Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-10-07

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu: Be brave!

[02] Eroglus statements at the opening ceremony of Alasya Park

[03] Political parties and organizations on Ciceks statement on the population in the occupied areas

[04] Turkish Cypriot press comments on Ciceks statement on the population

[05] Saner in Ankara for contacts

[06] Albayrak: The ministry poses cultural embargo

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[07] Bagis claims double standards in trade with Turkish Cypriots

[08] Davutoglu discusses the Cyprus problem with the Polish MFA

[09] Investment at Gaziveran village, Morfou

[10] A nuclear plant deal between Turkey and Russia

[11] Turkey and Egypt sign agreement to boost trade

[12] Highlights

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu: Be brave!

Eroglu also said, Christofias, as a leader should be more brave at the negotiating table and argued that Greek Cypriot leaders, for years, have not been telling the truth to the Greek Cypriots. They always deceived the people, as if nothing happened, saying that all the Greek Cypriots will return to their homes, supported Eroglu.

Moreover, Eroglu said that today it is not possible for the two communities to live together, but it is possible to live side by side, and a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution already foresees that and is accepted by the two communities.

[02] Eroglus statements at the opening ceremony of Alasya Park

The business complex was constructed by Northernland Construction and consists of 250 shops and apartments and is the highest building in Famagusta.

[03] Political parties and organizations on Ciceks statement on the population in the occupied areas

The leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Ferdi Sabit Soyer called on the State Planning Organization and the Statistics Department to make a statement on this matter. In a written statement issued yesterday, Soyer recalled self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuks statement that the occupied areas of Cyprus are over populated and Cemil Ciceks above-mentioned statement and said that unbelievable statements are made recently on the population. He noted that the entrances and the exits of the occupied areas of the island should be controlled and illegal workers should be registered.

The Organizational Secretary of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Abdullah Korkmazhan issued a statement yesterday protesting against Ciceks statement, which he described as insult to the Turkish Cypriots. Korkmazhan accused the Turkish government of transferring population to the occupied areas of Cyprus systematically and of changing the demographic structure of the island. Korkmazhan asked for a population census to be conducted and monitored by international observers.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (07.10.10) reports that Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party (DP), said that a population census should be conducted rapidly and the results should be made known.

Mehmet Cakici, leader of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), noted that the government of Turkey influences the issue of the population in the occupied part of Cyprus and expressed the view that the situation should be corrected with the cooperation between Turkey and the government of the breakaway regime.

Mehmet Ozkardas, chairman of the public servants trade union, said that Cicek hinted that the Turkish Cypriots exaggerate about their population and that they do this in order to obtain more aid from Turkey. Ozkardas noted: No one of our officials could say to Cicek that this is our population, but we do not know the unregistered population which we cannot control and when we want to control it you do not allow us to do it.

Hasan Sungur, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Employers Trade Union, reacted to the statement by Cemil Cicek that the Turkish Cypriot government does not do what Turkey tells it to do and described this statement as unfair to the TRNC government. He noted that whatever Turkey wants is done in the occupied areas of Cyprus and added that because of this he regards Ciceks statement to be very strange.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (07.10.10) reports that Kutlay Erk, General Secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), referring to Ciceks statement on the population in the occupied areas of Cyprus and said: Let them allow us to control our population. Let them not tell us you cannot throw out of the country my citizens and let us then control our population.

Mutlu Atasayan, acting General Secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP), said that the population figures should be known and that the UBP is working on this issue.

Furthermore, in an interview with Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar (07.10.10) Huseyin Angolemli, self-styled MP with the Social Democracy Party (TDP), referred to Ciceks statement and noted that what Cicek said on the population was right and wondered how would a country make openings without knowing its population. He added: I could not understand how he let the cat out of the bag. Turkey is causing the increase of the population here. Once, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said to me: Please do not voice criticism on the issue of population. This place needs population. First the population was considered necessary for us to cope with the Greek Cypriots. It should be a sound increase. If it is not, then this is badIt is true that we do not know the population [figures]. However, are we responsible for this?

