Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-08-06

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

[01] Eroglu: no one of the candidates for the 2013 presidential elections has the will to solve the Cyprus problem

[02] Nearly three thousand young persons have been given rural area plot in two years by the occupation regime

[03] Turkey appoints new commanders of the Turkish occupation army and the so- called security forces in Cyprus

[04] TDP: The Cypriot EU presidency should be used in a manner that will facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem

[05] Twenty thousand Alexandretta origin workers have reportedly returned to Turkey

[06] Statements by the Ecumenical Patriarch to Haberdar

[07] Well known member of Turkish CHP bought a television channel in the breakaway regime

[08] Clinton to hold Syria talks in Turkey on August 11

[09] "Heaviest Fighting in Turkey in years' reported; 130 KGK fighters said killed"

[10] Turkish Supreme Military Council Retires 40 Generals Arrested in Coup Cases

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: no one of the candidates for the 2013 presidential elections has the will to solve the Cyprus problem

"To tell you the truth I would like to say that the leaders who will come in the future will have the will for an agreement, but I cannot see this reality in the statements they make from now. Therefore, our primary duty is first to preserve our unity and solidarity and strengthen the foundations of our state by respecting each other's rights."

Eroglu added that the more unite they are, the stronger he will be at the negotiating table. He noted that the political parties will of course have different views, but when these parties are in conflict in their national causes, they will be weaker.

Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot "people" have assigned him various duties from time to time and added that the most important of these duties is the last one, the post of the "president". He argued that the Turkish Cypriots gave him this duty telling him to "settle the Cyprus problem the one way or the other". According to Eroglu, this means that if no result is taken at the Cyprus talks, they should defend their "state" all together.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Nearly three thousand young persons have been given rural area plot in two years by the occupation regime

Self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuk and self-styled minister of interior and local administrations Nazim Cavusoglu also attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony Kucuk said that the project is among the projects which the occupation regime is carrying out for two years. He also said that nearly 3 thousand youngsters have been given rural area plot in two years.

[03] Turkey appoints new commanders of the Turkish occupation army and the so-called security forces in Cyprus

Meanwhile, referring to the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (06.08.12) reports that two major generals, who were serving in the occupied area of Cyprus until the recent appointments, Mehmet Daysal (commander of the "security forces") and Omer Pac (commander of the 39th mechanized division), remained at the same rank in spite of the fact that they were expecting to be promoted.

Under the title "Mendi is now army commander", the paper writes that Galip Mendi, who had served in the past as head of the "civil defense organization" and the commander of the "security forces" in occupied Cyprus, was promoted from lieutenant general to full general and is appointed to the command of the 2nd army. The paper recalls that Mendi had been questioned by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the case of the assassination of journalist Kutlu Adali (in 1996).

Referring to the same issue in his daily column in Turkish Cypriot Afrika newspaper (05.08.12), journalist Sener Levent notes that the name of Galip Mendi was also involved in the raid into occupied Saint Varnavas monastery (in 1996 again), and now he is appointed at the Syrian front, one of the most critical points in Turkey.

(I/Ts.)

[04] TDP: The Cypriot EU presidency should be used in a manner that will facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem

In a written statement issued on Saturday, Ozyigit expressed the view that the Cypriot EU presidency should be used in a manner that will facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem. He claimed that the EU officials who will visit the island during this period should be given the opportunity to cross over to the occupied area of Cyprus and hold contacts and examinations there.

Ozyigit said that the occupied fenced city of Varosha should be returned to his real (Greek Cypriot) owners within the framework of the confidence building measures during this period when the negotiations are frozen. He also noted that the port of Famagusta and the illegal Tymvou airport should open for direct trade and flights within the same framework.

[05] Twenty thousand Alexandretta origin workers have reportedly returned to Turkey

Zaroglu stated that in the past around 30-40 thousand Alexandretta origin persons lived in the breakaway regime but, now around 25 thousand persons remained in the occupied area. Pointing out that the persons leaving are taking with them their families, he claimed that around 50 thousand persons left the occupation regime because of the economic situation; however he said that Turkish Cypriots are included in this number as well.

[06] Statements by the Ecumenical Patriarch to Haberdar

Patriarch Bartholomeos reportedly expressed his appreciation for the moves made by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) towards the Ecumenical Patriarchate and said that "pleasing developments are happening in Turkey". He also sent his compliments to the Muslims for the month of Ramadan.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Well known member of Turkish CHP bought a television channel in the breakaway regime

The paper, citing information, writes that the CHP member, who is active in politics, has also bought a daily newspaper in Turkey recently. The paper also writes that he will visit the breakaway regime soon, in order to observe the building of the TV station.

