Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 11-12-16

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

CONTENTS

[01] PACE's president says he expects "compensatory" steps from the EU for its "mistake" to accept Cyprus as member

[02] Eroglu said he submitted a 50-page document on the property issue

[03] Talat describes EU as "pitiable" because the EU term presidency of Cyprus's Ministry of Defence will last one year

[04] Osman Ertug evaluates the latest developments on the Cyprus problem

[05] TGNA's Foreign Affairs Committee ratified the so-called continental shelf delimitation agreement between Turkey and the breakaway regime

[06] Yorgancioglu states that the relationship between Turkey and the occupation regime should stop being that of "motherland-daughterland"

[07] More figures on the number of people who received the occupation regime's citizenship in 2011

[08] Rauf Denktas realizes his first public appearance after his illness

[09] "Greek songs instead of the ezan"

[10] Turkey reacts strongly on draft bill for Armenian genocide

[11] YAS convenes under Erdogan

[12] Journalist jailed for publishing quotes

[13] Data on Turkey's economy

[14] Survey findings show increase in votes for AKP, MHP

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

Turkey's threats to recall its ambassador to Paris if France passes Armenian bill, statements by the chairman of the Turkish National Assembly on Gul's presidency, reports that the year-on-year unemployment rate in Turkey has drawn to 8.8% in September and other internal issues are some of the main stories covered by today's Turkish dailies. About Cyprus, the Turkish press covers statements by the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) who has said that Turkey is not possible to negotiate directly with the Republic of Cyprus during the latter's EU term Presidency and statements by Talat who described the EU as pitiable.

[01] PACE's president says he expects "compensatory" steps from the EU for its "mistake" to accept Cyprus as member

Referring to Cyprus's EU term presidency, which starts in July 2012, Cavusoglu recalled that Turkey does not recognize the "Greek Cypriot sector", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, and added that for this reason there will be no direct contacts between Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus. He said that the necessary work is being done for Turkey to carry out contacts with other EU institutions, but "on the issues which the term presidency should carry out, Turkey could not be a direct interlocutor of that country".

Cavusoglu expressed the hope that the Cyprus problem will be solved.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu said he submitted a 50-page document on the property issue

In statements on Wednesday during meetings with the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen Association (ISAD) and Dogan Turk Birligi (DTB) football club, Eroglu alleged that the Greek Cypriot side should exert at least as much effort as the Turkish Cypriot side in order for an agreement to be reached in the negotiations and claimed that the Greek Cypriots exert no effort in this direction.

Eroglu argued that they are taking some steps and try to achieve convergences. He added: "The important thing is to increase these convergences and finalize the chapters".

He said that they informed the Greek Cypriot side in a very clear manner about the criteria of the Turkish side on the territory and added that even though the chapters are not closed yet, they continue to have hopes.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Talat describes EU as "pitiable" because the EU term presidency of Cyprus's Ministry of Defence will last one year

In statements yesterday during a meeting with a delegation from the Cyprus Representation Office of Turkey's Youth Confederation, Talat argued that the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem could not come to an end, because "the couple has no will for dancing", as he said, describing the stance of the two community leaders in the negotiations. He added: "Therefore, I do not predict that anything will happen. When they have no will to dance, it is not possible to reach a result, regardless of whosever's efforts".

Referring to the recent statement made by UN Secretary-General's Special envoy to Cyprus that the last meeting between the leaders did not go well, Talat argued that this is the first time Alexander Downer made a non-diplomatic statement. He went on and said: "Perhaps he regretted it, but it seems that he came to a point of exerting an effort of giving the impression that the negotiations lasted for a long period of time". Talat noted that this is a saddening situation and he does not wish for this to be so. He said he wants the message to be given at Green Tree tripartite meeting that the negotiations are entering into their final stage.

