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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-06-04

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA No.105/07 02-04.06.07

[A] NEWS ITEMS

  • [01] The Communal Democracy Party (DTP) has been established in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus
  • [02] Talat says that the success in the economic field will lead them to success in the political struggle
  • [03] Nami accused the Greek Cypriot side of not implementing the Green Line regulation
  • [04] More on the efforts of the illegal universities in occupied Cyprus to become legitimized
  • [05] Organizations protest against transporting electricity from occupied Rizokarpasso to Apostolos Andreas Cape
  • [06] Speech by the Turkish Deputy Chief of Staff. Reference to Cyprus
  • [07] Turkish Admiral threatens countries in the region
  • [08] Turkish Parliament adopts law on referendum deadline
  • [B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

  • [09] The Turkish Press on the internal political developments in Turkey

  • [A] NEWS ITEMS

    [01] The Communal Democracy Party (DTP) has been established in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (04.06.07) reports that the Communal Democracy Party (DTP) has been established with the unification of the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) and the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH). Yesterday during the first congress of the DTP, Mehmet Cakici was unanimously elected president of the new party, as he was the only candidate for the post. In statements after his election he said that the new party is of such a character that it can make peace and defeat the status quo.

    The people of this party are under nobodys authorization, under nobodys administration and direction, he noted and added that when the DTP comes to power it will demonstrate its own will.

    Noting that they should acquire the understanding of being the masters of their own house, Cakici pointed out that they have this claim for their children. He argued that the only road map which is valid for the Turkish Cypriots regarding the Cyprus problem is the road map of 24 April and alleged that the Turkish Cypriots voted yes in the referendum because they support the ideas of the EU.

    Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (04.06.07) refers to Cakicis statements in its front-page banner title and says: DTP which said we do not want a governor declared its character: Under nobodys authorization.

    The paper reports that 166 members of the assembly of the BDH voted in favour of the dissolution of the party and one member voted against. As for the dissolution of the TKP, 120 members of its assembly voted in favour, 19 against and two abstained.

    (I/Ts.)

    [02] Talat says that the success in the economic field will lead them to success in the political struggle

    Turkish Cypriot daily STAR KIBRIS newspaper (04.06.07) reports that the Kaya Artemis Resort and Casino was opened the night before yesterday in the occupied Vokolida area. The Turkish Cypriot leader Talat and his wife Oya were among the participants in the opening ceremony.

    Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily HALKIN SESI newspaper (04.06.07) reports that in statements during the ceremony, Mr Talat said that tourists from all over the world will visit the occupied areas of Cyprus and described the new hotel as an important investment necessary for the TRNC and its people.

    He said that more investments will be materialized in other plots of lands that are allocated for the tourism sector in the area. He argued that if they are successful in the economic struggle, they will succeed in the political struggle as well.

    He alleged: If you have a strong economy, then you will struggle against isolation, you will not succumb, you will not remain behind in the efforts for a solution which are in front of Cyprus and you will not accept what is imposed to you.

    Mr Talat claimed that the Turkish Cypriots will live better days and have a safe future thanks to the support given to them by Turkey and Turkeys private sector.

    The so-called prime minister Soyer was also present at the ceremony and stated: They will not be able any more to hide us with the isolations. We will continue to move forward with greater determination and firmness, together with our president and the government of Turkey. We will achieve the direct flights and take a place in the world.

    The so-called ambassador of Turkey to Nicosia, Turkekul Kurttekin, who attended the ceremony, said that the hotel is a new contribution to the strengthening of the TRNC, breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

    He alleged: As long as the TRNC is institutionalized and strengthened and its economy is moving up, there is no possibility for the unjust isolations not to be removed.

    (I/Ts.)

    [03] Nami accused the Greek Cypriot side of not implementing the Green Line regulation

    Illegal BAYRAK television (03.06.07) broadcast the following:

    The President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Erdil Nami has blamed the Greek Cypriot side for not implementing the Green Line Regulation.

