Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-10-05

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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] Eroglu: Two historic mistakes by the UN and the EU

[02] Illegal Tymvou airports privatization on Ciceks agenda

[03] Izzet calls on Eroglu to return fenced off town of Varosha and open Famagusta port

[04] Britons, victims of property fraud in the occupied part of Cyprus, ask Erdogans help

[05] Report on future strategies for occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[06] TRNC owes 2.5 billion TL

[07] UKU represented at international conferences in Germany and Austria

[08] Turkish Cypriots express satisfaction for the free health services at the hospitals of the Republic of Cyprus

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[09] Diplomatic traffic in Ankara

[10] Turkey and Syria established a joint petroleum company

[11] YOK announced that students can wear an Islamic headscarf at universities

[12] The Turkish Penal Code is a threat to all journalists

[13] Highlights

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu: Two historic mistakes by the UN and the EU

Noting that it takes two to tango, Eroglu said that for a settlement to be achieved, both sides must be eager for peace. He added that a settlement would not harm Turkey's interests in any way.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot side had always favoured peace and a settlement on the island, Eroglu said that the existing stalemate is due to two historic mistakes made by the United Nations and the European Union. () First is that the UN gave the island to the Greek Cypriots in 1964 in a false pretext of sending UN peace mission. And the second is that the EU accepted the Greek Cypriot side's membership candidacy in 1990.

According to the Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (05.10.10) during his stay in Ankara, Eroglu had a meeting with visiting Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara. He also had a working lunch with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Moreover, illegal Bayrak (04.10.10, online) reports that Eroglu had also a meeting with the Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Isik Kosaner.

[02] Illegal Tymvou airports privatisation on Ciceks agenda

According to the paper, the privatisation of the illegal Tymvou airport will be the most important issue on the agenda during Ciceks meetings. As it is reported, the so-called government has already given the signal for preparations on the issue; however, it is not clear yet how and how long this will take. The government will exchange views on the issue with Cicek and will establish a road map, the paper writes.

As the paper reports, the privatisation of the illegal Tymvou airport is very important for Turkey as well. Because, with the privatisation, Turkey aims to solve the ports issue, which has become a chess game between Ankara and the EU. The paper notes once, the illegal Tymvou airport improved and privatized, the ports of occupied Famagusta, Kyrenia and Karavostasi will follow. In addition, with the privatisation, Turkey aims to rebut the Greek Cypriot sides stance that the TRNC ports are against the international law. Because, by transferring the ports to private companies, the TRNC states dominance will be removed as well. When the Greek Cypriot thesis is invalidated, the Turkish government will be able to open the Turkish ports to south Cyprus, the paper adds.

Moreover, the paper reports on a previous meeting of Cicek with a group of Turkish Cypriot businessmen in Ankara, where he noted the importance of illegal Tymvou airports privatisation. Particularly, Cicek had said: You do not have a proper port in your hands. We said, privatise Famagusta port; for some reason it does not happen. We say, privatise Trikomo [occupied airport]; it does not happen. Give it for free, but at least give it. We say, privatise, and your government does not do it. However, if the privatisations are made on time, the lives of the people involved will begin to change positively. But for some reason you do not do it.

[03] Izzet calls on Eroglu to return fenced off town of Varosha and open Famagusta port

In a written statement, Izzet Izcan stated that the return of the fenced off town of Varosha and the opening of the occupied port of Famagusta under the supervision of the EU will contribute to the negotiation process in Cyprus and will contribute to Confidence Building Measures. He also said that the restitution of Varosha and its return to its legal owners will contribute greatly the efforts to find a solution in Cyprus. Concerning the opening of the Famagusta port under the supervision of the EU, Izzet Izcan said that this will pave the way for Direct Trade and will contribute to the development of tourism and other sectors.

(AK)

[04] Britons, victims of property fraud in the occupied part of Cyprus, ask Erdogans help

Commenting on the issue in his daily column in Kibris (05.10.10), Resat Akar says that the danger was warning months ago that it would come. Under the title Where are the human rights? Akar says, inter alia, the following:

We, who allege that the Greek Cypriots apply isolation on the Turkish Cypriots and think that we are making propaganda by embracing this slogan, entered into a race of swindling the few foreigners who came to our countryThe people sold their property in Britain and came to our country with the belief that they would live in a more quiet and tranquil country. They invested here either knowing or not knowing that it was a Greek Cypriot property

He points out that many Turkish Cypriots, who in the past did not have even a hundred pounds sterling, started to earn millions because of the Britons.

