Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-07-31

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriot official says that the regime tries to offer the Karpass Peninsula to the use of the tourism sector

[02] KTOS calls on the government to state to whom it has distributed the land in the Karpass Peninsula

[03] A Master Plan for the environment in the occupied areas of Cyprus is being prepared

[04] YENI DUZEN: The real estate market which boomed abnormally is experiencing difficult days

[05] The so-called minister of economy and tourism meets with hoteliers

[06] Hasipoglu says that the policy of Turkey in Cyprus has not changed since 1963 in spite of the fact that so many governments came to power

[07] Turkeys Election Board announces the final election results

[08] Buyukanit condemns those who brand the Turkish army in Cyprus as occupation forces

[09] The changes envisaged under AKPs draft constitution amendment

[10] The new Turkish Parliament to convene on 4 August under Surku Elekdag

[11] Turkeys Supreme Military Council to convene 1 August to discuss promotions

[12] USA declares its readiness to work with Turkey and Iraq against PKK

[13] Turkish Minister of Tourism on the number of tourists visiting Turkey

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[14] The case for an ideology-free constitution

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish Cypriot official says that the regime tries to offer the Karpass Peninsula to the use of the tourism sector

In statements to illegal TAK news agency, Mrs Mesutoglu noted that all the development activities in the area, including the infrastructure for electricity, will stop until the plan, which will cover the area declared as Exceptional Environment Protection Area, is completed.

Mrs Mesutoglu said: Because of some decisions for protection, we consider this area as a ground that should not be opened to development. We are only trying to offer it to the use of the tourism sector and the people there by protecting its nature and to secure its development in a manner that will be protecting its natural environment.

(I/Ts.)

[02] KTOS calls on the government to state to whom it has distributed the land in the Karpass Peninsula

Since you allege that you are transparent, reveal then to whom the areas of Karpass, which you describe as virgin land, have been given. The mentality of making presents to the Turkish capital, with the pretext of investing in the field of tourism of the country, continues unabated. The Turkish capital, which is supported with state credits and exemptions, flows massively into our country. The fact that so big investments come to our island, in spite of the fact that our local businessmen in the tourism sector, who deal with tourism rightfully, state that there are not enough tourists, is interesting.

(I/Ts.)

[03] A Master Plan for the environment in the occupied areas of Cyprus is being prepared

In statements to the paper, Mrs Altan noted that all the problems which cause environmental pollution will be taken up in the master plan. Issues such as the extend of the pollution, ways for overcoming the problem and sources which could finance the project will also be considered.

According to the paper, the stone quarries, the garbage dumps, the destruction of the natural structure, the noise pollution, the sewage system, the air pollution and the asbestos are only some of the environmental problems which exist in the occupied areas of the island.

(I/Ts.)

[04] YENI DUZEN: The real estate market which boomed abnormally is experiencing difficult days

The real estate market which boomed abnormally is experiencing difficult days, notes the paper adding that the real estate agents and the building contractors allege that there is a great problem with the cash flow in the real estate market and that they turn the houses they posses into cash in order to pay their debts in the banks.

The problem of cash flow is put forth as the most important reason for the decrease of the prices of the real estates, reports YENI DUZEN adding that there is a great imbalance between supply and demand in the real estate market. While there is decrease in the demand, an increase is observed in the supply, it notes.

The fact that the banks do not provide credits for plots of land with Greek Cypriot title deed and the citizens demand insistently the plots of land with Greek Cypriot title deeds creates great problems for the real estate agents, concludes the paper, which publishes statements on the issue by the chairman of the building contractors union, Cafer Gurcafer and the chairman of the real estate agents union, Hasan Sungur.

(I/Ts.)

[05] The so-called minister of economy and tourism meets with hoteliers

The Minister of Economy and Tourism Erdogan Sanlidag has met with hoteliers at a meeting in Girne (occupied Kyrenia) to discuss ways to develop the tourism sector.

During the meeting, hoteliers informed the Minister about the problems being faced in the tourism sector.

The Minister of Economy and Tourism Erdogan Sanlidag met with hoteliers from the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Union at a meeting at the Girne Dome Hotel today.

Speaking before the start of the meeting, Mr Sanlidag said that he wanted to learn views of all those concerned with the tourism sector to formulate right policies for the 2008 Tourism Sector.

