Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-08-27

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat on the upcoming meeting with President Papadopoulos

[02] Fyrom to sign a protocol on culture with the illegal regime

[03] Avci: The OIC is keeping its promise

[04] The member of the European Parliament Karin Resetarits was received by Turgay Avci

[05] OIC donates 32 thousand US dollars to the national archive of the breakaway regime

[06] Confusion was created due to meetings of the UBP and DP in Ankara

[07] The so-called Turkish Cypriot Football Federation determines a strategy for the meeting with FIFA

[08] Turkish Cypriot newspaper argues that even a tank could pass from the Keryneia port without anyone noticing it

[09] Turkish navy commanders stress the role of the naval forces in sharing the sea energy resources

[10] ADL retracts its statement on the Armenian genocide after strong reaction from Turkey

[11] Gul says that he is not afraid to stand trial even as President on the missing trillion case

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] Columnist in Milliyet argues that Turkey´s work in the background and the clash of giants lead the oil exploration issue to disappointment for Cyprus

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat on the upcoming meeting with President Papadopoulos

"If the meeting with Papadopoulos brings us closer to a comprehensive solution, we will gain what we wished for," said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat on Saturday.

Speaking to the A.A, Talat indicated that he "wishes the September 5th meeting with Papadopoulos to be positive". Papadopoulos decided to hold a meeting with me due to upcoming elections in Greek Cypriot administration, noted Talat.

"We have not met (with Papadopoulos) for over a year. The attitude of the Greek Cypriots will be important at the September 5th meeting. Perhaps the upcoming elections in Greek Cypriot administration made the September 5th meeting possible. Since 2004, I have made calls for face to face meetings, but did not receive a positive response. Now, I have received a positive response to hold a tête-à-tête meeting. I wish for a successful result at the September 5th meeting," remarked Talat.

"We need to develop a formula to make the goals of the July 8th meeting possible. I expect the September 5th meeting to be positive. We are going to the meeting with good intentions," told Talat.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's political assistant Ibrahim Gambari led efforts for a memorandum of understanding on July 8th, 2006 that paved the way for the creation of technical committees in Cyprus and working groups in order to discuss issues that affect the lives of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots on a day-to-day basis.

President Talat stressed that "until a solution is found in Cyprus, the presence of Turkish Armed Forces in Cyprus will continue. The presence of the Turkish Armed Forces can not be made a topic of discussion until a solution is found in the island".

Talat underlined that the Greek Cypriot administration does not have the authority to search for oil and natural gas in exclusive regions of the island since the Turkish Cypriots are not represented in the administration of Greek Cypriots. "It is not possible for Turkey and the TRNC to accept the stance of Greek Cypriots on this matter. This issue may turn into a crisis as both Turkey and the TRNC are firm on the topic of searching for oil and natural gas", added Talat.

In addition Illegal Bayrak television (25.08.07) broadcast the following:

President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that his meeting with the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos which is scheduled to take place on the 5th of September will be a great success if it turns into an important step towards reaching the aim of finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot Side will constitute a formula to reach the final objective, Mr Talat said this formula will depend on the Greek Cypriot Sides approval and the final decision will be taken together with the Greek Cypriot Side.

In an interview with the Anatolian News Agency, President Mehmet Ali Talat expressed the need for aiming to make necessary arrangements in order to move forward the comprehensive negotiations with the participation of the two leaders.

Making clear that he will not put any preconditions before the meeting, Mr Talat said, during the meeting, the two leaders will decide on how to fill the gap after defining the final objective.

My aim is to find a short way for moving forward the 8 July process into its final objective and to take up the issue at the meeting the President said.

Referring to the claims by the Greek Cypriot media which says Mr Talat does not want an intensive timetable and arbitration, Mr Talat said these claims are completely unrealistic.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Greek Cypriot Parliament and the Secretary General of AKEL, Dimitris Christofias has asked for a separate meeting with President Mehmet Ali Talat.

According to the Greek Cypriot Simerini newspaper, Mr Christofias, who is claiming that the Cyprus problem is a matter of occupation, expressed his wish for positive outcomes following the meeting between President Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos.

[02] Fyrom to sign a protocol on culture with the illegal regime

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Macedonia have decided to sign a protocol on culture.