Noting that some Turkish Cypriots were honest with the Britons, he says that some others sold property to one person and afterwards resold the same property to another person. He adds that some did not give title-deeds to the buyers or sold property which had no water and electricity, while some others mortgaged the property to the bank and when they were not able to pay the loan, the property bought by Britons was seized by the bank.

Akar continues as follows: What kind of statesmen are those who allowed developments as a result of which, people in the last stage of their lives are thrown into the street? And without being ashamed we are talking about the embargo of the Greeks. However, much worse embargo exists here

(I/Ts.)

[05] Report on future strategies for occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

The report, jointly prepared by TEB, Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), and Turkish-TRNC Business Council, aims at assessing future strategies of the occupation regime and revealing areas of investment.

Halim Mete, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), while addressing a ceremony held to submit the report, stated that we want TRNC to stand on its own legs with a strong economy and qualified man power source. TRNC has an extremely well-trained human resource and a tourism potential. We have the opportunity to turn north of Cyprus into an education centre for East Mediterranean and the Middle East. There are people eager to invest in TRNC in case the conditions become appropriate. A series of studies may take place to boost competitive capacity of TRNC and to provide appropriate conditions for those who want to make investment.

Ali Cirali, Chairman of Cyprus Turk Chamber of Industry, speaking also at the ceremony, said that political uncertainties caused wrong economic, social and bureaucratic structuring in the occupied areas.

The so-called TRNC economy and energy ministry undersecretary Omer Koseoglu said the report was very important for them noting that the government aimed an economy focusing on private sector.

[06] TRNC owes 2.5 billion TL

Responding to statements by other so-called MPs, Tatar commented on the economy and said that the country needs fundamental reforms and that it is possible to lower interest rates to reasonable levels by shedding light to public debt. He explained that as a result of serious bargaining they lowered the interest rate at which they repay the loans from 25-26% to 11-12% and also that a bill is being prepared regarding loans.

Moreover commenting on the population issue, Tatar said that the government is cautions on the issue and that the plan is to establish a 30% mandatory employment of Turkish Cypriots.

[07] UKU represented at international conferences in Germany and Austria

According to the paper, during the conference which took in Austria, Metin Colak submitted a handout entitled The roles of press photographs in the Cyprus conflict: Do the photographic images construct the other face of the Cyprus conflict?.

During the conference at Gottingen University in Germany, Metin Colak submitted a handout under the title Growing-up with remakes: remakes and Turkish cinema.

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (05.10.10) also reports that the academic year 2010-2011 of the Cyprus International University started yesterday with the number of students reaching 4700 and 150 academics.

[08] Turkish Cypriots express satisfaction for the free health services at the hospitals of the Republic of Cyprus

A reporter of Kibris visited the Lefkosia General Hospital and met with Turkish Cypriot patients, who stated that they are very satisfied with the services they receive, that it is as if they are in a European hospital and that care is excellent. We understand that we are human, they said.

(I/Ts.)

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[09] Diplomatic traffic in Ankara

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski will be in Turkey on Wednesday to boost bilateral ties and review growing relations between the two countries. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who is on a European tour, will visit Turkey as his last stop in Europe.

On October 7, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger will also be in Turkey to meet with Turkish authorities to discuss both bilateral relations and Turkeys stalled European Union membership talks.

[10] Turkey and Syria established a joint petroleum company

Yildiz said: Oil exploration works will begin after the formation of the executive board of the joint company.

It is a joint company between Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Syrian National Petroleum Corporation.

[11] YOK announced that students can wear an Islamic headscarf at universities

In seeming contradiction to a Constitutional Court ruling in 2008 that the Islamic head-covering is not allowed in the countys public institutions, YOK has notified Istanbul University that instructors cannot take disciplinary moves against students so garbed, the private channel NTV reported Monday.