    Mr Nami said that the Greek Cypriot side is trading with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus via third countries.

    Erdil Nami stated that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is implementing the Green Line Regulation unilaterally.

    Responding to the statements in the Greek Cypriot media, the President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce said that the claim on the Greek Cypriot sides failure to implement the Green Line Regulation is true.

    Erdil Nami criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration for continuing to see the island as a whole and persisting its sovereign stance.

    Adding that the Greek Cypriot tradesmen gain more profit by exporting to the TRNC via third countries and not directly, Mr. Nami accused the Greek Cypriot Side of not implementing the Green Line Regulation.

    [04] More on the efforts of the illegal universities in occupied Cyprus to become legitimized

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (02.06.07) reports that the illegal Girne (Kyrenia) American University (GAU) in occupied Kyrenia signed two protocols of cooperation, one with the State University of Belarus and one with the Pardubice University of the Check Republic.

    The cooperation protocol signed between GAU and the State University of Belarus provides for cooperation in the departments of tourism, hotel management and international relations. In addition the protocol provides for the exchange of students and the paper writes that the first group of students from the Belarus will arrive in occupied Cyprus in June.

    The same illegal University also signed a protocol with the Pardubice University of the Check Republic.

    In addition, Turkish Cypriot daily BAKIS newspaper (02.06.07) reports that in the framework of the cooperation protocol signed between the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University (DAU) in occupied Cyprus and the Graz University of Austria, 19 students and one professor of the History Department of the Austrian University are visiting occupied Cyprus.

    [05] Organizations protest against transporting electricity from occupied Rizokarpasso to Apostolos Andreas Cape

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (04.06.07) reports that thirteen civilian organizations issued yesterday a joint statement criticizing the project of drawing line for transporting electricity from occupied Rizokarpasso to Apostolos Andreas Cape. The organizations described the project as an operation for destroying the future.

    (I/Ts.)

    [06] Speech by the Turkish Deputy Chief of Staff. Reference to Cyprus

    ANKARA ANATOLIA news agency (31.05.07) reported the following from Istanbul:

    The Deputy Chief of Staff Gen Ergin Saygun gave a speech called "NATO in the Changing Security Environment" at the international conference on "New Aspects in Security and International Organizations" held at the War Academies. Stating that in order to see where NATO stood in the changing security environment and where it was going it was necessary to examine the attitudes of Europe's security actors, Gen Saygun recalled that NATO was founded following quests for security after World War 2 and that the Warsaw Pact was set up afterwards. He said the foundations of the EU were built on the iron-steel alliance [Coal and Steel Alliance]. Gen Saygun went on: "As can be seen, although there have been continuous efforts in Europe for security and unification it cannot be said that this has been entirely achieved." He noted that during the Cold War the two opponents were kept in check by deterrence based on nuclear weapons within a region whose borders and ranks were clearly defined. He said that once this era ended the asymmetric threat, in which the origin of the threat is not clear, replaced the threat of general war. Gen Saygun said that in this era in NATO it was not defence that was key but preservation, and that the idea of supporting crises rather than intervening in them was at the forefront now. He explained that this had led to the establishment of the notion of searching for regional solutions to regional crises. Stating that the armed forces in the European countries had all been significantly downsized, Gen Saygun said, "Turkey, however, has been unable to implement similar restructuring in the troubled region in which it is located."

    Gen Saygun emphasized that in addition to all these developments NATO, as the leading security organization in the Atlantic region, was trying to keep apace of the tasks being introduced by the new security environment and that as well as rebuilding its command and force structures it had adopted a policy of enlargement. Gen Saygun noted how in this new era NATO had been forced to take on the responsibility of providing assistance to the people in crisis areas. He stated that by virtue of the equipment and infrastructural support and other means provided by NATO these crisis countries had to all intents and purposes become NATO members. Gen Saygun said that NATO had embarked on a process of restructuring following the Istanbul and Riga summits, and he recalled that NATO had made some important decisions regarding expansion into the Asia region.

