Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-10-22

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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 to meet German Foreign Minister

[02] Eroglus statements

[03] Illegal oil exploration by Turkey in the open sea of Cyprus

[04] The UBP to decide on coalition government after its congress

[05] More than 200.000 persons are reportedly waiting for the citizenship of the breakaway regime

[06] Brucellosis disease discussed at yesterdays assembly

[07] British High Commissioner hosts Celebration of intercommunal cooperation

[08] KTOS secretary calls for population census

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[09] Turkey and Germany sign a scientific cooperation agreement

[10] Freedom of press in Turkey at historic low

[11] Highlights

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu to meet German Foreign Minister

[02] Eroglus statements

Asked about the bankruptcy of the CTA, Eroglu said that the UBP government made a lot of efforts to save the CTA, but were unsuccessful because of the debts of the CTA.

Referring to the new airline company to be established, Eroglu said that it will be private company which will continue to use airplanes carrying the name of the TRNC.

Furthermore, speaking at a tree-planting ceremony, Eroglu reiterated his views regarding the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots and Turkeys support. He also claimed that the EU is isolating them. He said that learning from the past, efforts will be made together with the Greek Cypriots, to find a solution that would take into consideration the present realities.

(AK)

[03] Illegal oil exploration by Turkey in the open sea of Cyprus

Replying to a question after the signing ceremony, Yildiz said that the findings of the seismic exploration in the area between Mersin and Cyprus are under study. He said that the exploration includes an area of 288,000 square kilometers and added that the master plan prepared will create a competitive environment that will meet the islands needs. He said that within the framework of the master plan, the private sector will either make an underwater cable in order to transfer energy produced in Turkey, to the occupied areas of Cyprus, or it will build a power station in the occupied part of the island.

Asked whether energy will be given to south Cyprus, Yildiz replied the installations will be able to meet this need if it arises. Asked whether there was such a proposal, Yildiz said that the main interlocutor on this issue is the TRNC.

In his statements, Sunat Atun said that the Turkish Cypriots intention has been conveyed in writing to the sides concerned, through the missions of the EU in Cyprus. He noted: Therefore, after the completion of the project, we are ready to share with south Cyprus, if necessary.

(I/Ts.)

[04] The UBP to decide on coalition government after its congress

Replying to questions of illegal TAK news agency, Atasayan said the discussion of the issue at a time when the 2011 budget will be adopted by the assembly and before UBPs congress, could create technical problems in the work of the parliament.

According to the paper, the TDP is about to take its decision on the issue of a possible coalition with the UBP. The chairman of the party, Mehmet Cakici, is explaining to TDP officials the reasons he thinks the coalition is necessary. Many party officials do not regard such a development as positive.

Citing information from reliable sources, Kibris writes that Mehmet Cakici tries to convince the party to participate in the government, arguing that they could work for the benefit of the people via the ministries to be given to them. The paper writes that assuming responsibility of the ministry of economy and tourism, and the ministry of labour and social insurance, Cakici aims at establishing a special fund to secure support to those who will remain unemployed in case of privatizations, and at creating opportunities for new employment.

According to the paper, during his meetings with UBPs chairman Irsen Kucuk, Cakici said his party insists that past and current cases of corruption should be examined, the granting of citizenship should stop, and that entry of illegal workers should be controlled.

Replying to questions of illegal TAK news agency, Esat Varoglu, general secretary of the TDP, said that the chairmen of the two parties met in the assembly, but with no concrete result. He noted that a possible coalition could come onto the agenda after UBPs congress of 11 December.

The paper notes that after Ertugrul Hasipoglu and Mehmet Tacer, resigned from the Democratic Party (DP) and joined the UBP, the distribution of seats in the parliament is the following:

UBP: 26, Republican Turkish Party (CTP): 15, TDP: 3, DP: 2, Freedom and Reform Party (ORP): 2 and Independent: 2

(I/Ts.)

