Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-12-31

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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] Community leaders to meet on 12 January

[02] Ozersay on the description of the Christmas service in Karpass: "Foreigners should acquire permit for church services"

[03] Ban Ki-moon sends a message to Eroglu

[04] Cost of living allowance suspended for six months; Trade Unions' Platform evaluates the situation

[05] Aslanbaba joins the UBP

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[06] "Red alert in sports" by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the GSGM

[07] Drug lord arrested in occupied Cyprus is released on bail

[08] US President appoints Ricciardone as US ambassador to Ankara

[09] New appointments of Turkish diplomats

[10] Turkish President Gul visits Diyarbakir

[11] Turkey to reach African market via Egypt ro-ro ships

[12] Turkey's foreign trade deficit expanded by 106.8% in the first 11 months of 2010

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Community leaders to meet on 12 January

Kibris recalls that the last two meetings between the two leaders in December had been postponed because of the heart surgery of Dervis Eroglu.

According to illegal Bayrak (30.12.10, online), during their meeting yesterday Iacovou and Ozersay discussed the chapter of Governance and Power Sharing. They decided to discuss the issue of economy on January 5.

Bayrak reports that on 5 January Dervis Eroglu will meet with Lisa Buttenheim, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Cyprus. On 10 January, Eroglu will exchange views with Alexander Downer Ban Ki-moon's Special Advisor.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Ozersay on the description of the Christmas service in Karpass: "Foreigners should acquire permit for church services"

Ozersay alleged that the "TRNC", as he described the breakaway regime, respects individuals' freedom of worship. He pointed out that within this framework the regime gave permission many times in the past for such services, even in military zones. He said they are not pleased when problems regarding the freedom of worship are created, but "the TRNC, like in all the other civilized countries of the world, has laws and regulations which should be followed".

He alleged: "In many places of the world, foreigners in particular, should acquire permit according to the law to hold services in certain places and they should inform the institutions concerned in advance. As long as the laws are followed, there will not be any problem in exercising the freedom of worship."

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (31.12.10) reports that Ozersay noted that the matter was not raised by the Greek Cypriot side yesterday during his meeting with George Iacovou, but the Turkish Cypriot side is closely following the issue. He said the fact that the issue emerged after the attacks last week against the Turks in the Greek Cypriot side is "thought -provoking".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ban Ki-moon sends a message to Eroglu

Referring to the efforts to reach comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework of the UN parameters, Ban Ki-moon expressed his readiness to continue assisting the two leaders.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Cost of living allowance suspended for six months; Trade Unions' Platform evaluates the situation

Adnan Eraslan, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Secondary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOEOS), stated yesterday that the trade unions were planning to hold some activities anyway, to protest against the economic measures taken by the "government". "Now we will increase the degree of these activities," he said.

The Trade Unions' Platform is holding a meeting today to discuss the issue and prepare an action plan, writes Kibris.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Aslanbaba joins the UBP

After this development, UBP "seats" in the "assembly" increased to 27. The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has 15 "seats", the Social Democracy Party (TDP) 3, the Freedom and Reform Party (ORP) 2, the Democratic Party (DP) 2 and one "MP" is independent.

(I/Ts.)

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[06] "Red alert in sports" by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the GSGM

(AK)

[07] Drug lord arrested in occupied Cyprus is released on bail

Ayik, 32, was caught in the occupied areas of Cyprus last week by the so-called anti-drug police while hiding at a hotel. He is subject to an international arrest warrant on drug trafficking charges. The "court" set a bail of 100,000 TL (64,100 U.S. dollars) which was paid by two Turkish Cypriots. He will also stand trial in a "military court" later in the day on charges of violation of military forbidden zone and illegal border crossing.

The so-called police had said lots of muscle building pills, eight mobile phones and drug detection laboratory equipments were found in his hotel room. Ayik's extradition to Australia will be clear following the official request of Interpol, Turkish Cypriot "officials" said.

[08] US President appoints Ricciardone as US ambassador to Ankara

President Obama, using his special authority, appointed Ricciardone during the recess in the legislative year at the US Senate. Ricciardone, who had been previously nominated for the ambassador's office in Ankara, could not assume his duty earlier as the Senate had not been approving his appointment for a long time. In the previous legislative term, the ambassador's appointment was blocked by Republican Senator Sam Brownback.

According to the US Constitution, appointments to key positions such as ambassadors need a Senate approval. However, the US President has the authority to make appointments to these posts temporarily during congressional recess. Ricciardone's appointment is expected to be approved during the new legislative term at the Senate and within a year's time.

