Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-03-21

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat, Soyer and Serdar Denktas met on EU financial regulation.

[02] The indictment against senior Turkish general was dropped.

[03] The Turkish Foreign Minister underwent ear surgery. Trip to US cancelled.

[04] A delegation of the OIC arrived in the occupied areas.

[05] UBP and TKP recourse to the constitutional court against the property law .

[06] A delegation of an Association in occupied Morfou is visiting Brussels.

[07] Peace and Democracy Movement Official: Citizenship bill lacks sincerity and seriousness.

[08] The Turkish side launches an attack in the field of tourism.

[09] Ozdil Nami called on the Turkish Cypriot side to accept the EU financial aid package.

[10] Kutlay Erk says occupied Lefkosia Municipality to get one full and one substitute seat at the European Council´s Local and Regional Administrations Congress.

[11] Turkey-Britain Parliamentary delegation visits London.

[12] Dr Emrullah Isler Erdogan´s Advisor on Middle East issues.

[13] EU commission Representative urges Turkey to maintain reforms.

[14] The Kazakh Parliament´s Foreign Affairs chairman said Turkey´s accession to EU means Kazakhstan´s accession too. Calls to support the occupation of Cyprus.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] The headscarf of Erdem Bagci´s wife draws reaction from the press over Erdogan´s intention to appoint him Central Bank governor.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat, Soyer and Serdar Denktas met on EU financial regulation

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas have ruled out any crisis likely to affect the CTP DP coalition government.

The two leaders were received by President Mehmet Ali Talat today at a meeting dominated by the ongoing political debate on whether or not the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (`TRNC´) should accept the 139 million Euros worth of EU financial aid package for North Cyprus.

The meeting took place at President Talats home in Girne (occupied Kyrenia), as the President of the Republic is still convalescing after last months heart operation.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas said in a joint press release after the one-hour-fifteen minute meeting that theres no problem to affect the coalition government at the moment.

Theres no discontent within the government whatsoever said the Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas who is the leader of the Democrat Party, the junior partner of the coalition.

He said it is now clear that the two parties making up the coalition government have a convergence of views on the EU financial assistance issue.

For his part, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer said the issue of EU financial assistance to the `TRNC´ was discussed in guidelines only.

Rejecting the Greek Cypriot foreign ministry spokesmans claim that the EU Commissions local office being set up will be situated in South Cyprus; the Prime Minister said that it is totally unacceptable for the Turkish Cypriot People to do anything that will need the approval of or mean the acceptance of, the Greek Cypriot sovereignty over Turkish Cypriots.

No Turkish Cypriot will ever fall prey to this provocative action he said, reiterating the Turkish Cypriot sides determination to maintain its own contacts with the European Union.

(Tr. Note: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the illegal regime set up by the Turkish Republic in the areas of Cyprus ethnically cleansed by the Turkish army)

[02] The indictment against senior Turkish general was dropped

General Yasar Buyukanit was named in the indictment prepared by a prosecutor investigating the bombing of a bookshop in the south eastern Turkish town of Semdinli last November in which two people were killed and more than a dozen persons were wounded. Two senior non commissioned officers (NCO) and a military informant have been implicated in the attack.

Soon after the bombing, General Buyukanit publicly praised one of the NCOs charged, saying he was a good soldier and a good boy. The investigating prosecutor, Ferhat Sarikaya, then claimed the general had attempted to influence the judicial system. He also claimed the general had abused his position and had tried to establish an illegal crime organisation.

However, on Monday, the armed forces said General Buyukanit, the commander of Turkeys land forces, had no case to answer.

On the same issue Ankara Anatolia news agency (20.03.06) reported from Ankara that the Turkish Justice Ministry inspectors who carry out an investigation about Van Prosecutor Ferhat Sarikaya, have completed their work in eastern Van city and returned to Ankara on Monday. Sometime ago Sarikaya has submitted to Van Criminal Court an indictment accusing some top-brass generals of forming gangs.

The two inspectors who went to eastern Van city to carry out an investigation upon instructions of Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, are going to write a report after examining the claims raised by some press organs about Semdinli indictment prepared by Van Prosecutor.