Releasing a statement, TRNC National Education and Culture Ministry said on Saturday that minister Canan Oztoprak had a meeting with Macedonian Culture Minister Arif Hikmet Cemali during her talks in Macedonia.

The statement noted that Oztoprak and Cemali agreed to sign a cultural protocol to boost the cooperation between TRNC and Macedonia.

After the protocol is prepared, Macedonian Culture Minister Cemali is expected to visit TRNC to undersign it.

[03] Avci: The OIC is keeping its promise

Mr Avci stated that they will continue their initiatives for the development of their brotherly relations with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and especially with the Arab countries. He expressed his confidence that friends such as Al Fehaid will do whatever they can within this framework.

(I/Ts.)

[04] The member of the European Parliament Karin Resetarits was received by Turgay Avci

Deputy Prime Minister- Foreign Minister Turgay Avci has stated that the European Union has disappointed the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot people.

As a result of this, the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos avoids sitting at the negotiation table for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem he said.

Yesterday, the member of the European Parliament and the Committee on Culture and Education- Karin Resetarits was received by Foreign Minister Turgay Avci.

During the one-hour meeting, Mr Avci explained Mrs Resetarits the Turkish Cypriot expectations from the EU.

The two also exchanged views on the latest developments in Cyprus.

Mr Avci told the MEP that the Turkish Cypriot People is disappointed by the EU in terms of its expectations.

[05] OIC donates 32 thousand US dollars to the national archive of the breakaway regime

Deputy Prime Minister- Foreign Minister Turgay Avci said his Ministry works hard to improve its relations with the Organization of the Islamic Conference Secretariat and the Islamic countries.

Weve started to see the positive outcomes of our initiatives he added.

Today, Mr Avci presented a donation cheque worth of 32 thousand US dollars to the Director of the National Archive- Gokhan Sengor which was donated by the Islamic Solidarity Fund.

The Islamic Solidarity Fund donated the project to recondition the historic documents filed in the TRNC National Archive on computer and to save these documents into the electronic data.

The donation cheque was presented to the Archive Director Gokhan Sengor today by Foreign Minister Turgay Avci.

Speaking there, Mr Avci noted that new comprehensive projects to improve the TRNC National Archive were also presented to the OIC institutions and expressed the hope that he would be announcing the good news on those too in the coming days.

Foreign Minister added that new contacts would be established with the OIC institutions and other institutions being part of the Islamic Solidarity Fund and the Islamic Bank of Development, to get financial assistance for new projects of improvement.

Mr Avci said during his contacts with officials from the Islamic Bank of Development, it was plain to see that it would be possible to get financial assistance for projects especially on health, education and environment.

We will continue working hard on the issue he added.

Meanwhile, illegal Bayrak television (26.08.07) broadcast the following:

The Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation has stressed that the unjust international isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot People affects the intellectual development in the country negatively.

The statement comes following the Forums Advisory Board meeting which took place in the TRNC on the 18th of August.

In the statement, the Youth Forum Secretariat says that organizing such international meetings in the TRNC is very important as the Turkish Cypriot People is suffering from international isolation which hampers its intellectual development.

The statement also says that a declaration will be published by the Islamic Conference Youth Forum in the coming days which will explain the works of the Forum carried out in the TRNC.

[06] Confusion was created due to meetings of the UBP and DP in Ankara

Officials from the main opposition National Unity Party and the Democrat Party are having contacts in Ankara separately as guest of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Latest developments on both domestic and foreign policies in the TRNC were discussed during the meetings with Turkish officials.

As part of their contacts, officials from the two parties met with the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Justice and Development Party Bursa MP Faruk Celik and the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan.

Speaking to the BRT correspondent in Ankara, the Secretary General of the Democrat Party Ertugrul Hasipoglu said the political crisis in the TRNC and the meeting between President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos were among the topics that were discussed during their contacts in the Turkish capital.

The UBP Leader Tahsin Ertugrologlu will hold a press conference after returning to the Republic to explain the details of his contacts.

UBP and DP officials will return to the Republic tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (27.08.07) reports that Tahsin Ertugruloglu and Serdar Denktas, leaders of the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democratic Party (DP) respectively, have described as false the information that they visited Ankara for contacts on the issue of the government.

