Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-02-19

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat: We do not accept to be dominated in the federal government

[02] Talat UNHCR co-operation with the TRNC on trafficking of human beings

[03] US President Obama responds to Talats congratulatory letter

[04] $4 Million to Gurcafer

[05] The so-called general elections to be held on April 19

[06] More casinos in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus reached to 34

[07] Strikes in the occupied areas of Cyprus are continuing

[08] Antiquities of the Roman era were found in the occupied village of Orga

[09] The Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry participated in the Fruit Logistica 2009 Fair in Berlin

[10] Obama Administration asked from Turkey the deployment of a larger number of Turkish troops in Afghanistan

[11] US Congressman Robert Wexler holds contacts in Ankara

[12] Hamas and Sunni leaders convened in Istanbul and asked for a Third Jihad Front to be opened against Israel

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[13] From the Turkish Press of 18 February 2009

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat: We do not accept to be dominated in the federal government

Mr Talat claimed: If we are able to make more visible the existence of the Turkish Cypriots at the federal level, then we have no objection to the increase of the authorities of the federal government. This was a very critical point and we have put it and discussed it in many of our papers.

Mr Talat said that their aim is for more Turkish Cypriots to have a say in the central state at the federal level and this could pave the way for giving more authorities to the federal government.

Mr Talat claimed that the main reason for the creation of the Cyprus problem is the Governance and Power Sharing and described this chapter of the negotiations as extremely important. He said that the views of the sides came extremely close on this issue but some different views also exist. He alleged that these differences appear at the points where the Greek Cypriot side moves away from the established UN parameters. He wished for these differences to be decreased in the second round of the talks.

If I say that we experience a process where closeness of opinions is increasingly achieved, I will not be mistaken, he noted.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Talat wants UNHCR co-operation with the TRNC on trafficking of human beings

President Mehmet Ali Talat has responded to media claims that a document was sent to the Police Head Office upon his instructions, which envisaged the non-return of Iraqi and Palestinian refugees in North Cyprus.

The President admitted the existence of such a document but stressed that the government should not be imposed the responsibility of any abuse in implementation. Mr Talat said the preparation of this document was requested by the United Nations with the reason that those refugees would probably get killed if returned.

All these came after the Turkish Cypriot official Kivanc Aktug, who was appointed by the UN High Commission for Refugees as the chief representative on human trafficking, was arrested with charges of helping refugees to pass to the South illegally instead of arranging their return. The President said that the TRNC, with all its institutions, has fulfilled its responsibility on the issue.

He reminded that Kivanc Aktug was appointed by the UN High Commission for Refugees as a collocutor, as they did not recognize the TRNC, and the Turkish Cypriot state officials were asked to contact Mr Aktug on related matters.

This would not be the case if the UN had cooperated with the TRNC institutions. This is all about the mistaking or bad will of one single person, the President noted.

[03] US President Obama responds to Talats congratulatory letter

Lets work together for a more peaceful and secure world The call has been made by the US President Barack Obama in his letter of response to President Mehmet Ali Talat.

Mr Talat earlier sent Mr Obama a letter of congratulation for becoming the new president of the super-power of the international arena.

In his response, Obama expressed to President Talat his desire towards cooperating, in the name of creating a more secure and peaceful world.

[04] $4 Million to Gurcafer

(I/Ts.)

[05] The so-called general elections to be held on April 19

The TRNC Parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill calling for early general election on the 19th of April.

40 MPs were present at this mornings extraordinary session of the Parliament. The vote took place a day earlier than scheduled because of tomorrows general strike by 21 trade unions.

[06] More casinos in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (19.02.09) reports that during yesterdays meeting of the so-called TRNC assembly, the so-called committee of legal and political affairs overwhelmingly approved a bill regarding the gambling. According to the so-called bill, the TRNC citizens will be allowed to enter in the casinos.

(DPs)

[07] Strikes in the occupied areas of Cyprus are continuing

Some trade unions have staged a warning strike to protest a draft bill regulating wages, fees and other payments. This mornings strike was staged by eight unions, who are calling on the government to withdraw the new bill, which they say will be a setback for the workers rights.

Members of KTAMS union walked to the Parliament which was discussing a bill calling for a general election. The protestors carried placards and chanted slogans criticizing the government for preparing the bill.

A letter prepared by KTAMS trade union and Veterinaries Union has been given to Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer. In the letter, the unions listed their expectations from the government. And, in Girne, members of the Dev-Is trade union one of the nine unions staging the strike walked from the Girne Municipality building to the Girne District Governorate. Flights to and from Ercan [occupied Tymvou] Airport were postponed because of the strike by KTAMS and PETROL-IS.

Yesterday, 21 state-sector workers trade unions announced that they will hold a one-day warning strike tomorrow.