The Justice Ministry Criminal Affairs Department will examine the report (to be prepared by the inspectors) and if it considers serious disciplinary charges included in the report against Van Prosecutor Sarikaya and other concerned officials, it will send file to the Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors.

Moreover, the Ankara Office of the Chief of the General Staff on 20 March, 2006 issued the following press statement Number BA-07/06:

1. Two files prepared by the Office of the Van Chief State Prosecutor on the issue known to the public as the Semdinli Indictment reached the Office of the Chief of the General Staff on 13 March 2006.

2. The allegations, denunciations, complaints, and assessments in the two files were reviewed within the framework of the legal provisions cited in the technical statement made by the Office of the Chief of the General Staff on 8 March 2006, and the following conclusions were reached.

a. It was seen, regarding the statement which was alleged to have been intended to influence the judiciary, and which is very well known among the public, that only a portion of this statement was, intentionally, taken into account, with the purpose of establishing a judgment. It is clear when the expression is considered as a whole that the intention imputed was simply not there.

b. In connection with yet another accusation contained in the indictment, in which the act of establishing a criminal gang is cited by the State Prosecutor, the fact that, even though there is a preliminary investigation currently underway within the military judiciary, attention was paid to new statements on the same topic made by the same individual, and without relying on any concrete evidence or findings, the name of a high-ranking commander was implicated in the same accusations as if this were a new incident, shows that there was a departure from the ethical rules of law.

c. A grave legal error was committed by lodging very serious accusations of abuse of office, bribery, and smuggling against certain personnel of the Turkish Armed Forces based on the imaginary claims of an individual, with no concrete evidence, whose signature was not even on the letter of denunciation contained in the file, and about whom we have confirmed through documents from official authorities that the address he had provided was false.

c. A tasking procedure made in order for intelligence to be collected for preventive law enforcement purposes, even though it is stated clearly in the laws that this comes within the scope of the Gendarmerie's civilian duties, was linked to personnel who do not have civilian duties or responsibilities in the region, but who assume operational command and control over enforcement forces following a request by the governor, even though there was [in this case] no such request, and these personnel were thus subjected to accusations which had no relation to reality.

d. The state prosecutor who prepared the indictment, and who from among the allegations, denunciations, and complaints which reached him should have referred those which come under the authority of the Office of the Chief of the General Staff to that office in their original form, without conducting an investigation or using any expressions which would reflect a judgment, exceeded his legal authorities and created a definition of crimes according to his own lights and included this in the indictment in an inappropriate manner.

e. When the methods and material errors and deficiencies in the indictment are taken into account, it is considered that a state prosecutor could not be this bereft of legal knowledge or this inexperienced, and that in order for him to have made such evident errors, he may have been under the influence and indoctrination of a certain viewpoint, which has in fact been reflected in the public as well.

f. The opinion has been reached that, in terms of content, the sections in question of this indictment go beyond their purpose, are rather more political than legal in nature, and are aimed at discrediting the Turkish Armed Forces and weakening their will and resolve in the struggle against terrorism by targeting certain of their personnel.

3. In light of the detailed review conducted and the conclusions reached, it has been decided that there is no need, within the scope of the files transmitted to the Office of the Chief of the General Staff, to open an investigation regarding those personnel over whom the Office of the Chief of the General Staff has authority, except for those cases which were earlier referred to the military judicial authorities.

4. As is very well known to the great Turkish Nation, the Turkish Armed Forces are an institution that believes wholeheartedly in the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. With regard to incidences of illegal behavior emerging from within the ranks of its personnel, if there are serious and consistent allegations, they institute the necessary procedures without hesitation, and without a need for guidance or suggestions by anyone. The fact that, with this being the case, a document prepared with a certain agenda but lacking in any legal basis has been drawn up, has seriously disturbed both the public conscience and the Turkish Armed Forces.

