Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-10-14

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The so-called Prime Minister of Turkey's occupation regime wants a new document which to prevent the displaced Greek Cypriots from returning to their homes

[02] Five hundred Iranians study at the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University

[03] Barzani reiterates his opposition to Turkish troops

[04] Turkish military and government disagree over religious schools

[05] Rauf Denktas: ' It is impossible to negotiate the Annan plan'

[06] The demand for the temporary decision regarding Peace and Democracy Movement's 'appeal' for the citizenship case, was postponed

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in Turkish daily criticizes Turkey for its invasion of Cyprus and other 'wars for peace'.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The so-called Prime Minister of Turkey's occupation regime wants a new document which to prevent the displaced Greek Cypriots from returning to their homes

Mr Eroglu made a short statement on his contacts in Turkey and replied to the following question:

Question:According to the Greek Cypriot press summary today, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto informed a meeting he attended that he made a serious mistake on the Annan plan, particularly on the resettlement of Greek Cypriots in the 'TRNC'. He noted that they took cases of immigration in south America as an example and said that they included the provisions on the resettlement of Greek Cypriots in the Annan plan believing that a large number of Greek Cypriot refugees would not return to north Cyprus. Can you comment?

Answer: If Alvaro de Soto has made such a statement and if he has admitted that he made a mistake, then rectifying the mistake made is a virtue. Such a statement means that he acted without being aware of the ultimate objectives of the Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriot administration, and the influential Greek Cypriot church officials. We have known the Greek Cypriots and their clergymen for a long time. We are aware of their ultimate aims. That is why we said when we were confronted with the document [Annan plan] that the Greek Cypriots would return to their property in the north if we signed it for the sake of an agreement. That is why we said several times that we cannot sign a document that would displace two-thirds of our people. So, if Alvaro de Soto has realized that reality, then he should say: We made a mistake. We misled the UN Secretary General. We admit that we made a mistake and we will rectify what we have done.

A new basis or a new document has to be drawn up for a lasting solution in Cyprus, which will enable the two 'peoples' to coexist in peace. The new document for an agreement must be drawn up with the consent of the two sides. A unilateral document, which will be similar to the one that was drawn up in consultation with the Greek Cypriots and which will consider only Greek Cypriot objections, will be a serious mistake. So, I believe that Alvaro de Soto will probably agree that the mistake can be rectified through a new document that will be drawn up with the consent of the two sides.'

[02] Five hundred Iranians study at the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University

As the paper writes the number of the Iranian students has increased and adds that two and a half years ago, only two students from Iran were studying at the illegal University. In statements he made, the representative of the Iranian students in EMU, Abdolreza Afshar, said that in one and a half years the number of the Iranians who study in occupied Cyprus will increase to 1000 and added that the aim of the Iranians who study at EMU is to bring the three and a half million of Iranians who study abroad to the EMU. Abdolreza Afshar also said that among the students who study this year at EMU are students from Germany, England, Dubai, Sweden, Ukraine, Belarus and America.

[03] Barzani reiterates his opposition to Turkish troops

Visiting Egypt, to discuss the issue at the Arab League and meeting with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Musa, Barzani said in a press conference: "We strongly oppose the dispatch and deployment of any nation's, including Turkey's, soldiers to Iraq. I met with the Secretary-General today and demanded support from the Arab League.

Regarding why he was opposed to Turkish soldiers, Barzani said they had important reasons and the situation in Iraq was very sensitive. He said it was simply a general rejection of all the soldiers who would be sent to Iraq by different nations. Barzani was offended with the question "Do you want Iraq to be divided?" and declined to respond.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Musa on his part said he evaluated the latest situation in Iraq and said the League will support the Iraqi Interim Government Council. He added "We support the position of the Iraqi Interim Government Council regarding the deployment of Turkey's and other nations' soldiers. The deployment of soldiers should be approved by the UN and the Iraqi Interim Government Council".

Amr Musa said he met with the Iraqi Interim Government Council and officials from the Arab League and added that Iraq does not approve of the deployment of foreign forces to Iraq, especially Turkish soldiers.

