Cavusoglu admits that thousands live illegally in occupied CyprusTurkish Cypriot daily Kibris (13.05.11) reports that Abbas Sinay, “MP” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in occupied Keryneia, has said that the statements of the Turkish self-styled ambassador Halil Ibrahim Akca during his visits to various newspapers regarding the population living in the occupied area of Cyprus and the “citizenship” of the regime set their mark on the agenda.

Addressing the “assembly” yesterday, Sinay wondered whether Akca wanted to pave the way for more people [from Turkey] to be given the “citizenship” of the regime and called on Akca to speak openly on this issue. Sinay argued that the numbers given by Akca and the self-styled prime minister Kucuk regarding the population living in the occupied area of Cyprus are different and wondered which one is correct.

Sinay said the Turkish Cypriots had participated in the recent rallies in occupied Cyprus in order to struggle for their existence as community and not for money [as Akca argued]. Taking into consideration the fact that 167 thousand persons voted during the last “elections”, he noted, it is not possible for the population to be 285 thousands like the “ambassador” said. Sinay argued that the debates will continue as long as a population census is not conducted.

Sinay expressed the view that the “law” should change. He said he found out that the “citizenship” of the regime was given to some persons recently, in spite of the statements that these applications had stopped. He noted that the “citizenship” should not be given except for cases of marriage, so that the Turkish Cypriot identity is protected. Otherwise, he said, difficulties will be faced at the ongoing negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Responding to Sinay, Nazim Cavusoglu, self-styled minister of interior and local administrations, said that the issue of the “citizenship” is discussed for a long time and added that it is true that hundreds, thousands of people live illegally in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Cavusoglu noted that the “law” regarding the “citizenship” should change and added that they started working on this issue. He said they completed their work of changing the “white card” application and the “citizenship law”. He added that they would bring the issue to the “assembly” after they discuss it within the “government”. Cavusoglu noted that they annulled the “citizenship” of one person of German origin and three other persons, who filed an application and were given the “citizenship” on the grounds that they would establish a bank.

Responding to Cavusoglu, Sinay said he was considering of thanking Cavusoglu for the annulment of the “citizenship”, but he changed his mind because Cavusoglu stated that he would protect the rights of everybody who live in the “country”. Sinay noted that the number of those living illegally in occupied Cyprus is 220 thousand persons.