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[halil]

It's been announced by French embassy there is no changes for them towards to TC's getting visa from France .

Turkish Cypriots will obtain visas for Their TRNC passports .

[halil]

Start has given to water project .
ALARKO holding will complete the water project .
more dumps are going to built up at as well .

[halil]

News from the North ...................From North ...........News From ..........

PRESIDENT TALAT SAYS HE EXPECTS IMPORTANT PROGRESS TO BE ACHIEVED BY END OF THIS YEAR

President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that he expects the negotiations process to yield a positive outcome by the end of this year.

“I expect important progress to be achieved by the end of this year and a solution by the beginning of 2009” he said, adding that there was sufficient accumulation of work carried out on the Cyprus Issue in order to achieve that goal.

In a statement to the TAK news agency, the President said that he had taken up every issue, including core matter, with the Greek Cypriot leader in the period leading up to the negotiations process set to begin on the 3rd of September.

Pointing out that while that a convergence of views on certain issues had been detected during their meetings, Talat said that a difference in views did exist on a number of other issues.

“However we at this stage have agreed on our positions. Details will be discussed during the negotiations process” he said.

Stressing that the greatest differences in views between the two sides existed on the issue of property, the President said territorial adjustments and concessions concerning the boundaries of the constituent states was also among the harder issues that will be negotiated.

Pointing out that Turkish Cypriots experienced a serious identity crisis and alienation over the last years, Talat expressed concern that this may create weaknesses for the Turkish Cypriot Side in the negotiations process.

Repeating his earlier warnings of the Greek Cypriot media’s manipulative tactics, the President said that the Turkish Cypriot media must be careful not to fall into such ‘traps’ during the negotiations process.

[halil]

News from the North .............From North .........The News !!!!!

FIRE FIGHTING TEAMS CONTINUE TO WORK ROUND THE CLOCK TO PUT OUT FOREST FIRE

A major forest fire Girne District (Kyreania )which was brought under control last night by fire fighting teams reignited this morning.

The fire which engulfed large areas of woodland near Catalkoy was fueled by high temperatures and winds spreading to an area bordering the Bufavento Castle.

The fire brigade, police, civil defense organization, army units, as well as two helicopters from the British Sovereign Bases have been working round the clock to put out the fire.

Meanwhile, police have arrested three people in connection with the fire.

The three men, who were picnicking on the mountain side, are believed to have been responsible for starting the fire.

Ozmen Olmezer, Namik Karaca and Kerem Canbalot who were brought before a Girne District court today are being charged on four accounts of misconduct, lighting a fire in a restricted forest area, causing a forest fire, negligence and failing to inform authorities of their actions.

The court ordered the three to remain in police custody for another three days.

Speaking to the BRT newsroom, the Chief of the Fire Department Kaner Koksal said that it was normal for a fire brought under control to reignite.

He said that firefighting teams had once again succeeded in bringing the blaze under control which initially broke out on the top western side of the Catalkoy Mountain, an area difficult to reach due to steep mountainous terrain.

Koksal also reassured the inhabitants of Tasken village to be at ease as they was no threat of the fire spreading to other areas.

[halil]

The News from North ...............News from the North ........News ....News.........................News .... only news !!!!!!!!!!



FIFA ANNOUNCE THAT TRNC FOOTBALL TEAMS ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MATCHES WITH FOREIGN TEAMS
The International Football Federation-FIFA has told the good news to the TRNC Football Federation by officially announcing its decision to allow the TRNC national team and teams in the TRNC football league to hold ‘friendship matches’ with foreign national and local teams.

Some say the decision can be perceived as the allusive recognition of the TRNC by FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations- UEFA .
As world countries except Turkey recognized the Greek Cypriot side as the official representative of Cyprus, the TRNC Football Federation did not have the opportunity to become a member to FIFA or UEFA, thus TRNC football teams could not make matches with foreign teams.

In the past, TRNC’s Cetinkaya team was scheduled to make a match with Britain’s Luton team but the match was cancelled later upon the Greek Cypriot side’s application to FIFA and UEFA, which raised concern among the British due to the possibility of receiving a punishment.

[halil]

News from the north ................news.........................news.............

