More "News" from the Mediterranean Front

16 August 2007

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

FM: We will not accept forceful division of Cyprus by Turkey

“The Cypriot government insists on creating the preconditions which will contribute to preparing a new round of negotiations to achieve an overall Cyprus settlement”, said here Thursday Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou – Marcoulli.

Speaking at a gathering organized by the Municipal Council of Morphou, to mark the 33rd anniversary since the town was seized by the Turkish army in 1974, Marcoulli said “this can only be achieved with the implementation of the July 8 2006 Agreement and through the Gambari process, that is to operate the technical committees and working groups to create the necessary climate and lessen the gap between the positions of the two sides”.

Marcoulli said the refugees of Morfou as well as all the refugees stand firm and are not compromised by the fait accompli of the invasion and occupation and strive for their return to their homelands.

“We are here today to shout out loud that we will not accept the forceful division of our country and people, the alteration of the demographic character of the island, the flagrant violation of human rights and the illegal seizing and exploitation of our properties”, the Minister stressed.

“With indignation we look at the provocative and unacceptable stance of the Turkish government and the Turkish Cypriot leadership which promotes, encourages and strengthens the embezzlement of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas and their sale to foreigners”, Marcoulli remarked.

She pointed out that “we have sent a message to all directions that we will not accept unacceptable compromises which will sanction the results of the Turkish offensive. We will not accept the consequences of the occupation. We continue the fight for reunification of our island and people and restoring our freedom and human rights”.

“Unfortunately, the Turkish Cypriot leadership, under the tight cluster of Ankara, continues to raise obstacles in the implementation of the Agreement and seems to refuse, once again, to honour its signature”, Marcoulli said, and expressed the hope that “the recent move by the Turkish Cypriot leader is sincere and soon a meeting will be held just as the President of the Republic had asked for five weeks ago”.

Furthermore, Marcoulli pledged the government’s stand for a solution which will reunite Cyprus within a bizonal, bicommunal federation “which will exclude foreign interventions, foreign armies and settlers and will reunify the people, the economy and the state’s traditions”.

Cyprus President Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of the then UN Undersecretary General Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

16 August 2007

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Russia says demilitarisation key to Cyprus settlement

Russian Embassy Counsellor Vladimir Maystrenko said on Thursday that the key to the solution of the Cyprus problem was in the demilitarisation of the island and the withdrawal of Turkish troops and assured that his country would make every effort towards reaching a just settlement.

Maystrenko received a delegation of the Municipality of Morphou, which handed over a resolution deploring the 33rd anniversary of the seizing of the town by Turkish invaders in 1974.

The Russian diplomat expressed hope that, despite recent difficulties, efforts would continue towards finding an acceptable basis for comprehensive negotiations that would lead to a solution respecting the legitimate interests of both communities.

He said that Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always played an active role in drafting all resolutions on Cyprus, insisting that these resolutions included the fundamental principles for a settlement, such as the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.

''Russia has always insisted on the implementation of these resolutions and first of all the withdrawal of foreign troops, the elimination of the military presence and this we believe is the key to a Cyprus settlement,'' he said.

Morphou Mayor Charalambos Pittas expressed gratitude for Russia's stance and support over the years.

Turkish Cypriot Artist at the 2007 Venice Biennale

La fiera delle vanita'

purche' turche

Chissa' che ne pensa Arlacchi

Il primo Governo Prodi, quello senza Rosa nel Pugno per intendersi, mando' alle Nazioni unite il Dr. Pino Arlacchi a dirigere l'Ufficio di Vienna per le Droghe e il Crimine. Arlacchi, che una ne ha pensata e cento ne ha fatte, e tutte una peggio dell'altra, inauguro' la sua reggenza affermando "come abbiamo sconfitto la mafia in Italia si potranno sconfiggere crimine e droga nel mondo". Chissa' se gli son tornate alla mente quelle parole pronunciate nell'estate del 1997 quando ha aperto i giornali stamani e letto "Ermittlungen in alle Richtungen nach Sechsfachmord in Duisburg".

Armi vendute e armi usate

"It seems strange that a pro-Western government, supported by the U.S. Army and other NATO countries on its own territory, would seek Russian or Chinese weapons through questionable channels". Il 12 agosto il Procuratore Razzi avrebbe scoperto un losco traffico di armi che, grazie a mediatori italiani con sedi registrate a Malta e Cipro, vendeva armi russe e cinesi al "Ministero degli Interni" iracheno. Forse ero distratto dalle onde del mare ma mi ero perso la storia, ma non mi pare che abbia occupato le pagine dei quotidiani italiani piu' di tanto, e poi che valore volete che abbia una storia cosi' di fronte a tutti quei bei morti ammazzati che occupano la nostra attenzione in questo agosto? La potete recuperare finche' e' online, al sito del Washington Post.

