Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-12-16

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktas admits that the logic of the new draft-law on the occupied Greek Cypriot properties is not the return of properties; Erdogan supports the draft-law

[02] Mrs Cherie Blair is reportedly among the lawyers that will be defending the Orams couple

[03] AFRIKA: The hope for Lokmaci died

[04] Stolen Icon and Iconostasis are found

[05] The womens branch of the CTP sent a letter to the British Prime Minister asking for the resumption of the Cyprus talks

[06] The occupation regime has been invited to participate in two beauty contests

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Serdar Denktas admits that the logic of the new draft-law on the occupied Greek Cypriot properties is not the return of properties; Erdogan supports the draft-law

Speaking yesterday at the meeting of the above-mentioned committee, Mr Denktas noted that the percentage of the properties that could immediately be returned is 4 % and added that this does not create a situation which endangers the bi-zonality in Cyprus.

Mr Denktas reiterated that his party does not approve the draft-law as it is at the moment, but he argued that with some amendments a very good way out could be found. r Denktas noted that if the law is accepted as local remedies by the European Court of Human Rights, this will be Turkeys local remedies, but a new process will begin where the voice of the Turkish Cypriots will be heard as well. He argued that when the draft-law is accepted, people will feel more secure and there will be a boom in the economy of the Turkish Cypriots.

Mr Denktas said that it is known that the cases at the ECHR will be ended with decisions providing for paying compensations for lost of property and returning property. He noted that in case Turkey does not apply the decisions, the compensations will be increased because of their interests and as a result Turkey might be expelled from the Council of Europe and its right to vote might be annulled. All these will be reflected on the self-styled TRNC as well, he added.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (16.12.05) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported the draft-law, but threw the ball to the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat and the self-styled assembly.

Putting aside the steps made in northern Cyprus by President Talat and the parliament would be wrong, he said replying to criticism made by the leader of the main opposition party, Deniz Baykal at the Turkish Grand National Assembly during the discussions of the budget for 2006. Mr Erdogan added: The property law is criticized here. With a law that will be made, the Greek Cypriots will be leaving the TRNC only with a decision that they take from the courts there. . He alleged that this has caused trouble in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus and claimed that the Republic of Cyprus is preparing a law according to which those who will appeal to the courts in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus will be imprisoned.

Furthermore, VOLKAN writes that with the implementation of the draft-law the territory occupied now by the Turkish Cypriots will decrease from 35 % to 19 % of the total territory of Cyprus.

The paper publishes statements by Dervis Akter, former MP and lawyer, who speaking to ART television, said that according to this law, one million 432 thousand and 336 donums (Tr. Note: A land measure of 1000 square meters) of land will be returned to the Greek Cypriots. Thus the area of the self-styled TRNC (the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus) will be decreased from 3241.68 square kilometers to 1324 square kilometers, he added.

I/Ts.

[02] Mrs Cherie Blair is reportedly among the lawyers that will be defending the Orams couple

CNN-Turk reports the following: The wife of the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Cherie Blair has undertaken the defense of the British Orams couple which lives in the TRNC. Cherie Blair will defend the property right of the couple against the Greek Cypriot administration. The British couple, which will be defended by a group of six lawyers with the participation of Cherie Blair, had been taken to court by the Greek Cypriot administration with the pretext that it had build a house in northern Cyprus on the land of a Greek Cypriot.

One of the Turkish defense lawyers of the case, Hasan Vehib has noted that the Greek Cypriot administration made an irregularity in the case and said that the case was contrary to the EU laws.

Vahib stressed that the participation of Cherie Blair in the case is a big gain for them, as she proved her success in cases regarding human rights in Britain. Saying that the Greek Cypriots intent to win the case, use it as a precedent and make it a tool of politics, Vahib noted that if necessary Cherie Blair might go to the TRNC.

Furthermore, Vahib added that the half of the expenses for the case will be paid by Orams family and that they did not take fees as Vahib Law Office.

I/Ts.

[03] AFRIKA: The hope for Lokmaci died

As the paper writes the self-styled president in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus, Mehmet Ali Talat visited yesterday the area near the barricade and met with shop owners. Talat stated that the lifting of the bridge is out of the question. Why should we lift the bridge? The Greek Cypriot side wants too much, he said. The paper also noted that the Turkish Cypriot side does not see positively the proposal made by the Greek Cypriots as regards the demilitarisation of the area.

In addition, as Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (16.12.05) writes, in the conversations he held with the shop owners and some journalists, Mr Talat stated that he is determined to open the Ledra Street barricade and claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side will do its duty as regards this issue and expects the Greek Cypriot side to do the same.

Meanwhile, KIBRIS writes also that the Turkish Cypriot tradesmen and shop owners in the Ledra area in occupied Lefkosia will take dynamic measures today protesting in favour of the Ledra Street barricades opening. A delegation of the shop owners will go to the Ledra Palace barricade and handle a letter to the United Nations asking for finding of a solution mutually accepted by the two sides on the issue of the opening of the barricade in Ledra Street. The paper notes that the Platform This Country is Ours, supports the tradesmen and shop owners protest.

[04] Stolen Icon and Iconostasis are found

The so-called police have arrested two suspects and took them in custody. The paper reports that the Iconostasis is carved out of wood and is a valuable piece of art. r Hasan Tekel the so-called responsible for the Famagusta Area Antiquities and Museum Departments said that both icon and the iconostasis are valuable piece of art and added that they are trying to find out from which church or churches the icon and iconostasis are stolen.

[05] The womens branch of the CTP sent a letter to the British Prime Minister asking for the resumption of the Cyprus talks

The letter also calls on Britain, which is currently holding the EU Term Presidency, to undertake a more active role in the efforts aimed at bringing about a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Representatives of some womens organizations handed over the letter to British official at the office of the British High Commission in the occupied part of Lefkosia. he letter calls for the reunification of Cyprus, warning that the continuation of the division of the island makes it harder to bring about a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem.

[06] The occupation regime has been invited to participate in two beauty contests

EG/

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