Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-05-07

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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

[01] Eroglu: "Ignoring the TRNC will take us nowhere"

[02] Kucuk alleged that the international community isolated the occupied area of Cyprus

[03] Ertug reacted against the initiative of cleaning Greek Orthodox Churches in the occupied area of Cyprus organized by British parliamentarians

[04] Article in Turkish daily writes that the occupation regime speeding up its efforts for its recognition, mainly through OIC

[05] The Turkish Cypriot chamber of commerce sends letters to the EU member countries asking "direct trade"

[06] The schedule public auction for the selling of British families' houses in occupied areas has been postponed

[07] How the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot press cover the election results in Greece and France

[08] Erdogan comments on French election result; He expressed hopes that Turkey-France relations will be better

[09] Figures on the credit cards payments of the Turkish Cypriots in the free areas of the Republic and of the Greek Cypriots in occupied Cyprus

[10] The water which Turkey will carry to the occupied area of Cyprus in 2014 will reportedly cost 38 cent per ton

[11] Turkey opened 27 new embassies in the last decade, 19 of them in African countries

[12] Mavi Marmara incident did not have an impact on Turkey-Israel economic relations

[13] "Turkey capable of building own navy"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: "Ignoring the TRNC will take us nowhere"

Receiving a delegation from the "Union of Journalists and Writers" on Friday, Eroglu claimed that maintaining the talks open-ended has allowed the Greek Cypriot side to enjoy "unilateral international gains", while the Turkish Cypriots on the other hand had allegedly been subjected to "unjust isolations".

"We are currently far away from reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem. We are face to face with a mentality which rejects the idea of co-existence with the Cyprus Turks under equal conditions", Eroglu alleged.

The Union President Ahmet Otuken expressed the Union's full support to Eroglu in the Cyprus solution process.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (07.05.12) reports that addressing the general assembly of the Turkish Cypriot "civil servants" trade union (KAMU-SEN), Eroglu said he does not negotiate for an agreement, which will put the Turkish Cypriot "people" under the "yoke" of the Greek Cypriots and lead these "people" to poverty. He alleged that continuing open-ended negotiations like President Christofias wants will be tantamount to "beating the air". He argued that he carries out the negotiations in the light of realities and not by daydreaming. He added that it should not be forgotten that the Greek Cypriot side wants the continuation of the Republic of Cyprus.

Eroglu alleged that he continued the negotiations from the point at which former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat had left them, adding that no chapter had been closed during Talat's period and "no chapter had been accepted by the Greek Cypriot side".

Eroglu said that in the "elections", the "people" gave him the message not to make an agreement which will ignore the current realties and lead the Turkish Cypriots back to the period that followed year 1963.

Erolgu alleged that the UN Secretary-General cannot accuse him in his report because he knows very well what he had done. Eroglu claimed that it is impossible to solve the Cyprus problem by giving whatever the Greek Cypriots want and argued that the problem cannot be settled by giving land away.

Eroglu claimed that at the point where the negotiations would be interrupted, he had sent another letter to the UN Secretary-General proposing a five-lateral conference with the participation of the three guarantor powers. He recalled that Ban Ki-moon did not invite such a conference because there was not adequate progress in the talks.

Referring to the issue of the "cross-voting", Eroglu said that this issue had been brought to the table by Talat, within a package of proposals on 4 January [2010]. He alleged that the Greek Cypriots have brought again onto the agenda the cross voting in order to abolish the issue of the rotating presidency.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Kucuk alleged that the international community isolated the occupied area of Cyprus

"On every occasion, we are expressing the injustice of the international isolations which should be lifted", Kucuk alleged.

He also said that "international Taekwondo competitions" will be held in the breakaway regime in 2013, and alleged that these kinds of events are very important for the occupation regime.

In addition, Illegal Bayrak television (05.04.12) broadcast that the self-styled prime minister stated that the economic relief of the breakaway regime came as a result of the "government's" austerity measures and of strong bilateral relations with motherland Turkey.

He said that the ongoing projects, which envisage the transfer of water and electricity from Turkey to the breakaway regime, were proof of the good relations that existed with Turkey

On the Cyprus problem, Kucuk alleged the following: "The Cyprus problem is proceeding under difficult conditions. We can't just sit and wait at a time the Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofias maintains his stance. The Turkish Cypriot side is taking necessary initiatives on issues such as oil exploration and drilling", he stated.

