Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-07-05

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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] TMT reiterated that Turkey's guarantee and the continuation of the "TRNC" are considered as redlines

[02] Hasipoglu's son denies reports he was given a lease for the building of a tourist facility which was later cancelled by the "government"

[03] Purchases of property by foreigners approved by the breakaway regime

[04] Yeni Duzen reports more on UBP "government's" last minute decisions before its fall

[05] Aslanbaba speaks on allegations that he took money as bribery by Kasif

[06] The cost of living in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus went up in June

[07] Extracts from Turkish columns on the Egyptian army's overthrow of Morsi

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] TMT reiterated that Turkey's guarantee and the continuation of the "TRNC" are redlines

Ak?a claimed that the essence of the struggle being waged on the Cyprus problem by the Turkish Cypriots was to exist on the island without becoming a minority.

He reminded that Turkey was ready to extend all kinds of support in order to ensure the prosperity and welfare of the Turkish Cypriots.

Noting that the Cyprus talks process has gone through numerous phases over the years, Akca expressed full support to the talks despite the fact that the years of fruitless negotiations has created weariness amongst the Turkish Cypriots. He nevertheless said that Turkey will do all it can for the prosperity and welfare of the Turkish Cypriots until a settlement is reached in Cyprus.

"The happier and the more prosperous the Turkish Cypriots are, the more successful they will become in waging the national struggle", he added.

Also speaking on behalf of the representatives, the president of the TMT Turkish Fighter's Association Y1
lmaz Bora said that "the continuation of Turkey's active and effective guarantee as well as the continuation of the  TRNC state' are considered as redlines for the Turkish Cypriots and could never be abandoned."

[02] Hasipoglu's son denies reports he was given a lease for the building of a tourist facility which was later cancelled by the "government"

Afrika wrote yesterday that the decision was cancelled during a meeting of the so-called council of ministers.

The paper writes today that Oguzhan Hasipoglu issued a statement supporting that the report is "a figment of the imagination" and called on the "government" to give the right information to the public.

[03] Purchases of property by foreigners approved by the breakaway regime

Siber also told reporters that 124 files regarding the purchase of property by foreigners were approved, a decision which will allow 4 million Turkish Liras to enter the "state budget" of the breakaway regime.

Siber said a decision was also taken on workers' rights, granting a worker the right to change jobs in the same field if his employer fails to pay his wage or social insurance fund.

It was also decided that 40 thousand trees will be planted in the area of occupied Karavas where a fire burned 300 donums of land surrounded by a forest.

[04] Yeni Duzen reports more on UBP "government's" last minute decisions before its fall

The paper which notes that the payment took place just one week before the forced resignation of the "government" writes that this was a compensation given to Bulutoglulari for winning a case against the breakaway regime at a "court" regarding a building plot in occupied Bellapais.

Yeni Duzen criticized the timing chosen by the former "government" for giving compensation to Bulutoglulari, noting that the decision was taken a long time ago but UBP was not willing to pay the money.

[05] Aslanbaba speaks on allegations that he took money as bribery by Kasif

Aslanbaba stated a few days ago at the so-called assembly that he took money as a bribe by Kasif, but later when the so-called deputy attorney general of the breakaway regime said that there was not enough evidence to prove the allegation, Aslanbaba said that he was "joking".

Yesterday, however, Aslanbaba organized a press conference claiming that he does not take back the allegations he made in the first place. He claimed that after resigning from the National Unity Party (TR. Note: Aslanbaba followed Kasif who resigned UBP with a group of eight "MPs" and joined DP) he realized that he was deceived and used for the interest of others. He also said that they gave him money to be quiet.

[06] The cost of living in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus went up in June

According to Consumer Price Index revealed by the "SPO", the cost of living in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus has gone up by 1.47%.

According to the index, the highest increase in living expenses was seen in the education sector by 5.26%. Compared to the previous month of March, the price of a total of 117 goods went up while only the price of 65 goods fell.

