Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 05-07-15

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Azerbaijani firm to start direct flights to the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[02] Talat has reportedly said in the assembly that the EU and the UN were not ready for the start of a new negotiating process in Cyprus.

[03] Erdogan: Soon positive developments on the issue of the lifting the isolation will take place.

[04] Large scale operation by the Turkish Armed Forces to free kidnapped soldier.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Letter to the editor from Jim Barns.

[06] The Turkish press continues to speak about promises made by the US to Turkey prior to the war in Iraq.

[07] People are bored Stereotype attacks against Papadopoulos.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Azerbaijani firm to start direct flights to the occupied areas of Cyprus

Aleksandr Guliyev, the owner of the "Improtex Travel" company in Azerbaijan, declared that Im-Air airlines belonging to his company will start direct flights to occupied Cyprus every Sunday as of 31 July. Guliyev said that there is no political purpose behind the decision to start the direct flights.

The launching of direct flights between Azerbaijan and the areas of Cyprus under the occupation of 40,000 Turkish troops was first raised during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's June visit to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan will thus become the second country after Turkey to conduct direct flights to the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

[02] Talat has reportedly said in the assembly that the EU and the UN were not ready for the start of a new negotiating process in Cyprus

In statements before the session, Mr Talat said that he would brief the MPs on the UN Secretary Generals former advisor on political affairs, Sir Kieran Prendergasts visit, the negotiations in Brussels and the developments that followed.

Responding to a question, Mr Talat noted that he asked that the briefing be conducted in closed session, in order to be able to discuss issues which should not be published. He argued that his aim was not to hide the issues from the society and added: We have opponents in the Greek Cypriot side who follow every step we make and take counter measures. And as you understand there are issues which they must not hear.

According to information which the paper acquired from MPs, Mr Talat gave a pessimist picture and seemed pessimist. The MPs said that their parties will evaluate the information given by Mr Talat and they would form the policy to be followed on the Cyprus problem.

Mr Talat, reports HALKIN SESI, told the MPs that the UN and the EU are not ready to begin a new process in Cyprus and noted that the expectation for the world keeping the promises given to the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriot side making a step towards the solution began to fade.

The MPs told the paper that the efforts of Mr Talat towards a united Cyprus will continue and it seems that his expectations from the international community are still there.

The MPS said that there is the opinion that everything is expected from Ankara and that a policy will be determined according to the steps made by Ankara. They added that Mr Talat informed them about the difficulties on the issue of the lawsuits regarding the properties.

[03] Erdogan: Soon positive developments on the issue of the lifting the isolation will take place

Mr Erdogan met yesterday with the pseudostates so-called ambassador to Ankara, Tamer Gazioglu who offered him a plaquette under the name Peace and Freedom Festivity on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus.

Mr Erdogan reiterated that Turkey will continue supporting the Turkish Cypriots and he congratulated Gazioglu for the anniversary of the invasion.

On the same occasion, Mr Gazioglu visited also the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Mr Bulent Arinc and the leader of the opposition True Path Party (TPP), Mr Mehmet Agar.

Mr Arinc said that he could not visit the occupied areas of Cyprus for the festivities regarding the 1974 Turkish invasion and added that the TGNA will be represented by Mr Burhan Kilic, its chief administrator and JDP deputy from Antalya and Mr Bayram Ozcelik, JDP deputy from Burdur.

Mr Arinc noted that he would visit the occupied areas as soon as possible.

[04] Large scale operation by the Turkish Armed Forces to free kidnapped soldier

Special team members and commando units were flown to the area by helicopters. However, they have not yet caught up with the terrorists. The Cobra helicopters yesterday bombed the areas where the terrorists are suspected to be hiding in the Nazimiye District's Dokuzkayalar and Kutuderesi localities. Meanwhile, the security units detained Gokhan Guzel, 22, for allegedly embracing the PKK terrorists and verbally supporting their action when they blocked the Tunceli-Plumur highway.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[05] Letter to the editor from Jim Barns

I believe that the lands in the north should be returned to the owners in the south. This should be timed to coincide with the Australians handing over Australia back to the aborigines, America back to the red Indians, The Falklands back to Argentina And Israel back to the Arabs, Oh I nearly forgot, Gibraltar back to Spain.

This divided Island has lived in a state of comparative peace now for over 20 years, the political leaders and businessmen from both sides of the border continue to make fists in pockets at each other.

The grumbling in the corridors of power always seems to be present. Yet on both sides of the border the ordinary people seem to just keep getting on with their lives.

Some people in the south in positions of power have a vested interest in keeping the Cyprus issue simmering, they will obstruct the development of the North simply because they don´t want the competition, but they are already too late, the exodus of tourists attracted by the lower cost of holidays has already started. Once direct flights begin, the floodgates will open and as the tourist population of the north increases, the north will have an even louder voice in Europe.

