Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-01-26

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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 Turkish actor who executed the Greek Cypriot prisoner of war in 1974 reaffirms his statements to Kanal Turk in an interview with Radikal

[02] Reactions to the confession of the Turkish actor that he killed ten persons during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974

[03] Paper alleges that the Gospel according to St. Varnavas is in the possession of Turkeys General Staff

[04] Talat on the negotiation process: If the international community does not play a more active role, and not make proposals, then the possibility to agree to all matters is very limited

[05] Soyer on Ergenekon probe

[06] Soyer says their aim is for the Turkish Cypriots to have a say in the organs of the EU

[07] The sales of products from the occupied to the free areas of Cyprus increased by 74 % in 2008 within the framework of the Green Line Regulation

[08] Usar says their target is to have two million passengers traveling through the illegal Tymvou airport in 2009

[09] Omer Adal says they will determine their attitude on the proposals of FIFA, UEFA and the CFA after having a telephone conversation with them today

[10] Will the stray donkeys of the Karpass peninsula become the latest booty for Turkish businessmen?

[11] Former Turkish Ambassador to the US interviewed by Milliyet

[12] The new US Middle-East Representative to visit Turkey next week

[13] Erdogan invited Obama to the Alliance of Civilizations Forum

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish actor who executed the Greek Cypriot prisoner of war in 1974 reaffirms his statements to Kanal Turk in an interview with Radikal

ISTANBUL: Theater owner, Atilla Olgac, who created a large number of admirers around him because of the Valley of the wolves serial, has announced that during the Cyprus Peace Operation in 1974 while he was serving in the army in the island,he had killed 10 Greek Cypriot soldiers, one of whose the hands were tied up and he was prisoner [of war].

Olgac said that he had killed the Greek Cypriot soldier, by firing on his forehead,

his hands were tied up on the order of his commander because he had spat on

their face. He had made the following direful statement: What will you do to someone who insults you, this is war we are in a state where we cannot take him away.

Olgac, who took part in the programme What is going on there in Kanal Turk of

Müge Dagistanli and Gulsen Yuksel, and who took part in the Cyprus Peace

Operation at the age of 30, while he was an actor of the State Theaters a day

before his discharge from the army. Olgac, who is given the title War Veteran, spoke to Radikal about the war, where he killed ten Greek Cypriot soldiers as follows:

Question: You have made striking statements regarding your military service

Answer: What is striking about it?

Look thousands of people die in Gaza. You are killing, he is killing you.

But do you know what is the striking side of it? It is that an artist had done it and

that the artist was tasked to this duty.

Question: Was it given consciously?

Answer: No, I was a soldier. Things that happen within the chain of command.

Simply you are fighting.

Question: You have shot a 19-year-old soldier who was prisoner. You have

said: I shot him in the forehead, he died. Is this true?

Answer: True, yes.

Question: Why did you kill the soldier prisoner of war?

Answer: We did not take him prisoner. People tied him up and escaped. That is, the Greek Cypriots tied him up so that he will not run away. In fact he was chained to a mortar. Our commander had ordered us: Make him to speak, he spat on our face, when he spat on us, the commander ordered kill him and he left. I was forced to carry out that duty.

Question: Was it a routine affair to kill someone whose hands were tied up?...

Answer: What would you do to someone who insults you, this is war We were

not in a state to take him with us. However, apart from this a lot of people were

taken prisoner. They were not killed. They were exchanged.

Question: Were there others who were taken prisoner and killed?

Answer: I do not know that, we were 40 thousand there. I have told a small

incident that I have experienced.

Question: Did you kill the other nine during a combat?

Answer: The war ended and we started the cleaning up operation. There were

booby traps. There were different things. These were done while cleaning the

area. There was guerilla war. Just like in the films you used to see Certain

places were taken, there were raids. They laid traps. Our friends died in the

traps. At that time different people died.

Question: Did you kill these nine people?

Answer: I guess so, 25 years passed [should be 35 tr. note]. I remember, I have

killed some ten people.

Question: Were you ever wounded?

Answer: It almost happened, but I was lucky, I was saved. It pierced my

helmet. A millimeter down. I was finished.

Question: How did you feel?

Answer: Honestly at that time I did not feel anything, because you are no more

a human. War is not a good thing. You forget that you are a human being

If you do not kill they will kill you All of us there were in a bad situation. All of us were killing. We were crying for both the killed ones and the ones who were being killed by us because I am an artist.

Question: Especially this prisoner of war soldier had an impact on your psychology?

Answer: Of course it did. Because it was first.

Question: Does it continue its impact?