[03] Ertug reacted against the initiative of cleaning Greek Orthodox Churches in the occupied area of Cyprus organized by British parliamentarians

The initiative was introduced by a group of British parliamentarians and volunteers, headed by the British deputy David Burrowes and is expected to take place within this month.

Commenting on the issue, Ertug made the following allegations: "The Turkish Cypriot side is very much disturbed to see British Parliamentarians acting jointly with the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church- which is good at exploiting religion as a tool for politics".

Ertug who claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side is very much sensitive on the issue of religious sites, alleged that the churches and cemeteries being talked about "are already being cleaned up by officials working under the TRNC Ministry of Interior Affairs".

"Such acts only serve to hamper bi-communal relations and peaceful efforts in Cyprus. Most of the problems on the island derive from the mutual distrust which deepens with the politicization of religion. We expect the guarantor power Britain's parliamentarians to avoid acts which can encourage further mistrust between the two sides in Cyprus", Ertug alleged.

[04] Article in Turkish daily writes that the occupation regime speeding up its efforts for its recognition, mainly through OIC

"The lack of progress in the latest round of UN-sponsored talks on the unification of the divided island of Cyprus has prompted the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) to speed up its efforts to gain recognition by other countries through bilateral ties while increasing its visibility at global and regional organizations.

The strongest indication yet of this intense lobbying endeavour, is the increased traffic between the KKTC and the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the largest intergovernmental organization after the UN. The OIC recently welcomed a request by the KKTC to open a permanent OIC representative office at the organization's headquarters in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu even gave the red carpet treatment to KKTC President Dervis Eroglu when he visited OIC headquarters in early April for the first time. Ihsanoglu said his organization would give priority to ending the unfair isolation imposed on the KKTC and pledged solidarity with the republic at the political, economic, social and cultural levels. The KKTC has held observer status at the OIC since 1969, but this is the first time it has requested a representative office. The KKTC already has representatives in many OIC member countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Azerbaijan, with more to open.

Days after Eroglu's visit to Jiddah, the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Islamic Development Bank organized a high-profile trip to attend the Northern Cyprus Investment Forum on April 12 with over 150 businessmen from Islamic countries to promote investment opportunities there. Eroglu, the first KKTC president to be hosted by the Saudis and the OIC, expressed to the media after the meeting, that 'seeing the interest and support of the OIC, the Islamic Development Bank and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was very satisfying.'

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, whose portfolio includes the KKTC, spoke to Sunday's Zaman last week and pointed to recent developments that showcase the increasing international visibility of the KKTC. He added that the Turkish government is highly supportive of OIC efforts to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot side.

Moreover, the KKTC's close cooperation with Turkey at an economic level, has helped Turkish Cypriots escape the economic and diplomatic isolation currently imposed on them. The Turkish government continues to financially assist the northern half of the island. Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek recently announced that the Turkish government has paid financial assistance in the amount of TL 5.2 billion (approximately $2.9 billion) to the KKTC from its treasury budget between the years 2004 and 2011.

The economy of the KKTC has also shown quite an improvement in recent years, unlike that of the Greek Cypriots, who are nearly bankrupt. The northern economy is also benefiting from the appeal of education offered by the KKTC, making the north a much sought-after destination for Turks and students from other countries. Education is the second biggest source of income for the country after the service industry, with 47,000 students at seven internationally accredited universities.

Turkish Cypriot officials say that the Turkish north is booming with 6 percent GDP growth thanks to the robust economy of Turkey, its main trading partner and financial backer. The north recorded its best year in terms of tourism revenues since 1974. Though the north cannot receive international flights directly because of its isolation, it nevertheless manages charter flights via Turkey from other countries. [?]

Attempts by Greek Cyprus to isolate the KKTC have 'not yielded results and Turkish Cyprus's economic relations are flourishing with its neighbours in terms of tourism and the economy,' Atalay said.

