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Category: Cyprus/TRNC

  • Turkish Cypriots promise more rallies

    Turkish Cypriots promise more rallies

    By Simon Bahceli Published on April 9, 2011

    AS FALLOUT continued yesterday over Thursday’s anti-austerity rally in the north, plans were already underway for yet another mass protest against Ankara’s economic restructuring.

    Opinion in the north was divided yesterday after demonstrators were seen on Thursday attempting to put up the Cyprus Republic flag on the walls of the Turkish ‘embassy’ in the north of Nicosia and carrying a banner calling on “occupier Turkey” to “F__k off from Cyprus”.

    Not impressed was Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, who told the press that such actions would weaken his negotiating position in talks with President Demetris Christofias.

    “Neither is Turkey an occupier, and nor is our parliament a puppet of the Turkish government,” Eroglu said, adding that the sentiments expressed by some at the rally were “definitely not representative the majority of Turkish Cypriots”. Most Turkish Cypriots, he said, wished to see Turkey remain as an effective guarantor.

    Others went further, calling for the arrest and punishment of those carrying “offensive” banners and flags. Foremost among these was leader of the small Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) who said he was willing to work in ‘parliament’ to devise laws to make such actions “severely punishable”.

    But despite Eroglu’s call for calm and unity, trade unions opposed to Ankara’s austerity package yesterday vowed to continue their protests, and received a boost when two largest left wing opposition parties announced joint plans for rally on April 24.

    Although billed as a pro-solution rally, the April 24 rally will carry a double message, aimed not just at putting pressure on the two Cypriot leaders, but also on Ankara to loosen its grip on the north.

    In a joint statement Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Communal Democracy Party (TDP) leader Mehmet Cakici said the rally, being held on the 7th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot community’s ‘yes’ vote in referendum to the Annan reunification plan, would show the world the Turkish Cypriot community’s continuing commitment to a bizonal federal solution.

    Reaction in Turkey to Thursday’s rally was somewhat muted, with newspaper editors clearly taken aback by the animosity shown towards Ankara.

    Most papers reporting on the rally carried pictures of a young man seeking to place the Cyprus Republic flag in the grounds of the Turkish ‘embassy’. Prominent daily Hurriyet blamed “groups of provocateurs” for the tussles with police, while Posta observed that “tensions are rising” in the north of Cyprus as a result of regular anti-austerity demonstrations despite the fact that Turkey gave the Turkish Cypriots €440 million worth of aid this year alone.

    Despite his caustic condemnation of earlier rallies and his branding of Turkish Cypriot public sector workers as “ingrates”, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was yesterday yet to respond to the latest protest and the news of more.

    via Turkish Cypriots promise more rallies – Cyprus Mail.

  • ATCA Homeland Showing at HOL on 6/4/11

    ATCA Homeland Showing at HOL on 6/4/11

    tflogo 1

     

     

     

    Dear ATCA Supporter,

    At long last, the ATCA documentary will be screened at the House of Lords in Room 4A, First Committee Corridor, on Wednesday 6th April 2011 16.30-18.00

    Lord Maginnis is hosting the event and the TRNC FM Huseyin Ozgurgun will also be present at the meeting.

    It goes without saying that it would great to have you there in support of Serkan’s & his team’s hard work (ATCA-Australia).

    If you have not received an invitation already from Lord Maginnis’ office or the TRNC Representative Office (London), please let me know in order to make arrangements.

    Many thanks

    Cetin

    ATCA-UK

    07803 047 187

    RSVP

    Supported By Turkish Forum WTA


  • Cyprus says against use of British bases for Libya

    Cyprus says against use of British bases for Libya

    awacs
    A U.S. Air Force AWACS surveillance aircraft comes in for a landing at the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus March 20, 2011. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

    LIMASSOL, Cyprus (Reuters) – Cyprus said on Sunday it opposed any use of British bases on the island to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya but conceded it had no power to stop their involvement.

    Britain has two sovereign military bases on Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean and a former colony.

    A command centre to coordinate the movement of British assets over Libya has been set up at an RAF base at Akrotiri, on the southern coast of the island.

    “Unfortunately these bases are sovereign and can be used merely with Britain issuing an advisory (to Cyprus). We have given the message to Britain that we do not wish for these bases to be used, that we are against that,” Cypriot President Demetris Christofias told reporters.

    His communist party has frequently called for the closure of British bases on the island.

    The British bases’ headquarters said Akrotiri was not being used to launch offensive strikes on Libya, nor was it hosting air assets from any other nation for the operation.