5. In the face of these unjust and ill-intentioned accusations leveled against the Turkish Armed Forces, those who bear the primary constitutional responsibility should take a stance, expose this attack in all its various aspects, reveal the representatives of the distorted mentality behind it regardless of what their official titles, status, or positions might be, and institute the necessary procedures in their regard. Within this framework, the necessary initiative has already been launched with the appropriate authorities by ourselves regarding the state prosecutor who drew up the indictment. The Turkish Armed Forces are fully aware of these initiatives being taken against them, and will follow them up the utmost via legal channels.

6. The Turkish Armed Forces, with the strength that they draw from their nation, will continue to fulfill their sacred responsibility, with all their personnel, for the unity and the wholeness of the country, freely sacrificing their lives should this become necessary. We want to state once again in confirmation to our great nation that this determination to struggle will not be able to be broken, and that no matter how much of an effort might be made to do so, it will not be possible to sow seeds of dissension in this sacred institution.

[03] The Turkish Foreign Minister underwent ear surgery. Trip to US cancelled

Namik Tan, spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the A.A that Gul had been suffering from a serious respiratory infection for nearly 10 days.

''A trauma developed in his inner ear due to cabin pressure aboard the plane on his way to Tunisia. Therefore, Foreign Minister Gul underwent a surgery at the GATA. His doctors told us that he was in good condition. He will be discharged from hospital soon,'' Tan added.

On the same issue Istanbul NTV television (20.03.06) broadcast the following:

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to the United States has been cancelled because of the surgery he underwent for an ear trauma. Gul will remain in the Gulhane Military Medical Academy tonight. He underwent surgery for trauma in his inner ears. It has been reported that he is in good health and that he might be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Mrs Hayrunnisa Gul is accompanying Abdullah Gul in the hospital. He will not be able to travel to the United States because of his health situation. The meetings he would have had with Secretary of State Rice and UN Secretary-General Annan next week have been cancelled. It has been reported that Gul will not be able to fly in a plane for a few months.

[04] A delegation of the OIC arrived in the occupied areas

A delegation from the Organization of Islamic Conference arrived in the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus´ (`TRNC´) this morning for a series of contacts.

The delegation is made up of the Assistant Secretary General of the OIC Atta Avmannan, the deputy Head of the Islamic Development Bank Said Abbas, and the Director of the Islamic Solidarity Fund Gazi Bakis, as well as other officials.

The group will be visiting Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and deputy Prime Minister - Foreign Minister Serdar Denktash tomorrow.

They will also hold contacts with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

(Tr. Note:Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the illegal regime set up by the Turkish Republic in the areas of Cyprus under the occupation of 40,000 fully equipped Turkish troops).

[05] UBP and TKP recourse to the constitutional court against the property law

The paper writes that the decision was taken after separate meetings of the administration council and the committee of the party and closed-door voting. The appeal will be filed today.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily ORTAM newspaper (21.03.06) reports that the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) will also file an appeal today to the constitutional court against the above-mentioned law.

TKPs general secretary, Mehmet Davulcu said that their lawyers will recourse against the law arguing that it is contrary to the constitution.

(I/Ts.)

[06] A delegation of an Association in occupied Morfou is visiting Brussels

The delegation headed by Hakan Kuntay, will hold contacts with members of the European Parliament and officials of the Office for the Turkish Cypriots at the European Commission. It will also meet with members of the COREPER, members of the Austrian EU presidency and some officials of Finland, which will act as EU president for the next period.

(C/S)

[07] Peace and Democracy Movement Official: Citizenship bill lacks sincerity and seriousness

The written statement published by the BDH press office says that if the draft bill is taken together with the recent Aliens Law passed recently by the Assembly then one openly sees that the Bill is not a realistic approach. Mr. Halil Sadrazam goes on and says that despite the warning given by the BDH that the amended Aliens Law will give chance to 150 thousand people to receive citizenship, the Republican Turkish Party (RTP)-Democrat Party (DP) coalition government has realized the amendment.

Mr. Sadrazam adds that after passing the amendment there was a reciprocal protocol on the aliens issue between Turkey and the self-styled regime .Despite the fact that some of the articles were contrary to the Aliens Law it was adopted by the Assembly.

