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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-06-04

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA No. 105/08 04.06.08

[A] NEWS ITEMS

  • [01] New concept of threat by the Turkish General Staff
  • [02] Positive comments by the Turkish Cypriot press for the decision of the Republic of Cyprus to withdraw the lawsuits at the ECJ
  • [03] Avci says that Argonaftis air and sea search and rescue military and civilian exercise is openly attacking the sovereign rights of the TRNC
  • [04] The CTP is reportedly planning for early elections
  • [05] The Historians Association announced its red lines on the Cyprus problem
  • [06] Members of KTOS will visit Poland in September
  • [07] Turkish Cypriot athletes will participate in the Finlands International 24th Junior Games 2008
  • [08] Turkish businessman has reportedly set eye on the illegal KTHY
  • [09] The self-styled primed minister Soyer evaluates the economy in occupied Cyprus
  • [10] Inflation in occupied Cyprus goes up by 1.5%
  • [11] A Turkish settler raped a French woman in the occupied areas
  • [12] A new chairman of the self-styled high court is elected
  • [13] "US-Turkey Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation" takes effect. Turkey to closely cooperate with the US on nuclear issues
  • [B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

  • [14] From the Turkish Press of 3 June 2008

  • [A] NEWS ITEMS

    [01] New concept of threat by the Turkish General Staff

    Istanbul Taraf Online (03.06.08) publishes the following report by Mehmet Baransu under the title: General Staffs new counter-guerrilla plan:

    The Office of the Chief of the General Staff has initiated a comprehensive effort that foresees expanding the definition and the area of responsibility of the Unconventional Warfare units, which in terms of their functions and methods are an organization of the "counter-guerrilla" type.

    Against a New "Enemy"

    The plan for change, which General Staff sources have reported and which is documented by official briefing CDs [compact disks], broadens the definition of responsibility by placing on the Unconventional Warfare units the function of countering, within the country, "physical, economic, psychological, etc., occupation by the enemy, and/or attempts at this."

    Number of headquarters will be increased

    Included among the innovations focused on by the General Staff are raising the number of Mobilization Region Directorates, which are responsible for Unconventional Warfare, from 12 to 24, and broadening the duty definition in such a way as to include "thwarting every sort of element threatening the unity of the country."

    Motivated personnel for secret struggle

    With regard to civilian individuals to be proposed for participation in Unconventional Warfare, it is stated on cards signed by General Staff Chief [Yasar] Buyukanit that preparations are underway for a secret operation to be conducted in concert with the military, and that "personnel with strong national feelings are being sought for such a national readiness."

    New Unconventional Warfare Plan

    The General Staff is making a change in the definition of "enemy" within the contexts of the authorities of the Mobilization Inspection Board Directorate and of Unconventional Warfare. Accordingly, individuals, institutions, and organizations are in the category of "enemy" due to their being "physical, economic, psychological, political, etc., occupiers."

    The Office of the Chief of the General Staff has carried out a study that calls for a series of changes in scope and definition in the authorities and responsibilities of the Mobilization Inspection Board Directorate (STKB), which have been in effect since 1977, and in the Unconventional Warfare (GNH) definition and area of activity. The study, initiated a year ago at the behest of General Staff Chief Yasar Buyukanit himself, has been completed, but the new concepts and definitions are extremely vague.

    New Concepts

    According to the account of an official from the General Staff Command with whom we spoke, very serious changes have been made in the concept of "enemy" in the new definitions that have been "proposed." In the definition of Unconventional Warfare, the wording "exposing, thwarting, and countering occupation in a region that has been subjected to physical, economic, psychological, political, etc., occupation by the enemy" has been added. This wording is also included, word for word, in the definitions pertaining to domestic matters in the definition of GNH. Although new language has been added to the definitions of authority and scope, it is not explained what "physical, economic, psychological, political, etc., occupation" means, or what this covers. The official serving on the General Staff said: "Since the scope was not made clear, this definition could pertain to any legal or civilian formation that the powers that be do not want. These individuals could be subjected to GNH activities by the effective authorities in order to be destroyed, weakened, and hindered."

    Number of Directorates Also Increased

    Together with this change made in the concept of "enemy" within the new definitions of authority and scope proposed to the General Staff, the area of responsibility of the Regional Directorates have been reduced. It has been decided that the 12 Directorates will be increased in stages, and will rise to 24 in 2010. As the justification for this, it is suggested that "rather than working in one center with a large number of personnel, being located in a number of places with fewer personnel would enhance the productivity of the effort."