Under the title Flesh and nail contact, the paper writes that Mr Ertugruloglu said regarding the visit of the delegation of his party to Turkey: We do not want our visit to Ankara to be manipulated. We have neither demanded interference nor did anyone suggest to us to interfere. Mr Ertugruloglu pointed out that as they usually do when they visit Ankara, they discussed the Cyprus problem at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, Serdar Denktas who returned yesterday from Turkey stated that he visited the city of Kastamonu and not Ankara. He noted that the information that Turkish Cypriot political leaders held a summit in Ankara was not true and added that the statement made by DPs general secretary, Ertugrul Hasipoglu that Mr Denktas was in Ankara, is due to the fact that the party made a statement without confirming where he was. He said that the fact that he travelled on the same flight with the UBP delegation was a coincidence.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (27.08.07) refers to the issue under the title Ankara mystery and reports that while in the first statement issued by the UBP it had been noted that the delegation of the party visited Ankara upon invitation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Gul and the deputy chairman of the Justice and Development Partys (AKP) parliamentary group, Faruk Celik, in the second statement no reference was made to these two names. It was only said that visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara and discussing the Cyrus problem was natural.

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (27.08.07) refers to the issue noting that Mr Ertugruloglu asked from Ankara to interfere so that early elections are held in the occupied areas of Cyprus. The paper reports that the first meeting of the UBP delegation in Ankara lasted fifteen minutes.

When the Turkish Cypriots asked help and interference for early elections, adds the paper, the Turks said: Let us meet on Monday if you want to discuss the Cyprus problem. We do not discuss your internal affairs. After that the meeting ended.

The paper refers also to the two statements issued by the UBP on their visit to Ankara and points out that in the first statement it was said that we discussed the problems in the TRNC, while in the second it was noted that we discussed the Cyprus problem. The paper argues that the UBP kept the meeting secret before going to Ankara noting that we are going for vacations.

On the same issue Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (27.08.07) reports that in spite of the fact that Mr Ertugruloglu has stated that all the information published in the press was false, independent sources argued that the truth is that the expiring date of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) has already passed.

The paper notes that the AKP seems to favour a coalition government between the UBP and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP). The paper reminds that the ORP was left outside of the meetings held at the assembly between the three parties (CTP, UBP and DP) regarding the constitutional amendments. Even the CTP, its coalition partner, did not inform the ORP on the issue, adds Kibrisli.

[07] The so-called Turkish Cypriot Football Federation determines a strategy for the meeting with FIFA

Invoking information acquired by Arca news agency, the paper reports that during the meeting of 20 September the Turkish Cypriot side will support that the TCFF operates since 1955 and that the 1960 Constitution provides for separate sports activities by the two communities. The TCFF will argue that after the 24 April 2004 referendum the embargo applied on the Turkish Cypriots in the field of sports is meaningless.

It will also argue that the fact that teams from other countries cannot play matches or camp in the occupied areas of Cyprus is contrary to the human rights.

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (27.08.07) refers to the issue under the title A strategy is determined for FIFA.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Turkish Cypriot newspaper argues that even a tank could pass from the Keryneia port without anyone noticing it

The paper writes that officials say that the illegal Tymbou airport is secure, but reports showed that it is not. Sources told the paper that security at the seaports in the occupied areas is full of holes. There is no x-ray machine at the port, notes the paper and adds that the fact that no explosives were found until today is due to luck only.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Turkish navy commanders stress the role of the naval forces in sharing the sea energy resources

Admiral Yener Karahanoglu handed over the Naval Forces Command to Admiral Muzaffer Metin Atac on Friday.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit participated in the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Admiral Karahanoglu said that Turkish Naval Forces Command is performing its mission in the Black Sea, Aegean and the Mediterranean without any interruption, and is determined to protect Turkey's rights and interests regarding its seas.

Karahanoglu recalled that Turkish Naval Forces joined peace-keeping operations under the auspices of the UN and NATO, and assumed roles in global fight against terrorism.

The Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean, which have become global and regional energy arteries, have direct and vital link with Turkey's security and prosperity, Karahanoglu stated.

Karahanoglu said that Istanbul and Canakkale straits have made Turkey a country of geopolitical importance and provided economic benefit, and added that a strong and big maritime administration has to be formed.

