Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-01-09

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat briefed DP on the negotiation process

[02] The puppet regimes so-called foreign minister accuses the Republic of Cyprus of continuing to pursue its armament campaign

[03] CTP delegation completes its contacts in Ankara. Cyprus problem on top of the discussions

[04] CTP wants approval of constitutional amendments parallel to the early elections

[05] KTOS supports the membership of the Turkish Cypriot Football Association to CFA

[06] A new platform under the name National Target Platform was established in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[07] UBP: The Ministry of Interior is trying to hide the fact that it handed out 4,000 citizenships

[08] Turkey appoints Egemen Bagis as the new chief negotiator for EU talks

[09] Kemal Dervis resigns from UNDP top post

[10] Ergenekon Traffic in Ankara after the arrest of more retired officers

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 08 January 2009

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat briefed DP on the negotiation process

During the meeting, Talat said that the Greek Cypriot side is seeking its rights through various games at the negotiation table and this is causing damage to the negotiation process. Noting that the negotiations can continue for a certain time, Mr Talat said that in case the process comes to a deadlock because of the Greek Cypriot sides stance, the Turkish Cypriots should reflect and decide what they will do.

Addressing the DP party assembly, Mr Talat noted the importance of receiving the views of the political parties at the stage when the negotiations are still going on.

Mr Talat said that the greatest difficulty in the negotiations is that there is not written text they can refer to. Mr Talat said that the negotiations at committee level were made on the basis of amending the Annan Plan, but AKEL did not accept this as a ground after being elected. Mr Talat said that the negotiations are progressing slowly because there is no ground and this takes time and added: The Annan plan was going to be accepted as a ground and the negotiations were going to be done on this ground. If Christofias stuck to what we had agreed, we were going to progress at a much faster speed.

Noting that the chapter we are now handling will be completed after two meetings, Talat went on: We have covered enough distance on this topic. We have not agreed on many issues, but there are points on which we reconciled our differences. Noting that the next issue is property, the most important chapter, Mr Talat said that the Greek Cypriot side will try to corner and put great pressure on the Turkish Cypriot side with support of the state and added: While we are negotiating, they try to convict the Turkish Cypriots in courts in South Cyprus and in Europe, this causes damage only to the negotiation process. We must stay away from this.

(DPs)

[02] The puppet regimes so-called foreign minister accuses the Republic of Cyprus of continuing to pursue its armament campaign

Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Turgay Avci has criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration for continuing to pursue its armament campaign during a period when talks were going on to find a political settlement on the island.

He said statements made by Greek Cypriot officials proved that the Greek Cypriot side was fearlessly continuing to purchase more and more armaments.

In a statement issued today, Foreign Minister Turgay Avci accused the Greek Cypriot Administration of transforming the island into a weapons depot, particularly at a time when peace talks, supported by the international community, were going on between the two leaders.

Expressing concern over recent statements made by Greek Cypriot officials, particularly by the head of the Greek Cypriot Defense committees Yiannakis Omirou, Avci described the Greek Cypriot sides efforts as politically unethical and double faced.

While on the one hand we see the Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias making peaceful and constructive statements, other senior and high level Greek Cypriot officials are making provocative statements aimed at raising tensions on the island. These statements remind us of the good cop, bad cop method said Avci.

Stating that the international community was expecting both sides in Cyprus to focus their energy on reaching a bi-communal, bi-zonal solution within the framework of UN parameters, Avci said that the Greek Cypriot Administrations attempts and activities to create an atmosphere of tension and insecurity in the Eastern Mediterranean proved its true intentions on the Cyprus problem.

[03] CTP delegation completes its contacts in Ankara. Cyprus problem on top of the discussions

A delegation from the governing Republican Turkish Party (CTP) who flew to the Turkish capital Ankara yesterday has completed its contacts.

During its stay, the delegation met with representatives of Turkish political parties. And of course the Cyprus issue was on top of the agenda during its discussions.

As part of its contacts today The Republican Turkish Party delegation led by General Secretary Omer Kalyoncu came together with the vice chairman of the main opposition Republic Peoples Party Bilhun Tamayligil.

Speaking to the BRT following the 40 minute long meeting, the CTP General Secretary said that they found the opportunity to exchange views on the latest stage reached in the Cyprus negotiations process.

Stating that the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), along with the ruling Justice and Development party supported a solution in Cyprus, Kalyoncu said Tamayligil had urged sensitivity to be shown to reach a just and lasting settlement, one based on the political equality of the two sides.Meanwhile as part of its other contacts, the CTP delegation met with representatives from the Justice and Development Party yesterday.

