Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-08-12

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[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Two MPs are expected to resign from the DP and join the UBP

[02] Eroglu: Not known yet whether an agreement will be reached

[03] Osman Ertug comments on the Cyprus talks

[04] Turkish Cypriot youth demands withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army

[05] Former commander of Turkish Security Forces in Cyprus to become Erdogans adviser

[06] Mustafa Lakadamyali the new representative of the breakaway regime in Ankara

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[07] Bagis insists on full EU membership

[08] Babacan appointed on the UN global sustainability panel

[09] Previous referenda on constitutional amendments in Turkey

[10] A survey shows that AKPs vote share reached its peak

[11] Highlights 10 August 2010

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Two MPs are expected to resign from the DP and join the UBP

The paper writes that the DP elected five MPs during the parliamentary elections. The number of its MPs fell to four after the resignation of Ejder Aslanbaba, MP in occupied Trikomo area, who is now an independent MP.

Kibris reports that after the information on the resignations, DPs party assembly convened and elected Bengu Sonya to the post of the general secretary. Serdar Denktas, chairman of the DP, said it was unanimously decided to refer Hasipoglu and Tancer to the discipline committee of the party.

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (12.08.10) refers to the issue under the headline The agenda: Political transfers and says that the National Unity Party (UBP) is heading towards political transfers in order to stay in power alone. The paper writes that both Hasipoglu and Tancer will join the UBP and that Tancer will be appointed minister of health, replacing Ahmet Kasif, who in statements to the paper said that he will not resign from his post. Kasif also added that he will contest the presidency of the UBP in the party congress in November.

Moreover, the paper reports that Mehmet Adahan, mayor of occupied Vadili village, also submitted his resignation from the DP and joined the UBP.

Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (12.08.10) also refers to the resignations under the title Great earthquake saying that this was expected and notes that the DP disciple committee has decided to expel Hasipoglu and Tancer. Havadis writes that it is considered certain that they will both join the UBP parliamentary group which currently has 24 members. Furthermore, according to some discussions in the political backstage, independent MP Ejder Aslanbaba is also expected to join the UBP group.

Under the title They finished the DP, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (12.08.10) cites information according to which Hasipoglu demanded from UBPs president Irsen Kucuk the post of the general secretary of the party, while Tancer asked to be appointed minister of health. The paper notes that if the two MPs join the UBP, there will be no need for the party to make a coalition to remain in power.

According to the daily Kibrisli newspaper (12.08.10) there has been talk of the resignation of the two MPs for some time now. Neither of them participated in the meetings of the assembly and were giving the message that they would resign, writes the paper noting that it is said that Hasipoglu might become speaker of the assembly.

According to information acquired by Kiblisli from circles close to both Hasipoglu and Tancer, the reason of their resignation is the policy followed by Serdar Denktas.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu: Not known yet whether an agreement will be reached

Referring to the Cyprus talks, Eroglu said that the Greek Cypriot side wants to include the topics of territory and migrants into the talks. Eroglu added that he will not agree to move on to another topic before completing the talks on property. Eroglu promised to continue to work for the perpetuation of the state, adding that he will not abandon the rights of the Turkish Cypriots at the negotiations table.

Moreover, the Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (12.08.10) reports that Eroglu had a meeting yesterday with the Morfou Tradesmen and Craftsmen Association. Eroglu expressed the opinion that since the negotiations started, people are anxious and added that protecting Morfou is important. He also said that with the opening of the Limnitis crossing-point the north and west areas will liven up.

[03] Osman Ertug comments on the Cyprus talks

Commenting on the talks, Osman Ertug reiterated the views of the Turkish Cypriot side that the property issue will be further complicated if it is linked with other issues and added: We want to establish links when progress is achieved on all the issues and the give-and-take stage is reached. The position we hold on the property issue is that the matter should be solved through compensation, exchange, and restitution on a limited scale. The method we have proposed complies with international law."

Responding to a question on whether or not the sides have reached an agreement on any issue, Ertug said that the two leaders have agreed on a document related to categories but there is no written document.

Responding to a question whether or not the Greek Cypriot side makes an effort to contribute to the solution of the problem, Ertug claimed: It is making an effort to that effect in its own way. He added that the Greek Cypriot leaders created the expectation among the Greek Cypriots that they can return to their homes. But if this happens, there will be no solution, Ertug noted.

[04] Turkish Cypriot youth demands withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army

The event, which is organized by the Baraka Cultural Centre, the Youth Branch of the United Cyprus Party, the Friends of Nature Association, the Cypriot Youth Platform and various other youth organizations, will take place at the Baris Marco Park in occupied Omorfita at 21.00.

In the framework of the concert, members of various youth organizations put up posters in Lefkosia and marched through the streets carrying banners with the slogans: Ayse the vacation is over. Go Home!, Pay attention! Concert in a non military area, End end- end for the occupiers.

