Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-08-12

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hurriyet publishes statements of the photographer who took the photos of the five prisoners of war in Tziaos

[02] Talat briefed the political parties regarding the 1st phase of the negotiations

[03] Commanders who have completed their term of duty in the occupied areas paid farewell visits to Talat, Eroglu and Bozer.

[04] Soyer stated that they fully support Talat at the negotiations and that AKEL will give a positive vote for the solution this time.

[05] Gulden Plumer Kucuk called on the two Cypriot leaders not to politicize the issue of the missing people.

[06] Binali Yildirim stated that several projects which were implemented in Turkey in the fields of transportation and communication were also made in the occupied areas.

[07] The meeting between Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz and the self-styled minister Atun. Yildiz said that Turkey will sell electricity to the whole Cyprus. Atun said the Blue Stream Project will strengthen the position of the pseudostate.

[08] More details by Ersin Tatar on the economic deficit and the financial aid by Turkey to the breakaway regime

[09] The self-styled minister of tourism holds contacts in Ankara

[10] Turkey will host a joint exercise with Israel and U.S. forces

[11] Turkish State Minister holds talks in FYROM

[12] Opposition, government clash over energy deal with Russia

[13] Turkey and Syria to hold joint symposium in September

[14] MIT ties with terrorists suspects arrested in Germany

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] Turkeys Intelligence Organization MIT reportedly has links with the Islamic Jihad Organisation

[16] joke about the occupied areas of Cyprus: Turkey is the only country in the world exploited by its own colony

[17] Columnist in Afrika argues that Turkey gets more from occupied Cyprus than it gives

[18] From the Turkish press of 11 August 2009

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hurriyet publishes statements of the photographer who took the photos of the five prisoners of war in Tziaos

One the issue, the paper writes:

The photographs used by the Greek Cypriots to attack Turkey belong to the famous war correspondent Ergin Konuksever who was working for Gunaydin [newspaper during the Peace Operation in Cyprus in 1974 and who was taken prisoner by the Greek Cypriots. Mr. Konuksever told to Hurriyet the story of the photographs: Yes, I was the one who took the photographs. We were taken prisoners by the Greek Cypriots along with a correspondent by the name Adem Yavuz who was working for the Anka agency. In the Greek Cypriot hands there are also pictures which show the burial of these soldiers. These photographs are only one or two rolls of eleven films. Five years ago, Rauf Denktas invited me and I went and testified in the Committee on Missing Persons in Lefkosia. I explained how they died. The Greek Cypriots shot and injured me on the shoulder. The Greek Cypriots shot in the stomach and killed my friend Adem Yavuz in the gardens of the hospital.

(ML)

[02] Talat briefed the political parties regarding the 1st phase of the negotiations

The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmet Ali Talat briefed this morning representatives of the five political parties with seats in the TRNC Parliament on the latest developments concerning the ongoing negotiations process.

Meanwhile, the political parties expressed the view that todays meeting had been useful. They also expressed continued support to the ongoing process.

Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu and Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun from the National Unity Party, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the leader of the Democrat Party Serdar Dentkas, the leader of the Freedom and Reform Party Turgay Avci, Meltem Samani the general secretary of the Social Democracy Party as well as other officials from the five parties attended todays meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, the Secretary General of the Social Democracy Party (TDP) Meltem Samani said that her party was cautiously optimistic on the latest stage reached in the talks. Evaluating the process, Samani pointed out that the Turkish Side desired a more active role from the UN while the Greek Cypriot Side which supported the 1960 order opposed the continuation of the guarantees. The TDP Secretary General also said that a settlement was still possible if there was the necessary political will.

Also speaking the Democrat Partys Foreign Relations Secretary Bengu Sonya said that her party supported the Presidents efforts as long as they were within the framework of the Turkish Sides red lines.

The leader of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party Ferdi Sabit Soyer underlined the importance of ironing out remaining differences in the second round of talks. We shall continue to work, alongside the President, to reach a settlement on the basis of political equality.

The CTP leader also criticized the Prime Minister for leaving the meeting without issuing a statement, stating that his actions proved he perceived the meetings as a waste of time.

The leader of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP), Turgay Avci, for his part said that the meeting had been useful and that the ORP would continue to support a settlement on the basis of two politically equal founding states.

Also evaluating todays meeting, Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun said that his ministry was already in close consultation with the Presidency over the Cyprus issue, adding that todays meeting was useful for all the political parties. The Foreign Minister also said that the TRNC would continue to be in close contact with Turkey over the Cyprus Problem.