[05] Over 200.000 persons reportedly awaiting citizenship

Addressing the same meeting, Salih Izbul, self-styled MP with the CTP, called for an early solution to the Cyprus problem.

Replying to Izbul, Huseyin Ozgurgun, self-styled minister of foreign affairs, said that they should agree that the Greek Cypriot side is intransigent. Noting that the Cyprus negotiations are going on for many years, he said that, as former Turkish Cypriot leaders had stated, the Greek Cypriots have not made any concessions. For this reason, unfortunately, no agreement has been reached, he alleged.

Ozgurgun said that the property issue has been brought onto the agenda by the UN, during the first telephone conversation between the UN Secretary-General and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu. He expressed the view that the UN has also committed a mistake on this issue and alleged that starting with the property issue rescued the Greek Cypriots from trouble. He alleged that resuming the negotiations with the Governance and Power Sharing issues would have been better and the Greek Cypriots could have been cornered on many points.

Ozgurgun said that non-solution in Cyprus is in no ones favour and added that if both sides are determined, a solution can be found. However, he expressed his doubts about the will of the Greek Cypriot side for this. He alleged that the Greek Cypriots are on the one hand participating in the negotiations and on the other they hinder every step made by the Turkish Cypriot side, like in the case of EU Direct Trade Regulation.

Moreover, Ozdil Nami, MP with the CTP, criticized Dervis Eroglu for resuming the negotiations with the property issue, noting that if they were in Eroglus place, they would resume with the Governance and Power Sharing. He argued that there is a deadlock in the negotiations and expressed the view that the Turkish side should undertake an initiative.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Brucellosis disease discussed at yesterdays assembly

The so-called Prime Minister, Irsen Kucuk stated, inter alia, that there is no danger consuming meat of animals with the Brucellosis disease provided they have gone through the necessary control. Irsen Kucuk called on people to consume meat which has been checked.

In his statements on the issue, Huseyin Angolemli, MP with TDP in occupied Famagusta, demanded from the government to make clear statements on the issue since the statements by the ministries of Agriculture and Health are completely different.

Serdar Denktas stated that Irsen Kucuks statement is not satisfactory and added that the question whether people can consume the meat or not has not yet been answered.

(AK)

[07] British High Commissioner hosts Celebration of intercommunal cooperation

In his speech, Kidd said meetings between the two communities will be encouraged, and described bi-communal activities as money in the bank. Moreover, he said that an agreement in Cyprus will benefit all Cypriots and asked everyone interested in an agreement to focus their energy on reaching a positive outcome.

[08] KTOS secretary calls for population census

Elcil argued that the governments incapacity to give population figures and its reference to overpopulation are an insult to the Turkish Cypriots and pointed out that despite pressures, the government has not taken the necessary steps. He also said that trying to guess the illegal work force through the children with a circular sent to schools, is not the correct approach and it means that they are trying to conceal the countrys population. If the government intends to exhibit an open approach regarding the population issue, inevitably it should conduct a census, it is concluded.

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[09] Turkey and Germany sign a scientific cooperation agreement

A Turkish-German Research and Development Centre will be set up both in Istanbul Technical University and Berlin Technical University within the scope of the agreement.

Yildirim said that the centres will strengthen research and development in all areas of information, communication and telecommunication sectors.

The German minister said that Turkish-German Research and Development Centre covered an institute and two centres (in Turkey and Germany). Noting that the centres will have partners in industrial institutions too, Schavan said that the centres will mainly focus on communication technologies area.

Prof. Sahin Albayrak, who chairs artificial intelligence laboratory in Berlin Technical University, will head of Turkish-German Research and Development Centre.

[10] Freedom of press in Turkey at historic low

Turkeys historically low ranking can be attributed, according to the group, to the frenzied proliferation of lawsuits, incarcerations and court sentencing targeting journalists. In its report, the organization also noted the high number of Kurdish journalists and other reporters covering the Kurdish issue among those tried or arrested.

