Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-11-21

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] Talats contacts in Turkey

[02] Reactions of the Turkish Cypriot politicians regarding the joint declaration signed by Cyprus and Russia

[03] Talat: The goal of the ongoing negotiation process is to create a new Cyprus

[04] Another step from the YKP: Signature campaign for demilitarization

[05] Our Party (BP) merged with the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP)

[06] European Commission launched an event for the Awareness raising Campaign of the Role of Civil Society and the Importance of Active Citizenship

[07] Avci: TRNC is exerting efforts to improve its relations with Middle East countries

[08] The new US Ambassador to Ankara visited the Hellenic Institute in Washington

[09] Turkey pleased with SOFA in Iraq

[10] Turkish state television TRT launches news portal broadcasting in 30 different languages

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 20 November 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talats contacts in Turkey

According to the paper, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat visited yesterday the Turkish Premier, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting took place at the Prime Ministry and lasted approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. According to information acquired, during the closed-door meeting, the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat, informed Erdogan about the ongoing negotiation process in Cyprus. The Turkish Prime Minister, for his part, expressed Turkeys full support to the Turkish Cypriot leader and said that Turkeys sensitivity and determination over the agreed parameters is still continuing. According to the paper, the economic relations between Turkey and the occupied areas were also among the matters of discussion during the meeting.

Kibris writes in its front page that the message Turkey gave to Talat during his visit to Ankara is that there is a total harmony between Turkey and the occupation regime.

Regarding the meeting between the Turkish Cypriot leader and the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Mr. Ali Babacan, Kibris reports that the meeting took place at the Foreign Ministry and that no statements were made after the meeting.

After the meeting, Mr. Talat attended a conference titled The New process and the latest developments in Cyprus.

(AK)

[02] Reactions of the Turkish Cypriot politicians regarding the joint declaration signed by Cyprus and Russia

Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat criticized on Thursday a memorandum of understanding signed between Greek Cypriot administration and the Russian Federation. Signing such unilateral agreements with countries which knew nothing about the state of the current talks on the island will not help the negotiations process, Talat told a round table meeting on Cyprus at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey.

Such agreements simply do not exist and they have no binding power on our part, and they do not have effect on the solution of the Cyprus problem, he said.

Talat said such a wrongful attitude of the Greek Cypriot administration only eroded the principles and foundations Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides had established.

Kibris reports that the self-styled foreign minister and chairman of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP), Mr. Turgay Avci, said yesterday in a written statement that the declaration signed between the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration as he called President Christofias and the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Medvedev, foresees the transforming in an unacceptable manner, of the unitary Cyprus Republic into a federation.

Avci went on and said that there is no reference on the declaration regarding the agreement between Christofias and Talat regarding the two constituent states of the federation that will emerge after the solution.

Avci also said that the memorandum, the Greek Cypriot side signed with the UK earlier as well as the declaration signed with Russia show that the Greek Cypriot side wants to create its own conditions that will determine the solution in Cyprus and avoids considering the Turkish Cypriot side as its interlocutor.

Tahsin Ertugruloglu, chairman of the opposition National Unity Party (UBP) in his statement said that declaration signed by Christofias and Medvedev, reflects the known intransigent policy of the Greek Cypriot side.

Mr. Ertugruloglu also said that the signing of this declaration constitutes a new sign of how wrong is the position of those who signed this declaration.

Ertugruloglu, criticized Russia as well saying that a UN Security Council Permanent Member by signing this memorandum undermined the reconciliation attempts, putting aside all the elements of reality and balance.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (21.11.08) reports in its front page on the statements made by Rasit Pertev, chairman of Peoples Party (HP) regarding the declaration. Rasit Pertev said that after the signing of the declaration between Christofias and Medvedev, the Turkish Cypriot leader should abandon the negotiation table.

(A.K)

[03] Talat: The goal of the ongoing negotiation process is to create a new Cyprus

In his speech, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat said, inter alia, that the goal of the ongoing negotiation process with the president of the Greek administration as he called President Christofias, is to create a new Cyprus, a new Cyprus with two zones, with political equality for Greek and Turkish Cypriots, with a partnership state which will be constituted by two equal constituent states which will become a member of the EU.