[03] Commanders who have completed their term of duty in the occupied areas paid farewell visits to Talat, Eroglu and Bozer.

The above-mentioned Commanders met also yesterday with the self-styled prime minister Dervis Eroglu, the self-styled speaker of the assembly, Hasan Bozer and the Turkish Cypriot Fighters Association.

Speaking during the meeting, the self-styled prime minister Dervis Eroglu thanked the Turkish commanders for their services in the occupied areas. He then alleged that the Turkish Cypriots continue to live in peace due to the security the Turkish Armed Forces provide to them.

(AK)

[04] Soyer stated that they fully support Talat at the negotiations and that AKEL will give a positive vote for the solution this time.

As the paper reports, speaking during the meeting, Mr. Soyer evaluated the Cyprus problem, the internal political and economic developments and he expressed his criticism to the UBP self-styled government.

Regarding the allegations that UBP supports the ongoing negotiation process in Cyprus, Mr. Soyer said that this does not reflect the reality.

Referring to the Ergenekon case, Mr. Soyer stated that the self-styled prime minister Dervis Eroglu constitutes the biggest hope of the Ergenekon organization to prevent the solution in Cyprus. He also said that the Ergenekon organization has exerted efforts once again during 1998 in order to elect prime minister Eroglu to the presidency, so that it could prevent the solution.

(AK)

[05] Gulden Plumer Kucuk called on the two Cypriot leaders not to politicize the issue of the missing people.

Mrs Kucuk spoke to HALKIN SESI following various statements by Greek officials after the finding of the remains of some Greek Cypriots missing persons. Mrs Kucuk stated, inter alia, that the mission of the CMP is known by the world and that the two leaders in Cyprus are politicizing the issue of the missing persons. She also noted that there are painful stories regarding the missing persons in both communities of the island, and no one must forget this. She went on and added that they will continue their search for the remains of more missing persons and added that until now the remains of 535 missing persons were found.

(CS)

[06] Binali Yildirim stated that several projects which were implemented in Turkey in the fields of transportation and communication were also made in the occupied areas.

Speaking during the same ceremony, the self-styled minister of public works and transport, Mr. Hasan Tacoy, stated, inter alia, that several projects which were not yet implemented in Europe, come into force first in Turkey and then in the occupied areas. He then said that they are always aware of the support which Turkey offers to its daughter land, the TRNC, as he described the territories of the Republic of Cyprus occupied illegally by Turkish troops.

(AK)

[07] The meeting between Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz and the self-styled minister Atun. Yildiz said that Turkey will sell electricity to the whole Cyprus. Atun said the Blue Stream Project will strengthen the position of the pseudostate.

Turkish Energy & Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz had a meeting with Energy & Economy Minister Sunat Atun of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in Ankara.

Following the meeting, Yildiz said that Turkey would boost its assistance to TRNC in the area of energy. Yildiz said that they would prepare a master plan in the energy sector for TRNC.

TRNC's Energy Minister Atun said there was a great environment for investments in TRNC and urged Turkish businessmen to boost their investments there.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia reported:

The Turkish Cypriot minister for energy and economy said on Tuesday that his country's strategic position would be strengthened thanks to Blue Stream project.

Energy & Economy Minister Sunat Atun of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) paid a visit to Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Union of Chambers' & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), in capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Speaking at the meeting, Atun said that TRNC had a remarkable potential. "TRNC's strategic position will become stronger thanks to the Blue Stream project. In the light of these opportunities, our doors are open to Turkish businessmen," Atun said.

Hisarciklioglu said during the gathering that the Turkish business world was ready to extend all the necessary support for the improvement of TRNC's economy.

On the same issue, under the title Minister Yildiz: North Cyprus can sell electricity to the South, Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (12.08.09) reports on the meeting the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Taner Yildiz, had with the self styled minister of energy of the breakaway regime, Sunat Atun, in Ankara.

Following the meeting the two men replied to reporters questions, the paper writes and publishes statements made by Taner Yildiz according to which works will be carried out for Cyprus to be included in the electricity interconnection system of Turkey. Minister Yildiz explained that in this sense, they considered Cyprus as a whole, without making a division between south north and that in the matter of electricity, Cyprus will be included in the interconnection system with Turkey. Following that, the issue of selling electricity will come into the agenda, he said.

