Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-11-06

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The self-styled Presidential Undersecretary and negotiator on behalf of Talat for the 8th of July agreement, Rasit Pertev resigned from his post

[02] TGNA delegation visits occupied Cyprus

[03] Statements by Prime Minister Erdogan and President Bush after their meeting at the White House

[04] Stephanos Stephanous autopsy results have been released by the so-called ministry of health

[05] Yonluer stated that his party will come to power in order to serve the people

[06] The 51st Turkey National Paediatric Congress and the 7th World Paediatric Congress will take place in occupied Cyprus with the participation of 2000 doctors

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The self-styled Presidential Undersecretary and negotiator on behalf of Talat for the 8th of July agreement, Rasit Pertev resigned from his post

The Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev has resigned from his post. Pertev said he handed his resignation to President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday evening.

Announcing his resignation at a press conference at Saray Hotel this morning, Pertev cited his plans to form a new political party as a reason for his decision to quit.

Speaking at the press conference, he said that the aims of the new party to be formed will be to introduce a new administration based on equality and universal values and added he will commence work on establishing the new party as of today.

Criticizing the government and the opposition for failing to introduce the necessary reform and changes in the country, Mr. Pertev said that the Turkish Cypriot people deserved much better than the current administration.

Responding to a question on his working relationship with President Mehmet Ali Talat, Pertev said that he had shared a good understanding during the long years he had worked together with the President.

In addition all the Turkish Cypriot newspapers report today (06.11.07) on the resignation of Rasit Pertev.

Kibris reports in its first page that Rasit Pertev, the self-styled Presidential Undersecretary has resigned from his post. Mr Pertev, who announced his resignation at a press conference yesterday, stated that he will establish a new political party in occupied Cyprus.

Afrika under the title He exploded, reports about Pertevs resignation and notes that the former Presidential Undersecretary disclosed TRNCs real story.

Reporting on the issue, Kibrisli writes that Pertev criticised the political parties in occupied Cyprus and stated that the Turkish Cypriots deserve a better government, a better administration and a better future.

The paper goes on and writes that asked by Kibrislis journalist, Alihan Pehlivan if there are going to be more resignations by persons who hold other posts, Mr. Pertev stated that there is no such thing for the time being because he has not taken yet the necessary steps to form a party. As he said, the first step towards this direction was his resignation and added that as from tomorrow, the works for the establishment of the new party will start. After the party is formed resignations will take place. Some friends of mine will join this movement. However, at this point I cannot mention their names, he stated.

Mr Pertev also stated that he will not cooperate with the former mufti and chairman of the Politics for the People Movement (HIS) Ahmet Yonluer. Asked about the ideology of his party, he said: You will see us in the left and in the right.

Reporting on the issue Yeni Duzen describes as a mystery Pertevs resignation from his post and notes that the former self-styled Presidential Undersecretary informed the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat about his resignation only on Sunday evening.

Speaking to Yeni Duzens editor-in-chief Cenk Mutluyakali, Mr Pertev stated that he has no intention to cooperate either with the Freedom and Reform Party or with Yonluers HIS Movement. As he said his party will be a political alternative to the Republican Turkish Party and the National Unity Party because both of them, as ruling political power and as opposition party, respectively do not do their job.

Asked about the difficulties of forming a new party, he said that until last night (TR. Note: Sunday night) he was an undersecretary and that he will start the efforts of forming a new party as from today. Asked about the contacts he had with some MPs, whether he has proposed to them to join his party and if the new party is represented in the assembly, Mr Pertev stated that he does not want to say anything on this issue. Until today I was an undersecretary, last night a handed my resignation, I am starting from the beginning. He also stated that the aim of the new party is not only to participate in the new elections but also to come to power. He added that he did not share the thoughts that led to his resignation with Mr Talat before.

(CS)

[02] TGNA delegation visits occupied Cyprus

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer said Monday the Cyprus issue could not be solved due to narrow-minded mentality of the Greek Cypriot administration.

Soyer and TRNC Foreign Minister, Turgay Avci, separately received a delegation of Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee in Lefkosia.

Soyer said the mentality of the Greek Cypriot administration did not comply with the values of the EU and an atmosphere of cooperation that was needed in the 21st century.