If YOKs solution finds public acceptance and is not challenged in the Council of State, the countrys top administrative court, it could represent an important step in solving the hard-fought and heavily symbolic legal, political and social dilemma. However, signals from the staunchly secular Republican Peoples Party (CHP), that it may be able to live with this compromise leads many observers to believe that YOKs move may be the successful solution through application suggested by Constitutional Court head Hasim Kilic.

[12] The Turkish Penal Code is a threat to all journalists

Helin Sahin from daily Star, a newspaper considered pro-government or even partisan, faces 57 years in prison due to her reporting on the Ergenekon and Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup plot cases. There are 80 ongoing investigations and 40 cases against her.

Another daily Star correspondent working on similar issues to Sahin has been charged in at least 20 cases, including some based on his previous work at daily Taraf, though he does not know the exact number. A foreign journalist would be acquitted if he can prove his reporting was true, right? Bünyamin Demirkan said. We get sentenced because [the courts] say, There! It is true and you have violated secrecy., he added.

According to Demirkan, this situation is a result of journalists being tried not under the press law but under the Turkish Penal Code. On just one day last week, Demirkan attended six different hearings, where he was accused on charges of violation of secrecy and influencing a fair trial.

Melih Duvakl1 from daily Zaman, another newspaper considered pro-government, meanwhile has 23 ongoing cases against him, most of them charging him with violation of secrecy. In each case, a sentence of approximately three years has been demanded.

Derya Sazak, ombudsman for daily Milliyet, wrote in his column on Monday that 48 journalists are currently in prison and 700 other people are facing cases that could result in imprisonment or paying compensation due to the charges against them. The numbers of cases filed against reporters in the scope of the Turkish Penal Code makes it a must to review the laws, Sazak wrote.

[13] Highlights

a) Kurdish Question

Hurriyet columnist Fatih Cekirge quotes Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as complaining that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) does not brief the parties about ongoing talks involving PKK leader, the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, United States, and the Peace and Democracy Party with the opposition parties. Kilicdaroglu emphasizes that the AKP should brief the opposition parties about the talks in order to command their support for the resolution of the Kurdish issue.

An article in Hurriyet entitled "Kurdish Policy Relying on Iraq" Ferai Tinc analyzes signs of improvement in ties between Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq and she points out that the Kurdistan Regional Government is not strong enough to take part in the fight against the PKK although it seems to be more stable than the rest of the country. She adds that PKK militants cannot be expelled from Iraq or disarmed because the United States does not want to put the Kurdish government in a difficult position and plans to use Kurdish PEJAK militants deployed in the region against Iran. Tinc concludes: "Seeking Iraq's support for the fight against terrorism is a legitimate demand. But, it should not be overstated. The picture is quite clear. It would not be fair against a neighbour which is badly in need of stability."

Yeni Safaks Washington correspondent Ali Akel criticizes the AKP variously for "insisting on seeing the PKK as the cause rather than the result of the Kurdish problem," refraining from honouring its pre-election promises to citizens of Kurdish origin, and "sending mayors and politicians in the southeast to prison" [as part of police operations against the KCK, an urban affiliate of the PKK. He also criticizes the BDP for using "a political language that encourages polarization rather than reconciliation," representing the AKP to the international community as an obstacle to the settlement of the Kurdish issue, and maintaining that the Kurdish problem has taken on an international dimension even as it criticizes the AKP's "diplomatic" efforts to address this issue. He also asserts that the AKP and BDP can take a real step toward solving the Kurdish issue if the former "gets rid of its fears" and the latter "stops accusing the AKP."

b) Turkey-Syria Talks

A report in Hurriyet entitled "Anti-terrorism agreement to be concluded with Damascus in December" says that Turkish and Syrian delegations are working on a draft anti-terrorism agreement which is expected to be signed by the prime ministers of the two countries in December. According to the report, Turkish Minister of Interior Besir Atalay and his Syrian counterpart who attended the second high-level ministerial meeting on strategic cooperation in Lattakia, Syria yesterday decided to strengthen cooperation with Iraq and Iran against terrorism.

