Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-02-25

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Deputies resign from RPP and JDP.

[02] The "mayor" of occupied Nicosia Kutlay Erk admits that the number of the illegal settlers who come from Turkey to occupied Cyprus has been increased lately.

[03] Belgian Ambassador: If non-solution continues, then Turkey will not be able to make much progress on the road to EU.

[04] Erdogan´s Advisor wants Greek Cypriots to be blackmailed by the USA.

[05] Turkish Foreign Minister reacted to Cypriot reports on arms dispatch to northern Cyprus.

[06] Rauf Denktas: "Talat's mission is to preserve the 'Country's' independence at all cost".

[07] National Security Council in Turkey will assess domestic and foreign developments.

[08] Armenian genocide on the table.

[09] Unemployment rate in Turkey reported as 10 percent in last quarter of 2004.

[10] Mehmet Karaali is the new chairman of KTOS.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] The Turkish army prevents a Turkish journalist to enter the occupied areas of Cyprus because she travelled to the island through Larnaca airport.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Deputies resign from RPP and JDP

Most attention was focused on Zulfu Livaneli, a parliamentary deputy of the opposition Republican People's Party (RPP) in Istanbul. Livaneli, well known as a writer and composer, said he was resigning due to the change of direction of the RPP, established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Livaneli's name had been put forward as a possible contender for the leadership of the RPP at the party's extraordinary congress last month.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (JDP) suffered another loss on Thursday when Mehmet Eraslan, who represents the southern province of Alexandretta in the parliament, announced that he too was resigning.

Eraslan was the third parliamentary deputy of the JDP to quit the party within a week. The highest profile of the government's losses was Erkan Mumcu, the then Culture and Tourism Minister, who resigned last week.

With the recent spate of resignations, the JDP has 364 deputies in the 550 seat parliament, the RPP 170, the True Path Party five, the People´s Ascendance Party (PAP) one. There are now nine deputies sitting as independents and one seat is vacant.

[02] The "mayor" of occupied Nicosia Kutlay Erk admits that the number of the illegal settlers who come from Turkey to occupied Cyprus has been increased lately

As the paper writes, these persons gather their families and move to the pseudostate seeking for a better life but because they cannot find a place to live they settle under trees or in abandoned buildings. They work as street vendors and porters trying to make a living and they have not the necessary money to return to their country.

Commenting on the issue, the "mayor" of occupied Nicosia Mr Kutlay Erk noted that during the last few months the number of persons who live in tents has been increased, especially in occupied Nicosia. He also said that the so-called authorities of the pseudostate must check the entry and the exit points of the occupied part of Cyprus.

[03] Belgian Ambassador: If non-solution continues, Turkey will not be able to make much progress on the road to EU

During the meeting the Green Line Regulation as well was taken up and Ali Erel complained that the amendments introduced into the regulation were not enough and demanded that the regulation should be extended further in such a way that it will include the occupied air and sea ports as well and the free trade.

The paper reports that Ambassador Colette Taquet, gave more emphasize to the trade and the political relations with Turkey.

Ambassador Taquet said that Belgian government is fully supporting Turkey´s EU membership process, and warned that "However, if the non-solution of the Cyprus problem dragges on, then Turkey will not be able to progress much on the road to accession".

Belgian Ambassador was also briefed on the impact of the Ankara Agreement which would be enlarged to include the Republic of Cyprus, would have on the Turkish Cypriots.

[04] Erdogan´s Advisor wants Greek Cypriots to be blackmailed by the USA

Bagis made this statement while addressing a meeting organized by the Turkish-American Work Council.

Bagis went on and alleged that the so-called isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots continue unabated.

[05] Turkish Foreign Minister reacted to Cypriot reports on arms dispatch to northern Cyprus

When asked about the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr Papadopoulo's statement that they have intelligence about Turkey dispatching new weapons systems to the occupied part of Cyprus, Mr Gul said: "I hear these with great amazement. These are baseless, they are not true. Besides, there is no need for them. There is no need for any of them. This shows what dimensions this issue is being taken to. I am sure that if what you are saying is true, if such statements are true, then the UN and the EU would henceforth look very differently at the Cyprus problem."

Noting that talks will start [with the EU] at the beginning of March on the adaptation protocol on the Ankara Agreement, Gul also added that at the end of the negotiations the protocol will be signed on time.

Finally, Mr Gul said that reports that the EU process has come to a standstill are not true and added that soon Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will announce the chief negotiator.

[06] Rauf Denktas: "Talat's mission is to preserve the 'Country's' independence at all cost"

Mr Denktas was in Izmir on Thursday to attend a meeting, titled ''Recent Developments Pertaining to Cyprus'' sponsored by the Turkish Aegean Young Businessmen Association (EGIAD).

Asked about his opinions related to the recent remarks by Talat that "Denktas' mission is over," Denktas replied that his mission helped the end of colonization in the island and thus brought Talat to power as "TRNC's Prime Minister". Mr Denktas also noted: "My mission as the head of 'TRNC' has taken the Turks from a colonial oppression to a position in which they are independent. Talat should not ever permit any force to interfere with 'TRNC's' hardly won independence. Talat should not believe in promises made by certain circles on paper. As 'TRNC's President', I have an obligation to warn my citizens against all dangers and potential threats from both within and out of 'TRNC'."

