Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-09-26

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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 approves the cabinet list of the coalition government in occupied Cyprus.

[02] Only 2,700 Turkish students have enrolled to the universities in the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

[03] UBP and DP boycotted parliaments session; Call for early elections.

[04] Soyer explained to SABAH the reasons for the break-up of the coalition government.5. Letter by Turkey to the EU on the Turkey Report.

[06] A new proposal by Finland on the Cyprus problem.

[07] Turkish General replies to Kretschmer.

[08] Poll shows 71% of Turkish people oppose to Erdogan becoming President.

[09] Kurdish Mayors to trial by The High Criminal Court in Diyarbakir.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat approves the cabinet list of the coalition government in occupied Cyprus

The cabinet list of the new coalition government formed by the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) and the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) has been approved by `President´ Mehmet Ali Talat.

The new government will be led by the CTP-BG Leader Ferdi Sabit Soyer.

The Leader of the junior partner of the coalition Freedom and Reform Party Turgay Avci takes on as the deputy-Prime Minister, and is also to have the Foreign Minister portfolio in the new cabinet.

The leader of the Republican Turkish Party United Forces Ferdi Sabit Soyer and the leader of the newly formed Freedom and Reform Party Turgay Avci visited President Mehmet Ali Talat this morning to present the new cabinet.

Speaking here, Prime Minister Soyer said that the new government will continue to work in line with the 8th of July set of principles and in cooperation with Turkey to help bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of the political equality of the two sides and a bi-zonal order.

President Talat gave his approval for the cabinet and asked the new government to bring into life the much-debated public-sector reforms.

The new cabinet is made up of ten Ministries 7 of which go to the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces, and 3 to the Freedom and Reform Party.

The protocol of the new government introduces new changes in the existing cabinet structure; the Ministry of Youth and Sports will be abolished and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources will be established.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will also be divided into two, meaning that the Forestry will be a responsibility of the newly established Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

And here is the full list of the members of the new cabinet:

Prime Minister: Ferdi Sabit Soyer

Deputy-Prime Minister Foreign Minister: Turgay Avci

Minister of Finance: Ahmet Uzun

Minister of Interior: Ozkan Murat

Minister of Public Works and Communications: Salih Usar

Minister of Labor and Social Security: Sonay Adem

Minister of Health: Esref Vaiz

Minister of Education and Culture: Canan Oztoprak

Minister of Agriculture: Onder Sennaroglu

Minister of Economy and Tourism: Enver Ozturk

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources: Asim Vehbi.

Talat said that he was informed on the cabinet earlier and noted: I am approving the list. May it be auspicious.

President Talat drew the attention of the government to the World Bank's report on the Turkish Cypriot economy. He said that according to the report, a serious crisis will be unavoidable in 2010.

Recalling the serious problems in the social insurance systems, Talat asserted that a single and rationalized system must be adopted. Noting that productivity in the public sector must be increased, Talat said that the public administration must be reviewed and reforms in the public sector must be realized.

Stressing that the effort made to solve the Cyprus problem and the problems Turkey might be confronted with in its EU process will require the Turkish Cypriots to adopt a more rational approach to manage their own affairs and solve their problems by themselves, Talat noted: That is to be achieved by the government. In view of that, I wish to stress that the government is confronted with very serious problems.

The list of the new coalition government was read out to the parliament this morning at a session boycotted by the National Unity and the Democrat Parties in protest at what they see as unethical and undemocratic methods in the formation of the new coalition.

The process now continues with the presentation of the government program to parliament on Saturday, and the launching of the parliamentary debate of the program next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, transfer of duties are already underway in some ministries.

This afternoon, Enver Ozturk the new minister for Economy and Tourism took over from the outgoing minister Dervis Kemal Deniz; while Onder Sennaroglu took over from Huseyin Oztoprak as minister for Agriculture.

