Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-02-06

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] BDH disputes the figures of the census announced by Soyer

[02] The first young men basketball tournament of the Islamic countries is taking place in the occupied areas

[03] EU does not want to interfere in the oil crisis in Cyprus

[04] The Americans received Gul as the next Prime Minister of Turkey

[05] Abdullah Gul: We are planning to increase representations of the TRNC abroad

[06] How the Turkish Cypriot leadership deteriorates the political climate in Cyprus; Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes distortion of statements by Foreign Minister Lillikas

[07] So-called parliamentary delegation to attend the OIC Conference in Malaysia

[08] Swedish Ambassador supports Turkey's EU bid

[09] Tbilisi Airport to be opened with the participation of Erdogan

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[10] The Turkish Press on the aftermath of the assassination of the Armenian journalist

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] BDH disputes the figures of the census announced by Soyer

Mr Çak1c1 said it was announced that the de-facto population of the Turkish-held north of Cyprus is 265,100 and that the de-jure 256,644, but these figures cannot be the real ones, since the de-facto population is much more. Noting that there is a large influx of people to Cyprus, Mr Çak1c1 said these alterations in the population influence the will-power of the Turkish Cypriots.

Mr Çak1c1 also said that data on the citizenship are incorrect and added: It was not announced how many TRNC citizens were born in the TRNC , how many were born abroad, or where their parents were born.

Mr Çak1c1 claimed that the number of TRNC citizens , which was announced to be 133,937, is false. He said that these numbers include persons whose father or mother, or both parents are not Cypriots and added that these numbers could be included in the data for those who were born abroad but who received citizenship .

Mr Çak1c1 said that the number of TRNC citizens whose parents are both from Cyprus must be less than 120,000. If the numbers were announced, they would have shown that Turkish Cypriots are less than 50% of the total population.

(DPs)

[02] The first young men basketball tournament of the Islamic countries is taking place in the occupied areas

According to the paper, the TRNC Federation team, the Azad University Sports Club from Iran, and the Turkish Besiktas young team are the teams participating in the tournament. As the paper writes, the young national basketball team from Azerbaijan was also among the guest teams, yet, the Azeri team announced that it will not be able to participate in the tournament.

The paper also writes that the Azeri football team Neftchi Baku which was about to play a friendly match last week in Antalya, Turkey, with the football team of the occupied Geunyeli village, has also announced to the Azeri newspapers its non-participation due to political reasons.

(M/L)

[03] EU does not want to interfere in the oil crisis in Cyprus

The EU keeps its silence on the oil crisis in Cyprus. The EU, in a statement to the French News Agency (AFP) on Friday 2 February, on behalf of the Commission stated: The Republic of Cyprus is fully sovereign and the international agreements it signs cannot be questioned.

ABhaber news agency analyses the latest developments in the EU regarding the oil crisis:

The overall assessment within the EU is that Brussels does not want to interfere in this business. Brussels does not want an overwhelming crisis in the EU. The Greek Cypriots have referred the situation to Brussels since Talat and Turkey - a candidate country- have threatened an EU member, the Greek Cypriot sector.

According to the paper, the oil crisis is anxiously monitored by the EU and the reason is the Greek Cypriot administration. One EU official said that the Middle East is in a big chaos and added that the oil crisis arising from Cyprus carries a high risk for the EU and for the region.

(DPs)

[04] The Americans received Gul as the next Prime Minister of Turkey

The paper writes that the Americans, taking into consideration that the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan may be elected as the new President of Turkey, received Mr Gul as the next Prime Minister. Therefore they have prepared a high level schedule for Mr Gul who firstly met with the Vice President Dick Cheney, and the White House National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Mr Gul told Mr Cheney that Turkey wants from the USA to take active and concrete steps as regards the PKK and the struggle in North Iraq. Gul stated that he did not go to the USA to give a message. Washington knows very well what we want. If we are strategic partners you must do what is necessary, he said.

(CS)

[05] Abdullah Gul: We are planning to increase representations of the TRNC abroad

"The whole world appreciated the steps taken by Turkey in the last four years as a 'silent revolution'. We have made a great progress. On the other hand, we cannot expect everyone to admire our efforts. There will be criticisms naturally. But they cannot overshadow our historic achievement in our Cyprus policy.

Another silent revolution took place in Cyprus. For the first time in the history of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Turkish Cypriot leaders paid formal visits to foreign countries. The TRNC, which was ignored by everyone in the past, has now turned into a place which everybody has to take into consideration. We are planning to increase representations of the TRNC abroad."

Referring to the relations with the neighboring countries, Gul said. "Our final goal is to establish a climate of peace and mutual confidence with Greece."

As for relations with Iran and Syria, Gul said, "Today, we have a quite different point of view about Iran. Our trade volume has increased, and number of Iranian people visiting Turkey has risen. There are mutual contacts on the highest level. We contribute Iran's efforts to improve its relations with the third countries. On the other hand, Syria is not a country supporting the separatist terrorism any longer. Our relations have been further improving day by day. We signed a free trade agreement with Syria.''