    Cards for Civilian Personnel

    According to the information that the official working in the General Staff provided to Taraf, a card bearing the signature of the Chief of the General Staff is provided to civilian personnel selected to the Mobilization Inspection Board. These cards, which bear the legend "Top Secret," are provided to the individuals in question in exchange for a signature; they read them, and then they are taken back again and placed in the individuals' files. The official, stating that activity in the Regional Directorates has increased recently in conjunction with the new arrangement, also said that the individuals in question are provided a classified briefing.

    Existing Definition

    Currently, the definition of Unconventional Warfare is expressed as "a military and paramilitary operation, generally carried out with the strength and the support of the local population, aimed at overthrowing or weakening the dominant authority in the target country or a region occupied by the enemy, thwarting its operations, and gaining control over the region."

    New Additions

    The official in the General Staff asserted that, in contrast to the current situation, the wording "exposing and countering occupation in a region that has been subjected to physical, economic, psychological, political, etc., occupation by the enemy, and/or attempts at this" has been added to the portion dealing with implementations of the GNH approach within the country, while the language "establishing the infrastructure for CNH planning during peacetime and, when ordered, planning and waging GNH operations in order to support military operations" has been added to the section on applications outside the country.

    Rationale: Changing Balances

    The responsibilities in the new duties, which will be given their final form soon, were defined in the same way. The official working in the General Staff listed as follows the reasons for the change made in the definition:

    "The end of the Cold War period, the United States' becoming the sole superpower, new nuclear threat formations, balances changing with the need for energy, Russia's energy policies, the change in the concept of terrorism, and changing balances in the Middle East, brought about a re-evaluation of the perceived threats. Since accordingly the need for a reformulation of the definitions related to classical Unconventional Warfare emerged, this change was initiated because there was a need for a new organizational structure such as would be able to carry out these duties along the lines of the tasks that would be assigned."

    Included within the new GNH definition that has been "suggested and proposed," and the rationales for restructuring based on this, are the following: "The activities of the Regional Directorates, in terms of priority duties, call for being among the people, contact with people face to face and on the spot, and living in that province. Rather than working in one center with a large number of personnel, being located in a number of places with fewer personnel would enhance the productivity of the effort. The plan is, rather than increasing personnel, more effective execution of the duties in the areas of responsibility by deploying in an additional five provincial centers."

    All Needs Identified

    In the study carried out, the current situation and needs, and every issue, ranging from the physical situation of the Regional Directorate buildings to their needs for combat equipment and vehicles, were determined. While sufficient personnel could not be found for the years 2007 and 2008, the necessary personnel were set forth in detail for 2009 and 2010. It was decided that the cadre rank for Regional Directors will be that of lieutenant colonel. It was decided that new Directorates would be established in Bursa, Samsun, Agri, Konya, Amasya, Bolu, Denizli, Iskenderun, Sivas, Erzincan, Mardin, and Antalya.

    The official who made the statement to Taraf indicated that the following criteria will be taken into account in determining the priorities of the 12 new Regional Directorates that will be opened: "The threat situation, the makeup of the people that will provide the working environment, the economic, cultural, and higher education structure of the populated area, and the number of provinces that will enable the duty to be fulfilled."

    [02] Positive comments by the Turkish Cypriot press for the decision of the Republic of Cyprus to withdraw the lawsuits at the ECJ

    Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.06.08), under the banner front-page title Good will gesture from the South, reports that the Republic of Cyprus announced yesterday that it withdrew the lawsuits at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding the eight tenders of 10 million Euros which had been planned within the framework of the financial aid of the EU to the Turkish Cypriot community.

    The paper notes that the Government Spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou said the wording of the tenders has changed in such a way that no recognition of the breakaway regime in the occupied north part of Cyprus is implied.

    Meanwhile, Hasan Ercakica, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat, said that they have not yet examined the text of the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union. He noted that they will make a statement on the issue after examining the text.

    Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (04.06.08) refers to the issue under the title Approval by the Greek Cypriots to the financial aid!

    (I/Ts.)

    [03] Avci says that Argonaftis air and sea search and rescue military and civilian exercise is openly attacking the sovereign rights of the TRNC

    Illegal Bayrak television (04.06.08) broadcast the following:

    Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Turgay Avci has criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration for holding the joint Argonaftis military exercise with France, describing the situation as absolutely unacceptable for the Turkish Cypriot Side.

