E71 memory card unreadable

I have the following problem: - My Nokia e71 does not recognize memory card, when SIM card is inserted.
I have tried the following: - Installed and flashed phone with all different kinds of applicable OS. - Tried out all sorts of different memory cards, different producers and different capacities. - Tried to change mode to disconnect from the network, but it wouldn't still recognize memory card as inserted. - Tried to switch different sim cards of different networks and different memory capacities. Problem persisted, except in case of one sim card where it could recognize the memory card, but only for a short time. Then it would say that the card has been taken out, then in a moment it would say it is inserted back and so on. It made the use of the phone impossible as the announcements kept popping out and minimizing other applications.
As soon as I take out the SIM card of my mobile network and turn the phone on it would recognize the memory card and it would read and write without any problem. So it works only when the sim card is NOT inserted.
It was like that when I bought it. I don't live anymore in that country so cannot ask the store to fix it.