Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-07-16

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Foreign Minister Gurel: No change in foreign policy. He will visit the occupied areas.

[02] Ecevit: EU involvement in Cyprus further complicated conflict.

[03] Ecevit allocates duties to deputy prime ministers, state ministers.

[04] US official address at TESEV Meet on US-Turkish relations.

[05] Cakmakoglu claims that the Cyprus problem is a separate issue from Turkey' s EU accession course.

[06] Talat says that the solution of the Cyprus problem would enable the Turkish Cypriots who live in London to return to Cyprus.

[07] The inflation in the pseudostate.

[08] After shock continue in Premier Ecevit/s DLP.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] A columnist says that new government to be established by Cem.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Foreign Minister Gurel: No change in foreign policy. He will visit the occupied areas

Gurel replaced Ismail Cem, who resigned last week to form a new political party that will challenge ailing premier Bulent Ecevit.

Gurel is considered a hawk, especially regarding Turkey's relations with the European Union and its policy over the divided island of Cyprus. His appointment led to fears that Turkey could abandon Cem's pro-EU policies and adopt a more hardline stance over the two issues.

On Monday, Gurel sought to calm those fears. "There are traditional foundations in Turkish foreign policy," Gurel told reporters. "No matter who the foreign minister is, the only changes in state policy can be nuances."

Gurel also stated that he will meet US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. Gurel answering a question about Turkey's position on the Iraqi issue said that there is a need for taking decisions according to facts not according to speculations.

Gurel indicated that he plans to visit the occupied areas of Cyprus on July 19 for the 28th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Gurel stated that he will declare Turkey's position on the Cyprus issue during his visit. Gurel is known as a "hawk" on the Cyprus issue. This visit will be Gurel's first visit abroad since he is appointed to the foreign ministry. Before taking the post of foreign minister, Gurel was the minister in charge of relations with Cyprus.

More than a third of the legislators in Ecevit's party have resigned in the past week, and the other parties in his ruling coalition are pressing for early elections.

The EU, which Turkey aspires to join, is pressing Turkey to carry out widespread democratic reforms before membership negotiations can begin. It also wants Turkey to contribute to a solution for the divided island of Cyprus, apparently by nudging Turkish Cypriots toward possible compromises.

[02] Ecevit: EU involvement in Cyprus further complicated conflict

``This is why a solution that could satisfy both Turkish and Greek Cypriots could not be found yet. Cypriots should be left on their own, this is the main condition to reach a solution on the island, `` he said when he received a delegation headed by the pseudostate representative to Turkey Ahmet Zeki Bulunc on Monday afternoon due to the approaching 28th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

``Today still, Cyprus is regarded as a problem all over the world,`` he continued. ``There are very few countries that should be involved in the Cyprus conflict and these are Turkey, Greece, Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Britain...No nation other than these should have anything to do with Cyprus. But unfortunately, they have made in even more complicated. This is why a solution that would satisfy both sides on the island could not be reached. We reached a solution from our point of view, so have the Turkish Cypriots.

However, Cypriots should be left on their own, this is the main condition to reach an agreement. Because the more the EU is involved in this issue, the more resistant the Greek Cypriots are getting. They are depending on the EU. They don`t even accept the most reasonable demands. We have to follow a policy accordingly and this is what we`re doing. This is what we`re trying to explain to Western powers: There are two separate states and nations with different languages and religions. Forcing them to live together is a vain effort and it would lead to negative consequences. Therefore first the Greek Cypriots should accept these realities. Once they accept these realities, a solution could be found.``

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas continued to defend the cause of the Turkish Cypriots for a long time with success and resolution. Thanking Denktas on behalf of the government, Ecevit said that ``it is for sure that we will face with certain resistance. We must fight with it. `TRNC/ can be considered as a territory of Turkey. We can`t give concessions from it to any state. Just like we can' t give any part of Anatolia to foreigners, we can't also give `TRNC/ to others. They will accept this reality. I am sure in that respect and Turkish Cypriots should be set at ease.``

Noting that Turkey will always beside Turkish Cypriots and it will always give support, Ecevit said that Turkish Cypriots will continue to have their freedom and independence with great resolution.

[03] Ecevit allocates duties to deputy prime ministers, state ministers

Under the circulation, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sukru Sina Gurel will be in charge of the coordination of overseas contractorship, engineering and consultancy services and he will also act as the government spokesman.