[08] Clinton to hold Syria talks in Turkey on August 11

"Secretary Clinton goes to Istanbul for bilateral consultations with the Turkish government on Syria as well as to cover other timely issues," spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement sent to reporters during a visit by Clinton to the southern African nation of Malawi.

[09] "Heaviest fighting in Turkey in years' reported; 130 KGK fighters said killed"

"The Turkish interior minister announces the deaths of nearly 130 PKK [Kurdistan People's Congress, KGK] fighters and several soldiers amid the heaviest fighting in Turkey in years.

Turkish Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin broke the government's silence on the heaviest clashes to strike Turkey in years, announcing that 115 Kurdish militants had been killed in Hakkari and that six soldiers and two village guards had been killed in the eastern province's Cukurca district.

The eight members of the security forces were killed late Aug. 4 in a PKK attack on military outposts in Hakkari, he said, adding that 14 PKK members, including a female suicide bomber, died in the attack.

Sahin did not give any additional information about the Turkish casualities other than noting that two soldiers had been killed as part of the operations against PKK fighters, which started July 23.

"We know from the information we gathered, that they determined 2012 as a final year for [the PKK]. For this reason, they sometimes resort to activities which carry a risk of death; the organized attacks both in Semdinli and Hakkari Gecimli show that," Sahin said.

"We know from the information we gathered, that they determined 2012 as a final year for [the PKK]. For this reason, they sometimes resort to activities which carry a risk of death; the organized attacks both in Semdinli and Hakkari Gecimli show that," Sahin said. "But our security forces took necessary reinforcements in the region in terms of both equipment, arms, and personnel, by regarding the truths of the information and experience. And they had to bear the consequences of these attacks by suffering important losses."

Sahin's statement came after rising criticism from the opposition parties about the lack of information about the Semdinli clashes despite heavy propaganda activity by the PKK, which claimed to have taken the town under control. A parliamentary delegation of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had refuted the PKK claims during a visit to the town, but they had also complained that there were not being given satisfactory information.

The clashes have been some of the heaviest and bloodiest in years. The PKK has been waging an armed campaign for Kurdish autonomy for the last three decades against Turkey, leading to the deaths of more than 40,000 lives so far. Hours before the statements of Sahin, high-ranking Turkish officials had reacted to the situation.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a written message to offer his condolences to the Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel in the wake of the Hakkari attacks. "The PKK "once again" showed its enmity to Turkey's national and spiritual values by mounting a "dastardly" attack during the holy month of Ramadan," Erdogan said.

The Prime Minister also pointed at possible foreign actors directing the PKK's attacks when he said Turkey was "strong enough to bring into line both the murderers controlled by the PKK and enemy countries that hold the PKK's strings."

"The terrorist organization has embarked on a reckless plan in the holy month of Ramadan. Our security forces have begun fighting by taking precautionary measures to avoid giving any chances [to the PKK]," President Abdullah Gul wrote on his twitter account."

[10] Turkish Supreme Military Council Retires 40 Generals Arrested in Coup Cases

The Council's decision was announced on the official website of the Turkish General Staff.

The arrested generals were awaiting promotion but their promotions were put on hold in last year's council. The Council's statement said the one-year waiting period for the generals had expired and they had to be retired due to lack of open positions.

A total of 47 colonels were promoted to generals and admirals, while 29 current generals and admirals received promotions.

The command structure of the Turkish Armed Forces did not change this year as none of the force commanders completed their terms in office or reached retirement age.

[11] Islamic People's Party in Turkey decided to merge with ruling AKP

Kurtulmus stated that the AK Party offered a merger with the HAS Party during a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a month ago. Kurtulmus was asked if the HAS Party would be disbanded following the merger. Kurtulmus responded, "The HAS Party will decide this on its own."

Kurtulmus founded the HAS Party in late 2010 after resigning from the Felicity Party (SP) due to a long-standing intraparty rift. Erdogan's AK Party appeals to the same constituent base as the HAS Party and both emerged from the same predecessor of the SP, the Virtue Party (FP).

Clinton's planned talks in Istanbul on August 11 will form part of renewed international efforts to tackle the escalating crisis in Syria, where forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are fighting to put down a rebel uprising.

Prospects over the possibility of a negotiated solution have dimmed since United Nations peace envoy Kofi Annan resigned this week complaining of paralysis in the U.N. Security Council over the Syria peace efforts.

Nuland also announced that Clinton, whose current Africa tour will take her to South Africa later on Sunday, would also be visiting Nigeria, Ghana and Benin next week on her way to the Istanbul talks.

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