Answer: No, that was first. Because the corps were rotten outside and smelling. No one was cleaning. Swollen under 70 degrees centigrade heat. Terrible thing. At this moment, while we are talking it goes away as memory. If we live similar things now we can not continue our lives.

Question: When you look to Cyprus from todays point of view, what are your thoughts?

Answer: I feel sorry. Cyprus continues to be an open sore, the politicians are

still unable to settle this issue. As a result we fought in vain.

Question: From which point of view it is in vain?

Answer: People are using Cyprus as a trump card that we have invaded, that

we had done that In fact we have carried out this operation to save the lives of

the Turks and to defend Cyprus. Unfortunately, now they say that the Turkish

troops are occupiers and people today say this so be it.

(MHY)

[02] Reactions to the confession of the Turkish actor that he killed ten persons during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974

Moreover, Afrika publishes also statements made to the Cyprus News Agency by Gulden Plumer Kucuk, Turkish Cypriot member of the Committee on Missing Persons, who said that it is her duty to find Atilla Olgac and establish contact with him.

Furthermore, Afrika reports also that the well-known singer in Turkey, Mrs Nurhan Damcioglu, who was married to Atilla Olgac for ten years, referred to the confession of the Turkish actor and noting that she did not want to make many comments on this issue, said the following:

I do not understand why he did such a thing. I also experienced a great shock. He put himself into a very comical situation, but at the same time he injured the Turkish nation as well. In any case, he wants to show off after his 60 years of age. As a matter of fact, he was an incomprehensible person. In the 10-year period I have been married to him, I somehow was not able to understand whom I was married to. One day he was coming home with flowers and he was behaving very nice, while the next day he was a completely different person. I somehow could not figure out what kind of person he was.

Under the title We have shared even our bread with the Greek Cypriots, Afrika reports also that the Cyprus ghazis (fighters) reacted against Olgac and argued that during the Turkish invasion of the island they were sharing even their bread with the prisoners. They alleged: Not only we have not pointed guns at the prisoners, but we have not treated them badly either. The general secretary of Turkeys Combatant Fighters Association, Nihat Aslantas, who did his military service in Cyprus during the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island, argued that the Turkish actor has committed a mistake and added that he never witnessed the slightest injustice during the period he was in Cyprus.

Huseyin Coban, who also did his service in Cyprus during the invasion of the island for almost two years, said that the statements by Olgac created opportunity to ill intentioned people. Psychiatrist Sedat Ozkan expressed the opinion that the actor identified himself with the character of Kilic whom he is playing in the well-known serial The Valley of the Wolves.

Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (26.01.09) under the title, They will issue red bulletin, publishes a report by its correspondent in the occupied part of Cyprus, Mr Sefa Karahasan, about the reactions, regarding the statements of the Turkish actor Atilla Olgac. As Mr Karahasan reports, the Greek Cypriots are moving towards an international arrest warrant against Mr Atilla Olgac, who stated that during the 1974 Turkish invasion he killed ten Greek Cypriots and afterwards he refuted his statements and said that this is a scenario. The punishment of Mr Olgac is also being asked even if he is lying, the paper writes. According to the report, it was announced that the Greek Cypriot side, after request of the Attorney General, will issue a red bulletin if an element of crime is found in the statements of Olgac. The paper reports on statements and reactions of various Greek Cypriot officials and gives emphasis on the statements of the Greek Cypriot historian, Mr Rolandos Katchaounis, to the Greek Cypriot Haravgi newspaper, referring to the incidents of 1963, under the subtitle, 32 Turks were murdered.

Moreover, under the title, Turmen: Turkey may get into a difficult position, Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (26.01.09) reports on statements of the former judge of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Mr Riza Turmen. According to Mr Turmen, if the Greek Cypriots submit an application to the ECHR, the lawsuit can be accepted. Inter alia, Mr Turkmen said: The recourse, which is being talked about, can be evaluated both from the murder and the investigation points of views. If there is a killing incident, it will be examined from the time point of view. The year Turkey accepted the individual recourse to the ECHR was in 1987. On the other hand, the killing allegations concern the year 1974. Consequently, from the time point of view, the ECHR will reject this. However, if the Greek Cypriots file a lawsuit, even if the incident itself occurred before 1987, if the court finds continuous criminal negligence it will accept the application. In addition, Mr Turkmen urges Turkey to get into action not to get into a difficult position.

On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper (26.01.09) publishes a commentary by Mehmet Y. Yilmaz under the title, Atilla Olgac must be tried. The commentator writes that the statement of Atilla Olgac is the issue that the Greek Cypriot and Greek newspapers are writing about since Friday night. Mr Yilmaz emphasizes that Atilla Olgac claims that what he said is a scenario and continues with a question: To which statement of Atilla Olgac shall we believe in? To which of the statements do you expect the international public to believe? The commentator goes on and writes that a serious investigation must be carried out as regards the period that the statements of Atilla Olgac were made and the events. If the first statement of Olgac is true, not only he but the commanders of that period, who overlooked the incident, must be tried, as well, the paper writes. Mr Yilmaz is concluding by writing that according to the famous article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which can be used to try novel heroes, a real libel of an individual towards the Turkishness must not stay unpunished.

