Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-02-09

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Scholarships by the European Commission to 80 Turkish Cypriot students and 25 teachers

[02] Avci continues his every-day attacks against the Greek Cypriots

[03] YKP: The results of the population census announced recently do not reflect the real situation

[04] Besiktas is the winner of the 1st Youth Basketball Tournament of Islamic Countries

[05] Antiquities found in occupied Karavas village

[06] The police of the breakaway regime arrested Yusuf Kisa in Pyla village

[07] Bird flu hits Turkey

[08] Turkish paper claims that Kurds want American bases in northern Iraq

[09] Istanbul Police Chief will be inquired about Dink murder

[10] Armenian Patriarch: The threats are continuing

[11] Turkish Chief of General Staff will meet with U.S. Vice President

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] How the Turkish press assessed Mr Gul´s visit to Washington

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Scholarships by the European Commission to 80 Turkish Cypriot students and 25 teachers

Georg Ziegler, General Director of the Commission responsible for the Enlargement, has said that various scholarships are provided for the Turkish Cypriot students and teachers. Ziegler met with the members of the Education Science Association, who visited the European Commission. He noted that the aid of the 259 million euros for the Turkish Cypriots will be used in various programmes.

Mr Ziegler reminded that the Commission opened an office in Nicosia and added that through various programmes a solution to the energy, human resources and scholarship problems of the Turkish Cypriot community will be found.

Ziegler argued that in spite of the obstacles by South Cyprus, Germany supports the Direct Trade Regulation and that it works so that this regulation is adopted, but the final decision belongs to the member states.

Mr Ziegler said that they had met with some Turkish Cypriot experts on issues such as environment, education and agriculture in the direction of a plan for decreasing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Pointing out to the necessity of the solution of the Cyprus problem, Ziegler underlined that the UN procedure is very important.

(ITs)

[02] Avci continues his every-day attacks against the Greek Cypriots

In a written statement issued yesterday, Mr Avci alleged that the real intention of the Greek Cypriot side on the Direct Trade Regulation is clearly shown in the address by Foreign Minister Lillikas to the European Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

He reiterated the Turkish position that the improvement of the economy of the Turkish Cypriots will not be an obstacle for reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem and alleged that this would contribute significantly to the solution.

The paper reports also that Mr Avci met yesterday at his partys headquarters with the Australian High Commissioner to Nicosia, Gatt Hank. In statements before the meeting Mr Avci said they would exchange views on many issues, including the Cyprus problem.

(ITs)

[03] YKP: The results of the population census announced recently do not reflect the real situation

In a statement it issued yesterday YKP noted that the results have not yet been fully announced and pointed out that the issue of interest is whether or not the Cypriots are the majority of the inhabitants of the occupied part of the island.

The party reminded that it had taken to the European Court of Human Rights the effort of Turkey to change the demographic structure of the island in a manner which is contrary to the Geneva Convention and that it boycotts the elections saying that no elections can be held in the north with this population structure.

(ITs)

[04] Besiktas is the winner of the 1st Youth Basketball Tournament of Islamic Countries

The Turkish team beat the TRNC youth basketball team (men, under the age of 18) 75-51. Self-styled Prime Minister Soyer handed over the cup to the winners. The team of Azerbaijans Azad University has also participated in the tournament.

(ITs)

[05] Antiquities found in occupied Karavas village

During the excavations in the garden of the house where British citizen John Winning is living, archaeologists from the Antiquities and Museums Department found 30 antiquities, from which only 19 were in good condition.

(ITs)

[06] The police of the breakaway regime arrested Yusuf Kisa in Pyla village

(ITs)

[07] Bird flu hits Turkey

In addition as CNN TURK television broadcast, officials from the Turkish Agriculture Directorate stated that blood samples of four children from the Boazköy village, who were detected with influenza, were sent to Ankara Health Centre for tests. It is not clear yet whether the children have the bird flu. However, three more children were sent to the local hospital and they have started receiving medical treatment.

Four children died in January 2006 in Turkey infected by the bird flu.

