Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 10-08-03

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Arrests during continued protests against the economic measures

[02] New Turkish envoy

[03] Sea-air traffic in June

[04] The consumer price index in occupied Cyprus increased

[05] Cultural association of occupied Morfou to tour European countries

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Halkin Sesi: Ankara has taken over the administration in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[07] From the Turkish Press of 02 August 2010

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Arrests during continued protests against the economic measures

A Rally for Social Existence took place outside parliament. Protesters broke barricades and clashed with the police in an attempt, to enter the parliament. Kibris newspaper (03.08.10) reports that 25 protesters were arrested, including many Trade Union high-ranking officials, and 11 policemen were injured.

Following the arrests the rally involved into a sit-down protest. Slogans on the banners included: Common struggle for Solidarity, No to privatization, Ankara, keep your hands off, Lift your measures, or you pull out and go, Turkey: Go home, UK-USA: Go home, Greece: Go home, Ankara we do not want your money, your servants or your measures.

Afrika newspaper (03.08.10) reports that the sit-down protest later moved outside the Turkish embassy. Sener Elcil, chairman of the Teachers Union (KTOS) addressed protesters on behalf of the Platform, saying they will continue to oppose the imposed measures. He added that the source of all pressures upon the Turkish Cypriot is here (Turkish Embassy) and welcomed the new Turkish ambassador saying: The honourable governor of the province came today. I welcome him. We are here and we will be here.

Commenting on the industrial actions Serdar Denktas said that these are the most justified strikes of the past 10-15 years.

[02] New Turkish envoy

Turkmen said that Turkey would always stand by the TRNC adding that a just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem is a common goal for Turkey and the TRNC. He added that he would work hard to carry forward efforts for a solution based on UN parameters and guarantees by Turkey.

Dervis Eroglu said that Turkish-Turkish Cypriot relations, which he said were based on mutual trust, have improved in recent years. As regards the negotiations, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side is trying to reach a permanent deal under which Turkish Cypriots could live in peace and security, and reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot goal was to achieve a solution by the end of 2010.

In addition, AA also reports (02.08.10) that Kaya Turkmen had contacts with the parliament speaker Hasan Bozer, prime minister Irsen Kucuk and the former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas.

Speaking after the meeting, Bozer said Cyprus is a national cause: We will continue to consult with Turkey in promoting our cause and in shaping our economic and social life, Bozer stated.

For his part, Kucuk said that high level consultations with the Turkish Embassy will continue and added that recently, we hear certain different voices in the TRNC. The TRNC government will continue to cooperate with Turkey for the development and future of the Turkish Cypriots.

Rauf Denktas said that Turkmen arrived in Cyprus at a very sensitive moment. Sensitive periods on the island of Cyprus never end. Had the Greek Cypriot side wanted peace as much as we did, there would have been peace already...I am sure that Turkmen will work and cooperate with the state and government officials of the TRNC, Denktas said.

In statements during his contacts, Kaya Turkmen said that the Cyprus is a common cause and added that he will not refrain from any efforts to promote relations between Turkey and the TRNC. As the Turkish Embassy, we are ready to extend all assistance to the TRNC as we did in the past, he stated.

[03] Sea-air traffic in June

As the paper reports, Pegasus Airlines carried out 528 flights, 263 arrivals and 265 departures, while illegal Turkish Cypriot Airlines (KTHY) carried out in total 406 flights, 204 arrivals and 202 departures. In addition, flights by Turkish Airlines (THY) reached 306 and by AtlasJet 272.

(EA)

[04] The consumer price index in occupied Cyprus increased

(EA)

[05] Cultural association of occupied Morfou to tour European countries

(EA)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Halkin Sesi: Ankara has taken over the administration in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Under the title They destroyed the country and went for vacation, Cetinel supports the above view giving as example the decrees which had been prepared in the past in order to prohibit the purchase and sale of occupied Greek Cypriot properties and the establishment of the Property Compensation Commission. He wonders whether the aim with the establishment of the above-mentioned Commission was not activating a legal mechanism which will supervise and return these properties. He recalls the Aresti and the Orams cases at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the result of which, he said, was against the Turkish Cypriots and wonders why the banks in the occupied areas of Cyprus should take the risk to accept as collateral, the ownership of which is questioned even by their own state.

Cetinel adds, inter alia, the following:

Our political will too has not been ours. If we had [political will] 65% would not have accepted the Annan Plan at the expense of abolishing the TRNC because Erdogan and Talat wanted to! Or in the negotiations today, discussions would be on a federal system based on the Greek Cypriot majority! Our money was not ours. Because it [the money] was not ours, our treasury was not ours either. Neither was our economy and trade. Even our population is not ours any more.

The actual tragedy is that our administration too is not ours. Because Ankara has taken it over!

And this government started with a mistake and continues wrongly. Just like the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) government, they are acting on the support from Ankara, though that they did not secure the support of the people. They are trying to please Erdogan, not the people! Because they know that if they act together with the people, they will not be able to take decisions for strange actions such as taxing the pensioners or the other measures which they call economic measures

(I/Ts.)