Mr. Talat went on and said that it is remarkable that on the negotiation process, the Greek Cypriot side has the tendency to use against the Turkish Cypriot side the deficiencies appears in some fields like the field of health. He then stressed the need for the creation of the necessary infrastructure since it is necessary he said to be on equal footing with the South Cyprus in the field of health, like it happens in all the other fields.

(AK)

[04] Another step from the YKP: Signature campaign for demilitarization

According to the text, the party calls on the army to withdrew from Famagusta, Lefkosia and the Maronites villages. The party notes, inter alia, that these and similar measures will increase the trust and will encourage the solution process, will bring together the two communities of Cyprus, will increase the trust and the cooperation between the two communities of the island.

(CS)

[05] Our Party (BP) merged with the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP)

The paper writes that the chairman of Our Party (BP), Mr. Okyay Sadikoglu and other party officials announced their decision at a meeting organized by the Freedom and Reform Party yesterday.

In an address at the event, Mr. Turgay Avci, self-styled foreign minister and chairman of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) expressed his pleasure for the fact that Our Party will function politically from now on under the umbrella of (ORP) and said that his party has gained strength with new members.

For his part, Mr Sadikoglu said that he and his colleagues decided to join the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) because of its policies defending the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the partys emotional attachments to Turkey.

Turkish daily Ortam newspaper (21.11.08) reports on the same issue under the title Cohesion to AKP front.

(AK)

[06] European Commission launched an event for the Awareness raising Campaign of the Role of Civil Society and the Importance of Active Citizenship

The event which will be launched today and it aims to strength the role of civil society in the Turkish Cypriot community and to support the solution of the Cyprus problem by creating better conditions for dialogue between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.

A ceremony will be held at the European Programme Support Office, opposite to the Saray Hotel in occupied Lefkosia. The EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Vladimir Spilda will also be present at the ceremony which will start at 5pm.

Mr Spilda, who is in Cyprus for the event, attended the inauguration of the exhibition of Social Europe and Social Europe event at the Ledra Street crossing point in Lefkosia yesterday night.

(AK)

[07] Avci: TRNC is exerting efforts to improve its relations with Middle East countries

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the conference, the self-styled foreign minister and chairman of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP), Mr. Turgay Avci, inter alia, said that the occupation regime is exerting efforts to improve its relations with Middle East countries. He then pointed out that a large number of students from the Middle East countries follow their education in the occupied areas.

Avci referred also to the ties of the occupation regime with Azerbaijan and said that their relation is very good. He then touched upon the issue of the direct flight from Azerbaijan to the illegal Tymbou airport which exerted by the Greek Cypriot side. Mr. Avci then informed the participants about the Cyprus problem. He reiterated once more that the Cyprus problem did not start in 1974 but in 1963, since Turkey as he declared during 1974 used its guarantee rights in the island.

Among the participants at the conference were academicians, diplomats, and researchers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Turkey and the occupied areas.

[08] The new US Ambassador to Ankara visited the Hellenic Institute in Washington

The primary topic of discussion centered on Ecumenical Patriarchate and religious freedom in Turkey. Other major issues discussed regarded the Aegean, Cyprus, relations between the US and Greece, the US and Turkey, property law in Turkey, and the Rule of Law.

Prior to being appointed US Ambassador to Turkey, James Jeffrey served as the Deputy National Security Advisor. Since the end of the 90s until the beginning of 2000 he joined the Foreign Service and served as Deputy Chief of Mission to several countries.

(EA)

[09] Turkey pleased with SOFA in Iraq

Turkey has informed on Thursday the visiting Iraqi State Minister for National Dialogue Akram al-Hakim that it is pleased with the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the United States, an agreement that is designed for U.S. military pull-out from Iraq.

Speaking to the AA, the Spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Burak Ozugergin said that al-Hakim arrived in Ankara to give information on the SOFA and met with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Thursday."Babacan informed al-Hakim that, based on the preliminary information received, the SOFA is regarded as a positive development," told Ozugergin."Babacan conveyed to al-Hakim that Turkey gives high importance to the sovereignty and independence of Iraq and that Turkey wishes for Iraq to develop its capacity for security and defense," Ozugergin said.

Al-Hakim reminded Babacan that Iraq is ready to develop a strategic partnership with Turkey.

Al-Hakim was also received by the Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier on Thursday.