TRNC would keep exerting efforts for a resolution to the Cyprus issue, Soyer stated. Murat Mercan, chairman of Turkish parliamentary delegation, said Turkey would do its utmost for a fair solution in Cyprus. There are two states, two peoples and two democracies on the island, Mercan said.

On the other hand, Avci stated during his meeting with Turkish delegation that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in Cyprus was the guarantee of TRNC.

Turkish Cypriots have been walking towards bright days with Turkey, Avci said.

Mercan stated Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission would keep assisting Turkish Cypriot people in the international platform.

On the same issue, illegal Bayrak television (05.11.07) broadcast the following:

A delegation from the Turkish Grand National Assemblys Foreign Relations Commission is continuing its contacts in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

As part of its contacts, the delegation was received by President Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Foreign Minister Turgay Avci and the former President Rauf Denktas today.

Yesterday the delegation was received by the Speaker of the Republics Assembly Fatma Ekenoglu. Today the visiting delegation first visited President Mehmet Ali Talat. No statement was issued before or after the meeting. The delegation was then received by Prime Minister, Ferdi Sabit Soyer, at the Republics Assembly.

Speaking during the meeting, the commissions chairman Murat Mercan said that the visit once more proved Turkeys undying support to the Cyprus cause.

Stating that a solution to the Cyprus problem should be based on the political realties on the island, Mr. Mercan said that the Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, should abandon his intransigent attitude and should work harder towards achieving a political settlement.

For his part, receiving the delegation, Prime Minister Soyer said that Turkey and the TRNC always spent a joint political struggle on the Cyprus Problem in order to find a solution to the Cyprus Problem based on the political equality of the two sides and Turkeys effective guarantee.

The Prime Minister said that both countries will continue to work towards solving the Cyprus Problem which had been imposed as an artificial barrier on Turkeys path to EU membership.

The members of the commission were also received by Deputy-Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Turgay Avci today.

Welcoming the guests, Mr. Avci said that the Turkish Cypriot people is aware of the fact that Turkey will continue its economic and moral support to them.

Noting that the Greek Cypriot side is disturbed by the growing cooperation between Turkey and the TRNC, Mr. Avci said solidarity between the two countries will continue in the future.

Shortly after their arrival yesterday, the members of the commission were received by the Speaker of the Republics Assembly Fatma Ekenoglu.

Speaking before the meeting, the Speaker of the Republics Assembly Fatma Ekenoglu said that it gave the Turkish Cypriot people great morale to see the Turkish Republic by its side in its struggle for existence.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people were working hard to remove the unjust international isolation imposed on them, the parliamentary speaker said that important gains had been achieved in that direction.

For his part, the chairman of the commission Murat Mercan said that defending Turkish Cypriot rights within the international community was among their top priorities.

He said that joint efforts to reach a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution will continue in the future.

The Turkish Ambassador to Lefkosia Turkekkul Kurttekin hosted a dinner last night in honor of the visiting delegation.

As part of its contacts in the Republic, the delegation held talks with representatives of the Freedom and Reform Party, the Republican Turkish Party, National Unity Party and the Democrat Party.

[03] Statements by Prime Minister Erdogan and President Bush after their meeting at the White House

The meeting between the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House on Monday ended.

The meeting, which began at 8:15 p.m. (Turkish local time) lasted for about 1.5 hours.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, National Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul, General Staff Deputy Chief Gen. Ergin Saygun, ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party Deputy Chairman Egemen Bagis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan, Prime Ministry Chief Advisor Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Ambassador to the United States Nabi Sensoy, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson were also in attendance at the meeting.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.11.07) reports the following from Washington:

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, after his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House: On October 17th, almost all members of the Turkish parliament gave a mandate to the government to launch an operation. This is a mandate for cross-border operation that solely targets PKK, not civilians.

President Bush in his part highlighted the importance of constant contacts and intelligence sharing between Turkish and U.S. armies against their common enemy PKK.

Prime Minister Erdogan and President Bush made a joint statement after their meeting, which lasted for about 1.5 hours.

Prime Minister Erdogan expressed his pleasure with having the opportunity of meeting with President Bush once again after the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.

The focus of our conversation today was the presence of the terrorist organization PKK in northern Iraq. As strategic partners, we are fighting against the PKK. We discussed what we can do more as part of our joint efforts against the PKK which deployed itself in northern Iraq, Erdogan told reporters.

