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PRIME MINISTER TALAT: “EU HAS NOT KEPT ITS PROMISE TO NORTH CYPRUS”
Prime Minister Talat in an
interview given to the UK daily “The Financial Times” stated that the EU had
not kept its promise given to North Cyprus after the April 23 referendum.
Pointing out that Turkish
Cypriots were deeply disappointed that promises made by the EU to end the
TRNC’s isolation had not been kept, Prime Minister Talat warned that this
situation could result in antipathy against the EU among the Turkish Cypriot
people.
Also explaining that since the
referendum the Greek Cypriots had not done any favours to the Turkish
Cypriots, Prime Minister Talat said ending the Turkish Cypriots’ isolation
was not only a step to enrich their lives, but also a necessary strategic
step towards a Cyprus settlement.
Stressing that all efforts
carried out up until today were directed at ending the isolation, Prime
Minister Talat said he was afraid that everyone would forget the Turkish
Cypriots. Continuing, the Prime Minister said:
“Turkey is engaging in efforts
regarding her EU membership. It’s obvious that Turkey’s interests have
changed. But I'm afraid the interests of the international community on this
issue are also declining. Cyprus has become a problem for Europe, thus
Europe should settle this issue.”
SERDAR DENKTAS: “WITH THE REFERENDUM RESULTS TURKISH CYPRIOTS GAINED WIDE
SYMPATHY, BUT NOTHING MORE”
The TRNC Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas speaking on
the Turkish CNN news channel’s “Café Politics” programme pointing out that
although the Turkish Cypriots had gained wide international sympathy for
voting ‘yes’ in the referendum on the Annan Plan, said promises made before
the referendum had not been kept and no progress had been made.
Reminding that
before the referendum statements were made to the effect that if a ‘yes’
vote was secured from the Turkish Cypriots in the referendum the isolation
would be removed, Serdar Denktas said concrete results had still not been
achieved.
Explaining that
the Turkish Cypriots still desired a settlement and that they were
disappointed by the Greek Cypriot side’s approach, Serdar Denktas said the
basic request of the Turkish Cypriot side was to be integrated with the
world. Pointing out that after some time the TRNC would be forced to search
for new approaches, Serdar Denktas said: “Although recognition is not our
policy after some time as a result of the steps taken by the world and Greek
Cypriot policies the Turkish Cypriots will be forced to seek new
approaches”.
CHARALAMBOUS: “PAPDOPOULOS IS EITHER A LIER OR SUFFERS MEMORY LOSS”
In his
column in the Greek Cypriot “Sunday Mail” daily on September 12, Greek
Cypriot journalist Loucas G. Charalambous stated that Greek Cypriot leader
Tassos Papadapoulos’ claim that ‘no Turkish Cypriots were killed’ was a
blatant lie. Charalambous said: “Which leads me to deduce two of many
things: either our President is a liar or he is suffering from an illness
that causes memory loss”.
In his
column Charalambous said the Greek Cypriot ‘Politis’ daily reported that
Papadopoulos claimed no Turkish Cypriots were killed between 1963-74 and had
accused the Greek Cypriot leader of being a liar.
Giving
coverage to Papadopoulos’ interview with Mohammed Galadari, the publisher of
the United Arab Emirates based English language newspaper the ‘Khaleej
Times’, Charalambous said Galadari upon reminding Papadopoulos that during
the 11-years between 1963-74 lots of massacres occurred and when the Turkish
troops came they saved them from further violence and that if they hadn’t
come all of them might have been killed, Papadopoulos had responded by
saying: “ In 1963 we asked to increase the police patrols, but they refused.
From 1963 to 1974, how many Turkish Cypriots were killed? The answer is
none”.
Continuing, Charalambous said: “We should resist the temptation to laugh at
this response by the President. The situation might be more serious than
what it seems and it would be wrong to laugh at it. I did not have time to
read my archives so as to give you a relatively accurate number of Turkish
Cypriots (or of Greek Cypriots) who were killed between 1963 and 1974. I
will just remind you that during this period, there were bloody clashes in
Masoura-Tylliria (Erenkoy), in Lefka-Ambelikou, in Trypimeni (Tirmen), in
Arsos (Yigitler), in Mari (Tatlısu) and in Kophinou (Gecitkale) - Ayios
Theodoros (Bogazici).
In
Kophinou (Gecitkale) alone, UNFICYP had counted by 10am on November 15, as
was reported by Brigadier Michael Harbottle in his book “The Impartial
Soldier”. If my memory serves me well, the total number of Turkish Cypriots
killed during this period, either in clashes with the National Guard or in
isolated incidents exceed 600.
I do not think there is anyone
who would consider it wrong to describe the President’s claim that no
Turkish Cypriots were killed as a blatant lie. Which leads me to deduce one
of two things: either our President is a liar or he is suffering from an
illness that causes memory loss”.
INCREASE IN TRNC IMPORTS AND EXPORTS
The TRNC has shown an increase
of 54.9 per cent in imports and a 28.1 per cent increase in exports in the
first six months of 2004 when compared to the same period last year.
According to the statistics of
the Trade Office total imports, which were 203.9 million US Dollars between
January – June 2003 increased to 359.5 million US Dollars in the same period
in 2004 and total exports increased from 31.5 million US Dollars in 2003 to
40.5 million US Dollars in 2004.
The statistics stated that the
TRNC’s total imports from Turkey amounted to 25.3 million US Dollars in June
2003 and that this figure increased by 57.9 per cent in June 2004 to make
total imports 39.9 million US Dollars. Imports from third countries in June
2003 totalled 16.3 million US Dollars and this figure increased by 50.5 per
cent in June 2004 to make total imports 24.6 million US Dollars.
Exports in the citrus sector
increased from 16.3 million US Dollars in the period January- June 2003 to
18.8 million US Dollars in January-June 2004 and in the textile sector from
4.9 million US Dollars in 2003 to 5.7 million US Dollars in 2004. |