A pedestrianisation scheme in the center of the old city of Lefkosa(Nicosia ) is expected to start tomorrow.(Turkish sector of the old Nicosia)

Being financed by the Turkish Municpality, the Prime Ministry, the Lefkosa Municipality, United Nations and the European Union, the multi-million YTL the scheme will focus on traffic in the Arasta and Asmaalti areas.

According to the scheme, the road leading from Saray Hotel to the Buyuk Han down to the Bedesten in front of the Municipality Baazar will be closed to traffic as part of the initiative and existing traffic will be diverted to other roads in the area.

When completed, the pedestrianised areas will be open to traffic everyday between 6:30am and 10 am for delivery and service vehicles.

[halil]

News from the North ...................... Turkish Cypriot version ......

President Mehmet Ali Talat’s special representative in charge of negotiations- Ozdil Nami has announced that he will soon be discussing the issue of the Yesilirmak crossing-point with the Greek Cypriot special aide Yorgos Yakovu following the completion of preliminary work.

Mr Nami told the BRT newsroom that Mr Yakovu has demanded a meeting with him on this issue by the mediation of the UN Special Representative to Cyprus Taye-Brook Zerihoun.
Stating that the meeting will take place soon, Mr Nami said some preliminary work is needed first before holding the meeting- which he said is underway.

Also making a statement on the issue, Yorgos Yakovu said there is no concrete obstacle against opening the Yesilirmak gate for crossings except some technical problems, as this has also been proved by recent inspections made by the UN Peacekeeping Force.

[Kikapu]

The News from North ...............News from the North ........News ....News.........................News .... only news !!!!!!!!!!



FIFA ANNOUNCE THAT TRNC FOOTBALL TEAMS ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MATCHES WITH FOREIGN TEAMS
The International Football Federation-FIFA has told the good news to the TRNC Football Federation by officially announcing its decision to allow the TRNC national team and teams in the TRNC football league to hold ‘friendship matches’ with foreign national and local teams.

Some say the decision can be perceived as the allusive recognition of the TRNC by FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations- UEFA .
As world countries except Turkey recognized the Greek Cypriot side as the official representative of Cyprus, the TRNC Football Federation did not have the opportunity to become a member to FIFA or UEFA, thus TRNC football teams could not make matches with foreign teams.

In the past, TRNC’s Cetinkaya team was scheduled to make a match with Britain’s Luton team but the match was cancelled later upon the Greek Cypriot side’s application to FIFA and UEFA, which raised concern among the British due to the possibility of receiving a punishment.

"Some say the decision can be perceived as the allusive recognition of the TRNC by FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations- UEFA ".

No one is saying anything like that Halil, except for BAYRAK.!!



ReutersPublished: July 31, 2008

FIFA offers Turkish Cypriots chance to play friendlies

ZURICH: World football's governing body FIFA has offered an interim deal to the Turkish Cypriot Football Association that could allow the disputed northern territory to stage friendly international matches.

FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA announced on Thursday that an offer had been made following a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot FA (CTFA) "with a view to improving relations between the football communities on the island of Cyprus".

FIFA did not disclose any further details but CTFA chairman Omer Adali told Reuters the proposal would allow friendly matches to be played against foreign teams as well as sides from the Greek Cypriot part of the divided island.

"This is an interim measure prior to a solution to the Cyprus problem," Adali told Reuters by telephone.

"To play in formal competitions you have to be a member of FIFA. The only way would be to join the Greek Cypriot league, but we are not willing to do this. Therefore we would only be able to play friendly matches under this proposal."

NOT EASY

The offer still has to be accepted by CTFA and Adali said this would "not be an easy decision".

Turkish Cypriot teams were involved in the founding of the Cypriot FA in 1934 but withdrew from the island's unified league in 1955 after disputes between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities worsened.

Turkish Cypriot teams and players have since been unable to participate in official international matches.

The Turkish Cypriot enclave of about 240,000 people was carved out of territory seized by Turkey in an invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup in Cyprus, and has only been officially recognised by Ankara.

Cyprus has frustrated a long list of mediators attempting to reunite the island's two communities.