"We also gave priority to our relations with the Islam world. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has become the first Turkish secretary-general in the history of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Our economic and commercial relations as well as diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and the other Islam countries have further developed," he said.

Touching on the relations with the Turkish Republics in Central Asia, Gul said, "The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) has provided a financial support of more than 1 billion USD to the projects in Central Asia in the last four years."

[06] How the Turkish Cypriot leadership deteriorates the political climate in Cyprus; Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes distortion of statements by Foreign Minister Lillikas

The Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica has accused the Greek Cypriot political leaders of working in accord to prevent the negotiations process on the Cyprus issue to take progress in 2007.

In a written statement, Mr Ercakica evaluated the ongoing process on the Cyprus issue.

In his statement, the Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration for trying to prevent the start of substantial negotiations and called on it to act with common sense.

Referring to last weeks meetings between political parties from both sides, Mr Ercakica stated that the Vice-President of the Greek Cypriot DISI party- Keti Klerides had offered that President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Tasos Papadopulos should attend the meeting of political parties and provide information about their stance, however this offer was rejected by other Greek Cypriot parties DIKO and AKEL.

Commenting on the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yiorgos Lillikas statements in which he said that the Greek Cypriot Side was working to prepare the necessary political conditions for starting the negotiations on substantial issues in 2008, Mr Ercakica stressed that all parties concerned are aware of the fact that the Turkish Cypriot Side does not want to spend the whole of this year on preparatory work.

He also reminded that the United Nations Secretary-General had earlier expressed the willingness for the start of comprehensive negotiations by the end of the first quarter of 2007.

Despite of all these, the Greek Cypriot Side is still trying to mislead the international community by giving the impression that it works for a solution in Cyprus, he added.

The Presidential Spokesman also accused the Greek Cypriot political leaders of abstaining from listening to President Mehmet Ali Talat and said that the Turkish Cypriot efforts will not reach a conclusion if the Greek Cypriot Side does not want to negotiate to solve the problem.

In case of the continuation of this fruitless atmosphere, it will not only be difficult to start negotiations for a comprehensive solution, but it will also be hard to keep the current relations between the two sides, said Mr Ercakica.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (06.02.07), under the title This Island is ours, reports that the leader of the Democrat Party (DP), Serdar Denktas, strongly criticized a statement made Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus George Lillikas who had allegedly described the Turkish Cypriots as minority in Cyprus, just like the Armenians and the Maronites. Denktas said: We are one of the two owners who have equal rights in Cyprus We will never be a minority in Cyprus.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily VATAN newspaper (06.02.07) reports that Turgay Avci, self-styled Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a written statement yesterday replying to Mr Lillikas. He alleged that with his statements, Mr Lillikas showed once more his stance against the solution of the Cyprus problem. He argued that Mr Lillikas tries to present the Turkish Cypriots as a minority and not as equals and rejects the political equality. Undoubtedly, statements in this direction show how far is the Greek Cypriot leadership from the will of reaching to an overall solution within the framework of the UN parameters.

Finally, Sami Ozuslu writing in his daily column in Turkish Cypriot daily YENI DUZEN newspaper (06.02.07), reports that Mr Lillikas has not used the word minority for the Turkish Cypriots and he did not refer to the Armenians and the Maronites. According to Mr Ozuslu, Mr Lillikas used the word compatriots for the Turkish Cypriots in his speech at the Transatlantic Institute in Brussels.

Mr Ozuslu notes that while he was conducting research on the issue he found Mr Lillikas´ speech on the ABHaber webpage which is based in Brussels. He points out that the original text is in English and that the word minority does not exist in it.

Noting that he (Ozuslu) also has criticized the Greek Cypriot positions on the Cyprus problem and pointing out that the information that Mr Lillikas used the word minority for the Turkish Cypriots had been broadcast from illegal TAK news agency, Mr Ozuslu concludes:

If we have turned manipulation into a habit to such a degree so that we hope for help from the possibility of George Lillikas saying that The Turkish Cyrptios are minority like the Armenians and the Maronites and we put this into TAKs bulletin, let us not search anywhere else the answer to the question Why are the hopes for solution in Cyprus decreasing?

[07] So-called parliamentary delegation to attend the OIC Conference in Malaysia

MPs Nasim Beratli of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and Mustafa Gokmen of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) will represent the TRNC at the meeting.

The meeting will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from February 13th to 16th.

[08] Swedish Ambassador supports Turkey's EU bid

Asp noted that Sweden will do its best as for Turkey's EU process would go on, as well as to solve the Cyprus problem.

He said that the project aims to develop bilateral relations between Turkey and Sweden. Asp stressed that the success of the project is completely based on cooperation between local administrations in Turkey and Sweden.

Regarding Turkey's aspiration for the EU, Asp said that Sweden will do its best for Turkey becomes a full member some day.

Noting that Turkey can join the EU only by meeting standards and criteria of the Community, Asp said that the majority of the problems which have emerged so far are related to the Cyprus issue, adding that if this issue is not solved, it will continue to be a brain-teaser.