During the meeting, hoteliers informed the Minister about the problems being faced in the tourism sector and their demands from the government.

For their part, hoteliers underlined the need for the government and those concerned with tourism to work together to remove the `bottleneck` in the tourism sectors.

They proposed that a campaign should be launched in Turkey to promote North Cyprus to attract more tourists from the country, which is the nearest neighbour and has a big potential for tourism.

[06] Hasipoglu says that the policy of Turkey in Cyprus has not changed since 1963 in spite of the fact that so many governments came to power

We want the presidential system to come to the agenda with a referendum in 2010, he noted. Arguing that the European Union will continue to exist only as an economic community, Mr Hasipoglu said that he does not believe that Turkey will join the EU, or that the EU will survive, that it could acquire a legal status and that it will become a national state.

Turkey is already in the economic community with the Customs Union Agreement, he said and continued: However, I do not believe that Turkey will be accepted in the EU in the political decisions. Reiterating the Turkish view that Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey, Mr Hasipoglu said that whichever party comes to power in Turkey, no concessions can be made on the Cyprus problem.

He said: Some statements could be made as a necessity of the political situation, but the result should be considered. Many governments passed from Turkey since 1963, but there has been no change on the Cyprus issue. I do not think that any concession will be made from now on as well.

Mr Hasipoglu said he is not hopeful that a negotiation process between President Papadopoulos and the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat could be a positive step for the solution of the Cyprus problem. I do not think that when Talat and Papadopoulos meet, a solution process will be created in the Cyprus problem, he pointed out.

Mr Hasipoglu referred also to the issue of the drawing of energy lines for conveying electricity from occupied Rizokarpaso village to the Cape of Apostolos Andreas and alleged that there is no problem in conveying electricity and argued that the civilization should be carried there. In front of the population which increases in the country, fields of work should be opened so that an end is put to unemployment. Therefore, investments should be made, by protecting the environment, he concluded.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Turkeys Election Board announces the final election results

Justice and Development (AK) Party won 341 seats and Republican People's Party (CHP) won 112 seats while the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) will have 70 seats in the parliament according to final results of the July 22nd general elections, announced the Higher Board of Elections (YSK) on Monday.

Twenty six independent MPs entered the parliament while one seat is vacant as Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cihat Ozonder, who was elected a deputy from MHP, died in a traffic accident in Ankara on July 26th.

Thus, 549 MPs will be in the new parliament, not 550.

"The final results will be published in the Official Gazette and aired on (state-run) TRT (channel) later today," YSK Chairman Muammer Aydin told reporters.

Aydin recalled that 36 million 56 thousand people cast votes in the elections while 1 million 6 thousand votes were qualified as invalid.

"The rate of participation was 84.25 percent in the elections although they were held in the summer," Aydin said.

Two MPs from AK Party entered the new parliament from southeastern city of Hakkari while only one independent MP will join the parliament from this city when the votes cast at customs gates are added, Aydin noted.

[08] Buyukanit condemns those who brand the Turkish army in Cyprus as occupation forces

"The views of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) do not change day to day. We are behind what we have said on April 12th, 2007," said Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, on Monday.

Gen. Buyukanit talked to reporters at a reception held in Ankara to commemorate the Armed Forces Day of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

In reference to remarks that the comments made by the Turkish Armed Forces on its web site on April 27th had an impact on the results of the recent general elections in Turkey, Gen. Buyukanit noted that "we can not say anything without having concrete information. I do not believe that such comments had an impact on the general elections".

Asked by a journalist if he is behind his remarks made on April 12th, Gen. Buyukanit indicated that "the views of Turkish Armed Forces do not change on a daily basis. We are fully behind what we said on April 12th. There was nothing unusual in what we said on April 12th. Our statements were all topics known by the Turkish society".

On April 12th, 2007, Gen. Buyukanit held a press conference in regard to the security matters that concern today and the future of the Republic of Turkey.

On April 12th, Gen. Buyukanit stressed that "the next president of Turkey should be loyal by heart to secular principles, the unitary structure of the state and basic principles of the Turkish Republic."

