Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-10-14

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The military maneuvers are cancelled

[02] The fourth meeting of Christofias and Talat in the framework of the negotiations took place yesterday

[03] Ercakica stated that Talat considers very important to inform the political parties about the negotiations

[04] The reactions against Namis statements to the Greek press continue

[05] The self-styled minister of education and culture will participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair

[06] The Mayor of Munich will visit the occupied areas of Cyprus through the illegal Tymvou airport

[07] Youth Organizations of the Freedom and Reform Party and of the Democratic Party participated in events abroad

[08] Cyprus among the issues discussed in ECACCs General Assembly

[09] One thousand persons from 16 countries participated in the 22nd International Chemistry Congress organized by the Illegal Eastern Mediterranean University

[10] Statements by the chairman of the Akdeniz Citrus Exports Union, Mr Ahmet Hasturk on the issue of exporting lemons to the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[11] The Futsal police team of the occupation regime participated in the 26th International Futsal Championship in the Netherlands

[12] Turkish State Minister is holding contacts in Oman

[13] Speculations on the upcoming annual EU report on Turkey

[14] Turkey explained via book published in nine languages

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] Selling Turkey to Europeans

[16] From the Turkish Press of 13 October 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The military manoeuvres are cancelled

According to the paper, Mr Ercakica stated that after the statements made by Mr Christofias and his speech to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Turkish Cypriot side evaluated the issue. He said that despite the fact that not an official application was made by the Greek Cypriot side, it has decided that the Toros manoeuvre would not have taken place if the Nikiforos manoeuvre was cancelled.

(CS)

[02] The fourth meeting of Christofias and Talat in the framework of the negotiations took place yesterday

(CS)

[03] Ercakica stated that Talat considers very important to inform the political parties about the negotiations

(CS)

[04] The reactions against Namis statements to the Greek press continue

In addition, Kibris also reports that the Fighters Association also reacted to the statements made by Mr Nami to the Greek Cypriot press.

(CS)

[05] The self-styled minister of education and culture will participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair

(CS)

[06] The Mayor of Munich will visit the occupied areas of Cyprus through the illegal Tymvou airport

According to the paper, the German delegation will discuss with the occupied Lefkosia Municipality joint projects between the two municipalities. Mr Ude will also participate in the Lefkosia Marathon which is taking place for the first time in occupied Cyprus on the 19th of October. On Monday he will perform the opening of a photograph exhibition, under the name Open Air, of his wife, Edith Von Welser Ude. The German delegation will depart from the occupied areas on Tuesday, 21 of October.

(CS)

[07] Youth Organizations of the Freedom and Reform Party and of the Democratic Party participated in events abroad

The paper reports that in all 59 active member parties from 37 European countries participated in the congress. The Turkish Cypriot delegation which was headed by Ozgen Gorguner, deputy chairman of the Freedom and Reform Party, held contacts with Mr Metin Kazak, member of the European Parliament and with the Mr Cevdet Cakarov, Minister of Environment and Waters of Bulgaria. During the contacts, the Freedom and Reform Party delegation briefed his interlocutors about the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and about the vision of their party. The Freedom and Reform Party delegation will return to the occupied areas today.

Kibris writes that the youth branch of the Democratic Party (DP) went to Karabuk, Turkey, in order to participate in the 5th Youth meeting of the Turkic World. The meeting will take place between 15-19 of October.

(A.K/CS)

[08] Cyprus among the issues discussed in ECACCs General Assembly

However there is a Cyprus problem that we have to solve, he stated and added: We hope that even more positive steps will be taken on this issue. We are trying so that a permanent solution is reached in Cyprus. However, because of the experience of the past, the Turkish government cannot take risks. And the support towards president Mehmet Ali Talat will continue. The solution of the Cyprus problem will be helpful towards Turkeys EU accession, he stated.

On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.10.08) reported the following from Ankara:

The head of American-Turkish Council (ATC) said on Sunday that results of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections would not affect Turkish-American relations much, no matter who the winner would be.

ATC chairman Brent Scowcroft is currently in capital Ankara to hold a series of talks with Turkish officials.

Holding a press conference prior to his talks, Scowcroft said the new U.S. president would be aware of Turkey's importance for the USA.

Commenting on the fight against terrorism, Scowcroft said terrorist organization PKK was a common enemy for Turkey and the USA.

Upon a question on whether the U.S. support for Turkey's fight against the terrorist organization was satisfactory, Scowcroft said the support had increased remarkably since last year and currently the two countries had a close cooperation in intelligence sharing.