On the other hand, Admiral Muzaffer Metin Atac said that 6-7 percent of global oil supply is expected to be transported via Turkey, and Ceyhan basin is to turn into an important energy centre in 2012.

"Turkey will be a significant transit country situated between economic centres and energy resources in the future world which will be shaped up by energy," Admiral Atac stressed.

Atac noted, "I think that Naval Forces will assume important roles in sharing the energy resources in the seas, preventing fait accomplis of some countries in owning these resources, and gaining economic rights of Turkey over these seas."

Stating that "the seas are very attractive for radical terrorist groups", Atac said that therefore, it is inevitable for the Naval Forces to be a deterring force.

[10] ADL retracts its statement on the Armenian genocide after strong reaction from Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stating that the Jewish lobby in the United States, the ADL [Anti Defamation League], which was reported to have changed its stance regarding the 1915 Armenian incidents, has sent a message to the Office of the Prime Minister, said that the false step made previously has been retracted with this statement. Erdogan said: "They indicated that, just as they have provided all the support they could until now, they will provide it in the future as well."

Erdogan, after casting his vote in the second round of the presidential election, was questioned by journalists in the corridors: "You spoke with [Israeli President] Shimon Perez. There are reports that the Jewish lobby in America has taken a step backwards; what are the developments in this regard?" Stating that the text with the ADL's written message had come, he said: "They said that they share our sensitivities in particular on account of this statement regarding us, and they expressed the mistake they had made in the written fax they sent us."

Erdogan, pointing out that he has to date suggested to Armenia that the topic be studied by a commission comprised of historians, archeologists, and political scientists, and that politicians sit together and work on this, noted that Armenia has not responded to him on this matter. Erdogan said: "They [the ADL] indicate that they agree with this as well. On account of this, they expressed their regret."

In response to a question, Erdogan stated that a fax had come from the ADL. Asked "are they going to declare this to the world, or will it just be limited to a fax coming to the Office of the Prime Minister?", he said: "No. It has already been posted on their own [web]site." In response to the question "did they fax to you what is on the site?", Erdogan said "I do not know the one on their site, but there is a fax that came to the Office of the Prime Minister."

Prime Minister Erdogan, before taking part in the voting in the General Assembly, met for a while in his office with the Presidential candidate, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Afterwards, Erdogan went to the General Assembly with Gul.

Gul, when asked by journalists about a cartoon of his wife that appeared in a humor magazine [portraying her as a headscarf Playboy "bunny"], responded "I didn't see it... I don't look [at such things]."

[11] Gul says that he is not afraid to stand trial even as President on the missing trillion case

It seems almost certain now that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will be elected President of the Republic in the third round of voting on 28 August. Is Gul going to go to Cankaya Mansion with the armor of immunity from prosecution? If the new constitution that the AKP is drafting gets legislated will Gul be able to escape being put on trial for what is known in public as "The Missing Trillion" case?

Subtitle: "I will stand before the judge"

I put this question to Gul yesterday. Gul's reply was clear as crystal:

"First let me say this, I have no need of armor and immunity. If I am elected President I will not desire any armor or immunity. I do not need them. I do not want such protection."

In a far more confident manner Gul went on to say:

"I want to state this clearly: Even if I am elected President I will feel honored to stand before every judge. I will not miss this. If the procedures and law governing the presidency are appropriate for me I will stand before the judge. When this case first came to light I went to the parliamentary commissions and requested that my immunity be revoked. My request was rejected. Furthermore, when this trial was in progress a court ruling was made saying that I had nothing whatsoever to do with the matter pertaining to the Lost Trillion."

Subtitle: Acquittal verdicts

I asked Gul about the process involving him in the Missing Trillion case. Gul said this:

"A case was opened at the Ankara Number 9 Higher Criminal Court in connection with this allegation in 1998. This case saw all the Welfare Party senior executives put on trial. Those who were parliamentary deputies at that time were kept out. I was a deputy. However, colleagues in the same position as me, and by that I mean deputy party chairmen, were put on trial and the court ruled that the deputy party leaders had nothing to do with this business. Besides, I was responsible for foreign affairs. As I was of the same status as the other party deputy chairmen the ruling applies to me, too. The trial ended with party chairman Necmettin Erbakan and general accountant Riza Ulucak being held culpable. The party deputy chairmen on trial at the same time were all acquitted. If I had not been a parliamentary deputy I too would have stood trial and just like the other party deputy chairmen I would have been acquitted. Furthermore, other people who like me were parliamentary deputies back then but who later stopped being deputies such as Oguzhan Asilturk, Aydin Menderes, Recai Kutan and Fehim Adak were acquitted in supplementary trials."

