Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-02-01

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Spokesman of the Turkish government after a council of ministers´ meeting.

[02] Humanitarian diplomacy by Erdogan. Details of his visit to the tsunami stricken countries.

[03] HURRIYET reports the agenda of the US Secretary of State´s upcoming visit to Turkey. Douglas Feith, Turkey´s most important lobbyist in the Pentagon, is already in Ankara.

[04] Barosso and Rehn on the commencement of accession negotiations with Turkey.

[05] UNDP to assist the Turkish Cypriots for the commerce through the Internet.

[06] Three of the eight suspects for the murder of the Guzelyurtlu family will remain under custody for eight more days.

[07] The Commercial Attaché of the United States embassy visited the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry.

[08] The "minister" of economy of the pseudostate stated that the economy of the occupation regime has been developing fast during the last years.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Spokesman of the Turkish government after a council of ministers´ meeting

''In the model proposed by the Foreign Ministry, aside from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, we will have a chief negotiator, assistants for the chief negotiator, delegations for negotiations and an advisory council,'' said Cicek. Cicek added that no definite decision has been given on the issue yet.

After the council of ministers' meeting that lasted seven hours, Cicek told reporters that Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and foreign ministry high level bureaucrats informed the council of ministers on where Turkey stands vis-a-vis EU regulations.

''The accession talks and negotiations will be handled under 31 subjects. The 10 countries that recently joined the EU held talks prior to their accession under 31 categories,'' remarked Cicek.

''An increase in categories does not necessarily imply an increase in subjects. The accession talks with Croatia are being held in 36 separate subjects,'' stated Cicek.

According to Cicek, a conference will be organized in which the 25 EU members will be represented by their foreign ministers. ''Negotiations with the EU will kick-off after this conference,'' said Cicek. Cicek added that, with the beginning of accession talks, a screening process will also start. ''There will certainly be a comparison of the EU legal system with that of Turkey. During the screening process, we will have a chance to see the similarities between Turkish and EU laws as well as differences.''

''Turkey currently has an advantage. For the past four years, Turkey has brought the screening process to a certain point thanks to the efforts of eight different commissions.''

Cicek said that a final decision has not been made on the model of negotiators that will represent Turkey as of October 3, 2005. ''The ministry of foreign affairs wants to have a chairman who will lead the negotiation team. To date, chairman of such teams has been the minister of foreign affairs in every country. Following the rank of the chairman will be the chief negotiator, assistants for the chief negotiator, working groups, delegations for negotiations and an advisory council,'' commented Cicek. ''The advisory council will be comprised of NGOs under special topics, representatives from the business world, academicians and experts from universities and educational institutions.''

Cicek remarked that a new government body will be established to inform the domestic and international communities on Turkey's policies regarding the EU process. ''The EU process will be a difficult one for Turkey. There need to be an efficient way to inform the Turkish public on the process.''

In reference to Iraq, Cicek stressed that Turkey is very sensitive on the developments taking place in that country. ''Turkey has evaluated and continues to evaluate the recent developments taking place in Iraq with an attitude of a serious and constructive government wishing for regional stability. Turkey views the elections in Iraq as very prominent for the future of this neighboring country. We will announce Turkey's official stance once the results of the elections are made public,'' said Cicek.

Reminded by a journalist about the comments made by Barzani on Kirkuk as ''a city of the Kurds,'' Cicek informed the reporters that the council of ministers made an evaluation of the recent elections. ''Our minister Gul and other ministers expressed their thoughts. The current stage in Iraq is a subject closely monitored by Turkey. Our government is watching the developments in Iraq by paying attention to every detail. Our citizens must be confident that we are evaluating every step taken in Iraq,'' commented Cicek.

Asked about what he thinks on the Turkish image represented in some American films in the U.S., mostly anti-Turkish and biased, Cicek replied that the Turkish government is presently working on steps that could be taken legally against such films and its producers. ''Turkey's ambassador in Washington, D.C., has been requested to do whatever is possible, including taking legal action if feasible. Yet, we must remember that the U.S. is a liberal, democratic country. Certain films, despite objections, are being shown in the U.S.. We know examples of such films,'' stated Cicek.

Finally, asked if the Turkish Armed Forces will send troops into Iraq, Cicek said that, to this day, Turkey has closely examined the developments in Iraq. ''We will continue to carefully analyze the developments in Iraq. Our evaluations will continue until peace and stability in Iraq are realized,'' said Cicek.

[02 Humanitarian diplomacy by Erodgan. Details of his visit to the tsunami stricken countries

Ankara Anatolia news agency (31.01.05) reported from Ankara that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will leave for Southeastern Asia on Saturday (February 5th) to visit four tsunami-stricken countries, his office said on Monday.

Erdogan's office said that Erdogan, accompanied by a large delegation, would firstly arrive in Indonesia and meet Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla.

On February 7th (Monday), Erdogan will visit Aceh region of Indonesia, which was seriously hit by the tsunami disaster, and proceed to Malaysia.

Erdogan will also visit tsunami-stricken Phuket island on February 8th, and then go to Thai capital of Bangkok.

Mr Erdogan will visit tsunami-hit Male, Maldives on February 9th, and proceed to Sri Lanka on February 10th.

He will return to Turkey after visiting Sri Lanka.

Mr Erdogan will hand over the aid collected in Turkey for the tsunami survivors, and ask the administrators of these Southeast Asian countries to extend support to Turkish philanthropic businessmen who want to construct schools and hospitals in the disaster zone.

