Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-11-23

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ozersay holds contacts in Finland

[02] Talat: "Geneva meeting critical turning point"

[03] Serdar Denktas: solution in Cyprus is not possible even if the leaders meet every day

[04] Oktay Kayalp: "serious environmental disaster" in the occupied closed city of Varosha

[05] Turkish Cypriot unions to protest at the ILO in Ankara

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] "Erdogan: No deal unless EU acts on trade with Turkish Cyprus"

[07] Bagis calls on the EU to stop presenting political obstacles to Turkey's accession

[08] Davutoglu's surprise visit to Washington; he will discuss the Cyprus problem with Hillary Clinton

[09] Sarkozy to visit Turkey in December

[10] New National Security Policy Document adopted in Turkey

[11] Turkey and Egypt establish High Level Strategic Cooperation Council

[12] Floating exhibitions to promote Turkey's EU membership bid

[13] "Quagmire"

[14] Turkey's tourism revenue expected to reach $22.50 billion

[15] Highlights

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Ozersay holds contacts in Finland

As "BRT" reports, after completing his contacts in Finland, Ozersay is expected to proceed to Oslo for contacts. Later, Ozersay will travel to Sweden to join the delegation accompanying the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

[02] Talat: "Geneva meeting critical turning point"

Talat also said the current situation reminds him of the conclusion of the Annan Plan negotiations in 2003. Ban's statement that at the end of the Geneva meeting in January the UN will decide the steps to follow, should be taken as a sign. Moreover, he said that elections in south Cyprus are after the Geneva meeting and in pre-election periods the solution advocates loose points, therefore it is not a very "bright period."

[03] Serdar Denktas: solution in Cyprus is not possible even if the leaders meet every day

He said that "the most positive element" from the recent meeting in New York between the UN Secretary-General, President Christofias and Dervis Eroglu was that the UN will reexamine its mission. If there is no result in the negotiations now, you cannot examine a problem in 2010 in the context of 1960 terms of reference, he alleged.

Referring to the developments in the Turkish Cypriot community, Denktas accused the National Unity Party (UBP) self-styled government of not having a vision and a programme. As a result, he said that UBP expects everything from Turkey's Aid Delegation and bureaucrats.

Denktas expressed his support to the "presidential system" of administration of the breakaway regime, which he described as "an opportunity" to change the situation in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Referring to the protest organized by some trade unions on 15 November against the Turkish State Minister responsible for Cypriot affairs, Cemil Cicek, Serdar Denktas said he does not approve of protests against guests, but added he could not accept Cicek's statement that he thought "the protestors came from southern Cyprus". Denktas recalled that these people were the same with whom Cicek and his government worked in the period before the Annan Plan. He added: "They were not from the south then and they are now? The government here says that 'this is not our package' and that 'Turkey wants this, there is no other way'. For this reason the people say 'Cicek take your package and leave'".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Oktay Kayalp: "serious environmental disaster" in the occupied closed city of Varosha

"The 'closed Varosha', which we hear very often in the Cyprus problem, has been turned into a real environmental disaster", writes Kibris. It recalls that Varosha has been kept closed since 1974, that it is a military zone and that no building in the city is utilizable.

The "mayor" of the occupied city of Famagusta, Oktay Kayalp said that Varosha experiences the "worst period in its history" and added that politicians must solve the problem. "They must hurry", he said and noted that there is a "serious environmental disaster" in Varosha. He added: "Not only rats, but also grouses, rabbits and snakes have increased. We disinfect it continuously, but this is not a solution".

Moreover, Kibris reports that a garbage problem also exists in other areas such as the ancient Salamis ruins, Saint Varnavas monastery, and the former "state" hospital which has been transferred to Istanbul Technical University (ITU).

(I/Ts.)

[05] Turkish Cypriot unions to protest at the ILO in Ankara

According to the paper, signatories of the letter include Revolutionary Worker's Union (DEV -IS), Turkish Workers' Trade Union Federation (TURK-SEN), Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants Trade Union (KTAMS), Cyprus Turkish Teacher's Trade Union (KTOS), Cyprus Turkish Secondary Teachers Trade Union (KTOEOS), Revolutionary General Work Union (DEVRIMCI GENEL-IS), United Public, Cooperative, Agriculture and other Services and Crafts Workers Union (EMEK-IS), Cyprus Turkish Physicians Trade Union (TIP-IS), Trade Union Municipality Employees (BES), Electric Worker's Union (EL-SEN), Cooperative Workers' Trade Union (KOOP-SEN), Customs Workers' Union (GUC-SEN), "DAU" Unity and Solidarity Trade Union (DAU-BIR-SEN) and Publishers Trade Union (BASIN-SEN).