[02] Only 2,700 Turkish students have enrolled to the universities in the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus

Moreover, on the same issue, the Dean of the East Mediterranean University, Professor Halil Guven said that if students are not assessed with the one point system, then the TRNC economy would lose 80 million dollars in a year. The Dean of the Girne American University Serhat Akpinar said that if YOK does not solve the problem then the five illegal universities would have no other choice but to close.

(DPs)

[03] UBP and DP boycotted parliaments session; Call for early elections

``The National Unity Party (UBP) and Democratic Party (DP) of the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)´ boycotted today's parliamentary session to show their resentment over the approval of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) coalition by `TRNC President´ Mehmet Ali Talat.

UBP leader Huseyin Ozgurgun and DP Secretary General Ertugrul Hasipoglu repeated their call for early elections.

Ozgurgun pointed out that the will of the people was not represented at the parliament and said: "It's impossible to understand with what motive and ambition Mr Sabit Soyer acts, his taking every harmful way there is, for the Turkish Cypriots."

Hasipoglu pointed out that what had been done was not ethical and said: "People who have won the votes under different parties have been transferred, this interference has harmed democracy and the secularity of the state severely."

Hasipoglu said: "They would keep on boycotting the parliament's activities, and would wait for their dismissal from the parliament due to the exercise of the private statute." ´´

[04] Soyer explained to SABAH the reasons for the break-up of the coalition government

Soyer explained to the paper that the CTPs partnership with the DP ended for two main reasons. The first was a disagreement over the basis of the Cyprus problem and the second was that the partnership reached to a point where it could no longer move forward. One of the greatest points of friction occurred during the visit to the island of the Special Representative on Cyprus of the UN General-Secretary Kofi Annan, Mr Ibrahim Gambari. Mr Soyer said Serdar Denktas chose to go for a trip on a yacht instead of meeting with Mr Gambari in his self-styled capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence. In addition to that, Mr Soyer said that the Council of Ministers had approved that their overall goal was that of a Federal Cyprus which emerged from talks with Mr Gambari. Although registering his support for a Federal Cyprus, Mr Denktas later publicly denounced it. This inconsistency of Serdar Denktas also continued during the visit of the Contact Group of the European Parliament, Mr Soyer added. Mr Soyer concluded that Mr Serdar Denktas never failed to state at every opportunity: CTP needs me. They cannot change me.

(DPs)

[05] Letter by Turkey to the EU on the Turkey Report

(MHY)

[06] A new proposal by Finland on the Cyprus problem

The paper reports: EU sources mention that Finland is bringing a new proposal with old elements, noting that it proposes the opening of Famagusta port for trade under EU supervision while the closed-fenced area of Famagusta be turned over to UN control. The sources said that the proposals were drafted during Luxembourgs EU presidency. However, Finland has not yet clarified what shape its own elements will take in the proposal.

According to the sources, in case this proposal is accepted, the EU would ensure the lifting of the TRNCs isolation and it would be assumed Turkey would open its ports to Cypriot ships. EU sources noted that Finland has not yet submitted an official written proposal and the discussions are continuing at high diplomatic levels.

Moreover, the occupation regime denied that Finland has discussed the direct trade regulation issue with the Turkish Cypriots. It was stated that discussions on this issue are continuing with all the involved sides including Turkey, Greece, the Republic of Cyprus and the TRNC, CUMHURIYET adds.

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper reports that the Cyprus plan being prepared by the Finnish EU presidency is aimed at securing Turkeys opening of its ports and airports to Cypriot-registered ships and planes, thus avoiding a crisis over Turkey-EU accession negotiations. The paper reports further that according to the plan, Famagusta port will be operated by the EU and Varosha will be opened and placed under UN control. The paper writes that in the plan there is neither mention of opening Tymbou airport nor of Turkeys ten-point action plan. KIBRIS adds that the plan is yet to be presented to the sides.

(DPs/ MHY)

[07] Turkish General replies to Kretschmer

Turkey needs to be on the alert against a rising tide of religious fundamentalism, the commander of the countrys land forces said Monday.

Speaking at the opening educational year at the Land War Academy, General Ilker Basbug warned that the threat posed by fundamentalism was growing.

