Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-06-19

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The occupation regime forbids policemen to use the passports and identity cards of the Republic of Cyprus for traveling

[02] Ercakica on Pascoe´s visit in Cyprus and the latest UN report on Cyprus

[03] Lynn Pascoe gave a press conference prior to his departure from Cyprus

[04] Cyprus problem among the issues included in the agenda of the OIC Summit in Uganda

[05] Number of foreign countries are participating as observers in the illegal military exercise which takes place in occupied Cyprus

[06] Statements by Babacan on PACE meeting on Turkey, OIC meeting and candidacy for the UN Security Council

[07] Mens BRT beach handball team participated in the 1st International Aus Academic Cup in Bulgaria

[08] Two technical experts from Turkey are in occupied Cyprus to search for ways of eliminating the problems being faced by certain channels

[09] The occupation regime became a land of gambling

[10] The self-styled minister of tourism stated that tourism must become TRNCs ambassador abroad

[11] Publisher sentenced over book on Armenian killings

[12] Turkey to veto Frances plan to return to the military wing of NATO

[13] 20.000 members of the Freemasons Lodge in Turkey

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The occupation regime forbids policemen to use the passports and identity cards of the Republic of Cyprus for traveling

The reason for this decision is that the use of the passport and identify card for traveling by the members of the police, affects negatively the prestige of the police organization and the security of the policemen. In the same way that the police employees cannot use these documents to travel from the airports and ports of the Republic of Cyprus they should not use them for other trips abroad.

(CS)

[02] Ercakica on Pascoe´s visit in Cyprus and the latest UN report on Cyprus

The Presidential Spokesperson Hasan Ercakica has said that the Turkish Cypriot Side remains committed to the March 21st agreement which envisaged the start of full-fledged negotiations in the second half of June.

The spokesperson said that the Presidential Special Adviser Ozdil Nami who is to meet with his Greek Cypriot counterpart on Thursday - will be proposing for the two leaders to come together on Monday.

Speaking during his weekly press briefing, the Presidential Spokesperson said that the latest Cyprus report approved by the UN Security Council has serious deficiencies.

Noting that the biggest deficiency in the report was the imbalanced reference made to the March 23rd May agreement which the two leaders agreed upon, Mr Ercakica said this was the result of the Greek Cypriot Sides efforts.

Accusing the Greek Cypriot Side of trying to prepare the ground to distort the 23rd May agreement, he said the Greek Cypriot Side has already started to exploit the issue.

Touching upon the UN Undersecretary for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoes visit to the island, he said that the UN Envoys visit was constructive and useful for the Turkish Cypriot Side.

Referring to Mr Pascoes statement that the negotiations could start in the near future, he said that `this could be acknowledged as a difference in the two sides position regarding the start of comprehensive negotiations.

[03] Lynn Pascoe gave a press conference prior to his departure from Cyprus

Mr Pascoe stated, inter alia, that the two leaders in Cyprus are committed for peace in the island and added that the UN will do everything they can to help them towards this direction.

(CS)

[04] Cyprus problem among the issues included in the agenda of the OIC Summit in Uganda

Mr Avci said that in the framework of the meeting he will have bilateral discussions with foreign ministers of OIC member countries and he will exchange views with them. As he said, while the issue of the negotiation process for the Cyprus problem is continuing, he will continue his contacts as well. He went on and added that he will do intensive efforts to increase the contacts with the OIC member countries.

He said that for a year now the occupation regime has intensive contacts with the OIC and as a result the TRNC opened new representations and was the host of some of the OIC events. In this framework the tourism conference of the Islamic countries will take place in occupied Cyprus next year, he said. When asked about the opening of official representation of the TRNC, apart from Israel, he said that the TRNC wishes to have close relations with every country.

Reporting on the same issue Turkish Cypriot daily Sozcu newspaper (19.06.08) writes that the TRNC took part, for the first time, in the family picture taken at the meeting and notes that this is a very important development.

On the OIC Summit, Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.06.08) reports that commenting on the Cyprus issue, the OIC General Secretary, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that the new environment created in Cyprus was encouraging and welcomed cooperation between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and some members of OIC.

(CS)

[05] Number of foreign countries are participating as observers in the illegal military exercise which takes place in occupied Cyprus

The Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli-2008 Search-and-Rescue exercise continued off the coast of Karpass peninsula on Wednesday.

Civil and military personnel from Turkish and Turkish Cypriot research and rescue organizations took part in the exercise which was carried out in international waters as well the TRNCs territorial waters.

The exercise was watched by President Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkosia Turkekul Kurettekin, top military commanders and other state and government officials on board the frigate Giresun.

Military personnel from FYROM, South Korea and Pakistan also took part in the exercise as observers.

The exercise was an internal training for search and rescue units, where Turkeys and TRNCs means and efficiency on humanitarian aid was being tested.

On Tuesday, a press briefing about the exercise was held at the Bogaz (occupied Bogazi) Headquarters of the Cyprus Turkish Security Forces.

Further, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.06.08) reports that the Cyprus Peace Platform asked for the annulment of military exercises and ceremonies which take place in both sides of Cyprus and called on all the sides of the island to show their true good intentions.