Noting that Turkey will provide the illegal regime with electricity, Mr. Yildiz stated: North Cyprus can also sell electricity to the south. Being reminded that the issue of extending the Blue Stream pipeline until Cyprus was included in the agenda, Minister Yildiz said that feasibility studies are required to be made regarding this and added that Turkeys political parties will be informed on the energy projects.

(ML)

[08] The self-styled minister of tourism holds contacts in Ankara

The TRNC Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture Hamza Ersan Saner is continuing with his visit to Ankara.

He is the guest of the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism- Ertugrul Gunay.

As part of his contacts, the TRNC Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture Hamza Ersan Saner met separately with the Turkish Minister of State in Charge of Cyprus Affairs Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, and the Minister of Forestry Veysel Eroglu this afternoon.

During his meeting with Mr. Veysel Eroglu existing tourism and environmental issues between the two countries were discussed.

In addition to a series of other official meetings, Mr. Saner will also be holding some inspection tours regarding environmental issues. He will also be visiting the Mamak Dump which has been turned into a special centre for recycle and solid waste management. The project is jointly being implemented by the Ankara Municipality and the private sector.

Yesterday Mr. Saner was received by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism- Ertugrul Gunay and attended a dinner given in his honour by Mr. Gunay as well.

The Minister for Tourism, Environment and Culture Hamza Ersan Saner will return to the TRNC on Wednesday upon the completion of his contacts.

[09] Turkey will host a joint exercise with Israel and U.S. forces

Turkey will host this year's "Reliant Mermaid", a joint search and rescue exercise in the Mediterranean Sea involving the air and naval forces of Israel, the United States and Turkey.

The exercise will be held from August 17 to 21 in the east of the Mediterranean Sea.

Eight ships, four helicopters and three search-and-rescue planes from militaries of the three countries will take part in this year's manoeuvres.

The exercise aims at efficient and rapid coordination and cooperation of forces of the three countries in case of emergencies.

[10] Turkish State Minister holds talks in FYROM

Turkish State Minister Faruk Celik met with his Macedonian [Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia] counterpart Hadi Neziri in Skopje on Tuesday. Political, economic and cultural problems of the Turkish community living in Macedonia was on the agenda of the meeting between the two ministers, officials said.

During the gathering, Celik said that separate departments, which would deal with the problems of the Turkish communities living in the Balkans, would be established under the roof his ministry in near future.

Noting that one of these divisions would focus on the Turkish people in Macedonia, Celik said such an initiative would contribute to the solution of the problems of the Turkish community in this country.

Celik held a series of talks in Macedonia and Kosovo on Monday and Tuesday. Upon completing his talks, Celik returned to Turkey in the afternoon on Tuesday.

[11] Opposition, government clash over energy deal with Russia

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan yesterday praised energy agreements signed with Russia last week, saying they strengthened Turkey's position as an energy conduit, but the opposition criticized the government for cooperating with Russia on a natural gas pipeline deal rivalling a European Union-backed pipeline.

Erdoan said the agreements signed during a visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last week opened a new era in Turkey's relations with Russia. Turkey and Russia signed 20 protocols committing the two countries to cooperate in a number of areas, including nuclear energy and oil and natural gas pipeline projects. Accordingly, Ankara allowed Russia to conduct feasibility studies in its exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea for eventual construction of the South Stream pipeline, projected to transfer Russian natural gas to Europe.

Russia promised to back an Ankara-backed project to transfer oil via a planned pipeline that will run from Turkey's Black Sea province of Samsun to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

But critics said the deal on the South Stream, which competes with the EU-backed Nabucco, will undermine the Nabucco project, which is hoped to reduce European dependence on Russia for gas. Less than a month ago, Turkey signed a preliminary deal with four EU countries allowing the Nabucco pipeline to transit its territory.

Erdoan, speaking at the parliamentary group of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said Turkey was located next to the Middle East and the Caspian basin, which host two-third of the world's known natural gas reserves, and emphasized that his government was working to bring to life projects that will turn Turkey into a logistics hub in energy.

But the opposition was sceptical, saying the South Stream deal will kill Nabucco and strengthen Russian domination over European gas supplies. These two projects are rivals to each other, Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), told his deputies in Parliament. Baykal also claimed that Turkey would get no benefit from the South Stream but suggested that a business group, known to be close to the government and expected to build the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline together with Italy's ENI, may have benefited from the deals with Russia.

