Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-08-19

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Ozersays contacts in Stockholm

[02] Kucuk authorized to form a majority government; UBP general assembly on December 11

[03] Round table discussion on TRNCs economic problems

[04] New plans for Cyprus Turkish Airlines

[05] Minister of Education discusses with rectors drop in the number of students

[06] Commentator in Volkan argues that the fenced area of Varosha belongs to Evkaf

[07] Columnist notes a change of Turkish policy on the Cyprus problem

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[08] Senior Turkish diplomat to hold contacts in the USA

[09] Highlights: 18 August 2010

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Ozersays contacts in Stockholm

Ozersay met yesterday (18.08.10) with high-level officials, including the State Secretary of the Swedish Foreign Ministry. He also met with Swedish MPs and civil society representatives. The implementation of Direct Trade Regulation, as well as the future steps regarding the Cyprus talks were also on his agenda.

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (19.08.10) reports that Ozersay had a meeting yesterday with the Chairman of Sweden-Turkey Friendship Group Goran Lindblad. Following the meeting, which took place at the Swedish Parliament, the two men gave a joint press conference.

Recalling that the negotiations resumed with the property chapter, Ozersay referred to the establishment of the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) in the TRNC which, he pointed out has emerged with the guidance of ECHR, and therefore is in compliance with the European standards of human rights. Ozersay said that the Turkish Cypriot side wants to contribute to a comprehensive solution, predominantly on the property chapter, following the model of the IPC.

Ozersay added that the stance of the Greek Cypriot side on the property issue is obscure and that their position will drive those who have been living in these houses for 35 years to leave. He noted that the Turkish Cypriot side considers there has been progress on the property issue and that the UN makes the same evaluation.

According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.08.10), Lindblad said on his part that both the EU and Council of Europe have some responsibilities and that the Greek Cypriots should be encouraged for a solution.

(DPs)

[02] Kucuk authorized to form a majority government; UBP general assembly on December 11

It was announced that in the next few days Kucuk will begin contacts with political parties with seats in the self-styled parliament, as well as independent deputies, to discuss the issue of forming a majority government.

Moreover, UBP assembly set 11 December as the date of the general assembly of the party. Kucuk once again announced his candidature for the leadership of UBP.

(DPs)

[03] Round table discussion on TRNCs economic problems

According to a press statement by the ministry of Finance in the occupied areas, in a written invitation to the NGOs Tatar expressed his wish to meet with them at a round table discussion, entitled Platform of Economic Organizations. The so- called ministers of Economy and Energy, Sunar Atun and Labour and Social Insurance, Turkay Tokel, and high-level bureaucrats will also participate.

The Trade Unions Platform gave a positive response to Tatars invitation. However, in a written statement the Platform pointed out that it is not a coincidence that the venue and time of the meeting are the same used by the holders of capital (Turkish Cypriot Chambers of Trade and Commerce) for their meeting earlier this month. The statement adds that this shows that they take instructions from such circles and that they are a government of the capital. Moreover, it is added that although Tatar speaks of bridging the gap in the budget, the fact that he chose Saray Hotel, instead of available government premises, can be described as waste of money. The Platform also said that it will reiterate at the meeting its proposals submitted to the government on 5 December 2009.

(IS)

[04] New plans for Cyprus Turkish Airlines

Additionally, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (19.08.10), citing own sources reveals that the new plan for the KTHY is to fly under Turkish Airlines (THY). According to the newspaper, Tatar and the so-called minister of Transport, Hamza Ersan Saner met with THY administration and presented this request. He also requested that suspended personnel be reinstated. However, the paper argues, it is not yet known after this proposal how the agreement with Atlas Jet will be formulated.

(IS)

[05] Minister of Education discusses with rectors drop in the number of students

(IS)

[06] Commentator in Volkan argues that the fenced area of Varosha belongs to Evkaf

He adds that the Famagusta district court, in two lawsuits filed by the Evkaf administration, released two declaratory judgements that ratify this situation. Consequently, by giving Varosha to the UN or the Greek Cypriot administration or using it as a bargaining chip, the decisions of the TRNC Court and the property law are violated, the commentator, inter alia, added.