Subtitle: "The case against me was rejected"

Gul recalled that in addition to the criminal trial a legal trial was also held with the intention of making good the Treasury's losses. He explained:

"Furthermore, a legal trial was opened. As you know, immunity is no protection from a legal trial. A case was filed against me at the Ankara Number 6 Court of First Instance in order to make us pay back the money. However, the court rejected this case on the grounds that I had not been involved. A total of 88 people including me were put on trial in that case. Again, Erbakan and Ulucak were held responsible. When it was again understood that we were not involved they overturned the case. This verdict was taken as the basis in the case where I was not put on trial because I was a parliamentary deputy but where my colleagues in the same party position as me were acquitted. This was proof that I was not culpable in the first trial."

Subtitle: Financially scrupulous

It is a very important and exemplary approach for Gul to take to say that he would be proud to stand before the judges even if he were elected President. Gul, who is known for being scrupulous financially in his political life, has a clear conscience.

Despite this, for him to state even now that he would not avoid standing trial as President bodes well for his behavior while at Cankaya.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] Columnist in Milliyet argues that Turkey´s work in the background and the clash of giants lead the oil exploration issue to disappointment for Cyprus

The interest shown in the international tender launched by the Greek Cypriots to conduct oil exploration in an 11-field area of the Mediterranean Sea has disappointed them. Despite the administration's announcement that they were pleased with the results, oil industry sources do not agree.

According to them, it is hard to call it a "success" when a little-known American company plus a British-Norwegian-UAE consortium only showed interest in three fields. The fact that no well-known international company took part in the tender and that absolutely no proposals came in from Russia or China has particularly upset the Greek Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriots are going to evaluate the bids for the three fields by the end of the year but are pinning their hopes on a second tender to be launched next year. So, why did the Greek Cypriots not get what they wanted?

Subtitle: Ankara took a stand

For sure the objections raised by Turkey and the KKTC [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] were influential here. The Turkish side is saying that the Greek Cypriots cannot unilaterally take steps on any strategic matter when Turkish Cypriot interests are also at stake. Furthermore, when it heard that the Greek Cypriots were reserving their right to look for oil in the regions they have taken charge of Ankara announced it had made the decision to do something concrete about this. This being the case it would not be reasonable to think that the major oil companies would want to enter oil fields that are disputed by states and put up with years of "headaches."

However, it is not only Turkey in the background here. The effects of the controversial race that is on at the North Pole between Russia, Canada, the United States and Denmark right now cannot be ignored. This extremely complex matter boils down to this:

Subtitle: Clash of giants

Scientists are stating that as the icebergs melt due to climate change it may be possible to reach the vast oil reserves under the North Pole. Leaping at this Russia claimed a significant part of the area as its own saying, "It enters my continental shelf." It even sent submarines four kilometers down to plant flags. Objecting to this Canada decided to build a military training camp in the area. Supporting Canada the United States sent a research vessel into the area. When Denmark got involved saying, "I too have a right to be here" things got really complicated.

It is not clear just how this problem is going to be solved. However, it is being said that the precedent that will result from this clash of giants will have an impact on maritime law. The major companies are watching this all play out.

Subtitle: Greek Cypriots Miscalculated

In short, the Greek Cypriots miscalculated not only Turkey's reaction but also the international state of affairs. With EU backing they are pushing the threat, "We will block Turkey's accession negotiations." However, and most unfortunately for them, past events have shown that this threat is not going to deter Turkey.

In fact, what Turkey is saying is extremely sensible. Even Nicos Rolandis, a Greek Cypriot politician who was once minister for trade and industry, has said that the Turkish Cypriots need to be involved in this kind of strategic project.

The Turkish side is emphasizing this simple truth in all the representations it is currently making to various countries and agencies. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriots, who do not want to share anything with the Turkish Cypriots, are once again living out the cost of underestimating the Turkish side.

EG/

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