During the visit, the latest phase reached during the Cyprus negotiations process was taken up among other issues.

Expressing the hope that during the year 2009 the negotiations process will come to a close, Mr Kalyoncu said the most difficult and challenging issues to be negotiated will be the property issue and the issues of guarantees.

The CTP delegation which wrapped up its contacts with the CHP meeting returned to the Republic this afternoon.

[04] CTP wants approval of constitutional amendments parallel to the early elections

(DPs)

[05] KTOS supports the membership of the Turkish Cypriot Football Association to CFA

(DPs)

[06] A new platform under the name National Target Platform was established in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

(CS)

[07] UBP: The Ministry of Interior is trying to hide the fact that it handed out 4,000 citizenships

(CS)

[08] Turkey appoints Egemen Bagis as the new chief negotiator for EU talks

Turkeys Foreign Minister Ali Babacan was the former chief negotiator for EU talks.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in human resources management as well as a master in public administration degree both from the Baruch College of The City University of New York, Bagis served as the deputy chairman of the AK Party responsible for foreign affairs.

Bagis also served as the foreign relations adviser to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan between 2002 and 2007.

Egemen Bagis was honored with the Italian Cavaliere State Recognition in 2006.

[09] Kemal Dervis resigns from UNDP top post

UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis would resign as of March 1, a UN spokesperson said. UN spokesperson Michelle Montas said that Dervis did not want to head the program for a second term and submitted his resignation to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ban Ki-moon has accepted Dervis' resignation, and thanked Dervis for his success in the office.

Dervis wanted to leave the post due to personal and family reasons.

Becoming the UNDP administrator in August 2005, Dervis was to remain in the office till the end of July 2009. Dervis is planning to carry out academic work on global and Turkish economy.

[10] Ergenekon Traffic in Ankara after the arrest of more retired officers

On the same issue, in his column in Hurriyet (09.01.09) under the title Questions to be answered, Oktay Eksi writes the following: In one word Turkey is heading towards fascism. Let those who do not believe ask the General Secretary of the European Union who is currently in Ankara. Also if there are some who believe the opposite let them say so.

Oktay Eksi comments on the statement of the Minister of Justice, Mr Mehmet Ali Sahin, that everything is being done in the framework of the law and argues that behind the Turkish governments move in the Ergenekon case lie political expediencies to change the regime.

Moreover, Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (09.01.09) covers the developments in the Ergenekon case under the headlines General Basbug visited the Prime Minister for the Ergenekon, FACE TO FACE. The Chief of the General Staff, who made no statement after meeting with the forces commanders for six and a half hours last night, today cancelled his press briefing.

In its first page Milliyet (09.01.09) publishes also a statement by the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmens Association (TUSIAD) which calls for transparency in the Ergenekon process and respect for the rights of the persons being arrested.

Milliyet also reports front page news that the Stock Exchange was negatively affected by the Ergenekon traffic losing 6.03% of its share value.

Front paged in Milliyet (09.01.09) is also a short summary of journalist Fikret Bilas commentary under the title the view of General Basbug which in page 12 is published under the title The burden on General Basbugs shoulders, which is summed up as follows:

1. To protect the institutional dignity of the Turkish Armed Forces in front of the foreign and local public opinion.

2. To express the human dimension interest towards the arrested generals.

[03] To find an answer to how the actions of arresting officers on duty take place in the Turkish Armed Forces and how they are concluded regarding discipline and jurisdiction.

In his column Open Window in Milliyet (09.01.08), Melih Asik comments on the Ergenekon Traffic under the title Coup environment and argues that it is not clear what the arrested persons are accused of but rather it is aimed at creating an atmosphere of coup.

Under the title, A Christening ceremony: Ergenekon in Milliyet (09.01.09), Mrs Ece Tumelkuran writes the following:

In that christening ceremony as much as Al Pacino was a mafia godfather, with the latest Ergenekon arrests Mr Tayyip [Erdogan] became the attorney of this trial. Those arrests will determine the political balances in Ankara again.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 08 January 2009

