Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-02-10

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mr Talat comments on statements made by Jack Straw on Cyprus.

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers Mr Straws statements.

[03] Mr Talat calls on European media to end the offensive campaign on Islam under the disguise of free speech.

[04] Decisions taken by the self-styled Council of Minister.

[05] The New Cyprus Party starts a campaign for a demilitarized Nicosia.

[06] Irsen Kucuk withdraws his candidacy for the UBP leadership.

[07] Illegal Bayrak on the trial regarding a Turkish language school in Limassol.

[08] The Chinese Foreign Ministry says that China is closely following the Developments on the Cyprus problem.

[09] CUMHURIYET: Cyprus problem in the National program.

[10] Facts about the foreign trade of the TRNC.

[11] Rauf Denktas on Evkaf property.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] The real cause behind the rift in the United Cyprus Party.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mr Talat comments on statements made by Jack Straw on Cyprus

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the previous day that had EU membership been proposed under the current circumstances, neither the British government nor most European governments would have touched the idea of allowing Cyprus into the EU.

Replying to questions regarding the remarks of Straw, Talat noted that he agreed with Straw's statements and underlined: "They (EU member states) accepted a non-European country as a member and it was wrong."

Noting that he regarded the admission of Cyprus to EU not as a "mistake", but "wrong" in regard to its consequences, Talat underscored that before Cyprus became a full member of the EU, it managed to create an impression as if it had wanted to find a solution to Cyprus issue.

In his speech in the House of Commons, Straw also said that Britain wants to see a unified Cyprus, but the current approach of the Cyprus government does not in any way represent movement toward a united Cyprus and objectively is likely to lead to the opposite result.

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers Mr Straws statements

KIBRIS covers the issue under the title The TRNC will be gradually recognized.

AFRIKA writes that since the 1950s Britain encouraged the Turkish Cypriots to want the division of the Island. The paper notes that this British policy still continues. The statements of Mr Straw at the House of Commons, adds AFRIKA, encouraged all those who support the TRNC.

HALKIN SESI publishes Mr Straws statements under the title Straw: The TRNC will be recognized because of the policy of the Greek Cypriots.

YENI DUZEN refers to the issue under the title Second blow by Straw to the Greek Cypriot administration!

KIBRISLI describes the above-mentioned statements as Earthquake! The paper writes also that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, said that the statements of Mr Straw were correct.

VATAN publishes the statements of Mr Straw under the title The TRNC will be recognized. The paper describes the statements very hard for the Greek Cypriot side.

ORTAM covers the statements under the title Papadopoulos will realize the division.

VOLKAN uses the title The TRNC will be gradually recognized and writes that these statements were a threat by Mr Straw against President Papadopoulos.

Under the title The recognition of the TRNC will come onto the agenda, CUMHURIYET describes the statements as slap on the face for the Greek Cypriots.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Mr Talat calls on European media to end the offensive campaign on Islam under the disguise of free speech

President Talat has said that the European countries should put an end to the campaign of mocking Islam under the disguise of free speech.

He added that it was unacceptable for any country or media institution to disrespect or satirize anyones religion.

Addressing an audience today, President Talat touched upon the recent international row that emerged after a Danish daily newspaper published cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohammed.

President Talat said that the offensive campaign pursued by the European media under the name of exercising free speech must be stopped since this could lead to a clash of civilizations between the west and the Islamic world.

He also called on the international community to be more sensitive towards the Islamic World when it comes to publishing or broadcasting.

[04] Decisions taken by the self-styled Council of Minister

The Council of Ministers has taken a series of important decisions on measures to be taken at integrated farms for chickens and to prevent illegal immigration and traffic accidents.

In line with the decisions taken by the Council, all activities at the Integrated Farms for Chickens will be inspected by government officials.

Decisions taken at yesterdays meeting of the Council of Ministers were announced by the spokesman of the Council- Minister of Economy and Tourism Dervis Kemal Deniz.

Mr Deniz said that the Council decided to send a draft law to the Republics Assembly proposing new regulations to the Immigration Law with the aim of preventing the arrival of illegal immigrants into the Republic.