Regarding the global economic crisis, Scowcroft said the Turkish economy did not seem to be quite affected by the crisis thanks to the reforms carried out in the country's banking sector recently.

However, if the crisis got deeper, it might have a negative impact on Turkish economy as well, Scowcroft said.

Commenting on Turkey's position in the Caucasus region, Scowcroft said that Turkey was an important actor for the region and it might play a strategic role in providing a secure atmosphere among countries such as Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Scowcroft also said that he was hopeful regarding the process recently initiated between Turkey and Armenia within this framework.

Scowcroft briefed Turkish journalists on his upcoming talks in Turkey as well.

He said ways to improve the relations between Turkey and USA would be on the agenda of his meetings.

Scowcroft said that he would first meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul, General Staff Chief Gen. Ilker Basbug and Energy Minister Hilmi Guler in Ankara, and later on, he would proceed to Istanbul.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.10.08) reported the following:

The Turkish prime minister received the chairman of the American Turkish Council (ATC) on Monday.

Turkey's Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a meeting with Brent Scowcroft, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the ATC, at the Prime Ministry building in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Earlier, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul received Scowcroft.

As one of the leading business associations in the United States, American Turkish Council is dedicated to effectively strengthening U.S.-Turkish relations through the promotion of commercial, defence, technology and cultural relations.

The goals of ATC are to help resolve problems and disputes that affect U.S.-Turkish commercial, defence and cultural relations; to encourage trade and investment between the United States and Turkey; to educate the public and private sectors on the importance of the strategic alliance between the United States and Turkey; to increase the understanding and appreciation of the history, culture and traditions of the United States and Turkey; to promote awareness of U.S.-Turkish issues; and to facilitate dialogue between the government agencies of both Turkey and the United States and the private sector.

Furthermore, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.10.08) reported the following:

Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler met Monday Brent Scowcroft, chairman of the American-Turkish Council (ATC) in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Guler said they had taken up nuclear investment, renewable energy resources, oil exploration and joint energy projects.

The Turkish minister said Iran's nuclear program had not come during the one-hour meeting.

[09] One thousand persons from 16 countries participated in the 22nd International Chemistry Congress organized by the Illegal Eastern Mediterranean University

(A.K.)

[10] Statements by the chairman of the Akdeniz Citrus Exports Union, Mr Ahmet Hasturk on the issue of exporting lemons to the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus

(A.K.)

[11] The Futsal police team of the occupation regime participated in the 26th International Futsal Championship in the Netherlands

(A.K.)

[12] Turkish State Minister is holding contacts in Oman

Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin said Monday that the Turkish Government paid high importance to the Gulf region.

Speaking to the AA, Aydin said that although small, the countries in the Gulf region are rich and effective. We must work with the countries of the Gulf region.

Minister Aydin met with Omani Minister responsible for foreign affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister of Information Hamad bin Muhammad al-Rashidi and Minister of Education and Teaching Yahya bin Saud al-Salimi in Muscat on Monday.

During my meetings with the Omani ministers, we talked about inter-cultural dialog. I have informed the ministers on the Alliance of Civilizations project. We discussed what could be done in Oman to inform the people about this project, Aydin noted.

The (Alliance of Civilizations) project is an international one. It is a project of the United Nations (UN). The permanent representatives of various countries are occupied with this project in New York. I have noticed that Oman has become one of the first members of the Alliance of Civilizations Group of Friends. The Omani leaders want to work on joint projects. They say that we are more experienced (as Turkey). The Omani leaders are ready for any form of cooperation. They told us that they are ready to organize meetings in Oman as well as in the United States, Aydin also said.

Mehmet Aydin will deliver a speech at a conference on the Alliance of Civilizations at Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre on Monday evening.

[13] Speculations on the upcoming annual EU report on Turkey

The European Union is set to warn Turkey to speed up its efforts on reform for eventual membership in the 27-nation bloc, although the tone of criticism is expected not to be particularly strong.

The annual progress report on Turkey's reform efforts, due to be released on November 5, will not harshly criticize the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for lack of sufficient reforms, considering last year's turbulent presidential elections, a military memorandum warning of intervention and more recently a closure case against the party. Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court narrowly rejected an application by the Supreme Court of Appeals' chief public prosecutor on the grounds of anti-secular activities.

Despite the understanding that too much pressure on the government just after so much domestic trouble would not be fair, European Commission sources make clear that they are unhappy with inaction in areas of reform over the past two years. In fact, sources say the AK Party government will see less understanding and sympathy from the EU and will be subject to more direct calls for reforms after the November 5 report.

