Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-08-14

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ninety percent of the workers are illegally employed in the area of occupied Nicosia

[02] A panel on the population in the occupied areas was held; A sociologist said there is a population of around 320 thousands

[03] The second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus is celebrated today in the occupied areas; Avci: The Turkish Cypriots will never abandon the effective and active guarantees of Turkey

[04] General Zorlu alleged that the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus before an agreement is signed might eliminate peace and create conflicts

[05] The Turkish Minister of Transport is illegally visiting the occupied areas of Cyprus

[06] Founding members and members of the central administrative council of the Politics for the People (HIS) party resigned

[07] Data on the imports and exports of the breakaway regime for the first half of this year

[08] Self-styled MP Alanli appointed as the vice-president of ORP

[09] Turkey steps into Georgia conflict

[10] NSC will convene on August 21st

[11] Turkish-Ethiopian Business Council has been established

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ninety percent of the workers are illegally employed in the area of occupied Nicosia

Under the title Ninety percent of the workers were proved to be illegal during the controls, the paper notes that the self-styled interior ministry has announced that those who work and live illegally in the occupied areas of Cyprus could apply for a permit until 20 August 2008.

The so-called district office of the occupied Nicosia area started controls taking into consideration that the above-mentioned date is approaching. Mr Dana said that those who are working in the occupied areas without a permit could apply to the ministry, pay a fee equal to one minimum wage, leave the occupied areas and return after acquiring a permit.

A team headed by Mr Dana conducted controls yesterday during the early morning hours in the area around the Keryneia Gate in the occupied part of Nicosia. As a result of the control which the team conducted among the people who were waiting to work, it established that 90 % of these people entered the occupied areas as tourists without a work permit and that they were working illegally.

(I/Ts.)

[02] A panel on the population in the occupied areas was held; A sociologist said there is a population of around 320 thousands

Addressing the panel, sociologist Mete Hatay said that the number 264 thousands announced by the self-styled government of the regime as the population living in the occupied areas is not true. He noted that according to their own research and estimations, there is a population of around 320 thousands in the occupied northern part of Cyprus and added that the army, which is around 30 thousands, is not included in this number. Mr Hatay said that a committee with the participation of representatives from all the political parties should be established in order to bring to light the structure of the population.

Meanwhile addressing the same panel, economist Unal Akifler said that in cases of transfer of population from a large country to a small one, like in the case of Turkey and the occupied areas of Cyprus, all the balances in the small country could be spoiled. He said that an indication of the existing confusion is the fact that while the self-styled prime minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer has said that the population in the occupied areas is around 250 thousands, the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat referred to 500 thousands.

Moreover, academician Tufan Erhuman said that a population, which the Turkish Cypriot demographic structure could not endure, has been transferred from Turkey to the occupied northern part of Cyprus. He noted that the five years which should pass for someone who lives in the occupied areas to take the citizenship of the breakaway regime is a short period and that the above-mentioned period should be increased to seven and even ten years.

(I/Ts.)

[03] The second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus is celebrated today in the occupied areas; Avci: The Turkish Cypriots will never abandon the effective and active guarantees of Turkey

In a message regarding the anniversary, Turgay Avci, self-styled minister of foreign affairs of the breakaway regime, stated that the Turkish Cypriots will never abandon the effective and active guarantees of Turkey.

Mr Avci argued that the Turkish Cypriots should defend their state established by using the freedom and the possibilities provided by the Turkish invasion and finish the historical adventure of the Turkish Cypriot people by leading the people to the highest level of the economic and social development. He alleged that the second phase of the Turkish invasion was at least as necessary as the first one which started on 20 July 1974.

(I/Ts.)

[04] General Zorlu alleged that the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus before an agreement is signed might eliminate peace and create conflicts

In his speech at the ceremony, General Zorlu said that he knows Cyprus very well because he served on the island 25 years ago. He alleged that the withdrawal of the occupation army from the island before an agreement is signed and its implementation starts might eliminate the environment of peace which exists in Cyprus since 1974 and bring again onto the agenda conflicts similar to those in 1963.

General Zorlu noted that the Turkish occupation army is working for ensuring the protection of the existence and the territorial integrity of the TRNC, the security of the Turkish Cypriots and the continuation of the environment of peace, tranquility and freedom on the island. He alleged the Turks are children of a nation who know the importance of peace and took their place among the leading architects of peace in Korea, Somalia, Eastern Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan and that therefore their presence here is aimed at peace and the security of the Turkish Cypriots and all the people who live on the island.

Referring to the possible solution of the Cyprus problem, he said that the agreement should be lasting and just and secure an honourable peace. General Zorlu noted that it is possible to dictate the agreements respecting the rules of the international law and the principles of equality and take the necessary measures so that the permanency of the agreement is not worn away with time. He claimed that only with the existence of these two principles the agreement will not be violated as happened in the past and the Turkish Cypriots will not become minority. He alleged that the Turkish occupation army has the power and the determination to eliminate any kind of danger for the security of these lands.

Meanwhile, addressing the same ceremony, General Kivrikoglu argued that 98 % of the Turkish Cypriots consider the Turkish occupation army to be part of them.

(I/Ts.)

[05] The Turkish Minister of Transport is illegally visiting the occupied areas of Cyprus

During his illegal visit to the occupied areas, the Turkish Minister will also inspect the occupied Keryneia ring-road and the occupied Vokolida and Rizokarpasso areas. Mr Yildirim is expected to leave the occupied areas of the island on Friday.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Founding members and members of the central administrative council of the Politics for the People (HIS) party resigned

(I/Ts.)