Explaining that illegal immigration was one of the serious problems facing the Republic, he said that the new law will increase the penalties for those trying to enter illegally into the Republic and for those helping them.

The Council also decided that work should be started for the installation of 140 speed cameras on roads to combat the serious problem of traffic violations in the Republic.

The Council also reached agreement in principle that work for the installation of the speed cameras would be conducted jointly by the International Road Safety and TRNC Road Safety Academies.

(Tr. Note: TRNC is the illegal regime set by the Turkish Republic in occupied Cyprus through the force of arms)

[05] The New Cyprus Party starts a campaign for a demilitarized Nicosia

Information about the campaign was given yesterday during a press conference attended by the Partys Foreign Relations Secretary, Mr Alpay Durduran, and the Press and Relations with the Public Secretary, Mr Murat Kanatli.

Mr Kanatli stated that the campaign will last two months and it will cover every possible platform.

[06] Irsen Kucuk withdraws his candidacy for the UBP leadership

Irsen Kucuk one of the three candidates for the National Unity Party Leadership has announced his withdrawal from the race just days before Saturdays Party Congress.

With Mr Kucuks withdrawal, the number of the candidates standing for the party leadership has now gone down to two.

The Lefkosia MP Kucuk also announced that he will support Tahsin Ertugruloglu during the Congress.

Speaking to the TAK News Agency yesterday, Mr Kucuk said that he acted in line with the will expressed by UBP members and resigned.

He also repeated his call to the UBP General Secretary Huseyin Ozgurgun the other candidate for the Leadership to resign from the post

[07] Illegal Bayrak on the trial regarding a Turkish language school in Limassol

After a twenty minute hearing, the trial was postponed to the 5th of April.

The KTOS brought the lawsuit against the Republic of Cyprus demanding the opening of a Turkish Language School in Limassol in line with the rights stemming from the 1960 Constitution.

A group of members from the KTOS carried out a protest outside the Court house and carried placards calling for respect to basic rights of the people.

Its been reported that there was a tight search for the group from the trade union at the Ledra Palace Check Point and that it was escorted by police to the court building.

Speaking after the hearing, the President of the Cyprus Turkish Teachers Union Sener Elcil alleged that the government of Cyprus has been trying to remove the social rights of the Turkish Cypriots and to change the 1960 Constitution.

He added that the Union brought the case with the aim of opening a dossier which has been closed for forty-two years.

Mr Elcil also said that the main aim of the KTOS was to help open the way for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[08] The Chinese Foreign Ministry says that China is closely following the Developments on the Cyprus problem

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that the Chinese government is closely following the developments on the Cyprus problem.

Commenting on the new action plan by Turkey on the Cyprus issue, a Spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that any future solution in Cyprus should guarantee the interests of both the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot Communities.

The spokesperson also stated that China, as a permanent member of United Nations Security Council, was in support of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annans efforts towards bringing a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot CUMHURIYET newspaper (10.02.06) reports that the statement was made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Mr Kong Quan, who also expressed the Peoples Republic of Chinas support for the sovereignty, the territorial integrity and the independence of Cyprus.

[09] CUMHURIYET: Cyprus problem in the National program

In the new program, compared to previous ones, the Cyprus problem will be mentioned directly and the plan submitted by Turkey to the UN will be included as well.

The new plan, compared to the previous ones which were composed of several hundred pages will be prepared as action plan. In the new action plan prepared, elements such as the Accession Partnership document, Cyprus position, the possibility of retrial of Abdullah Ocalan, recognition of further rights to minorities, to get rid of the snags and hitches regarding the property rights of Foundations and Trusts, are included.

The paper goes on and reports: The most critical section of the document is Cyprus. According to the diplomatic sources, since the Cyprus problem has been mentioned in the Accession Partnership and Negotiation Framework Documents, then it is necessary to include the problem in the National program as well. Ankara will annex to the program the action plan it had submitted to the UN. This way, entry of ships and planes with Greek Cypriot administration registration, to the Turkish ports and airports will be registered officially as problem.

Subtitle: Ankara will give date

In the program, not only which steps on the EU course and at what time they would be taken is fixed, it will also be mentioned when Turkey will make initiative as regards Cyprus.