(CS)

[08] Turkish paper claims that Kurds want American bases in northern Iraq

The Kurdish leadership says it is doing its utmost to keep Iraq intact and participate in the political process in Baghdad while on the other hand it is making preparations to face a crisis situation if Iraq falls apart.

The New Anatolian has learnt that the Kurds are lobbying in the U.S. Congress and at the White House to convince the Americans to establish military bases in the Kurdish north to protect the region in case the country is dragged into destruction in the years to come. Kurdish leaders who received a long list of Americans last week from Richard Holbrook to Congressmen have aired similar views to their visitors.

The idea is simple: If the situation in Iraq degenerates into a civil war and the country simply disintegrates then American presence in the region run by the Kurdistan regional government can be protected by the Americans.

The Kurds feel they could be the target of a massive Iraqi Arab offensive of all kinds and they realize that past experience shows they need outside help to protect the area.

In the past Turkey, the United States, Britain and France came to the aid of the Kurds to protect them from Saddam's forces.

Due to their cool relationship with Turkey it seems the Kurds are seeking American support but many American observers feel this is not a feasible proposition.

They say while the U.S. regard the Kurds as valuable allies who are much needed to help out with the current plans of the Bush administration to put an end to the violence in Baghdad and its surroundings, setting up bases in the Kurdish region may not be too popular with the Turks whose support for Washington is vital for U.S. interests regarding Iran and the Middle East.

Such a base or bases in the north could only survive with logistical support from Turkey, while Ankara would hardly give such a blessing that would potentially help the creation of an independent Kurdish state.

However, the stability of northern Iraq is vital for Turkey especially if Iraq falls apart or an extremist religious state is created to the south of our borders below Kirkuk. The Kurdish region could become a buffer zone for Turkey to halt the extremist drive from the south. So it would also be in the interest of Turkey to help to keep the Kurdish entity in Iraq afloat.

However, the answer would not be the establishment of American bases in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah. Those basses would attract more Arab enmity as well as Iranian anger, which the Kurds have to realize that they cannot afford.

In this case the best case scenario would be for Turkey and the U.S. to be the joint mentors of the region.

This is what Ankara and Washington have to discuss. That is why we need strong dialogue between Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdish leaders as well as close collaboration over the issue between Turkey and the U.S.

[09] Istanbul Police Chief will be inquired about Dink murder

During their work in the Istanbul Security Directorate, the chief inspectors ascertained that Cerrah and Guler may have been negligent from a judicial and administrative viewpoint.

It is being claimed that Cerrah and Guler failed to adequately assess the information received prior to the assassination of Hrant Dink and they did not follow up the intelligence note that came from Trabzon.

Following the suspension of Guler, the inspectors now received permission to launch an inquiry against Cerrah.

With the approval supplied by Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu the inspectors will conduct an administrative disciplinary inquiry in connection with Cerrah.

[10] Armenian Patriarch: The threats are continuing

Mutafyan stated that the police ascertained that the threat messages directed against him come from the same source as those sent to Hrant Dink.

Answering the questions of Anatolia News Agency, Mutafyan said that he has been receiving similar threat messages in the wake of the Dink murder, and added: "Upon my request, the informatics department inspected my computer. The messages sent to Dink and those sent to me are emanating from the same address."

The patriarch said that following the threats the security measures in the churches have been stepped up, and he has been assigned a personal bodyguard just like other spiritual leaders in the wake of the murder of the priest in Trabzon. He added: "There is no special security at present. In any case, I had a bodyguard, and he is continuing to guard me."

[11] Turkish Chief of General Staff will meet with U.S. Vice President

Buyukanit, who is expected to arrive in New York next Sunday, will proceed to Washington D.C. on Tuesday and he will attend a reception at the Turkish Embassy. Buyukanit is expected to meet Cheney on Wednesday, February 14th.

During his talks at the Pentagon, the top Turkish general will meet General Peter Pace, U.S. Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Eric Edelman and General Peter Schoomaker, Chief of Staff of U.S. Army.

Buyukanit is scheduled to speak at a think-tank organization on Friday. He will hold a press conference at the end of his talks the same day.