Referring to the EU term presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, Talat said that in July 2012, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic will undertake the EU term presidency for one year instead of six months and added: "I say what a pity for the EU, pitiable EU". "If its defence has remained to the Republic of Cyprus, behold the situation of the EU", said Talat arguing that the biggest weakness of the EU is its foreign affairs and defence policies. Talat alleged that the EU does not take seriously into consideration its defence policy, if the Republic of Cyprus will hold the presidency on this issue for one year, instead of six months.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Osman Ertug evaluates the latest developments on the Cyprus problem

Ertug made the above statements on a program broadcast by illegal Bayrak television. Referring to the extension of the mandate of UNFICYP to Cyprus for seven instead of six months as it was always happening, Ertug stated that there might be various reasons behind this decision. He said that the goal might be to include the month of January as well. "However, it must be another reason except for this", he argued.

Recalling that the Republic of Cyprus will take over the EU term presidency during the second half of 2012, he alleged that the Turkish side wishes for a solution to be found to the Cyprus problem until then. He also reminded of the statement by the UN Secretary-General about the "end game" in the Cyprus problem and said that this designates the goal.

Referring to the Greentree summit, Ertug underlined the need to enter into an intensified talks period until then, arguing that the statement "end game" is now becoming a concrete reality.

(AK)

[05] TGNA's Foreign Affairs Committee ratified the so-called continental shelf delimitation agreement between Turkey and the breakaway regime

The committee convened under the presidency of Volkan Bozkir, MP with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Istanbul, and ratified a number of other draft-laws as well, which concern the following issues: the 2005 protocol regarding the prevention of illegal activities against the security of permanent platforms which are located in continental shelves, an agreement between Turkey and Indonesia on maritime transport, an agreement between Turkey and the Russian Federation on maritime transport and an agreement between Turkey and Ukraine on the organization of direct wagon train-ferryboat services.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Yorgancioglu states that the relationship between Turkey and the occupation regime should stop being that of "motherland-daughterland".

In his statements, Ozkan Yorgancioglu referred, inter alia, to the relations between Turkey and the occupation regime and said that the ideal relationship between the "North Cyprus" and Turkey is the two state-relationship model and not the relation "motherland-daughter land". He also said that they should stop using the rhetoric "motherland-daughterland".

Evaluating the social and economic problems which exist in the occupied area of Cyprus, Yorgancioglu said that on the one hand the deadlock on the Cyprus problem and on the other the bad economic situation in the "country" indicates that things go from bad to worse.

Yorgancioglu pointed out the need for the "Turkish Republic Aid Delegation" to stop its function. Saying that they should be grateful for Turkey's support to the "TRNC", he, however, added that it is not necessary for Turkey to decide where they would construct a mosque, a school or a road.

[07] More figures on the number of people who received the occupation regime's citizenship in 2011

Also, according to figures of the "Immigration office" which were included in the report distributed to the so-called MP's during the "budget debate", during the first ten months of 2011, a total of 440 people were granted the "TRNC citizenship".

The number of women who got married with a "TRNC citizen" and took the citizenship was 749, while the number of men who got married with a "TRNC citizen" and were given the "citizenship" were 415.

Meanwhile, the paper reports that the so-called immigration office underlines that within the last ten months, a total of 9114 "residence permits" were given, 5517 of them for "companions" and 3597 for "visitors". Also, a total of 774 people were exported for several reasons.

AK

[08] Rauf Denktas realizes his first public appearance after his illness

[09] "Greek songs instead of the ezan"

[10] Turkey reacts strongly on draft bill for Armenian genocide

France's move would "create a new dogma about understanding history, to forbid alternative thoughts. This is Middle Ages mentality. The adoption of this mindset in France is the greatest danger for Europe," Davutoglu said.

Moreover, Ankara Anatolia reports on an interview with Engin Solakoglu, Turkish Counsellor in Paris, who said that the adoption of the draft law pertaining to the incidents of 1915 will be a big blow to Turkish-French relations. Turkish Ambassador in Paris Tahsin Burcuoglu will be recalled for consultations for an indefinite period of time, Solakoglu argued.

In a former warning, Turkey had told the French Parliament that history could not be written by parliaments. In their statement, the Turkish Embassy said that they hoped French authorities would leave history to historians.

