Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-03-07

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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

CONTENTS

[01] Kucuk describes the Greek Cypriot side as "wolf in sheep's clothing"

[02] British House of Lords on Turkey's EU accession and Cyprus; Comment by Bagis

[03] Eroglu met with Irish MEP Donaldson

[04] The halloumi and zivania were promoted at the occupation regime's stand in ITB Berlin Fair

[05] "Swine flu" suspicions in the occupied area of Cyprus were confirmed; official statement by the so-called ministry of health

[06] Davutoglu in London

[07] Jordan and Turkey seek boost in defense trade

[08] Arinc: "Greek Orthodox seminary should be reopened"

[09] Turkey appoints ambassador to "Palestinian state"

[10] Uludere report passes through parliamentary commission

[11] Turkish Deputy PM announces new legislation for jailed journalists

[12] The new "tax department" building will be inaugurated on the 20th of July

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Kucuk describes the Greek Cypriot side as "wolf in sheep's clothing"

In statements yesterday during a meeting with a delegation from TMT "fighters' association", Kucuk said that with the election of former President Christofias some people thought that there was hope for the Cyprus problem because he was leftist, but no progress has been achieved.

Kucuk claimed that the newly elected President Anastasiades, who is "known for saying 'yes' to the Annan Plan", "destroyed the hopes for peace" by stating one thing before the elections and another afterwards, and by allegedly showing that he was not much different from the other [Greek Cypriot] leaders.

Kucuk alleged that the solution of the Cyprus problem and not the accession of Cyprus in NATO should be on the agenda in the government-controlled area of the island. He recalled that all guarantor powers of the Republic of Cyprus are members of NATO and alleged that the Greek Cypriot side "is trying to give to the world a message being a wolf in sheep's clothing".

In his statements, the chairman of the above-mentioned association, Yilmaz Bora alleged that fifty years after what he called as "genocide", President Anastasiades makes a call saying "come on let us unite" as if nothing happened in Cyprus. Bora claimed that the current situation "offers the viable bi-zonal, two-state solution which the whole world is looking for".

(I/Ts.)

[02] British House of Lords on Turkey's EU accession and Cyprus; Comment by Bagis

The Committee presented their opinion on Turkey's EU accession process and Cyprus' EU membership in a report titled "The Future of EU Enlargement", published on March 6, 2013.

According to Anatolia news agency, the report said, inter alia, the following:

"In allowing Cyprus entry into the Union before the dispute over Northern Cyprus was resolved, the EU has imported a bilateral dispute into the Union, transforming it into a dispute between the EU and one of its candidate countries. This was a grave mistake, for which both the EU and Turkey bear some responsibility, and one that has had serious negative consequences for both Turkey and the EU [...] The EU has learned some painful lessons about the problems that such disputes can throw up. The entry of Cyprus into the EU in 2004 without reconciliation between its Greek and Turkish populations has led to an entrenched dispute, diminishing the EU's leverage in encouraging both sides to reach a settlement, and consequently interrupting Turkey's accession process [...]"

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Zaman newspaper (07.03.13) writes that the report drew attention to the "strategic importance" of accepting Turkey into the EU as regards the Middle East, noting that some officials said that living Western Balkans outside EU would be very risky.

Commenting on the report, Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis told Zaman that the content of the report becomes more important due to the publication of such a report in a country which had stated that it would submit its EU membership to a referendum. He expressed the hope that the "warnings" of the British Lords will reach the necessary destination.

Bagis argued that everybody have accepted Turkey's importance in the solution of the problems of the EU and that "it would be a more reasonable preference" for the 27-member Union to "adjust their sails to the wind of Turkey instead of resisting to this wind".

Complaining of the slow progress in Turkey's EU accession course, Bagis said that the "realities" mentioned in the reports of esteemed European state institutions and think tanks, should be reflected as progress on Turkey's accession course.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Eroglu met with Irish MEP Donaldson

Eroglu briefed Donaldson on the latest stage reached in the Cyprus talks as well as the Turkish Cypriot side's expectations for the process ahead.

Eroglu's undersecretary Hasan Gungor and his special representative and spokesman Osman Ertug were present at the meeting.

No statement was issued to the press before or after the meeting.

[04] The halloumi and zivania were promoted at the occupation regime's stand in ITB Berlin Fair

According to the paper, the occupation regime is represented at the fair by "representatives" of the "tourism sector" of the so-called ministry of tourism and culture.

The so-called minister of tourism, environment and culture Unal Ustel attended yesterday the inauguration ceremony of the fair and visited also the occupation regime's 169 meters square stand, together with Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc and Turkey's Minister of Tourism, Omer Celik.

So-called minister Ustel, informed the Turkish officials writes the paper about the "occupation regime's stand". They later held a meeting with the so-called minister Ustel and had a launch together, the paper writes.

Also, at the occupation regime's stand, products such as the traditional Cyprus halloumi cheese and zivania drink were promoted.

Also, leaflets written in English and in German languages entitled: "50 reasons why to visit the TRNC" were distributed to the visitors in order to promote the "TRNC" as a tourism destination, writes the paper.

(AK)

[05] "Swine flu" suspicions in the occupied area of Cyprus were confirmed; official statement by the so-called ministry of health

The paper continues adding that the samples which were sent to Turkey for further exams about Erureten' death, were positive.

The statement said also that it cannot be said that the current case of "swine flu" is related with the cases of epidemic experienced four years ago.

The statement underlines also that pregnant women, children under 5 years old, elder above 60 years old and people suffering from chroming diseases belongs to the group mostly under risk and indicates to be more careful.

