Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-06-10

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/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by Mehmet Ali Talat on the issue of the Turkish settlers; Turkish settlers are satisfied with Mr Talats statements

[02] Information on the investments and problems in the field of tourism in the occupied areas

[03] Ozkan Murat on the issue of the illegal workers in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[04] More illegal immigrants from Syria arrived in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[05] Statements by Vaiz on the issue of the tick and the mad cow diseases

[06] The inhabitants of occupied Lefka want the opening of Apliki gate

[07] Self-styled MP of the CTP has been invited to Germany

[08] Self-styled MPs visit Brussels and the Island of Rhodes

[09] Domestic defense manufacturing reaches 41 percent

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[10] Ilter Turkmen assesses the memorandum signed between the Republic of Cyprus and Great Britain in connection to the two leaders statement of May 23rd

[11] Cyprus row freezes NATO-EU dialogue, says senior analyst

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by Mehmet Ali Talat on the issue of the Turkish settlers; Turkish settlers are satisfied with Mr Talats statements

Mr Talat argued that the citizens of the TRNC are called TRNC citizens everywhere and added that there is no difference among the citizens. Mr Talat replied also to the Greek Cypriot position that there will be no solution to the Cyprus problem unless the settlers from Turkey go away and alleged that the TRNC citizens are their citizens both inside and outside the country.

Mr Talat claimed also the following: The citizenship is not a plaything. We are giving the citizenship at least since 2004 in a serious manner, to which no one will object, and in harmony with the international norms.

Mr Talat said that the negotiations are being carried out with the wish of doing away with a problem which is annoying everybody and upsets the international relations. He alleged: This is a matter of reconciliation. If a sacrifice is needed, we will make it, but this will not be contrary to the human rights. Let no one worry. If we are carrying this burden, we will carry it together.

In statements during the same meeting, the chairman of the association of the settlers, Enver Dincoglu said that some statements made by Mr Talat before he became president were making them think and feel sad, but his statements during his term of presidency make them feel relieved. He alleged that at the negotiations the necessary reply has not been given to the Greek Cypriots who said that there will be no solution unless the Turkish settlers go away. He argued that keeping quiet creates the impression of accepting the situation.

He said: The prime minister said that the immigrants are citizens of the TRNC. These statements should be made in front of the Greek Cypriots at the negotiations and the foreign powers, not in front of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Mr Dincoglu claimed that the TRNC should definitely be preserved and asked from Mr Talat to stress to the foreigners that the Turkish Cypriots want a just and permanent solution, that their security is provided by their own army and that they want to live sovereign and free under the guarantee and security of motherland Turkey.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Information on the investments and problems in the field of tourism in the occupied areas

According to information submitted by the Ekin Group Research Unit, the project and construction of 18 hotels and tourism installations is continuing currently in various areas of northern Cyprus. The vast majority of the investors are capital-owners from the Republic of Turkey.

Especially Bafra [occupied Vokolida] and Karpaz [occupied Karpass] area are the favorite locations of the investors. The Simsekler Insaat [Constructions] firm from Ankara will build a five-star hotel with 440 beds in Bafra [Vokolida]. Another firm from Ankara, the Eksen Insaat [Constructions] Tourism has in the same area a project of a 522-bed holiday village and a 504-bed hotel.

Guc Tur Kibris Yatirim Ltd [Guc Tourism Investment Cyprus] is building a five-star hotel with the capacity of 600 beds in Bafra [Vokolida]. A preliminary appropriation of land has been made for the famous architect Eren Talu in Bafra [Vokolida]. He will build a 1500-bed hotel. The Kibris Lahara Ltd, which has been established by American citizens of Israeli origin, is building a five-star hotel and 1484-bed holiday village.

According to Afrika, other firms which are building hotels or tourism installations in the occupied part of Cyprus are the following:

Ada Kibris Limited: It is a firm from Turkey which is building a four-star hotel at 9 million 200 thousand dollars.