State Minister Tayyibe Gulek will be responsible for the coordination of affairs regarding Cyprus, problems of Turkish people living abroad. State Minister Zeki Sezer will be responsible for the Directorate of Religious Affairs, Turkey Coal General Directorate, and Eti Holding Corp. General Directorate. Sezer will also be in charge of relations with Parliament.

State Minister Mehmet Kocabatmaz was given Rural Affairs General Directorate and South East Anatolia Development Project (GAP) Administration Chairmanship.

State Minister Melda Bayer will be in charge of Social Services and Directorate of Protecting of Children, Directorate of Women`s Status and Problems, Family Research Chairmanship, Social Solidarity Fund.

State Minister Tayfun Icli was given State Personnel Chairmanship.

State Minister Devlet Bahceli will chair the meetings of Joint Economic Commission (SEC) when the Prime Minister is not present

[04] US official address at TESEV Meet on US-Turkish relations

Speaking at a conference organized by Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) on ``Relations between Turkey and the United States``, Wolfowitz referred among others to the Cyprus problem.

Describing Turkey as a patient, proud and courageous country, Wolfowitz expressed their belief that an agreement would be reached at the end of the talks in Cyprus. He said that such a solution would also be beneficial for Turkey and Greece.

Noting that Turkey had recorded very important progress in its European Union (EU) full membership process, Wolfowitz said that Turkey's full integr ation with European institutions would be beneficial for Turkey, Europe and the United States. ``An EU including Turkey will be more powerful, safe and rich,// he said.

Wolfowitz said that recent political uncertainty gave rise to new question marks in economy. Wolfowitz stressed that if Turkey succeeded in settling stability again, its economic development would continue.

Explaining that ``Turkey would not like the foundation of a separate Kurdish state in Northern Iraq, `` Wolfovitz further said that ``it is also unacceptable for the United States. ``

[05] Cakmakoglu claims that the Cyprus problem is a separate issue from Turkey 's EU accession course

Talking yesterday in Kayseri region Mr Cakmakoglu called on the EU "not to confuse" the Cyprus problem with Turkey's accession or accession course to the Union.

"Cyprus was not included in the EU political criteria as a result of reactions, among which were our reactions as well. .We say that Cyprus and the EU are different issues. They are not related to each other. O Europe! Do not confuse our EU accession or our accession course with the Cyprus issue. We are right. We explain why we are right. We are right from the point of view of the history, the geography and the security dimension. .".

[06] Talat says that the solution of the Cyprus problem would enable the Turkish Cypriot who live in London to return to Cyprus

Talking in the British capital at the London Solidarity Association with RTP, Mr Talat noted that the results of the recent "municipal elections" showed the will of the Turkish Cypriots for peace, solution and accession to the European Union (EU).

[07] The inflation in the pseudostate

The paper, which publishes a table showing the inflation in the EU member states and the EU candidate member-states during the above mentioned period, notes that the occupied areas of Cyprus have achieved a record in this field. Turkey is in the second place having 54.4 % inflation.

[08] After shocks continue in Premier Ecevit's DLP

Seven more deputies, and several mayors and peripheral branches of the DLP resigned from the party yesterday, including DLP Adana Deputy Ismet Vursavus, Izmir Deputy Kemal Vatan, Balikesir Deputy Numan Gultekin, Usak Deputy Mehmet Yasar Unal, Bartin Deputy Cafer Tufan Yazicioglu, Mersin Deputy Edip Ozgenc and Ankara Deputy Salih Dayioglu. Popular Sisli Municipality of Istanbul Mayor Mustafa Sarigul, together with 23 members of the Municipality Assembly, also left the DLP.

The distribution of seats in Parliament: Forty-nine deputies, including seven cabinet ministers, from Ecevit's DLP have quit the party since last week, upsetting the balance of power in Parliament and threatening the survival of the three-party coalition government.

Ecevit, 77, has resisted mounting pressure to step down, after his two-month absence from regular duties due to illness led to deepening divisions over sensitive political reforms.

The Nationalist Movement Party (NMP), with 127 seats, is now Turkey's larges t political party. The DLP-NMP-Motherland Party (MP) coalition has 281 deputies in the 550-seat Parliament.

The following is a list of political parties and the seats they hold in Turkey's Parliament, following the spate of resignations from the largest party in the governing coalition.

