Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 10-01-07

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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 said to the President of the EU Commission that the EU should be more active for lifting the isolations

[02] Proposals were reportedly submitted by the Turkish side in the Cyprus talks with the mentality of take it or leave it

[03] Talat and Eroglu seem to have decided about their possible candidacy for the elections in April; Avci said he could be a candidate

[04] Ercakica said that Talat put forward new ideas on the issue of governance and power sharing

[05] Cicek: If a lasting and just solution to the Cyprus problem has not been found, this is neither Turkeys nor TRNCs fault.

[06] Inconsistent numbers regarding the passengers who travelled though the illegal Tymvou airport during the period January-November 2009

[07] Erdogan will visit Russia. Blue Stream 2 for natural gas to Cyprus, Israel on the agenda.

[08] Turkmen gas would be transferred to west via Turkey

[09] Talat to Chinese diplomats: Give us a period of one year and if we cannot find a solution in one year, degrade both sides to the community status. Suggest this.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in Hurriyet Daily News argues that the Turkish sides plan B is the recognition of Ankaras subordinate regime in occupied Cyprus

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat said to the President of the EU Commission that the EU should be more active for lifting the isolations

Mr Talat said that he briefed Mr Barosso on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and added: We told him that we will start intensive negotiations with Mr Christofias, that we have shared some of our views with the Greek Cypriot side and that we could carry the Cyprus problem to a point forward with mutual flexibility through compromise. Mr Barosso was very excited and said he will not deny his support.

Mr Talat said that he told Mr Barosso that the EU being more active for the lifting of the isolations and the issue of the Direct Trade Regulation is very important for the Turkish Cypriots. Moreover, Mr Talat said to Mr Barosso that the Green Line Regulation contributed to the Turkish Cypriot economy making some progress, but the Direct Trade Regulation is also necessary.

Mr Talat noted that Mr Barosso listened to him carefully and put questions to him. Mr Talat said that replying to a question regarding how Mr Barosso sees the course of the negotiations, he said that he receives pessimistic messages from the Greek Cypriot side, but the information which comes from the Turkish Cypriot side and the UN is not the same.

He added: It is true that it is not possible for us to say that there is great progress and that we are close to the solution, but you cannot say that we did nothing. We did a lot and we reached to common points on many issues. We explained all these, he was excited about it.

Replying to a question, Mr Talat said that they discuss the views regarding the negotiations with Turkish officials, but they have no Plan B or C. He added: We explained that it is a mistake for the Cyprus problem to stand as obstacle in front of Turkeys EU accession course. The Cyprus problem and Turkeys membership to the EU are connected, we cannot deny this. There is no official connection, but such a connection is established by itself. Because the Greek Cypriot side is a member and its approval will be needed.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Proposals were reportedly submitted by the Turkish side in the Cyprus talks with the mentality of take it or leave it

According to NTV, Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side prepared together the package submitted by Mr Talat during the 60th meeting of the two leaders last Monday. The proposal provides for the election of the president and the vice- president with cross voting, that is, the Greek Cypriots will vote for a Turkish Cypriot candidate and the Turkish Cypriots for a Greek Cypriot candidate for the post of the president and the vice-president of the republic. According to the proposal, the president and the vice-president will have the right of vetoing the decisions of the council of ministers. Their approval will be needed for any decision of the council of ministers.

The flight zone, that is the FIR, is another important issue in the Turkish proposals. The Turkish side wants the existence of two FIRs in Cyprus after the solution, that is, each constituent state to have its own FIR. The paper points out that the Greek Cypriot side supports that only one FIR should exist.

The package also proposes that the Turkish citizens on the island should have the same rights as the Greek citizens in order for the Turkish-Greek balance to be preserved. Therefore, the proposals provide for the Turkish citizens to have the right of free settlement, acquiring property and working on the island.

According to the paper, Mr Talat aims at giving acceleration to the negotiations with these proposals and at gaining support to the procedure by countries that direct the problem. Allegations say that the information regarding the fact that the Turkish side submitted a proposal in the negotiations has been leaked to the press of Turkey by the National Unity Party (UBP).