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[06] "Erdogan: No deal unless EU acts on trade with Turkish Cyprus"

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Erdogan said Turkey would not change its position on Cyprus and insisted that Ankara should not be expected to do so. "If they are ready to open [the ports and airports] simultaneously, we are ready to do so, too. Our ministers have been saying this on every occasion. No one should expect us to act any differently," he said.

Erdogan's remarks were in response to reports that the EU is working on a compromise deal under which Turkey would at least partially open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus in return for further progress in its accession talks with the EU.

Erdogan also dismissed speculations that the Turkish side is ready to revise its position to consider the extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 miles in the Aegean as a casus belli (a cause for war).

Moreover, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 22.11.10) under the title "No deal on Aegean borders, Turkish PM says", reports, inter alia, the following:

"Asked about Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas' statement that negotiations between Turkey and the European Union could be halted if Turkey does not open its ports to Greek Cyprus, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: 'I met the Greek minister at the NATO Summit in Lisbon and he repeated his support to Turkey's EU process.'

Stressing that there should be a fair solution to the problem on the island, Davutoglu also criticized the EU stance on the issue. 'Turkey-EU relations, which have a serious strategic perspective, seem to be stuck on this issue, which means there is a lack of strategic vision,' Davutoglu said, adding that putting Cyprus in front of Turkey as a political problem was an incorrect attitude according to the principles of the EU itself."

[07] Bagis calls on the EU to stop presenting political obstacles to Turkey's accession

Antilla extended full support to Turkey's EU accession and said her country is ready to share its experience with Turkey. She said Finland and Turkey can undertake joint projects in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

Bagis briefed the guest minister on the importance of agriculture for Turkey and the agriculture practices. Bagis called on the EU to stop presenting political obstacles, like the Cyprus issue, in Turkey's accession.

Moreover, A.A (22.11.10) reports also that State Minister Egemen Bagis said in parliament on Monday that Turkey would become a member of the union sooner or later. He said Turkey's journey to EU would be quicker if the government and opposition work hand-in-hand. "Political blockage some EU member states put before Turkey should not divert us from our path".

Bagis said the EU opened negotiations with Turkey on 13 chapters since 2005 and temporarily closed negotiations on one chapter. The union launched entry talks with Turkey on food safety and veterinary and phyto-sanitary policy in June 2010, he said and added that Turkey and the EU could start negotiating three more chapters namely the competition policy, public procurement and social policy and employment. Turkey is also trying to launch talks on competition policy during the Belgium rotating presidency.

"It is true that we cannot keep the pace we desire in official negotiation process as some EU member states have slowed down political negotiations, which are in fact a technical process," he said.

Bagis said the member states are preventing negotiations on 17 of 33 chapters due to political reasons, and the Council suspended eight of them saying that additional protocol should be fully implemented.

"We cannot progress on other chapters as we desire due to political blockage of the Greek Cypriot administration and some other member states although EU institutions have not made such an official decision," Bagis said.

Bagis said the EU is still asking Turkish citizens to get a Schengen visa, which is unacceptable. "This visa regime also limits travel and business opportunities of Turkish businessmen who are willing to make fair and balanced trade, and thus creates an unjust competition which is in favour of businessmen of EU member countries," Bagis said. He added that Turkey is carrying out initiatives to achieve visa exemption for its citizens, and that the EU and Turkey have reached the final stage in readmission agreement talks.

The Turkish minister said he believed Turkey's membership would be a win-win for both parties, and Turkey would succeed.

[08] Davutoglu's surprise visit to Washington; he will discuss the Cyprus problem with Hillary Clinton

According to the paper, Davutoglu will have meetings with the USA Foreign Minister, Hillary Clinton and with Senate officials. The issues of the NATO missile shield system, the Cyprus problem as well as issues concerning Iran, Iraq and Israel will be in Davutoglu's agenda.

According to the paper, Davutoglu is expected to ask for US support for the solution of the Cyprus problem. Furthermore, bilateral issues concerning Israel and the issue of PKK will be discussed.