Under the banner headline, "New era in relations with Damascus," Vakit runs a front-page report which asserts that Turkey has established "very warm" relations with Syria, a country on which it "almost" declared war on 16 September, 1998 over its support for the PKK. According to the report, some 12 members of the Turkish Cabinet attended the Turkish-Syrian High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting held in the Syrian port town of Latakia yesterday.

c) US, Turkey, Iran

Zaman's Washington correspondent, Ali H. Aslan, asserts that Ankara's reluctance to support international measures against Iran over its nuclear programme has the same impact in Washington equal to the effect that Turkey's support for the communist bloc would have had during the Cold War. This is the fundamental reason behind the "extremely suspicious, reproachful, and even hostile" attitude towards Ankara in the US capital, he adds.

d) Turkey-EU relations

A report in Hurriyet entitled "EU to play active role for harmonization laws", says that the EU intends to work closely with the Turkish government and provide technical support during the process of enactment of new and amended laws aimed at ensuring harmonization with the EU's acquis communautaire. It will also urge the opposition parties to be involved in the process.

e) Column sees anti-Turkish propaganda in Israel

In an article in Milliyet, columnist Semih Idiz cites passages of an article in Jerusalem Post which criticizes AKP's policies. Asserting that the article might have been drafted by the Mosad and spread to the pro-Israeli lobby in the United States as a propaganda tool, warns at the potential effects of these allegations and adds: We are already witnessing its effects as reflected by the developments in the US Congress."

f) Daily reports alleged US investigation into IHH's connections

In an article in Cumhurriyet entitled "A Critical Investigation in Washington - Ankara - Tel Aviv Line," columnist Utku Cakirozer quotes western diplomatic sources as saying that US Department of State, Department of Justice, FBI, and other US security units are conducting an official investigation into alleged connections between the Humanitarian Aid Association (IHH) based in Turkey and terrorist organizations in different countries. The same sources cautioned that there could be serious consequences if the IHH is included in the list of terrorist organizations or organizations supporting terrorism as a result of the ongoing investigation.

g) Gulen Community under scrutiny/Avci project

Star columnist Mustafa Akyol says that a campaign conducted by the Gulen religious community to thwart a possible crackdown on the group is gradually turning into a kind of McCarthyism characterized by strong suspicions harboured against their critics. Pointing out that the negative image created by the Gulen community as a result of its activities is shared by millions of people, Akyol concludes saying that the group must make an overture to its critics in order to dispel fears about their intentions. `

Vatan columnist Rusen Cakir disagrees with the argument that Fethullah Gulen, leader of the Gulen community, is not aware of the alleged activities of his followers, highlighted by Avci in his controversial book. Cakir says: "As a journalist who has been trying to analyze this organization for 25 years, I know that major strategic steps which have not been approved by Fethullah Gulen could never be taken in this religious community." He concludes saying that Gulen must provide answers to many questions about the community or expose any conspiracy hatched against his organization.

Taraf carries an interview with Yeni Safak columnist Ali Bayramoglu who says that the Gulen community must become transparent and encourage debates in order to dispel allegations about the community and become part of modern life in Turkey, although Avci's accusations are exaggerated and based on unreliable information. Bayramoglu also argues that the Gulen community's influence on the ongoing process of transformation in Turkey is limited.

In an article in Todays Zaman entitled "Decoding the Avci Project", columnist Emre Uslu asserts that Hanefi Avci's allegation in his recent book is aimed at avoiding "an investigation that is likely to uncover his illegal connections with illegal organizations." Uslu claims that none of the police chiefs presented in Avci's book as targets of the Gulen group within the police have come forward to support Avci's allegations.

h) Controversy on Military Draft

In an article in Hurriyet Daily News, columnist Yusuf Kanli refers to speculation about revision of the military's current enlistment procedure. Stressing that the military is opposed to the ruling party's plan to shorten compulsory service for conscripts who agree to pay a certain amount of money, Kanli concludes by saying that the government may change its plans and agree to consider the military's proposal to apply a fixed term for all conscripts after the general elections scheduled to be held in 2011.

i) Reaction to Chinese Premiers visit

A report in Vakit entitled "This Invitation Offends us" quotes Hidayetullah Oguzhan, chairman of an Eastern Turkistan association in Turkey, as saying that the people of Eastern Turkistan are disappointed at Turkey's invitation of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to visit Ankara on 8 October and that they see the visit as an "operation against their national cause" because it will be taking place at a time of ongoing Chinese oppression of the people of Eastern Turkistan. According to the report, Jiabao will sign a total of 10 agreements with the Erdogan government on energy and telecommunication issues. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EI

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