Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-01-03

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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 forthcoming Presidential elections of the Republic of Cyprus and what he expects from the new President

[02] Hasan Ercakica on the visit of Mehmet Ali Talat to Ankara and the Cyprus problem

[03] Reports about cooperation of the breakaway regime with an Israeli businessman who had been imprisoned in Israel for corruption

[04] The discussions for early elections will continue tomorrow

[05] Columnist in Kibrisli points out that illegal immigrants enter the occupied areas of Cyprus under the cover of students and in cooperation with police officers

[06] YDU is connecting Northern Cyprus with Europe through Bucharest

[07] Soyer announces that that they will purchase a new electricity power plant in 2008 and at the same time tenders will be opened for a new power plant

[08] Three international tenders will be opened in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[09] News economic and business cooperation between Turkey and Syria

[10] A new Research Centre for Army began its operation in Turkey

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[11] From the Turkish Press of 02 January 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat on the forthcoming Presidential elections of the Republic of Cyprus and what he expects from the new President

President Mehmet Ali Talat has said new initiatives are expected to be launched towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem following the Presidential elections in South Cyprus next month. Pointing to soaring relations between the two sides on the island, the President said `the United Nations could consider other options, if a new initiative fails to bring a positive outcome`.

In an interview to the TAK news agency, the President said although the outcome of the February elections in South Cyprus will not affect the launch of a new negotiations process on the Cyprus issue, it will surely affect the result of the process.

Pointing to deteriorating relations between the two sides on the island, the President said that a new initiative could be the last to be launched on the Cyprus issue and the United Nations could consider other options, if it fails to bring a positive outcome.

Noting that the Cyprus problem has been continuing for too long and continues to emerge as a problem for the international community at every platform, President Talat said `the Cyprus problem had experienced a sleepy year in 2007 but new developments should be expected in the coming months`.

Accusing the Greek Cypriot side of resorting to delaying tactics despite the opportunity created by the 8th July Agreement, Mr Talat said the Turkish Cypriot side and the international community, including the European Union, could no longer tolerate the Greek Cypriot sides intransigent attitude.

Warning that an initiative launched in 2008 could be the last chance for a solution in Cyprus, the President said that failure to get a positive result out of the new process could prompt the United Nations to seek alternative solutions in Cyprus.

I dont know what these alternatives could be, but the division between the two sides is deepening and relations are deteriorating by the day, he noted.

[02] Hasan Ercakica on the visit of Mehmet Ali Talat to Ankara and the Cyprus problem

Speaking during his weekly briefing, Mr Ercakica argued that it is inevitable for a solution plan to come up after the elections and noted:

We want to negotiate this. Perhaps, suggesting such a plan could be tantamount to congesting the negotiations process. We are preparing our own options.

Replying to questions, he noted that the Turkish side will not go with a new proposal to the new negotiating process which is expected after February. He added:

What we are giving emphasis to is continuing the negotiations on the working material which came up during the UN procedure which is called body of work upon which work has been carried out until today. The most important part of it is the latest UN Comprehensive Solution Plan, known among the people as the Annan Plan. We are dealing with the various aspects of it.

Mr Ercakica pointed out that in spite of the fact that the 8 July agreement was not an agreement with which a substantive solution to the Cyprus problem could be reached; it is not possible to be left aside. He said that a comprehensive solution could be found during a negotiating process, in which the two leaders will be participating.

Furthermore, Mr Ercakica referred also to the visit which Mr Talat will begin today to Ankara upon invitation by the Turkish President, Abdullah Gul. He said that Mr Talat will hold meetings with Mr Gul, the Speaker of the Assembly Toptan, the Prime Minister Erdogan, and the Chief of the General Staff, General Buyukanit.

The delegation under Mr Talat will also hold a meeting in Ankara with a delegation of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Babacan.

Mr Ercakica noted that the current stage of the Cyprus problem and the preparations regarding the expected initiative after February will be discussed during these meetings. Mr Ercakica said that in works they have carried out together with the personnel of the presidents office and the government, they have evaluated the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side and the elements of a possible initiative on the Cyprus problem after February. He noted that after Mr Talats visit to Ankara they will work with political parties and organizations in various forms.

Replying to a question, he said that the fact that Mr Talats visit to Ankara coincides with the period before Mr Guls visit to the USA will be very useful from the point of view of functionality.