He added that a recent water pipeline project will strengthen the position of Turkish Cypriots. The Life Water project, which will enable the transportation of 75 million cubic meters of water from Turkey to the KKTC annually, will change the dynamics on the island in favour of the Turkish Cypriots. Water will be transported to Gecitkoy via an underwater pipeline. Upon completion, it will be the first water supply in the world to be delivered by an offshore pipeline. The $450 million intergovernmental framework agreement for the Life Water project was signed in July 2010 between Turkey and the KKTC.

Turkish Cypriots are frustrated with the EU for failing to lift the economic isolation on them that is supported by the Greek Cypriots. Even though the EU committed itself to ending the isolation of the KKTC after the KKTC voted in favour of a UN plan to reunite the island on April 26, 2004, the EU failed to make this happen. On the other hand, Greek Cyprus was admitted into the EU on May 1, 2004, as the sole representative of the entire island after it overwhelmingly rejected the UN plan and has so far blocked all efforts by EU members to trade directly with the KKTC. [?]

There has been increasing chatter regarding plan B, or the fallback position for the Turkish Cypriots if the negotiations do not go anywhere. 'The isolation of the Turkish Cypriot side has been in place since the 1960s despite their having never been an international decision to impose an embargo on the Turkish side. We have since continued our struggle against the policies of isolation and the embargo. We want to seek a solution to the Cyprus problem with comprehensive negotiations,' Eroglu told Sunday's Zaman in an interview last November. 'But if that [the negotiations] fails, we will have to seek alternatives. For that, we have to be strong economically,' he told a group of Turkish reporters at his residence last week [?]."

[05] The Turkish Cypriot chamber of commerce sends letters to the EU member countries asking "direct trade"

Cerkez has sent a letter to EU term president Denmark's Ambassador to Lefkosia, Kirsten Rosenvold Geelan explaining why they will not celebrate Europe's Day this year. The same letter was also distributed to the Ambassadors of all EU member countries to Lefkosia, the President of the European Parliament (EP), Martin Schultz and the Commissioner Responsible for the Enlargement of the EU, Stefan Fule.

In his letter, Cerkez noted that they were celebrating 9 May Europe's Day every year since 2004 having the vision of a just, comprehensive and lasting solution in Cyprus and accession to the EU after this solution. He said they have been waiting for eight years for the EU to keep its promises, that the "Direct Trade Regulation", which is of vital importance for the Turkish Cypriots, is still pending at the EP, that the High Level Contact Group, which had been established in order to be the "voice of the Turkish Cypriots", has failed, and the representative of the Group, who was appointed recently allegedly caused disappointment with the statement he made when he came to the island that "direct trade will start after a solution" to the Cyprus problem is found.

(I/Ts.)

[06] The schedule public auction for the selling of British families' houses in occupied areas has been postponed

According to the paper, as a result of the efforts exerted by the group of British who applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) due to the problem they experienced, and also as a result of the internet network they established asking for the support of the world, the demands of the British were met for the time being.

Speaking on the issue on behalf of the group of British who call themselves "victims", Pauline Read and Pembe Ibrahim, said, inter alia, that with the social media network they established on Facebook, they achieved the postponement of the public auction for a while, gaining with this some more time, as they said.

Read and Ibrahim, pointed out also that they will take a legal action to protect their rights.

(AK)

[07] How the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot press cover the election results in Greece and France

Kibris: "Winds of change in Europe". Above the title it reports that "Sarkozy lost in France, and extremist right-wing 'Golden Dawn' exceeded the threshold in Greece and entered into the parliament".

Afrika: "Sarkozy took a tumble, The socialists won in France" and "Elections in Greece, Racists in the parliament".

Havadis: "France: Sarkozy lost" and "Greece: Seven parties in the parliament".

Haberdar: "Sarkozy era ended" and "Greece said 'coalition'".

Today's Turkish dailies give an extensive coverage to the elections which took place yesterday in France and in Greece. The papers give emphasis to the victory of Socialist Francois Hollande who defeated the conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. The papers present Hollande as the leader who will turn over the Economic crisis in Europe.

On the elections in Greece, the Turkish press gives a small coverage on the elections particularly in their inside pages.

Following are some of the titles of the Turkish papers:

Hurriyet: "Europe's victory... New France"

Sabah: "Reforms in Paris, chaos in Athens". The paper writes that Socialist Hollande will move out to Champs Elysee after 24 years, while, about Greece, it writes, that New Democracy and PASOK collapsed, pointing out that the extremist party of Neo-Nazi, the Golden Dawn, succeeded entering to the Parliament.

