Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-12-15

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat has briefed the political party leaders about the recent developments in the Cyprus problem.

[02] Akinci reiterates the demand of the opening of Ledra Street crossing point; Avci says that the ministry of foreign affairs will be reformed.

[03] Statements of Baykal on the Cyprus problem: Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot live together.

[04] 34 Syrians arrested for illegal entry to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus.

[05] Self-styled minister says that 100 lambs from Romania have illegally been brought into the occupied areas from the free areas of the Republic.

[06] Erdogan to visit US 17-20 December.

[07] Turkey has met EU criteria says US official.

[08] Turkey, Israel and Jordan to carry out natural disaster exercise on 17-21 December.

[09] Tahsin Ertugruloglu is the only candidate for the presidency of the UBP.

[10] Turhan Beydagli has been re-elected chairman of the Hoteliers Union.

[11] Internet child porno widespread in Turkey.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] The Port Maneuver.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat has briefed the political party leaders about the recent developments in the Cyprus problem

In statements after the meeting the self-styled Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer argued that the aim of Greek Cypriots is to prevent the UN procedure for reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem. He added that the Turkish Cypriots will try to make the chaos which the Greek Cypriots have created to regress.

Mr Soyer said that they will concentrate their efforts on the UN solution procedure and on bringing onto the agenda the technical issues related with the agreement reached during the UN undersecretary for political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari visit and the beginning of the negotiations process.

The self-styled minister of foreign affairs Turgay Avci, leader of the Freedom and Reform Party, said that they evaluated the latest developments and that they will hold more detailed meetings within the next few days.

Meanwhile, the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), Huseyin Ozgurgun said that they were informed about the Cyprus problem, the recent developments, the procedure and the speculations.

In his statements, the leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Serdar Denktas noted that Mr Talat informed them on something which belongs to the past, that is Turkeys proposal regarding the ports. Mr Denktas said that it has once more been understood that the proposals were prepared and submitted without being discussed with the Turkish Cypriots.

Furthermore, Mehmet Cakici, General Secretary of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) said that they questioned whether or not the authorities of the TRNC were informed about Turkeys recent proposals and added that his party will support any proposal which will contribute to the rapprochement of the two

communities.

Mr Cakici said that the promise which the EU has given on the issue of lifting of the isolations, on which the other parties emphasize, is not in the direction of the continuation of a separatist state.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci reiterates the demand of the opening of Ledra Street crossing point; Avci says that the ministry of foreign affairs will be reformed

We have no electricity to use at home, but we illuminate the flag on the mountain, he said. Mr Akinci asked from the self-styled government to exert harder effort for solving the electricity problem and for keeping its promise on the issue.

Mr Akinci referred once more to the issue of the opening of the crossing point in the area of Ledra Street in Nicosia and called on the self-styled minister of foreign affairs Turgay Avci to undertake an initiative for removing the bridge, which the breakaway regime built in the area.

Mr Akinci argued that in case the bridge is removed, President Papadopoulos will be forced to demolish his own wall.

Mr Akinci suggested that a Monument of Missing Persons should be built and called on everyone who knows anything about places where mass graves are located to give this information to the Committee on the Missing Persons.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (15.12.06) reports that in his speech Mr Avci noted that they have launched a serious work because of the need of new policies and added that they got into action in order to create a new structure of organization which will be open to the new developments.

He said that the ministry will be reformed and that offices for charting policy and establishing the relations with the Islamic countries, the Turkic states and the European countries will be established. Mr Avci described as great deficiency the fact that there is no unit dealing with the EU in the ministry.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Statements of Baykal on the Cyprus problem: Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot live together

Baykal, asserting that in fact the two societies living on the island would never be able to live together in peace, said yesterday that a new formula has to be found. Said Baykal:

"There have been steps taken to bring the two sides of the island closer together. But no success. Everyone is attacking each other. The Southern Cypriots are not aiming at a solution, but instead at domination over the entire island. Turkey's response should lie in the thesis of two separate states on Cyprus. It lies in the recognition of the Southern Cypriot side, and in the acceptance of two separate nations. This will make a lasting solution easier. This will make our relations with the EU easier. But if we keep up our current policy, Cyprus will continue to be a "`ghost problem´."

In referring to writers Mehmet Yilmaz and Metin Munir, Baykal applauded Yilmaz' comparison of Monte Negro's independence from Serbia, and the EU support of that move, with the lack of support from the EU on anything but a single state solution on Cyprus. He also noted that writer Metin Munir had called the EU's insistence on trying to get the two peoples of Cyprus to live together in peace "a folly and an idiocy."

[04] 34 Syrians arrested for illegal entry to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus

On the same issue, illegal Bayrak television (14.12.06) broadcast that 34 Syrian refugees have been caught by the police while trying to enter the Republic illegally.

Members of the group were discovered by the police in the back of a lorry which entered the Republic through the Girne (occupied Kyrenia) tourism port yesterday.

The Syrian refugees one of them a child were hidden behind briquettes in the back of the lorry.

Police is hunting the driver of the lorry.

(I/Ts)

[05] Self-styled minister says that 100 lambs from Romania have illegally been brought into the occupied areas from the free areas of the Republic

He noted that these lambs are in the state farm as exhibits and added that they will not turn a blind eye to the smuggling of animals.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Erdogan to visit US 17-20 December

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will leave for the United States on December 17th to attend the "Alliance of Civilizations Implementation Process Meeting" in New York on December 18th and 19th.

