Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-11-06

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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] Turkish daily publishes Foreign Ministry's response on Turkey's threats towards the natural gas reserves

[02] Crisis in occupied Lefkosia municipality deepens

[03] AEL football club team to travel to Turkey tomorrow for the match with Fenerbahce

[04] Arinc urges hunger strikers to end strike; BDP threatens for massive participation; Arinc stated that the ban for the prisoners to defend in the their mother tongue will soon be lifted

[05] Arinc stated that bringing death penalty back, is not included on Turkey's agenda

[06] Fitch raises Turkey to investment grade

[07] Turkey's Ministry of Justice refutes CPJ's report on imprisoned journalists

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Turkish daily publishes Foreign Ministry's response on Turkey's threats towards the natural gas reserves

In response, Greek Cyprus accused Turkey of trying to stir up tensions after warning multinationals not to participate in the island's projects.

Last week, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z warned Eni, one of the four international companies that Greek Cyprus had declared it would start talks with, that Turkey would review that firm's domestic investment if it went ahead with the Greek Cypriot project.

'Turkey is once again showing its true face,' Greek Cyprus' Foreign Ministry said. 'It is a record burdened with violations of international law both as regards its international and national mode of behavior,' Reuters quoted it as saying.

'The Republic of Cyprus will continue in its hydrocarbons policy decisively and without any distraction.'

Turkey says the gas project ignores the equal rights Turkish Cypriots have over natural resources.

Subtitle: Turkish reaction

'Those companies cooperating with GCA [Greek Cypriot Administration] will not be allowed to take part in new energy projects in Turkey,' the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement November 3.

Greek Cyprus said on October 30 it would start talks with multinationals including Italy's ENI, South Korea's Kogas, France's Total and Russia's Novatek for the potential development of natural gas fields to the island's south.

Last year, Greek Cyprus reported its first gas find with Noble of a mean 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas south of a sea area bordering Israel.

One reason for Greek Cyprus' interest in developing gas reserves is the state of its economy after the cash-strapped nation was forced to seek an international bailout. Greek Cyprus, which now holds the rotating EU chair, says it is within its sovereign right to explore, while Turkey is waiting for a boost in its EU membership process in January 2013, when the Greek Cyprus' term chair ends".

[02] Crisis in occupied Lefkosia municipality deepens

The paper writes that representatives of the Trade Union of the workers of "Lefkosia municipality" (BES), filed a formal complaint to the self-styled policy yesterday on grounds that they are subject to forced labor. BES is complaining about a decision of the "council of ministers" to suspend the strike for 60 days and the demand the workers to return to their work and the collection of garbage, despite the fact that they have not been given their salaries for some time now. The workers protested yesterday in front of the building of the "Lefkosia municipality" and expressed their determination to continue their strike.

In support of BES demands, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the "Turkish Cypriot Public Service Workers " (KTAMS) organized yesterday separately protests in which they called on the "government" of the National Unity Party "UBP" and "Lefkosia mayor" and UBP member Kemal Bulutoglulari to resign.

During yesterday's protest, seven members of the "municipality council" of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and two members of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) handed officially their resignation.

Havadis also reports that following these developments, self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuk called on a meeting and have a talk with UBP members of the "municipality council" and Bulutoglulari in which the latter's resignation was put into discussion. After the meeting Kucuk stated that the "mayor" will not issue his resignation and denied that such an issue was even discussed. The paper writes that Bulutoglulari's resignation will have a bad inflection to UBP.

Meanwhile, illegal Bayrak television (06.11.12) broadcast that speaking to Bayrak, Bulutoglulari stated that he had no intention of stepping down before his term ended. Upon being asked what will happen now that some of the opposition municipal assembly members have resigned, he said: "Their resignations will come into effect and if their respective parties do not send representatives to the meetings, the assembly can still convene without them".

In addition, Bayrak also broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu issued a written statement regarding the situation and said that he is following closely following the developments. "I expect the problems to be solved as quickly as possible. The situation is not only harming the public's health but the society and the economy as well", he stated.

[03] AEL football club team to travel to Turkey tomorrow for the match with Fenerbahce

Meanwhile, as the paper writes, the president of AEL, Andreas Sofokleous, is already in Istanbul in order to have meetings as regards the security measures which are to be taken for the match.

Also, the paper adds that during the match which took place in the Republic of Cyprus, the president of AEL has conveyed to the president of Fenerbahce their request to have a tour during their stay in Turkey, to Agia Sofia, to Bosporus and to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and writes that Yildirim's reply was positive, since he was pleased with Sofokleous' hospitality during their stay in Cyprus.