[04] Turkish military and government disagree over religious schools

The military views itself as the ultimate guarantor of Turkey's secular political system and distrusts the intentions of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (JDP), because of its Islamist roots.

The military said yesterday they had grave concerns concerning the bill, foreseeing re-arrangements in university entrances, adding that they had difficulties in understanding why the issues, of which the aims are not clearly explained to the public, were on the agenda. "Such moves which will create a strained atmosphere within society and will not serve the country's interests. Turkey is facing vital issues such as Iraq, Cyprus, the Aegean, and Turkey-EU relations," said Lieutenant General Ilker Basbug, second in command at the military General Staff.

"We have difficulty in understanding why the number of graduates from the imam hatip schools should increase from the current 25,000," said Lieut. Gen. Basbug, "We expect common sense to prevail on this issue. There are basic problems in education," said Basbug, speaking at a news conference devoted mainly to Turkey's plans to send troops to Iraq.

The government plans to ease restrictions on students entering university from the "imam hatip" high schools -- state-funded vocational schools for future Muslim clerics.

Critics from Turkey's conservative secular establishment also suspect the JDP wants to increase the number of imam hatip schools -- a claim the government rejects.

Under the government plan, imam hatip students, who come mostly from poorer families, would have wider access to university education and would be allowed to study subjects other than theology.

In televised remarks, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the government's plans were aimed at boosting the number of educated people in Turkey.

The JDP, which has the parliamentary majority needed to amend the constitution if it wishes, eschews the Islamist label and says it is a moderate, conservative, pro-Western party.

Despite the outcry, JDP is adamant not to withdraw the draft law to allow graduates of imam-hatip clerical schools to have an advantage in university exams.

The draft amending the article organizing the status of vocational schools at the High Education Law publicly known as the RTUK law is expected to be completed at the Parliamentary Education Committee this Thursday. In this light, Parliament can hold a voting on the draft next week.

JDP deputy group chairman Salih Kapusuz said on Monday in a meeting held in Parliament told reporters that the draft aims at removing the inequality between the students of the country.

Kapusuz stated that an overall amendment of Higher Education Council (YOK) law will take a long time and in this light, ruling JDP decided to pass this article in advance. He underlined that the government expects to pass the article before this year's university exams.

If we cannot do this before the exam, the graduates of Imam Hatip schools will lose another year. It is unfair and this was valid until this year. It is not right to allow this wrong implementation for another year," Kapusuz stated.

Strict secular parts of the state especially the military oppose this article. The secular establishment suspects that JDP has an Islamist background and may have a hidden agenda.

"We are respectful to all views. There is a government draft on this issue. We are open to contributions. But we believe that there is something unfair about the imam-hatip schools," Kapusuz noted.

[05] Rauf Denktas: ' It is impossible to negotiate the Annan plan'

Accusing the opposition of misleading the Turkish Cypriots by saying that 'Turkey wants to negotiate the Annan plan' Denktas said: 'Turkey is saying that if both sides agree they can negotiate' and it is obvious that the sides could not agree, because what they want is to take the things the plan has given to us. We want more than that, we want state rights'.

Denktas went on and said that Turkey wants a settlement in Cyprus where, as he put it, the realities would be taken into account: 'Turkey wants to maintain the rights it had acquired under the 1959-60 Treaties, it also wants two states, two democracies, two peoples in the island and continuation of Turkey's effective and active guarantor ship', he said.

Denktas continued his speech attacking the opposition with his known accusations.

[06] The demand for the temporary decision regarding Peace and Democracy Movement's 'appeal' for the citizenship case, was postponed

The Movement and its leader, Mr Mustafa Akinci appealed on Friday to the 'Supreme Court' in order to stop the applications for 'citizenship' and the inclusion of those whom they believe to have illegally become 'citizens' in the electoral lists and obstruct them from voting if they have already been listed as voters.

