EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DOES NOT KEEP ITS PROMISES

Leaders of Political Groups at the European Parliament under the presidency of President of European Parliament Martin Schulz have contacts in North and South Cyprus between the dates of 31st May – 1st June within the framework of South Cyprus’ taking over term presidency.

European Parliament still has not kept its promises given to Turkish Cypriots who approved Annan Plan prepared mutually by EU and UN. EP High-Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Cypriot Community, which is established for preventing the Cyprus problem to be discussed in EP and now is operating as a “Holiday Group”, has not fulfilled its function till today. Contact Group does everything in order not to have a contact with Turkish Cypriots. The Group has not spent a night in North Cyprus. They arrived to the island and met with Greek Cypriot administration. They had arbitrarily contacts in North Cyprus. Even, 5 of 8 members of Contact Group are opposite to have contacts in North Cyprus. The decision of composition and mission of Contact Group taken by EP Leaders’ Conference cannot be put into action. Coordinator of Contact Group Françoise Grossetete constantly evades together with 4 members. Grossetete does his best in order not to interview with Turkish Cypriot press. He does not stand even behind the decision concerning the Contact Group taken by EP Leaders’ Conference.

In addition, Direct Trade Regulation prepared for Turkish Cypriots by European Commission is blocked in EP with the support of EP Socialist Group. EP constantly evades concerning the Regulation.

On the other hand, 2 of 6 seats in European Parliament are allocated for Turkish Cypriots, as stated in Annan Plan. However they condone the occupation of the seats anti democratically by Greek Cypriots. Authorities of EP state that the whole island is an EU member and the Turkish Cypriots are citizens of the union; however representations of the Turkish Cypriots at the EP have been ignored. Although EP political groups do not utter a word about the prevention of Turkey-EU relations by Greek Cypriot, Greens, Liberals, ECR and some of Socialist support Turkey.

Turkish Cypriots expect that political groups in EP, particularly President of EP Martin Schulz stand behind the decisions taken and follow a principled policy.(AB Haber)

BAN: ‘PROCESS’ NOT REACHING A SOLUTION WORRIES ME’

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon who is in Istanbul for the Meeting of Alliance of Civilizations answered the questions during a program at NTV. As an answer to the question ‘What is the last situation in Cyprus?’ Ban answered ‘the process’ not reaching a solution worries me. Two leaders realize meetings and I lead and organize the negotiations. Many important developments have been made. But, it is not suitable for me and my Special Advisor Downer to make a multinational conference’.

Ban added ‘I am making a call to the leaders that it is not late so they should continue to negotiate. I discussed this issue with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. I will meet with Erdogan again and discuss how we can enliven the process.

Moreover, as an answer to a question concerning his mission in Cyprus, Ban said ‘Ending my mission would not be fruitful for any side, for the stability and security of the region. I do not think that international community will want to end my mission’.

As an answer to another question whether it is possible to follow another way for the negotiations or not, Ban said that Cypriots lead the process so the two leaders can determine the following steps and the methods of the negotiations.

DIFFICULT QUESTION IN EP: ‘IF CYPRUS IS A SINGLE COUNTRY, WHY TURKISH IS NOT AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF EUROPE?’

European Parliament’s British conservative member Daniel Hannan asked a parliamentary question ‘if Greek Cypriots claim that Cyprus is a single country, why Turkish is not an official language of the European Parliament?’

EU Commission Advisors are trying to find an answer for this question. But, there are some people who think that the question of Hannan includes a trap.

Turkish is being spoken in various regions of other EU countries also however there is no other member country whose official language is Turkish.

EROGLU: “CHANGING THE NAME OF STATE IS NOT ON AGENDA”

President DerviÅŸ EroÄŸlu has said that changing the name of the Republic is not on agenda. President Dervis Eroglu evaluated the Cyprus negotiations process and said that it would be a dream to expect a solution to be found to the Cyprus problem after the 1st of July 2012, the date which South Cyprus takes over the EU rotating Presidency.

Eroglu underlined that Greek Cypriot Administration Leader Dimitris Hristofias also said that he has no hope for a solution and that was why he would not to run for the next elections. EroÄŸlu added that if there was a will it would be possible to solve the problem in one week or 15 days as the every aspect of the problem has already been discussed.

There should be an agreement in Cyprus if we shall live next to each other. There is a bizonal bicommunal and a federal Republic on the agenda. There can also be an agreement for not agreeing at all. However Greek Cypriots say ‘no’ to all of these.

Stressing that as long as countries such as Russia, China and France continue to be in the UN and have veto rights the Greek Side will not agree with the Turkish Side Eroglu pointed out that Russia vetoed the report of the UN Secretary General on lifting the embargoes on 28 April 2004.

GREAT INTEREST IN ERCAN TENDER

Within the framework of the privatization law, the international tender for the operation of the Ercan Airport opened and there is a great interest which is satisfactory. The company to win the tender will have the right to operate the airport for a 25 year term. Minister of Public Works and Transportation Ersan Saner said “the new airport will be 7.5 times bigger than the existing one. It will have 2 runways, 60 check-in points which is 12 at the moment, and passenger capacity will be 5 million and passport control points will be raised to 24”.

Saner also underlined that tender specifications prepared after evaluating the examples from islands including Ireland and South Cyprus.