FIFA's articles only allow associations from independent states "recognised by the international community" to become members and accepts only one association for each country.

The unofficial Turkish Cypriot FA has repeatedly rejected calls to join the officially recognised Cypriot FA, arguing that the body does not represent their region.

(Writing by Mark Ledsom in Budapest, additional reporting by Simon Bahceli in Nicosia)

(Editing by Ken Ferris)

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/200 ... CYPRUS.php

[halil]

News from the North................

A group of 16 non-governmental organizations, trade unions and civil society organizations have expressed their continued support to any steps to be taken towards a settlement and the reunification of the island.

The group of 16 which includes several trade unions and chambers issued a joint statement today expressing their contentment with the agreement reached by the two leaders on a federal basis for a solution.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Ahmet Kaptan, President of the Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Union reminded that a ‘United Federal Cyprus’ was the solution formula envisaged by the Annan Plan which had received the approval of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Kaptan called on all those who wanted a solution to take steps in support of comprehensive negotiations set to begin on the 3rd of September and the agreement of principle agreed by the two leaders.

Explaining that both sides had to stop trying to blame each ther for the Cyprus Conflict, the KTAMS President said that 30 years had already been wasted in doing that.

He said neither Turkish Cypriots nor Greek Cypriots had the luxury of wasting another 30 years deciding as to which side was wrong or right in the conflict.

Also touching upon recent developments on the domestic front, Kaptan said the recent price hikes proved that a stable economy in North Cyprus cannot be achieved in the absence of a political settlement to the Cyprus Problem.

“A great number of problems are being experienced in education, health, the economy and other aspects of social life….all as a result of the ongoing non-solution of the Cyprus Problem” he said.

“The only way to rid workers of their problems is through peace and solution” he added.

[humanist]

In Cyprus, Warm Words Conceal Dark Intentions
By: iStockAnalyst Saturday, August 02, 2008 3:54 AM
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By Torode, John



Something is stirring on Aphrodite's Isle. For the first time since Turkey seized Northern Cyprus in 1974, thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, forcibly segregated for decades, are in amicable daily contact across the great divide. The new president of Cyprus and his unrecognised TurkishCypriot opposite number met recently, and actually agreed to start formal peace talks in September. So why are senior politicians on both sides privately warning that a new disaster, as dangerous as the original invasion and partition, is now a real possibility? Recently I sought clues on bullet-scarred Ledra Street, in old Nicosia. This the place which half a century ago colonial Brits called Murder Mile. Greek Cypriot sixth-former boys on their way home from school allegedly shot British troops in the back here, then unsportingly slipped the guns to schoolgirls and trainee priests who would hide them in their inviolable underwear. Postindependence in 1960, it was the venue for periodic inter- communal violence. Then came professional fighting in 1974 as mainland Turkish troops partitioned Cyprus, supposedly to create a temporary safe haven for the vulnerable Turkish Cypriot minority.

Next the 'Green Line' went up, closing Ledra Street, dividing both town and island. Until this April, central Ledra Street was pretty much deserted -- a place of wrecked and abandoned buildings and rusting, burnedout cars. Tourists, hacks and do-gooding dignitaries came to gawk at armed UN patrols, and at the two communities' barbed wire barricades, machine-gun posts, watchtowers and sandbag emplacements, complete with provocative Turkish and Greek flags.

Now the battered buildings are discreetly shielded by smart blue curtaining, hymning the joys of EU redevelopment money.

The wall has been breached (but certainly not pulled down) and checkpoints inserted. Locals cross in thousands -- Turkish Cypriots to work in the prosperous Greek south, and Greek Cypriots to gaze longingly at abandoned homes, to shop, or just have a Turkish coffee and a chat with long-lost neighbours. Ledra Street is abuzz with smart new coffee shops, cafes and boutiques.