(AK )

[09] Sarkozy to visit Turkey in December

(AK)

[10] New National Security Policy Document adopted in Turkey

During a press conference after the meeting, the Turkish State Minister and Deputy Premier Cemil Cicek, who is also the spokesperson for the government, said that the new National Security Policy Document had been prepared taking into consideration developments that had taken place in the international arena in the post-cold war era.

Noting that the document assessed the potential security threats against Turkey in a comprehensive way, Cicek said such assessment focused on risks concerning public order, energy demand security, security of virtual environment, disasters and public health, in addition to traditional security problems.

Cicek said the document also aimed at facilitating the practice of basic rights and freedoms, aside from establishing peace and security for citizens and added that the document also expressed the importance of contributing to international peace and stability.

Cicek said expressions that could not be legally defined or that would give rise to polarization or accusations had not been included in the text of the new National Security Policy Document. "Peace and solidarity of the public and security of the country are the core element of this document," he said.

[11] Turkey and Egypt establish High Level Strategic Cooperation Council

In a joint press conference in Ankara on Monday, following the meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Davutoglu said that a more systematic and comprehensive era will begin for Turkey and Egypt with the establishment of this strategic cooperation council, which will be signed during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Egypt.

Davutoglu said that Egypt is one of the most important stability factors in the area, stating that Turkey and Egypt are two important actors in the region.

The two countries are resolute to boost trade volume which is nearly 3.5 billion U.S. dollars currently, he said. Davutoglu said they discussed several issues including Turkey's Africa initiative, adding that the two countries are eager to continue their joint efforts under the UN.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Gheit said he will also meet with President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Relations will be improved more thanks to High Level Strategic Cooperation Council that will be established between the two countries, Gheit said.

[12] Floating exhibitions to promote Turkey's EU membership bid

In an exclusive interview with the AA, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ILOR Corporation and a coordinator for the ship project Oktay Ulkuguner said this would be the greatest promotional tools ever used by Turkey in its EU process.

"The floating exhibition will be inaugurated on March 7, 2011 in Istanbul. The ships will depart from Istanbul on March 8 and complete their journey on April 21. One of the ships will actually carry the floating exhibition, while the second ship will carry those participating in the organization. The journey's first destination will be Greece. Our journey will end in Sweden. Our ships will remain for two days at every seaport and we expect 25,000-30,000 visitors at each seaport," Ulkuguner said.

"Around 400 selective public and private institutions from Turkey will participate in the project. Turkey's state-run TV channel TRT will make live broadcasts from each seaport and prepare a documentary, Ulkuguner said.

The floating exhibition will travel around 12,000 miles to promote Turkey at 15 seaports in 14 countries. The ships will stay two days in each seaport, following the route: Istanbul Piraeus, Naples, Marseille, Le Havre in France, Barcelona, Lisbon, London, Anvers, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Riga, Helsinki, and Stockholm.

The floating exhibition will promote Turkey's history, state structure and development in all sectors.

[13] "Quagmire"

Kanli, inter alia, writes:

"Still, in whatever equilibrium it might be presented, the Cyprus issue is a common headache for Turkey, the EU, Western institutions and indeed ? Cypriots on both sides of the Cyprus buffer zone would love to read it ? the entire world through the presence since 1964 of U.N. peacekeepers and uninterrupted good offices mission entrusted to the secretary general by the UN Security Council back in March 1964. Yet, as the global political and economic balances have changed drastically ever since the Cyprus inter-communal talks process started back in 1968, it appears that a new conjecture forcing a totally new process for the island and in Turkey's foreign preferences is in the making."

Underlining the importance of the end-of-January rendezvous, Kanli suggests: "There is high probability that he [the Secretary-General] will try to "persuade" the two communal leaders agree to a conference of founding parties of the 1960 Cyprus republic ? that is the two peoples and the three guarantor powers, Turkey, Greece and Britain. The EU, NATO and the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council might attend such a conference as 'observers'.

Such a conference might be designed to continue uninterrupted until a resolution of the Cyprus problem was agreed upon by the participants. Turkey and Turkish Cypriots have been supportive of such an idea, as well as many key international players while the Greek Cypriot leadership and Greece are so far against. If current Cyprus talks end in failure ? like all past processes ? and Greek Cypriots continue adamantly refusing an international or five-party conference, the only remaining option will be probably letting the de facto partition turn into permanent solution with two states on the island. That, of course, will be a choice that eventually the Greek Cypriot leadership will have to make.