During his stay in New York, Prime Minister Erdogan is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He is also expected to hold bilateral talks with several leaders at the United Nations.

At the Alliance of Civilizations Implementation Process Meeting, a final document will be signed about the Alliance of Civilizations Project co-chaired by Turkey and Spain.

Erdogan is expected to return to Turkey on December 20th.

[07] Turkey has met EU criteria says US official

``Turkey has done what is required of it to meet the European Unions membership criteria, a senior US State Department official said late Tuesday.

However, Dan Fried, the State Departments Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, said that Washington had adopted a cautious position regarding the EUs decision to suspend part of Turks accession negotiation process.

We have been watching very closely the relations between Turkey and the EU and we continue to support Turkeys EU bid, said in a meeting with journalists. The US governments view and President Bushs view on this issue is very clear. We believe that Turkey has met the European criteria.

Issues such as Cyprus complicated Turkeys relations with the EU, Fried said, though added that the US hoped the EU Council and the EU as a whole take decisions which will keep the process going. However, he refused to go into details when discussing these issues.

There could be a lot of things I or the American government might say but this would not help the process. Therefore, I will be cautious, said Fried. Turkey has made great strides in the past 40 years and has made a major transformation towards democracy, he said. The Turkey of the 1960s, 70s or 80s is history now, said Fried. I have a deep respect to Turkey. And I hope Turkeys EU aspiration will be successful.´´

[08] Turkey, Israel and Jordan to carry out natural disaster exercise on 17-21 December

According to a statement by the office of the Turkish General Staff Secretariat today, the exercise aims at "planning and implementing the procedures required for the effective mobilization and deployment of the Turkish-Israeli-Jordanian joint response unit in providing timely humanitarian assistance to populations affected by sudden onset natural disasters".

The statement added a Turkish team comprising 9 experts from the General Staff Special Forces will join the exercise.

[09] Tahsin Ertugruloglu is the only candidate for the presidency of the UBP

(I/Ts.)

[10] Turhan Beydagli has been re-elected chairman of the Hoteliers Union

(I/Ts.)

[11] Internet child porno widespread in Turkey

(MHY)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] The Port Maneuver

The last port maneuver the AKP made to corner EU supporters of the Greek Cypriot administration has suddenly become material for internal politics. Actually, this was just a subject for foreign affairs and it was comprised of fine tactics made possible by diplomacy. No one should have expected that events behind closed doors be explained before the process was concluded.

The minister was right who said, The accession talks can be followed by everyone; negotiations should not be made in Kizilay Square. Diplomatic maneuvers are not made openly; moves are made step-by-step; you do not show your trump cards to the other players. Yesterday Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah Gul was questioned on this subject by reporters in the corridors of the Parliament. It was obvious that he was upset by what has happened recently.

This statement was very interesting: There are many details I can give regarding these public debates, but we should not cause Turkeys on-going diplomacy to collapse. Otherwise, I know very well what to say, but what is important for me is to get results. It is apparent that Minister Gul has some things to say once the diplomatic process is completed.

Overflowing from diplomatic corridors to internal politics, this debate was on Prime Minister Erdogans agenda as well. Addressing MPs in the AKP group meeting, Erdogan stated, With his rough style of opposition, the honorable Baykal doesnt understand fine diplomacy requiring intelligence. He continued, He shouldnt think there is a vacuum just because, due to the state responsibility on our shoulders, we are not talking to insure that our diplomatic interests are not compromised.

Although the CHP leader Baykal was named, he was not the only person addressed. Erdogan was also referring to the General Staff and Cankaya (official residence of the Turkish President).

To a certain degree it is possible to understand the opposition, the CHP in particular, making protests regarding a publicly-sensitive issue like Cyprus and their trying to make political gains from it. However, the General Staff and Presidents adding another link to this polemical chain of the government gave, did not give information was not at all the right thing to do, and it damaged their neutrality. Both institutions derive respect from their neutrality on politics.

In regard to the latest debates in the capitol, there were some who said, Yes, Cankaya started the fight. The Cankaya struggle did not begin with this event. The continued effort by some circles to prevent a president being elected by Parliament, where the AKP has a majority, is obvious. They do not miss any opportunity and capitalize on it fully. Just as they did in this last event

The goal is to weaken the government in the Cankaya election The derailment in relations between Cankaya and the administration is not new. There has not been a healthy dialogue between them since the start. It is mandatory that a Turkish president be neutral, but President Sezer has positioned himself against the government. Like a focal point of opposition He carefully refrained from behavior that would strengthen the hands of the AKP administration in both internal and foreign policy. I ask myself which government foreign policy move he supported, and I have difficulty finding an answer. It is obvious with this sally that Sezer has positioned the Presidential Kiosk according to politics. In fact, Deniz Baykals inviting Sezer to CHP as a politician is not for nothing.

The moves one after another to capitalize on the governments silence demanded by diplomacy harmed Turkey before anything else. It benefited the Greek administration and its supporters in Europe. Care needs to be taken while turning foreign policy matters into internal political material. Unfortunately, Turkey did not pass that test in this latest event.

/SK

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