He demanded the amendment of the new bill and the citizenship law to be changed in such a way that it will render difficult the naturalization and it will be selective: The new bill proposed by the government is nothing but postponement for a time being of the assimilation threat that waits the Turkish Cypriot people, said Sadrazam.

Referring to the planned census which was postponed to another date Mr. Sadrazam said that in the past the census results were hidden from the people and he urged the government to be transparent and publish all the results of the census. He said that the census should be carried out with neutral observers.

(MHY)

[08] The Turkish side launches an attack in the field of tourism

The protocols provide for giving incentives to the Turkish Cypriot Airlines to travel to destinations such as Turkey and Germany.

The self-styled ambassador of Turkey to the occupied part of Nicosia, Mr Aydan Karahan was also present at the signing ceremony. Mr Karahan signed as a witness to the protocols.

Mr Karahan said that these protocols will have a great contribution to the development of the tourism in the occupied areas of Cyprus and that Turkey will continue its contributions in this direction.

In his statements, the self-styled minister of economy and tourism, Mr Dervis Kemal Deniz thanked the government of Turkey, Mr Karahan and the Coordinator of Turkeys Aid Committee, Mr Mehmet Ilhan for their contribution to the tourism of the TRNC and especially to advertising TRNC abroad and for the investments in the area of occupied Vokolida village.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Ozdil Nami called on the Turkish Cypriot side to accept the EU financial aid package

Mr Nami made these statements speaking at a TV programme of Genc TV Station yesterday.

He stated that the establishment in south Cyprus (the Republic of Cyprus) of the EU Commission Centre which will coordinate the use of the EU financial aid will not be an obstacle. In the south there will only be a name plate, the office which will do the actual job will be at the TRNC, he said.

Noting that the issue is under discussion at the EU, Mr Nami stated that the money will be finally given to the TRNC. He said that the issue is also discussed in the north and the south of Cyprus and stated that there is one thing that is certain: These money will not be given under the guardianship of the Greek Cypriot administration, as he called to the Republic of Cyprus. He added that all the organs at the EU know and have accepted that the Turkish Cypriots will not accept the financial aid under the Greek Cypriot guardianship.

(C/S)

[10] Kutlay Erk says occupied Lefkosia Municipality to get one full and one substitute seat at the European Council´s Local and Regional Administrations Congress

The Mayor of Lefkosia Kutlay Erk has said that the Lefkosia Municipality will be entitled to get one full and one substitute membership at the Council of Europes Local and Regional Administrations Congress.

Mr Erk also announced that the Italian President of the Congress Di Stasi is expected to visit the island in May.

Referring to last weeks Council of Europes spring session of Local and Regional Administrations Congress in Strasbourg, Mr Erk said the Greek Cypriot side has been ordered to empty the two seats they were occupying until now.

He also said that the Italian President of the Congress Di Stasi is expected to pay a visit to the island before the implementation of the decision.

[11] Turkey-Britain Parliamentary delegation visits London

The delegation will start its talks with British parliamentarians on Tuesday. They are scheduled to meet Robert Key, a member of the British Parliamentary Defense Committee, and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

A non-governmental organization named ''Turkish Forum UK'' will host a dinner in honor of the delegation on Wednesday. Members of the delegation will also listen to problems of Turkish people living in Britain during the dinner.

The delegation is expected to return to Turkey on March 23rd.

[12] Dr Emrullah Isler Erdogan´s Advisor on Middle East issues

13.EU commission Representative urges Turkey to maintain reforms

Ankara Anatolia news agency (20.03.06) reported from Adana that the EU Commission's Representative to Turkey Hansjorg Kretschmer said on Monday that ''Turkey achieved great progress in political and economic areas'', adding that ''the reform process should continue''.

Speaking in the EU Information Network Training Seminar hosted by Adana Trade Chamber, Kretschmer said that ''political, economic, and structural reforms should continue in Turkey. There is no place for lassitude.''

''There are still important reforms to be implemented in Turkey'', said Kretschmer.

Kretschmer stressed that judiciary reform was very important in respect of the whole reform process, adding that ''all the steps necessary for a judicial reform have not been taken yet; I mean the process is not complete. Many people in Turkey believe that the judicial system should work better.''