Erdogan said, we place priority to intelligence sharing. We attach great importance to the cooperation with our strategic partner.

The United States declared the PKK as a terrorist organization. It is necessary to give a joint fight against this terrorist organization. The United States and Turkey are working to establish peace in the world. We fought for peace in Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. This joint fight against terrorism should be maintained, he said.

Erdogan noted, we also discussed measures to be taken for dissolving terrorist camps, capturing its leaders and cutting off its logistic support. Those who have the responsibility should work together in diplomatic, political and military areas. I hope that these efforts will yield results because, it is necessary for the stability in Iraq. Their stability is our stability. Their difficulties are our difficulties. I am pleased to see that the President and I agree on this point.

U.S. President George W. Bush said after his meeting with Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan that they had a long meeting about the terrorist organization PKK, announcing it an enemy of Turkey, a free Iraq and the United States.

I made it very clear to the Prime Minister that we want to work in a close way to deal with this problem, Bush told reporters at the White House.

We talked about the need to have better intelligence sharing. In order to chase down people who murder people, you need good intelligence. We talked about the need for our militaries to stay in constant contact, Bush said.

Bush emphasized the importance of tripartite mechanism in the fight against terrorism and said he asked PM Erdogan to work with Iraqi authorities to cut off money flow and logistics support to the terrorist organization PKK.

Bush also thanked Erdogan for the organization of an international conference on Iraq that was held in Istanbul this weekend.

Referring to the recent developments in Pakistan, Bush called on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to hold elections as soon as possible.

President Musharraf has been a strong fighter against extremists and radicals, Bush said, noting that Musharraf should remove his uniform.

Asked about the U.S. reaction to a possible Turkish cross-border operation, Bush said he discussed with Erdogan what they could do to deal with the PKK problem.

But nothing can happen until you get good intelligence. We need to know where people are hiding, and we need to know what they are doing, Bush said.

Bush said they would focus on cutting off money flow and logistics support provided to PKK.

On the other hand, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said that they discussed the recent developments in Pakistan with President Bush.

It is also our desire to see a return to democracy in Pakistan in the shortest time possible. We, as Turkey, have always opposed to extremism, and continue to do so in the future. Because the way out is never through extremism. It will be proper to hold the elections as planned, he noted.

[04] Stephanos Stephanous autopsy results have been released by the so-called ministry of health

The Ministry of Health has released the autopsy result of the Greek Cypriot inmate Stephanos Stephanou who died at the Dr Burhan Nalbantoglu State Hospital while receiving treatment last Thursday.

The 64-year old Stephanou was detained on charges of smuggling historical artifacts.

According to a written statement by the Ministry, the autopsy report said the cause of the death could not be determined and no traumatic symptoms were found on his body.

The statement added that a Turkish Cypriot and a Greek Cypriot doctor together with a doctor from UNFICYP participated in the autopsy.

It also explained that a detailed microscopic and toxicological examination is needed for determining the cause of the death and added that the press will be informed after the reassessment of the symptoms.

Stephanou was arrested by the police on the 18th of October on charges of smuggling historical artifacts and sent to the Lefkosia Central Prison on the 23rd of October.

[05] Yonluer stated that his party will come to power in order to serve the people

Mr Yonluer went on and said, inter alia, that people want work and food and said that the current administration is not in a position to provide them to the people. As he stated, his party is trying to serve the people and for this reason they meet with experts from Turkey as well. He went on and said that his party has thousands of members.

(CS)

[06] The 51st Turkey National Paediatric Congress and the 7th World Paediatric Congress will take place in occupied Cyprus with the participation of 2000 doctors

As the paper writes, the 51st Turkey National Paediatric Congress and the 7th World Paediatric Congress, the host of which is the Turkish Paediatric Institute, is taking place under the aegis of the self-styled president Mehmet Ali Talat and Turkeys National Paediatric Association.

According to statements of Dr Cemal Mert, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Paediatric Institute, around two thousand doctors and medicine students are expected to participate in the Congress which was described by Dr Mert as the meeting with the biggest and most extended participation of scholars ever to take place in the TRNC.

Dr Mert also said that apart from the medical and scientific contribution, the Congress will also have a positive contribution to the economy, tourism and promotion of the TRNC.

(CS)

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