    The Foreign Minister called on the Greek Cypriot Administration to conform to international agreements and to refrain from such actions that will have a damaging effect on the prevailing atmosphere of trust between the two sides.

    In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Avci accused the Greek Cypriot Administration of transgressing the sovereignty rights of the TRNC under the guise of a search-and rescue exercise.

    He said the military exercise only served to raise tensions on the island and the region, something he added that has a negative impact on the ongoing negotiations process.

    Reminding that the so-called Republic of Cyprus had handed over the responsibility of search and rescue operations to the UK as part of the 1960 Foundation Treaty, Avci said that the Greek Cypriot Administration has violated international law by changing the provisions of this agreement without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot Side.

    Stating that the Turkish Cypriot Side expected the Greek Cypriot Administration to respond to the constructive steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot Side with similar steps, the Foreign Minister complained that the Greek Cypriot Administration was insisting on continuing its stance of raising tensions and destabilizing the island.

    He said that the developments that have taken place after the 21st March agreement between the two leaders on the island was an indication of this.

    In addition Turkish Cypriot daily Sozcu (04.06.08) reports that Turgay Avci, self-styled minister of foreign affairs said yesterday that the fact that the Argonaftis air and sea rescue military and civilian exercise is being carried out in Cyprus between France, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus is unacceptable. In a written statement issued yesterday, Mr Avci alleged that the exercise is escalating the tension in Cyprus and the region by openly attacking the sovereign rights of the TRNC.

    [04] The CTP is reportedly planning for early elections

    Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Volkan newspaper (04.06.08) reports that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which is losing votes and is experiencing great quarrels within the party, has taken the decision for early elections.

    The paper argues that the CTP is keeping the date of the elections as a secret and is planning to remove from their duties two self-styled ministers who are not members of the assembly.

    The two ministers who will be sacrificed are Mrs Canan Oztoprak and Mr Esref Vaiz, ministers of education and health respectively, argues Yeni Volkan adding the Mrs Oztoprak will be replaced by Mehmet Caglar and Mr Vaiz by Dr. Mustafa Yektaoglu. The paper writes that the self-styled minister of public works and transport, Salih Usar would also be removed from his duties because of the tender for the privatization of illegal Lefkonoiko airport, but the decision was reviewed due to reactions in the CTP organization in occupied Keryneia.

    The ministers of internal affairs and finance, Ozkan Murat and Ahmet Uzun will remain in their position. The latter asked to be replaced because of his health problems, but the prime minister Soyer requested from him to remain at his post until the early elections, argues the paper.

    (I/Ts.)

    [05] The Historians Association announced its red lines on the Cyprus problem

    Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.06.08) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Historians Association has announced its red lines regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem and said that it will never make a concession from these red lines and will struggle with the strength it takes from Ataturk.

    The statement of the Association commented on the Greek Cypriot red lines which were published in the Greek Cypriot press after the meeting between President Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat on 23 May.

    The historians pointed out that they have many times declared their red lines which are that they will never get under the Greek and Greek Cypriot sovereignty, they will never give concessions from the situation created after the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, they will never be separated from their motherland Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces which are an integral part of it and they will never return to the painful days of the past.

    (I/Ts.)

    [06] Members of KTOS will visit Poland in September

    Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.06.08) reports that Mustafa Ozhur, education secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers Trade Union (KTOS) and five members of the union will visit Poland in September within the framework of a teachers exchange program.

    Mr Ozhur said that the seven-day visit will be carried out in the second week of September. Mr Ozhur noted also that they have completed the preparations for organizing an international education symposium in the occupied part of Cyprus in September.

    (I/Ts.)

    [07] Turkish Cypriot athletes will participate in the Finlands International 24th Junior Games 2008

    Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.06.08) reports that 13 Turkish Cypriot athletes are departing today for Finland in order to participate in the Finlands International 24th Junior Games 2008, which will take place between 6 and 8 of June.

    (I/Ts.)

    [08] Turkish businessman has reportedly set eye on the illegal KTHY

    Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (04.06.08) reports that the director of Pegasus Airlines, Zeki Ziya has alleged that the shares of the illegal Turkish Cypriot airlines (KTHY) will be transferred to the Turkish Airlines (THY).