Milliyet (online version): "Left wind in Europe".

Cumhuriyet (online version): "The Greek people punished the main parties"

Zaman (online version): "The general elections in Greece brought uncertainty".

"Hollande, the new president in France"

Aksam: "The five year Sarkozy period in France come to the end?Ciao Sarko?"

(AK)

[08] Erdogan comments on French election result; He expressed hopes that Turkey-France relations will be better

Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Nicolas Sarzoky had promised to quit politics if he lost the election, and noted that Sarkozy would most probably be on holiday from now on.

Speaking in a press conference in the south-eastern province of Gaziantep before he left for Slovenia, Erdogan said: "Turkey-France relations should be better, based on peace, solidarity and sensitivity in this new era in France."

Erdogan said if populist messages in election campaigns were reflected on implementations of the new administration in France, it would have a negative impact on Turkey-France relations. "I hope that they would just remain as remarks made at squares," he said.

Socialist candidate Francois Hollande won the second round of the French Presidential election by gaining 52 %of the votes. Sarkozy's votes stayed at 48 %.

57-year-old Hollande began his political career as the adviser to Francois Mitterrand, who served as the President of France between 1981 and 1995.

Hollande, who supported the law criminalizing denial of Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915, has given the message that he does no more welcome Turkey's European Union membership, saying that negotiations have prolonged for so long.

The French Constitutional Council has rejected the law criminalizing denial of Armenian allegations.

In addition, Haber Turk on line newspaper (06.05.12), reports that when asked on the result of the Greek Elections, Erdogan stated that they are "very strange" and added: "It seems that no party will be able to establish a government".

[09] Figures on the credit cards payments of the Turkish Cypriots in the free areas of the Republic and of the Greek Cypriots in occupied Cyprus

According to the paper, Turkish Cypriots are appeared to be more generous, since during 2009 they paid with credit cards in the free areas of the Republic the amount of 17 million 350 thousand 514 Euro. Also, in 2010, they paid 18 million 564 thousand, 663 Euro, in 2011, 17 million 140 thousand 68 Euro and in the first three months of 2012, 3 million, 927 thousand 392 Euro.

Particularly, the Turkish Cypriots spend more money in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus to buy furniture. According to the paper, during 2009, the spend 2 million 600 thousand 126 Euro, in 2010, they spend 2 million 808 thousand 357 Euro and in 2011, 2 million 407 thousand 601 Euro. On the same sector, Greek Cypriots spend during 2009, 102 thousand 186 Euro, in 2010, 261 thousand 858 Euro, and in 2011, 213 thousand, 630 Euro.

On the other hand, according to the figures given by the paper, Greek Cypriots are appeared to spend less than the Turkish Cypriots.

Particularly, the Greek Cypriots paid with credit cards in occupied Cyprus during 2009, the amount of 9 million 148 thousand 885 Euro, in 2010 the amount of 10 million 648 thousand 507 Euro, in 2011, the amount of 10 million 5 thousand 31 Euro and during the first three months of 2012, the amount of 1 million 997 thousand 471.

The paper adds that Turkish Cypriots prefer to visit the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus in order to do their shopping in the Greek Cypriot supermarkets. Particularly, Turkish Cypriots spend 4 million 149 thousand 140 Euro during 2010, 3 million 635 thousand 897 Euro in 2011, and 880 thousand 839 Euro during the first three months of 2012. On the other hands, the Greek Cypriots spend in occupied Cyprus' supermarkets during 2010, 265 thousand 84 Euro, in 2011, 272 thousand 467 Euro, and during the first three months of 2012, 56 thousand 574 Euro.

(AK)

[10] The water which Turkey will carry to the occupied area of Cyprus in 2014 will reportedly cost 38 cent per ton

In exclusive statements to Kibris, Gokcekkus noted that the water, which is expected to come to the occupied area of Cyprus on 7 March 2014, will be sold for 38 cents per ton.

According to Gokcekus, the most of the water which will be used in agriculture in the occupied area of Cyprus will be given to occupied Morfou area due to the fact that more than 70% of breakaway regime's agriculture, 80% of the citrus fruit gardens and 50% of the land of first and second class quality, is located in this area.