In a commentary entitled "Ergenekon once again" in Milliyet, Taha Akyol assesses the detention of 37 people in six provinces within the framework of the Ergenekon investigation and notes that there are two manners to explain this "wave of detentions.... One is that Turkey is moving toward becoming a police state and that opposition is being silenced as it was during the periods of coups." Recounting that "weapons and bombs were discovered during the Ergenekon investigation," Akyol adds: They seem to have organized themselves to create an atmosphere of coup. This investigation should go to the end in order to ensconce democracy and state of law." As the second explanation, Akyol writes that "the jurists, however, are talking differently." Recounting that "two jurists, who are against AKP [Justice and Development Party]" described the detentions as "attack against the supremacy of law," Akyol asks the following questions to Ozdemir Ozok, the president of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations: "Does he know about the contents of the dossier? Does he know who is being questioned on what grounds? Which procedures are illegal?" Explaining that launching an investigation into coup attempts is part of Turkey's democracy, Akyol adds: "However, it should be done according to the law. It goes without saying that the personal views of the people should under no way whatsoever constitute grounds for detentions" and "arrests should be carried out under strong doubt of guilt." Expressing his doubts about whether "the Ergenekon investigation exceeded the delicate measure of law," Akyol suggests that "what has to be done at this stage for the judiciary to be careful and reasonable. Political stands that can divert the investigation are disrespect to democracy and law."

Writing in the same daily, Fikret Bila says that "Ergenekon investigation is growing like a snowball" in his commentary entitled "Turkish judiciary's Ergenekon test." Bila explains that "the dimension of the Ergenekon investigation can be described as a test for the Turkish judiciary. We have attracted the world's attention because of the fact that those who are accused of preparing an armed attack and the high-level personalities are included in the same investigation and charged with being members of a terrorist organization or a secret organization. The test to be given by the Turkish judiciary is also a test for the Turkish democracy and the supremacy of law. The Turkish judiciary faces the claim that it is being politicized."

In his commentary in Milliyet, Hasan Cemal, as opposed to his colleagues "stresses the importance of the Ergenekon probe for Turkey's democracy and law" even though "it has parts that deserve criticism in terms of legislation." Emphasizing that the probe should definitely be criticized, Cemal adds: "Some people may be disturbed by the fact that those who thought they were above the law until now are under the jurisdiction of the law. I, in turn, am not disturbed by this. I just hope that the Ergenekon probe will continue on the track of law and that the guilty and innocent will be brought to light. I hope that the state will be more closely acquainted with law and democracy as well. We just have to wait and see."

In his commentary entitled "Settling accounts" in Hurriyet, Bekir Coskun warns us that the detentions within the framework of the Ergenekon investigation will not end with the "10th wave" and that more and more people will be accused of "terror" if they are "defending the secular republic" and against the establishment of a "covert religious state." Underlining that "this is not a legal case but a political settling of accounts," Coskun adds that the "target is all those who are against the 'moderate Islam' project of the AKP" and "silence the opposition."

Writing in Radikal, Murat Yetkin notes the "serious lack of information" in the Ergenekon investigation in his commentary entitled "Is Ergenekon being unraveled, or entangled?" He writes that in order to disperse the clouds of suspicion over the Ergenekon investigation, the second indictment should be announced as soon as possible and the accusations be revealed In order to disperse the clouds of suspicion over the Ergenekon investigation, the second indictment should be announced immediately and the accusations leveled against the people be revealed with their supporting evidence."

In her commentary entitled "10th wave in Ergenekon" in Sabah, Nazli Ilicak explains that the "weak point in the Ergenekon trial is the fact that it involves a great number of people who are very different from each other. Nobody knows for sure how the detained suspects will be connected to each other. Noting that "Turkey was always shown as facing big threats" and that "one of them is separatism and the other reactionism," Ilicak continues: "It is obvious that Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz launched a new wave in order to prepare the additional indictment concerning the coup. Is there anything more natural than those detained being opposed to AKP since they were trying to lay the grounds for a coup against the AKP, which they thought was the 'focal point of reactionism.' Most of them are anyhow connected to the military." "For the first time ever, Turkey is reaching the point of asking the 'coup enthusiasts' to account for their deeds."

Published as part of the Ergenekon story is a report entitled "General Staff meeting amounts to pressure on judiciary," in Vakit, which quotes "politicians and NGO representatives" as saying that the General Staff meeting held "immediately after the latest operation against the terrorist Ergenekon network" was intended to "put pressure on the judiciary" not to press ahead with the investigation against Ergenekon.

In an article entitled "The latest storm in Ergenekon probe", Zaman columnist Mumtazer Turkone argues that in ordering the detention of Retired General Tuncer Kilinc, who served as Secretary General of the National Security Council, or of Kemal Guruz, who used to be the head of the Higher Education Council, as part of the probe against the "terrorist" Ergenekon, the prosecutor who is conducting the probe "must have weighed everything very carefully." Turkone hails the detentions as an indication that "our prosecutors are looking at concrete evidence only without worrying about the titles of those linked to this investigation" and that "there is no turning back from the drive to smoke out criminal groups within the state."

EG/

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