AA reported the following:

"Ricciardone, a diplomat who knows Turkey closely, carried out various duties in Turkey previously and has a good command of the Turkish language. Ricciardone has served since 2009 as Deputy Ambassador and Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He also served as ambassador to Egypt until 2008 and ambassador to the Philippines and concurrently to Palau. Ambassador Ricciardone began his career in Ankara and Adana, Turkey. He served twice again in Turkey: as political adviser to the US and Turkish commanders of Operation Provide Comfort at Incirlik Air Force Base, and as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires. He led the transition to an organization of the US Embassy in Baghdad in 2004, and the Department of State's Task Force in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. He also served as former Secretary Albright's Special Representative for the Transition of Iraq from 1999-2001. The ambassador, who graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College in 1973, knows Italian, French and Arabic in addition to Turkish."

[09] New appointments of Turkish diplomats

According to the related decree, which will enter into force after being published in the Official Gazette, Musa Kulaklikaya, who has been serving as the head of the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) since December 2007, will become the country's ambassador to Mauritania.

In addition, Davutoglu's special adviser Cihad Erginay will be posted to Prague, Czech Republic; Muhsin Kilicarslan, deputy general-director for European Union affairs, to Caracas, Venezuela; Akif Oktay, deputy director-general for the ministry's policy-planning department, to Hanoi, Vietnam; Abdurrahman Bilgic, deputy director-general for the ministry's personnel department, to Tokyo, Japan; Serap Ozcoskun, deputy director-general for multilateral economic affairs, to Riga, Latvia; Aydin Sefa Akay from headquarters to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Kemal Demirciler from headquarters to Harare, Zimbabwe; and Aydin Nurhan, chief consul-general in Melbourne, Canada, will be posted to Conakry, Guinea.

Moreover, Ambassador Tacan Ildem will be posted from headquarters to Vienna in order to become Turkey's permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in order to replace Ambassador Naci Saribas, who will be posted to Seoul, Korea. Turkey's current ambassador to Romania, Ayse Sinirlioglu, will be posted to Madrid, Spain, while she will be replaced by Ambassador Omur Solendil from headquarters. Also from headquarters, Ambassador Nezihi Ozkaya will be posted to Minsk, Belarus.

[10] Turkish President Gul visits Diyarbakir

During his visit, Gul first met with Mustafa Toprak, the governor of the province. Expressing his satisfaction for the visit, Gul praised Diyarbakir as one of the most important provinces of Turkey, the centre of civilization, trade and culture throughout history.

Gul also met with Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Diyarbakir who presented him with a Turkish-Kurdish Dictionary. Receiving the gift President Gul said the language issue is high on the Turkish agenda adding: "Turkish is and will be the official language of the Republic of Turkey. Also, Turkish is the language of the state and public institutions. It is our common language. On the other hand, it is a fact that there are citizens speaking different languages among Turkish people. There are people speaking Kurdish, Arabic and the other language. They all belong to us(?) "It is our duty to protect the cultural heritage. We are proud of our different elements in our nation. We consider those different elements as our assets".

The Diyarbakir Mayor said during the meeting with President Gul that the Kurdish problem is the biggest problem of Turkey and added that there are proper conditions for its solution. "Demands of Kurdish politicians on mother tongue and democratic autonomy cannot be endured. This is very worrisome," Baydemir said while referring to the recent discussions on mother tongue and democratic autonomy. Baydemir said, "We should not forget that we can only restore peace by listening and understanding each other and by being free from prejudices."

[11] Turkey to reach African market via Egypt ro-ro ships

In a written statement, Asut said that he was re-elected as a member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) that works under the roof of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) to promote Turkey's international trade.

Our recent performance indicates that the DEIK and MTSO have contributed immensely to the commerce of the province, the region and Turkey. Ferryboat trips began between Mersin and Beirut after DEIK's initiatives with Lebanon," Asut said.

Ro-ro ships will begin trips between Mersin and Alexandria in March, 2011. Accordingly, Turkey will be able to reach the African market via Mersin, Asut also said.

[12] Turkey's foreign trade deficit expanded by 106.8% in the first 11 months of 2010

The data showed that Turkey's foreign trade deficit expanded by 106.8% in the first 11 months of this year over the same period in 2009. The country's total export volume for the January-November period of 2009 was recorded at $102.1 billion with a 10.9% increase over a year ago; however, its imports for the same period are at the level of $164.9 billion with a 31 percent year-on-year increase. The resulting foreign trade deficit is $62.8 billion, showing rapid growth from the $33.8 billion recorded last year.

For November specifically, exports show a 6% growth of $9.4 billion, whereas imports experienced a much higher rate of growth at 35.7%, or $17.1 billion. During this one-month period, Germany took the lead among the countries to which Turkey. Turkey exported slightly more than $1 billion in goods in November. After Germany, the list of top countries that import from Turkey was the UK, Iraq, Italy and France, listed in descending order. In terms of imports from other countries, on the other hand, Russia ranked first in November with $1.9 billion in exports to Turkey. Following Russia in descending order were Germany, China and the US. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EG

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