(I/Ts.)

[11] Turkey opened 27 new embassies in the last decade, 19 of them in African countries

According to Foreign Ministry figures, Turkey opened 27 new embassies in the last decade, 19 of them are in African countries.

These embassies are in Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Uganda, Angola, Madagascar, Zambia, Mozambique, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Gambia, Niger, South Sudan, Namibia, Gabon, and Burkina Faso.

Turkey's exports to Africa were up by seven-folds between 2001 and 2011 to 10.3 billion USD from 1.5 billion USD.

Moreover, Turkey established business councils with Angola, Ghana and Uganda in the mentioned period.

[12] Mavi Marmara incident did not have an impact on Turkey-Israel economic relations

Turkey's top officials declared, following the attack, that Israel would suffer the consequences, describing the incident as "state terror." Yet although Turkey has taken political measures against Israel, including downgrading diplomatic relations to the level of second secretary, boycotting Israel's national day reception held by its embassy in Ankara and suspending all military agreements, it has so far not taken any concrete economic measures as part of this response.

In fact, on the trade front, business continues as usual. Last year mutual trade significantly increased. In 2011, imports from Israel reached an all-time high with $2 billion; the figure was only $1.360 billion the previous year, while the exports amounted to $2.4 billion, up from $2 billion in 2010, the year in which the Mavi Marmara, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, was raided on May 31.

In the first three months of 2012, mutual trade kept up the pace of the previous year at $1 billion, but with a significant rise compared to the same period in 2011, when the figure was $770 million.

The only area of Turkish-Israeli relations badly affected, besides military cooperation, seems to be tourism. Last year the number of Israeli tourists visiting Turkey was around 80,000, a decrease of nearly 30 percent compared to 2010. But Israeli officials have recently announced they have downgraded the warning against travel to Turkey, which might serve to increase the number of Israeli tourists.

[13] "Turkey capable of building own navy"

"Turkey has the capacity to produce 70 to 80% of all of its own naval needs and parts, expect for submarines, says a senior procurement official

Turkey's shipbuilding industry has come to a level where it can produce all of its navy needs or parts ? with the exception of submarines and engines ? one senior procurement official said at the weekend.

'Among our armed forces, probably the most developed is the navy,' the official said. 'We can produce 70 or 80% of all [naval] needs. The sole exception is submarines, and we are moving with concrete steps on that,' the procurement official added.

The largest boats in Turkey's surface fleet are the frigates, and Turkey is nearing their manufacture. It has produced two corvettes, the only ship in the warship category smaller than that. It has put to sea the TCG Heybeliada, one of them, in 2008 and last year the ship was accepted by the navy.

It also completed production of the second corvette, the TCG Buyukada. This year Turkey should select a private shipping contractor to build six corvettes. It also has to decide this year whether the Milgem corvette project will end at eight or 12, meaning the total price for the whole program will reach $2 billion or $3 billion.

Then around 2020, the country will launch what is today known as TF2000, or the Turkish frigate program. Both Britain and the United States are competing for that program with their own frigate systems.

Turkey presently can also produce a New Type Patrol Boat, Coast Guard Research and Rescue Boat and Tank Landing Ships, the procurement official said.

'We can also export the smaller ships we produce to friendly and allied countries,' he said. Islamic countries are particularly interested in those, he said.

'As part of our engine development plans, we are also developing our own engines,' said the procurement official.

Separately, a 2 billion-euro submarine deal between SSM and Germany's HDW shipyards for joint manufacture of six modern U-214 diesel platforms for the Turkish Navy, formally took effect in July 2010.

'This will be the last submarine we will be building with someone else,' the procurement official said.

In a less orthodox project, Ankara has plans to a buy a landing platform dock (LPD) a vessel that looks like a helicopter carrier and can transport up to a battalion-sized unit (more than 1,000 troops) long distances.

Turkey plans to use this ship for NATO-related missions to carry troops or refugees.

According to the size and capabilities, the Turkish LPD will cost between $500 million and $1 billion.

Presently, the Turkish Navy includes nearly 49,000 personnel and has 75 aircraft, 17 frigates, seven corvettes, 14 submarines and 27 fast missile boats." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EI

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