He noted: Either we want it or not, the important role which the USA plays in the solution process in Cyprus is there. Therefore, the contacts which Gul will hold in the USA constitute one of the issues of our contacts in Ankara.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (03.01.08) refers to the visit of Mr Talat to Ankara under the title New instruction from Ankara and reports: The works in Ankara on the issue of the Cyprus policy which will be followed during the next period have been completed and Mehmet Ali Talat and Turgay Avci have been invited to Ankara. The paper notes that Mr Avci will accompany Mr Talat during this visit upon the request of AKP officials.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Reports about cooperation of the breakaway regime with an Israeli businessman who had been imprisoned in Israel for corruption

According to the paper, it has been known that the Israeli businessman named Aharon Klien, whom the prime minister Soyer, his advisor Ontac Duzgun and the minister of internal affairs, Ozkan Murat had visited at his office in occupied Karavas village, has been imprisoned in Israel for three years on corruption charges. Businessman Zeki Ziya, director of Pegasus airlines, has also participated in the above-mentioned private meeting, notes that paper.

Volkan reports that Mr Klien participated in the tender for the E-Government project in the occupied areas and points out that a businessman from the TRNC has also filed charges against Mr Klien to the police accusing him of issuing forged documents and having committed fraud through the Internet.

(I/Ts.)

[04] The discussions for early elections will continue tomorrow

The National Unity Party and the Democratic Party insisted on a decision for early elections to be made by the committee. The Republican Turkish Party will evaluate today the proposal submitted by the two parties and announce its decision at a meeting of the general secretaries of the parties tomorrow.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Columnist in Kibrisli points out that illegal immigrants enter the occupied areas of Cyprus under the cover of students and in cooperation with police officers

Mr Harman notes that these illegal immigrants enter into the TRNC legally with forged documents made up by gangs of smugglers of people living in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

He adds: According to some sensational information, which increase recently and become stronger, it is stressed that some police officers are also involved in this business. They say that these gangs, which have close relations with some police officers, agree with the police officers in return of a sum of money and bring their so-called guests during the shift of the police officers with whom they have reached an agreement. .

(I/Ts.)

[06] YDU is connecting Northern Cyprus with Europe through Bucharest

According to a statement issued by the university, the YDU joined this superhighway because of the fact that the computer system established at YDU is in the 12th place in the ranking of the computer systems of the world universities.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Soyer announces that that they will purchase a new electricity power plant in 2008 and at the same time tenders will be opened for a new power plant

In statements before the meeting of the council of ministers, Mr Soyer noted that what is important is to increase the investments in the occupied areas during this year, to use the resources of the country correctly and to continue the steps they have made on this basis for improving the life of the people and the country.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Three international tenders will be opened in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Kibris reports also that the self-styled mayor of occupied Famagusta, Oktay Kayalp has said that the project they prepared for desalination of sea water aimed at solving the water problem of the occupied city will be completed before the end of the summer of 2008. In statements yesterday, Mr Kayalp noted that the tender they opened together with the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University has been completed and the construction will begin within the next few days.

(I/Ts.)

[09] News economic and business cooperation between Turkey and Syria

A Syrian delegation headed by Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-Dardari had a meeting with Turkish businessmen in Ankara on Wednesday.

Turkish State Minister Nazim Ekren who also attended the meeting told reporters that the Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) made a presentation on Turkey's expectations from Syria as well as problems and solution proposals during the meeting.

On the other hand, Syrian Deputy PM Dardari told reporters that TOBB has an international experience about establishment of organized industrial zones, and Syria wants to benefit from this experience. Dardari noted that they proposed TOBB to set up an organized industrial zone on a field of 2,500 hectares in Syria.

When asked whether there is cooperation between Turkey and Syria in the fight against terrorism, Dardari said the cooperation between Turkey and Syria especially in the security area is an example to the whole world.

Meanwhile, TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said they proposed to set up an arbitration board to solve problems, which may emerge in Turkish-Syrian commercial relations. He added that Dardari welcomed the proposal.

[10] A new Research Centre for Army began its operation in Turkey

TUBITAK [Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey] obtained a new high-technology plant. The new research and development building of the Advance Technologies Research Institute was inaugurated by Prime Minister Erdogan and Chief of the General Staff Yasar Buyukanit.