However, adds the paper, sources who took part in the preparation stage of the program said that this section in the new document states that Turkey will take steps if the Greek Cypriot Administration accepts a settlement proposal put forward by the UN Secretary-General and if the EU approves financial regulations regarding the TRNC.

The source state that the program prepared by the EU General Secretariat is still in a draft form. It will receive its final form by next month.

The government considers not suitable the renewal of the program in 2004 and 2005 because in the EU documents there were demands contrary to Turkeys interests.

[10] Facts about the foreign trade of the TRNC

The exports increased by 8 % in 2005 compared to 2004. The increase in the imports reached 38 %.

The largest amount of money was spent for the imports of vehicles in 2005. The total amount spent was 175 million 510 thousand and 312 dollars. This number was 159 million 568 thousand and 504 dollars in 2004.

The highest increase in 2005 was seen in the imports of paints for houses (131%) and furniture (130 %).

Citrus fruits, milk products, ready-made clothes and raki are the products taking the first place in the exports of the TRNC in 2005. A boom was observed in the exports of carobs as they increased by 1556 % in 2005.

65.8 % of the imports were made from Turkey, 21.7 % from EU member countries, 7.2 % from Far East countries, 2 % from other European countries and the rest from other Middle East and other countries.

51.2 % of the exports are made to Turkey, 25.7 % to EU member countries, 10.4 % to other European countries and 10.3 % to Middle Eastern countries.

(I/Ts.)

[11] Rauf Denktas on Evkaf property

Denktas denied some Turkish Cypriot press reports that his meeting was secret. He said: The meeting took place before the eyes of the people at a hotel in Famagusta.

Denktas went on and said that Turkish Cypriot leader Talat and the self-styled Prime Minister Soyer were briefed on the meeting and in turn they had conveyed their views on the issue to them.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] The real cause behind the rift in the United Cyprus Party

Under the title Why did they overthrow Izzet? And head-title Behind the scenes of the bloodless coup!, the paper reports the following:

Some strange things are definitely happening in North Cyprus Despite having a population of approximately 200,000 there are more than ten political parties in this area, more than one thousand Unions/Associations/Societies, ten daily newspapers and six TV channels

Instead of calling this inflation they call it many voices or democratic formations When the situation is like this, the handful of politicians and journalists are divided into ten pieces and inn the end squabbles and chaos occur The last person to suffer the effect of this chaos was United Cyprus Party (BKP) Secretary-General Izzet Izcan. Izzet Izcan, with few supporters and fewer election votes, had nonetheless drawn unfavourable attention to himself through his activities, and was therefore removed from office last weekend by an unarmed coup. In spite of the partys Founders committee being made up of fifteen people, seven member votes removed Izcan from office, and many criticisms were leveled against him.

At the end of the so-called coup, the party announced that Zihni Uysal the new Secretary-General and the partys oldest member Fadil Cagda, accused Izzet Izcan of exceeding his duty and responsibilities by removing from office 5 months ago the members of the Executive committee: We cannot accept the appointment to the administration of a group of people in the place of those who, under the name of the Troika faction, reject conciliation with a status quo which defends separate statehood, and which promotes partition.

In the meantime, BKP Secretary-General Izzet Izcan claimed that a small group of people within the party had secretly tried to carry out a coup and overrule the party administration and declared that legally this was invalid.

The spokesman of the 7-man group, Fadil Cagda, which overthrew BKP Leader Izzet Izcan in the middle of the night, said they wanted an active demonstration in order to unite Cyprus. Speaking to our editor Resat Akar, Cagda outlines his action plan as follows:

We must eliminate the barricades.

We must go to Brussels and officially request the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus.

We must send back the Turkish refugees.

We must request the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus.

Fadil Cagda, said 7 members of the Founders Committee had removed BKP Leader Izzet Izcan from office because he neither supported nor gave any credence to these requests and was trying to impose A Chieftaincy type of administration. Cagda announced that the partys 1st Ordinary General Meeting, previously planned for 19 February, had been postponed and that Izcan had been taken to the disciplinary committee. Izzet Izcan, on the other hand, had stated that the general meeting would take place on 12 February.

/SK

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