The upcoming report is expected to call for a new constitution as promised by the government and to express concern that Parliament has not yet approved new legislation on political parties and the creation of an ombudsman mechanism.

The European Commission is also expected to highlight the fact that the AK Party was not closed down at the end of the closure case against it. The progress report is expected to underline that the non-closure of the AK Party was a major breakthrough and a step in the right direction to strengthen Turkish democracy. The report will, however, highlight concerns over an ongoing closure case against the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). The DTP faces closure on charges of links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is regarded as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the EU.

In statements prior to the conclusion of the closure case against the AK Party, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned that closure might have affected Turkey's accession talks with the bloc.

A third point the EU is expected to underline in the progress report is Turkey's growing strategic importance in its region. Eager to boost its clout in regional and global politics, Ankara has launched indirect talks between Syria and Israel and proposed a regional cooperation platform for the Caucasus, where Russia and Georgia briefly fought a war over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. That platform is also envisaged to include Armenia, with which Turkey has no formal ties. In a landmark move, President Abdullah Gul travelled to Yerevan in September to watch a soccer game between national teams of the two countries. The EU is expected to welcome the progress in Turkish-Armenian ties.

Rehn said last month that developments in the energy-rich Caucasus have shown that Turkey's strategic importance for the EU has grown.

[14] Turkey explained via book published in nine languages

The Directorate General of Press and Information of the Office of the Prime Minister has published a book with translations in nine languages to better introduce Turkey to foreign countries.

The book, "Turkey 2008," aims to provide foreign countries with broad information on Turkey's natural beauty, historical and cultural wealth, political and democratic structure, and economy along with its society. The book also includes detailed information about events of World War I in eastern Anatolia, which Armenians claim amounted to systematic genocide of the Armenian population by the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey's long-standing fight against terrorism and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Among the other issues covered in the book are Turkey's bid to join the EU, its policy on northern Iraq and the country's relations with the US and Russia. "Turkey 2008" has been published in Turkish, English, French, German, Arabic, Russian, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese, and studies are ongoing for publication in Portuguese for next year.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] Selling Turkey to Europeans

Although many European Union countries have failed to sell Turkish membership to their citizens, the ultimate task of eliminating European misperceptions rests with Turkey itself, according to several prominent EU officials.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt spoke with reporters Saturday on the sidelines of the fifth-annual Bosphorus Conference in Istanbul about the lack of enthusiasm among certain European populations about Turkish accession to the European Union.

He said that in terms of enlargement certain European countries lacked leadership. I can agree that not enough has not been done in a number of European countries, and politicians have to be very vocal on the long-term possibilities brought by Turkey.

Stockholm has an active policy of outreach programs in Turkey and has been developing contacts between Swedish and Turkish societies for some time. Turkey is to many Europeans a very foreign country, and very foreign countries are countries that you do not necessarily want to have inside the European Union. It is only when we make Turkey less foreign to European audiences that citizens will begin supporting it.

But the most important task rests on Turkey's shoulders, Bildt said. Turkey has to play the most important role in that of course. I think Turkey, and not the Turkish government but Turkish society, be that business, NGOs or others, has to be more active around Europe in marketing itself.

Subtitle: UK tells Turkey to play it cool

Turkey needs to ignore the negative noises coming from Europe, the U.K. ambassador to Turkey, Nick Baird, told the Turkish Daily News, What Turkey needs to do is concentrate on what Turkey can do itself, ignoring the noises coming from Europe, and keep going with the technical and political process.

Over time, Turkey will be able to address the issue of lack of enthusiasm for Turkish membership. This will be done through a long-term, systematic partnership between those EU governments strongly in favour of Turkey's membership, the Turkish government and the people, Baird added.

Subtitle: Opportunities in the near future

Despite it being in France's best national interests, the French public is openly hostile toward the change Turkey would bring to the EU, according to Paris Deputy Pierre Lellouche. Turkish membership cannot be compared to the enlargement of Croatia or Slovakia, or even to Spain. I would not reduce Turkish accession to the attitude of one political leader or another; it is a process. We need to let the process go and tone down the rhetoric.

There is an overall debate and discussion in Europe about enlargement, and you will see even more of that next year because of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and the fifth anniversary of the big enlargement in May 2004, Diego Mellado, Councillor for the delegation of the European Commission to Turkey told the Turkish Daily News.

