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

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reaction by Talat to the statement made by President Christofias on the issue of occupied Morfou

[02] Avci alleged that the Greek Cypriot side is exerting an organized effort to influence the negotiations by making statements on the issue of the territorial adjustments

[03] Avci claimed that FIFAs proposal is offensive and thought provoking

[04] Pertev reiterated that the solution in Cyprus is possible with the existence of two republics

[05] The breakaway regime forces the Turkish Cypriots to travel abroad by using passports of Turkey

[06] One thousand one hundred and fifty nine persons benefited from the amnesty given by the breakaway regime to foreigners who lived illegally in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[07] A meeting regarding Cyprus will be organized this Thursday in Bremen by the German Greens Party

[08] Turkish settler self-styled minister visits his homeland

[09] The Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit launched yesterday in Istanbul. Turkey is targeting to gain the support of the African countries to its membership for the non-permanent seat at the UNSC

[10] 128 Turkish drug smugglers are operating in the occupied areas

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 18 August 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reaction by Talat to the statement made by President Christofias on the issue of occupied Morfou

(I/Ts.)

[02] Avci alleged that the Greek Cypriot side is exerting an organized effort to influence the negotiations by making statements on the issue of the territorial adjustments

Mr Avci criticized the statements made by President Christofias and the mayor of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos on this issue and alleged: The Greek side wants to deal a blow to the process by putting forward such speculative demands before the beginning of the talks and by creating chaos, debate and economic problems among the Turkish Cypriot people and to weaken us. Mr Avci claimed also that by putting forward such irrational demands, President Christofias recalls the period of former President Papadopoulos and shows that he shares the same views as his predecessor.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Avci claimed that FIFAs proposal is offensive and thought provoking

In statements during a meeting yesterday with administrative council of the so-called Turkish Cypriot Referees and Observers Association, Mr Avci described the above-mentioned proposal as thought provoking and offensive. He said that his ministry is ready to provide any kind of support for carrying sports to the international arena.

He said that they are ready to provide to the referees any kind of support in their international contacts. Mr Avci said that the decision taken by the so-called Turkish Cypriot Football Federation on the issue of FIFAs proposal is right and argued that the Turkish Cypriots will be equal to the Greek Cypriots in every field. He alleged that the image which exists in the minds of the Greek Cypriots that the Turkish Cypriots are not equal with them should cease to exist.

In his statements Mr Savas Tilkin, chairman of the association of the referees, alleged that the referees are also unjustly treated because of the so-called embargo imposed on the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of Cyprus. He briefed Mr Avci about their negotiations with their colleagues in Turkey and their efforts for participating at least in the lower level of classification of the Turkish league. Mr Tilki said that the association needs the support of the ministry of foreign affairs in its contacts abroad and asked from Mr Avci to support them.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Pertev reiterated that the solution in Cyprus is possible with the existence of two republics

He alleged that the very next day of an agreement in Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot capital will take over the entire economy of the north occupied part of the island and claimed that during the past five years the self-styled government has not taken any measure to prevent this danger.

Mr Pertev alleged that on the very next day of the implementation of an agreement the significant majority of the Turkish Cypriots will remain homeless. He noted that Turkey will stop its financial aid to the breakaway regime and therefore 80 % of the employees, especially in the public sector, will remain unemployed.

(I/Ts.)

[05] The breakaway regime forces the Turkish Cypriots to travel abroad by using passports of Turkey

The paper writes the following: By putting the condition of using Turkish Republic passports to businessmen who will participate in an international fair to be organized in Germany, those who with the new legal amendment which came into force as of 1 July 2008 in Turkey have put the condition of acquiring a visa by the Turkish Cypriots who travel with Cyprus passports, this time have given the image that they are ready for assimilation, at the last moment before the comprehensive negotiations.

The paper reports that some businessmen, who would participate in the international fair in Frankfurt, reacted to the demand of using Turkish passports, changed their mind and they will not participate in the fair.

Furthermore, Ortam, under the title We are not the decision-making authority, publishes a written statement issued by the self-styled ministry of foreign affairs, which denied the allegation that the ministry prevented the Turkish Cypriot academician Umit Inatci from participating in a the International Book Fair which will be organized in Frankfurt in October.

The ministry argues that it is neither the last decision making centre for the participants in the above-mentioned fair nor it has expressed a positive or negative official view on the issue of the participation of Mr Inatci.

The ministry notes, inter alia, the following about the participants in the International Book Fair organized every year in Frankfurt: A list of the participants is established by a committee, in which the public relations department of the ministry of foreign affairs is also participating, and sent to the presidency of the republic for final approval.

The ministry alleged that it is natural for a person who will represent his country and participate in an activity abroad with money paid from the taxes of the citizens to travel with the TRNC passport and the passport of Turkey, where TRNC passport cannot be used.

(I/Ts.)