[07] Columnist notes a change of Turkish policy on the Cyprus problem

Tumerkan writes that it is not wrong to say that the policy of the Turkish side on the Cyprus problem verges to change. He notes that these statements are the first signals of this change, adding that specific steps will be most probably be taken after the report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Cyprus talks. The Turkish side gives importance to this UN report, Tumerkan writes, because it considers it will not be blamed as they show constructive stance on the negotiation table.

(DPs)

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[08] Senior Turkish diplomat to hold contacts in the USA

Citing diplomatic sources, AA says that during the visit, the Turkish delegation is expected to convey the message that Turkeys mentality is not very different from US mentality; the two countries have the same goals but different methods; and Turkeys axis has not shifted, on the contrary, the country has adopted a more distinctive policy. Moreover, during its stay in Washington the delegation will have contacts at the US congress, in an effort to improve its image which has been recently damaged due to the countrys vote for sanctions on Iran and the tension it had with Israel, officials added.

[09] Highlights: 18 August 2010

Milliyet columnist Gungor Uras, points out that Erdogan's remarks those who are impartial will be cast aside were actually intended to force the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) to side with the government, and adds: "Erdogan wants the TUSIAD which has close ties with the western world (the US and the EU) and whose opinions are taken into consideration by western organizations in their reports and studies about Turkey, to clearly side with the AKP [Justice and Development Party]."

In his article in Vatan under the title, "It was inappropriate," columnist Gungor Mengi says that Erdogan's remarks should be interpreted as a veiled threat.

In his article in Vakit, Mehmet Dogan says the constitutional amendment package is not the business of political parties alone, adding that the economic and social forces of the country should also exert efforts to amend the current Constitution that curbs the will and freedom of the people. Underlining that the TUSIAD should be one on the leaders in the yes campaign, Dogan wonders why it has remained silent with regards to the current amendments, and criticizes past TUSIAD proposals against religious schools. TUSIAD's interpretation of a western way of life is to exclude religion, argues Dogan, explaining that it sees the continuation of this ideology as its raison d'être. Faced with this referendum TUSIAD, has become SUSIAD, the Silent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association, concludes the writer.

Ercan Baysal in Today's Zaman notes that "TUSIAD is on the verge of deviating from its stated principles by not lending support to the constitutional amendments". The report draws attention to the silence maintained by the association with regards to the constitutional amendments despite the fact that it has been hailed by the EU.

Sirin Kabakci in Zaman details the statement Abdullah Buyuk Hodja, the founder of the Ribat Education Fund and a victim of the 12 September coup, made in support of the constitutional amendments. The Hodja is reported to have said that it is wrong to view the package from a party, a regional, or an ethnic angle. He says: "This will be a referendum that will affect not only the future of Turkey but that of the Middle East and even the entire world. One should cast a vote of 'yes' to this constitutional amendment package because it will serve Turkey's development, raise Turkey to the level of civilized countries in the fields of human rights and freedoms, help attain a democratic standard equal to civilized countries, free the legal system from the current cast structure, and rescue the country's administration from military tutelage."

b) PKK's decision for cease-fire

Radikal columnist Cengiz Candar in his article entitled "Yes! For ensuring that guns fall silent," says that there are positive signs indicating that the PKK's cease-fire will have consequences different from those it declared in the past, if the government takes decisive steps to resolve the Kurdish question after the upcoming referendum.

Milliyet columnist Taha Akyol entitles his article "A peace ultimatum," and stresses that the preconditions set by the PKK for extending the term of cease-fire after 20 September are unacceptable, predicting that the organization will resume its armed attacks after that date.

Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila comments that the PKK is now pursuing a secessionist strategy disguised by its demand for autonomy.