Party Seats

NMP (National Movement Party) 127
TPP (True Path Party) 85
DLP (Democratic Left Party) 75
MP (Motherland Party) 79
JDP (Justice and Development Party) 53
FP (Felicity Party) 48
TDP (Turkey's Democratic Party) 3
BBP (Great Unity Party) 1

Vacant 13

Total 550

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] A columnist says that new government to be established by Cem

"First the Democratic Left Party [DLP] is going to be purged. Then it will be the Nationalist Action Party's [NAP] turn. This Government has completed its lifespan. The NAP will not be allowed to take part in the new administration. It will be purged from politics while in opposition. The new government will be established by the center-left movement under Cem's leadership. This will be an executive government that will arrange for the country to go to the polls. Yet the polls will not be held this year because this year is simply not the right time. For an election to be held Parliament must convene, the new government should be established, the adaptation bills, the Political Parties' Bill and the Election Bill should be passed and a new budget should be drawn up. The electoral registers should also be renewed. However, the judicial holiday is about to start. What complicates the problem further is the fact that when an amendment is made to the Election Law, the Constitution requires that it come into force a year after Parliament has passed the amendment. In order for such an amendment to be valid in the next elections, a constitutional change is required. Not until the crisis facing the greatest two parties has ended will things slot into place. A snap election held while new formations and new alliances are in the offing might not yield the benefits expected. It might even cause the crisis to deepen.

Although it is a fact that an early election has become definitely inevitable, let me reiterate that elections are not going to be held this year. The new government will be sponsored by Washington. The United States will intervene militarily in Iraq in a few months and expects Turkey to provide active support for its operation. The new government will provide this support. The operation is expected to entail a governmental and even a territorial change in Iraq. Also a new administration will be established in northern Iraq. The NAP has to be purged prior to these developments. The real problem now is not the issue of Kurdish language education but the issue of Kurdistan. Given the situation of its deputies and its leadership, the purge of the NAP will not be as painful and that of the DLP. Neither the United States nor the EU will object to the NAP's purge. There will be no domestic obstacles to it, either. The press will support it.

From the US standpoint, Iraq and Kurdistan are much more important than Turkey's bid for EU membership, adaptation laws and the human rights issue. Once the Kurdistan problem has been solved, the issue of Kurdish language education and broadcasts will be settled and nobody will even talk about executing [Workers Party of Kurdistan leader] Abdullah Ocalan. The issue of Kurdistan is even more important for the United States than Cyprus. Ankara might try to turn up the heat on Washington vis-a-vis Cyprus depending on the developments concerning northern Iraq. To tell the truth, however, we are not in a strong bargaining position at all. For a hooked fish does not need any bait. The Jewish lobby might create problems in connection with Cyprus' accession to the EU. Otherwise the EU will conclude this business under US auspices.

There is no Troika to talk about. Ismail Cem will be responsible for managing foreign policy while Dervis will be responsible for managing the economy. Under the circumstances, Ozkan will be no more than a dummy. The Justice and Development Party [JDP] might be asked to support this new administration. In other words, the JDP might be made to act like a well-behaved opposition party. A number of politicians might be used to enhance the new formation's appeal. [Former Interior Minister Sadettin] Tantan, [Motherland Party Deputy] Ilhan Kesici and [Democratic Turkey Party Leader Mehmet Ali] Bayar might all become a part of this family photograph. Obviously I do not know whether they would like to take part in such a game. Yet apparently they are part of the plan. The new formation will try to ensure that no problems with the EU emerge. An atmosphere of optimism might be created. The United States' priorities as regards human rights are quite different. The status of Armenian foundations, the Fener Seminary, and the Patriarchate are among the important issues that will be taken up during the process of democratization.

This, then, will be the mission of the Cem government. Time will show whether the United States will want to continue to keep Cem in power. Cem's political career will depend on his loyalty, his intelligence, his performance and the amount of public approval he will obtain during the election campaign. Cem is not Washington's only choice. Please note that the mastermind behind all this is the United States or more probably the Jewish lobby in the United States. Washington has not yet played its card. Another unknown in this connection pertains to the United States' own future. While trying to establish a new global order, the United States might face major problems at home. Reactions against the Jewish lobbies' fait-accomplis on the part of the US Administration might give rise to new situations. As for the stock market and the economy, everything is under control. The stocks might possibly soar because Cem is on course to come to power.

With greetings and prayers".

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