(I/Ts.)

[04] Turkish Cypriot press comments on Ciceks statement on the population

Under the title When the population is not known, this is what happens, daily Kibris (07.10.10) reports that the annual budget of the breakaway regime for buying medicines was exhausted in nine months and hospitals remained without medicines. Noting that the ministry of health was forced to ask for a supplementary budget of ten million Turkish liras in order to overcome the problem, the paper writes that this development shows the dimensions of the population boom in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Daily Vatan (07.10.10) writes that the massing of population creates problems in every field in the occupied areas of Cyprus. The paper reports that the consequences of the increasing population have influenced even the graveyards. Under the title Period of expensive reservations, the paper writes that those who want to be buried in the graveyard in the occupied part of Lefkosia should make a reservation from now. The municipal council raised the price of each grave to 1500 Turkish liras.

Writing in daily Halkin Sesi n (07.10.10) under the title Did we need someone to tell us this, Ismet Kotak refers to Ciceks statement on the population and writes, inter alia, the following:

However, our population changes day and nighteven I, have run out of patience because of what we have been told recently. I do not understand why our politicians did have not said to esteemed Cicek that our population has exceeded 500 thousands... I am not complaining. On the contrary, I will be the happiest person the day when our population becomes one million. Has this not been our decision and our target? As soon as we reach this target the Cyprus national cause will be based on a sound ground. It will be possible to invest properly, to address the consumers properly and to mobilize manpower for proper development. The resources of the TRNC have the capacity to shelter a population of one million

(I/Ts.)

[05] Saner in Ankara for contacts

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli (07.10.10) in a front page article under the headline CTA fly! reports that a new partnership is being established between Turkey and the TRNC. According to the newspaper, the purpose of Saners visit is to examine with Turkish officials the last difficult points and sign a protocol which will ensure a definite agreement.

The paper also argues that a new company will not be established, because this would mean that CTA debts have to be cancelled. Since most of the debts are with the Central Cooperative Bank and the Vakiflar Bank, if they are cancelled, the banks will face difficulties and loose their reliability. To avoid this, the new CTA will continue from the point the old CTA suspended operation. The new CTA shareholders will be the Turkish government with 51% and the TRNC government with 49%. In the board of director 5 members will represent Turkey and 3 the TRNC. Also in order to start operations, 4 planes will be assigned to CTA from Turkish Airlines.

[06] Albayrak: The ministry poses cultural embargo

According to a CTP press release, Arif Albayrak stated that the TRNC and Turkish Cypriot writers participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair, the biggest book fair organized worldwide, since 2007 and accused the ministry of culture for lack of interest. Albayrak added: In fact, we are unaware that we impose embargoes to ourselves. And as painful as it is, this was done by the ministry of culture.

(AK)

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[07] Bagis claims double standards in trade with Turkish Cypriots

Bagis claimed that there are double standards as the Greek Cypriot party has commercial relations with TRNC, but other EU countries cannot.

Commenting on Turkey's EU negotiation process, Bagis said that remarkable progress was recorded during Germany's term EU presidency. Pointing to the importance of the relations between Turkey and Germany, Bagis said the two countries understood each other better with each passing day, adding that their bilateral relations would get stronger as their commercial ties improved.

[08] Davutoglu discusses the Cyprus problem with the Polish MFA

According to the paper, during a joint press conference with the Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Davutoglu said: We are sure that Turkish-EU relations will gain momentum. Poland is a country which can well understand Turkey regarding the Cyprus issue, EU-NATO and technical matters. We have high expectations from Poland [during their EU presidency] and have full confidence. Poland will assume the EU rotating presidency for a six-month period beginning in July 2011.

For his part, Sikorski extended full support to Turkeys EU membership, saying Poland would do its best to open at least one negotiation chapter during its Presidency. Sikorski also said that during its term in Presidency his country will try to resolve the conflict between NATO and the EU stemming from the lack of a solution to the Cyprus problem and added: We'll be working to solve the problem, so that Turkey's EU path can be opened.