Bilateral military issues, Iraq, terrorist organization PKK, Middle East problem and so-called Armenian bill are among the subjects that Buyukanit is expected to focus in Washington D.C.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] How the Turkish press assessed Mr Guls visit to Washington

Assessing his contacts with various US officials in Washington at a news conference afterwards, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says the Americans are "embarrassed" over their failure to move against the PKK and promised him they would do what is required of them, according to a Hurriyet report. The paper further quotes Gul as saying that the Americans did not advise him against any military operation into Iraq and that Turkey would not refrain from intervening in Iraq when it feels it can obtain results. Gul also points out that the operations conducted against the PKK in Europe "are serious" and are done with American contribution, adding that Turkey would seek the extradition of the detained Kurds.

Gul also argues that Iraq's neighbours are concerned about Kirkuk's status and that the American officials too are against the division of Iraq. Gul also notes that he is visiting Washington as foreign minister and not as an AKP member seeking American support for the party ahead of elections.

In a separate Hurriyet report it is noted that at the same news conference Gul also warned that the Armenian bill "is a major threat that would poison" the entire Turkish-US relations. Stating that he would not be able to meet Nancy Pelosi for the latter's devotion to the Armenian claims, Gul says this will not, however, deter him from meeting her close associates to convey Turkey's messages to her.

In an editorial for Hurriyet, Oktay Eksi ridicules Gul's claim of successful talks in Washington, adding specifically that Abdullah Gul and the AKP government have failed to pursue an aggressive policy to counter the Armenian claims.

Sabah publishes a commentary by Asli Aydintasbas who quotes an unnamed "Bush administration official" as saying that there are people inside the Bush administration who are willing to discuss a cross-border operation with Turkey provided that it is the last option and will remain limited. She adds that the administration is working to prevent the Armenian bill, fearing that its adoption in the Congress would increase the likelihood of Turkish intervention in Iraq.

Journalist Sami Kohen, in his column for Milliyet argues that American Ambassador Ross Wilson's remarks during his meeting with some Turkish columnists support Gul's assertion that this time around Americans are determined to do something about the PKK and that some results are already being obtained in the struggle against the PKK. Kohen says Wilson is also planning to go to Washington to lobby against the Armenian bill, for he too is aware that the adoption of the bill would harm the Turkish-US relations.

Assessing Gul´s visit for The New Anatolian, Ilnur Cevik writes: "This is an uneasy trip for Gul not because Turkey's importance for the U.S. has diminished but because the Americans are sidetracked with other considerations which may well be a passing phase but can still damage Ankara-Washington ties."

Under the headline, "Ankara wants PKK militants captured in Europe to be extradited," Zaman publishes a front-page report which quotes Foreign Minister Gul as saying that the PKK members captured in recent operations in Europe are "the bank of the terrorist organization" and that he is hopeful about their extradition.

In an article entitled "Turkey and the US: Competing perceptions," Today's Zaman columnist Ibrahim Kalin asserts that irrespective of the results of Foreign Minister Gul's visit to Washington, the US administration "will have to pay more attention to Turkey in 2007 not simply because there are two major elections ahead of us but because Turkey has been undergoing profound changes in recent years."

Finally in an article entitled "The United States' Orders", Milli Gazete columnist Hasan Unal slams US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried for his "brazen" statements quoted by Milliyet's Washington correspondent Yasemin Congar, "ordering" Turkey to revoke Article 301, "lend a helping hand" to Armenia, and refrain from carrying out a cross-border operation into Iraq and arguing that the Dink funeral slogan "we are all Armenians" does not amount to an insult to Turkishness.

Unal claims that the Pentagon might not rule out the use of chemical weapons against US citizens if they were to chant the slogan "we are all Saddams" in the streets. He also asserts that the United States should lift its embargo against Cuba and stop keeping South American countries under pressure before it tells Turkey how to behave toward Armenia. "As for Turkey entering Iraq, this is where your ugly American face is most apparent. You thrust the dagger of a Kurdistan into our bosom and expect us to take it lying down. You could perhaps persuade Gul ... but you could never persuade the Turkish people, concludes Hasan Unal.

EG/

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