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

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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] Downer: President Anastasiades is anxiously waiting to discuss the Cyprus problem

[02] Eroglu: Talat started causing harm with his statements

[03] Bagis: Anastasiades has courageously shown his stance in favour of the solution by supporting the Annan Plan

[04] Kucuk: Our aim is to increase income per capital to $17.000 by 2015

[05] Turkey Confederation Community calls German Turkish Businessmen and industrialists Association to invest in the breakaway regime

[06] Calls for promoting tourism of the breakaway regime

[07] Turkish businessman disappeared in the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] The license of satellite ART was cancelled

[09] Turkish MFA Undersecretary due to Germany and France

[10] Trade volume of Turkey-Kyrgyzstan; agreement on investments between Turkey-Gambia

[11] Yildiz supports Sudan's normalization

[12] A strategic partnership agreement was signed by Turkey and Sweden

[13] Turkish hostages released by PKK in northern Iraq

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Downer: President Anastasiades is anxiously waiting to discuss the Cyprus problem

In statements after the one-hour-long meeting, Downer said he would work with the leaders on the issue of how and when they would meet and how the process could be successful. He noted that the first meeting he held yesterday with President Anastasiades had been very productive and added that with Eroglu he exchanged views regarding the changes that happened.

Downer added that President Anastasiades should have to focus on the negotiations with Troika this period and pointed out that this is a very important issue for the Greek Cypriots. Downer said that he would visit Cyprus again in April and he would also hold a meeting in New York with the UN Secretary-General and the members of the Security Council. He noted that in April he would try to take the procedure one step forward.

Asked whether the negotiations will start soon in view of the economic problems of the Republic of Cyprus, Downer said he could not be in Cyprus for the next couple of weeks and he did not want to enter into the issue of any timetable in a period during which President Anastasiades has just been elected. Noting that President Anastasiades should hold negotiations with Troika, Downer added that President Anastasiades is anxiously waiting to discuss the Cyprus problem.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu: Talat started causing harm with his statements

Eroglu argued that Talat's statements have reached such a dimension that should definitely be answered. "Unfortunately, the increasing accusations by Mr Talat that we are intransigent and his effort to strengthen his position by distorting our statements has started causing harm to us, who hold various qualitative international negotiations in order to protect the rights and the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people", he said.

Accusing Talat of ignoring his statement that he wants an agreement and that he is ready to start negotiations with a time limit, Eroglu claimed that Talat used the words in the end of this statement that "if we cannot agree, agreeing on this is also an agreement" in order to enter into an argument with him.

Eroglu wondered why Talat could not reach an agreement with the Greek Cypriot side during the two years he had been negotiating with former President Christofias and recalled of Talat's statements against the stance of the Greek Cypriots in the EU. Eroglu said that if Talat wanted to emphasize that they should exert efforts and explain well their views to the world, he should be relaxed on this issue.

Eroglu alleged that he had informed President Anastasiades that they were ready to start the negotiations the soonest, but he had found out President Anastasiades' reply from the press. Eroglu reiterated the allegation that the Greek Cypriot side uses delaying tactics and benefits from the status quo.

He argued that they will exert every effort they can for a lasting agreement which will not be taking us to the pre-1974 period, will protect Turkey's "historic rights and interests" regarding Cyprus and will be based on the existing "realities".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Bagis: Anastasiades has courageously shown his stance in favour of the solution by supporting the Annan Plan

Bagis alleged that the Turkish side has always been acting calmly and confidently because it had allegedly been the side which wanted peace and stability on the Cyprus problem.

Bagis argued that the fate of Turkey and the "TRNC", breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, is the same and added that because of this, those who thought that the "TRNC" would pay the cost in case the non-solution on the island became permanent have been disappointed.

Bagis claimed that the breakaway regime has already proved that it could maintain its existence on the island as "a state" which could stand on its own feet. He went on alleging that, on the other hand, the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, is facing a crisis and bankruptcy and pays the price for the non-solution.

Bagis alleged that the Europeans have understood that they had committed a mistake by accepting the Republic of Cyprus into the EU. He, inter alia, claimed the following: "To tell the truth, it is not possible to understand and explain how a community, which established its philosophy on unity and integrity, has accepted a decomposed so-called state. We have said it before: we are ready to press the reset button for the solution. The solution in Cyprus is not a dream, provided that the Greek Cypriot side and the international community show their will..."

(I/Ts.)

[04] Kucuk: Our aim is to increase income per capital to $17.000 by 2015

Kucuk made these statements speaking during a meeting for information regarding the economic program prepared for the breakaway regime for Turkey. Referring to the economic program Kucuk said that it will encourage investment in occupied Cyprus.

[05] Turkey Confederation Community calls German Turkish Businessmen and industrialists Association to invest in the breakaway regime

According to a statement of Atasoy, ATIAD is the voice of the Turkish businessmen living in Europe and it is not only the biggest Turkish business association in Germany but in Europe as well.

Atasoy said that investments in the field of tourism to the field of education can be made in occupied Cyprus and added that a lobby for "TRNC's independence" must be conducted.

[06] Calls for promoting tourism of the breakaway regime

KITSAB chairman Orhan Tolun said that in this framework, tourism must be advertised in Germany, which is "the second most important tourism market after the UK" for the breakaway regime and suggested that advertisement should be placed in German taxis which are driven mostly by Turkish persons.

