Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-07-12

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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] Trade unions react to Turkey's interference in the "early elections" of June 28

[02] Trade cooperation between Iraq and "TRNC" will start

[03] YDU signed protocols for cooperation with sixteen universities of Kazakhstan

[04] Summit held at Turkish Prime Ministry on settlement process

[05] Turkish military officers test A400M transport aircraft

[06] Turkish Foreign Policy after the Coup in Egypt

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Trade unions react to Turkey's interference in the "early elections" of June 28

Tuluy Kalyoncu, deputy chairman of Turk-Sen, said that the difficulties that they experience on the issue of free political willpower are a result of the structure of a non-solution environment, which has been continuing since 1974. He added this is the time for radical political and financial changes.

Kalyoncu claimed that all the indications show that the ruling government of Justice and Development Party (AKP) interferes in the "early elections" in favour of the National Unity Party (UBP). He also said that UBP is the only candidate party, which implements unconditionally the AKP policies.

The general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers' Union (KTOEOS), Tahir Gokcebel, said that Turkey makes any kind of interference in "north Cyprus", as he refers to the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, political, financial as well as culture.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot community doesn't deserve to be called "lazy", "atheist" or "dependable", Gokcebel said that they should stand on their own feet.

Mehmet Ozkardas, chairman of Kamu-Sen trade union, said that the political parties open the way to the interferences of Turkey's governments, adding that Turkey plays with some "deputies" as she wants.

[02] Trade cooperation between Iraq and "TRNC" will start

The chairman of KTTO Gunay Cerkez, who carried out contacts in Mersin between 3-4 July as guest of TURIYAD, said that during the meeting with the Chairman of TURIYAD Ferdudun Gunduz, it was stressed that the exports from Turkey to Iraq are currently at the level of 15 million dollars, and that there is possibility to develop a joint investment cooperation.

Cerkez explained that an agreement has been obtained so as joint investments and bilateral trade to be developed through a Joint Committee with the participation of some members of KTTO to the TURIYAD in north Iraq. He added that their aim is to increase their trade volume towards Turkey and through Turkey to Iraq and other third world countries.

[03] YDU signed protocols for cooperation with sixteen universities of Kazakhstan

The paper writes that a delegation of YDU, headed by Chairman Irfan Suat Gunsel is currently holding contacts in Kazakhstan.

The protocols signing ceremony started with the "national anthem" of Kazakhstan and of the breakaway regime's, writes the paper.

[04] Summit held at Turkish Prime Ministry on settlement process

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Bulent Arinc and Bekir Bozdag, Interior Minister Muammer Guler, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy chairman Numan Kurtulmu
, AKP spokesperson Huseyin Celik and AKP deputy group chairman Mahir ?nal.

Participants at the meeting did not make a statement to the press about the content of the meeting; however, they were expected to discuss issues such as laws that will be prepared during the settlement process for democratization and whether those laws have any relation with 48 articles for the new Constitution on which the four political parties have reached a consensus. Parliament is expected to approve these articles following a recent call from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A similar meeting on the settlement process was held under the leadership of Erdogan last Tuesday and no statements were made to the press following that meeting either.

In addition, the paper also reports that one of the chiefs of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has said that if the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) continues to behave as it has been in the past few months, the ongoing settlement process might be irrevocably damaged.

The PKK's larger network, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), changed its top brass recently. It appointed Murat Karayilan, a long-term senior commander, to a body it calls the "executive council" of the KCK. In his initial statements following his new position, Karayilan said the settlement process began last year in October through talks between the government and the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

Speaking to the PKK-affiliated Firat News Agency, Karayilan said the common opinion that came out of a recent meeting of Kongra-Gel, another organ of the PKK that is short for the Kurdish People's Congress, was that the settlement process has been blocked.

Karayilan said the PKK made important decisions during that meeting. "Kongra-Gel gave the authority to follow the settlement process to the Executive Council. It gave it the authority to decide on its own based on spontaneous developments. For example, if the government doesn't take any steps, it might decide to freeze the process or continue it." Karayilan also reiterated the group's demands that an independent group of doctors go to Imrali, where Ocalan is imprisoned, and examine the PKK leader.