[05] Former commander of Turkish Security Forces in Cyprus to become Erdogans adviser

[06] Mustafa Lakadamyali the new representative of the breakaway regime in Ankara

Lakadamyali is currently the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Department at the self-styled foreign ministry.

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[07] Bagis insists on full EU membership

Noting that Belgium supports Turkey's efforts towards EU accession, he vowed to be an honest mediator during Belgiums presidency. He concluded underlining the importance of reforms for EU membership and that the same rules apply to all candidate countries.

For his part, Egemen Bagis said it would be an insult to Turkey to suggest something like privileged partnership. Stating that Turkey will not accept such an offer, he said the EU acquis does not envisage such an alternative.

None of the EU-member states have officially proposed privileged partnership for Turkey, nor have EU leaders used the term privileged partnership over the past year, Bagis said that Turkey-EU integration is in the interest of both sides.

His remarks were supported by Vanackere who added that EU considered Turkey as a strategic partner and confirmed that EU acquis does not include anything about privileged partnership. He said negotiations with all candidate countries were open-ended and that they aimed at full membership.

[08] Babacan appointed on the UN global sustainability panel

Global Sustainability High Level Working Group has been established to put forward great ideas and generate practical solutions regarding environmental pollution and green development in the world. Finland President Tarja Halonen and South Africa President Jacob Zuma will be the co-chairmen of the working group.

[09] Previous referenda on constitutional amendments in Turkey

There have been 5 referenda on constitutional amendments. The first referendum took place for 1961 Constitution which was prepared after the military intervention of May 27, 1960. The constitution was adopted with 61.7% in favour in the referendum held on July 9, 1961. Under the constitution submitted to the referendum, the Parliament formed following elections on October 10, 1961, elected Cemal Gursel as the fourth president of Turkey.

After 21 years, Turkish voters went to polls for the second time to vote on 1982 Constitution, prepared after the military intervention of September 12, 1980. The referendum took place on November 7, 1982. The number of voters reached total of 18,885,488. 17.5 million of the electors (91.37%) voted in favour of the Constitution, while 8.3% voted no. The 1982 Constitution took effect on November 9, 1982 and Kenan Evren became the president. Evren's term of office expired on November 9, 1989.

The third referendum took place on September 6, 1987 to decide whether the banned leaders should be allowed to return to politics. The results announced on September 12, 1987, showed that 50.3% of the electors voted yes and 49.8% voted no out of a total 24,436,821 electors. The political bans were thus cancelled.

The fourth referendum was for an amendment to allow the local elections to move to an earlier date. The referendum took place on September 25, 1988. 65% of the electors voted no for the change and 35% yes. Thus early local elections did not take place.

The fifth referendum regarding Constitutional amendments took place on October 21, 2007. The Constitutional amendments also included election of the president by people with 5+5 formula. 67.5% of the registered electors said yes and 31.05% said no in the referendum and thus the constitutional amendment was adopted.

The September 12 referendum will be the sixth in the line. The number of voters is 49,446,269.

[10] A survey shows that AKPs vote share reached its peak

The survey was conducted with face-to-face interviews of 4,000 people in 25 provinces and 41 villages between Aug. 1 and 9. Around 20% of the interviews were held in rural areas.

37.2% of the respondents said they would vote for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the upcoming general elections. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), followed with 31.2% of votes. Only 13.5% of the respondents said they would vote for the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Sonar has been conducting monthly surveys on the election trends since February, and the vote share of the AKP reached its peak in the August survey. The CHP also increased its vote share from 23% in February to 31% in August. The MHP votes, however, decreased from 15.9% in February to 13.5% in August. In April's survey, the MHP received 21.1% of votes, its highest tally since February. Meanwhile, the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) lost some of its voters. The BDP received 5.7% of votes in the survey conducted in February but this decreased to 4% in Sonar's survey in August.

Around 16% of the AKP votes in the August survey came from Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin.

[11] Highlights 10 August 2010

Mehmet Akyol in Hurriyet Daily News describes the demand for regional autonomy as premature and adds: We first need to understand each other before finding out how to live together. All else is destined to hit the walls of ignorance, prejudice, and hatred.

Also in Hurriyet Daily News Yusuf Kanli refers to the withdrawal of US combatant troops from Iraq and argues that the government might have launched the Kurdish overture with the aim of protecting the Kurds in northern Iraq. Asserting that the Kurds' demand for autonomy will eventually leads to Turkey's division, Kanli underlines that Turkey is entitled to defend its citizens until the PKK lays down arms.

Cengiz Candar in Radikal argues that the election of moderate Kurdish politicians such as Ahmet Turk and Aysel Tugluk to the posts of co-chairmen of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) means that the PKK will soon announce a cease-fire.

Taraf columnist Ahmet Altan underlines the need for a happier, freer more prosperous environment for Turks and Kurds. To achieve this, he adds, there is need for a Turkish and a Kurdish Mandela and argues that Erdogan may assume the role of the Turkish Mandela, while Abdullah Ocalan may assume the role of the Kurdish Mandela.

