Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-12-04

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] A research by KADEM on the new houses built and under construction in occupied Cyprus

[02] Soyer stated that the economy of the TRNC recorded a growth rate of 0% in the year 2007

[03] Cakici stated that the measures taken against the Turkish Cypriots shopping from the free areas is because of the deficit in the TRNC budget

[04] Ahmet Uzun: The regulation regarding the goods to be purchased from south Cyprus is clear and open

[05] The chairman of the Turk Immigrants Solidarity and Assistance Association stated that the economy in occupied Cyprus is collapsing

[06] KIBRISLI: Were the ferry services, which were advertised so much, opened for the human trafficking gangs?

[07] The self-styled Keryneia municipality participated in a conference in Italy

[08] The ECHR accepted to hear the case of Yasir Amir who is in the TRNC jail

[09] Antiquities were unearthed during excavations in a cave in the area of occupied Leonarisso village

[10] UN report on Cyprus presented to the Security Council

[11] Merkel reaffirms CDUs opposition to Turkeys EU bid

[12] The 2nd European-Turkish businessmen summit to be held in the Netherlands

[13] Turkish State Minister attends Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Qatar

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[14] The Turkish Press of 3 December 2007

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] A research by KADEM on the new houses built and under construction in occupied Cyprus

The result of the work was presented yesterday at a press conference by the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Contractors Association Cafer Gurcafer and by KADEMs director Muharrem Faiz who announced the results of the research on the houses built in the Keryneia and Karpass regions after the referendum for the Annan Plan and statistical data on the houses built.

According to the results, most houses in Keryneia were built in the year 2006 while the increase of the buildings reached 40.8% in this period. The most important increase in the constructions in Karpass took place in the year 2007 and was up by 19.8%.

In addition, in Keryneia 4,700 houses were built and from this number 1,263 houses are occupied (26.9%) while 3,437 (73.1%) are unoccupied. The houses that are not empty are the one floor villas and the duplex villas.

As regards Karpass, 1,367 houses were built and from them 560 (41%) are occupied. Out of the remaining 807 houses (59%), 424 are vacant but their construction is completed while the construction of 383 was not completed yet.

(CS)

[02] Soyer stated that the economy of the TRNC recorded a growth rate of 0% in the year 2007

(CS)

[03] Cakici stated that the measures taken against the Turkish Cypriots shopping from the free areas is because of the deficit in the TRNC budget.

(CS)

[04] Ahmet Uzun: The regulation regarding the goods to be purchased from south Cyprus is clear and open

The Turkish Cypriots can purchase goods, including personal items and market consumer goods worth up to 135 Euro. The goods to be purchased from south Cyprus the value of which exceeds the 135 Euro, would be taxed at a rate of 30%.

It is illegal to carry to north Cyprus meat or meat products, milk or milk products, vegetables or fruits.

For electric appliances and equipment, furniture and similar items import license is needed.

(CS)

[05] The chairman of the Turk Immigrants Solidarity and Assistance Association stated that the economy in occupied Cyprus is collapsing

(CS)

[06] KIBRISLI: Were the ferry services, which were advertised so much, opened for the human trafficking gangs?

(CS)

[07] The self-styled Keryneia municipality participated in a conference in Italy

The Keryneia municipality participated in the meeting as a municipality of a country in the Mediterranean with political problems. After the end of the meeting, which lasted for two days, an olive tree for peace was planted at the Carbonia Municipality in Sardines Island where the conference took place. After this event, Mr Aygin held a meeting with Carbonias mayor Salvadore Chelchi. Aygin and Chelchi, who discussed the similarities between the two municipalities, took the decision to take steps to improve the social and cultural relations between the two municipalities. The delegation of the Keryneia municipality also met in Italy with the Turkish Ambassador to Rome, Mr Ugur Ziyal.

(CS)

[08] The ECHR accepted to hear the case of Yasir Amir who is in the TRNC jail

It became known that the ECHR has accepted the law suit submitted by the Sudanese Yasir Amir who has been condemned to life sentence under the accusation of murdering the foreign currency dealer Mustafa Tanil approximately eight years ago Turkey is invited to make the defence for this case until the 5th of February 2008

It is expected that for this case, the lawyers of ECHR will cross-examine also the former Chief of Police, Erdem Demirbag.