    There were no plans to deploy Typoon or Tornado aircraft at the base, it said in a statement. There were surveillance aircraft at the facility, it said.

    In London, Defence Secretary Liam Fox told BBC television Britain would deploy Typhoons and Tornadoes to a base in southern Italy either later on Sunday or on Monday.

    (Writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Mike Peacock)

    af.reuters.com, Mar 20, 2011

  • Turkish Cypriots unhappy with isolation, austerity measures

    Turkish Cypriots unhappy with isolation, austerity measures

    ”]The protests drew an angry response from Ankara. [Reuters]Ongoing protests by thousands of Turkish Cypriots against austerity measures imposed by the leading National Unity Party (UBP) have triggered calls of concern among officials.

     

    After a March 2nd protest, the second in a month, Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu said he was worried about rising tension between Turkish Cyprus and Turkey.

    “Falling out with Turkey does not serve the purposes of Turkish Cypriots,” Eroglu said.

    “I believe the situation could escalate in mass rallies and potentially strikes, and other forms of civil protest,” said Hubert Faustmann, a University of Nicosia professor.

    The Mediterranean island of Cyprus was divided in 1974 after Turkey formed the state of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. At a January 28th mass demonstration, a group of Turkish Cypriot protesters yelled anti-Turkey slogans. Some Turkish Cypriots attending he March 2nd protest waved flags of the Greek-run Republic of Cyprus.

    The breakaway republic in northern Cyprus is isolated from the international community and is highly dependent on economic aid from Turkey. After the late January protest, members of the Turkish government have been criticising Ankara’s financial handouts and some politicians are even demanding that it stop.

    “Who are these people?” said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, referring to the protestors carrying anti-Turkey slogans. “They need to be brought before a court.”

    “Erdogan is adding fuel to the fire,” said Professor Ahmet Sozen of Eastern Mediterranean University. “He fails to understand that even though Turkish Cypriots are Turks, they are different.”

    Professor Muzaffer Senel of Istanbul Sehir University says that Erdogan’s speech had a negative effect on Turkish Cypriots and Turkey’s relations with them.

    He said that Erdogan should have considered that the anti-Turkey protestors are a small and extremist group. “We should [differentiate] between all protestors and those extremist groups swearing at Turkey.”

    Ankara gives northern Cyprus financial support worth of $600m every year. Sozen said that in the past four or five years, Turkey’s ruling party Justice and Development party (AKP) has demanded that the northern Cyprus government reform its financial and economic sectors.

    Related Articles

    Northern Cyprus, however, has been postponing the reforms.

    Andrekos Varnava, an expert from Cyprus’ Flinders University, does not believe that Turkey will stop giving support to northern Cyprus amid the anti-Turkey protests.

    “[Ankara] has invested decades of economic, political and military support there,” said Varnava. “It is perceived as strategically important to Turkey’s southern flank, and its ambitions to become a Mediterranean power.”

    According to some experts, Turkey has been focusing too much on Greek Cyprus at the cost of the northern part of the divided island. “For many years Turkey has been shaping its Greek Cyprus policy, while at the same time turning a blind eye to Turkish Cypriot society,” Senel said.

    This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.

     

  • EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT- ON TURKEY

    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT- ON TURKEY

    European Parliament!!

    It sounds more like a “house of Evil” rather than a House of Parliament.

    I am more and more convinced that what I said in 1980

    ( in 1980, The Economist published a reader’s letter of mine,

    in which I wrote that the EU is a ” Christian Club”) has become

    a hard fact of life. Otherwise, it is not possible that such a

    multi-national House could pass such nonsensical resolutions.

    From 6 members to 27, but “NO” only to Turkey! How can

    they explain that?

    Cyprus, originally an Ottoman island (1570-1878), then a British Colony,

    (1878 – 1959) and since 1955 at war (inter-communal), and since

    March 1964 under UN observation could become a member, now

    to be used as a cork to keep out Turkey. Further more, the southern

    part (Orthodox Christian) of Cyprus can be considered a part of

    Europe but Turkey not. May be we can explain the Greek military

    presence on the island as a means of protection for the Greek Cypriots,

    but how are they going to explain the British Military presence  while

    at the same time, demanding the withdrawal of Turkish troops?

    Yes, in the face of such undeniable facts, how can that House of Evil

    call itself “European Parliament” ? Only an underground organisation

    operates like that, not  a democratic institution!

    Shame on Europe and shame on the European Parliament.