[07] From the Turkish Press of 02 August 2010

a) YAS meeting

Meric Tafolar in Milliyet, says that President Abdullah Gul was not satisfied with the National Defense Ministry report regarding promotion of 11 generals and admirals who are among the 102 suspects in the Sledgehammer investigation, indicating that "there is no obstacle to their promotions." Gul is reported to have said that "there should be no discrimination for the military bureaucracy."

An editorial in Hurriyet Daily News examines the importance of the YAS meeting and the current state of relations between the civilian and the military in view of the situation with the 11 generals and admirals. Expressing the belief that the Turkish military should be under civilian control just as it is in any democracy, the editorial notes that this process should not take the form of a vendetta.

b) Constitutional amendments

The AKP is not concerned about the democratization of the country, writes Guney Dinc in Cumhuriyet, adding that its goal is to seize the country, which has achieved to a great extent. Noting that the legislative and executive branches are in the hands of the AKP, Dinc underlines that the sole aim of the 12 September referendum is to increase the authority of the government in the election of the members of the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, (HSYK), and in the appointment of the Constitutional Court judges. He added that, in an effort to conceal its attempt against democracy, the government included certain other articles (in the amendments) which might seem beneficial.

In an article in Vatan, Can Atakli cites the reasons for a negative vote for the constitutional amendments and notes that these were drawn by the AKP alone without consulting any of the political parties, thus making it the constitution of a single party. Atakli argues that the claim that the coup Constitution is being amended is nothing but a big lie. Drawing attention to the fact that the rights of the Alevi community, the cultural rights of other ethnic groups, and rights of workers are not included in the amendments, Atakli criticizes the failure to reduce what he calls the "ruthless" election threshold of 10%.

c) EU membership

In an article entitled "Our EU Membership and the Referendum" Zaman columnist Kerim Balci lauds State Minister in Charge of EU Affairs Egemen Bagis for his remarks that Turkey's actual EU membership process will start when the constitutional amendment package is adopted in the referendum on 12 September. Balci asserts that the amendment package will make it possible for Turkey to implement many reforms it needs in order to become eligible for EU membership. He also "respectfully" disagrees with Bagis over his remark that he would not care if Turkey failed to enter the EU as long as the democratization process continued, saying, "We do care about EU membership because we want Turkey to join not only because of what it could take from the EU but also because of what it could give it."

d) Kurdish issue/PKK terror

According to a report by Mansur Celik in Milliyet, AKP, CHP, and MHP administrators reacted to the proposal put forth by Diyarbakir Mayor Baydemir to divide the Turkish Republic into democratic autonomous republics, each with its own parliament, underlining that this proposal is incompatible with the unitary state structure of the republic.

Radikal writes that the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating Diyarbakir Mayor Baydemir with regards to his statement.

Criticizing the 80-year-old state policy of denying the existence of the Kurdish people and its identity, Mustafa Akyol writes in Star that the Kurdish issue is the result of the "founding ideology of the Republic," adding: "No doubt, the other side of the problem consists of a fanatical Kurdish nationalism and the wave of violence and terror that has materialized with the PKK. However, had there not been the 'error of calculation' in this founding ideology, the fanaticism and militancy on the Kurdish side might not have been that strong." In conclusion, Akyol writes: "The solution of the Kurdish issue can be possible only if 'we begin to view the world in a different light.'

e) Erbakan to establish New Party

According to a report in Vatan, Necmettin Erbakan is preparing to establish a new political party, in the National View line. The new party and will be named "Tranquility Party".

f) Turkish-Syrian-Lebanese-Jordanian agreement

Viewing the agreement concluded among Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan on the establishment of a joint economic and trade partnership council, Hikmet Bila in Vatan writes that this agreement aims at developing a long-term strategic partnership that will eventually lead to an economic integration. Though there can be no objection to developing relations with neighbors, Bila wonders why aim at integration. If the goal is to establish a Common Market among these countries, then one should ask what will happen to Turkey's goal of EU accession, writes Bila, adding that the current government was presented as the political will that will open the EU door for Turkey but so far the result has been one big zero. Now we are aspiring to an Arab Union, mocks Bila, concluding: "A Turkey that is a member of an 'Arab Union' and the strategic ally of 'HAMAS...' A Turkey that is gradually turning from the West toward the Middle East... A Turkey that assumes economic and political roles for itself in the Middle East and that dives head on into these roles... A Turkey that is asked to cast aside its impartial and balanced policy and to become a party to the clashing sides while the swords are being drawn in the Middle East... What can we say? Let it be auspicious."

g) "They can no longer stage coups"

Milli Gazete columnist Mehmet Sevket Eygi warns that a possible coup attempt in Turkey would set the scene for a "disaster" like the civil war in Spain over 1936-1939. Explaining the "measures" adopted by the "elected" political authority against a military takeover, he claims that there is "no longer a single military in Turkey. There are parallel armies. There is also an anti-coup majority in the TSK. There are thousands of radio and television channels in the country and it would be impossible to put them all under control in a coup. There are also thousands of vigilant civil society groups." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EG

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