In addition, he stated that many German tourists who are visiting the breakaway regime arrive in Cyprus using the Larnaka airport, because it is very expensive for them to use the illegal Tymvou airport. As he said, the arriving of German tourists form Larnaka airport must be encouraged, if they want the number of German tourists to be increased.

[07] Turkish businessman disappeared in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (13.03.13), the legal advisor of the Bulut construction company Mustafa Sener, in an announcement to the press on behalf of the company, argued that Bulut left because the "citizenship" of the occupation regime was not granted to him due to a minor previous conviction. He also tried to appease the concerns of their buyers, adding that the Evviva Lavinium project in the occupied village of Bogazi would be continued and the houses would be delivered until December 2013.

[08] The license of satellite ART was cancelled

[09] Turkish MFA Undersecretary due to Germany and France

In a written statement released on Tuesday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated that Sinirlioglu would be in Berlin on March 13 as part of continuing consultations with Germany. Sinirlioglu will meet with his German counterpart Emily Haber in the capital city.

Following the talks in Germany, Sinirlioglu will also visit Paris, the French capital on March 14 as part of the continuing consultations with France. Sinirlioglu will meet with French Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Pierre Sellal.

"During the meetings, bilateral relations, Turkey's European Union process, current regional and international issues as well as evaluation and preparation of high level visits will be discussed," the statement said.

[10] Trade volume of Turkey-Kyrgyzstan; agreement on investments between Turkey-Gambia

According to the data of State Customs Services that in 2011, Kyrgyzstan imported 115.7 million USD worth of goods from Turkey and in 2012, Kyrgyzstan's imports scored 192 million USD. Imported goods from Turkey included insulated cables, electric heating systems, medical appliances, fridges, freezers, heating stoves and automobile parts.

Moreover, A.A. reports that Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan met Gambian Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment Kebba Touray in Ankara on Tuesday. Caglayan and Touray signed an agreement on bilateral protection of investments between Turkey and Gambia.

Caglayan said that gross domestic product of Gambia was one billion USD, and total trade volume was 465 million USD. Gambian-Turkish trade volume reached 36.1 million USD by the end of 2012, said Caglayan, adding that they aimed to increase this figure to 100 million USD within the next five years.

Meanwhile, Touray said that Turkish and Gambian government officials were working on an agreement to prevent double taxation. Touray also invited Caglayan and Turkish businessmen in his country.

[11] Yildiz supports Sudan's normalization

Sudan is a very important country for Turkey, added Yildiz who met the speaker of the Sudan National Parliament Ahmed Al-Tahir in Ankara on Tuesday.

Noting that Sudan was passing through difficult days, Yildiz said that Turkish public and private sectors would support Sudan.

"We can extend support in crude oil, natural gas, renewable energy resources and mining sectors," he said. "We also have an initiative for cooperation in energy sector with Sudan," said Yildiz.

Meanwhile, Al-Tahir said that they aimed to further develop the relations with Turkey, defining the political relations between the two countries as "very well" and on "high-level". "However, we should develop the 'low-level' economic relations," he said.

[12] A strategic partnership agreement was signed by Turkey and Sweden

"For us, Turkey's relations with the EU are strategic. Therefore, we certainly want to complete the [membership] negotiation process," Gul said.

Prime Minister Reinfeldt, for his part, reiterated his country's support for Turkey's EU accession and Ankara's reform process but underlined EU concerns about freedom of speech, saying there are provisions in the Turkish Constitution that need to be amended. "There should be more focus on the issue of freedom of media," he was quoted as saying by Anatolia news agency. "There are journalists being held in prisons on terrorism charges," he said, noting that a planned judicial reform package endorsed by the government is expected to narrow the definition of terrorism. "Of course, it is not just about laws. How laws will be interpreted and implemented by courts is another matter," Reinfeldt continued.

On Turkey's complaints over a lack of sufficient cooperation against terrorism, Reinfeldt highlighted the need to balance the fight against terrorism with measures to make the society a more inclusive one, embracing minorities and people of different beliefs and opinions. "The only long-term solution is to build an inclusive and secure society," he said.

Reinfeldt said EU reforms and Turkey's plans to rewrite the current constitution will increase freedoms in the EU candidate country.

Sweden is one of the staunchest supporters of Turkey's membership in the EU, and Gul's visit helped cement bilateral ties as well. The two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement, which Reinfeldt said will pave the way for deeper cooperation between Sweden and Turkey.

"Sweden is entirely supportive of Turkey's EU membership. We believe that the strategic and economic value of Turkey's membership is greater today than ever," said Reinfeldt.

The agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Swedish counterpart, Carl Bildt.

Praising Sweden's robust support for Turkey's accession into the EU, Gul assessed it as an important aspect of bilateral cooperation. "There is significant potential for greater cooperation between our two countries, not only in Europe, but also in a wide geography," said Gul.

[13] Turkish hostages released by PKK in northern Iraq

The group, accompanied by Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials, headed to an undefined meeting point in northern Iraq, Anatolia news agency reported.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul expressed his happiness at the release of the Turkish public servants, highlighting that the transition from security-based policies to ones based on reform, would be facilitated by an end to violence. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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