The statements of the Turkish actor Atilla Olgac are also covered by the Turkish newspapers of the weekend under the titles:

Saturday 24/01/09

SABAH: Olgac expressed regret: Everything was a scenario

M0LL0YET: This was all that was needed! The actor Atilla Olgac opened the road for a crisis

HÜRRIYET: A tactless wolf!

RAD0KAL: A retreat from the confession: I described a scenario

BUGÜN: A coward or a liar?

Sunday 25/01/09

TARAF: Who is this commander? Even though he tried to slip away, the one who gave the order to Olgac for shooting the Greek Cypriot prisoner must be in the Turkish Armed Forces records

HÜRR0YET: I made a mistake, I apologized

MILL0YET: The Greek Cypriots in search of Olgac

ZAMAN: Reaction from the Turkish Cypriot war veterans to Olgac: We even shared our bread with the Greek Cypriots

BUGÜN: The allegation of Olgac is being searched

RAD0KAL: According to Greek Cypriots, Olgac should be tried

Moreover, Turkish daily Taraf newspaper (25.01.09) reports that Hilmi Ozen, who used to be adviser to the former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and worked as director at the Cyprus State Theatre in 1974, said that he had begged one of the commanders of Atilla Olgac to serve in the kitchen of the regiment, that it is not possible to experience such an event. Hilmi Ozen, who spoke to newspaper Taraf, said: I do not remember his exact name but probably it was Mustafa Katircioglu, the commander of the regiment, I went and talked to him. The psychology of Olgac was broken. He was really scared. I do not know how much time he served. It is not possible for the incident that he is telling to happen. Because the Turkish Cyprus Regiment was established through agreements, it was a special regiment made up of 650 staff. He went on and said: Later on, I had met with Olgac but, because he was ashamed, he did not recognize me.

(I/Ts EA DPs)

[03] Paper alleges that the Gospel according to St. Varnavas is in the possession of Turkeys General Staff

The paper invokes information by a report written by Aziz Ustel in the Turkish daily Star newspaper (date not given), according to which the Gendarmerie Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit (JITEM) has committed a sacrilege at the grave of St. Varnavas.

It is said that the name of Veli Kucuk and other important persons are involved in this act. Journalist Kutlu Adali inquired into this incident. He received threats And he was murdered, reports the paper.

(ML)

[04] Talat on the negotiation process: If the international community does not play a more active role, and not make proposals, then the possibility to agree to all matters is very limited

Speaking last night during the meeting he had with the members of the Union of Association of Chambers of Cyprus Turkish Engineers and Architects (KTMMOB), Mr. Talat evaluated the Cyprus problem and the ongoing negotiation process by underlining the difficulties they confront during the negotiations and the stance of the Greek Cypriot side. Mr. Talat stressed the need for the international community to take a more active role for the solution. He also added: If the international community does not play a more active role, and not make proposals, then I consider that the possibility to agree to all matter is very limited. Talat went further and underlined the fact that the Greek Cypriot side supports today a solution from Cypriots and expressed the hope that Papadopoulos policy would change.

He then underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side does not want the political involvement of the EU to the negotiation process due to the fact that Greece and Cyprus are members of the EU.

Mr. Talat reiterated also that the fact that the negotiations have started without having established a basis and the fact that they negotiate without having as a basis any written document means loss of time and makes the whole process more difficult.

Answering to the question How are the negotiations going?, Mr. Talat answered that it is early but there is no deadlock. He then expressed the hope that a solution will be found during 2009 and said that if a solution is found, this would mean that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots would get relief, that the relations between Turkey and Greece would improve and Turkeys EU accession process would get easier.

Regarding the procedure that they will follow for the negotiations process, Mr. Talat said that during the first stage of the negotiations they will complete all chapters and then they will return back to the beginning in order to start the give and take process on the matters they have not reached to an agreement.

(A.K.)

[05] Soyer on Ergenekon probe

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer declared that for there to be an Ergenekon investigation in the KKTC the judiciary in Turkey has to produce concrete evidence and clear conclusions, adding that should Turkey need to conduct such an investigation [in northern Cyprus], it has to formally apply to the government [in northern Cyprus]. Only after that an investigation could be launched.

