participating as "observer".

Nami explained the regime's expectations from the OIC and informed the journalists on the recent developments in the Cyprus problem. He also expressed their condolences to the African peoples for the loss of Nelson Mandela.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Denktas holds contacts in London; He says they will re-establish an aviation company in 2014

According to a statement issued by his "office", Denktas participated yesterday in London in a dinner hosted to his honour by Guild of Travel and Tourism Company at Royal Air Force Club.

Businessmen from the field of tourism, so-called crown princess of Yugoslavia Catherine, the vice-president of the Democratic Party ? National Forces (DP-UG), Serhat Kotak, and the regime's "representative" in London, Oya Tuncali were among the participants in the dinner.

Addressing the dinner, Denktas referred to the so-called embargoes allegedly implemented on the regime and to the problems which are derived from them. He argued that the "government" of the regime "has opened its arms" to foreign investors and called on foreigners to invest in the occupied part of Cyprus. He asked the support of the participants in the dinner on the issue of overcoming the "embargoes" and especially on the issue of "direct flights".

(I/Ts.)

[05] Ozgurgun: the regime's economy will "eternally need" Turkey's support

The paper writes that trying to criticize yesterday the "budget" of the regime at the "assembly", Ozgurgun "destroyed the hopes of the Turkish Cypriot people".

Ozgurgun said that the target for the regime's economy to become self-sufficient, which is included in the program of all the self-styled governments and it is even the main goal of the "economic protocol' signed with Turkey, "will never be possible".

Ozgurgun noted that he was pleased to hear the self-styled finance minister saying that they have to implement the "economic protocol". "I am grateful to Turkey, not thankful. We are tied to Turkey from the heart, not from the belly", he argued.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Akinci announces he could run for "president" of the regime

In statements to Ada TV, Akinci said yesterday that they always needed a solution to the Cyprus problem and that without the solution the Turkish Cypriots "will make no progress". "Whatever we do, the source of our problems is the Cyprus problem", he argued noting that if this problem is not solved they could take their place in the international law only to an extent.

(I/Ts.)

[07] The Italian Ambassador promised to support Turkey's EU negotiations during Italy's EU presidency in 2014

Scarante stressed that negotiations are now continuing after a pause, stating that the EU opened Chapter 22 on regional policy and the coordination of structural instruments at the Intergovernmental Accession Conference in November.

The Ambassador has stated that many countries in Europe have simplified their visa application procedures with Turkey, thus the next step will be the removal of all visa requirements.

Underlining that the European Union has eliminated visa requirements for various countries in the Balkans, Scarante said that if the EU can achieve this with the Balkans, there is no reason not to give it to Turkey. "I'm sure that next year we will develop a way, and the removal of visa requirements for Turkey is not very far off," he added.

Scarante also said Italy was the first country to raise the issue in the European Council (EC) and added that there is no threat of immigration of Turks to Italy or Europe in general if the EU removes the visa requirements.

Commenting on migration from Turkey, Scarante said: "When we compare Turkey's economic situation with that of the EU, many people are coming back to Turkey. So that's an important point."

Commenting on suspicions that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has given up on the EU accession after Turkey's ruling party joined the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) in November, Scarante said there is no doubt that Europe will be in Turkey's future.

The Italian ambassador underlined that Europe and Turkey have a long shared history and said, "I can't imagine the future of the country without Europe, because Europe is in Turkey's past. It's in your present as well."

"We consider Turkey European. When Istanbul was a European Capital of Culture, when speaking about Turkey being part of the European Championship in football, nobody asked why Turkey was in the championship," he said.

[08] Turkey announced trade figures with EU countries

According to the data released by TurkStat, Turkey's recorded 120.1 billion dollars of trade with EU countries covered 51.381 billion of which was exportation and 75.431 billion was importation.

Turkey's main partner country for foreign trade exports was Germany with (30.766 billion Dollars), Italy (16.154 billion Dollars), England (12.266 billion Dollars), France (11.868 billion Dollars) and Spain (8.823 billion Dollars).

Export and Import data in the January and October term with 27 EU countries are:

Country Exports (K $) Imports (K $)

Germany 11.189.581 19.577.237

Italy 5.510.773 10.643.602

England 7.167.331 5.099.413

France 5.221.428 6.647.196

Spain 3.524.518 5.299.149

Netherlands 2.916.632 2.660.988

Belgium 2.107.873 3.169.154

Romania 2.178.696 2.980.705

Greece 1.127.997 3.505.452

Poland 1.679.140 2.618.090

Bulgaria 1.618.470 2.316.900

Czech Republic 622.874 2.092.204

Austria 864.504 1.397.929

Sweden 940.105 1.665.514

Hungary 542.551 1.003.942

Slovakia 360.103 903.541

Finland 224.487 1.031.851

Portugal 490.717 562.073

Denmark 818.819 654.050

Ireland 303.332 680.441

Malta 787.496 65.270

Slovenia 542.330 249.430

Lithuania 307.833 148.982

Estonia 171.686 197.744

Latvia 118.010 151.908

Luxembourg 42.464 108.685

Cyprus 1.493 480 TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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