    General Saygun emphasized that the 9/11 attacks had shown in painful terms to the Western countries, who for years had regarded terrorist activities as political or police incidents, had remained indifferent and insisted on not taking precautions, just what terrorism was capable of. He said it proved no country was immune from terrorism.

    General Saygun stated that in response to these attacks NATO had for the first time in its history, and that included the entire Cold War era, been compelled to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Agreement, and that NATO was faced with the need to reorganize and restructure its forces in response to this threat. Stating that the reduction of the Cold War threat coupled to the reduction in Europe's need for reliance on the United States for security had seen the EU come to the fore once again, Gen Saygun said, "Three separate institutions made up of essentially the same countries responsible for Europe's security then emerged."

    Gen Saygun said that while Europe's new security policy was being reshaped the first serious clash with NATO took place in Washington in 1999. He said:

    "In fact, with NATO's 1999 Washington Summit a delicate balance was struck with the European Security and Defence Policy. Thanks to the arrangements known as Berlin plus NATO pledged to lend the EU its means and capabilities subject to certain conditions. This was important in that it prevented the EU from developing its own means and capabilities and stopped NATO being hollowed out. However, this led to NATO turning a blind eye to many things working against it just so that the EU would not develop its own means and capabilities. The civilian ESDP mission that the EU is preparing to deploy in Kosovo and Afghanistan each constitutes an opportunity to take NATO and EU cooperation to a more comprehensive level."

    General Saygun said that at the point reached now the insistence of stepping outside the procedures agreed to on the basis of EU/NATO strategic cooperation was preventing the desired level of cooperation from being achieved. Gen Saygun pointed out that Turkey was being accused by various bodies of obstructing cooperation between the EU and NATO. He continued:

    "According to the agreement reached at the very highest levels of both NATO and the EU regarding strategic cooperation between these two institutions, the EU must be open both to NATO members and to other members that have signed agreements with the Alliance and who are part of the PFP program. In other words, the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus cannot be part of this cooperation. One of the fundamental problems preventing the NATO-EU cooperation from working as desired is EU insistence on making the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus party to this cooperation. In short, the Greek Cypriots became EU members in contravention of international agreements and in fact in contravention of the EU's own principles. As former UNSG Kofi Annan said, somebody wants Turkey to pay the price for the mistake of sabotaging solution efforts on Cyprus."

    Deputy Chief of Staff Gen Saygun stated that the problems being experienced by Turkey in the field of security and cooperation were far greater in scope:

    "Furthermore, the traditional concerns some allies have that the advancement of NATO-EU cooperation might see the EU fall under NATO's control are posing a real obstacle to the furthering of the existing cooperation. In the ongoing debates between the two institutions it is being observed that NATO is trying to increase its influence and become a global organization and that to this end there are efforts being made to include such countries as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, but that the efforts of certain specific EU members are trying to curtail this initiative. The need for a joint security and foreign policy concept is being advocated as the EU's right."

    Gen Saygun said that in response to Africa being chosen for NATO's reaction force operational readiness trials some NATO members who were also EU members had opposed this and that a different region had been chosen. Gen Saygun said: "Today NATO and the EU are competing fiercely with one another over sharing the world. In a threatless environment Europe's new status has begun to put strains on the transatlantic ties forged with the United States in the 1950s. As part of this while some European allies have no objections to continued relations with the United States they have nevertheless begun officially to voice the need for redefinition."

    Noting that at the Washington Summit it had been agreed that as part of the EU's new security arrangements NATO members like Turkey who were not EU members would keep the rights gained within the EU, "Turkey is at the point now where it has lost almost all the gains it made in the field of European security architecture," said Gen Saygun.

