Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-01-23

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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] Efforts to transfer illegal Tymvou airport to an American company

[02] The regime destroys the environment in occupied Karpasia peninsula

[03] Ozgurgun tries to manipulate the attack against a mosque in Denia village

[04] Shameful report by the Freedom House describes the image of the occupation regime

[05] Second election round for the National Unity Party's leadership

[06] Talat said that Eroglu and Ankara's relations are in bad terms

[07] Akansoy comments on Atalay's recent statements on economy

[08] New nuclear plant deal on the Sinop pipeline for Turkey

[09] Bagis said Turkey was ready to open chapters 23 and 24

[10] Bahceli on the Kurdish peace progress: We will resist the process like grey wolves"

[11] The occupation regime to participate at the EMITT tourism fair in Istanbul

[12] Increase at the minimum wage in the occupied area of Cyprus; the gross minimum wage has reached to 1415 TL

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Efforts to transfer illegal Tymvou airport to an American company

Tanis reported that the Turks have learned "to play the game by the rules", that what he called as "oil crisis in Cyprus" has been forgotten and that the Turkish side "leads the issue safely" after its threats. According to Tanis, the Turks are looking for an American partner for the illegal airport in Tymvou, just like the Greek Cypriots had "called out" the American Noble Energy Company on the issue of the explorations for natural gas and oil, and "took the lead in the score by 1-0 in Washington".

Tanis noted that the political aspect of the issue has been solved. That is, if the [Turkish] firm which has won the tender persuades an American company that the investment in the illegal airport will be profitable, the American State Department will not oppose to this, just like they had said "we will not interfere" in the case of Noble Energy.

Tanis went on and said: "Afterwards I called Emrullah Turanli, the owner of Tas Yapi, which had undertaken the investment. Asking 'in what situation the discussions are'. He said: 'We are discussing with several firms. We are still working. They do not want us to reveal anything at the time being. As soon as it is concluded, we will announce it to everyone'. As far as I have understood, some advantages will be offered. Perhaps some slots from Istanbul. Perhaps some other investment opportunities. But it will happen. I do not know what the financial situation of Tas Yapi is and whether it has been a good choice. I just wanted to give the news that the political part of the issue has substantially been solved. The Noble way?"

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (23.01.13) comments on the issue in its "Letter from Afrika" column and writes that the plan for illegal Tymvou airport was this from the very beginning. The subcontractor Turkish firm has been "called out" so that it was not understood that the illegal airport was directly transferred to Americans. "The first part of the operation has been completed, the second phase has started", notes the paper.

(I/Ts.)

[02] The regime destroys the environment in occupied Karpasia peninsula

The Green Peace Movement reacted against this destruction and said that it should be stopped immediately. In a written statement issued yesterday, Dogan Sahir, chairman of the Green Peace Movement, said that more than ten bulldozers and excavators started to destroy the "National Park" and added that while they had stated that they would enlarge the road up to 5-6 meters, this field was increased to 20-30 meter-area.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ozgurgun tries to manipulate the attack against a mosque in Denia village

Ozgurgun alleged that the responsibility for this incident belongs to the Greek Cypriot leadership, which "encourages" these racist approaches by allegedly remaining silent to similar saddening incidents that happened until today.

He claimed that these attacks are an "inevitable reflection" on the Greek Cypriot community of what he described as "intransigent stance" of the Greek Cypriot leadership in the efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Ozgurgun called on the Greek Cypriot leadership to take the perpetrators of this incident to court and added that his "ministry" has undertaken the necessary initiatives on this issue before the officials of the UN Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus and asked to be urgently informed.

Ozgurgun claimed that such saddening incidents prove the lack of trust of the Turkish Cypriots against the Greek Cypriots to be right.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Shameful report by the Freedom House describes the image of the occupation regime

Commenting on the results of the report, the paper underlines that the report refers to the "north" part of Cyprus" and writes that it is included among the countries with the most violations of human rights.

Among the most important points of the report referring to the situation exist in the occupied area of Cyprus are the following:

"There is corruption, vote hunting and luck of transparency",

"The election of Eroglu at the 'presidency' means the continuation of the status-quo. With the election of Eroglu, the negotiations were interrupted...",

"No solution was found on the issue of the trafficking in women",

"There are impositions in religious education since there are relations with the Fethullah Gulen movement",

"The population of the Turkish Cypriots increases rapidly",

Despite of the fact the police used excessive force during the union protests in 2011 and made several arrests, the NGO's generally operate without restrictions... The workers should demand their rights by establishing independent unions),

"The rights of the detainees are violated",

"Census results released in 2007 showed that about half of the population in the north of Cyprus consisted of indigenous Turkish Cypriots,

"The Property Compensation Commission formed in the "north" of Cyprus in in 2006 has resolved hundreds of restitution claims by Greek Cypriots who have left their immovable property in the "north", though some Greek Cypriots find as 'inadequate' the compensation amounts".

(AK)

[05] Second election round for the National Unity Party's leadership

Kucuk was declared UBP chairman despite not winning the majority of votes. His revival Ahmet ?asif filed against Kucuk's election on the ground that this was against the regulation of the party.

Speaking after the "court's" ruling, Kasif stated that the "court" decision must be followed.

According to the decision, UBP's assembly must decide within seven days on the date and time the second election round must be conducted.