    Mr Ziya said that the illegal Turkish Cypriot airlines have been turned into an institution which is suffering loses and added: When the shares of the KTHY were being purchased, some behaved as if a revolution had happened. The administration of the organization is trying to give its own shares to the THY at the expense of protecting its own position.

    Mustafa Candanal, chairman of the administrative board of the KTHY has strongly rejected the allegation that they are trying to give their shares back to Turkey with the aim of saving the company. We are only making a strategic cooperation with the THY. Preserving good relations with a giant who is next to us should not be a crime, he said.

    Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (04.06.08) refers to the issue under the title Make the Turkish Cypriot Airlines go bankrupt! and the subtitle Ali Sabanci has set his eye on the KTHY! The paper notes:

    A new process started now for opening the way of the private firms in Turkey by leading organizations in the TRNC to bankruptcy or for giving away the bankrupted organization to businessmen in Turkey...In the news we are publishing on our front page it is noted that Ali Sabanci is getting ready to lead the KTHY into bankruptcy.

    The paper notes that Ali Sabanci is the owner of Pegasus Airlines and after the failure of his efforts to establish a strategic alliance with the KTHY he is preparing to lead the KTHY into bankruptcy and has given such directives to his staff.

    (I/Ts.)

    [09] The self-styled primed minister Soyer evaluates the economy in occupied Cyprus

    Illegal Bayrak television (04.06.08) broadcast the following:

    Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer has said introducing measures to minimize the affects of rising fuel prices and drought on the TRNC economy is essential.

    Underlining the need to turn to alternative energy sources, the Prime Minister said that importing natural gas, establishing a gas terminal and producing electricity from solar energy were among options being considered by the government.

    The Premier was speaking on a news program on BRT 1 where he evaluated the economy together with economists and chairmen from leading trade unions and chambers of commerce.

    Pointing out that important developments have been experienced in the TRNC economy over the past few years, Soyer said that the progress achieved could not be ignored.

    He said the TRNC economy was experiencing problems and difficulties due to the Cyprus Problem, but added that important progress had nevertheless been achieved since the Republican Turkish Party came to office.

    Criticizing claims that there is no economy in North Cyprus, he said that such assertions did not reflect the reality and only served to damage the Turkish Cypriot peoples belief in their country.

    Giving the example of rising fuel prices and drought, he said it was impossible for the Turkish Cypriot people not to be affected by global events.

    Reminding that government has made serious investments on the issue of electricity; the Prime Minister said that people must turn to alternative energy sources in order to reduce the countrys dependency on fuel oil.

    Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people had the potential to achieve its goals; the Premier said that everyone needed to contribute to developing the economy in order to raise the Turkish Cypriot societys prosperity.

    [10] Inflation in occupied Cyprus goes up by 1.5%

    Illegal Bayrak television (04.06.08) broadcast the following:

    The State Planning Organization has announced that the cost of living in the TRNC has gone up by 1.5 per cent in May. The Organization said that the largest increase was recorded in the cost of transportation, which rose by 6.8 per cent compared to April.

    With the latest figures released by the Organization, the TRNC inflation has gone up 7.9% since December last year, and 13.3% since last May.

    [11] A Turkish settler raped a French woman in the occupied areas

    Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (04.06.08) reports that a French woman who was hitchhiking in the occupied areas has complained to the police that she was taken to the mountains, threatened with a knife and raped by the person who let her get into his vehicle.

    Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (04.06.08) refers to the issue under the title What is happening in our Cyprus? The paper notes that the person who is accused of committing the crime has come to the island from Madrin, Turkey. Yesterday he was taken to the so-called district court of occupied Keryneia.

    Finally, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (04.06.08) reports that the name of the suspect is Sultan Akdogan. The French tourist lives in the free areas of Cyprus.

    (I/Ts.)

    [12] A new chairman of the self-styled high court is elected

    Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.06.08) reports that Nevvar Nolan has been elected to the post of the chairman of the so-called High Court, in the place of Metin Hakki who will be pensioned on 13 July 2008.

    (I/Ts.)

    [13] "US-Turkey Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation" takes effect. Turkey to closely cooperate with the US on nuclear issues

    Turkish daily Todays Zaman newspaper (04.06.08) reports the following:

    Turkey and the United States have begun a 15-year nuclear energy cooperation agreement with the exchange of diplomatic notes by officials from the two countries.

    The two countries agreed to cooperate on civilian nuclear projects with the "US-Turkey Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation," according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the US State Department.