Turintas Tourism: A firm which has a hotel in Alanya (Turkey), which will build a four-star hotel of 500-bed capacity at 14 million dollars.

New Trading: This firm, which belongs to an investor from Turkey is building a five-star, 528-bed capacity installation in Agios Epiktitos, Keryneia area, with a cost of 18 million 400 thousand dollars.

Marmara Tourism and Ticaret [Trading] LTD: A firm established by Turks from Germany is building a five-star installation with 112 beds in occupied Akanthou. The amount of the investment is 101 million dollars.

Yayoz Tourism: The firm is building a five-star, 354-bed capacity tourist installation in occupied Vasilia area. The investment is 21 million dollars.

According to the paper, there are also some Turkish Cypriots in the list with the names of the investors in the occupied areas. The names of the Turkish Cypriot firms are the following:

Sunny Wally Limited: A firm established by Cypriots from London. It is building a five-star hotel with the capacity of 380 beds. The investment is 15 million 500 thousand dollars.

Karpaz Tourism Ticaret [Trade]: It will build a three-star hotel with the capacity of 332 beds. The cost of the investment will be 5 million 800 thousand dollars.

Mehmet Direncay: It is building a four-star hotel with the capacity of 170 beds. The cost of the investment is 5 million dollars.

Suleyman Ulucay: Ulucay has come from Britain and he is building a 620-bed installation for 23 million dollars.

Hasan Balci: Balci has also come from Britain and he is building a four-star installation with the capacity of 267 beds. The investment is 8 million 400 thousand dollars.

Bellacio Holiday: A Turkish Cypriot who has returned from London to live permanently in the occupied part of Cyprus. He is building a five-star installation with the capacity of 590 beds in occupied Agios Epiktitos. The amount of the investment is 22 million dollars.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (10.06.08) reports also that Turgut Muslu, director of the so-called planning department of the self-styled ministry of tourism, has disclosed that the tourism based on the casinos has no serious contribution to the state. We do not want tourists from Friday to Monday, he said in statements to Anatolia news agency.

He said that the income of the breakaway regime from tourism decreased during the past few years and added:

Our bed capacity on the island increases, but somehow we cannot attract the number of tourists we want. There are difficulties especially on the issue of staying overnight. While the hotels had 40-41 % occupancy in the years 2004 and 2005, this percentage decreased to 30 % during the past two years. We attributed the decrease in 2006 to the bird flu disease and the World Cup games. However, the same problem persisted last year. There is a decrease in the tourists who come from Britain and stay overnight. The biggest reason for this is the second residence element. The residence sector in Cyprus has changed a lot during the last period. After the Annan Plan, that is, in the period after the year 2003, the increase in the number of the residences reached around 2000 %.

He said that these houses are usually leased to tourists who come to the island through Larnaka Airport.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (10.06.08) reports that the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Travel Agents Union (KITSAB), Ozberk Dedekorkut stated yesterday that the bed capacity of the hotels in the occupied areas is currently 15.000, but the number of tourists visiting the occupied areas is only occupying 3000-4000 beds. He noted that the persons who invested in tourism are unhappy and pessimistic.

Mr Dedekorkut pointed out that the bed capacity in the occupied areas was 6.000 twenty years ago, the investors in the tourism sector then were gaining profit and they were happy.

Kibris reports also that the fact that the incentive bonus to the travel agents who send tourists to the occupied part of Cyprus are paid late is influencing the tourism of the breakaway regime negatively. Akin Koc, general director of the Anatolian Sky travel agency who sends tourists to the occupied areas of Cyprus and Turkey from Britain for 18 years, said that during the last two months they are experiencing difficulties because the London Tourism Office is not able to pay in time the incentive bonuses to the travel agents.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ozkan Murat on the issue of the illegal workers in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Mr Murat noted: The number of the registered workers, according to the registries, has increased to 46 thousands since the year 2003. This does not mean that during the year they are continuously 46 thousands. Those who are continually making contributions are 35 thousands. Referring to the crime which has increased in the occupied part of the island because of the Turkish settlers and the illegal workers, Mr Murat said: The percentage of the crime committed by Turkish citizens was 60 % before, today it decreased to 52 %.