I have to sadly say that the fundamental threat has reached concern provoking dimensions, even if some circles may not accept that, Basbug said.

The Land Force Commander said that some circles intentionally, patiently and in a planned manner were trying to tarnish the republican revolution. Basbug said that some significant progress had been made in this direction, adding that he could not understand why an effort was being made to open debate over the issue of secularism.

Basbug also said that as a result of the weakening of the social nature of state that the public was being pushed towards tariquats (religious groups) which had in turn become the focus of movements against the principles of the republic, even though these tariquats were banned under law.

The Turkish Armed Forces has always been and would always be on the side of protecting the nation state, the unitarian state and secular state, the general said.

Basbug also responded to a statement by the European Unions Representative to Ankara, Hans Jörg Kretschmer, saying that the Armed Forces see themselves as the guardian of the Turkish Republic. Last week, Kretschmer said that the military in Turkey was too much involved in politics.

Basbug said that the army could not disregard attacks made on the unitarian and secular aspects of the state. The protection of the fundamental principles of the republic were not related with domestic politics but was a duty given by law, he said.

Soldiers do not have the choice or luxury of whether or not to carry out duties that were handed to them by law, Basbug said.

[08] Poll shows 71% of Turkish people oppose to Erdogan becoming President

Some 71.28% of those who participated in the poll stated that Erdogan "should definitely not become president." Some 6.64% of the respondents noted that Erdogan "is not suitable for presidency," 9.09% answered that Erdogan "is suitable for presidency," while 10.82% answered that "he should definitely become president." Some 28% of the respondents stated that they will vote for the AKP, but that they do not believe that Erdogan should submit his candidacy for presidency.

Some 19.7% of the respondents answered that Ahmet Necdet Sezer should become president, while 8.44% answered Suleyman Demirel, 8.2% answered Deniz Baykal, and 7.4% answered Devlet Bahceli.

In answer to a question on who should definitely not become president, 33% answered Sezer, 61% answered Demirel, 71% answered Erdogan, 56% answered Baykal, 50% answered Mehmet Agar, and 54% answered Bahceli.

Some 11.8% of the respondents answered that "the TBMM [Turkish Grand National Assembly] should elect the president" while 65.1% answered that "the people" should elect the president. Some 17.2% did not have any opinion on this issue.

Some 7.7% of those who participated in the poll answered "yes," 41.5% answered "no," 40.6% noted that "it does not make any difference," while 10.2% answered that they do not have an opinion on this issue."

[09] Kurdish Mayors to trial by The High Criminal Court in Diyarbakir

The 56 mayors from DTP were indicted of having sent a letter to Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark with the purpose of preventing the terrorist organization PKK from being deprived of its visual propaganda tool.

The indictment said: "The terrorist organization PKK started its acts of violence in Semdinli and Eruh in 1984. PKK established the Med TV in Britain in 1995 to reach its supporters through the mass media. After PKK was included in the EU's list of terrorist organizations, Med TV was closed down in 1999. Later, another TV channel 'Medya TV' was formed. French Supreme Board for Visual Broadcasts banned the Medya TV. As a continuation of Med TV and Medya TV, Roj TV started broadcasting in Denmark on March 1st, 2004. It broadcasts news and comments about PKK's activities."

"Fifty-six mayors from the DPT sent a letter to Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen on December 21st, 2005. In their letter, mayors claimed that Roj TV was the symbol of a constructive and positive effort aiming to develop freedom of expression in Turkey. They added that closure of Roj TV would mean loss of an important mechanism in struggle for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms," notes the indictment.

"The letter written by Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir, was sent to Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark after being approved by the other mayors. They aimed to prevent the terrorist organization PKK from being deprived of its visual propaganda tool. It is clear that they helped PKK knowingly and willingly," says the indictment.

Two of the 56 mayors previously denied having approved the letter's content and said they didn't know by whom the letter was written.

If convicted, the mayors may face up to 15 years in prison for knowingly and willingly helping the terrorist organization.

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