We let a project that Turkey has no part in proceed. I don't know what we got in return but Çal1k Holding got the oil it wanted, Baykal said, referring to the business group.

Erdoan, on the other hand, said the recent deals boosted Turkey's international standing. All these contacts, visits, agreements and projects indicate that Turkey has a different rank now, said Erdoan. At the centre of the world's major energy projects, Turkey is drawing attention and praise from the world.

[12] Turkey and Syria to hold joint symposium in September

The state planning organizations of Turkey and Syria will organize a joint symposium in September within the framework of the Inter-regional Cooperation Program carried out by the two countries.

The symposium, which will be held in the Syrian capital of Damascus, will focus on issues such as e-state implementations, planning techniques, urban transformation and slums, officials told A.A on Tuesday.

Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) will also be promoted during the symposium which will bring together numerous academicians and officials from Turkey and Syria.

A delegation from the Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT) held a series of talks on the preparations for the upcoming event in Damascus on Tuesday.

The Inter-regional Cooperation Program carried out by Turkey and Syria were also on the agenda of the Turkish delegation's meetings in the Syrian capital.

[13] MIT ties with terrorist suspects arrested in Germany

Fresh allegations have emerged concerning ties between the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and four suspects, two of them Turks, caught while making preparations to carry out bombing attacks in US facilities in Germany two years ago. One of the Turkish suspects, Atilla Selek, mentioned a person named Mevlut K in his 1,100-page statement adding that this person was MIT's "mole." According to the news in the German press no arrest warrant has been issued for Mevlut K because of the possibility of diplomatic problems with Turkey.

According to the respected "Der Spiegel" periodical, Germany asked Turkey to look into this matter and report its findings. According to the periodical, which writes that a reply to this request was sent, MIT confirmed that Mevlut K worked as a "link man" on behalf of Turkish intelligence until 2002. However, MIT emphasized that at the time he was procuring explosives to be used in an attack Mevlut K had no ties whatsoever to MIT.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[14] Turkeys Intelligence Organization MIT reportedly has links with the Islamic Jihad Organisation

The German periodical "Der Spiegel" asserts that suspects from the Islamic Jihad organization, who were caught while making preparations for high profile attacks in Germany, have links to Turkey's intelligence organization MIT.

In its latest edition the periodical asserts that the German security services began looking for the answer to the question, "Are there rifts within MIT?" following the statements by the suspects known as the "Sauerland Group." In other news on the Deutche Welle Radio it was asserted that Germany has asked Turkey to look into this matter and report its findings. "Der Spiegel" wrote that in some of the statements published last week one of the suspects, Atilla Selek, mentioned a person called Mevlut K in his statement, which was over 1,000 pages in length. In his statement Atilla Selek alleged that Mevlut K set up links between the Sauerland Groups and the CIA and MIT. Selek asserted that this person was a mole inside MIT. Asserting also that Mevlut K was going to procure for the terrorist cell's leader, a German called Fritz Gelowicz, the explosives to be used in an attack planned for Istanbul, Atilla Selek alleged that this person would occasionally leave cell meetings then return several hours later with fresh information. Atilla Selek reportedly said, "Once when the German police were looking for an Islamist group my name was on the list of suspects" and that when asked how he came across that information he replied, "I stole it from German intelligence." Reportedly, there is no federal warrant out on Mevlut K, who was born in the German town of Ludwigshafen.

"Der Spiegel" asserts that in the light of this statement Germany asked Turkey for information and that an unofficial reply arrived. According to the allegation, the National Intelligence Organization confirmed unofficially that Mevlut K worked as a "link man" for Turkish intelligence up until 2002. However, at the time Mevlut K was procuring explosives for an attack in Istanbul he no longer had any ties to MIT.

Just how true these allegations are will reportedly become clear once the statements of the Sauerland Group suspects are officially published and the German authorities follow up on them.

Furthermore, leading German periodical "Focus" published the statements by suspect Adem Yilmaz. In the statement by Yilmaz, one of four terrorism suspects on trial, he explains that he holds no regrets because Jihad is allowed in Islam. "All the same, the innocent should not die in these attacks. I no longer want to be involved in acts of terrorism in Germany. It was my involvement that got me sent to prison. But I consider myself part of the Uzbek organization Islamic Jihadist Union."