[10] Turkish state television TRT launches news portal broadcasting in 30 different languages

Turkey's state-run television and radio network TRT began Thursday broadcasting news in 30 different languages on its official Web-site at "www.trt-world.com"TRT covers international, regional and national news on the Web-site which TRT chief said was visited by 500 thousand people during the initial testing of the Web-site.

The languages which TRT broadcasts include German, Arabic, Albanian, Azeri Turkish, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Persian, Georgian, Spanish, Greek, the Urdu and Tatar languages.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 20 November 2008

a) Kurdish Question:

A report entitled "General staff's project should be a message for the government" in Hurriyet quotes Mehmet Kaya, President of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Industry and Commerce, as saying that a project launched by the General Staff for providing vocational training for 30 young men in Diyarbakir should prompt the Turkish government to take similar steps. Pointing out that 0-24 age bracket makes up 64% of Diyarbakir's population, Kaya noted: "I hope that this symbolic initiative will serve as a message to the government because it is its responsibility to address this issue. The government must formulate policies about the matter."

In an article entitled "Reports on the Kurdish question", Yeni Safak columnist Yasin Dogan analyses two recent reports on the "Kurdish question" drawn up by the Humanitarian Aid Foundation, IHH, and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, SETA. He underlines the significance of these reports as indications of the importance attached to this issue by conservative circles in Turkey, adding that while the IHH report cites economic factors as the source of social problems in the region and relegates the "Kurdish issue" to second place, the SETA report calls attention to the role that "international dynamics" will play in shaping the future course of this issue. He also asserts that the compilers of such reports should also expose efforts by the Democratic Society Party, DTP, and the terrorist PKK to compound the "Kurdish issue" and examine how much public support "the PKK-DTP mentality" enjoys in the region.

b) Local Elections:

In an editorial entitled "But, what is the goal?" Hurriyet columnist Oktay Eksi criticizes Deniz Baykal, leader of the Republican People's Party, CHP, for admitting several chador-wearing women to his party as members. He comments: "The CHP should find a way to formulate policies which will command support from the majority of the public, including women wearing chador without compromising on the principle of secularism rather than copying the AKP."

In a report entitled "Cannot women wearing headscarf join the CHP?" Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila argues that criticism leveled at Baykal and the CHP for admitting chador-wearing women to the party is not realistic because some women who cover their heads voted for the CHP in the past. Emphasizing that interpreting headscarf as a sign of political preference would be misleading, Bila comments: "There may be women and young girls who wear headscarf as a political symbol. But, it does not mean that all women who cover their heads are guided by the same motive. On the contrary, the number of women who wear headscarf as a political symbol is much lower than the number of women who cover their heads because of non-political reasons such as traditions, piety, and family pressure." Bila concludes by saying that the CHP's attempt to reach out to women covering their heads in an attempt to free politics from the influence of religion does not conflict with social democracy.

In an article entitled "Winners and losers," Cumhuriyet columnist Cuneyt Arcayurek strongly criticizes the CHP for admitting chador-wearing women as members. Drawing attention to Baykal's remarks that nobody should be judged by his or her appearance and clothing, Arcayurek says: "If you cite that reason for admitting chador-wearing women, would not people ask why you have opposed wearing headscarf in university campuses and government offices, why you did not fulfill the promise that you have made in the past, why you did not separate cultural conservatism from political preference, and why you caused the country to experience political turmoil for years?"

In an article entitled "Is CHP being turned into AKP?", Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru asserts that the Republican People's Party, CHP, has started to make gestures toward conservative public opinion by admitting veiled women to party membership at a time when the ruling AKP has started to voice statist policies. He claims that rather than being a "coincidence," this situation could be the result of a very intelligent plan by the Establishment to make the CHP and AKP "swap roles" as representatives of the state and the nation before he goes on to urge the AKP to thwart this bid.

c) Erdogan's proposal to mediate between United States and Iran:

In an article entitled "The Iranians among us," Milliyet columnist Kadri Gursel interprets a recent statement made by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qhashgavi as a tacit refusal of the Turkish Prime Minister's proposal to mediate between the United States and Iran. He also criticizes Erdogan for making statements implying that Iran has the right to build nuclear weapons.