Even so, the British Foreign Office, the US State Department and assorted Eurocrats and UN bagmen insist that much more is required, of Greek Cypriots. If they do not progress from informal fraternising to agreement on the details of a 'bicommunal, bi-zonal federation', in pretty short order, we global do-gooders might well take our bat and ball -- and our moneybags -- and go home. The implied threat is that Greek Cyprus will be presented as the obstructive guilty party in any breakdown. In which case Turkey -- desperately unstable and unpredictable, as events this week have demonstrated -- might feel encouraged to take a gamble and formally annex the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. Certainly there is a sense of private pessimism and fear in both communities which challenges the upbeat public rhetoric used by the new president of Cyprus Demetris Christofias when he paid his first official visit to Gordon Brown earlier this month, as well as the relaxed way Greek and Turkish Cypriots are intermingling.

Since 9/11, the (increasingly anxious and utterly unrealistic) aim of Britain and America has been to lever Turkey into the EU, so anchoring her to the West and immunising her against Islamofascism. But that can't happen while Turkey still occupies a great hunk of Cyprus, a member of the EU.

Hence the determination to force through a solution acceptable to Turkey -- or to place the blame for continued failure on the intransigence of their Greek Cypriot victims.

The last Western attempt to impose a settlement failed in 2004. The pro-Turkish Annan plan, drawn up in secret by assorted Western diplomats was -- on a take-it or leave-it basis -- put to referenda in both communities. The Greek Cypriots, led by the then President Tassos Papadopoulos chose to leave it. So the Foreign Office, the EU and the Americans devoted themselves to bullying Papadopoulos and undermining his administration. In January the Greek Cypriot community voted Papadopoulos, a pro-Western, mildly rightof-centre commercial lawyer, out of office, replacing him with Christofias, a communist party apparatchik -- to great rejoicing in London, Brussels and Washington. (Don't ask -- Cyprus is a logic-free zone. ) At which point the global great and good graciously returned to the people of Cyprus 'ownership of the peace process'. So it is that in the past three months official, cross-community working parties have been discussing, inter alia, a new constitution, the right of return (or not) for hundreds of thousands of displaced people of both races, the restoration (or not) of abandoned property, and the fate of more than 100,000 backward, aggressively nationalistic and devoutly Islamic Turkish settlers.

They were shipped in from the mainland and given citizenship to tilt the demographic balance in Turkey's favour, and to keep the more secular and democratically-minded Turkish Cypriots in their place. (There are already more Turks than Turkish Cypriots living in the North, and, boy, do the Turkish Cypriots hate it. ) I recently spent a few days talking to key players. None asked to go off the record and all held astonishingly similar views. Among them was Papadopoulos. He is convinced that Turkey no longer wants a negotiated settlement, and has lost interest in the idea of the bi- zonal, bicommunal federal solution -- the declared goal of all parties for 30 years. He says the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, 'takes his dictation from Turkey'. Now you could, wrongly in my view, dismiss Papadopoulos's comments as sniping by a rejected president. But George Iacovou, a former foreign secretary and the new President's man in charge of negotiations, expresses similar doubts and fears.

Talet is 'Ankara's man' and he suspects that Ankara 'lacks the will to settle'. He fears that the West -- which sees Christofias as 'malleable' -- is setting the stage for Turkey to 'look good' when and if the talks break down.

Then I took myself across the Ledra Street checkpoint, to Mr Talet's unrecognised ministate. There I bounced these worries off Ali Erel, the nearest thing the North has to a leader of the opposition. (If it were not for the swamping votes of the settlers he could well have been president by now. ) He too insists that Turkey no longer wants a negotiated settlement; it is simply playing for time, hoping to avoid blame if the peace talks collapse. Then, astonishingly, Ali Erel predicts, tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots will flee their 'safe haven' to resettle in the more liberal, prosperous -- and now more genuinely Cypriot -- Greek area from which many of them fled in 1974. More sensational still, he feels that Turkey would secretly welcome such an exodus, although it would 'put an end to the pretence that the Turkish armed forces are here us to protect us, because those they claim to protect are escaping from them'. It is a bizarre suggestion, but it makes a mad sort of sense if you believe, as, apparently a growing number of worldly-wise Cypriots do, that Turkey really is bent on annexing the North, and that -- as happened in 1974 -- a hypocritical West would shed precious few tears.

Copyright Spectator Aug 2, 2008

(c) 2008 Spectator, The; London. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.tracking

Story Source: Spectator, The; London

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/vi ... Words.html[quote][/quote]