[06] Statements by Babacan on PACE meeting on Turkey, OIC meeting and candidacy for the UN Security Council

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has signaled he is not planning to attend an urgent meeting of parliamentarians at Europe's human rights watchdog later this month, when members of the Council of Europe will discuss an ongoing closure case against Turkey's ruling party.

The reason behind Babacan's choice not to participate in the critical gathering, which observers fear could result in a decision to put Turkey back on a list of countries that require monitoring of their democratic practices, is an upcoming meeting of the influential National Security Council (MGK), which gathers top political and military leaders of the country at bimonthly meetings presided over by the president, officials told Today's Zaman on Wednesday.

On June 10 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) announced that it had invited Babacan to the urgent meeting, scheduled to take place on June 26, the same day the MGK meeting is due to be held.

The proposal to hold an urgent meeting came after a state prosecutor asked the Constitutional Court in March to close down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on charges of becoming a focal point for anti-secular activities.

In Kampala, Uganda, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a foreign ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Babacan yesterday declined to give a clear answer on whether he would travel to Strasbourg for the key meeting, signaling, however, that it would be difficult to do so due to the MGK meeting, the Anatolia news agency reported.

As of Tuesday, when the same question was directed in Luxembourg, where he was participating in an intergovernmental conference of Turkey and the European Union, Babacan said that Strasbourg was once labeled Stress-bourg in Turkey, because of violations of fundamental rights, human rights and the democratic functioning of institutions.

We hope that those days do not return. We hope that there will be no turning back from democracy. Otherwise, it would be a clear mishap for Turkey, the minister added.

Turkey has already gained almost full support from the 57-member OIC for its bid for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council for 2009-2010, Babacan also said yesterday in Kampala.

Fifty-five of the 57 countries have lent their support to Turkey at the moment. We are continuing on the other two countries, Babacan was quoted as saying by Anatolia.

Ankara has been running for one of the non-permanent seats allocated to the Western European and Others Group on the UN Security Council for the 2009-2010 term. Austria and Iceland have declared that they are also running for the same seat. Turkey, which has undertaken many UN missions in the 62 years since it became a founding member of the body, has already gained support from at least two-thirds of the UN General Assembly's 192 members for the elections on October 7 during the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Ankara believes that becoming a temporary member of the UN Security Council will position Turkey to better inform the international community of its stance on many controversial issues, particularly its position on the divided island of Cyprus.

Babacan also emphasized that the Cyprus issue and the situation of the Turkish minority living in Western Thrace were on agenda of the OIC meeting in Kampala and noted that it was importance that these issues also find place in the final declaration of the meeting.

The OIC has repeatedly and strongly called for easing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people. In May OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu paid an official visit to the island, his second time in the KKTC in his capacity as the OIC chief. Before Ihsanoglu's first visit in February 2007, only a high-level OIC delegation had visited the KKTC.

The OIC supports a just solution of the Cyprus issue via United Nations initiatives provided that this solution is based on the political equality of the two sides and the principle of bi-zonality, Ihsanoglu said during his latest visit.

[07] Mens BRT beach handball team participated in the 1st International Aus Academic Cup in Bulgaria

(CS)

[08] Two technical experts from Turkey are in occupied Cyprus to search for ways of eliminating the problems being faced by certain channels

The Supreme Broadcasting Board issued a protest note on Friday to the United Nations for this issue.

(CS)

[09] The occupation regime became a land of gambling

In addition, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (19.06.08) reports that a casino license was given to the four-star Pia Bella Hotel in occupied Keryneia. The paper publishes documents which show that the permit was renewed from the 20th December 2007 until the 19th of December 2008, by the self-styled finance minister Ahmet Uzun and notes that the minister said lies when he was asked on the issue since he denied that he gave this permit but now the documents show otherwise.

(CS)

[10] The self-styled minister of tourism stated that tourism must become TRNCs ambassador abroad

(CS)

[11] Publisher sentenced over book on Armenian killings

A Turkish publisher has been sentenced to five months in prison for publishing a book by a British author about a mass killing of Armenians in 1915. Ragip Zarakolu was found guilty of insulting the institutions of the Turkish Republic under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on Tuesday.

The controversial article was recently amended under pressure from the EU to ensure freedom of speech in Turkey. This is the first high-profile verdict to be handed down since then.

Zarakolus sentence seems to confirm campaigners fears that changes to the law were merely cosmetic. In April it became a crime to insult the Turkish nation, rather than Turkishness. But insulting the Turkish nation is still punishable by up to two years in jail. Zarakolu was brought to trial for publishing a book by British author George Jerjian on the mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

Turkey denies the killings were genocide, saying both Turks and Armenians were killed, and the issue remains highly sensitive.

Reading the verdict, the judge told Zarakolu he had insulted the Turkish republic and its founders. His own defense -- that he had the right to criticize -- was rejected. Zarakolus case was not referred to the Ministry of Justice, as required under the reforms, and he has said he will appeal against the verdict. His sentence will not be imposed until the appeals process is complete.

Standing outside the court, Zarakolu said such rulings had silenced many writers in Turkey but that he would continue to challenge the restrictions. I was partly expecting this result. But it is a struggle for the truth and it will go on. I do not consider myself convicted. This is a conviction for official history and for denial, he said.

[12] Turkey to veto Frances plan to return to the military wing of NATO

(EA)

[13] 20.000 members of the Freemasons Lodge in Turkey

(EA)

EG/

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