(I/Ts.)

[04] More illegal immigrants from Syria arrived in the occupied areas of Cyprus

According to the paper, the police are searching for another three persons while it arrested a person from Turkey, who was allegedly expecting the immigrants but refused to receive them because they did not agree on the price.

The 27 immigrants, who departed from Syria on the night of 5 June, paid a price which varies from 2700 to 3000 dollars each to the smugglers. Twenty four of them were arrested by the police after wondering around for three days and yesterday they were taken to occupied Famagusta court.

They asked from the court to forgive them and said that they were forced to resort to this because of their poverty.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Statements by Vaiz on the issue of the tick and the mad cow diseases

Mr Vaiz noted also that the incident of a tick bide in occupied Keryneia was not the disease known as the Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. He said that the necessary measures are taken.

Meanwhile, in statements at the same press conference, neurologist Dr. Turgay Akalin said that as a result of detailed examinations in Turkey, an anomaly in the DNA of Alime Mustafa, who was born in Bulgaria in 1953 and lives in the occupied areas of Cyprus for 12 years, was found.

(I/Ts.)

[06] The inhabitants of occupied Lefka want the opening of Apliki gate

In a written statement they made during the conference, they said that the Lefka area has two crossing points. The one is Limnitis barricade and the other is Apliki gate. They reminded that the opening of Limnitis is being discussed and asked for the opening of the Apliki gate as well.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Self-styled MP of the CTP has been invited to Germany

(I/Ts.)

[08] Self-styled MPs visit Brussels and the Island of Rhodes

Kibris reports also that a parliamentary delegation from the occupied areas left for Brussels on Monday to attend European Parliament meetings.

Salih Izbul, an MP from Republican Turkish Party (CTP), and Hasan Tacoy, an MP from National Unity Party (UBP), will attend the meetings that will continue until June 12th.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Domestic defense manufacturing reaches 41 percent

The head of Turkey's major arms procurement body has stated that 41.6 percent of the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) defense needs are currently being met by domestic production, while 50 percent is the goal by 2011.

Murad Bayar, head of the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM), spoke to the Turkish-language Journal of Defense and Aviation, noting that Turkey started to invest more in the defense sector following an arms embargo imposed upon it because of its 1974 intervention in Cyprus.

Established in 1985, the SSM not only has projects to meet the needs of the Turkish military but also has been involved in research and development projects with universities, Bayar said. In these projects the priority is given to systems integration, rocket control systems and electronic war and information systems, he noted.

Bayar stated that there were 180 projects costing $24 billion to meet the long-term defense and security needs of Turkey and that new projects are in the making.

In terms of the defense budget Turkey ranks 20th in the world and fifth in Europe, with $11.3 billion in annual expenditures.

Bayar noted that Turkey was aiming at 50 percent domestic production of defense products, adding that to be able to reach that goal a defense industry strategy has been developed. He also stated that a credit system needs to be developed to finance these projects.

"Our defense industry's exports totaled $3 billion from the period of 1997 through 2007. In 1997 our exports totaled only $138 million and with our improvements it reached $350 million in 2006 and $420 million in 2007," he indicated.

Bayar also pointed to Turkish firms working in the defense industry, noting that about 100 medium and large companies, including ASELSAN and Otokar, develop projects for the industry.

He said Turkey's participation in the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (/JSF) Program would cost about $10.7 billion. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a single-seater, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air sport, tactical bombing and air superiority fighter missions.