It is revealed that Yasir Amir, who is expected to be set free from prison in 2009, did not murder Tanil and he is the innocent victim of a conspiracy

During the latest operation by the Special Action Police Forces in the prison Yasir Amir was the most violently treated

The paper continues to report on the issue in the column Afrikadan mektup (Letter from Afrika). The column inter alia writes:

The ECHR has accepted for the first time a lawsuit of a convict for a murder case in the TRNC and who is at the present in jail

(ML)

[09] Antiquities were unearthed during excavations in a cave in the area of occupied Leonarisso village

(CS)

[10] UN report on Cyprus presented to the Security Council

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is presenting his report on UNFICYPs mandate to the UN Security Council today.

Among other things, the report includes views on the lifting of the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people.

The UN Chiefs latest report on UNFICYPs mandate which is to be presented to the UN Security Council is making references to articles included in the latest report prepared by the former UN Chief Annan calling on foreign governments to cooperate to lift the isolation on the Turkish Cypriot people.

It also refers to the Strategic Cooperation Protocol signed between Turkey and Britain and the measures to be taken by these two countries to help remove the restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people within the framework of the protocol.

Earlier, the Presidential Spokesperson told BRT that developments concerning the issue were being closely watched and that the necessary initiatives were launched.

[11] Merkel reaffirms CDUs opposition to Turkeys EU bid

Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated in strongly worded remarks her Christian Democratic Unions (CDU) opposition to Turkeys bid to become a full member of the European Union during a speech to the CDUs annual convention in Hanover on Monday.

We are, have been and will remain in favor of a privileged partnership with Turkey, but were against full membership in the European Union, Merkel said, voicing outright opposition to Turkeys EU membership. So far, Merkel has favored a privileged partnership with Ankara, short of membership -- the idea of which is categorically rejected by the Turkish capital -- while her Social Democrat partners have strongly backed Turkeys full EU membership.

Until yesterdays gathering in Hanover, the German chancellor had held the door open by saying accession talks must by conducted in a way that doesnt deny Turkey the eventual possibility of becoming a full member. The CDU is now right to clarify its opposition, Merkel, however, said yesterday.

[12] The 2nd European-Turkish businessmen summit to be held in the Netherlands

Maastricht city of the Netherlands will host "the 2nd European-Turkish Businessmen Summit" to be organized by Dutch-Turkish Businessmen Association (HOTIAD) between February 9th and 10th, 2008.

High-level officials from Turkey, the Netherlands and some other countries will attend the summit. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Dutch Premier Jan Peter Balkenende are also expected to participate in the summit. HOTIAD Chairman Mehmet Soyturk told the A.A correspondent that they attached great importance to this summit because it would help Turkish businessmen to be understood well by European countries.

[13] Turkish State Minister attends Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Qatar

Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin is attending the 28th summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which began in Qatar on Monday.

Aydin will participate in a dinner to be hosted by the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Doha today.

Economic cooperation, security and developments in technology will be discussed at the summit in which Turkey is attending as observer. Aydin is expected to hold talks with Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and other executives during the summit.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[14] The Turkish Press of 3 December 2007

a) Possible Turkish invasion in Northern Iraq Kurdish Problem:

In a report under the title: "From Kandil to Yerevan" in Aksam newspaper, Mutlu Colgecen writes that the PKK is looking for a new "home" in Armenia after it was encircled in northern Iraq and that President Gul and PM Erdogan started to take actions in order to prevent the PKK, which set its eyes on Nagorno-Karabakh.

In Hurriyet newspaper Fatih Cekirge interprets the meeting US Ambassador Wilson held with Kurdish-origin deputies as "the Ankara extension of the plan determined in Washington." In his commentary, Cekirge explains that the United States may have "realized" that Ankara's intervention in Iraq will turn the quagmire in the Middle East into a "Gordian knot." "Therefore," Cekirge continues, "the United States comes up with a new policy, and this policy has two legs..."

A report entitled "F-16s fly to Iraq" in Sabah notes that "four F-16s flew to Northern Iraq yesterday following the initial attack the day before yesterday where it is stated a terrorist group of sixty was hit. It has been made known that the target aimed for is the terrorists' Hakurk camp and the surrounding mountainous region." The report further explains that "yesterday morning, F-16 planes took off from Diyarbakir for Northern Iraq. It was stated that the planes' target was the Hakurk camp and the surrounding Hakurk mountains. The direction of the war planes, which took off yesterday, was also across the border. Two planes took off successively at around 07:00 yesterday and then headed towards the border. At 09:40, two other planes also took off towards the border."