We need to explain that Turkey is becoming more modern, more open, more prosperous, and that Turkey is a very important asset to the European Union. Next year's commemorations as well as Istanbul being the European Capital of Culture in 2010 will provide us an opportunity to do just that.

[16] From the Turkish Press of 13 October 2008

a) Financial Crisis:

A column by Hurriyet's Tufan Turenc cites [Republican People's Pary, CHP, Deputy] Ilhan Kesici as saying that the financial crisis will be solved, but nothing will be the same anymore. Stressing that the "stagnation" in the US economy will also affect the Turkish economy negatively and lead to a decrease in Turkey's exports to the EU, Turenc warns that the country, which has a very high current deficit, will have a "serious difficulty in paying its debts." The situation is very demoralizing, says Turenc, and concludes by accusing Prime Minister Erdogan for underestimating the economic threat Turkey might encounter soon.

Writing in Hurriyet, Erdal Saglam criticizes the Erdogan Administration for being reluctant to sign a new agreement with the IMF regardless of the fact that the Turkish business sector expects the government to take urgent action on the issue. In his article, Saglam speculates that the reason for the government's reluctance might be the "heavy conditions" put forward by the IMF on the eve of the local elections. Arguing that Turkey will feel the impact of the global crisis more seriously because of the government's failure to sign a timely agreement with the IMF, he laments that Turkey is being mismanaged both politically and economically. He concludes by noting that the government will be responsible for the developments that will take place in the country.

An article by Radikal's Ugur Gurses criticizes the government for trying to "turn the crisis into an opportunity" instead of preparing a concrete economic program and a reform plan. Stressing that the AKP Administration expects the Turkish workers abroad to transfer their savings to the country because of the crisis in Europe, Gurses says that the government should have drawn up a "serious economic program" rather than pin their hopes on the Turkish workers. He goes on to note: There is no serious concern over the health of the banking sector in the country. However, we have encountered the crisis without an economic policy. There are tens of reforms the government has to adopt. However, it has implemented none of them. We are moving with a directionless economic policy.

b) Terrorism:

An unattributed editorial in Cumhuriyet says that Turkey is unable to act in accordance with the rules of the international law regardless of the fact that it lives under the threat of a terrorist organization located in northern Iraq. It also says that the Turkish Armed Forces, TSK, is unable to retaliate against the terrorist attacks because Iraq is under the occupation of Turkey's "strategic ally," the United States. The editorial speculates that the PKK is strengthening its organization, finding new financial resources, buying weapons, and conducting attacks in Turkey "under the US umbrella." Arguing that the government cannot protect Turkey's interests in order not to lose the US support for the AKP, it claims that the ruling party is pleased with the campaign launched by the pro-AKP media against the TSK.

Recalling Hurriyet editor-in-chief Ertugrul Ozkok's question as to whether Ankara officially contacted Abdullah Ocalan to prevent the PKK from carrying out terrorist activities in Turkey, a column by Fatih Cekirge of Hurriyet claims that Turkish officials established "indirect" contacts both with Ocalan and the other terrorist leaders.

Opposing those who reject the plan to have the PKK unconditionally lay down its arms, an article by Rusen Cakir of Vatan says that "the developments that took place so far and the recent attacks showed that the PKK cannot be disbanded through military measures." Stressing that efforts to persuade the PKK to lay down its arms should be supported to prevent further violence, Cakir says that if the PKK decides to stop violence, the supporters of the status quo should avoid regarding that situation as an "admission of defeat" by the PKK and an opportunity to maintain classical policies. That approach might lead to a civil war in the country as it will disappoint the citizens of Kurdish origin, he cautions. Commenting on a "popular" method, which says Turkey will be able to eliminate the PKK if it adopts the necessary cultural and political reforms in line with the EU norms, make investments in the region, and establish favourable relations with the Iraqi Kurds, Cakir asserts that this formula does not seem "realistic" as it refuses to consider the PKK a "serious actor" in the process.

c) Ergenekon:

In an article entitled "From Washington to Ankara", Vakit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak argues that the Ergenekon probe was launched at the instigation of NATO and the United States in a bid to disband uncontrolled elements of Turkish "counter-guerrilla" organizations. He claims that since these organizations were established by NATO and the United States, the Ergenekon investigation is similar to Turkey's fight against the PKK, which "went out of Ankara's control after Ankara allowed it to disband [Kurdish groups like] Komkar and Rizgari in 1980." He also warns that the United States is looking into establishing a new organization in place of Ergenekon and urges the Government not to let this happen. "Or else the weapons directed against Ergenekon today might be aimed at you tomorrow."

EG/

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