[07] Data on the imports and exports of the breakaway regime for the first half of this year

According to the same data, 68 % of the imports of the breakaway regime came from Turkey and 32 % from third countries.

The exports to Turkey decreased from 30.3 million dollars during the first six months of year 2007 to 29.3 million dollars during the same period this year (56 % of the total exports). The exports to third countries were 20.7 million dollars during the first six months of 2007 and increased to 23 million dollars in the same period of 2008 (44% of the total exports).

(I/Ts.)

[08] Self-styled MP Alanli appointed as the vice-president of ORP

The Freedom and Reform Party ORP MP Huseyin Avkiran Alanli has been appointed as the ORP Vice-President.

Mr Avkiranli, a former MP from the National Unity Party, has become an ORP member recently but he has actually been serving at the Parliament since 1999.

With Mr Avkirans accession, the ORP now has 5 seats at the Parliament and gains the opportunity to form a parliamentary group of its own.

[09] Turkey steps into Georgia conflict

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan headed to Russia and Georgia yesterday for talks on a crisis that erupted with a Georgian offensive in the breakaway region of South Ossetia on Friday. In a sign of increased Turkish involvement in efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, President Abdullah Gul also spoke to his Russian and Georgian counterparts, Dmitry Medvedev and Mikhail Saakashvili, on the phone.

Erdogan has called for an end to hostilities and proposed a regional pact in the Caucasus to also include Russia as a way out of the crisis besetting the region. He has already spoken with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the proposed pact. Gul, who has expressed support for Erdogans proposal for a Caucasus pact, underlined in talks with Medvedev and Saakashvili that Georgias territorial integrity and sovereignty should be respected, a statement from the presidency said. He also called for peaceful resolution of the disputes in the region and said measures to bring stability and welfare to the Caucasus should be implemented in a spirit of cooperation.

The Turkish government has received criticism for failure to pursue an active policy since the crisis erupted on Friday, when Georgia launched an offensive to restore constitutional order in its breakaway South Ossetia region. Erdogan continued with a holiday in the Aegean resort town of Bodrum as Russian and Georgian forces had confrontations first in South Ossetia and then inside Georgia, raising fears of an all-out war that could destabilize the entire Caucasus.

But analysts point out that there are few options for Turkey, which has valuable ties with both regional ally Georgia and Russia. Although it has close strategic relations and an expanded military cooperation with Georgia, Ankara is also concerned over its trade ties with Russia and its dependence on Moscow for natural gas. A large community of Turkish citizens of Caucasian origin siding with Russia in the latest conflict also causes restraint in Turkeys foreign policy on the region.

Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, was expected to meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow later on Wednesday before heading to Georgia for talks with Saakashvili today, according to a statement from the Turkish Prime Ministry. Russian officials said Erdogan was also scheduled to meet with Medvedev. "Our prime minister's visit is expected contribute to efforts to establish a sustainable atmosphere of peace and stability in the region," said the statement.

Turkish news reports claimed earlier this week that Putin had refused to talk to Erdogan on the phone but the Prime Ministry denied the reports, saying the Turkish side has made no request for a telephone conversation with the Russian leader. An escalation in the Caucasus crisis is likely to cost Turkey dearly. Having no energy reserves of its own, Turkey hopes to consolidate its international standing by becoming a hub for transfer of Caspian and Middle Eastern oil and gas to Western markets, and Georgia is a valuable ally in helping the Turkish dream come true. An oil pipeline bringing crude oil from Azerbaijan's Caspian fields passes through Georgia and ends at Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, from where the oil is transported to the Western markets. A parallel pipeline brings natural gas from Azerbaijan to Erzurum in eastern Turkey. Instability in Georgia that could threaten safety of the pipelines is a major risk for Turkey.

Analysts complain that Ankara was slow in getting involved in the frozen conflicts of the Caucasus and say Turkey should have mediated between Georgia and its breakaway regions long before the tension erupted into a military conflict last week.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.08.08) reported from Moscow that Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived Wednesday in Moscow to hold talks with Russian officials on the conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia.

Erdogan, who was received by Russian President Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev, told reporters before the meeting that economic, political and military relations with Russia were progressing. He added that they would discuss the situation in South Ossetia during the meeting.

Also speaking before the meeting, Medvedev told reporters that Turkey-Russian relations were growing in all areas, noting that the trade volume between the two countries reached 25 billion USD. He said they would discuss Georgia's aggressiveness during the meeting.

[10] NSC will convene on August 21st

Turkish National Security Council (MGK) will convene in Istanbul on August 21st. Turkish President Abdullah Gul will chair the regular meeting of MGK where internal and external developments would be assessed.

[11] Turkish-Ethiopian Business Council has been established

Turkish-Ethiopian Business Council, which will serve under the umbrella of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), has been established. Releasing a written statement, DEIK said on Wednesday that number of business councils operating in Africa had risen to 8, and Turkish Ayka textiles company's executive board president Yusuf Aydeniz would serve as the head of Turkish-Ethiopian Business Council.

The statement said the plan to establish a business council had been made during the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Ethiopia in 2005. "DEIK accelerated works to establish such a council during Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's visit to Turkey," the statement said.

Turkish exports to Ethiopia is 145 million USD and imports from Ethiopia is 42 million USD in 2007.

EG/

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