Hurriyet quotes Oktay Vural, deputy whip of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), as saying that the PKK decided to stop armed attacks after secret negotiations conducted between PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and the government. He claimed that the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) is also a part of the alliance which he described as a Trojan horse.

A report in Milliyet entitled "We will support constitutions if our demands are met" quotes BDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas as saying that they would not withdraw their decision to boycott the referendum because of the PKK's decision to stop armed attacks. He added: "The negotiation process would start if the government takes serious steps to meet our demands and we would support the new Constitution."

Milliyet highlights remarks made by Murat Karayilan, one of the leaders of the PKK, that the decision to declare unilateral cease-fire had been made as a result of contacts between Ocalan and the government. He added: "Another development that we no longer need to keep secret is that the government proposed truce as part of its dialogue with our leader. In fact, our leader decided not to play a role as a mediator."

Adem Yavuz Arslan in Bugun draws attention to the changing stand of the PKK-BDP as the referendum approaches and argues that it is difficult to trust the lip service the PKK and the BDP members pay to what they call "this historic opportunity" created by the cease-fire declaration. Arslan notes that the PKK is fragmented and it is difficult to assess which of those fragments is more influential. Arslan predicts that Ocalan's future tactic will be to involve the international community, namely the United Nations and the EU, in a bid to initiate negotiations between the state and the PKK, taking Kosovo as an example.

c) US-Turkish Relations

Radikal columnist Murat Yetkin comments on the Obama Administration's denial of a Financial Times report and says that Obama did not issue an ultimatum, but only cautioned that difficulties could be faced in the sale of weapon systems requiring US Senate approval due to disappointment caused by Turkey's policies. Pointing out that Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Turkey's relations with Israel will be high on the agenda during Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's upcoming visit to the United States, Yetkin says that the Turkish government is pursuing a delicate strategy aimed at getting Obama's support for overcoming growing opposition in the US Congress against Turkey.

In an article in Cumhuriyet entitled "A painful era in Turkish-US relations," columnist Utku Cakirozer quotes Svante Cornell of the School of Advanced International Studies of John Hopkins University as saying that the Obama Administration has shifted its attention to relations with Turkey because of its pro-Iranian stance and policy toward on Israel. Cornell emphasizes that a series of symbolic goodwill gestures made by Turkey will not be sufficient to dispel suspicions about Turkey.

Cumhuriyet columnist Mumtaz Soysal, in an article entitled "An ultimatum and a request," says that the Obama Administration may make "kind requests" rather than issuing ultimatums to Turkey to express its concerns about Turkey's policies toward Iran and Israel which, he notes, have begun to hurt US interests. Pointing out that the United States has decided to open special representation offices in four major Turkish cities which, he argues, conflicts with the principle of reciprocity, Soysal says: "Should not we propose to open representation offices in four US cities in line with the principle of reciprocity? We can, for example, consider to open one of those offices in Philadelphia in order to keep the headquarters of a religious community, known for its activities aimed at changing the characteristics of the Turkish Republic, under surveillance?"

Ibrahim Karagul of Yeni Safak, assessing claims about a US ultimatum to Turkey. He argues that it is another example of the campaign being conducted against Turkey, arguing that this campaign is directed against Prime Minister Erdogan and the referendum process.

d) Economy

Saruhan Ozel writes in Zaman that the current account deficit that was $14 billion in 2009 increased to $27 billion by the end of June 2010, and explains that this chronic current account deficit problem in Turkey is the result of the macroeconomic model being implemented for years. Ozel points out to the need to import capital in a bid to meet the growing need for consumption, adding that this leads to a foreign trade deficit and to a current account deficit. To reduce its deficit, Turkey has to slow down its economic activities which can only be achieved during periods of crises, notes Ozel, explaining how the floating exchange rate policy is contributing to this deficit. If one cannot control economic growth and the current account deficit, then the alternative should be to ensure that the foreign currency entering the country is kept at a steady and stable level, Ozel writes adding that this can be achieved by increasing interest rates on the Turkish Liras, by privatizing public companies if necessary, and by introducing economic reforms. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

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