A report in Ortadogu argues that "The red berets crossed over into Northern Iraq ... Hit ... Got out. And nobody knew." Explaining that "the government waited for snowfall in order to give permission for the operation," the report adds that "the Turkish soldiers entered 20 km into northern Iraq" and that "approximately 100 soldiers with red berets from the Special Forces Command were dropped from helicopters to the area supposed to shelter some 100 PKK terrorists. The soldiers with red berets were later picked up from the area and flown with helicopters to Cukurca. The peshmergas in Northern Iraq did not even know about this hot moment."

According to a report by Barkin Sik in Milliyet, the Turkish Armed Forces, (TSK), is discussing whether to use short and long range missiles against the PKK. Sik explains in his report entitled "The Ballistic Missile Surprise for the PKK" that "the TSK, for the first time, is discussion whether to use the Toros, Kasirga, and Yildirim guided missiles with warheads."

Writing in Milliyet, Dogan News Agency correspondent Ferit Zakho reports from Zakho in northern Iraq that "the peshmergas have started to deploy tanks on the border." According to the report, the peshmergas have deployed two artilleries 10 km away from the border with Sirnak's Silopi District."

Under the headline, "It is the scourge of operation Northern watch that worsened the PKK problem," Yeni Safak publishes a front-page report which quotes Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek as saying that if Turkey had entered northern Iraq in 1991, "the scourge called Operation Northern Watch" would not have paved the way for Turkey's current terrorism woes. The report also highlights Cicek's remark that Turkey is going to carry out as many targeted operations against the PKK as it takes.

In an article under the title: "Why environmentalists are standing up for Hasankeyf", Yeni Safak columnist Koray Duzgoren censures the Ilisu dam project as an undertaking that will destroy the historic town of Hasankeyf in southeast Turkey and accuses Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek of associating environmentalist objections to the project with the PKK in arguing on a recent television program that one purpose of the PKK's terrorist activities ever since the year 1984 has been to prevent Turkey from carrying out major dam projects in the southeast because certain Arab states do not want Turkey to build large water reservoirs in the region.

In an article entitled "Authorization bill in force", Vakit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak argues that the PKK serves as the United States' "Trojan horse" in its attempt to foster long-standing feuds among "the peoples of the region" and set "Kurdish demands for freedom" and "Turkish demands for security" against one another and that as long as this "fundamental problem" remains unsolved, any military operations against the PKK could only function to exacerbate the ongoing conflict.

In an article in Zaman under the title: "The Ambassador's dinner and the Kurdish issue", Associate Professor Mazhar Bagli of Dicle University takes issue with critical reactions to US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson's breakfast meeting with certain "former and new politicians to discuss the Kurdish issue" and claims that if Turkey is cooperating with the United States in fighting terror by sharing intelligence against the PKK, "nothing could be more natural than the US envoy coming together with Kurdish opinion leaders or those engaging in politics on behalf of the Kurds."

Under the headline, "Deployments to Ground Zero," Milli Gazete runs a front-page report which asserts that military deployments to Turkey's border with Iraq have picked up speed again. The report highlights the latest General Staff statement announcing that the operations will continue and that no action will be taken against any local groups in northern Iraq as long as they do not make hostile moves against the Turkish military.

b) Headscarf issue:

Milliyet carries the first installment of a survey by KONDA Research and Consultancy. According to the survey conducted in 41 provinces, the percentage of the women donning a headscarf increased from 64.2 to 69.4 and the percentage donning the Islamic headdress increased from 3.5 to 16.3.

In an article under the title: "Talking Nonsense Publicly", Milli Gazete columnist Ekrem Kiziltas accuses part of the press of voicing unfounded allegations about certain students being forced to change their schools as a result of religious pressures from their teachers. He also criticizes Milliyet writer Ece Temelkuran for accusing Tevhide Kutuk, the winner of the essay contest in the Kozan district of Adana who was not allowed to take part in the award ceremony because she was wearing a headscarf, of "playing the role of a young girl being persecuted for wearing a headscarf."

c) Supreme Military Council decisions:

In an article under the title: "Who will call the YAS victims?", Vakit columnist Ali Ihsan Karahasanoglu criticizes President Abdullah Gul for approving the latest "unjust" expulsions from the Turkish Armed Forces implemented at the recent Supreme Military Council, (YAS), meeting and asks Gul whether he believes he could attempt to give conciliating phone calls to the seven officers dismissed from the TSK on charges of engaging in reactionary activities without inviting the question of why he did not exercise his power to block the YAS decisions. He also claims that Prime Minister Erdogan is not in any position to deny responsibility for the YAS rulings because as the person who had Gul elected as president, he is accountable for what Gul did.

EG/

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