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (16.12.11, online) reports that the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) will dispatch delegations to Paris on December 19 as part of efforts to stop the adoption of the bill. The private sector's delegation will be in Paris on the same day with a parliamentary delegation that will urge French lawmakers to vote against the bill on December 22. "We, as TOBB and TUSIAD, are warning French [politicians] at the highest level through France's organizations in the business world, with whom we have constructive relations," a joint statement said yesterday.

[11] YAS convenes under Erdogan

A statement released by the General Staff in its web-site on Thursday said Supreme Military Council (YAS) discussed activities of Turkish military in domestic and border security, adding that it reviewed Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) preparedness for war. The statement didn't elaborate threats Turkey faces and said it assessed the Turkish army's needs and necessary steps to address these requirements.

Following the meeting, President Abdullah Gul had lunch with members of YAS and Erdogan at Cankaya Presidential Palace.

[12] Journalist jailed for publishing quotes

Receiving others' opinions to write a news piece is a journalist's most democratic right, said 0
lkem Ezgi Asam, while pleading in court. The court's verdict first has to be ratified by the Supreme Court of Appeals, however. If convicted, Asam will become the 67th journalist behind bars in Turkey.

The article entitled "Religious Community General in the Mutki excavations" included a quotation from Hasan Ceylan, the Bitlis representative of the Human Rights Association (IHD), which drew a connection between Korkmaz Tagma, a senior army commander and the killings in the south-eastern region.

Tagma later filed the suit that led to Asam's one-year sentence.

Meanwhile, Menderes Oner, the license holder of the Kurdish language daily Azadiya Welat, was taken into custody by law enforcement officials yesterday. Oner was detained while he was visiting an acquaintance in prison and sent to court to testify, according to reports.

Azadiya Welat has been under the government's watch since it first began to be published in 2006. Forcibly shut down nine times, 13 of its journalists are currently behind bars, including four of its former chief editors.

[13] Data on Turkey's economy

Ankara Anatolia also reported on a Turkey's budget performances in November and between January and November 2011 that were announced yesterday by the Turkish Finance Ministry. According to them, budget expenditures were around 26.8 billion TL (14.2 billion USD) and budget revenues were around 29.032 billion TL (15.4 billion USD) in November. Thus, Turkey posted a budget surplus of 2.1 billion TL (1.1 billion USD).

In the first 11 months of 2011, budget expenditures were 271.3 billion TL (143.9 billion USD), and revenues were 272.7 billion TL (144.6 billion USD), making the budget surplus 439 million TL (232.8 million USD).

[14] Survey findings show increase in votes for AKP, MHP

The survey, which polled some 3,000 people, also indicated that the AKP's voter support had increased from 49.83 per cent on June 12 to 54.83 per cent in December, while the CHP suffered a serious setback, as its voter support fell from 25.98 per cent at the June polls to 19.52 per cent in December.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), currently the third largest party in the Turkish Parliament, also managed to boost its support from 13.01 per cent on June 12 to 16.13 per cent in December, according to the survey.

Evaluating the AKP government's overall performance, 50.4 per cent said they believed the government had been successful. By contrast, 27.6 percent said they did not find the government successful, while another 5.1 percent said they thought it had been partially successful.

Economic issues and the high cost of living together constitute Turkey's most pressing problems, according to 72.7 per cent of survey respondents, up from 67.5 per cent in September.

Unemployment was cited as a leading issue by 63.6 per cent of respondents, while another 60.4 per cent said "terror incidents" were a pressing matter. Both figures were down from 69.47 and 70.83 per cent in September, respectively.

The survey also reflected a decline in the citizenry's confidence in Turkey's economic outlook, as 53.6 per cent of the respondents said they expected the economy to worsen during the coming six months, up from 47.5 in September.

Another 18.2 per cent said they expected the economy to improve, while 18.1 per cent said it would remain the same as today, according to the poll.

Those figures are down from 26.17 per cent and 19.1 per cent in September, respectively. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EI

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