The unions are calling the new draft law a `migration bill`. In a statement on behalf of the 21 unions, the Turk-Sen President Aslan Bicakli said `neither the current government nor those to be formed in the future, would be able to take away workers rights and to end trade unionism`.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer has criticized the trade unions for their decision to hold a general strike just weeks before Aprils general election. In a statement, the Premier also complained that the strike was coincided with the day when the TRNC Parliament was to discuss a draft bill calling for an early general election. He said that all political parties, non-governmental organizations and trade unions have been complaining about the scale of salaries and that his government has brought solution to many problems being faced by state-sector workers. He also noted that the bill could not now be enacted before the general election.

[08] Antiquities of the Roman era were found in the occupied village of Orga

(DPs)

[09] The Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry participated in the Fruit Logistica 2009 Fair in Berlin

(DPs)

[10] Obama Administration asked from Turkey the deployment of a larger number of Turkish troops in Afghanistan

In addition, the paper writes that the US administration, which will deploy 17,000 more troops in Afghanistan, expects Ankaras reply on the issue. Concluding, the paper invokes information published in the Christian Science Monitor newspaper that for the US, Turkey can be the main base for deployment of more troops in Afghanistan.

The issue is also reported in Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (19.02.09) under the title Obama asked for troops from Erdogan. According to the paper, the US President conveyed his desire for Turkey to increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan to the Turkish President and the Turkish Premier during the telephone conversation he held with them last Monday.

(ML)

[11] US Congressman Robert Wexler holds contacts in Ankara

A US congressman, who is also the co-chair of Congressional Turkey-Caucasus Group, said on Wednesday that Turkey's top officials' brave policy on the Armenian issue was praiseworthy.

Speaking to reporters after his talks with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in capital Ankara, US Congressman Robert Wexler said that numerous issues concerning Turkey and USA were discussed during his bilateral meeting with Erdogan. Replying to a question on Turkish-Israeli relations, Wexler said improving the relations between Turkey and Israel was the best way to follow for both countries, adding that such idea was expressed during his talks with President Abdullah Gul and Erdogan as well.

Commenting on the Armenian issue, Wexler said that Turkey and Armenia had taken a step to start dialogue in a constructive way and he hoped such step would contribute to the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Praising Gul and Erdogan's efforts on the issue, Wexler said that the U.S. Congress should also focus on the successful normalization of the relations between Turkey and Armenia.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[13] From the Turkish Press of 18 February 2009

a) US President's Telephone Conversations With Turkish Leaders: In an article entitled "Obama's Message," Milliyet columnist Sami Kohen says that US President Barack Obama has called Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in order to emphasize the importance that his administration ascribes to Turkey and to demonstrate his intention and determination to cooperate with Ankara in various fields. He notes that the conversations also enabled Obama to get first-hand information about what Turkish leaders think about issues discussed during their conversations, including Iraq, Mideast dispute, Afghanistan and the Caucasus.

In an article entitled "Leadership Race in the Middle East," Cumhuriyet columnist Cuneyt Arcayurek writes about speculation over the US President's telephone conversations with Gul and Erdogan and Obama's opinions about the Turkish leaders. He also says that Gul seems to be in a more advantageous position to act as a leader in the region than Erdogan because of his close relations with both the West and Arab countries.

In an article entitled "Obama Between 'Right' and 'Fair,'" Taraf columnist Yasemin Congar analyzes comments made by Obama during his telephone conversations with Erdogan and Gul. She says: "By calling both Gul and Erdogan and clearly emphasizing the importance he attaches to cooperation between the two countries, Obama demonstrated that he will maintain close dialogue with both leaders. It is understood that Washington will not maintain its high-level contacts with Turkey only through Erdogan, but will also urge Gul to be involved in the process."

In a commentary entitled "Telephone Traffic Foils Anti-Propaganda" Yeni Safak's Washington correspondent Ali Akel cites US President Barack Obama's recent phone conversations with President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan as evidence giving the lie to claims that Turkey has been isolated internationally in the wake of the Davos crisis and demonstrating "on the contrary" that Ankara is in a stronger position than before. Akel reads "between the lines" of the White House statement regarding Obama's conversations with Gul and Erdogan and asserts that the following issues came to the fore between the three: 1. Full US support for the growing cooperation between Turkey and Iraq. 2. The importance of cooperation in working for peace in the Middle East. 3. Washington's political approach to Afghanistan and Pakistan. 4. Strengthening US-Turkish relations and cooperating effectively in NATO.

Also front-paged is a report entitled "Obama Call Raises Questions in Ankara About Afghanistan," which asserts that according to "pundits," the possible real objective of US President Obama's phone calls to Gul and Erdogan was to draw Ankara's attention to Afghanistan.

YH/

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