    Turkey and the US had signed the cooperation agreement in Ankara on July 26, 2000, but it was only brought into force on Monday due to problems in the ratification processes, a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

    The agreement --mindful of the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which both countries have long been parties, and of the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency's [IAEA] security inspections in preventing proliferation-- sets up a framework for the peaceful use, development and inspection of nuclear energy, the statement said.

    The ministry also indicated that the agreement permits the transfer of technology, information, materials, equipment and components for nuclear research in such areas as medicine and agriculture, as well as for nuclear power production.

    The agreement does not permit transfers of sensitive nuclear technology and restricted data. In a similar statement the US State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs said: The agreement establishes a firm foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation in the important field of peaceful nuclear energy for many years to come. It opens up opportunities for US and Turkish nuclear industries to cooperate in this field.

    The agreement has an initial term of 15 years, with a provision for automatic renewal in increments of five years each unless either party decides to terminate it. By bringing the Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation into force, the United States and Turkey have taken an early step in what they both expect will be a very long and fruitful partnership in efforts to enhance their energy options and promote their energy security, the US statement said.

    Sedat Laciner, the head of the Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization (ISRO/USAK), told Today's Zaman that the agreement shows the extent of the trust that the United States has for Turkey. Nuclear materials are highly sensitive products. There is a danger that they can be sold to third countries on the US black list, such as Iran. So the White House cannot by itself approve selling nuclear technology. It goes through a process of approval by Congress, Laciner said.

    He also said American companies have a stronger hand in this agreement than others, such as French and Canadian firms, which are most interested in Turkey's nuclear development projects, because the agreement involves technology transfer, mutual production of materials and the education of Turkish engineers in the field of nuclear production. If other countries' companies cannot provide these things, American firms will have an upper hand, he said.

    In January US President George W. Bush approved a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Turkey, saying that private-sector proliferation worries have been addressed.

    Then Bush sent the US Congress a July 2000 agreement, signed by then-US president Bill Clinton, which would clear the way for cooperation with Turkey's planned civilian atomic sector.

    "In my judgment, entry into force of the agreement will serve as a strong incentive for Turkey to continue its support for nonproliferation objectives and enact future sound nonproliferation policies and practices, Bush said in a letter to lawmakers on January 23. It will also promote closer political and economic ties with a NATO ally, and provide the necessary legal framework for US industry to make nuclear exports to Turkey's planned civil nuclear sector, Bush also said.

    The deal stalled shortly after being signed in July 2000 because US agencies received information implicating Turkish private entities in certain activities directly relating to nuclear proliferation, the White House said, adding that those issues have been sufficiently resolved.

    The US Congress still has to approve the agreement. The agreement will facilitate Ankara's September tender to build the first of three planned nuclear power plants that will provide Turkey with an additional 5,000 megawatts of electricity.


    [B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

    [14] From the Turkish Press of 3 June 2008

    Following are the summaries of reports and commentaries of selected items featuring prominently in the Turkish press on 3 June:

    a) Reports about wiretapping: Melih Asik criticizes the authority given to the police by the 11th Criminal Court to wiretap all telecommunications in Turkey. In a column in Istanbul Milliyet, he describes the process as a scandal and notes: The prime minister and the minister of internal affairs not being informed on the violation of the laws is unthinkable. Basic rights and freedoms can be restricted only under exceptional conditions in a logical and fair way. According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, measures that restrict freedoms can be put into effect if they are absolutely necessary. The country-wide operation to monitor telecommunications cannot be justified.

    In a column in Istanbul Milliyet, Fikret Bila cites CHP [Republican People's Party] Secretary General Onder Sav, who has accused the government of wiretapping his telephones, as saying that he will not resign because of the allegations that he failed to hang up after ending his telephone conversation with one of the governors. Bila also quotes him as saying that wiretapping by the state officials increased after the AKP [Justice and Development Party] came to power and a parliamentary investigation into the matter would be more useful because a CHP motion will be rejected by the ruling party deputies in the National Assembly.

    Writing in the same newspaper, Derya Sazak views the CHP claims related to wiretapping in a column, saying that Prime Minister Erdogan and the AKP administration now expect the CHP officials to prove their allegations. Recalling the argument that Onder Sav failed to hang up after his telephone conversation with one of the governors ended, he notes: If that is true, then Onder Sav must resign for creating an upheaval in the country.

