Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-05-14

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mustafa Naimoglulari: Live sheep are transferred from the North to the South

[02] The police of the occupation regime arrested three people for the case of the dead found Erol Yucel

[03] Turkish officials are holding contacts on Turkeys EU course

[04] Magazine launched in Britain in support of Turkeys accession to the EU

[05] A new think-tank to act at an international level has been established in Turkey

[06] Italy welcomes Turkeys participation in the European Gendarmerie Force

[07] Erdogan says Turkey not to take any step that will hurt Azerbaijans national interests

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] From the Turkish Press of 13 May 2009

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mustafa Naimoglulari: Live sheep are transferred from the North to the South

(AK)

[02] The police of the occupation regime arrested three people for the case of the dead found Erol Yucel

Investigation is taking place at the location of the incident in order to reveal the real cause of the case, if Erol Yucel died in an accident or he was killed by someone else. Erol Yucel, who was involved in the past with cases of bombing and sabotages and who spent time in prison, was found dead Monday evening inside a vehicle which belonged to him.

(CS)

[03] Turkish officials are holding contacts on Turkeys EU course

Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis met on Wednesday with Spanish Secretary of State for the EU Diego Lopez Garrido in Madrid.

Speaking to A.A correspondent after the meeting, Bagis said he had a fruitful meeting with Garrido.

Diplomatic sources said Bagis and Garrido discussed opening of new chapters and Cyprus as Spain would take over rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of 2010.

Bagis left for Turkey after the meeting.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.05.09) reported from Stockholm that the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, on an official visit.

After his arrival, Davutoglu partook in a dinner together with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

Davutoglu is set to meet with Rehn over a breakfast tomorrow morning. They will hold a joint news conference later in the day.

Furthermore, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.05.09) reported from Brussels that the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is set to meet with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn in Stockholm, Sweden.

Davutoglu and Rehn will come together over a breakfast at the Grand Hotel.

Following the breakfast, they will hold a joint news conference.

Turkey-the EU relations as well as strategic issues such as energy cooperation, stability in southern Caucasus and the Middle East peace process will be high on agenda of the meeting.

[04] Magazine launched in Britain in support of Turkeys accession to the EU

Turkish Ambassador to London Yiit Alpogan, Turkish Consul General in London Bahad1r Kaleli, former British Ambassador to HYPERLINK "http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/index/Ankara/" \t "blank" Ankara David Logan attended the gathering.

[05] A new think-tank to act at an international level has been established in Turkey

Aim of the new think-tank is to support Turkey and the humanity to obtain the maximum benefits from the fast accelerating dynamics and to decrease to the minimum the dangers created by these developments.

Until the first general assembly of GIF, the temporary General Council consist of Rahmi M. Koc, as the president, Hanzade Dogan Boyner, Hasan Colakoglu, Metin Fadillioglu, Memduh Karakullukcu, Sonmez Koksal, Gulsun Saglamer and Ozdem Sanberk.

The forum targets to serve toward the peace and the prosperity both in Turkey and the world. GIF will produce analysis reports regarding its primary action fields, such as carry out research, discussions and studies at international level, organisation of discussion platforms by inviting leaders with important contribution to Turkey and the world and creation of working groups.

(EA)

[06] Italy welcomes Turkeys participation in the European Gendarmerie Force

In a written statement released on Tuesday, the Italian Embassy in Ankara expressed pleasure over the fact that Turkey would for the first time participate in an executive committee meeting of the EGF which was scheduled to be held in Paris yesterday.

On the occasion of the previously mentioned meeting, Turkey's entrance into the EGF with the title of observer will be registered. Italy has always pointed out the importance of having Turkey included in the EGF. The aforementioned development is once more proving the importance of the role played by Turkey in strengthening the European security system, the statement said.

Last month, France, which had thus far resisted Turkey's participation in the EGF, finally gave up its objection, with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner recently sending a letter to his then-Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan, about the issue.

On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.05.09) reported from Ankara that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Turkey's participation in the European Gendarmerie Force as observer country would constitute another value in addition to its contributions to international security.

The Ministry said in a statement that Turkey applied in 2005 to become an observer member of the force formed by six European states.

"During today's High Level Interdepartmental Committee meeting in Paris, Turkey was accepted as an observer country. Turkey's participation in the force will constitute another value in addition to its contributions to international security," it said.

The European Gendarmerie Force was launched by an agreement in 2006 among France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Romania and the Netherlands. Its purpose is the creation of a European intervention force, which will militarize police functions and specialize in crisis management.

[07] Erdogan says Turkey not to take any step that will hurt Azerbaijans national interests

Turkish premier sought to ease on Wednesday Azeri concerns over what is seen as a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement as Azerbaijan fears that would weaken its leverage on the disputed region of Upper Karabakh.

We have not taken any step which would hurt Azerbaijan's national interests and we will not. We have never ignored the well-being and interests of the Azeri people and we will not, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Azeri lawmakers at the National Assembly in capital Baku.

Armenia and Azerbaijan waged a six-year war over Upper Karabakh in Azerbaijan. The region has been occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire, but is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Turkey cut all diplomatic ties with Armenia after the occupation, and a border gate between the two countries has remained closed since then.

All countries in the region know very well that it is impossible to maintain normal relations unless the occupation of Azeri territories is over. Peace and stability cannot be restored in the South Caucasus unless progress is made with regard to the Upper Karabakh, Erdogan said.