Atilla Selek said similar things in his statement, reports "Focus" maintaining that such methods were only approved in "specific" countries. The periodical also writes that German national Fritz Gelowicz, said to be the terrorism cell's leader and a convert to Islam, refused to answer any questions by German Federal Police BKA officials. The trial, being heard at the Dusseldorf State High Court, will resume on Monday.

[15] Joke about the occupied areas of Cyprus: Turkey is the only country in the world exploited by its own colony

Oktay Eksi says that since 1974 Turkey has paid $4 billion only for the current expenses of the Turkish Cypriot "government," adding critically that per person Turkish Cypriot civil servants get three times more money than Turkish citizens in an ordinary province of Turkey. Eksi says he is not proposing cut of aid to Turkish Cypriots, but it is time Turkey's money is not squandered in northern Cyprus, adding that it looks as if there is truth to the popular joke that Turkey is the only country in the world exploited by its own colony.

In order to be more specific, Oktay Eksi, compares the occupied areas with the Ordu province in Turkey. He says that every year Turkey sends 300 million USD aid to the occupied areas and this money is used to pay the salaries of civil servants, workers, retired people, orphans and widowed people.

He writes that the area of Ordu province is 6100 square kilometres while the occupied areas is 3355 square kilometres that is Ordu provinces area is almost twice that of the area ruled by its subordinate regime.

As regards the population, Eksi reports that while the population in Ordu province is 720 thousand this figure for the occupied areas is roughly 250 thousand. Almost three times that of the TRNC, Eksi points out.

He then compares the amount that is allocated to Ordu province from the Turkish budget and gives the figure as 200 million USD. This roughly corresponds to three thousand USD per capita income, against this the per capita income in the TRNC is on average 16 thousand USD, Eksi notes.

He argues that if this amount is given to Ordu, the provinces per capita income will reach to that of Switzerland and concludes: A friend of ours at a time described the relations between Turkey and the TRNC with the joke Turkey is the only country in the world exploited by its colony! He was right.

(MHY)

[16] Columnist in Afrika argues that Turkey gets more from occupied Cyprus than it gives

The 4.5 billion dollar deposits of the Turkish Cypriots in the banks of the Republic of Turkey which are located in the TRNC are used in Turkey. More than half of the casinos at the five-star hotels are in the hands of persons from Turkey.

The Greek Cypriot land which is distributed gratis for the people from Turkey, and for which title deeds are given, is worth millions of sterling. It is sold to English, Russians, Jewish

The three quarters of those who receive social help come from Turkey.

Despite the fact that there are 40 thousand Turkish troops, three-thousand Security Forces and a two-thousand stray police force, narcotics can enter the island and can circulate easily in the market.

This region is used as transit in the drugs trafficking, and those involved amass incredible wealth. Millions of dollars are made from the prostitution sector. From womens trafficking. From human trafficking

No one knows the amount of money passing through wheels of the TRNC and ending up in Turkey. This is what Sukru Sina Gurel stated to Ankara businessmen: If we give 100 million dollars to the TRNC, we are getting back 200 millions!

Mr Sukru had calmed down with these words those who are complaining by saying that Cyprus is a hump in Turkeys back.

If you want put aside what I said above. Do not take it into consideration. Even, do not argue unnecessarily that it is possible that money goes to the states pockets in Turkey from drug trafficking.

Look at only the population. Just the population. The population of the Republic of Turkey in the north of Cyprus. No one of you knows exactly their number, do you? With the most optimistic estimations lets say 500 thousands. Meaning that they are several times more than the Turkish Cypriots.

Didnt Talat, a few years ago say that: Our population is perhaps around five hundred thousands?

So, are the 300 million dollars that Turkey gives annually enough to feed this population? Do not count the Turkish Cypriots. Just look at them. Is it enough?

Here it is, they are calling us parasite while all these facts are there in the clearest manner.

They are insulting! And look what do they say? Turkey is the only country in the world which is exploited by its colony. We are exploiting our colonizer.

Oktay Eksi, the editor-in-chief of HURRIYET newspaper in Turkey, writes this in an elaborate manner. And many other things. He is comparing us with Turkeys Ordu province

The population of the TRNC is 250 thousands, as regards the population of Ordu it is 720 thousands.

However, while the money that Turkey gives to the TRNC is 300 millions USD dollar per year, the money that Ordu gets from the (state) budget is only 200 millions.

The area of Ordu province is almost twice that of the TRNC.