    Stating that there were no arrangements by which NATO could benefit from EU means, that Turkey had from the very beginning sincerely supported development of the ESDP and that it had made significant contributions to this body, Gen Saygun said: "However, we cannot say that we have seen the same sincerity on the part of the EU. Turkey continues to have third country status within the ESDP. This is wrong. Turkey is a country that kept alive its goal of EU membership for almost half a century. It has been a NATO ally for 55 years that has made significant contributions to world peace in regions outside of NATO. At the very least, just as NATO has given rights to EU members that are not members of NATO, so the EU should give rights to NATO countries that are not EU members and that includes Turkey. Despite all our demands it has not been possible to correct this practice."

    General Saygun said that persistent efforts were being seen that could upset the existing balances in the Black Sea, where various actors had begun to play a role: "There are several changes and studies in place such as the Expanded Black Sea and the Greater Black Sea. Efforts to drag some problems into the Black Sea should be considered dangerous practices that could disrupt balances in the region."

    In the final part of his speech Gen Saygun stated that the future shape of NATO depended on the degree to which its members kept abreast of its needs. Another question of importance was how long the United States would continue making pledges of critical military capability. Gen Saygun said that in order for efforts to have NATO conduct activities in a broader region to have meaning the means and capabilities to do this needed to be increased. He pointed out how important it was for NATO to undergo reorganization.

    Deputy Chief of Staff Gen Saygun said that if this change could be achieved it would ensure NATO's existence in the security field for a long time to come. He said that 21 of NATO's members were also EU members and emphasized that with a single defence budget it would be wrong to expect these countries to make separate contributions to both NATO and the EU. Gen Saygun concluded: "In this situation the strengthening of one institution will only come at the cost of weakening the other. Therefore, the competition between them has to be stopped. It is clear that the cooperation agreed on between NATO and the EU will work for the good of both institutions. Both NATO and the EU must realize that their lives depend on one another."

    [07] Turkish Admiral threatens countries in the region

    Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (03.06.07) reports that during the international security symposium organized by the office of the Turkish Chief of the General Staff, the situation as regards Cyprus´ sea and air region was discussed.

    Turkey´s EU General Secretary Ambassador Oguz Demiralp said that Turkey had made the necessary attempts regarding Egypt and the Lebanon which were going to cooperate with the Cyprus government on exploring oil in the Mediterranean Sea. He said that Turkey´s attempts had been effective.

    Demiralp went on and repeated Turkey´s known stance that it was a mistake to admit the South Cyprus, Greek Cypriot Administration (SCGCA) to the EU. In future they will realize this better. I hope this will not give way to a serious problem!

    In his turn Rear-Admiral Gurdeniz, had claimed that the Cyprus government in its attempt to cooperate with Egypt and Lebanon, was violating the sea law as well as the relevant UN Convention. He said: Our Foreign Ministrys statement as regards the subject matter is clear. I do believe that other states as well would not encourage a new crisis in the East Mediterranean.

    Stressing that Turkey has the strongest Naval fleet in the region, the rear-admiral said: Turkey will not give up its rights to the fait accompli of a country that it does not recognize.

    Rear-Admiral Gurdeniz went on and claimed that a ship conducting explorations for the Cyprus government, had withdrawn from the area following warning by the Turkish warships.

    The SCGCA carries out unilateral actions. Even if it secures the backing of the EU it is out of the question for Turkey to comply with these. It is only natural that we cannot discuss these with a country that we do not recognize!! The rear Admiral declared.

    The Chairman of the Turkish Air Force Planning and Principles Command, air vice-marshal Turgut Atman said that if Turkey was left out from the EU Single Air Region Project (SARP), the EU will not benefit from this.

    He said: Turkey´s entry to the SARP without voting right is not possible if there is no integration then there will be weaknesses in the Turkish and European air region.

    Speaking at the International Symposium organized by the War Academies Command on The New Dimension of the Security and International Organisations the air vice-marshal Atman in his presentation: The SARP of the EU and its Effects said that the SARP will create problems because the borders of the SARP are based on the FIR-(Flight Information Region) of the EU member states.

    The air vice-marshal went on and said that problems will be created on the Istanbul - Athens line and similar difficulties in the, as he put it, TRNC Air Region which is a legal existence.

