Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-02-16

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cyprus was discussed during Gul-Steinmeier talks in Ankara.

[02] Statements by Ferdi Sabit Soyer without any reference to the 40,000 Turkish troops.

[03] Turkey to extend $618m aid to the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] A delegation of the self-styled Assembly is holding contacts in Ankara.

[05] The Turkish Central Bank announced the balance of payments for 2005.

[06] Cyprus was discussed during the meeting between Erdogan and the Prime Minister of Bahrain.

[07] Court partly suspends charges against rights authors pending Ministry decision.

[08] Kutlay Erk exerts efforts to appease the public opinions anger against the Turkish side for not opening the Ledra Street crossing point.

[09] Conference on the Kurdish issue.

[10] About 18 million Turks live under the poverty line.

[11] Turks to return Makaravank Monastery in Cyprus to Armenians.

[12] A Turkish Cypriot woman from Larnaka wants her house.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[13] The ruling party in Turkey failed to serve its voters.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Cyprus was discussed during Gul-Steinmeier talks in Ankara

Germany has joined countries expressing the view that the Cyprus issue should be solved within the United Nations.

The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier met today with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul in Ankara.

Turkeys EU accession negotiations and the Cyprus Problem were on top of the discussions in Ankara between the two Foreign Ministers.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, the German Foreign Minister said that Germany supported Turkeys accession into the European Union.

Referring to Ankaras new Action Plan on Cyprus, Mr. Steinmeier said that he had found the opportunity to discuss the new initiative with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul and added that proposals will be evaluated and assessed.

Meanwhile, the Anatolian News Agency reported that Mr Steinmeier has made it clear during his discussions in Ankara that the Cyprus problem should be solved within the United Nations.

[02] Statements by Ferdi Sabit Soyer without any reference to the 40,000 Turkish troops

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has not been working alone on the Cyprus issue. The process which followed the announcement of the Annan Plan was under the mandate of the UN Security Council.

The Greek Cypriot Administration has been creating meaningless excuses to prevent the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations process.

The Greek Cypriot Side has been trying to get the involvement of the European Union in the Cyprus issue since its unilateral EU membership. The aim of the Greek Cypriot Leader was to get rid of the `New York Agreement` and change the basis of the talks.

The New York Agreement was reached under the aegis of the United Nations and envisaged negotiations among the two communities from the island, Turkey, Greece and Britain, and the involvement of the European Union on issues concerning it.

Accusing the Greek Cypriot side of trying to change the basis of the negotiations, he said that this was proving the fact that Mr Papadopoulos was a leader defending the non-solution of the Cyprus problem.

Mr Soyer called on the Greek Cypriot side to submit a list of changes it wants on the Annan Plan to the UN Secretary-General and to return to the negotiating table.

Mr Papadopoulos has been rejecting the involvement of an arbitrator and the setting of a timetable for the talks on the basis of the Annan Plan as he wants the continuation of the Cyprus problem he said, expressing the hope that Mr Annan will call for the resumption of the talks under the United Nations framework.

Referring to Greek Cypriot press reports that the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department Matthew Bryza has cancelled his visit to Cyprus, Mr Soyer said that no information was received on this.

But, he complained that the Republic of Cyprus had asked all ambassadors in Cyprus not to meet with Turkish Cypriot self-styled officials and even academicians at public buildings in occupied Cyprus with the aim of preventing the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot peoples established institutions.

Mr Soyer concluded: Mr Papadopoulos who had called on the UN Secretary- General to restart the Cyprus negotiations process will sit in front of `President´ Talat at future talks.

[03] Turkey to extend $618m aid to the occupied areas of Cyprus

(Tr. Note: TRNC is the illegal breakaway regime set up by the Turkish Republic in the areas of Cyprus occupied by 40,000 Turkish troops since 1974).

[04] A delegation of the self-styled Assembly is holding contacts in Ankara

A delegation from the Economy, Finance, Budgetary and Planning Committee of the `Republics Assembly´ has begun its contacts in Ankara.

The delegation met with the President of the Auditing Commission of the Turkish Grand National Assembly 0smail Özgün and the President of the Budgetary Commission Sait Açba.

Speaking during the meetings, Mr Afsaroglu explained that the Committee was to start work to harmonize the `Republic s´ laws to those of the European Union and said that the aim of their visit was to benefit from Turkeys experiences on the issue.

Noting that Turkey had been greatly contributing to the `TRNC´ budget, he said work has been continuing to attract more investments and to create a self-sufficient economy in the `Republic´.

Mr Afsaroglu said that besides the non-recognition of the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus´, all kinds of restrictions and embargoes had been preventing the improvement of the economy.

For his part, the President of the Budgetary Commission of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Sait Açba explained that there was a sharp drop in the public deficit for the last years and that they want to prepare a balanced budget for the year 2007.

He also pointed to the importance of maintaining cooperation and good relations between the two parliaments.

[05] The Turkish Central Bank announced the balance of payments for 2005

Overall current account deficit rose by 46.4 percent from 15.6 billion USD in 2004 to 22.8 billion in 2005.

Turkish Central Bank made public the balance of payments for 2005.

In December 2005, the current account deficit showed a deficit of 3.5 billion USD, 22.6 percent higher than in December 2004. This deficit is mainly accounted for by an increase in the foreign trade deficits, according to the balance of payments presentation, by 9.4 percent reaching to 3.2 billion USD, while net tourism revenues reach to 478 million USD with a 5.1 percent increase over the same month of 2004.