Mai con questo Senatore

Secondo me, se la notte avessero altro da fare questi signori troverebbero altro tipo di ispirazioni per la propria agenda politica. Su The New Republic online di qusta settimana c'e' un articolo che imputa al senatore di New York Chuck Shumer la splendida trovata di arrivare ad applicare la legge sul copyright anche alla moda...

that's my President

Statement by the Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Hasan Ercakica

The Turkish Cypriot side has communicated a letter directly to the Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos concerning the position of the Turkish Cypriot side in terms of the meeting that is expected to take place in the near future between Mr.Talat and Mr.Papadopoulos.

In the letter, Mr. Talat has conveyed his ideas regarding the content of the probable meeting and expressed satisfaction that Mr. Papadopoulos have finally agreed that it is time to meet as a result of Mr. Talat prior calls.

However, it should be pointed out that the recent statements by the Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Ms. Markoulli might have negative consequences over the probable Talat-Papadopoulos meeting.

Ever since the date Ms. Markoulli has been appointed as the Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, she has been issuing provocative statements regarding the Turkish side and Turkey in particular.

Reiterating her ideas in her most recent statement to NTV that “the key to a solution in Cyprus lies with the Turkish army”, she has not refrained from stating that they “would prefer to discuss the issues regarding the Cyprus problem with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan or the Turkish army”.

We would like to reiterate once again that we consider such statements by Ms. Markoulli as unfortunate and meaningless. Claiming that President Talat is not authorized to negotiate the basic issues concerning the Cyprus problem at a time when efforts are being spent to hold a summit between the two leaders and all the related parties are expecting this summit to be substance oriented and effective, Ms. Markoulli should clarify not only the issues Mr. Papadopoulos is planning to discuss in the meeting but also the results he expects to achieve.

The stance and statements of Ms. Markoulli can be deemed as the strong indications of the possibility that the Greek Cypriot side plans to hold this meeting with their own concerns of domestic affairs as well as efforts to render the said meeting ineffective.

The Turkish Cypriot side is determined not to be an instrument to such a plan but to make use of such a meeting between Mr. Talat and Mr. Papadopoulos as an opportunity to overcome the deadlock before the efforts of reaching a comprehensive settlement for the Cyprus problem.

Mai con questo Congresso!

US Congress legislation to end Turkish occupation of Cyprus

07/08/2007

The US Congress has taken another significant step toward improving American policy on Cyprus with the introduction of two Cyprus bills, which the sponsors noted complement each other, said the leaders of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH). According to a CEH statement, “one of the two bills, House Resolution 620, calls on Turkey to `end its military occupation…particularly because Turkey’s pretext has been refuted by over 13 million crossings by Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots into each other’s communities without incident.’ ” “This legislation carries particular weight with American policy-makers because its primary sponsors, Congressmen Albio Sires (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), are among only 14 out of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives selected by their colleagues to oversee matters relating to Europe -- as members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe. Cyprus advocates Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Zack Space (D-OH) are also original co-sponsors”, CEH added. “The bill adds to momentum that is building in the U.S. to end Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus, particularly after 13 million peaceful crossings of the Green Line”, CEH said, noting that it also “builds on the recent statement by the Chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), who encouraged America to refocus on this matter that is at the heart of the Cyprus problem." It also adds to the impetus generated by the recent letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by the creator of the Congressional Turkey Caucus and Chairman of the House Europe Subcommittee, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL), the statement notes. "Chairman Wexler felt that it is in Turkey’s interests to focus on withdrawing troops", it says. “No legislation in recent years that has focused on ending the division of Cyprus has received more than 27 members of Congress asking to become cosponsors (advocates). If this new momentum continues, and we plan to make sure that it does, many more that 27 members of Congress will become cosponsors.” Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island’s northern third. Restrictions on free movement to and from the island’s occupied areas, imposed by the Turkish Cypriot regime, were partially lifted in April 2003, a move that is still in place and allows, albeit under restrictions, Cypriots to cross the UN controlled buffer zone.

Armamenti Forma Mentis

Forma Mentis.