High-technology research and development activity critical for Turkey will be conducted in the centre. It will conduct activities in the field of information security, communication, and advanced electronics. In inaugurating the building in the presence of Buyukanit and ministers, Prime Minister Erdogan hoped with these installations the Turkish Army will take a step into a secure future.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[11] From the Turkish Press of 02 January 2008

A report entitled "Perspectives for 2008" in Hurriyet quotes political analysts in the United States as saying that the United States will support every step to be taken by the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP, in order to find a political solution to the Kurdish problem, stressing that the United States prefers a political solution over the medium term although there will be military cooperation over the short term.

In an article entitled "Risks associated with high expectations," Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila argues that it would be wrong to conclude that the PKK has been totally destroyed as a result of recent military operations, adding that the fight against terrorism based on ethnic nationalism is a very long process. After citing passages from a speech delivered by Chief of the Ground Forces General Ilker Basbug who emphasized that there should be close coordination between the government and the military, Bila comments: "The fight against terrorism will be the number one priority of Turkey in 2008. It should, therefore, be born in mind that raising unrealistic expectations among the public could create problems and that the fight should be based on a general consensus."

In an article entitled "A year characterized by challenges and opportunities in foreign policy," Milliyet columnist Sami Kohen points out that the support given by the international community for the ongoing military operations against the PKK will depend on limiting their scope and objective. Noting that achieving military objectives as soon as possible will enable the Turkish Government to deal with the underlying causes of terrorism and to find a solution through new overtures, Kohen also says that problems may be encountered in Turkish-US relations if a bill on the Armenian genocide is tabled in the US House of Representatives in the spring although strategic cooperation between the two countries as part of the fight against the PKK will probably continue in 2008.

Under the title "Turkey's Agenda in 2008," Vatan columnist Rusen Cakir cautions that expelling PKK guerillas from Iraq and liquidating the organization may not be as easy as generally predicted because they are sheltered by Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. Pointing out that US support given to Turkey's fight against the PKK which, he argues, is exaggerated, may diminish due to the divergence of opinions about the issue within the US Government and the upcoming presidential election, Cakir says that the PKK's capabilities are underestimated, adding that there is no Kurdish group in Turkey which is strong enough to wage a legal or illegal struggle against the PKK.

In an article entitled "The World in 2008," Hurriyet columnist Cuneyt Ulsever implies that the People´s Republic of China (PRC), India, and Russia use Islamic terrorist groups as a tool for changing the status quo in the world while the United States and the EU are trying to preserve it. Noting that the US Government which, he says, is led by neo-cons carries out military interventions in other countries as part of their aggressive policy, Ulsever says: "There is a point which makes me extremely anxious. The leading actor has been extremely unsuccessful in its interventions in the recent past and it messed things up. The most powerful country in the world is virtually ruled by a bunch of untalented people. They eventually messed things up in Pakistan too."

An article entitled "Constitutional crisis in new Year" in Cumhuriyet quotes Republican People's Party leader Deniz Baykal as saying in an exclusive interview that the draft Constitution drawn up by AKP strategists will have negative consequences for the secular system, the judiciary, and the unitary nature of the regime and lead to heated debates during the year 2008. He says: "What has been done in Iraq through an invasion will be done in Turkey by means of the Constitution.

In an article entitled "Three problems, three results", Zaman columnist Abdulhamit Bilici calls attention to the "encouraging prospects" for Turkey's foreign policy created by the "impressive" results Ankara has gained in three "critical" issues that "appeared to be insoluble" in 2007, namely the Armenian genocide bill placed on the agenda of the US Congress, the referendum on Kirkuk's status that was supposed to have been carried out by the end of 2007, and the threat posed by the PKK presence in northern Iraq.

In an article entitled "2008 to give birth to a new constitution", Zaman columnist Mustafa Unal asserts that it will not be a surprise for "political parties like the CHP [Republican peoples Party] to try to provoke nonpolitical players into action against the Governments efforts to complete work on a new constitution that meets international standards and is more libertarian than the 1982 constitution.

A report under the title: "Headed for a recession soon" asserts that the possibility of a increasing shortage of international liquidity and the outflow of "hot money" from "risky countries" like Turkey in 2008 could put pressure on the ruling AKP to become even more dependent on the IMF, resulting in a new wave of unemployment and general impoverishment in the new year.

EG/

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