Isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots has been taken up during the international meetings organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw, Poland.

The meetings, which are about human rights issues, started on 24 September and will continue until 5 October and the representatives of Turkish Cypriot NGO’s attending the meetings have explained the situation in Cyprus in their speeches.

TRNC is represented by Cyprus Turkish Journalists Union, Cyprus Turkish University Graduates Women Association, Kýrlangýç Culture Association, Cyprus Policy Center and Embargoed Association under the coordination of Cyprus Turkish Human Rights Foundation.

According to the information received by Cyprus Turkish Human Rights Foundation, a member of the Foundation Assistant Professor Ali Dayýoglu during his speech mainly focused on the intransigent stance displayed by the Greek Cypriot leadership on the issue of giving education in Turkish language for Turkish Cypriot pupils living in South Cyprus.

Explaining that while Greek Cypriots living in Karpas in North Cyprus are granted permission by TRNC authorities to be educated in their own language, Dayýoglu said the Greek Cypriot administration did not allow Turkish Cypriots living in Limassol to be educated in their own language.

Referring to the articles 20 and 67 of the “Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus”, with regard to the right to education, Ali Dayýoglu said the Greek Cypriot leadership was bluntly violating the Constitution. Dayoglu added that it was not only a constitutional obligation for the Greek Cypriot administration to stop these unjust implementations but was also its responsibility as a member of the EU under which human rights are highly respected.

Speaking during the meeting entitled “Adaptation to Humanitarian Dimension” organized by Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Office of OSCE, Fevzi Hüseyin, representative of the “Embargoed Association” based in London, pointed to 30 years long isolation on the Turkish Cypriots.

Stressing that the isolation was imposed on many fields such as trade, travel and education Fevzi Hüseyin said Turkish Cypriots who accepted the Annan plan did not deserve this.

British Magazine Jane’s Defense Weekly reported that the Greek Cypriot administration was in contact with three different companies to purchase 41 new combat tanks.

Greek Cypriot Defense Ministry was evaluating bids from French Nexter Systemsden for AMX-30B2 tanks, Russian Rosoboronexport for T-80U tanks and Ukranian Ukrspetsexportdan for T-84UD tanks.