    According to a report in the same newspaper, the CHP has decided against submitting a motion to the parliament for an investigation into allegations of wiretapping by the police. The report quotes CHP deputy parliamentary group leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as saying that his party will first try to establish how seriously the AKP views the incident and then move to submit a motion for investigation.

    Oktay Eksi recalls the law that authorizes wiretapping by the pertinent organizations and argues that the allegations that the police have been authorized to eavesdrop on everyone throughout the country shows that the constitutional provision on the protection of private life and secrecy is meaningless. In a column in Istanbul Hurriyet, he criticizes the government officials for not complying with the laws by seeking authority to wiretap only suspects and argues that monitoring all the citizens is a kind of state terror or blackmail.

    Writing in Istanbul Radikal, Ismet Berkan also criticizes the authority given to the police to wiretap the entire country. He argues in a column that viewing all the people in the country as suspects are wrong and criticizes the court that authorized the police without investigating who they would wiretap. Berkan says: A similar scandal created an upheaval in the United States in the past. However, no one has been upset in Turkey. Our colleagues and politicians who defend freedoms have remained silent. What is worse is the failure of the opposition to take action.

    In an article entitled "Onder Sav's telephone", Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru accuses "the pro-CHP [Republican People's Party] media" of misrepresenting the "lie" that CHP official Onder Sav's office has been bugged as evidence that the Government and the police are "wiretapping everybody" so as to fuel fears of an impending autocracy and invite a military coup. He also recalls how part of the Turkish press tried to pave the way for the coup in May 1960 by propagating the "nonsense" that the ruling Democratic Party had disposed of the bodies of some military cadets killed in street demonstrations by feeding them into meat grinders.

    Under the headline, "CHP Conceals Document," Vakit publishes a front-page report which asserts that the CHP is keeping Onder Sav's phone call records sent by the Turkcell GSM Company "like a secret" because the logs confirm Vakit's claim as to how it became privy to the content of a conversation between Sav and a governor.

    In an article entitled "Hitmen Start Talking About Ethics", Vakit Editor-in-Chief Hasan Karakaya takes issue with the argument that the Vakit daily broke ethical rules in making the private conversation between Onder Sav and Ali Serindag public property. He claims that Onder and Serindag talked about political rather than personal issues and that there is nothing wrong about Vakit's disclosure of an "unethical" conversation between two public officials on which it "eavesdropped" [because Sav failed to end a call he received from a Vakit correspondent]. He also asserts that the mainstream media displayed a complete disregard for ethics in disclosing the particulars of a conversation between Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and some bureaucrats at a meeting closed to the press earlier in January, 2008.

    In an article entitled "The Ethics Debate", Vakit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak asserts that Vakit "exposed an unethical and illegitimate mindset that threatens the future of the country" in sharing the details of the conversation between Sav and Serindag with the public and that it cannot be accused of violating ethics in doing so any more than traffic authorities can be held accountable for using hidden cams to take pictures of cars that run red lights.

    According to a report entitled "Technical surveillance prevents assassination against Prime Minister", it has been found out that the National Police Headquarters is conducting "preemptive" surveillance and phone monitoring operations in fighting terrorism.

    b) Bill submitted to the French Parliament: According to a column by Erdal Safak in Istanbul Sabah, the statement French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner made during the press conference he held with Mas'ud Barzani after he opened the French Consulate in Irbil, northern Iraq, brought to light the fact that the policy France maintains is gradually taking the form of a hostile approach toward Turkey. Recalling the naval exercises France is carrying out with the Republic of Cyprus, Safak argues: France and South Cyprus signed an agreement to cooperate on defense some time ago. The exercises are related to that agreement. What is the target? President Sarkozy might answer the question when he addresses the Greek parliament on 6 June, the last day of the exercises. As far as we are concerned, France's eyes have been blinded by Sarkozy's hostile policy against Turkey.

    c) Establishment of a new party in the place of DTP: In a column in Istanbul Sabah, Muharrem Sarikaya cites DTP deputies Sirri Sakik and Hasip Kaplan commenting on their party's initiative to establish a framework party that will be similar to the Social Democratic Populist Party headed by Erdal Inonu in the past if the DTP is closed down. He quotes Sakik as saying that the people need a party which will allow everyone to freely express his views and Kaplan as saying that the party they will establish will exclude the concept of ethic identity. Sarikaya concludes by saying: Everyone is talking about the need for a new left-wing party. However, no one has been able to meet under the same roof for many years. That should be considered normal.

    EG/


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