Meanwhile, according to NTVMSNBC (31.07.07) General Buyukanit alleged that if there is peace today in Cyprus this is because of the existence of the Turkish occupation army. General Buyukanit reiterated the Turkish views that the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus faces unjust isolation and noted that nobody can deny this. General Buyukanit noted that the Turkish Cypriots showed their will at the referendum for the Annan Plan and added: In spite of its advantages, the Greek Cypriot sector did not show this will, but the northern Cyprus people were the one who have been punished.

Claiming that the Turkish Armed Forces are not only responsible for the security of the TRNC, he alleged: But if there is peace today in Cyprus, the reason for this is the Turkish Armed Forces. Now let those people who ignore this and give guarantees to the Turkish Cypriot people in various places think about it.

General Buyukanit said that the Turkish occupation army has willingly and gladly accepted the duty of defending the TRNC people and added that it will continue to do so. Thinking the opposite would be unfairness, he noted and added that Turkey is determined to carry out this duty until the end.

Buyukanit continued: I am strongly condemning those who see the Turkish Armed Forces, which protect the existence of the people, the life and the property of the TRNC, as occupation forces in Cyprus.

Referring to the agreement for military cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and France, he argued that it is contrary to the international agreements.

[09] The changes envisaged under AKPs draft constitutional amendment

The Justice and Development Party (AKP), which promised to effect a civilian constitution before the elections, has taken action. The draft constitution it has prepared introduces judicial control over the decisions of the Supreme Military Council [YAS] and the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors [HSYK]. The draft constitution, which also envisages the elimination of YOK [Higher Education Council], keeps intact the sections pertaining to the Ataturk principles.

While the AKP's draft constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms, it states that these can be restricted only in the framework of the European Human Rights Convention.

An amendment to the constitution introduces judicial supervision over the YAS and HSYK decisions, allowing the expulsion decisions made by these councils to be appealed to the courts.

Under the new draft, the interior minister will no longer be a member of the HSYK.

The new draft constitution reduces the president's powers. Only decrees pertaining to the appointment of governors and ambassadors will be sent to the president, and the procedures undertaken alone by the president will be subject to judicial appeal.

The amendment of the constitutional provisions concerning YOK is also on the agenda.

The draft calls for the elimination of YOK, the increase of the authorities of the Interuniversity Council, and the appointment of university rectors through elections.

The AKP's draft constitution also reshapes the judiciary.

Accordingly, the number of Constitutional Court members will be increased to 17, with seven members being elected by the National Assembly and the president's authority to appoint members being annulled.

[10] The new Turkish Parliament to convene on 4 August under Surku Elekdag

The new parliament (23rd term parliament) will convene in its first session on Saturday (August 4th). MPs will take oath in this session and formally take office.

The session will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, five days after the Higher Board of Election (YSK) makes public the final results of the parliamentary elections held on July 22nd.

83-year-old Sukru Elekdag, an MP from the Republican People's Party (CHP), will chair the first session as he is the oldest member of the parliament.

Parliamentarians can run their candidacies for Parliament Speaker's Office within five days following their oath-taking ceremony. The parliament speaker election will take place within the five days following this process.

The new parliament speaker will be elected with secret ballot. A candidate has to win votes of two-thirds of the MPs in order to become the new parliament speaker of Turkey in the first two rounds of vote. In the third round of voting, absolute majority (276) will be sought.

If absolute majority is not ensured in the third round, two candidates who win the highest votes in this round will compete in the fourth round, and whoever gets the highest number of votes in the fourth round is elected the new parliament speaker.

[11] Turkeys Supreme Military Council to convene 1 August to discuss promotions

The Supreme Military Board (YAS) will convene under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The meeting will take place at the General Staff Headquarters between August 1st and 4th.

During its annual meeting, the board will make decisions about promotion and retirement of high-ranking military personnel and dismissal of some military personnel due to undisciplined acts.

Besides Prime Minister Erdogan, General Staff Chief Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Yener Karahanoglu, Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert, Gendarmerie Forces Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner and the other top level military authorities will be in attendance at the meeting.

The decisions made at the meeting will be disclosed after being approved by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

[12] USA declares its readiness to work with Turkey and Iraq against PKK

The USA continues to cooperate with Turkish and Iraqi authorities in fight against the terrorist organization PKK, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara said on Monday.

The USA continues to take PKK threat as serious, Kathy Schallow, the spokesperson of the Embassy, told A.A correspondent when commenting on a story published in the Washington Post.