The so-called ministry announced also that samples taken by four more persons and sent to Turkey for examination with suspicions on swine flu, were negative to the disease.

The "ministry" said also that it had already informed the "World Health Organization" on the case and had asked also for its cooperation.

(AK)

[06] Davutoglu in London

In a written statement released on Wednesday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that, while in London, Davutoglu will also meet his British counterpart William Hague.

Davutoglu will deliver a speech at the London School of Economics during his stay in London, the statement also said.

[07] Jordan and Turkey seek boost in defence trade

During their visit the two leaders were accompanied by high-ranking officials, including Turkish Defence Ministry Undersecretary Murad Bayar, Board Chairman of Turkish Aerospace Industries Yalcin Kaya and Director General of the defence company Muharrem Dortkasli.

Jordanian King, Turkish President examine military attack helicopters

Beside the attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter ATAK, Turkey's unmanned aerial vehicle systems ANKA and Turkish primary and basic training aircraft HURKUS were also displayed to the Jordanian leader.

With the nationally developed fresh arms systems, Turkey has been passionately seeking to increase its arms and defence industry systems abroad, especially in Middle Eastern countries who have so far responded with a high interest.

[08] Arinc: "Greek Orthodox seminary should be reopened"

He said new arrangements were made with the new Law on Foundations and the orphanage belonging to the Patriarchate in Buyukada (Princes' Islands), was returned to Patriarchate as well as other foundations and/or real estates belonging to minorities in Turkey and they were all glad about that.

Arinc said the Halki seminary could not be reopened due to political reasons; first was the unfriendly attitude of Greek administration to Muslim Turkish minorities in Western Thrace. He said Greek administration should take steps to relieve Turkey and Turkish minorities in Western Thrace but that should not mean that Turkey would not do anything before Greek administration takes steps. He said Greek Orthodox community was in need of clerics and it was a human right.

Arinc said they and the "minorities" in Turkey have the same rights adding that he was using the term "minority" as a legal term.

[09] Turkey appoints ambassador to "Palestinian state"

Turkey's consul-general in Ramallah, Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, will present credentials to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Hurriyet Daily News today.

Ankara's move parallels Turkey's support of Palestine's bid to join the United Nations as a non-member state, the official said.

Noting that Ankara recognized Palestine as a state many years ago, the official said that according to the latest upgrade, Torunlar will be appointed to the "Palestinian State."

Torunlar met with Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah and pledged to work to enhance cooperation between the two states.

[10] Uludere report passes through parliamentary commission

Five members of the sub-commission voted in favour of passing the report, while three rejected the report, which concludes that the incident happened due to a lack of coordination between military officials and civilians at the scene of the airstrike.

The 34 civilians in Uludere, a district of Sirnak, were killed after they were mistaken for terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The civilians were smuggling goods from northern Iraq as part of their livelihood. The incident led to outrage across the country.

Today's Zaman spoke to the head of the sub-commission, Ihsan Sener, who stated that the members of the commission read the 70-page document for a last time on Wednesday and voted on it. "Three members of the commission voted against the report. They have been allowed until next Tuesday [March 12] to finish writing down the reasons for their disagreement with certain parts of the report," Sener stated.

According to Sener, the content of the report will not be shared with the press yet. "We may discuss it with the upper commission next week and then it will be presented to the Parliament Speaker [for an overview]," he noted.

Speaking during a press conference held in Parliament, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Levent Gok, one of the members of the commission, said the report falls short of expectations as it fails to reveal the culprits responsible for the botched air strike.

Gok said the report only offers new precautions to boost border security but leaves the controversial points untouched and fails to elaborate over how the incident took place. He said none of the critical questions with regard to the incident were answered in the report.

"'Who reviewed the UAV camera footage?', 'Who decided that the people coming from the Iraqi side were terrorists?', 'What kind of intelligence led to that conclusion?' and 'Who gave the order to conduct the air strike?'," were among the questions that remained unanswered, Gok said.

He said the report neither defines the air strike as an accident nor does it suggest intentional wrongdoing.

The report suggests installing electronic devices (thermal cameras) and constructing a fence along the border to increase security measures in order to end smuggling and illegal entry into the country.

After the deadly airstrike, the military said the Kurdish civilians were initially mistaken for members of the terrorist PKK, but according to experts, the images of the group taken by Herons, unmanned aerial vehicles, would have made it impossible to mistake the villagers for terrorists.

[11] Turkish Deputy PM announces new legislation for jailed journalists

"A draft legislation is about to be brought to Parliament [in the next few] days. We are hoping to announce at the Council of Ministers meeting on March 11 that even if a person makes propaganda, as long as it doesn't steer the masses toward weapons and violence, it will no longer be considered a crime. I believe journalists who are in prison for violating this article of the law will benefit from this amendment," Arinc said at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin.

"Our concern is over journalists who, in the scope of the Anti-Terror Law, are on trial or in prison. There are many illegal organizations in Turkey. There are bombings and protests against women, children and soldiers every day. Turkey has to implement this law as a state that has suffered deeply from terrorism. If you are favouring the idea that there should be no Anti-Terror Law or these protests shouldn't be considered a crime, I'm afraid we don't share the same opinion. If Turkey is a country suffering from terrorism and many are losing their lives due to terrorism, we have to implement the Anti-Terror Law," Arinc added.

[12] The new "tax department" building will be inaugurated on the 20th of July

Speaking at the meeting yesterday, so-called finance minister Ersin Tatar said that the building will include latest technological infrastructure.

The construction of the building which started 3 years ago is estimated to cost around 10 million Turkish Liras to build. Once completed, the building will be an important leg of the e-state project. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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