Turkey became the seventh international partner in the JSF Program, joining the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark and Norway in 2002. Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for involvement in F-35 production, and the aircraft will be produced under license in Turkey by the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

Under the agreement, TAI will produce a minimum of 400 center fuselages. Bayar said seven domestic firms, including TAI and ASELSAN, would take part in the project, financing about 50 percent of it.

TAI is one of only two international suppliers to Northrop Grumman Corporation, the other being Denmark. TAI was authorized by Northrop Grumman Corporation to commence fabricating subassemblies for the first two F-35 production aircraft.

It is anticipated that TAI after 2013 will also produce 100 percent of the F-35 under license from Lockheed Martin Corporation, as was the case with the F-16 Fighting Falcon program Peace Onyx I and II.

Turkey also intends to incorporate in the distant future several Turkish designed and manufactured electronic systems into the F-35 platform.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Ilter Turkmen assesses the memorandum signed between the Republic of Cyprus and Great Britain in connection to the two leaders statement of May 23rd

Ilter Turkmen writes:

On May 23rd the meeting between the TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat and the President of South Cyprus, Demetris Christofias with the participation of the UN Special Representative to Cyprus, Taye-Brook Zerihoun was important because the two leaders agreed on the general parameters of the solution.

According to the announcement, Talat and Christofias confirmed their commitment on the issue of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on political equality as it is described in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. In parallel to the federal government of a single international personality, a partnership was provided with the existence of a Turkish Cypriot founding state and a Greek Cypriot founding state of equal status.

This wording brought to the agenda some questions. Allegations were made that the concept of Virgin Birth of the Annan Plan has been abandoned. The purpose of a virgin birth was for the new federal state not to be established as a continuation of the Republic of Cyprus, which exists today and we do not recognize. Yet, no evaluation could be made that the announcement of the two leaders influences in any way the concept of Virgin Birth.

This issue certainly will be considered in the future. It can also be cross-examined how accurate the translation is by saying kurucu [founding, constituent] to the English translation of the word oluturucu [constituent] which is included in the leaders announcement. Maybe it is more accurate to say constituent , because the federation referred to in the announcement will be formed by bringing together two federated states.

& &

Before the ink of May 23rd announcement dried, Christofias started the evasive statements. The memorandum, however, which was signed between Great Britain and South Cyprus during the visit of Christofias in London on June 6th, was the development which caused the real reaction of the Turkish side.

Together with the fact that no reference to the constituent states with equal status was made in it, it is stressed that Britain will not support the recognition or the upgrade of a separate political entity on the island and it will continue to take into consideration the resolutions 541 and 550 of the UN Security Council which demand that the TRNC should never be recognized.

Great Britain needed not to undertake such a commitment. In any case, it was known that as an EU country the recognition of the TRNC was out of the question. Besides, the memorandum repeats Great Britains obligations deriving from the 1960 agreements under its role as a guarantor country. To whom?

Whether we like it or not, the question of whether the support given to Turkey by the government of Tony Blair has decreased when the government of Gordon Brown is coming to the mind.

Emphasis should also be given to the reference made to the UN Security Council resolutions in the Talat Christofias statement. These resolutions were also relevant to the parameters of a solution. In the resolution 750 of 1992, the then UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali in the basis of his Set of Ideas has supported a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on two equal communities, a single citizenship and a single sovereignty.

One other important decision taken by the Security Council is the resolution bearing the number 1475 which was taken after the rejection by the Turkish side of the Annan Plan during the Hague meeting in March 2003. In this it was noted that because of the negative approach of the Turkish Cypriot leader, the approval of the Annan Plan which will secure the unification of the island with a referendum by the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot side was prevented and therefore, no possibility was left to reach a solution before April 16th, 2003.

Why the 16th April 2003? For a simple reason. Because at that date South Cyprus would sign the Treaty of Accession with the European Union and would acquire freedom to move on the issue of accepting or not the Annan Plan. All the members of the Security Council were aware of how critical 16th April was.