(AK)

[04] Arinc urges hunger strikers to end strike; BDP threatens for massive participation; Arinc stated that the ban for the prisoners to defend in the their mother tongue will soon be lifted

BDP deputy Sabahat Tuncel said on Sunday that 10,000 more prisoners currently held in the country's prisons for various crimes, including membership in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Iranian offshoot, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK), would join the hunger strike on Monday.

Around 700 prisoners are currently on a hunger strike. Besides improvements in the prison conditions of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the PKK who is currently in prison on Imrali Island, the strikers are also demanding the right to receive an education in their mother tongue, Kurdish, and the right to address courts in Kurdish.

Tuncel said on Sunday during a press conference the following: "We are calling [on the government] to bring an end to oppression. Who can approve of the isolation [in prison] of the leader of a people? Who can defend barriers to the right to defend oneself and receive an education in the mother tongue?" Tuncel asked, adding that the BDP would continue to stand by the prisoners on the hunger strike. "The BDP supports the Kurdish people, the fraternity of peoples and freedoms. We [BDP deputies] are in Parliament for our people."

The response to Tuncel's challenge came from Ar?nc on Monday who said that Turkey was expecting hunger strikers to end their protest. "Please end the hunger strike. Turkey is expecting you to end the strike. You have wives, families and people who love you. The government will do what is necessary in response to your demands forwarded to our government. Turkey has a Parliament to evaluate all rightful demands," the Deputy Prime Minister stated, addressing the prisoners.

(?) Meanwhile, Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.11.12) reported that Bulent Arinc, speaking after the Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, said that the right to make defense by using mother tongue would be added to the laws. Arinc commented on the recent hunger strike of prisoners who are asking to have the right to defend in mother tongue, and said that going on a hunger strike for such reason was illogical, illegal and did not have any conscience basis.

Noting that defense in mother tongue was taking place in Justice & Development (AK) Party's political vision, Arinc said that the ban on defense in mother tongue would be lifted.

"The right to make defense by using mother tongue will soon be added to the article 202 of law on criminal procedures", he said.

[05] Arinc stated that bringing death penalty back, is not included on Turkey's agenda

"Our Prime Minister's remarks show that there's an expectation among the public to put the death penalty back [in our laws]. But [reintroducing the death penalty] is not our government's decision, nor our Parliament's, nor our parliamentary group's decision," Ar?nc said while answering questions in Ankara yesterday.

Ar?nc said the people's demand for the death penalty to be brought back came in response to the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) alleged targeting of innocent victims and a poll conducted by the Great Unity Party (BBP), which supports the death penalty.

"However, this is not an issue our government or our Parliament wants to introduce today. As you remember, 10 years have passed since the death penalty was abolished. The only justifiable reason to say 'We need this law again' is the escalation in terror and bloodshed of innocent people. I think this expectation will be met in another way," Ar?nc said.

(?)

[06] Fitch raises Turkey to investment grade

Fitch said Turkey's sovereign creditworthiness had become more resilient to shocks and that the upgrade reflected "a combination of an easing in near-term macro-financial risks as the economy heads for a soft landing," as well as "a moderate and declining government debt burden, a sound banking system, favorable medium-term growth prospects and a relatively wealthy and diverse economy."

"Fitch believes that the Turkish economy is on track to return to a sustainable growth rate, having narrowed the current account deficit and lowered inflation after overheating in 2011," it said.

Fitch estimated that Turkey's economy would grow 3% in 2012, 3.8% in 3.8 and 4.5% in 2014.

The agency said "the country's strong sovereign, bank and household balance sheets, and economic and exchange rate flexibility provide important buffers against shocks spreading into a wider financial crisis."

[07] Turkey's Ministry of Justice refutes CPJ's report on imprisoned journalists

The CPJ report issued on October 22 said that 76 journalists were in prison in Turkey, and said this was in large part down to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. "The Turkish government is engaging in a broad offensive to silence critical journalists through imprisonment, legal prosecution and official intimidation," the report said.

The Ministry statement did not directly refer to the names of arrested journalists such as Ergenekon case defendants Mustafa Balbay and Tuncay Ozkan, whose trials are ongoing.

In response to the accusation that "Over 100 journalists are deprived of their freedom as a result of their professional activities," made during the preparatory stage of the CPJ report, the Ministry asked for a further assessment of this list to be made and for the outcome to be reported to them.

However, the CPJ did not reply to their request, according to the Ministry's statement. "There is a deep gap between the CPJ's 2011 and 2012 reports. In 2011, the committee said there were only eight people on trial because of their journalistic activities, whereas in its 2012 report a list of 76 people was issued. Most of the names cited in the 2012 report, were also on trial or in prison last year. It is worth asking what criteria the CPJ used to categorize these people as journalists in 2012, the same people it did not categorize as journalists in 2011," the Ministry said. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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