[06] Talat said that Eroglu and Ankara's relations are in bad terms

Talat, who made statements to a television program, said that "there is no government, the peoples is leaving a trauma".

Talat went on and said that the reason that Turkey supports this "government" is because it is against the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu who has no good relations with Ankara.

[07] Akansoy comments on Atalay's recent statements on economy

Referring to recent statements by Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, Responsible for Cyprus Affairs, Besir Atalay about the occupation regime's economy [Translator's note: see Turkish and Turkish Cypriot Media Review, 19 - 21/01/2013, item 3], Akansoy said that some evaluations do not reflect the reality. Akansoy said that nothing goes well in the "country" and added: "The economy is collapsing. It is said that the first economic package was successful, and in contrary, the poverty in the country increased. There are no investments. The private sector is not standing on its own feet. We cannot understand how they evaluate the things".

In his statements, CTP's general secretary, Asim Akansoy said that the three-year economic cooperation "protocol" signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime will not bring prosperity and happiness to the "people". He noted that it is the duty of the political parties to come out with alternative proposals in front of the community. He noted that as CTP they are aware of the fact that they could not continue living in the existing system and that they must create a new system in the political, "legal" and public sectors.

[08] New nuclear plant deal on the Sinop pipeline for Turkey

Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z told a panel discussion yesterday that they expected to make their decision by the end of January, unless extra time was needed to consider new offers.

"We see particularly that China, Japan and South Korea have approached our demands differently. I can say that the competition between them has accelerated," Y?ld?z said.

He said talks had been held with Japan for the second plant before the Fukushima accident, but the incident had caused the suspension of negotiations and had cost Turkey a year. He stressed that after an agreement is reached with a firm, the permission of land research for a third plant in order to compensate the previous time loss will be passed quickly.

Y?ld?z also took the opportunity to remind that Turkey's installed power in energy, had increased by 8.1 percent last year, as the country's economy grew by 3.2 percent. He said the nuclear power plant deal signed with Russia in 2010 to build the first power plant at Akkuyu in the southern Mersin province means Turkey that will not be dependent on Russia, which is a major natural gas supplier.

The nuclear power plants in Akkuyu and Sinop will generate electricity that could substitute Turkey's natural gas imports worth $7.2 billion, he said.

[09] Bagis said Turkey was ready to open chapters 23 and 24

Speaking to AA correspondent in Dublin, EU Minister said that they expected that the European Commission and the Council of Europe would take into consideration callings from the European Parliament for opening of 23rd and 24th chapters. Bagis said that his first visit in 2013 was to Sweden and the second one was to Ireland for the informal ministerial meeting of the EU.

"We saw that many countries support Turkey in opening of chapters," he said.

"I think that there is a consensus on opening of the chapter on regional policy, one of the chapters blocked by France," he added.

In addition, Turkish daily Today's Zaman newspaper (23.01.13) reports that Bagis said that "Ireland has maturity to carry EU term presidency".

"It has the experience, background and maturity to lead the EU", he said.

Bag?s was attending an informal ministerial meeting of the EU, held in Dublin on Tuesday.

"We held meetings that were important for assessing the future of the EU and discussing current issues. It was clear that the contributions of candidate countries were as important as member countries," said Bag?s.

Bag?s said that he was in Dublin to attend a meeting that Turkey had been looking forward to taking part in since its EU accession process started.

He added that Turkey hadn't attended EU meetings in the past six months as the country "did not recognize a Greek Cypriot EU term presidency".

[10] Bahceli on the Kurdish peace progress: We will resist the process like grey wolves"

Eras of destruction in Turkish history are trying to be repeated, he alleged, pointing the finger at the government and accusing other opposition parties as "collaborators."

Turkey is being "sold of step by step" and accounts that remained unrealized in the Treaty of Sevres are being realized by the government under the name of the "national unity and brotherhood project," Bahceli claimed.

Day by day, the government is replying to the demands of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), he claimed, citing legislation related to education in mother tongues, which is set to be discussed in Parliament this week. "Has the PKK become the interlocutor, equivalent to the Turkish state? Will they call it a 'solution' when Turkey is divided?" Bahceli asked.

[11] The occupation regime to participate at the EMITT tourism fair in Istanbul

As the paper writes, the fair will open on Thursday in Istanbul and will last 4 days. More than 4500 participants from 70 countries will participate, writes the paper.

The occupation regime will participate to the fair with its own stand of 100 meters squares. Also the so-called minister of tourism, environment and culture Unal Ustel will deliver a speech at the fair.

The paper underlines that the occupation regime will promote with its stand its "health tourism", eco-tourism, the coffee culture of the "country" and its cuisine.

More information about the fair can be found at the official website of EMITT.

(AK)

[12] Increase at the minimum wage in the occupied area of Cyprus; the gross minimum wage has reached to 1415 TL

According to the decision which was taken unanimously despite of the rejecting vote of the employers' wing, the net minimum was has been increased to 1231 TL from 1131 TL that it was, thus the increase is 100 TL.

The new minimum wages will come into force after it will be first be approved by the so-called council of ministers and published at the "official gazette" of the occupation regime.

In statements on the issue, the director of the "department of reserve fund" and chairman of the "committee for the determination of the minimum wage" Mehmet Metcooglu, has said that the new minimum wages will be valid as of January 1st, 2013.

(AK) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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