Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-10-30

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Celebrations in occupied Cyprus marking the 84th anniversary of the Turkish Republic Day

[02] Oya Talat participated in The Mediterranean Dialogue Through Empowerment (ME.DIA.TE) conference

[03] The occupation regime took measures at all crossing points following the detection of the suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease in the government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[04] The vice president of the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation assessed the second meeting which took place in Zurich regarding the Condition of the Cyprus football

[05] Turkey ranks fourth in Middle East and fifth in Europe in defense expenditure

[06] TUSIAD continues its promotional activities before the EU publication of Turkey´s Progress Report and meets with Romano Prodi

[07] Saudi King to Ankara to develop bilateral relations

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Celebrations in occupied Cyprus marking the 84th anniversary of the Turkish Republic Day

The main ceremony was held at Fazik Kucuk Square. Speaking at the ceremony, the Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat said: TRNC celebrates 84th anniversary of the foundation of Republic of Turkey with a soul of solidarity. Acquisitions of October 29th, 1923 are a very important historical lesson not only for the Turkish nation but also for the Turkish Cypriot people to take its place within European civilization. TRNC is proud of the promising development of the Republic of Turkey on its 84th foundation anniversary."

Talat said, "The current stalemate of the TRNC mainly stemmed from the mistakes and biased stance of international community and the EU and as fundamental rights and freedoms of the Turkish Cypriot people were disregarded," indicating that, "everybody knows that Turkish Cypriots act in harmony with the European values particularly in the recent years. Despite this, neither the EU nor the international community takes steps to correct their mistake. Turkish Cypriot people are obliged to live under isolations and embargo; this is unacceptable. TRNC will not give in a mentality that ignores our equality and partnership rights."

"TRNC wants peace. Resolution of the Cyprus question can take place under the UN basis and within the scope of UN parameters. The EU should encourage Greek Cypriot party for a solution on the UN basis" Talat said and expressed readiness of the TRNC for any kind of constructive talks.

On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (29.10.07) publishes the following extract from occupied Lefkosia:

Turkish Ambassador in Lefkosia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Turkekul Kurttekin hosted a reception on Monday to celebrate the 84th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic.

Kurttekin's reception took place at the library of the Near East University and was attended by high level dignitaries from the TRNC and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The reception was also attended by diplomats of various embassies.

[02] Oya Talat participated in The Mediterranean Dialogue Through Empowerment (ME.DIA.TE) conference

ME.DIA.TE is an organisation in which NGOs of 15 different Mediterranean countries participate. The Conference, is taking place for the last three years in Cosenza, Italy. This years conference took place between 25-28 of October.

As the paper writes the subject of this years conference was The Rights of Women and the Development of Womens Status. Mrs Talat informed the conference regarding the Cyprus problem and stated, inter alia, that the women of the two communities in Cyprus must play an important role reaching to peace. She also stated that the EU must encourage the Greek Cypriot side, which is a member of the EU, for the solution of the Cyprus problem, and added that the Turkish Cypriot side has showed, for a long time now, its desire for the solution. As she stated, the Greek Cypriot side must do its part towards the solution process.

(CS)

[03] The occupation regime took measures at all crossing points following the detection of the suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease in the government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus

Under the title To be up a gum tree Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (30.10.07) reports in its first page that despite the fact that no foot-and-mouth disease was detected in the occupied areas, however, because of the measures taken by the occupation regime, there was a big traffic jam at the crossing points yesterday and everybody was forced to wait there for hours.

On the same issue, Illegal Bayrak television (30.10.07) broadcast the following: The Minister of Agriculture Onder Sennaroglu said no foot-and-mouth virus has been detected in the TRNC so far.

Onder Sennaroglu stated that the foot-and-mouth virus is a fast-spreading one and the Ministry of Agriculture has taken all the necessary measures at the check-points as from last night to prevent the spread of the virus into the North. The Minister of Agriculture said the transfer of food and dairy products from South Cyprus is being carried out under strict controls.

Illegal Bayrak went on and said that disinfection will also be applied on pedestrians and vehicles passing from the South. Adding that he had contacts with the Cypriot officials from the Veterinary Department of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Sennaroglu said the sample analysis report has been sent to the UK-based laboratory by the Cyprus government Veterinary officials to see whether the virus is the foot-and-mouth disease or not.

[04] The vice president of the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation assessed the second meeting which took place in Zurich regarding the Condition of the Cyprus football

He went on and said that as the Turkish Cypriot side they have good intentions and they do not intent to leave the negotiation table. Our main aim is to open before our youth the world football family, he stated. Mr Seroydas also stated that the FIFA regulations are the basic and this is accepted by both sides without discussion. He also stated that the talks between the two sides will not take place in Cyprus, but it will continue abroad. The talks will continue in the FIFA, he stated.

(CS)

[05] Turkey ranks fourth in Middle East and fifth in Europe in defence expenditure

Turkey ranks fourth among 10 countries of the Middle East and fifth among EU states in terms of defense expenditure, according to the Anatolia news agency.

In the Middle East, Iran has the largest defense expenditures, followed by Saudi Arabia. Spending $27.2 billion for its defense, Israel ranks third in the region. Turkey comes next by allocating $9.9 billion to its defense and is followed by Syria with $6 billion, Kuwait with $4.8 billion, Egypt with 3.3 billion, Oman with $2.7 billion, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with $2.5 billion and Jordan with $800 million.

Turkey ranks first in terms of the size of its armed forces and fifth with respect to defence expenditures. The country with the highest defence expenditure in Europe is the UK, followed by France, Germany and Italy. Turkey comes after Italy and before Spain. Meanwhile, Israel has higher defence expenditures than the sum of the expenditures of Spain, Poland, Greece, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Turkey has one of the biggest armies in the Middle East. While Middle Eastern countries other than Turkey, Iran and Israel prefer procurement in their defence expenditures, Turkey opts for developing original designs and spends on average $3.5 billion annually for procuring new defence systems. Defence sources report that Turkey places greater emphasis on R&D for developing original defence technology with the target of having the most rapidly developing defence system of the Middle East and Europe starting in 2010. The Undersecretariat for the Defence Industry (SSM) is sponsoring 176 projects for developing land, marine and aerial vehicles and detectors, rocket and missile warheads, electronic communications and information systems, including R&D projects. Turkey now develops all software needed by its defence industry.

[06] TUSIAD continues its promotional activities before the EU publication of Turkey´s Progress Report and meets with Romano Prodi

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi received the Chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Arzuhan Dogan Yalcintas and an accompanying delegation in Rome on Monday. Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) continued its promotional activities, prior to the publication of the Turkey Progress Report by the European Commission in November, in Rome on Monday by meeting Prodi. TUSIAD-Prodi meeting lasted close to 45 minutes and took place at the Chigi Palace. Turkey's Ambassador in Rome Ugur Ziyal was present during the meeting. The TUSIAD delegation will have a working dinner with representatives from Confindustria on Monday. Yalcintas and her delegation will return to Turkey on Tuesday morning.

[07] Saudi King to Ankara to develop bilateral relations

EG/

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