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Category: Cyprus/TRNC

*** Wikileaks / Cyprus EEZ: H Turkey is ready even for a military confrontation

revealed that Turkey is ready even for a military confrontation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus if the extraction of natural gas from Plot 12. “The official policy of Turkey is waiting to Cyprus to enter the production stage to take decisive action. A military confrontation is possible until then, although the naval conflicts will occur at a moderate way, “writes analyst firm Stratfor, adding that there is always a margin of error that would escalate the situation.

via *** Wikileaks / Cyprus EEZ: H Turkey is ready even for a military confrontation | FreshCyprus.

March 15, 2012
Voices from Coffee Shops

If you are a fan of traditional Cypriot coffee shops, and if you love listening to old people’s stories about the “old good days”, then you will love this video!! ‘Voices from Coffee Shops’ is a short clip featuring the regular customers of two coffee shops recently restored by UNDP and thanks to EU funds, in the villages of Kalyvakia/Kalavac and Tremetousia/Erdemli in the northern part of Cyprus.

Why restoring traditional coffee shops? Listen to them and they will explain you why these places are worth being preserved! Thanks to EU funds, another similar project is being completed by UNDP Partnership for the Future in the villages of Louroukina/Akincilar. All four projects were realized in the framework of a broader EU funded, urban upgrading programme for villages and small towns in the northern part of Cyprus aiming at supporting and ensuring the preservation of Cyprus cultural heritage and traditional way of life. The works entailed repairing walls and roofs, the provision of new equipped kitchenettes, characteristic furniture and training in hygiene standards. Photographic exhibits are also being organized in these coffee shops to showcase traditional village life. Photos: Kerim Belet. Video Editing: Yetin Arslan

March 13, 2012
Omirou urges international community to turn attention to Turkey

The President of the House of Representatives, Mr Yiannakis Omirou, attends the event in honor of former Members of the House of Representatives

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE

• Sun, Mar 11, 2012

House President Yiannakis Omirou has appealed to key players in the international community to turn their attention to Turkey, if they want security and stability to return to the region.

The source of anomaly in the area is Turkeys aggressive attitude, said here Sunday Omirou, in a memorial speech for Evagoras Palikarides, a hero of the anti-colonial struggle against the British in the mid 1950s.

The recipe for peace is simple, Omiour pointed out. Convince Turkey to agree to a solution as described by civilized humanity, withdraw its troops from Cyprus and accept international law and UN resolutions.

Omirou paid tribute to Palikarides, saying doing this is a national duty, especially as the Cypriot people are going through difficult times, fighting for survival.

Our duty to history and civilization is to avert the dangers which our enemies are working on, to make clear that we are not ready to wipe out our rights and forgo justice, he stressed.

Cyprus, he added, should not remain the only divided country in Europe when Europe is proceeding with integration. Europe should not tolerate the presence of an occupation army in one of its member states, he said of the continuing occupation of Cyprus northern part by Turkey.

We should insist on securing the rights of the people of Cyprus, through the restoration of the rights of the refugees and the enclaved Greek Cypriots in the occupied areas, the withdrawal of occupation troops and settlers, securing the smooth and effective functioning of the state, peaceful co-existence with our Turkish Cypriots compatriots, wealth and progress for all the people of Cyprus, he added.

He said Cyprus feels stronger as Greece and the Greek nation stand by it.

Referring to the ongoing UN-led negotiations direct negotiations between President of the Repubic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu to reunify the island, Omirou said the talks have not achieved any progress, but instead they have highlighted once again the intensified Turkish intransigence.

Turkey, he noted, appears to be the third party with good will and a neutral observer that seeks a solution, pushing for either an international conference on Cyprus or a deadlock in the negotiations, with apportioning equal responsibility to both sides.

Omirou said it is imperative to change the policy in the negotiations and strategy in the overall handling of the talks by reporting the Turkish stance before the international and European community and by formulating an outline for a solution that will safeguard the national and natural survival of Cypriot Hellenism.

Evagoras Pallikaridis was an EOKA fighter during the 1955 – 1959 struggle against British colonial rule in Cyprus. At the age of 19 he was sentenced to death by hanging for firearms possession.

via Omirou urges international community to turn attention to Turkey.