[07] National Security Council in Turkey will assess domestic and foreign developments

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold the party's central executive council meeting in Kizilcahamam tonight. The meeting had been delayed because of Erdogan's trips abroad. The meeting is expected to assess the latest developments inside the party, Erkan Mumcu's resignation, and the defection of some deputies from the Justice and Development Party.

[08] Armenian genocide on the table

Turkey's relations with its neighbours were discussed in the closing session of Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission (JPC) meeting held in Strasbourg on Thursday. Turkey's relations particularly with Armenia, Greece and Cyprus were assessed during the meeting that was closed to the press.

Speaking at the meeting Toubon said European Parliament made a decision about the Armenian genocide and stressed that Turkey should recognize the genocide before joining European Union (EU).

Republican People's Party (RPP) Parliamentarian Sukru Elekdag denied the claims of Toubon, saying they were baseless. Explaining Turkish-Armenian relations, Elekdag said that Turkey that supported the idea that allegations of genocide should be searched solely by historians and not by the politicians.

Elekdag suggested that a committee of experts composed of Turkish and Armenian historians should be formed under the auspices of UNESCO to investigate the issue.

[09] Unemployment rate in Turkey reported as 10 percent in last quarter of 2004

Unemployment in the last quarter of 2003 was 10.3 percent, and in the third quarter of 2004, it was 9.5 percent.

In the last quarter of 2004, the total employment figure was 21,870,000, the employment rate was 43.6 percent, and the number of unemployed stood at 2,428,000.

The reason why the unemployment rate fell compared to last year is the increase in the employment rate in the agricultural sector. In rural areas, unemployment fell from 7.5 percent to 5.6 percent and this indicates a positive trend in agriculture. In the urban areas, however, the number of unemployed youth is on the rise, with the rate going up from 22.7 to 24.9 percent. This figure shows the dimensions of unemployment among university graduates.

[10] Mehmet Karaali is the new chairman of KTOS

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] The Turkish army prevents a Turkish journalist to enter the occupied areas of Cyprus because she travelled to the island through Larnaca airport

Under the title "Its all yours my brigadier general", the paper writes the following in its "Letter from AFRIKA" column:

"Leyla Tavsanoglu is a journalist of CUMHURIYET newspaper who has worked for a long time on Cyprus. When there is a critical process here, Tavsanoglu is always among us. She has extensively traveled around the world as well. She made very interesting interviews and reportages. During our last elections, that is last week she was here again. However, this time many things happened to her. She has entered from Larnaca. Do you think that these things are easy and simple? She has finished her job in the South and she would cross over to the North.

The Greek Cypriot Press and Information Office said that there was no problem in her crossing over. However, the Turkish authorities at the Ledra Palace gate have not had the same opinion. They did not give Tavsanoglu permission to cross over. In addition, she had an appointment with Rauf Denktas at 14.30 hours. When the Turkish police officer saw the stamp from the Larnaca airport in her passport said: 'You cannot pass'.

Tavsanoglu describes as follows what happened next: 'The President Office interfered. The Command of the Turkish Cypriot Security Forces is searched for. Meanwhile, I am sweating at Ledra Palace border gate. On the one hand I felt disquiet because I had Mr Denktas wait and on the other side I felt angry because of the fact that in contrary to the international law, I was prevented from using my freedom of movement right and to exercise my profession as a journalist. After a while the telephone rang. The Commander of the Security Forces gives permission to Mrs Leyla on the condition that she will depart from the Tymbou airport, they said. I felt like saying 'its all yours my brigadier general'. I am not allowed to enter the "TRNC" gate because I had entered the island through Larnaca, but the members of the US delegation who had come to Northern Cyprus last week were allowed to enter without any stamp to be put in their passports. What a double standard is this. I really cannot understand it'.

One can understand everything when he comes face to face with the realities in our country. And one of the realities is this, unfortunately. The gates have been opened. Everybody goes here and there. Many Turkish Cypriots go abroad through Larnaca and return back from Larnaca again. There are some Greek Cypriots who travel through Tymbou. In this situation, a journalist of a big newspaper is stopped at the Ledra Palace gate by the Turkish police.

Why the correspondent of a Turkish newspaper is prevented, while the foreign correspondents that enter through Larnaca are not prevented from crossing over to the Turkish side? Is it because she is Turk?

However, the important thing here is not this. There are some things more important. The fact that the army command decides on the entering and going out from the TRNC and not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You see that even if Denktas interfered, he could not make them do what he said. The army command said: 'let her come if she goes from Tymbou'. I wonder what those who speak of the will of the Turkish Cypriots in northern Cyprus say about this. Let those who argue that 'here happens whatever the Turkish Cypriots say and not what Ankara says', explain it to us. Let them prove to us that here is not a sheepfold under the command of the commander. And we shall believe this!"

/SK

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