[07] Extracts from Turkish columns on the Egyptian army's overthrow of Morsi

"For quite some time, [Turkish Prime Minister Recep] Tayyip Erdogan's close advisers, and cadres from the AKP [Justice and Development Party], had been 'mentoring' Muhammad Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood. It is only natural that the bankruptcy of the 'Muslim Brotherhood experience' in Egypt is providing less than encouraging signals from the standpoint of the AKP experience in Turkey.

There are certainly major differences between the AKP in Turkey and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, because those differences exist between the two countries, but 'common characteristics' also exist, and a sort of 'affinity' between them. Consequently, it is evident that the fate of Mursi is going to be of close interest to the government of Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey.

The AKP, even if not from the standpoint of its historical past, has had both much more experience and much more success than the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in terms of the ability to manage a country. Its performance in governing from 2002 to 2011 in Turkey is the proof of this.

Even so, the estrangement, the deafness, and the lack of understanding to the new dynamics of the country, as well as the other characteristics that it has displayed since the Taksim Square and Gezi Park incidents, have given rise to comparison with the performance of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

The failure of the Muslim Brotherhood experience in Egypt is certainly a depressing result from the standpoint of the AKP. But for a similar development not to be replicated in Turkey depends to a large degree on the AKP's drawing the proper lessons from Egypt.

It would be useful, from the standpoint of the health of democracy, and of its own rule, for it to look at Egypt and draw the lessons that it has been resistant to drawing in Turkey"

According to Melih Asik, writing in Milliyet (04.07.13), he argues that the Egypt "Coup" will have drastic effect on the Middle East. An extract of his commentary is as follows:

"A new period of searching and unrest is beginning in Egypt now.

The effect of this event on the region will be quite dramatic? For example;

* The triumph of the [Tahrir] Square will encourage other squares?

* Muslim Brotherhood's defeat will create a loss of confidence in the fight against [Bashar] Al-Asad in Syria? Muslim Brotherhood will suffer a loss of image in the Middle East?

Lessons to be drawn from Egypt? First, relying more on religion does not strengthen the dictator. Second, the logic "I came to power through legitimate elections, I can do whatever I want" does not work. Third, if the public does not want you, even the support of the United States does not do the job. Fourth: Stick to democracy?"

Columnist Murat Yetkin, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 05.07.13) under the title "Coup in Cairo, echoes in Ankara", argues that the Egyptian "Coup" will change balances in Middle East and have consequences for Turkey. Some extracts are:

"Mohamed Morsi, the first president of Egypt elected through free elections, was toppled by the military two days after the first anniversary of his office on July 3. (?)

The international scene is worse for Morsi. All autocrats of the Arab world cheered up with the news that the first freely elected president of an Arab country ? and Egypt is not just any Arab country ? who posed an example for the freedom thirst of their own peoples, was put down. From Syria to Saudi Arabia, Jordan to Qatar (as the stage of an in-house coup last week anyway) congratulated the new rulers; Israel had no objections to seeing soldiers back in power in Egypt.

The statements from the United States and the European Union did not even call the coup a coup; they were expressing concern and asking the soldiers to go back to civilian rule as soon as possible. (?)"

Yetkin writes that Ankara, as well as the Turkish opposition condemned the coup in Egypt. Even Davutoglu made a rather long and sentimental statement in which he condemned the coup, called for an immediate release of Morsi, Qandil and other members of the toppled government and demanded no restrictions on any candidate for the next elections.

Yetkin concluded as follow:

"The coup in Egypt was unfair not for Morsi only; it took away the chance for the Egyptian people to say "no" to the autocratic tendencies of Morsi using democratic methods. And to remind him in democratic ways that he should respect the different ways of life in society and bear in mind that democracies can be sustained in a secular political environment, especially in Muslim societies. It also put the possibility of democratic development in the Arab region back many more years.

The coup in Egypt will change the political balances in the East Mediterranean and the Middle East once again, and will have consequences in the international and domestic politics in the region, including Turkey." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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