TASKENT MARTRY'S REMEMBERED
TALAT: "THE TASKENT MASSACRE IS AN INCIDENT THAT WILL SHAPE THE CONDITIONS IN A FUTURE AGREEMENT ".

A ceremony was held in Taskent yesterday (15 August) to mark the 31^st anniversary of the Taskent (Dohni) massacre when all the men in the village were taken away and killed by Greek Cypriots.

Pointing out that the Taskent massacre was an incident that should be used to shape the conditions for protecting the lives and security of the Turkish Cypriots in a future agreement to be reached, President Mehmet Ali Talat said it was for this reason that the Turkish Cypriot side was very careful on issues concerning security. He said: "We are determined to write down in the settlement all the elements that will protect the lives of the Turkish Cypriots".

Indicating that innocent people were taken from their homes and killed for no reason whatsoever, President Talat said this was a black mark against history that had brought great pain and suffering to the Turkish Cypriot people.

Indicating that under the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Trust it was time to seek answers for the Taskent martyr's, the President said this would be an element in the Turkish Cypriots new world policy. He said this policy would demonstrate the importance the Turkish Cypriot people placed on respecting human rights.

Referring to the issue of bringing the bones of the Taskent martyr's to the North, President Talat said the official diggings started by the Missing Persons Committee would start from September-October onwards and diggings in those places were the Taskent martyr's were buried would be carried out during this period.

Talat: "Our main aim is to protect our territory"

Meanwhile, speaking at ceremonies held on 14 August to mark the 31^st anniversary of the second phase of the Peace Operation and the liberation of the village of Serdarli, President Talat said the Turkish Cypriot peoples' struggle had not ended and this time they would carry their struggle onto international platforms.

Pointing out that they were sharing the joy of Serdarli's liberation with the sadness of the Murataga-Sandallar and Atlılar massacre, he said the main aim of the Turkish Cypriot people should be to protect their territory.

 

TURKISH CYPRIOTS SHARE SOUTH CYPRUS' PAIN

Following the Helios plane crash near Athens on 14 August which departed from Larnaca for Prague via Athens and resulted in the death of all 121 passengers on board, flags in the TRNC have been lowered.

In various condolence messages sent by TRNC state and government officials as well as political parties to officials of the Greek Cypriot administration, it was stated that the Turkish Cypriot people shared the Greek Cypriot peoples pain.

In his message, President Talat expressed his condolences to the Greek Cypriot people and said, "I express my deepest condolences and share the pain of the families of the victims of this tragic accident". He stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people were beside the Greek Cypriot people in these difficult days. Meanwhile, President Talat telephoned Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to express his condolences about the plane crash.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer,  pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people shared the Greek Cypriot peoples pain and that on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people, who were continuing in their struggle for brotherhood and peace, not only in the TRNC but in the whole of Cyprus, said he wanted to express his condolences to the Greek Cypriot people and the families of the plane crash victims for their great loss. On behalf of his party, the CTP, Prime Minister Soyer also sent messages to Greek Cypriot political party leaders.

Meanwhile, in his condolence message sent to Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Serdar Denktas expressed his sadness about the plane crash and said the Turkish Cypriot people were deeply saddened by this tragic accident. He said the Ministry expressed its condolences to the families of the passengers and crew who lost their lives in this tragic accident.

Condolence messages were also published for the Greek Cypriot people by, Mustafa Arabacioglu, the Secretary-general of the Democrat Party (DP), Omer Kalyoncu, the Secretary-general of the CTP-BG political parties, the Central Executive Committee of the United Cyprus Party, the New Cyprus Party, the Women's Wing of the CTP, and the Youth Movement of the CTP.