However, while the per capita income of Ordu is 3 thousand dollars, the per capita income in the TRNC is 16 thousand dollars.

Look at what Oktay Eksi is saying after reaching at these fantastic results: Since the population of the TRNC is the one third of the population of Ordu, and since its area is almost half of Ordu area that means that every year three times the money that are sent to TRNC are sent to Ordu.

If the money that are given to us were given to Ordu, then Ordu would have been ahead of Switzerland. The per capital income would have been 30 thousand dollars!

Well, come on Turkish Cypriots patriots.

Shame on you if, after the things that Oktay Eksi said, you do not rush out into the streets and shout Ankara, we want neither your money nor your packets, nor your civil servants. Remarks such as No to imposed packages are too soft.

The time to say Turkey go home, has come and went by long time ago. They have finished us here and make fun of us.

The action of the doctors and the officers of the customs department, who do not revolt against Ankara, is not worth a penny. Instead of objecting against those that Turkey has sent us to feed them they only demand additional overtime.

They are encouraging those who brand our community avaricious. They are unable to say Since you cannot even pay their money, then withdraw your population and your troops.

The population of Ordu province is 720 thousands. The population of the TRNC is at least that much Mr Eksi. The per capita income of Ordu province is 3 thousand dollars, you said?

Well, ours is about the same. You have to understand this. Dont be so acrid.

(CS)

[17] From the Turkish press of 11 August 2009

a) Kurdish problem

The Turkish government is planning to unveil its Kurdish plan after the road map to be announced by Abdullah Ocalan on 15 August, because a call by Ocalan on the PKK to lay down its arms will enable the government to tackle the Kurdish issue with greater freedom, says Vatan report, adding that despite the government's effort to keep the content of the plan secret it has been learned that the plan has "three main legs," namely, an economic package to be implemented urgently, a democratic package tat is expected to include a painful process of constitutional amendments, and a military package aimed at revamping the security system in the southeast. The report also mentions that after the long cabinet meeting yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that Interior Minister Besir Atalay, who is tasked to discuss the Kurdish overture with political parties and NGOs, will brief the AKP [Justice and Development Party] group today and then the other parties if the latter seek such a meeting.

Noting that let alone reaching a consensus on the Kurdish issue Atalay has not even managed to meet the opposition parties, Fikrat Bila says in his column in Milliyet that the reason why the government has failed to secure a meeting with the CHP and MHP is the wrong method it is employing in tackling the problem. PM Erdogan himself met the DTP [Democratic Society Party] chief, but only assigned Atalay as interlocutor with the opposition parties. That was the government's first tactical mistake. Another factor impeding a meeting between the government and the opposition parties is the lack of any information about the content of the overture, says Bila adding that CHP leader Deniz Baykal naturally wants to know the actual intent of the government before he can give his support for the package.

Pointing out that the Kurdish issue is generating a sharp debate in public and press, with the opposition listing its red lines, Ismet Berkan argues in his column in Radikal that the debate is actually forging a public consensus that the Kurdish problem should be solved within the context of greater democracy and human rights. Even Kurds are not seeking a special status in the constitution, or local autonomy or federation anymore. Instead, the idea of strengthening the local administrations and devolution of power to them as part of administrative reforms is gaining ground. On the education in Kurdish, the government seems to be inclined to introduce lessons in Kurdish in lyceums in case of sufficient demand for it. In short, Berkan adds, there are still red lines but there is also hope for a compromise.

Cengiz Candar declares in his column in Referans that Erdogan's meeting with DTP leader Ahmet Turk has generated such an "avalanche" of hope and excitement that MHP and CHP will be unable to obstruct the peace process anymore. Candar says "armed provocations" to derail the overture are possible, but they too will be enable to stop the high momentum of the peace process, for any government swerving from the process or any group resorting to armed provocation will be crushed under the unstoppable dynamics of the peace process. President Gul and the government seem to be in no mood to cave in to the opposition, says Candar, adding that for this reason he is optimistic about the outcome of the overture. Candar argues that for the overture to succeed Turkey has to thoroughly democratize itself and recognize Kurdish identity rights, PKK has to lay down its arms, and Ocalan and the PKK should be brought into the peace process. Candar declares that once Turkey reconciles with its own Kurds it will rapidly become a regional and global power.