[06] One thousand one hundred and fifty nine persons benefited from the amnesty given by the breakaway regime to foreigners who lived illegally in the occupied areas of Cyprus

According to a law published in the official gazette on 21 July 2008, those persons can pay a fee equal to a minimum wage, leave the occupied areas of the island and return after acquiring permit. In statements to the illegal TAK news agency, Ali Alnar, undersecretary of the self-styled ministry of internal affairs, noted that as of 17 August 1159 persons benefited from this law. He said that 1311 of these persons left the occupied areas and 28 of them returned.

(I/Ts.)

[07] A meeting regarding Cyprus will be organized this Thursday in Bremen by the German Greens Party

(I/Ts.)

[08] Turkish settler self-styled minister visits his homeland

Mr Gokmen stated that it is the second time he visited Trabzon as minister and added: I am very happy for being in my country. The people of the Eastern Black Sea are living away from their homeland. I am also an expatriated child. We migrated to Cyprus 33 years ago and we made that place our homeland. I am actively in politics for 15 years.

(I/Ts.)

[09] The Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit launched yesterday in Istanbul. Turkey is targeting to gain the support of the African countries to its membership for the non-permanent seat at the UNSC

Milliyet reports on the Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit launched yesterday in Istanbul with the participation of the heads of state and government, and foreign ministers from about 50 African countries, including Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. According to the newspaper, Turkey aims at gaining both the support of the African countries for its membership for the non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2009-2010, and to expand the economic cooperation with the countries of the African continent. At the end of the summit, the Ministers will sign the Turkey-Africa Cooperation Declaration and the Cooperation Framework for the Turkey-Africa Partnership. The Summit is organized under the auspices of the Turkish President, Abdullah Gul.

The issue is also reported in Sabah that writes that 50 of 53 African countries participated in the African Union Summit which is being held for the first time in Turkey and notes that making cooperation with Africa in eight areas is high on the agenda of Ankara. Yesterday, President Gul received delegations from 26 countries, while today is expected to receive delegations from 13 countries, among them the Sudanese delegation under President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

Writing on the trade relations between Turkey and the African countries, Radikal reports on statements made by the Turkish State Minister, Kursad Tuzmen, according to which, Turkeys target is for its trade with the African countries to reach $50 billion by 2012. Based on figures given by the paper, the volume of trade between Turkey and the African countries rose 140 percent between 2003 and 2007. In figures, the trade volume between Turkey and African countries was $5.4 billion in 2003, and it climbed to $13 billion at the end of 2007, as Mr. Tuzmen stated. He further added that Turkey started to implement a new African strategy in the beginning of 2003. The paper further writes that the Chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Rifat Hisarciklioglu proposed to start work for the establishment of a TurkeyAfrica Chamber of Commerce for boosting cooperation between the two parties private sector.

On the issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.08.08) reports that Turkey signed commercial and economic cooperation agreements with nine African countries since 2003, and also free trade agreements were signed with Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

(ML)

[10] 128 Turkish drug smugglers are operating in the occupied areas

The National Police Departments Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Administration (KOM) has found that mostly Iranian nationals are involved in the narcotics trade in Turkey, followed by Georgians and Turkmen, and that of the Turkish citizens who have been caught by police in foreign countries in connection with drug trafficking, 42 percent were apprehended in Germany.

According to the bureaus report, of the foreigners caught in Turkey on charges of drug trafficking, 20 percent are Iranian, 9 percent Georgian, 8 percent Turkmen, 7 percent Bulgarian and 5 percent are Somalians and Nigerians. The number of foreigners apprehended in Turkey in connection with the narcotics trade is on the rise as this figure rose by 38.9 percent in 2007 over 2006. In 2006, 12,012 foreign nationals engaged in the trade of poppy seeds were caught, rising to 17,864 in 2007.

Those apprehended on charges of heroin smuggling rose from 1,905 in 2006 to 2,579 in 2007. In connection with the illegal morphine base trade, 34 foreigners were caught in 2006 while this figure dropped to 3 people in 2007. There were 82 foreign opium smugglers caught in 2006 compared to 78 in 2007; for cocaine this figure was 518 and 886 in 2006 and 2007, respectively. In 2006, 16,681 foreigners were apprehended on charges of smuggling synthetic drugs. In 2007, this figure rose to 23,177.

The number of Turkish citizens who were involved in drug smuggling in foreign countries decreased by 0.8 percent in 2007 compared to the previous year. The number of Turks who were charged with drug trafficking was 279 in 2003, 309 in 2004, 353 in 2005, 392 in 2006 and 390 in 2007.

According to the bureaus report, when the countries in which these Turkish citizens were caught and the amounts of drugs they were handling are taken into consideration, it appears that they were working in cooperation with narcotics gangs not only in Turkey, but also in other countries. The fact that many Turkish citizens were caught carrying small amounts of drugs indicates that a significant number of them are addicts, the report states.