The Turkish was the only side unable to understand this. Today we still cannot be saved from that serious mistake, from the results of that lost opportunity we cannot in one way or another find the way of overcoming the Cyprus problem which also blocks directly the EU membership process.

(ML/ITs)

[11] Cyprus row freezes NATO-EU dialogue, says senior analyst

Cyprus problem is to blame for lack of communication between the EU and NATO, says ICG's Turkey representative. The two cannot even have coffee together. The deadlock over the decades-old Cyprus dispute has put the relationship between the European Union and NATO on ice, said Turkey representative of the International Crisis Group, or ICG, in an interview last week.

There is no EU-NATO relationship; the two cannot even have coffee together, Hugh Pope told the Turkish Daily News on the sidelines of a British Council-hosted event in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri.

He further explained that the problem stemmed from the fact that Greek Cyprus uses the EU to block Turkey's access to European defense agencies and likewise Turkey uses NATO to block Greek Cypriot entry into NATO.

That means the EU and NATO cannot talk, and this is not a rational thing to happen, Pope said.

EU-member Greek Cyprus has in the past vetoed several times Turkey's participation in the European Defense Agency, or EDA, a body supporting EU member states to improve their defense capabilities for crisis management operations under the European Security and Defense Policy.

Last year, Turkey withdrew commitments to contribute its air and naval units to the EU's joint battle group in a show of protest that came when the bloc excluded its participation in the decision-making bodies of the European Security and Defense Policy. This development prompted NATO's secretary general to travel to Turkey in June 2007 to convince Turkish civilian and military officials to revise their decision. Both the EU and NATO considered Ankara's attitude as an obstacle to concerted efforts to create efficient trans-Atlantic cooperation.

Pope said the situation was upsetting NATO members because although they had nothing to do with the fight over Cyprus they were paying the penalty in Turkey's blockade of EU involvement in NATO activities due to the Greek Cypriot presence.

Turkey has a great role to play with its powerful army which is good at peacekeeping operations but they are slowing down because of what happens in Cyprus, he underlined. This is a problem that needs to be fixed. Turkey could play a big role in Darfur, Chad.

Cyprus deal to put relations on track'

A possible settlement of the Cyprus problem could make the Turkish-EU relationship better, Pope suggested.

It is very artificial to think Sarkozy-Merkel is pushing Turkey away from the EU. This problem started with Cyprus and if Cyprus goes right over the next year, which will set the EU-Turkish ties back on the rails again.

An ICG-drafted Cyprus report Reversing the Drift to Partition in January maintained that one major effort, strongly encouraged by the U.N. and the EU, should be made this year to resolve the long-running dispute and achieve a comprehensive settlement to reunify the island, something from which all sides have much to gain.

Pope, who was recently on the island for another Cyprus report soon to be released by the ICG, said he was very hopeful about the new momentum that started after the February elections in Greek Cyprus.

I'm not sure if it is time to be optimistic yet but we've got all the pieces and place for a Cyprus settlement. It is the first time ever everybody has the political will for a solution, he added.

Everyone in Cyprus thinks 2008-9 is the last time we are going to be able to roll this deal to the top of the hill. If the leaders of the two communities, who get on extremely well, cannot do it, then nobody can. I am convinced that (Greek Cypriot leader) [Demetris] Christofias wants to make the deal and I am convinced that Ankara wants to do the deal. The strategic question for Turkey is which is more important: having a permanent aircraft carrier only 70 kilometers from its coastline or having a proper relationship with the EU.

He was alluding to the Turkish military presence on the island since 1974 when Turkey sent its troops to protect Turkish Cypriots after an abortive coup by supporters of a union with Greece.

Unless Cyprus is resolved Turkey will be unable to join the EU. Everyone looks to Sarkozy and Merkel but they could move off to another job tomorrow. Cyprus is not like that. Cyprus is deep with all its treaties and literature. The problem has to be resolved before Turkey gets into the EU, said Pope.

EG/

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