    He wanted Turkey´s equal participation in the project.

    (MHY)

    [08] Turkish Parliament adopts law on referendum deadline

    ANKARA ANATOLIA news agency (02.06.07) reports the following:

    Turkish Parliamentary General Assembly adopted on Saturday the draft law which lowers referendum deadline (regarding constitutional amendments) from 120 to 45 days.

    According to the law, the period --which is envisaged as 120 days to submit the Constitutional amendments to referendum--, is lowered to 45 days.

    On the other hand, the 40-day period which is given to Turkish citizens in foreign countries for referendum will be reduced to 10 days. Higher Board of Election (YSK) can shorten this period if necessary.


    [B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

    [09] The Turkish Press on the internal political developments in Turkey

    The Turkish Press on 1, 2 and 3 June 2007 continued to cover the internal political developments after the Turkish parliaments failure to elect a President, as follows: In an article entitled "The chief Justice should be tried for insulting [the Government]", VAKIT columnist A. Ihsan Karahasanoglu argues that President of the Constitutional Court Tulay Tugcu does not have the right to hold a news conference to publicly lay accusations against the prime minister and try to "impose on the public her personal convictions" about Erdogan's criticisms of the court's recent decisions. Karahasanoglu asks how Tugcu could accuse Erdogan of making "threatening" and "insulting" remarks in the absence of any court rulings that find Erdogan guilty of issuing such statements and argues that Tugcu's own remarks against Erdogan clearly amount to insulting the Government in a way that requires her prosecution.

    In an article entitled "Is nobody resigning?", VAKIT columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak criticizes Turkish political leaders in general for what he describes as their reluctance to ever quit their office and their tendency to regard politics as a life-time career that should end only when they are laid to rest in a state funeral.

    In an article entitled "Erdogan made a mistake. What about Baykal?", MILLI GAZETE columnist Abdulkadir Ozkan argues that if Prime Minister Erdogan committed an offence in commenting on the Constitutional Court's rulings as he did, CHP leader Deniz Baykal should stand accused of committing a much more serious crime for his remarks announcing that conflict would become inevitable if the Constitutional Court did not cancel the results of the parliamentary voting for the presidential election. Ozkan cites the preparations to start proceedings against Erdogan and the absence of any formal accusations against Baykal as a new instance of double standards consistently being operated against a particular section of society in a way that is hurting the public sense of justice and damaging social harmony.

    A report in MILLIYET notes that the constitutional amendment package adopted by the parliament yesterday will be submitted to President Sezer, explaining in detail the legal complications that the country might face in the period ahead if Sezer chooses to challenge the bill by calling a referendum on it.

    A SABAH report says a problem has arisen between Agar and Mumcu, because the public prosecutor has ruled that the Motherland Party cannot transfer its assets to the DP before DP convenes its congress and adopts a decision on the merger of assets. The problem is Mehmet Agar's DP can only hold its congress on merger with the Motherland Party after the general elections, because for now the party is preoccupied with selecting its candidates. The report says Agar has instructed his party officials to resolve the issue. An unnamed Motherland Party official tells the paper that if the Motherland Party joins DP before the DP's congress, then it has to surrender all its assets to the Treasury.

    A report in MILLIYET says that Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener has caused a crisis inside the AKP by so far refusing to announce his candidacy for parliament. Reportedly, Sener wants his close associates to be accepted as candidates and has complained the failings of the party administration to Erdogan. Abdullah Gul is reportedly advising Sener to reconsider his position for the sake of party unity.

    In a column in REFERANS, Guven Sak says a massive interest is being shown even in Gen Buyukanit's routine speeches, because of the faulty manner in which the election process is being handled by the AKP. He says the second voting on the amendment bill and Erdogan's criticism of the Constitutional Court would not help defuse the tension. Now people are waiting with bated breath how Buyukanit is going to react, adding that such an altercation between government and the army cannot be auspicious for Turkey.