Asp added that both Turkey and the EU should exert efforts to find a comprehensive solution to Cyprus problem under the auspices of the UN.

Noting that EU accession talks is a complicated process, Asp said that all of the members have hardships in this process.

The conference will end on February 7th.

[09] Tbilisi Airport to be opened with the participation of Erdogan

The airport, with a 2.8 m passenger/year capacity, will be operated by Turkey's TAV Airports Holding for a period of 20 years.

TAV will be the first Turkish company which both constructs and operates an airport in a foreign country.

Two airport projects undertaken by TAV have a total cost of 90.5 m USD (Tbilisi Airport- 62 million USD, Batumi Airport-28.5 million USD). Operation right of Tbilisi airport for 20 years belongs to TAV under a build- operate-transfer agreement.

Premier Erdogan, who will attend the inauguration of Tbilisi Airport, will hold a tripartite meeting with Saakashvili and Aliyev.

Erdogan will also sign an agreement which envisages construction of the Kars-Ahilkelek- Tbilisi-Baku railway project joining Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[10] The Turkish Press on the aftermath of the assassination of the Armenian journalist

Sabah (05.02.07) publishes a report by Mehmet Barlas who views the misinformation surrounding the investigation. He says it is not the media but the officials and sources who supply the media with information that are at fault. There is a deception game going on, he says adding: "The Hrant Dink funeral had improved our image. Now we have become a country where its Nobel laureate is afraid to live. If foreign circles are trying to divide us, they will benefit from this picture. If, however, there are bureaucratic feudal lords fighting for power behind this misinformation campaign, then this must be the result of professional deformation." He warns the government about this state of affairs and calls on it to take urgent steps.

Yeni Safak (05.02.07) publishes a front page report under the banner headline, "Do not do it. Or else, both you and the Country will be done for." The paper writes that it has been found out that Erhan Tuncel, the alleged police informer in the Dink murder case, advised Yasin Hayal, the instigator of the assassination, not to have Dink killed, saying that both he (Hayal) and the country would come to harm if he did. According to the report, Tuncel was removed as an informer after he told the police how he had tried to talk Hayal out of killing Dink.

Also in Yeni Safak (05.02.07) in an article entitled "You reap what you sow", Yeni Safak columnist Koray Duzgoren slams police and gendarmerie authorities for "treating [Dink murder suspect Ogun Samast] like a hero". He asserts that a law enforcement community and a judiciary that regard certain killers with sympathy for ideological reasons constitute a major threat to the Republican regime rather than serving as guardians of the regime.

Vakit newspaper (05.02.07) under the banner headline, "Mendacious Cartel," publishes a front-page report which accuses dailies Sabah, Aksam, and Radikal of publishing false reports representing Yasin Hayal as the real gunman in the Dink murder and claiming that Ogun Samast was "greeted with an official ceremony at Bayrampasa Prison."

Vakit newspaper (05.02.07) in an article entitled "It is necessary to change the agenda" by columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak warns that unless the Government brings the facts behind the Dink assassination to light soon and reveals the foreign and domestic masterminds of the murder, certain quarters will be emboldened to carry out similar attacks. He asserts that the investigation into the murder could be placed on the back burner through a military operation in Cyprus or northern Iraq, adding that the people believe that politicians and bureaucrats are afraid of taking the investigation any further because it has already become obvious that "the matter goes deep." He also claims that at least five deputy prosecutors should be assigned to the investigation.

Under the title "This information pollution will prove Turkey's undoing", Vakit Editor-in-Chief Hasan Karakaya (Vakit newspaper 05.02.07) asserts that the "information pollution" created by "conflicting" reports about the perpetrators of the Dink murder could be part of an attempt by the "deep" forces behind the murder to manipulate public opinion in accordance with their own ideology. He also claims that the operations in Konya against an alleged Al-Qa'ida group appear to have been intended to divert public attention away from the "deep corruption" revealed by recent disclosures about law enforcement officials in Samsun.

Milli Gazete (05.02.07) publishes an article entitled "Letter from Milli Gazete" by columnist Necdet Kutsal who argues that the Dink murder has been used as a means of distracting public attention from the passage of an "oil bill" that grants certain prerogatives to foreign oil corporations. He also asserts that the false excuse of a cable conversion was used to prevent a television channel from broadcasting an interview recently with an oil expert whose warnings about the said bill had been expected to reach President Sezer and persuade him to veto the bill.

Finally Bugun newspaper (05.02.07) in an article entitled "A dog's breakfast" by columnist Emin Pazarci takes issue with the way some of the photographs of Ogun Samast have been cited as evidence that he was treated like a hero by his captors. Pazarci claims that "terror suspects" in custody are always photographed with a Turkish flag behind them to indicate "the power of the state," that PKK leader Ocalan was photographed in the same way as was Semdin Sakik, and that the Ottomans treated subversive "Armenian militants" in the same manner, too.

EG/

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