Statements by Eroglu during the celebrations in occupied Kokkina village on the occasion of the clashes in Tylliria area back in the 1960s, information that Turkey will take to Washington and the UN the issue of the explorations for oil and natural gas by the Republic of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, a written statement by Huseyin Ozgurgun on the same issue, an interview by Serdar Denktas noting that AKP’s Cyprus policy is in harmony with his party’s policy, reference by former ambassador Onur Oymen to the Cyprus problem and Turkey’s EU accession course, and other internal matters are the main topics covered by the Turkish Cypriot press today. The papers refer also to the reactions of the organizations of the lawyers and the Turkish settlers on the issue of “granting” white and green “identity cards” to illegal Turkish settlers, the global economic crisis and the increase of the foreign exchange rates towards the Turkish lira, and a statement by a Turkish Cypriot from Paphos that he will not sell the property of his family to Paphos Municipality.
Main issue in today’s Turkish dailies is Davutoglu’s visit today to Syria to have contacts with Assad’s regime to send strong messages. Also, other issues highlighted is the contacts of Fred Hoff in Turkey, an official from the US State Department, who is responsible for Middle East issues and his meeting with Erdogan’s Chief Advisor with whom he discussed all scenarios about Syria prior to Davutoglu’s departure. On Cyprus, the Turkish press publishes a written statement by the so-called foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun on the natural gas oil activities of the Greek Cypriot side.
Eroglu’s speech at Kokkina
Turkish Cypriot illegal Bayrak television (08.08.11, online) reported on Eroglu’s speech at the occupied village of Kokkina yesterday. The Turkish Cypriot leader said that the events in Kokkina proved that “the Turkish army is always ready to take action to protect the Cyprus Turkish people’s freedom and sovereignty.”
Referring to the Cyprus problem, Eroglu alleged that although their side was striving to find a just and permanent solution to the Cyprus problem, by keeping the realities of the island in perspective, the Greek Cypriot side is still playing games and that they are trying to continue usurping the rights of the Cyprus Turkish people. “We will never give up on our statehood or give concessions on bi-zonality, existence of two people and active and effective guarantees of Turkey,” added Eroglu.
He also called on the Greek Cypriot side to “give up on its dream of returning to pre 1974 years and bringing the Cyprus Turks to its knees by using its advantages at the European Union.”
‘We have the full support of motherland Turkey and we will not continue to play the role of the victim forever. One day we will find a way to take our rightful place in the world’ said Eroglu and expressed both Turkey’s and the “TRNC’s'” determination on this issue.
Ozgurgun’s statements regarding Cyprus’s gas exploration activities
Ankara Anatolia news agency (08.08.11) reported from occupied Lefkosia that self-styled foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun released a statement saying that “unilateral oil and natural gas exploration activities of the Greek Cypriot administration [as he referred to the Republic of Cyprus] were against international laws, and that those activities will inevitably have a negative impact on the ongoing negotiation process by escalating tension”.
Ozgurgun called the Republic of Cyprus to “give up such kind of provocative steps.” He claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side was resolved to take all necessary steps and make initiatives aiming at protecting its equal rights on the natural resources of the island.
He also claimed that the Republic of Cyprus does not have the right to represent the Turkish Cypriots and make decisions on behalf of them, and said: “All bilateral agreements signed without getting the approval of TRNC are invalid. In this framework, oil and natural gas exploration activities are also illegal. It was registered in the negotiations carried out under the supervision of the UN that decisions regarding the natural resources of the island should be taken jointly by Turkish and Greek Cypriots.”
Ozgurgun said also that apart from the “elected representatives of TRNC”, nobody has the right to make a statement and give a decision in the name of Turkish Cypriots, and underlined that the Turkish Cypriot “people” would never accept this.
“Insistency of the Greek Cypriot administration in taking unilateral steps by disregarding solution efforts as talks are underway, creates serious question marks on the sincerity of the Greek Cypriot administration on a solution. This approach of the Greek Cypriot administration naturally casts a heavy blow on hopes to achieve a solution,” he alleged.