Our only goal is to create proper circumstances where the Upper Karabakh problem is resolved on the basis of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity as we make progress in the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, Erdogan said.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[08] From the Turkish Press of 13 May 2009

a) Constitutional amendments:

Focusing on the Justice and Development Party, AKP, thesis that the constitutional article pertaining to the closure of parties should be rendered harmonious with the stipulations of the Venice Commission in an article in Hurriyet, Oktay Eksi concedes to provision in a 1999 report issued by the Commission that political parties can be closed down only when they resort to violence in a bid to change the democratic order. The writer, however, reminds the AKP of the European Court of Human Rights, ECHR, ruling that a political party can be closed down even if it does not resort to violence if it adopts a social or state project that is incompatible with democracy, a ruling which led to the closure of the Prosperity Party in the past. Eksi further notes that the Venice Commission report also cites that the criteria on the issue are actually set by the ECHR, concluding that this fact is being ignored by the AKP.

Stressing the necessity for certain constitutional amendments to enable Turkey to advance on its EU path in an article in Radikal, Ismet Berkan cites the two most important amendments as the granting of a constitutional status to the institution of ombudsmanship and the amending of the article on the closure of parties in line with the Venice Commission. Arguing that the AKP has changed its stand on the constitutional amendments and is now seeking the cooperation of the opposition parties, the writer interprets the recent statement made by Republican People's Party, CHP, leader Deniz Baykal announcing the amendments that the CHP is not ready to accept as a semi tacit consent of the other articles, namely the ones concerning the institution of ombudsmanship and the closure of parties. Predicting that a committee might be established in parliament with the initiative of Assembly Speaker Toptan, Berkan hopes that in this manner the impasse reached on the issue will be surmounted.

b) Erdogans visit to Baku:

In an article entitled "How will Erdogan convince Baku?", Yeni Safak columnist Ibrahim Karagul asserts that Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to Baku starting today will remove "misunderstandings" between Turkey and Azerbaijan concerning the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement process and enable Turkey to explain its position more clearly. Karagul relates his firsthand impressions in Baku of the public sentiment in Azerbaijan about the latest developments in relations between Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan ahead of Erdogan's visit, asserting that there is intense sensitivity in Azerbaijan about the said rapprochement efforts, caused by possibly "realistic" concerns that this process will weaken Baku's hand. He also advises Ankara to listen very carefully to what Baku has to say, asserting that the Turkish government should realize that Azerbaijan's response does not necessarily amount to emotional jingoism.

In a "news analysis" entitled "Political atmosphere in Baku: Tension set to decrease", Zaman's Baku correspondent Suleyman Kurt asserts that public backlash in Azerbaijan against the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement efforts has started to subside, adding that there have not been any protest demonstrations in front of the Turkish Embassy in Baku for some time and that there is less negative reporting on Turkey in the Azerbaijani press. He claims that a "cautious optimism" informs the outlook of circles in Azerbaijan who are aware of the importance of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and that there are also people who expect that Erdogan's visit to Baku will bring about a complete thaw in relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Under the headline, "Erdogan set to mend fences with Baku," Today's Zaman carries a front-page report which asserts that Prime Minister Erdogan will give "a direct message to Azerbaijan's government and people today that Turkey's efforts to reconcile with its estranged neighbor Armenia are not at the expense of Baku."

c) Democratic Party congress:

Welcoming Husamettin Cindoruk's announcement that he will submit his candidacy for party leadership in the Democratic Party, DP, congress to be held on 16 May, Hurriyet columnist Tufan Turenc refutes arguments against the candidacy of Cindoruk, whom he describes as an "experienced politician." Responding to those who are opposed to Cindoruk's leadership because of his age, Turenc argues that Cindoruk has undertaken this task not because he wants to be a political leader but because he wants to unite the dispersed grassroots of the center right, to transform the DP into a forceful party, and to subsequently vacate his position to a younger leader. Expressing the hope that a strong center right party might change the balances in the country, Turenc views this development as a long-needed serious movement in the center right.

According to a report by Sebnem Hosgor in Vatan, Cindoruk has explained the reason for his return to politics as "Turkey's risk map." Cindoruk is reported to have said that the fundamental philosophy of the government has divided the nation and that the state is in the hands of a group of persons who, it can be said, have been banned from engaging in politics. Raising the possibility of a division in the state, Cindoruk explains his vision to merge with the Motherland Party and to create a balanced party within the DP in a bid to fill in the void in the center. Speaking against the closure of the DTP, Cindoruk proposes the sanction of banning that party from participating in the next elections.

In reply to the frequently asked question of who is behind the movement launched with the candidacy of Cindoruk in an article in Vatan, Bilal Cetin states that Cindoruk has the support of not only Demirel and his affiliated cadres but that of Mesut Yilmaz as well. According to former True Path Party Izmir Deputy Serdaroglu, who believes that Cindoruk will emerge victorious from the DP congress, the AKP and certain religious communities have begun to take an interest in the forthcoming congress. Serdaroglu is reported to have claimed: "The AKP and certain religious communities who share the power with the AKP are concerned. They have become mad with a desire to obstruct this movement. This is the reason why the media of the communities and the government are attacking Cindoruk. This is the reason why they are trying to come up with alternative candidates in a bid to divide Cindoruk's votes."

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