DEPUTY PRIME MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS “VAROSHA SHOULD BE TAKEN UP ONLY WITHIN A COMPREHENSIVE SETLEMENT”

In a written statement issued on 10 April 2006, The TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Varosha should only be taken up within a comprehensive settlement, and the Gazimagusa Harbor would continue to operate under TRNC authority and control.

The full text of the statement is as follows:

“Today, in accordance with the reports in the Greek Cypriot press, the Turkish Cypriot press has also reported that Austria the EU Term President, in a proposal to be submitted to the EU Council, has proposed the return of Varosha to the Greek Cypriot side and the transfer of the authority of the Gazimagusa harbor to the EU, in exchange for the implementation of the Direct Trade Regulation.

As it was stated before, Varosha would be discussed only within a comprehensive settlement, whereas Gazimagusa Harbor will continue to operate under TRNC authority and control.

We believe that the EU will not request the Turkish Cypriot side for further concession on the implementation of the Direct Trade Regulation, which was its own proposal, and has not been implemented since 2004 because of the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriot Administration.

Expecting concessions from the Turkish Cypriot people, who have already fulfilled its responsibilities towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, will only strengthen and support the Greek Cypriot Administration’s intransigent and non-solution policy. We hope that the EU will not make such a mistake.”

Referring to this issue, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer stated that the Greek Cypriot press was continuously making wrong and manipulative news regarding the Cyprus issue and on other issues for their internal policies.

GREEK CYPRIOT HARRASMENT AT THE BORDERS …

PRIME MINISTER SOYER: “THEY ARE IMPLEMENTING NAZI METHODS…”

FOREIGN MINISTRY : “WE EXPECT THE UN TO TAKE NESESSARY MEASURES”

The Greek Cypriot Administration, in line with its new procedure implemented on 7April 2006, has started to inspect the vehicles of the Turkish Cypriots while crossing to the south.

During the inspections, projects, title deeds or their photocopies or any other official documents are being confiscated with the excuse of being “suspicious”.

While the documents were not being returned to their owners with the excuse that an inspection was carried out, the Turkish Cypriots and the foreigners, who were crossing to the south were kept under the sun for hours for interrogation. On the other hand, some foreigners, who are living in the north or staying as tourists in the north and carry brochures in their vehicles were not permitted to cross to the south and sent back to north.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, protested the new procedure of the Greek Cypriot administration, which was inspecting the cars at the Metehan Border Gate and arresting Turkish Cypriots and foreigners, who carry any plan, project or drawings in their cars.

Stating that this was a psychological war tactic against the Turkish Cypriots and was aimed at damaging and breaking off the existing relations between the two peoples Soyer said, this behaviour was also against the human rights and the Green Line Regulation. Prime Minister said they would not accept this attitude and had started initiative by the UN and the EU.

Soyer stressing that the main goal of the Greek Cypriot side was to break off the relations between the two sides and prevent crossings, said after the bird flu they found another excuse to implement their inhuman procedures.

Prime Minister Soyer underlined that they would continue to search for a settlement and would expose the Greek Cypriot Administration’s narrow-minded nationalistic stance, which was against the EU principles and reminded Nazi methods.

FOREIGN MINISTRY: “WE EXPECT UN TO TAKE NECESSARY MEASURES”

TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that they started an initiative by the UN and the EU with regard to the Greek Cypriot police’s and custom officers’ maltreatment against the Turkish Cypriots, crossing to the south, including a pregnant woman.

In the written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, it was underlined that the UN and the EU was expected to take measures against these types of behaviours.

The full text of the statement is as follows:

Following the freedom of movement of peoples between the two sides on 23 April 2003, the Greek Cypriot Administration whose, well known and long lasting policy was spoiled, was continuing to hamper any kind of step taken by the TRNC to bring the two people together and continue with its inhuman implementations in order to strengthen the animosity between the two peoples.

Following the failure of the reaction shown against the opening of borders on 23 April 2003, their cold war policies displayed against the opening of Bostancý and Lokmacý Gates were now continuing with inhuman maltreatments.

The torture of the Greek Cypriot Police against a pregnant Turkish Cypriot woman, in accordance with an instruction from the Greek Cypriot Administration, has reminded us our sufferings between the years 1964-1974. This very last event has shown us that there has not been any change in Greek Cypriot Administrations’ nationalistic and repressive policy.

Our Ministry has taken the necessary measures by the UN and the EU with regard to this inhuman behaviour.

We expect the UN authorities to take the necessary measures so that our people would not be subjected to the maltreatment of the Greek Cypriot police.

ANOTHER GREEK CYPRIOT IN THE MISSING PERSONS LIST IDENTIFIED

A Greek Cypriot, whose name is in the missing persons list was identified.