The Washington Post columnist Robert Novak wrote that Turkey and the United States are working on a new secret military operation to suppress terrorist organization PKK in the north of Iraq.

Schallow refrained from directly commenting on such press reports.

[13] Turkish Minister of Tourism on the number of tourists visiting Turkey

Koc said that a statue of Hermes, dated back to A.D. 2nd century was unearthed in excavations which were underway in ancient Roman Bath in Ulus district of Ankara for one and a half months, indicating that the statue would be on display in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

Koc noted that the budget allocated for promotional activities (of Turkey) that have been carried out in 73 countries has been increased by 60 percent, to 120 million USD, in 2007 when compared to last year.

Noting that his ministry attached great importance especially to China and India where tourist sectors have been on the rise, he remarked that they were also conducting promotional campaigns in the Middle East countries.

"We are planning to shoot films promoting the Aegean region, Antalya, GAP (Southeast Anatolia Region) and Cappadocia," he said, adding that the number of tourists arriving in Turkey has reached 9,184,000 since the beginning of 2007.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[14] The case for an ideology-free constitution

Debates regarding the need for a civilian constitution accelerated after Zafer Uskul, a professor of constitutional law and newly elected Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy, argued last week that a new constitution should be prepared, exclude Kemalist ideology and be a colorless one that does not impose any ideology on the country.

There is broad consensus that Turkey is in real need of a civilian constitution, with nearly all the parties pledging to exchange the current constitution for a more civilian one in their election campaigns, because Turkeys current constitution was written in 1982 by the leaders of the last military coup. There is now a widely held view that the Constitution should be free of any ideologies, including Kemalism, as is the case in all modern and democratic countries, although some people are still unwilling to even discuss this.

Stars Eser Karakas thinks the most critical point in preparing a civilian constitution is to formulate its beginning, as the opening part of the current constitution reveals the low quality of the rest of the constitution. He explains that although parts praising the March 12 military coup were partially removed from the constitution, Ataturks principles, which are attributed to a political party, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), continue to determine the basic ideological structure of the constitution.

Leaving whether constitutions can be ideologically neutral or not to the professors of constitutional law, Karakas admits that there is no such a constitution like the one in Turkey in contemporary and democratic Western states, whose constitutions instead

make reference to a set of ideas. Only the Iranian and North Korean constitutions make references to the set of principles of a historic figure. I cannot accept Turkey, a country which aims to reach the level of contemporary states and which has started membership talks with the EU, being put in the same category as North Korea and Iran, he says. Karakas defends that making direct references to Kemalism on every occasion, from the presidential oath to the political party law, do not befit the 21 centurys modern and democratic Turkey.

Another columnist from daily Star, Mustafa Erdogan, who is a professor of law, agrees with Uskul in that what he suggests -- removing ideologies from the constitution -- is the result of the states neutrality, which he thinks is one of the essentials of constitutional democracy. He argues that official ideologies are a characteristic of totalitarian regimes and that referencing Kemalism in the Constitution is against the states ideological neutrality. The ideological neutrality of the state is indispensable both for an independent society and democratic politics because an independent society necessitates that individuals and groups are able to live their lives without any pressure and in the direction of their understanding of good. In a free society, the state does not have the authority to determine what is good and what is right, he clarifies. Pointing to those who on the one hand support the state being secular, but oppose its ideological neutrality, Erdogan accuses them of acting inconsistently, thinking that the state should not only be neutral about religious beliefs and teachings but also about philosophical and ideological stances. If Turkey really wants to be an independent and democratic country, the legitimacy of Kemalism depends on its will to enter a democratic race with other ideologies.

Yeni ^afak s Huseyin Hatemi explains the historical metamorphosis of Kemalism and recalls that it was not included in the 1924 Constitution prepared during Ataturks time, Ataturk might have predicted that if Kemalism was included in the Constitution,

it might lead some to abuse it, he says. Hatemi notes that if Ataturk had wanted he could have put his name at the beginning of the 1924 Constitution as eternal chief or immortal leader, but he did not. Forty-four years after his death, Ataturks name was mentioned at the beginning of the 1982 Constitution as the immortal leader, which later paved the way for his ideas to turn into an ideology that some are unwilling to discuss, comments Hatemi.

/ES

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