Moreover, referring to the same issue columnist Mete Tumerkan of Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (07.01.10) reports in his daily column that the above-mentioned package was prepared by Mr Talat and a team from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu played the main role in the preparation of the package. Citing reliable sources, Mr Tumerkan writes that on the first day of the year, Mr Davutoglu called Mr Talat and told him that the time came for the submission of the package as a whole. Mr Talat told him that he had not yet discussed the final shape of the package with the self-styled government and the prime minister, Dervis Eroglu, adding that he did not want to quarrel with Mr Eroglu publicly.

Afterwards, Mr Davutoglu called Mr Eroglu and informed him about the proposals which Mr Talat would submit to President Christofias during their first meeting in 2010. Mr Eroglu told Mr Davutoglu that his party opposes to the package and added: If, however, you and president Talat are taking the political responsibility for the submission of this package, implement your decision. After this conversation, Mr Davutoglu called Mr Talat again and told him that Eroglu is against the package but added that they should submit it and take a step forward. Mr Tumerkan relates that forthcoming visit of President Christofias to Athens with this package and notes that the demand of President Christofias for one week postponement of the talks in order to visit Athens and evaluate the situation with Prime Minister Papandreou was considered by Ankara and Mr Talat to be a positive development. According to Mr Tumerkan, the Turkish side wants these proposals to be discussed as a whole and it is not possible to discuss them separately, because they were put on the table with the take it or leave it mentality.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Talat and Eroglu seem to have decided about their possible candidacy for the elections in April; Avci said he could be a candidate

Mr Talat said that becoming a candidate would be meaningless in case the possibility of solving the Cyprus problem is eliminated. Noting that the solution is possible, he reiterated that the problem should definitely be solved. Asked on whether he is hopeful for a solution, Mr Talat said that the UN, Turkey, Sweden and the EU are hopeful and added that only the Greek Cypriot side is not hopeful. Why?, he wondered.

Mr Talat alleged that the mentality which considers Cypriots only those who are Greeks still exists in the Greek Cypriot side and added: We are also to be blamed on this issue. We pushed aside the Republic of Cyprus. We did not make it our own. That is, if in the resistance posts in 1963 we put one flag of the Republic of Cyprus and one flag of Turkey, perhaps today we would not be completely outside of the Republic of Cyprus. I am saying perhaps, I am not sure.

Under the title Avci is the third candidate, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (07.01.10) reports that Mr Turgay Avci, leader of the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) has described the establishment of his party as craziness and added that it is possible for him to make a second craziness by becoming a candidate in the presidential elections which will be held in April in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus. In statements to Ada television, Mr Avci said that they have two alternatives. The one is to designate their own candidate and the other to support a third candidate.

Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (07.01.10) reports that Dervis Eroglu, leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), has said that the UBP will officially announce its candidate for the presidential elections after the party council that will be held on Wednesday 13 January and added that all signs show that this candidate will be himself. Mr Eroglu made this statement yesterday before entering into the meeting of the council of ministers. He also expressed his satisfaction with the results of a recent public opinion poll carried out by KADEM Company, which showed that his candidacy was supported by more than 50% of the participants in the survey.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (07.01.10) reports that in statements to the paper, Omer Kalyoncu, so-called MP with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) in the occupied area of Keryneia, referred to the recent decision of the National Security Council of Turkey and wondered which policy of Dervis Eroglu is supported in this decision. This is a decision which supports the policy of the CTP and it is 100% contrary to Eroglu, he argued and added that Mr Eroglu has never supported the solution of the Cyprus problem until today.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Ercakica said that Talat put forward new ideas on the issue of governance and power sharing

The Presidential Spokesperson Hasan Ercakica has announced that President Mehmet Ali Talat put forward new ideas on the issue of governance and power sharing at his meeting yesterday with the Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing, the Presidential Spokesperson said that the Greek Cypriot Side will be responding to those ideas in the upcoming meetings.

Asked whether he discussed these ideas with Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu before bringing them to the table, Mr Ercakica said that all views and ideas were prepared in consultation with the government as well as Turkey.