[09] Investment at Gaziveran village, Morfou

According to Durust, an investment of 200 million dollars in occupied areas of Gaziveran will include a new hotel and an entertainment centre. The investment will be made by Mustafa Fehmi Gurbuz, chairman of the Turkish-TRNC Business Council and director of Serenas Group. The gigantic complex will include a hotel with a capacity of 1200 rooms, an entertainment centre and water parks. The project, called Wonderland, is expected to be completed in 2-3 years.

Underlining the importance of the project for the tourist industry, Durust said that in view of the opening of Limnitis crossing point in the area and the opening of Zodia Gate in the past the one day flow of population from south Cyprus to the north will increase. This investment should have been carried out earlier but was because of obstacles by south Cyprus. We, as a government did what was necessary.

Stressing the importance of Gaziveran area, Durust said the tourist complex will provide work opportunities to university students since at least 800 people will be employed. The foundation stone will be laid on November 15.

(AK)

[10] A nuclear plant deal between Turkey and Russia

According to the Official Gazette, the venture, to be located in the southern province of Mersin, must be completed in three months starting from the validity date of the contract. It added that a project corporation will be established to oversee the construction and that no less than 51% of this corporation will be owned by Russian interests.

According to the agreement, the plant will be active for 60 years. It will train and recruit Turkish workers as long as conditions allow, and as many Turkish firms as possible will be involved in the construction. The first unit of the power plant is expected to start production in 2018.

Both countries will cooperate on the design and construction of the plant, including its infrastructure, the purchase and sale of the electricity produced at the plant, the safe function of the plant, the transport of the spent nuclear fuel, personnel training and the establishment and running of the fuel production facilities. All these functions will be achieved without placing a financial burden on Turkey, according to the terms of the agreement.

In the event of any dispute between the partners, such a matter will be settled by the Turkish Energy Ministry and the Russian Rosatom Nuclear Energy State Corporation; following which, either side can apply for arbitration within six months.

The bill approving the May 12 agreement between Russia and Turkey on the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu was passed by Parliament on July 15.

[11] Turkey and Egypt sign agreement to boost trade

Caglayan said that commercial relations between Turkey and Egypt are advancing and Turkish investments in Egypt have reached nearly 2 billion U.S. dollars, adding that ministers of the two countries would meet each year to discuss trade.

Caglayan said that the trade volume between Turkey and Egypt which was 444 million U.S. dollars in 2002 reached 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2008 and 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2009. We aim to increase the figure to 5 billion U.S. dollars within three years, he said.

During the forum, Turkish and Egyptian companies signed a cooperation agreement to establish Ro-Ro transportation between the cities of Mersin and Alexandria.

[12] Highlights

a) Cyprus issue/Turkey's EU accession

In an article in Star, Mensur Akgun argues that the Cyprus issue is the biggest "technical" obstacle to Turkey's EU accession, explaining that EU member countries opposed to Turkey's membership are hiding behind the Cyprus problem and are trying to legitimize their resistance to Turkey's accession. If the problem is resolved, it will be difficult even for Sarkozy's France to create new obstacles to Turkey's accession, argues the writer adding, however, that a miracle is needed to solve the Cyprus problem. Declaring that Turkey can make such a miracle happen if either President Gul or Prime Minister Erdogan holds direct talks with Greek Cypriot leader Christofias, Akgun concedes that such a meeting is contrary to Turkey's traditional policies on Cyprus adding, however, that one has to be creative and step out of the known methods to resolve the issue.

b) Headdress issue

In an article in Hurriyet, Oktay Eksi likens the method in which YOK President Yusuf Ziya Ozcan resolved the headdress issue to the cutting of the Gordian knot and that the YOK directive declares null and void the many rulings of the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights, ECHR, and assumes Ozcan to be above the courts. The writer goes on to detail how the issue will not stop at the headdress being allowed into universities, how it can spread to all other areas, and how it will lead to new impositions that will eventually affect our life styles.