[03] HURRIYET reports the agenda of the US Secretary of State´s upcoming visit to Turkey. Douglas Feith, Turkey´s most important lobbyist in the Pentagon, is already in Ankara

" - To show the importance placed on Turkey with her first visit.

- To slow down the rising "anti-Americanism."

- To explain President George Bush's new term strategies.

- To evaluate the situation in Iran and Iraq.

- To at least please Turkey on the subject of the PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan].

The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, after officially taking office, will include Ankara in her first tour of visits abroad, which will start this week, and will also show the importance placed on Turkey by the Bush administration in its second term.

To eliminate, even if slowly, the "anti-Americanism," which continuously increased in Turkey after the US operation against Iraq and which was also reflected in the RPP [Republican People's Party] Extraordinary Congress, will have an important place during the Secretary of State Rice's Ankara visit, which will be realized on 5-6 February.

She will find out what is wrong

The sources giving information to the newspaper made the following evaluation: "The increase in anti-Americanism in Turkey, which is Muslim, democratic and where a liberal economy prevails, brought the Washington, D.C. administration to the point of asking, 'Where did we go wrong?' The Bush administration will place great importance on slowing down this environment in Turkey in the new term, because for cold winds to blow in the relations between the two countries is also contrary to the interests of the United States."

She will please

It is stated that within this framework, Secretary Rice could use pleasing expressions to the Turkish public related to the PKK terrorist organization, which is settled in the north of Iraq. At this stage, Ankara does not think that it is probable that Washington, D.C. would take serious steps against the PKK.

In her contacts, Secretary Rice, by conveying firsthand to the Turkish side the new strategy perspectives and policies of President Bush's second term, will try to learn Ankara's thoughts related to these or at least to sound them out. Besides Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East peace process and the thoughts of President Bush related to Iran will be some of the other important subjects to be discussed during Secretary Rice's visit.

Iraq will be discussed

In the meantime, it is expected that the subject of Iraq will be discussed in detail during the talks that will be held in Ankara today [Monday, 31 January] and tomorrow with Douglas J. Feith, the Undersecretary for Policy of the US Department of Defense (Pentagon). Today, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will receive Mr Feith, who is one of the most important lobbyists for Turkey in the United States. Tomorrow, Mr Feith will meet with Gen Ilker Basbug, the Second Chief of the Turkish General Staff and Yigit Alpogan, the NSC [National Security Council] Secretary General. Mr Feith is in the lead of the persons who have developed the global defense strategy of the United States against international terrorism. During his visit, Mr Feith will convey to the Turkish side the thoughts of Washington, D.C. related to this new strategy".

[04] Barosso and Rehn on the commencement of accession negotiations with Turkey

Barroso told the A.A correspondent that there would not be any delay in start of entry talks with Turkey.

Noting that he had defended that an open date should be set to start negotiations with Turkey since the very beginning, Barroso said that Turkey had deserved that date. But, he said, the negotiation process depended on Turkey's success in its efforts to adjust to the EU acquis.

Earlier, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn had expressed assurance that negotiations with Turkey would begin on October 3rd, 2005.

[05] UNDP to assist the Turkish Cypriots for the commerce through the Internet

In statements before a technical meeting yesterday at the "EU Coordination Center" in the occupied part of Nicosia on the a-commerce, where representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) were also present, Mr Pertev noted that the necessary work for the lifting of the "isolation" continues and that they had to support the companies and the organizations on the issue of the a-commerce.

Mr Pertev said that UNDP would provide the Turkish Cypriots with the necessary support and aid.

The chairman of the so-called EU Coordination Center of the "Prime Ministry", Erhan Ercin and the representative of UNDP, Giueseppe Belsito participated also in the meeting.

[06] Three of the eight suspects for the murder of the Guzelyurtlu family will remain under custody for eight more days

Under the title "We saved him", KIBRISLI newspaper (01.02.05) writes that Sabri Yildirim told the "judge" that they have saved the son of the late Elmas Guzelyurtlu, Mehmet.

The paper wonders who those "we" to whom Sabri Yildirim referred are and from who have they saved Mehmet Guzelyurtlu.

The paper's editor-in-chief, Dogan Harman writes in his regular column that "Sabri knows the murderers".

[07] The Commercial Attaché of the United States embassy visited the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry

The US delegation exchanged views with the President of TCCI, Mr Salih Tunar, on hardships of the firms in the occupation regime within the framework of a planned financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriots by the United States.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr Dixon said that preparations will be completed soon on the 35 million dollars aid package envisaging financial assistance to firms of the industry sector. He added that activities regarding the issue will be announced in the coming days in cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry.

[08] The "minister" of economy of the pseudostate stated that the economy of the occupation regime has been developing fast during the last years

Mr Deniz made these statements during an international seminar organised by the "Development Bank", which started yesterday in occupied Kyrenia and will be completed on the 4th of February. As the paper writes the following countries are participating in the seminar: Malaysia, Iran, Sudan, Azerbaijan, Uganda, Pakistan and Turkey.

The seminar, which is sponsored by the Association of National Development Finance Institutions in Member Countries of the Islamic Development Bank (ADFIMI), of which the "Development Bank" is a member, has the subject "Personal Developing Strategy for Investors".

Speaking during the seminar Mr Deniz, who referred to the advantages of the organizations of such events in the pseudostate, stated that it will be useful for this seminar to take international dimensions.

/SK

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