The foreign trade deficit in 2005 increased by 36.4 percent to 32.5 billion USD in comparison with 2004. The key factors underlying this development are the rise of exports (FOB) by 15.8 percent to 73.1 billion, the decrease of shuttle trade by 10.5 percent to 3.4 billion USD, and the increase of imports (CIF) including gold imports by 19 percent to 116 billion USD.

In comparison with 2004, the services surplus increased by 9.5 percent to 14 billion USD in 2005, mainly as a result of an increase in net tourism revenues and higher receipts from construction services abroad.

[06] Cyprus was discussed during the meeting between Erdogan and the Prime Minister of Bahrain

The paper reports that during the meeting Erdogan has asked Al Khalifas support in removing the so-called isolations imposed on the Turkish Cypriots. HURRIYET claims that during the meeting Al Khalifa said: We support your just cause. During the meeting they also discussed the opening of a Bahraini embassy in Ankara. Khalifa told Erdogan that work is going on regarding opening of an embassy in Ankara.

The paper reports that rich investors accompanied Al Khalifa.

[07] Court partly suspends charges against rights authors pending Ministry decision

A criminal court in Ankara began trying two Turkish professors Ibrahim Kaboglu and Baskin Oran on charges of ''insulting judiciary'' and ''inciting hatred and enmity''.

Former Human Rights Advisory Board Chairman Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Kaboglu and Prof. Dr. Baskin Oran, the head of the sub-commission on human rights, are being accused of inciting hatred and enmity in the ''Minorities and Cultural Rights Report'' they released in 2004.

In today's hearing, the court halted trial of these two professors on charges of ''insulting judiciary'', and decided to wait for the decision of the Justice Ministry regarding this charge.

On the other hand, the court ruled that their trial on incite charges goes on.

Today's hearing was attended by both professors, foreign mission representatives in Ankara, and many journalists.

Defending himself, Kaboglu said, ''we only criticized and made some suggestions. This is very sad. I am being tried for defending independence of judiciary and freedom of speech in my whole career.''

The prosecutor asks for prison terms up to five years for Kaboglu and Oran.

The ''Minorities and Cultural Rights Report'' was adopted by the Human Rights Advisory Board on October 1st, 2004. It consists of chapters like ''minority concept in the world and its definition'', ''minority concept in Turkey, its definition and cultural rights'', ''concerned regulations and implementation in Turkey'', and ''court decisions in Turkey''. The report also lays down several proposals.

[08] Kutlay Erk exerts efforts to appease the public opinions anger against the Turkish side for not opening the Ledra Street crossing point

The Mayor of Lefkosia Kutlay Erk has said he is ready to resume unconditional talks on the opening of a new crossing point at Lokmaci in central Lefkosia.

In an interview with the Greek Cypriot Cyprus Mail newspaper, Mr Erk said the only thing we can do is to sit down together and come to an agreement. Mr Erk added that he was willing to do this with absolutely no preconditions, and said: I have no red lines. The sky is the limit.

Meanwhile, commenting on Mr Erks proposal for unconditional talks on the issue, Turkish Cypriot daily ORTAM newspaper (16.02.06) writes that this is only a maneuver and expresses the opinion that in this manner Mr Erk is exerting efforts to direct the reaction of the public opinion towards the Greek Cypriot side and get rid of the pressure. The paper notes that Mr Erk did not think of discussing the issue with the Greek Cypriots before he built the bridge.

Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI newspaper (16.02.06) refers to the issue under the banner headlines Open the gate!. Addressing Mr Erk it says: Pull down the wall and the bridge. Stop the shows and sit at the table with (mayor of Nicosia) Zambellas in order to open the door!

(I/Ts.)

[09] Conference on the Kurdish issue

[10] About 18 million Turks live under the poverty line

[11] Turks to return Makaravank Monastery in Cyprus to Armenians

AGOS weekly had a phone conversation with the Turkish businessman to check out the information. The Department of Historic Monuments and Museums of Northern Cyprus has annulled the agreement. I think Makaravank was included in the list of mansions awaiting return to southern Cyprus. For that reason the authorities of the Turkish sector annulled the agreement signed for 49 years. I certainly will sue them. But even if I win, I doubt they will hand the mansion over to me. Apparently the Turkish authorities of Northern Cyprus have decided to return the mansion to its true owners the Cypriot Armenians.

[12] A Turkish Cypriot woman from Larnaka wants her house

Mrs Halide Ali told KIBRIS that in spite of the fact that the Larnaka District Court decided that the house should be returned to her, the decision has not yet been implemented by the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, which according to Mrs Alis allegation, are using delaying tactics and postpone the return of the house which is at 100 Piyale Pasha Street in Larnaka.

Referring to the officials of the Republic of Cyprus, Mrs Ali said: The departments in the south do not say no to the Turkish Cypriots, they always speak positively, but they take no actions. They only apply delaying tactics.

She argued that she is unjustly treated because the Greek Cypriot officials do not apply the laws and added that she is paying a high rent for the house she is living now and that she is thinking of filing charges against the government of the Republic of Cyprus asking for material and moral compensations. All I want is the house in which no one is living at the moment, she said.

(I/Ts.)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[13] The ruling party in Turkey failed to serve its voters

Mr Ulsever argues that the ruling party has failed to meet the expectations of its grassroots since it came to power. Pointing to the ongoing unemployment problem and the allegations of corruption against the AKP, the columnist says: "After coming to power, the government wisely realized that IMF prescriptions were the only way to solve the economic problems and that it continued to implement them. However, there were conflicts between the expectations of the grassroots and the IMF proposals." He asserts that the AKP has been unable to find "satisfactory" methods to solve the problems of the jobless people who are suffering from poverty.

/SK

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