    In an article in Istanbul HURIYET, Ahmet Hakan relates the interview he conducted with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener on the latter's announcement that he will not submit his candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Asked about the reasons for his decision, Sener says: "The road to attain the truth and to reach humanity does not always pass through obtaining. Neither does it pass through multiplying what you have obtained. On the contrary, it goes through abandoning what you have obtained." Sener also cites a four-point list of principles according to which he operated in the past four years: embracing all sectors of the society; achieving harmony between the institutions; accepting the values of the republic as common values; and honesty. Sener admits that "unpleasant things" happened with regard to the Justice and Development Party, AKP, candidate list in Sivas, adding, however, that this is not the reason for his decision.

    Under the banner headline "Proposal for candidacy on Guniz Street," YENI SAFAK carries a front-page report which says that Republican People's Party, CHP, leader Deniz Baykal yesterday visited former President Suleyman Demirel at his home in order to discuss the possibility of Demirel's election first as an MP from the CHP and then as president for a second term after amending the Constitution as well as the possibility of defections from the True Path Party to the CHP.

    In an article entitled "While attempting to unite", YENI SAFAK columnist Fehmi Koru analyzes the reasons which have put the anticipated merger between the DYP and the Motherland Party, ANAP, in jeopardy. Noting that voters did not pay much attention to the proposed merger which failed to create the expected synergy whereas recent opinion polls have shown that an election alliance formed by the CHP and the Democratic Left Party would lead to an increase in voter support for the CHP, Koru predicts that the Democratic Party which replaced the DYP may opt to form an alliance with the Young Party while some figures in the ANAP may run in the general election on the DP ticket. Koru comments: "The same political parties which took part in the last election except for the independent candidates affiliated with the DTP will compete in the next one. Could that picture lead to a situation different than the one we are witnessing today? The latest moves made by the political actors imply that they are inclined to respond negatively to that question."

    In an article entitled "Friends speak bluntly", VAKIT columnist Huseyin Uzmez predicts that both the DYP and the ANAP will suffer a defeat in the forthcoming election and be unable to win seats in the Turkish Grand National Assembly whether or not they unite. Noting that the AKP will win more seats in the TBMM, Uzmez says that the AKP could have been discredited in the eyes of the public if National View leader Necmettin Erbakan had stepped down in favour of AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and if the CHP had praised rather than criticizing AKP policies. Uzmez also emphasizes that AKP leadership cannot take advantage of wrong-headed policies pursued by the opposition parties and has alienated some popular figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener because of some dishonest people within the party.

    In an article entitled "It seems that there will be an election", VAKIT columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak views uncertainties in Turkish politics and foreign policy, noting that the United States plans to convince Turkey to send troops into northern Iraq in order to shoulder responsibility for ensuring security; to assume responsibility for resolving the Kurdish question; and to provide support in its campaign against Iran while Ankara seems facing difficulties in making a decision for the time being. Pointing out that a Kurdish administration is in the process of being formed in northern Iraq and that many Western countries and Russia are planning to open diplomatic missions in the region, Dilipak notes: "Ankara is now facing an even greater challenge about northern Iraq. Its red lines have been violated. Our military presence in the region could trigger serious controversy in the coming days and some unfortunate events may take place."

    According to a report entitled "Political engineering failed again" which is carried by ZAMAN, ANAP leadership is considering dropping its plan to join the DP due to the latter's reluctance to treat the ANAP as an equal partner. The report says that both parties will probably compete independently in the general election.

    MILLIYET declares in report on shifting election alliances that the plan to unite DYP [True Path Party] and the Motherland Party under the roof of DP [Democratic Party] is on the verge of collapse. It says the idea of "unification in the centre-right" is failing because of differences on how to integrate the organizations of the two parties, the timing of the integration, the fate of Motherland assets, the list of candidates, and Agar's insistence to include former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz in the Motherland's quota on the DP ticket. The report notes that it is unlikely that the Motherland congress, which gathered yesterday, will dissolve the party, unless a last minute surprise compromise is worked out between the two parties.