    Kufi Seydali

     


    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/focus_page/008-114496-001-01-01-901-20110228FCS14493-01-01-2006-2006/default_p001c010_en.htm

    Enlargement: slow progress by Turkey regretted, Montenegro’s candidacy welcomed

    In two resolutions adopted on Wednesday on the progress of Turkey and Montenegro in their EU membership negotiations, Parliament express concern at the “slow progress” on human rights and key reforms in Turkey in 2010, while welcoming Montenegro’s official candidate status despite concerns over corruption.

    The Cyprus-Turkey deadlock, lack of dialogue among Turkish political parties and the undermining of press freedom and other basic rights in Turkey are the key factors slowing down the country’s EU accession talks, said rapporteur Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, NL) during the debate.

    The resolution, adopted with the support of a large majority of MEPs, welcomes Turkey’s adoption of constitutional amendments but stresses that “an overall constitutional reform” is still needed to transform Turkey into a real democracy. MEPs also applaud the recent finalisation of negotiations on a readmission agreement to handle migration. Once this enters into force, the Commission should initiate “a visa dialogue, with particular attention to the matter of entry conditions for business people and students”.

    Among the main remaining challenges, MEPs list the worrying deterioration of press freedom, including self-censorship of national media and internet sites; the situation of women and rising rates of honour killings and forced marriages; and the lack of protection of religious minorities. “Only limited progress” has been made to ensure their legal protection so that they can own properties, open houses of worship or train clergy, adds the resolution.

    The wording and specific demands of the text were hammered out in tough negotiations among Parliament’s political groups. During the drafting process by the Foreign Affairs Committee, the EPP group agreed to withdraw an amendment calling on EU institutions to “study the possibility” of establishing a “privileged partnership” with Turkey, as an alternative to full EU membership.

    In exchange, the committee avoided mentioning the “common goal of full EU membership” for Turkey, as the socialists would have wished. The final text instead has the same wording as last year, describing the opening of Turkey’s accession negotiations in 2005 as the “starting point for a long-lasting and open-ended process“.

    Montenegro: MEPs favour EU accession talks, worry about corruption

    In the second resolution, approved by a large majority, Parliament welcomes the European Council’s decision to grant Montenegro EU candidate country status, expressing hope that accession talks with Montenegro could begin this year. MEPs nevertheless voice several concerns, particularly about corruption, organised crime, discrimination and curbs on media freedom.

    “I regret that the Commission insists on a gap between the granting of candidate status and the opening of negotiations,” said rapporteur Charles Tannock (ECR, UK). “Montenegro should be judged solely on merit, facts and achievements. The onus is now on Montenegro to meet the EU’s expectations, especially in combating corruption and organised crime”. “That said, Montenegro remains a good news story in the Western Balkans”, he added.

    Parliament welcomes the “general consensus and high priority given to European integration by the government and opposition parties”, particularly the work done on finalising Montenegro’s legal and constitutional framework and its “good track record in implementing economic reforms”.

    The resolution emphasises that “corruption is still prevalent in many areas, especially in the construction, privatisation and public procurements sector” and that organised crime, above all money-laundering and smuggling, remains a problem. The House is also worried that “women continue to be under-represented in decision-making processes and in leading positions.” While welcoming the “generally good inter-ethnic relations and good general protection of minority rights in the country”, MEPs call on the authorities to improve the living conditions of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minorities.

    The resolution also urges “further steps to ensure independence and professionalism of media outlets,” and draws attention to the disproportionate fines that can be imposed for defamation, thereby hampering journalistic freedom and independence. MEPs are especially troubled by reported cases of intimidation and violence on journalists and civil society activists, and call for these to be investigated and the offenders prosecuted.

    09.03.2011

     

     

     

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  • Turkey to provide fresh water to north Cyprus via pipe from the mainland

    Turkey to provide fresh water to north Cyprus via pipe from the mainland

    By: The Associated Press

    ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey says it will provide fresh water to the northern part of Cyprus via a pipeline from the Turkish mainland.

    CyprusPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the Mediterranean pipeline will carry 75 million cubic meters (2,648 million cubic feet) of drinking water annually. He spoke Monday during a ceremony to begin construction of a dam for the project near the Mediterranean coastal town of Anamur.

    A dam will also be built near the Turkish Cypriot town of Gecitkale, or Lefkoniko in Greek. Erdogan says the 107-kilometre-long (66-mile-long) pipeline will be operational by 2013.

    Both Turkish and Greek Cypriots sides of Cyprus suffer from a shortage of fresh water and is forced to import water in tankers from Turkey or Greece.

    via Turkey to provide fresh water to north Cyprus via pipe from the mainland – Winnipeg Free Press.