Stating that the President had no plans to hold a meeting with political parties in the TRNC ahead of the series of intensive talks scheduled to start next week, Mr Ercakica said that the President will have time to brief political party representatives at the end of the first week of discussions.

[05] Cicek: If a lasting and just solution to the Cyprus problem has not been found, this is neither Turkeys nor the TRNCs fault.

The Turkish Minister of State - Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek has said that the Greek Cypriot Administrations unilateral membership to the European Union was the great obstacle in the way of reaching a comprehensive solution in Cyprus.

Responding to journalists questions yesterday, Mr Cicek said that the greatest problem in the Cyprus Issue arose from the fact that the European Union allowed the Greek Cypriot Administration, a country with a domestic dispute, to join the block.

Replying to a question as to how the Cyprus problem will unfold in the New Year, the Minister said that Turkeys stance on the Cyprus issue was clear. Turkeys stance is clear. If a lasting and just solution to the Cyprus Problem has not been found, this is neither Turkeys nor the TRNCs fault. The outcome of the 2004 referendum is the clearest proof of this, he said.

Mr Cicek also reminded how the Greek Cypriot Side had overwhelmingly rejected the UN Sponsored Annan Plan. Had the plan been accepted, there would be no Cyprus Problem today. It was the Turkish Side which supported and desired a solution and the Greek Cypriot Side which rejected it, Cicek added.

He also pointed out that it was the European Union which had failed to honour the promises it had made two days after the April 24th 2004 referendum, to ease the international isolation of the TRNC.

Stressing that Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus still desired a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus Problem, the Minister said that the talks to reach a settlement continued but that the efforts of one side alone was not enough to reach a solution.

The international community, particularly the EU should exert more pressure on the Greek Cypriot Administration to work towards a solution, said Cicek adding that Ankara will never accept any solution that would be outside standing UN parameters.

[06] Inconsistent numbers regarding the passengers who travelled though the illegal Tymvou airport during the period January-November 2009

(I/Ts.)

[07] Erdogan will visit Russia. Blue Stream 2 for natural gas to Cyprus, Israel on the agenda.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan and up to eight Cabinet ministers will visit Russia on Jan. 12-13 for talks expected to focus on greater Russian involvement in an oil pipeline linking Turkey's southern and northern coasts and the process of rapprochement between Turkey and Russia's regional ally Armenia.

The talks are expected to be in the format of a joint cabinet meeting, not unlike similar meetings held in earlier visits by Erdoan to Syria and Iraq. In past remarks, Erdoan said his government wants to establish a mechanism with Russia similar to the high-level strategic councils created between Turkey and Syria and Turkey and Iraq last year. An agreement to initiate a similar mechanism with Russia was signed when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Ankara in August. Erdoan's visit to Moscow will be the first step in this direction. Later, another meeting of the two countries' cabinets is planned to take place in Turkey.

According to the unofficial program, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutolu, Energy Minister Taner Y1ld1z, Public Works Minister Mustafa Demir, Environment Minister Veysel Erolu, Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çalayan and State Minister Faruk Çelik will accompany Erdoan for talks focusing on regional problems, energy projects, joint investment opportunities and international issues.

One of the most important issues on the agenda of the meeting is the future of the planned Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Turkish and Russian officials are expected to announce an agreement during the visit allowing Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft and Russian oil company Rosneft to have a share in the $2.5 billion pipeline, which will run between Samsun on Turkeys Black Sea coast and the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

Italy, Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to build the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline in October in Milan. Italy s Eni and Turkey s Çal1k Holding, which each own 50 percent, also signed a memorandum of understanding with Transneft and Rosneft on the participation of the Russian companies in Milan. Transneft later said that Russian interests may get an up-to-50-percent share in the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline if the country can supply more crude. Rosneft has already guaranteed oil supplies for the 550-kilometer pipeline with a daily capacity of 1.5 million barrels.

Russia and Turkey have also neared completion of the preliminary work for the Blue Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. During the visit, the two countries will discuss the possibility of forming a joint work group between Israel, Russia and Turkey for Blue Stream 2, which is planned to supply natural gas to Cyprus, Israel and other countries in the Middle East.