    The report adds that the failure to unite with the DYP and Motherland Party leader Mumcu's statement that Yilmaz enjoys less popularity than PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan has lead to resignations from the Motherland Party. The Motherland Party momentarily lost its group status in the parliament with the resignation of Bitlis Deputy Edip Safter Gaydali but recovered its position when independent deputy Hamza Albayrak, a former AKP deputy, joined the Motherland Party.

    With the DP trying to recruit GP [Young Party], the Motherland Party has been discussing election alliance with SP [Felicity Party] and BPP [Grand Unity Party], according to the same report. A report in MILLIYET says GP's talks with CHP [Republican People's Party] for an alliance have produced no result.

    Another report in MILLIYET says that the BBP is inclined to run in the general elections with independent candidates. The report quotes BBP leader Muhsin Yazicioglu as saying that they will emulate DTP's [Democratic Society Party] tactic.

    And, Mesut Yilmaz, prompted by his wife, is planning to file a lawsuit against Motherland Party leader Erkan Mumcu for comparing him to Ocalan, according to a short HURRIYET report.

    On the other hand, CHP leader Deniz Baykal has paid a visit to former President Suleyman Demirel to sound out the latter's opinion on developments. Demirel has welcomed the union on the center-left and expressed his hope that the center-right will also follow the left's example. After the meeting, Baykal denied that he offered candidacy to Demirel, according to a MILLIYET report, which reminds the readers that Demirel's relative Ilhan Kesici recently joined the CHP.

    On the AKP front, Edirne Deputy Ali Ayag has resigned fearing that he will be left out of the list of candidates as AKP administration tries to enlist fresh candidates with high public profile. This fear is high among AKP deputies in Istanbul and Ankara, the HURRIYET says.

    Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener, who is refusing to run in the elections, will be hosting Fidel Castro's son Balart instead, with whom he has struck a friendship during a visit to Cuba, where Sener was impressed by the happiness of the Cuban people, according to a MILLIYET report, which adds that an AKP youth group in Sivas is continuing its hunger strike to force Sener to reconsider his plan not to run in elections.

    Commenting on Sener's moves in a column in HURRIYET, Enis Berberoglu quotes CHP leader Deniz Baykal as saying that Sener has in effect issued a "civil memorandum" to AKP, warning the party that he is not ready to share the responsibility for the erroneous policies being pursued by the AKP. Berberoglu agrees with Baykal, noting that Sener had predicted the deadlock over presidential elections back in April and had expressed the fear that it would dent AKP's popularity in elections. Berberoglu says Sener is simply unwilling to share the responsibility for AKP's possible election failure.

    Meanwhile, Constitutional Court chief Tulay Tugcu, who some days ago had warned that the court would file a lawsuit against Prime Minister Erdogan for his criticism of the court, has now decided not to file any complaint considering that Ankara public prosecutor has already instituted an investigation against Erdogan, according to a HURRIYET report.

    In an introduction to a series on Alevi voting trend and the political parties' scramble for the Alevi votes, Sabah's Baris Erdogan says that to date Alevis used to mostly vote for the centre-left or socialist parties, but this time the Alevi votes are divided and it will not come as a surprise if these votes go to divergent parties on the political spectrum.

    Commenting on election-related developments, SABAH´S Yavuz Donat says the parties will submit their candidates to the High Election Council tomorrow (04.06.07). He believes once the names are known, disgruntled party members and deputies will resign causing further turmoil inside political parties.

    Erdal Safak declares in his editorial for SABAH that the lack of trust between DYP and Motherland Party and absence of any common traits between Agar and Mumcu preclude a union, besides the fact that there is no more any social demand for their unification, for there is no "centre-right" in Turkish politics anymore, or if there is there is no niche for them there. Erdal Safak notes that none of the participants in the Republic Rallies ever called for a DYP-Motherland union, adding that Prime Minister Erdogan was right when he said that one cannot build one healthy egg from two broken eggs.

    EG/


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