It is a fact that 2011 will not be a suitable year for diplomacy and compromise solutions either for Turkey or the Greek Cypriot side, who will be having elections, or for the Turkish Cypriot state where there is already a rather politically frail government waging an uphill economic-financial existential battle because of dwindling Turkish financial aid. Then, in July 2012 Greek Cypriots will assume the EU term presidency and will try to make best use of it to corner Turkey and force it to undertake some unilateral concessions. Naturally, there will be lots of tension, but no progress. Then, most probably on February 19, 2013, there will be Greek Cypriot presidential elections and in April 2013 there will be Turkish Cypriot parliamentary polls.

Then will come the crucial year, 2014? Under the Lisbon Treaty as of Nov. 1, 2014, the EU will stop seeking consensus and start making most of its decisions through qualified majority. If Turkey-EU chart can be maintained on the right track by that date there is the probability of it being liberated at some degree from the mortgage of the Cyprus problem."

[14] Turkey's tourism revenue expected to reach $22.50 billion

According to State Planning Organization (DPT) 2011 annual programme data, 3.1% of all money spent by tourists around the world for non-lodging related items is spent in Turkey, while Turkey's share of global tourism earnings is 2.6%. Moreover, Turkey has a 5.3% share of all income from tourists in Europe.

[15] Highlights

In his article in Milliyet, Kadri Gursel opines that "AKP's [Justice and Development Party] Turkey reluctantly agreed to become the 'front country of the new cold war' by accepting the deployment of the radars of the missile defence system in Turkey". Gursel notes that Turkey is surrounded by the threats mentioned in the new NATO " strategic concept" adopted in Lisbon such as weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and the instability beyond NATO borders, adding that Turkey is also the bridge country in the itinerary that carries energy to the West. Recalling that Germany was the front and Turkey was the wing country in the classical Cold War, Gursel concludes that Turkey has become the front both in the cold war between Iran and the western alliance and in NATO's new strategic concept.

An editorial in Hurriyet Daily News.com maintains that the deal reached regarding the missile defence at the NATO summit provides a "breather" for the world to strengthen its "very weak nuclear non-proliferation regime." Asserting that the summit opened a "large window of opportunity" for the Turkish diplomacy to take the lead for efforts toward a "Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction," the editorial points out that a "comprehensive regional strategic dialogue" and the "full engagement with Iran as a recognized regional power" are required to achieve this goal.

In his column in Hurriyet, Mehmet Yilmaz maintains that the AKP government conducted the most successful public relations of last years in the "missile shield" issue. Yilmaz faults the presentation of the outcome as "a great diplomatic victory." He concludes that despite the "zero problems with neighbors" policy, Turkey's relations with its neighbours are not completely free of problems.

In his column in Milliyet, Semih Idiz maintains that the controversies between Turkey and its key allies with regard to the missile shield project are not over yet but rather postponed to a future date. What is important for Turkey is that it passed the "loyalty test" of the NATO alliance by acting in harmony with other members opines Idiz and concludes that this alone will have a "calming" effect on the ongoing debate in the West with regard to Turkey's axis.

In an article in Cumhuriyet, Orhan Bursali criticizes the AKP government's endorsement of the missile shield project and maintains that by joining this project, which targets Iran, the AKP nullified its "zero problems with neighbors" policy. The AKP, however, could not afford to "lose its main supporters in the West" just before the elections, Bursali writes and concludes that the "danger" has passed for now.

Writing in Hurriyet Daily News, Sertac Aktan says that "the outcome of the NATO Summit will have a direct effect on the amount of US support at the EU-US summit for Turkey's membership". Aktan concludes that the United States "will definitely back Turkey for the EU membership process but 'how much' support it will give this time is the 'question'. Turkey's role in the missile defence system is the 'answer'."

In an article in Yeni Safak entitled "The Greatest Threat Facing Humanity: NATO", columnist Yusuf Kaplan criticizes Turkey for making a "remarkable contribution" to the "legitimization" of NATO at a time when "its very existence should become a matter of debate" by agreeing to take part in the missile defence project at the recent Lisbon summit. He also argues that NATO poses the greatest obstacle to the efforts to establish a new world order and that the Lisbon summit had a hidden agenda to prevent Turkey from going its separate way and embarking on new history-making missions as a regional player.