I am planning to move to north Cyprus within the next two or three months. My UK house is up for sale so this is a one-way trip for us. I will buy a lump of land and have a village built and no one-sided sensationalised inaccurate piece of reporting from T McDonald will dissuade me.

I am going to North Cyprus so I can give my wife a better standard of living in a warm safe place; I plan to live out the rest of my life in peace and harmony with a host country whose natural religion is Islam. But I believe they are true Muslims, they respect other religious beliefs, and they live in peace and apply the Koran rules of hospitality to everyone no matter their differing creed or affiliations. The natural greeting from a northern Cypriot to any foreigner, is a sincere warm smile.

Maybe a united Cyprus will happen one day, but the price in the north maybe a higher crime rate, and the more hectic life style of the south, I believe the government in the north has its priorities right in many respect. Vandalism and graffiti are unknown in the north, children are safe on the streets. The Law and its officers are respected, if your want to swear or spit at a policeman please don´t come to north Cyprus.

Perhaps those who want to change North Cyprus should stand back and think. Change it to what?

I hope and pray that the north stays as it is, with its own people, its own government, just as they are, I hope the things that attracted people like Frank and Joan to north Cyprus remain, as an example, of simple values of peace, and beauty.

North Cyprus is still the jewel of the Mediterranean, long may it remain so.

Jim Barnes.

[06] The Turkish press continues to speak about promises made by the US to Turkey prior to the war in Iraq

You too will become overwhelmed when you read the words uttered by a US official who did not have the courage to give his name(!?)

You see, according to AA [Anatolia News Agency] that individual acknowledged "the right of the Turkish Armed Forces to conduct operations against the PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan] within Turkey's borders".

The United States as you will know is so fastidious about human rights(!) It must be for this reason then that officials cannot help but say, "The situation can change in cases of major human rights violations."

Obviously this fellow thinks that the torture centers of Guantanamo and Abu Graib as well as the prisons in Afghanistan are being run by Turks.

In order to wake him up let me remind him what former President Jimmy Carter said in an announcement in the Washington Post on 20 June 2005: "Having become famous as the champion of human rights the United States has lost a lot of prestige due to the incidents in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.

According to AA, American officials are saying: "The PKK is a terrorist organization. However, due to the limited US military resources in Iraq comprehensive measures have so far been unable to be taken, but the organization will not be allowed to take refuge in this country."

For the love of God, who is mocking whom here?

Was it not the United States that as far back as Bill Clinton's time summoned numerous heads of state to a meeting in Sharm al-Shaykh and decided, "To fight together against terrorism and terrorists wherever they may be"?

Have we not all witnessed on countless occasions President George W Bush promising to "go on fighting until terrorism is wiped out"?

Furthermore, prior to the Iraq operation and after its completion a promise was made to Turkey to: "Cooperate in fighting the PKK." For instance, when Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice came to Ankara in February 2005 we all remember her saying there was much that could be done non-militarily against the PKK, maintaining for example that the organization's finances could be dried up through cooperative efforts.

It can be understood from an announcement in news published in Turkish newspapers on 25 June 2005 saying, "The US administration is going to send Treasury Assistant Under Secretary Stuart Levy to Ankara to discuss this matter" that it has taken four months to get round to the issue talked about in February.

What about the order issued by the US to its forces in Iraq instructing them to "apprehend 150 leading PKK members"?

When are we going to get it that our strategic partner (!) is telling us here, "You will get no help from us. Sort out your own problems by yourselves"?

[07] People are bored Stereotype attacks against Papadopoulos

Ozadam says that especially Mr Soyer, in his every two words one is related to Mr Papadopoulos. Attacking Mr Papadopoulos, and not to say anything else or not to be in action, has already started boring people. The people no more wants to hear, stereotype, cliché phrases such as `The Greek Cypriots do not want solution´ or the Greek Cypriots want to hold us hostage etc.

He went on and wrote: Criticizing Papadopoulos, does no more secure political advantage and make people to gain credit. Such things become anachronistic. What is important for us from now on is that we have to decide what would be our strategy and what we would do.

Papadopoulos had put forward all his views as regards the solution and he informed the UN with documents.

Levent Ozadam then suggests that instead of attacking him the Turkish Cypriot side should put forward its counter demands and those which are indispensable conditions sine- qua-non-for the Turkish side.

He then lists President Papadopoulos´ demands and asks Mr Soyer and Mr Talat to speak out their own views against these demands.

It has no meaning to be the prisoner of the past and continue to accuse people!

A new process has started in Cyprus. And we have to develop new policies in order not to leave the future in the hands of the Greek Cypriots or others. So, new alternatives should be on the agenda.

Especially at a time when Denktas and Talat and Soyer and Eroglu are put on the same pan of a scale, Ozadam concludes.

/SK

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