Hilal Kaplan in Taraf likens the headdress ban to the apartheid regime in South Africa and adds that a historic duty befalls the opposers of the headdress and the headscarved students who now seem to have the support of the majority of the public, of the political institutions that seem to be reconciled on the issue, and, what is most important, of YOK which is the final decision-making authority on the implementation of the ban.

Milli Gazete columnist Ekrem Kiziltas asserts that the YOK's decision on veiled female students should be expected to set the scene for the removal of restrictions on Islamic headdresses entirely in social life in Turkey, adding that nothing can be more natural than this since some 70% of women in this country cover their heads for religious reasons.

c) Presidential system

Yusuf Kanli, writing in Hurriyet Daily News, views Erdogan's proposal for a presidential system and his aspirations to become the first-ever popularly elected president and writes: "The Prime Ministry is no longer sufficient for him, he wants to be the CEO, board chairman and indeed owner of Turkey who would have absolute say on all issues and who would not be asked to account to anyone." Recalling that almost all presidential rule practices, excluding the United States where there is strong federal governance, have ended up in dictatorships, Kanli argues that given Erdogan's track record, the danger of becoming a dictatorship is immense for Turkey.

d) New constitution

In an article in Vatan, Okay Gonensin assesses Erdogan's reasons for opposing the proposal to start work on a new constitution prior to the general elections and describes as lame the excuse that laws enabling the implementation of the constitutional amendments have to be enacted in the eight months left to the elections. Questioning why these laws were not prepared together with the amendments themselves, Gonensin continues: "There must be other reasons for the prime minister to want the parliament spend the next eight months dealing with activities that might be considered 'routine.' If one of those reasons is his intention to render the 'presidential system' one of the elements of the 2011 election campaign and to consider the election results as the endorsement of this system, Erdogan should declare this in advance. Not relating to the opposition's request to give the green light to a new constitution will be a difficult situation for the AKP [Justice and Development Party] to explain."

e) Turkey's mediating role between Israel, Syria

In an article in Milliyet, Semih Idiz views Turkey's role of mediation between Israel and argues that even if Turkey is still the "only mediator" for al-Asad in his negotiations with Israel, considering Ankara's current relations with Israel, one is at a loss to determine when and how this mediation will be implemented. Underlining Israel's refusal to work with Turkey, the writer questions the reasons behind Syria's insistence that Turkey is the "sole mediator," and maintains that the al-Asad administration does not want to cast a shadow over its speedily developing political and economic relations with Turkey. He argues that since the resumption of the Israeli-Syrian negotiations seems to be very difficult, there is no drawback for the al-Asad administration to maintain this stand which has become an issue of honour for Turkey, adding: "However, it is a known fact that al-Asad has one eye on Europe and the other on the United States. If developments in the Middle East enter an unexpected crossroads and yield surprising results and Syrian-Israeli relations once again come to the foreground within this framework, then it is not certain whether Syria will maintain this line."

f) Interview with TUSIAD chairperson Boyner

In an interview to Utku Cakirozer and Murat Kislali in Cumhuriyet, Umit Boyner, chairperson of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen Association, (TUSIAD), says that there is no secularism in Turkey and that the Religious Affairs Directorate is not a secular institution. Dismissing claims that lifting the headdress ban will damage the principle of secularism, Boyner believes that every female who has reached the age of 18 should have the right for an education. Underlining that Turkey, which is a unitary state, should have only a single official language, Boyner argues that a citizen should have the right to learn Kurdish.

g) Legend of Gulen community

In an article in Hurriyet Daily News, Mehmet Ali Birand views the legend created about the Gulen community and the powers attributed and argues that they are enormously exaggerated and do not reflect reality. Detailing all the rumours regarding the powers of the community, Birand declares that "the community is about to become a victim of its own power," predicting that one day the winds might change and a Gulen hunt might start.

h) "Full Marks for Turkish Economy

Zaman carries a front-page report which says that the International credit rating agency, Moody's, has upgraded Turkey's outlook from stable to positive. According to the report, "experts" hail Moody's decision as a confirmation of the strength of Turkey's economy. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EG

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article