Currently, 47 members of the press in Turkey are under arrest and being tried, while more than 700 criminal and civil cases involving journalists are ongoing. The Turkish Penal Code contains 27 articles that limit press freedom, as do two articles in the Anti-Terror Law.

[11] Highlights

a) "The EU or the Mediterranean Union?"

Milli Gazete columnist Abdullah Ozkan asserts that Turkey should to join the Union for the Mediterranean established by French President Sarkozy in 2008 instead of pressing ahead with its bid for EU membership, because the EU accession process appears to have become the means of keeping Turkey in limbo indefinitely with a vague promise of membership.

b) Headscarf Issue

In an article in Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila quotes CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as saying that students should not be allowed to wear headscarf in schools except for universities which, he noted, should be guaranteed by laws. Kilicdaroglu also emphasized that plans aimed at amending the constitution should not be limited to headscarf and also abolish various agencies, including the YOK established after the military coup in 1980.

In an article in Hurriyet entitled "Goodbye Turkey," columnist Oktay Eksi says that a letter sent by Higher Education (YOK) Chairman Prof. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan to universities to advise them that female students wearing headscarf should be allowed to attend classes, has virtually nullified rulings by the Turkish Constitutional Court and the Council of State as well as the European Court of Human Rights which upheld the headscarf ban. He applauds Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, for reminding that permitting female students to wear headscarf would constitute a breach of the law.

Milliyet columnist Taha Akyol criticizing Yalcinkaya says: "The Chief Prosecutor advocates an outdated authoritarian rather than a contemporary and pro-freedom interpretation of secularism."

Taraf columnist Ahmet Altan argues that with his statements about secularism Yalunkaya actually plays into the AKP's hands because they allow the ruling party to divert attention from other pressing issues such as fundamental rights and freedoms, Kurdish question, problems facing the Aleve community, and accession to the EU.

Hurriyet columnist Yalcin Dogan criticizes Prof. Ozcan because he is acting like a militant rather than an academic and breaches the law while those who are responsible for safeguarding the rule of law remain indifferent."

In an article in Hurriyet Daily News, columnist Yusuf Kanli defends President Abdullah Gul's decision to host an official reception with his wife, who wears headscarf, on 29 October on the occasion of Turkey's national day. Kanli concludes saying that the headscarf issue is actually just part of a bigger fight between modernity and radicalism and notes: "Unfortunately radicalism disguised as progressive is advancing while modernity condemned and blamed for being conservative is retreating."

Yeni Akit carries a front-page report which accuses Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya of expressing complete disregard for the people's will in issuing a written statement warning that the recent steps to lift the restrictions on the wearing of Islamic headscarves are in violation of the secular principles of the regime. The report also slams Yalcinkaya for "threatening the Government" in this way "at a time when Turkey is preparing to switch to full normalization."

c) Kurdish Issue

A report in Star says that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, interviewed by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation's channel in Arabic, criticized the PKK for not comprehending the value of the Turkish democracy, emphasizing that political and cultural efforts would be more beneficial than using military methods.

Aksam carries an interview entitled "A Kurdish State is an impossible dream" with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani who urged the PKK to lay down its arms and use peaceful and democratic methods to wage its struggle within the parliamentary system.

In an article in Zaman, columnist Sahin Alpay considers that with the KCK trial, Turkey is "punishing" urban Kurds even as it is trying to disband the PKK's mountain cadres, and calls on Erdogan "never to forget" that Turkey has failed to honour its "promise" to let Kurds exercise their linguistic and cultural rights freely and enjoy "autonomy" in "their own provinces."

d) Turkish-American Relations

A report in Hurriyet says that a US delegation from the Department of the Treasury led by Stuart Levey, first Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, met (20.10.10) with a delegation led by Ersin Ozince, Chairman of Board of the Banks Association of Turkey to inform them about sanctions and punishments which may be imposed by the United States on banks failing to comply with the embargoes imposed on Iran. Turkish bankers replied that the issue is political in nature and should be resolved between US and Turkish officials. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EG

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