Final hump ahead of Armenia meeting

Peace in the Caucasus will be one of the top issues on the agenda of the Moscow visit. The joint cabinet meeting will also discuss forming a Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform, a joint mechanism to solve regional problems earlier proposed by Turkey. A process of rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia may also speed up following Turkish-Russian talks.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on normalizing their relations in October. The protocols are now awaiting approval in each country s parliament, and sources told Today s Zaman that the parliaments may debate the documents in March. Erdoan said earlier that Turkey expected to see progress in efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Turkey s ethnic and regional ally Azerbaijan so that Ankara could move forward in the process of rapprochement with Armenia. In Moscow, Erdoan is expected to urge Russia to step up pressure on Armenia for a resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Putin and Erdoan are also expected to discuss Iran s nuclear program. This meeting is also anticipated to put an end to crises that sometimes erupt between the two countries over fresh fruit and vegetable exports from Turkey. Another issue that is likely to show up will be Turkeys estimated $20 billion nuclear plant tender, for which Russia is a contender.

[08] Turkmen gas would be transferred to west via Turkey

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said that Turkey and Turkmenistan could transfer Turkmen gas to the west.

Y1ld1z, who participated in the inauguration of the second natural gas pipeline that will carry natural gas from Turkmenistan to Iran, said that Turkmenistan attracted attention after operating world's longest pipeline in a short time.

Yagsygeldi Kakayew, Head of Turkmenistan's State Agency for Hydrocarbon Resources, reminded that natural gas from Turkmenistan was transported to three directions and said that now it was time to transfer it to the west.

Kakayev said further that he believed this transportation would be materialized with Turkey.

[09] Talat to Chinese diplomats: Give us a period of one year and if we cannot find a solution in one year, degrade both sides to the community status. Suggest this.

The above situation constitutes an obstacle in front of the solution in Cyprus, alleged Mr Talat, who met yesterday with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot media evaluating the year 2009 and explaining his thoughts regarding 2010.

Coupled with the different views of the two sides, one of the most important reasons for not being able to reach to a solution in the negotiations is the fact that we are not equal, claimed Mr Talat noting that when the two leaders leave the negotiating table the one becomes President and the other a leader.

He said that 2010 is an important year for the solution of the Cyprus problem and that they are working for this solution.

The solution we are seeking and which we will achieve, is a solution that will bring security to the Turkish Cypriots, said Mr Talat adding that they are after a solution which will be providing full security to the Turkish Cypriots and make possible the continuation of their economic security and communal unity together with their safety of life and property.

Mr Talat noted that this is the third year of negotiations between himself and President Christofias and added: We should produce a result now in the third year. Just like every negotiating process, this has also an end.

Mr Talat said that their main goal is to make arrangements for the protection of their communal identity. He noted that an important part of their expectations was not met in 2009 and added that these expectations concerned the everyday life, economy, social life and the Cyprus problem.

He claimed that they exerted efforts for 2009 to be the year of the solution of the Cyprus problem, but they did not achieve this. The reason for this, he alleged, is the fact that the Greek Cypriot side does not share the same concerns with the Turkish Cypriot side.

Mr Talat said that when they meet with some foreign diplomats, and mainly with Chinese diplomats, they suggest the following: Give us a period of one year and if we cannot find a solution in one year, degrade both sides to the community status. Suggest this. He added: Let them do this and then we shall see whether a solution will be reached or not.

Referring to some press reports which say that the negotiating process is in vain and that no solution will be found, Mr Talat said that the media should tell people the truth and given that the Turkish Cypriots need the solution, they should make sure that the people understand this.

Noting that the negotiations are necessary, Talat added: We are making very serious preparations for the solution, we are preparing proposals. He alleged that the Turkish side is driving and leading the negotiating process and claimed that the advantage of the Turkish side is the fact that Turkey supports the negotiating process and it is by the side of the Turkish Cypriots. There is no other country which supports the Turks of Cyprus in this manner, he said.

Talat noted that the Turkish Cypriot side is proposing a single international representation and a federal structure with arrangements which will secure this and added: If a single identity is created in the foreign policy and the foreign defence, this will be a federation. If more elements are added, this will become a federation with strong central [administration].