Turkish drug smugglers were operating in 20 countries as of 2007; out of 390 Turkish drug smugglers, 166 were apprehended in Germany, 128 in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), 28 in France, 10 in Austria, seven in Bulgaria, six in Switzerland, six in Morocco, five in Belgium, five in Ukraine, four in Norway, four in the Netherlands, four in Azerbaijan, three in Macedonia, two in Spain, two in Albania, two in Slovenia, and one each in Afghanistan, Italy, Ghana, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland and Thailand.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 18 August 2008

a) Caucasus Conflict

According to Milliyet columnist Semih Idiz, one of the most significant results of the Russian occupation of Georgia has been to revive the concept of a "common threat" in Europe. Pointing out in an article that the presidents of the Baltic countries and Ukraine were present at the Tbilisi rally held in support of Georgian President Saakashvili calling on NATO to "oppose Russia's imperialist policies," Idiz argues that the "missile shield" agreement signed between Washington and Warsaw should also be assessed within this framework. Stressing that these developments raise certain vital questions from Turkey's point of view, Idiz asks: "What will Ankara's policy be in the event the pro-US NATO member countries adopt a harsh stance against Russia? Will Turkey stand by NATO? Or will its relations with Russia in time leave Ankara outside the alliance? If this happens, will Turkey be able to pursue an 'independent' defence policy despite its dangerous geostrategic position?" Also raising the possibility of an alliance with Russia, Idiz questions what will then happen to Turkey's relations with the West and its interest in the Caucasus.

Faulting our NATO member European allies for making use of our military forces to ward off the Russian army in an article in Ortadogu, Nazif Kurucu points out that despite all its military contributions, our European allies have been keeping Turkey out of the EU. Criticizing the fact that neither were they forthcoming in helping us in our struggle against terror, Kurucu argues that our relations with Russia should be formed in line with the principles of neighbourhood and friendship and not in line with the plans of the West. Urging Turkey to maintain good relations not only with Russia but with all its neighbours, the writer advises the government to play a role in operating the energy and natural sources of neighbouring countries.

In an article entitled "Understanding Turkey correctly", Zamans Washington correspondent Ali H. Aslan argues that the cold war perception of Turkey as a country accepting orders from NATO and the EU is irrelevant to the facts of the 21st century when new, "post-modern cold wars" are set to take place with the participation of "new rising powers in the grand game." He proceeds to assert that notwithstanding the presence of "chronic sceptics" in Washington about Turkey's efforts to develop new policies in the Caucasus, an increasing number of people in the US capital have started to understand what Turkey is trying to do in accepting "invitations to dance" by regional players.

b) Iranian President's visit

Referring to Iranian President Ahmadinezhad's visit to Istanbul in the first section of his column in Hurriyet, Fatif Cekirge questions why Turkey felt the need for such a diplomatic initiative. The response received from the "deep Ankara backstage" is as follows: "Bush is completing his preparations to hit Iran prior to the US elections. Information along these lines is arriving from Washington to Ankara. In other words, the strike is about to happen." Explaining the impasse Turkey will be facing in the event of such a possibility, Cekirge writes: "If it will strike, then the United States might again ask to use Turkish airspace. A request for a harsher embargo might also come. What will Turkey do then? That is the question. In the past, Turkey refused to open its airspace to the United States against Iraq and experienced an extreme crisis of confidence. This situation might place the government in a very difficult situation. Therefore, Turkey is trying to persuade Iran to prevent a war in a bid to avoid such an impasse." Assessing that Turkey has failed in its mission, Cekirge assesses the Caucasus war within this context, raising the possibility that Russia might have wanted to convey to the United States the message that Georgia cannot be used as a base to attack Iran.

In an article in Vatan, Can Atakli refers to the remarks Iranian President Ahmadinezhad made to the effect that Zionism became sovereign in the region because Ataturk established the Turkish Republic. He writes: "Maybe everyone expected the Iranian president to utter harsh words against the United States. But he chose to indirectly insult the establishment of the Turkish Republic." However, government officials, too busy trying to welcome the Iranian president, preferred to ignore this attack launched against the Republic, the writer adds.

c) Cabinet Revision

According to a report in Vatan, Prime Minister Erdogan is expected to make a cabinet revision in October. It is highly probable that Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler will be replaced by Kayseri Deputy Taner Yildiz who is known to be close to President Abdullah Gul, the report adds. National Education Minister Huseyin Celik, State Minister Mehmet Aydin, and Interior Minister Besir Atalay are among those who will be replaced. According to the report, Nimet Cubukcu, state minister in charge of family and women's issues, is also expected to be replaced by Justice and Development Party, AKP, deputy leader Nukhet Hotar Goksel.

d) New Political Party

According to a report in Star, Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul, former National Assembly Speaker Hikmet Cetin, former Social Democratic People's Party, SHP, Minister Onur Kumbaracibasi, and former Gaziantep Mayor Celal Dogan have begun their preparations to establish a new party. The report adds that Sarigul and his team will begin holding meetings on the issue after the month of Ramadan.

EG/

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