Mr Suleyman Dolmaci, the lawyer of PDM and of Mr Akinci, stated that the 'Supreme Court' will give in the next days to the political parties the lists of the persons who became 'citizens' until the 30th of September. 'The categories of the persons who became citizens are in the lists which will be given, so we asked the Court for time in order to study them carefully', he stressed. Mr Dolmaci added that in the categories it will be mentioned 'how and why' a person was given the 'citizenship', for example if a person is married with a 'TRNC' so-called citizen or if he/she has lived in occupied Cyprus for the last 10 years. As the paper writes the case will be re-examined next Friday.

In addition, Turkish Cypriot HALKIN SESI newspaper (14.10.03) under the title 'The National Unity Party (NUP) makes fun of the people' publishes the statements made yesterday by Mr Suha Turkoz, General Secretary of the NUP, regarding the issue of 'citizenship'. 'The legality is not discussed, it is a legal right, and it created uneasiness to the public's conscience. Therefore the process must stop and continue after the elections', he said. The paper writes that the NUP now says that the process of granting the 'citizenship' must be stopped, while the 'Ministry of Interior' which has been granting 'citizenship' for weeks now is tied up to NUP.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Columnist in Turkish daily criticizes Turkey for its invasion of Cyprus and other 'wars for peace'.

'The Turks own the brand name "War for Peace." It cannot be borrowed, modified, or used without permission.

"National interest" is a strange animal. Totalitarian governments can convert the crimes they commit against humanity into acts of philanthropy with the magic wand of "national interest." Today our heads are once again in the sand in connection with our national interests. If you can squeeze the survival of newly gained government power into national interest then you are doing especially well.

At a time when the U.S. entry into Iraq in complete disregard for the UN has left the world face to face with terrorism fed by fanaticism and poverty and its consequences, it is touching to see anyone wanting to become a voluntary accomplice to Bush's sins while belittling the UN. Should the Turks have left Bush to his means at a time when even the Americans virtually do not recognize him? Which national interest would that serve? Our peace becomes even more flavorful when you add to it Bush's terror safari which offers only danger to the world.

Our great state has spent the country's resources and energy to bring peace to its Kurdish citizens despite having the most unethical of corrupt budgets. Its insistence to export peace could not be stopped despite the fact that it mortgages the future of the country and all the international reparations Turkey has paid.

We are prepared to risk our money, property, ethics, corruption, future, conscience, the beliefs of society, and everything else that I cannot remember now. The insistence to institute peace by war is compatible with our weak intellect--which has not registered a single invention in the history of scientific application--but everyone else is stupid and they do not understand it. We sent a peace army to Cyprus also but it could not do good even to the dull-witted Cypriots. We have been paying reparations for the last 30 years.

Our curiosity in peace, which consists of a recipe of having a say in Iraq's future, reaching out to an imagined inheritance of oil fields, and clearing the region of our enemy number one, has maddened our Iraqi brothers in fath. Only we could have been so willing to get involved in the worst confrontation in the world's most disputed region.

A small warning to the Bush tribe that is dancing with joy because "the Turks are coming": We hope you will send a special U.S. military detachment to save the Turks from the mortal hatred felt toward them in the region. Although the Americans have thus far not been able to cope with the anti-occupation rebels with all their money, technology, and influence and are in disarray, it is incumbent upon them as an elder brother to protect the Turks.

Do not pay much attention to separatist mischief. The Kurds who do not want Turkey are our enemies anyway. The Shiites are the puppets of fanatical mullahs. The Ba'athist are cowardly phony soldiers. The antiwar world public opinion is just separatist degeneracy. The UN exists in name only; soon they will place on a padlock on their door. The U.S. public is to blame in the first place for electing Bush. Turkey's secularists have hated the treacherous and civilization-handicapped Arabs for the last 100 years. Turkey's Muslims do not think that repressing other Muslims in collaboration with a infidel army is compatible with their religion or faith but they are easily persuaded to do so when national interests are at stake.

Turkey will once again become the porter of American sins, which have generated a flood of anger since March, as the state that saves the peace with war against world public opinion, in the deep pit of Iraq in the world's most disputed region. Why not? What does it have to lose? The believer who assumes someone else's sins goes to the best corner of paradise.'

EG/

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