March 12, 2012
Cyprus denies reports on Turkey’s negotiating chapters

Nicosia denied Turkish press reports that Cyprus has agreed to the opening of two chapters of Turkey’s EU accession talks.

A report by Turkish daily ”Hurriet” invoking European Commission notes that Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Marcoullis said Nicosia would not oppose to the opening of the chapters 23 and 24 namely on Judiciary and fundamental rights and Justice, Freedom and security.

Describing these reports as unfounded, Marcoullis recalled that these chapters are included in the chapters that have been frozen following a unilateral decision by the Republic of Cyprus in December 2009.

She also said that this report follows information and interpretations published in the Greek Cypriot press of the European Commission’s decision to proceed with the so-called positive agenda,” which aims to keep reforms going in Turkey.

Noting that the process on how to proceed with the positive agenda has not been completed yet, Marcoullis said that we have secured in the EU General Affairs Council conclusions that the positive agenda can be pursued only if the negotiating framework is being followed.

She also said that the Commission is at the process of informing the Turkish authorities regarding the six chapters and the acquis communautaire, clarifying that these two chapters are not included in this process as no agreement has been reached by the member-states concerning the opening benchmarks.

(KYPE)

via Cyprus denies reports on Turkey’s negotiating chapters.

March 8, 2012
Turkey will ignore Cyprus as EU president

Mr. Bagis made the remarks during a speech at the London School of Economics on Wednesday

TURKEY’S EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis has again said that Turkey would ignore the Republic of Cyprus, as EU president, adding “We will not take it as interlocutor as the rotating president of the EU this year.”

Mr. Bagis made the remarks during a speech at the London School of Economics on Wednesday.

When asked about Turkey’s stance towards the Republic of Cyprus which will undertake the rotating presidency of the EU in July, Bagis said that “Turkey would ignore the Greek Cypriot administration”.

Bagis said: “We hope there will be a united Cyprus till July”, adding that “if there was not a united Cyprus till that date, Turkey would pursue its relations with European Commission, European Parliament and EU member states, but ignore the rotating president.”

“EU candidate countries contact with EU president only if a chapter is opened to negotiations or during council partnership meetings”, said Bagis.

He also said: “Turkey has 52 years of relationship with the EU, thus, six months is not a long time for Turkey.”

Famagusta Gazette

March 2, 2012
President: Turkey’s aspirations conditional on a Cyprus solution

Turkey must cooperate for a Cyprus solution in order to materialize its policy priorities concerning the EU and the region, President Demetris Christofias said today.

While addressing the book presentation of the Head of the Presidencys office of research on Turkish policy, Nikos Moudouros on The transition of Turkey, from Kemalist dominance to Islamic neoliberalism, the President spoke on the role of the Turkish leadership in sidelining the former leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community Rauf Denktash, while promoting the acceptance of the Annan Plan in 2004.

He characterized the developments of the time as a turning point in Turkeys shift concerning its Cyprus position, in favor of a solution with an ill-defined content and the parallel promotion of the illegal state entity Ankara set up in the occupied areas of Cyprus, following the islands 1974 invasion.

The President went on by saying that Turkey is violating all relevant UN resolutions concerning Cyprus, while he noted that Ankara aims at provoking tension in the region, on the occasion of the Republics activities in its exclusive economic zone.

This behavior is detrimental to Turkeys EU aspirations, President Christofias said, while he noted that the burden of its illegal activities in Cyprus hinders Ankara from assuming a role in political brokerage in the region.

Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

Recently, Nicosia announced in the Official Journal of the EU a call for an international tender for off-shore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation within the Republics Economic Exclusive Zone, signaling the initiation of a second round of licensing, after 2007.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Nicosias new licensing round for exploration activity in the area could lead to tension in the region.

In response to Cypriot exploration activities, Ankara has in the past deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.

The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkeys moves, saying it has a sovereign right to exploit its natural resources, pointing out that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from any benefits that may come from oil drilling.

Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.

Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2012

via President: Turkeys aspirations conditional on a Cyprus solution.

February 25, 2012