In an article entitled "Obama, Iran, and Turkey," Radikal columnist Nuray Mert draws attention to Qhasqhavi's remark that there is a "deep" conflict between his country and the United States. Pointing out that Turkey should not pin its all hopes on Obama's promise to find a diplomatic solution to the dispute because severe sanctions may eventually be imposed on Iran if the military option is ruled out in the first phase, Mert comments: "It would be very reasonable for Turkey to hope that the dispute will be settled through diplomatic channels and to make efforts for that purpose under the circumstances. But, we must also perceive the 'depth' of the problem which the Iranian Foreign Ministry needed to remind."

d) Turkish-US Relations:

In an article entitled "A new era," Sabah columnist Soli Ozel points out that US President-elect Barack Obama's approach to Armenian allegations of genocide and to the US-Iranian conflict may create crises in Turkish-US relations because Turkey is reluctant to join possible sanctions that could be imposed by the Obama Administration on Iran. He also points out that there is a suitable atmosphere for building healthier relations between the United States and Turkey by defining common interests and expectations and possible problems in bilateral ties.

In an article entitled "An open letter to President-elect Obama (I)" in Hurriyet Daily News, Faruk Logoglu, former Turkish Ambassador to the United States, lists various aspects of Turkish-US ties which, he notes, should be taken into consideration by the Obama Administration.

In the second of a four-installment article entitled "An indenture agreement on Behalf of Iraq", Vakit columnist Ahmet Varol compares the US-Iraqi agreement waiting to be ratified by the Iraqi parliament to what he describes as an arrangement in former times whereby slaves agreed to do work or earn money for their masters for a specified period of time in order to obtain their freedom. He also asserts that the agreement will serve to "justify the illegitimate occupation of Iraq."

In an article entitled "From golf fans to jogging devotees: US Ambassadors to Turkey", Today's Zaman columnist Lale Sariibrahimoglu asserts that the "tasks" that will confront James Jeffrey, the new US ambassador to Turkey, include "creating solutions to reduce the large amount of anti-Americanism in Turkey" and "persuading stubborn Turkish decision makers to devise their own answers to problems of terrorism ..."

e) Economic News:

A report entitled "Prime Minister hopes to get $30 billion from IMF" in Milliyet says that Erdogan has briefed the members of his party's Central Administration Council about the outcome of his recent visit to the United States. According to the report, Erdogan outlined their preconditions for conducting negotiations with the IMF for concluding an agreement, adding that Turkey could borrow around $30 billion from the Fund. The meeting also discussed the effects on Turkey of the global financial crisis, unemployment, oil prices, and the upcoming local elections.

In an article entitled "A growth package is needed," Radikal columnist Ismet Berkan summarizes proposals made by leading businessmen and the CEOs of some banks whom he interviewed last week about steps that should be taken by the Turkish government in order to cope with the effects of the global financial crisis. Berkan says that the Turkish business community expects the government to lay emphasis on achieving economic growth rather than checking inflation and work out a deal with the IMF in order to borrow funds that should be injected into the banking system.

In an article entitled "A catastrophe caused by cronyism," Vatan columnist Gungor Mengi says that recent statements made by Erdogan about the financial crisis indicated that he is not aware of the gravity of the situation. He says: "The Prime Minister's remarks showed that he could not grasp all aspects of the crisis. This is more alarming for the business community than the crisis." He also accuses the AKP for appointing its supporters who do not have necessary skills to top positions within the government, adding that the public's confidence in the AKP dropped from 61 percent at the beginning of the year to 31 percent in October.

A report entitled "We are telling Americans that we need Iranian gas" in Sabah quotes Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler as saying that a natural gas agreement concluded between Turkey and Iran was necessary in order to ensure supply security. He noted: "Turkey and the EU need that gas. Would the European countries support the Iranian pipeline if they did not need it? Some European countries have also signed agreements. We are also discussing this issue with US officials and tell them that Turkey needs it. We are expecting positive developments after Obama's election."

In an article entitled "We need a National program", Milli Gazete columnist Hasan Unal asserts that in taking steps to sign a new agreement with the IMF, the Erdogan government is turning a blind eye to the fact that the current financial crisis in the country is a result of the IMF programs implemented in the past ten years. He warns that an agreement with the IMF that would require a return to high interest rates and a low exchange rate would increase Turkey's vulnerability. He also emphasizes Turkey's "intense need" for a national economic program that entails a restructuring of foreign and domestic debts among other things.

EG/

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