In an article in Yeni Akit entitled "Can the US Ever Stop Being a Shepherd for Israel?", columnist Sefik Dursun asserts that NATO's adoption of the missile defence project at the Lisbon summit will harm Turkey's efforts to promote "brotherhood" in the Middle East by making it likely that Tehran will be forced into hitting certain targets in Turkey in the event of a US military campaign against Iran.

Yeni Akit columnist Ersoy Dede asserts that Turkey endorsed NATO's missile shield project even before the Lisbon summit, despite Prime Minister Erdogan's remarks in Seoul ruling out "the possibility that we will approve the project before the issue of command and control has been solved." He dismisses the argument that the project has defensive rather than offensive purposes as "empty talk". He also claims that the Lisbon summit means that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's policy of "zero problems with neighbors" has collapsed already.

Today's Zaman columnist Yavuz Baydar hails the results of the NATO summit in Lisbon as a "huge blow" to the "myth" that Turkey is changing its orientation from west to East under the ruling AKP.

Milli Gazete carries a front-page report which quotes Ilyas Tonguc, Chairman of the Anatolian Youth Association, as saying that the adoption of the missile defence project amounts to a green light to the western occupation of Islamic countries.

In an article in Milli Gazette entitled "The Undisclosed Target or the Secret Enemy", columnist Abdulkadir Ozkan argues that the absence of any references to Iran in the Strategic Concept document adopted at the Lisbon summit does not mean that Iran and the Islamic world at large are not in the crosshairs of this project any more than the transfer of responsibility for the project from the United States to NATO means that the United States is not in control of the project. He recalls that the United States did not need NATO's prior approval to attack Afghanistan or Iraq.

Milli Gazete carries a front-page report which quotes Ilyas Tonguc, Chairman of the Anatolian Youth Association, as saying that the adoption of the missile defence project amounts to a green light to the western occupation of Islamic countries.

In an article in Milli Gazette entitled "The Undisclosed Target or the Secret Enemy", columnist Abdulkadir Ozkan argues that the absence of any references to Iran in the Strategic Concept document adopted at the Lisbon summit does not mean that Iran and the Islamic world at large are not in the crosshairs of this project any more than the transfer of responsibility for the project from the United States to NATO means that the United States is not in control of the project. He recalls that the United States did not need NATO's prior approval to attack Afghanistan or Iraq.

b) Rise of political Islam and the West

Cem Oguz's article in Hurriyet Daily News.com, analyzes the causes behind "the rise of the political Islam" and the success of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad in the Muslim world. Pointing out that the belief that Muslims are either "wronged or victimized by the politically-motivated West" has brought about a feeling of "disgust" in the Muslim world, Oguz maintains that the present attitude of the West toward the rise of political Islam "is rather strengthening that disgust." Oguz concludes: "If the so-called West really wants to deal with Iran effectively, the first thing it has to do is to explain to the Muslim world why Iran must be prevented from getting a nuclear programme, whereas Israel can possess nuclear weapons. But please, ill-thought answers to that paradox should not make Muslims more disgusted!"

c) CHP-BDP alliance in 2011 elections

In her article in Milliyet, Asli Aydintasbas talks to Ertan Aydin, founder of survey company Pollmark, which is a part of the AKP strategic team. Viewing the possibility of forming a "Left bloc" in 2011 general elections like Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas suggested, Aydin maintains that an alliance between the BDP and the Republican People's Party (CHP) "could be a good opportunity" for the latter. Aydin points out that if CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu wants to transform and strengthen the party, he must get rid of the party ideology left from the 1930s. He adds that a possible CHP-BDP election alliance would have positive and negative impacts on the AKP, noting that while the AKP could lose some votes in southeast Turkey, CHP's nationalist votes in the west could shift to the Nationalist Action Party.

d) AKP criticized over JITEM

Yeni Akit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak criticizes the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and judicial authorities for not taking action against JITEM [alleged gendarmerie intelligence organization] despite the testimony of numerous "witnesses" to the criminal activities of this "clandestine" body. He also urges the Government to seek information about JITEM from the presidents, prime ministers, interior ministers, chiefs of staff, force commanders, intelligence chiefs, police chiefs, and governors in the southeast who served in the years during which JITEM is believed to have carried out its illegal activities following its formation in the 1990s. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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