As to the relations between civilian and military authorities, Kretschmer indicated that ''more steps should be taken to increase the civilian control over the military. Also the budget of the armed forces should be open to inspection and become more transparent'', he said.

Kretschmer added that Turkey-EU screening process which started after October 3, 2005 (when Turkey-EU accession talks started) was also going well.

[14] The Kazakh Parliament´s Foreign Affairs chairman said Turkey´s accession to EU means Kazakhstan´s accession too. Calls to support the occupation of Cyprus

Korkmazcan met Kazakh Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security Committee Chairman Serik Abdrahmanov and an accompanying delegation the same day.

Korkmazcan said in the meeting that they were determined to establish unity among parliaments of the Turkish world. Korkmazcan also referred to Armenian terrorism and said: ''It is Armenia which occupied Azerbaijan, which is a Turkic territory.''

Abdrahmanov said in his part that the effective and important position of Turkey in the world was very important for the Turkish world.

''The cooperation between Turkey and Kazakh parliaments is very important. The democracy experience of Turkey will be very useful for Kazakhstan,'' said Abdrahmanov who also stressed the need of forming a joint parliament among Turkish speaking countries.

Today the Kazakh delegation also met Turkish Deputy Parliament Speaker Ismail Alptekin. Alptekin said in the meeting that the relations between the two parliaments should be further improved. Alptekin also said that Turkey expected Kazakhstan's support to Turkey's Cyprus cause and to develop relations with Turkish Cypriots.

Turkish Cypriot KIBRISLI newspaper (21.03.06) reports that on his part, Mr Abdrahmanov said that his country supports Turkey´s accession to the EU and added: Turkey´s accession to the EU means Kazakhstan´s accession to the EU.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] The headscarf of Erdem Bagci´s wife draws reaction from the press over Erdogan´s intention to appoint him Central Bank governor

Turkish HURRIYET newspaper (20.03.06) quotes Is Bankasi President Ersin Ozince as saying that Basci has a 30-year experience in the financial sector and it is "absurd" to link his Central Bank appointment with his family members, adding that to date no questions were raised about the lifestyles of the spouses of Central Bank governors.

Turkish CUMHURIYET newspaper (20.03.06) publishes statements by the Republican People´s Party (CHP) deputy leader Mustafa Ozyurek who said that the AKP is intending to turn the Central Bank into an "Islamic bank" that would subsidize the government during the elections.

On 20.03.06 CUMHURIYET columnist Yakup Kepenek argues that the Central Bank incident is yet another example of AKP's design to control state bureaucracy: "Since coming to power, the AKP government is step by step implementing its policy of seizing the public administration. It is placing its supporters, that is the Islamists, not only at the top of the public institutions and organizations but also at any position where a vacancy appears," he writes.

Former Foreign Minister Mumtaz Soysal, writing also in CUMHURIYET (20.03.06) warns that the crisis surrounding the appointment of the new Central Bank governor has nothing to do with Basci's wife but everything to do with AKP's policy of seizing the public institutions and "turning the republic into something else," warning that this is an "extremely dangerous" design that could cause "deep explosions."

Under the title, "History will condemn discriminators against those wearing headscarves," YENI SAFAK newspaper (20.03.06) publishes a front-page report which quotes Prime Minister Erdogan as saying that just as those who engaged in color discrimination in the past are being denounced today, so those discriminating against people wearing headscarves will be condemned in the future. According to the report, Erdogan made this remark in an address in Istanbul yesterday in which he criticized those insisting that the new president of the Central Bank should not be a person whose wife wears a headscarf.

Under the title, "They will be condemned," VAKIT newspaper (20.03.06) publishes a front-page report which highlights Prime Minister Erdogan's "sharp

response" to those "discriminating against people who wear headscarves" in his address to the local AKP congress in the Fatih district of Istanbul yesterday.

Under the title, "It makes no sense to discuss the wife of the President of the Central Bank," ZAMAN newspaper (20.03.06) publishes a front-page report which outlines reactions from the Turkish business world to the controversy over whether the next president of the Central Bank could be someone whose wife wears a Muslim headscarf.

/SK

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