[05] Turkish military officers test A400M transport aircraft

Turkey has ordered at least 10 of the next-generation in military transport aircraft from Airbus Military. The long-awaited tactical airlifter has seen a series of delays and budget hikes, and as of June Military Airbus hadn't delivered on any of its 174 orders.

The first test flight was held in Etimesgut Air Base in Ankara province, the second in the 12th Military Airbase Command in Kayseri province. The A400M is designed for military use but can also serve civilian purposes.

The high-tech A400M can cover large distances in a short period of time and is highly maneuverable. Turkey has been working with France during the A400M's production phase. The first deliveries of the aircraft to Turkey will start in September.

[06] Turkish Foreign Policy after the Coup in Egypt

"Since the coup d'?tat in Egypt that toppled the elected president Mohamed Morsi on July 3, the Turkish government has been following an extremely rare, if not unique line in the history of diplomacy. With the motivation of bitter Turkish experience, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is persistent on not accepting the fait accompli by the Egyptian army and has been asking world leaders and institutions for the reinstallation of Morsi; in other words, undoing the coup.

This is perhaps a climax of the 'politics of principles', which Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been repeating to describe the foreign policy of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government through its 11 years in power. This is also how Turkey's policy of involvement in the Syrian civil war has been explained. Not only the Turkish government, but also the opposition and civil society, have condemned the coup in Egypt, in such a way as to say that they would not allow a military coup in Turkey anymore. Aside from domestic political concerns, the Turkish point of view of not accepting the toppling of an elected president by the army, no matter what authoritarian tendencies he might have developed during his one year in power, is approved by the Turkish people.

But is Erdogan's persistence in trying to undo the coup a mission impossible? Recent reports show that the U.S. administration had been in contact with both Morsi and the army for some time, to find a compromise to avoid a coup. It should also be noted that the White House has reiterated its position of being equidistant from all political parties in Egypt, even after receiving Ankara's messages that it should back Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood administration. So, we can assume that a radical shift in the U.S. position regarding Egypt is not likely. Similarly, the European Union, which needs the unanimity of its now-28 members, is not likely to take the same position as Ankara either.

Actually, Erdogan seems more hurt by the stances of fellow Muslim countries - especially Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Turkey's partners in the Syrian situation, who have also helped Turkey, cope with the eurozone crisis for the last few years by backing it up with financial resources. Perhaps Ankara failed to read the full details of the power shift in Qatar on June 25, (possibly because of the major crisis it had with Germany and the EU over the Gezi Park incidents), which played a role in the diplomatic support that the coup regime in Egypt received from the Arab world. In the power shift, the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, left his chair for the 'fresh blood' of his 33-year-old son Tamim, while also removing prime minister (and foreign minister) Hammad bin Jassim, who is pointed to as the main diligent of heavy Western involvement in the Syrian war.

On top of all this, the developments in Egypt have taken an even more critical path following the military's opening of fire on Morsi supporters in Cairo's Adawiya Square on July 8, killing dozens of protestors. This led to a call for an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood, making the reinstallation of Morsi to power even more difficult. It is more likely that the U.N., the U.S., the EU, and Arab countries will concentrate their efforts for a balanced interim government to take Egypt to elections as soon as and as free as possible, and to let Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood compete.

There are groups among supporters of the AKP who ask for a braking off of relations with the coup regime in Egypt. That sounds like a move of principles in the extreme, and it may further damage Turkey's current situation in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey already has no diplomatic relations with Syria. Israel has reportedly suspended the reconciliation talks with Turkey, upon remarks from Erdogan (and some of his ministers) that they found 'anti-Semitic'. Turkish Airlines can now only fly to Jordan via Egyptian air space, thus doubling its flight time, because of those conflicts. Turkey has few links left with the Shiite half of Lebanon because of the Syria conflict, and has only distant links with the secular half of the Palestinian state because of its full commitment to the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Hamas in Gaza. In addition, Ankara does not recognize the Greek part of Cyprus [editor's note: the government controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus].

In summary, cutting or reducing the level of ties with the coup regime in Egypt does not look like being the most rational thing to do for the Erdogan government. This means a major shift in Turkish foreign policy toward a 'realpolitik' one will be necessary, which will have consequences in domestic politics, too." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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