Cuneyt Arcayurek asserts in his column in Cumhuriyet that the United States is behind the Kurdish overture, and that it may have even planned this ten years ago when it surrendered Ocalan to Turkey on condition that he should not be executed. Arcayurek quotes MIT [National Intelligence Organization] chief Senkal Atasagun as saying that at the time the Ecevit government accepted the American condition hoping that it could use Ocalan to Turkey's advantage. Arcayurek adds bitterly that ten years on, Ocalan, as part of the role assigned to him by the United States, is serving not Turkey but his own interests.

Orhan Bursali declares in his column in Cumhuriyet that with the Kurdish overture Erdogan is trying to win Kurdish votes to recoup AKP losses during the local elections. Bursali says Erdogan will later try to put a nationalistic veneer on his plan in order not to lose the Turkish votes. In short, Erdogan is launching its Kurdish overture under the guise of democratization out of necessity, not convictions.

In a commentary entitled "Kurdish Overture" Vakit writer Professor Mehmet Kamalak argues that any effort to solve the "Kurdish issue" should factor in "the religious sensibilities of our Kurdish brothers, most of whom are from the lineage of our Prophet and are committed to their faith and traditions," adding that "any solution that excludes Islam cannot be a real solution for our Kurdish brothers because Islam is the sole common value for Kurds, Turks, Lazes, Circassians, and everybody else living in Asia Minor."

In an article entitled "Apo [Ocalan]", Vakit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak highlights remarks by PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan suggesting that he "supports the process started by the Government" and that Ocalan's earlier rhetoric during his days in the Bekaa Valley is "all water under the bridge." He also comments on former National Intelligence Organization, MIT, official Mehmet Eymur's "interesting disclosures" citing former Deputy Chief of the General Staff Cevik Bir, author Yalcin Kucuk, and the Cumhuriyet daily as being among "those who prevented Ocalan from being captured earlier" and criticizes the Turkish Armed Forces, the MIT, and the National Police Headquarters for maintaining their "silence" on what he claims to be Ocalan's links with the deep state.

In an article entitled "What if the Kurds want to secede?" Zaman columnist Ihsan Dagi objects to a suggestion by retired ambassador Umit Pamir that a referendum will be held on the Kurdish issue to find out whether the Kurds want to secede from Turkey and that a "road map" on this problem be determined on the basis of the results of such a referendum. Dagi argues that the majority of the Kurds would not want to secede from a prosperous Turkey where they lived as equal citizens and which was a member of the EU, regarded ethnic, religious, and intellectual diversity as an asset, did not have any "paranoia" about domestic enemies, and got along well with its neighbours. He also accuses "the guardians of the old regime" of trying to create a Turkey "purged of Kurds" and "ethnically and ideologically unadulterated" either by forcing people of Kurdish origin in eastern and western provinces to migrate to northern Iraq or ceding part of eastern Turkey to them.

b) On the Turkification of the names of places

In an article under the title: "There is nothing to fear" in Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru responds to the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli's remarks criticizing President Gul for referring to the Guroymak district of Bitlis during a recent visit to the southeast as "Norsin" [as it was called until 1987] and asking Gul ironically whether he intends to call Istanbul Constantinople, too. Koru asserts that Istanbul continued to be called Konstantiniyye by "our forefathers" until 1930, when it was officially named Istanbul by the founders of the Republic, adding that the Ottoman sultans who succeeded Mehmet II most likely did not have any issues with using that name to refer to Istanbul. He also asserts that Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, and Greek place names in Turkey were replaced with "irrelevant names" most extensively in the period over 1950-1980, adding that Gul's reference to Guroymak as Norsin is part of a process of transformation whereby a coercive state model is being substituted with a new model that puts the emphasis on rights and freedoms.

c) On Greek plans in the Aegean

In an article under the title "Salvaging goods from a sinking ship", Milli Gazete columnist Hasan Unal asserts that Greece has started to look into presenting Turkey with fait accomplis in the Aegean Sea by capitalizing on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) eagerness to make concessions on national interests in the name of qualifying Turkey for EU membership. He claims that Athens expects that in the case of a Greek-Turkish crisis over the issue of oil exploration in the Aegean Sea, the matter will be submitted to the International Court of Justice through EU arbitration in favour of Greece. He also asserts that the Greek plans should not be perceived independently of Yerevan's efforts to have the Turkish-Armenian border reopened or the latest Kurdish initiative "intended to protect [northern Iraqi Kurdish leader Mas'ud] Barzani."

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