KKTC Prime Ministry Press Office issued a statement saying that speaking on Kibris TV, Soyer criticized the calls for an Ergenekon investigation in northern Cyprus. Pointing out that the judiciary in Turkey has to produce concrete evidence and clear conclusions for an Ergenekon investigation in the KKTC, Soyer added that should Turkey need to conduct such an investigation, it has to formally apply to the government. Only after that an investigation could be launched.

Stating that an investigation could be launched upon formal request if a grave crime committed in one state has an extension in another state, Soyer said that they are waiting for the outcome of the judicial process in Turkey and will do whatever necessary in accordance with that outcome.

Prime Minister Soyer also said that the "Ergenekon" investigation made mention of certain people who were granted citizenship by the National Unity Party (UBP) during the election campaigns, adding that the citizenship of some of them have already been revoked by court decision.

[06] Soyer says their aim is for the Turkish Cypriots to have a say in the organs of the EU

Mr Soyer argued this has been achieved due to their vision for the solution and the EU. He said that the economic development of the last five years will continue in the next period and noted that their aim was to reach the level of Malta, the per capita income of which is $23 thousand.

Mr Soyer accused the previous governments and argued that it is not possible to proceed to the future with a mentality which forced the Turkish Cypriot people to experience electricity problem for years by taking electricity for free from the south for 20 years, selling it to its people for money and making no investments.

Mr Soyer said that a solution on the basis of political equality should be reached to the Cyprus problem and added that they will continue the struggle they started on this issue. He said that those who have been following the non-solution policy for years are now saying that they support the solution process, but added that he does not consider this support to be sincere.

Mr Soyer noted that they should struggle so that the Turkish Cypriots take their position in the EU equally with the Greek Cypriots and have a say in the organs of the EU. He said that after the referendum in 2004 the doors for the Turkish Cypriots in the world were partially opened.

(I/Ts.)

[07] The sales of products from the occupied to the free areas of Cyprus increased by 74 % in 2008 within the framework of the Green Line Regulation

The most important factor in the increase of these sales is potatoes, the sales of which reached ¬ 2 million in 2008. During the same period the sales of the following products from the occupied areas to the free areas of the Republic increased: PVC products (212 %), chemicals (39 %), products made of stone, clay and metal (341%), glass and products made of glass (829 %), iron-steel products (522%), plastics (97%), scrap metal (20%), fresh fruits and vegetables (177%).

(I/Ts.)

[08] Usar says their target is to have two million passengers traveling through the illegal Tymvou airport in 2009

Mr Usar alleged that the illegal airport is at world standards in every aspect. He argued that when the SMART project enters into force and the new radar system is established in 2010, the most secure air traffic control mechanism in the Middle East will be created.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Omer Adal says they will determine their attitude on the proposals of FIFA, UEFA and the CFA after having a telephone conversation with them today

He noted that he understands the sensitivity of the Clubs Union on this issue, but he could not understand their reaction after he stated that these proposals were unacceptable and after they expressed their satisfaction for his statement. Mr Adal said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat brought this issue up during his meeting with President Christofias, but no discussion was held because the latter considers Mr Talat responsible for spoiling this affair.

(I/Ts.)

[10] Will the stray donkeys of the Karpass peninsula become the latest booty for Turkish businessmen?

(I/Ts.)

[11] Former Turkish Ambassador to the US interviewed by Milliyet

When asked about the reaction of the Prime Minister Erdogan regarding Israel and whether he describes it as naive, Mr Logoglu responded negatively and said that this is also a line that could be followed, but at the same time some other lines should exist. He added: In my view, what we should actually expect from our government is to promote the interests of our country in harmony with the general interests of our region and the humanity. Because, if you corner yourself and limit your ability of action when you oppose to an injustice, it means that you are not following the most productive way of action.

When asked when the membership of Israel in the UN is opened up for debate, is it for example like not taking into account the fact that Turkey is maintaining army in the TRNC, in spite of the UN, could be questioned, Mr Loguglu replied: This is exactly what I meant. You will not corner yourself, you will always explain your arguments with the correct language. Because saying that Israel is carrying out actions which are not in harmony with the UN membership is one thing and saying how Israel could enter the UN door is something else.

(EA I/Ts)

[12] The new US Middle-East Representative to visit Turkey next week

The subject of their discussion was the events in Gaza and the issue of cease fire. Mr Babacan also asked that Turkey is included in the trip of the new US Middle-East Representative, Mr George Mithcell, to the area next week. According to the paper, Mrs Clinton stated that she considers very important a meeting of Mr Mitchell with the Turkish officials and they agreed on a meeting date. Consequently, Mr Mitchell is expected in Ankara next week.

(EA)

[13] Erdogan invited Obama to the Alliance of Civilizations Forum

(EA)

EG/

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