The paper reports that after these statements, Mr Talat hosted the representatives of the press to a dinner and replied to their questions. The last part of the meeting was held behind closed doors.

(I/Ts.)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Columnist in Hurriyet Daily News argues that the Turkish sides plan B is the recognition of Ankaras subordinate regime in occupied Cyprus

In this column, over the decades, I have continuously stressed the same things whenever I wrote about the Cyprus problem. These include the issue of downgrading the status of the Greek Cypriot-run Cyprus Republic to the status of the Turkish Cypriot state, and upgrading the Turkish Cypriot state to the level of the Greek Cypriot state as a prerequisite for a settlement on Cyprus. Otherwise, I have stressed that as long as Greek Cypriots are treated as the sole legitimate government of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots as a minority demanding privileged status from that government, there will never be a power sharing settlement on the island on the basis of political equality between two peoples. If I were a Greek Cypriot, I would never ever vote "yes" to a power sharing deal as long as there was no price to voting "no."

Over the past decades, current Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and his socialist Republican Turks' Party, or CTP, claimed that it was because of the "hard-line" position of former President Rauf Denktas that a settlement on the island could not be reached.

Now, the same Talat has told reporters that because Greek Cypriots enjoy international recognition and EU membership, as the sole legitimate government of the entire island they lack the motivation to compromise enough to establish a new partnership federation with Turkish Cypriots - a partnership based on political equality. Talat has strong doubts that, unless told by great powers that if the current exercise collapses as a result of them, international recognition of the Turkish Cypriot state might be in the cards, Greek Cypriots will never ever agree to compromise. "They must be told what they might lose if they remain adamant," he is quoted as saying during a closed-door meeting with some select journalists as part of a veiled start of his reelection campaign.

Has Talat indeed changed? Has he realized that unless the basis of the talks between the two sides is replaced with a real "equality of the two prospective partners" understanding there can be no success? Or, was this just a glimpse of plan B in the making?

Interesting enough, less than half an hour after that closed-door meeting with a group of select media reporters, Talat met with Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias for the first meeting of 2010. He presented him a set of proposals on "governance and power sharing" to be discussed during next week's accelerated talks. Among those proposals, there was the much-discussed "cross-voting" for the election of the president and the vice president of the future partnership state. Cross-voting was demanded by the Greek Cypriot side. Talat, though initially against the idea, was supportive of the proposal with some conditions. These include providing Turkey and Turkish nationals the very rights the EU countries and EU nationals would enjoy in Cyprus after a settlement. Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu was totally against the idea. Ankara partly supported Talat and partly supported Eroglu.

During Eroglu's recent visit to Ankara it was decided that a technical committee composed of population, statistical and other experts from the Turkish Cypriot presidency and the Prime Ministry would examine the possible pros and cons of the proposal before Talat's upcoming visit to Turkey on Thursday, in which a final decision will be made.

Now, according to some unverified claims on Jan. 1, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu phoned Talat and told him to "go ahead" and present the controversial nine-point package on governance and power sharing heading to Christofias.

Talat said: "But, we have not discussed the issue with Eroglu yet ... I do not want to have a public fight with him over the issue." Davutoglu phoned Eroglu and informed him of the decision. He received: "I am still against it, but, if political responsibility rests on Talat and you, 'go ahead.'" He then phoned Talat for a second time to say, "Eroglu is still against it, but will go ahead despite his opposition."

For example, if Christofias has already told Talat that his "cross-voting" proposal cannot be part of a give-and-take process and no conditions can be attached to it [that's what it says in the minutes this writer read a while ago], what might be the meaning of Talat now saying "yes" to that proposal provided that the Greek Cypriot leader agreed to give Turkish nationals free entry, freedom of circulation all over the island, freedom of settlement and freedom of owning property as if they are EU nationals? Would not that mean provoking Christofias to say "no" to his own proposal?

Then, is Talat aiming to force Christofias out of the talks and tell the world: "You see, Christofias has walked out of the process. They have to pay a price. Now it's time to recognize the Turkish Cypriot state?"

Is this plan B of Talat and Davutoglu?

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