Bugun columnist Gulay Gokturk argues that Kurdish groups' declaration of democratic autonomy in the southeast following the recent Democratic Society Congress is part of a potentially suicidal plan by the terrorist PKK and the Turkish deep state to set the scene for ethnic disturbances in the region aimed at a major political crisis that would paralyze the ruling AKP and allow the deep state take the reins of power once again.

b) Referendum on Constitutional Amendment Package

Joost Lagendijk of Hurriyet Daily News says: The choice on September 12 is not between an independent or a politicized judiciary, as Kilicdaroglu wants us to believe. It is between keeping a system in place (which is not representative of present-day Turkey) or modernizing the key judicial bodies, reflecting Turkish plurality and enabling them to critically monitor every party in power.

Ismet Berkan writing in Hurriyet draws attention to the battle between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu and criticizes the CHP leader for responding to the prime minister's unpleasant and aggressive style in the same manner.

Vakit editor-in-chief, Hasan Karakaya, in an article entitled Who is Encouraging Polarization, Who Wants Reconciliation? slams the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) for despotism in requiring Kurdish voters to boycott the forthcoming referendum on the constitutional amendment package, in this way attempting to hold their will hostage. He claims that the BDP's stance on the referendum provides an inkling of the sort of Nazi and Stalinist practices that it would employ if it ever came to power. Karakaya also responds to CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Action Party, (MHP) leader, Devlet Bahceli's statements accusing the AKP of pursuing policies that encourage nationwide polarization. Karakaya defends the AKP adding that it is trying to prevent polarization by implementing peace and brotherhood projects.

Zaman columnist Mehmet Kamis warns Prime Minister Erdogan about the aggressive style he is using in his rally speeches calling for a yes vote in the upcoming referendum. Kamis claims that Erdogan's emphasis on his administration's overall performance during his campaign for the constitutional reforms is set to play into the hands of pro-status quo groups by misrepresenting the referendum as a general election.

c) YAS / Criticism against the Turkish Armed Forces

Fikret Bila in Milliyet writes that the TSK has always topped the list of the most trustworthy institutions in Turkey and it has been turned into a target during the past several years in an effort to destroy this image. Bila stresses that the weaker the TSK is, the more comfortable it is be to wage a struggle against the foundation philosophy of the Turkish Republic and Ataturk's reforms and principles. Bila calls upon the TSK to respond to the accusations and to display transparency.

Vatan's Rusen Cakir says that the fact that the civilians controlled the latest YAS meeting is of historic importance in terms of the civilian-military ties and therefore, in terms of Turkish democracy. Cakir also argues that the government has actively included the supporters of the Gulen Community in the TSK in the fight to render the military ineffective. In conclusion, says Cakir, it is possible to say that the winners and the losers thus far have been considerably shaped. Therefore in the period ahead we may witness new kinds of power struggles and especially wars for sharing the gains between the winning sides (or the sides that think that they have won).

Mumtaz Sosyal in Cumhuriyet describes the AKP victory in the YAS meeting as a Pyrrhic victory, and says that one of the criteria of the world and the EU, that is the operation of the military under the civilian government, appears to have prevailed, but at what cost he wonders. The confidence in the judiciary, the president, and the traditions of the army has been shaken, as well as the influence of Turkey's most important trump card in the world politics -- the influence of its army., he argues.

Yasemin Congar in Taraf argues that civilian control of the 2010 YAS meeting is a beginning, rather than a final achievement and emphasizes that Turkey's democratization requires the rearrangement of the ties between the military and the judiciary. Congar stresses that if the General Staff works under the National Defense Ministry, the criminal customs in the army will eventually diminish. After all, says Congar, this will be a reasonable step in terms of implementing in Turkey the system that is adopted in the NATO countries.

In a article entitled Another Step Forward Today's Zaman columnist Dogu Ergil describes the latest YAS meeting as a necessary step toward the normalization and democratization of the regime through appointments to critical military posts designed to rein in Turkey's maverick military and prevent it from waging a fight against perceived internal enemies.

Today's Zaman columnist Yavuz Baydar interprets the results of the latest YAS meeting and says that Turkey's fragile system passed yet another test of durability, as it became clear that the elected can - and hopefully will - prove that it is the power of the vote that defines who will decide on the appointments in the bureaucracy and - again hopefully - restore harmony within the state, and not vice versa.

d) Crisis between the government and the judiciary

According to a report in Taraf, a crisis similar to the YAS crisis has emerged due to the fact that the jurist members of the HSYK insist on appointing a reinforcing judge to work with the judges and the prosecutors in charge of the Ergenekon case and on the promotion and relocation of Prosecutor Ziya Oz. The report says that Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin and Justice Ministry Undersecretary Ahmet Kahraman attended the HSYK meeting (9.8.10) in order to prevent the jurist members from issuing a pirate decree.

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