Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-08-13

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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

[01] CTP-BG feminist "MP" causes tension at the oath taking ceremony in the "assembly"; Talat, Eroglu and Akca left the hall

[02] Works for the establishment of a "coalition government" are launching today

[03] UBP established a committee to deal with leadership problem and to hold talks on "government" establishment

[04] Turkish Cypriot columnist refers to annoyance in occupied Cyprus by Turkey's meddling

[05] Top brass reshuffle indicates full government control over Turkey's arms purchases

[06] Ergenekon suspect Gen. K1
l1
n? arrested

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] CTP-BG feminist "MP" causes tension at the oath taking ceremony in the "assembly"; Talat, Eroglu and Akca left the hall

Derya is a well-known feminist and chairwoman of the "North Cyprus Feminist Atelier" (FEMA). She preferred to read an oath which she prepared giving emphasis to human rights and the equality of women.

The "MPs" of the National Unity Party (UBP) started protesting and shouting at Derya and abandoned the hall. The Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat and the Turkish self-styled ambassador to Nicosia, Halil Ibrahim Akca also left the room. According to the paper, "MPs" of the Democratic Party ? National Forces (DP-UG) also reacted against Derya.

After five minute break, Derya took the "normal oath", but the "MPs" of the UBP protested against her and left the room when she was taking her oath.

The paper reports that the chairman of the CTP-BG, Ozkan Yorgancioglu said that they knew nothing about Derya's move. He noted that their party has sensitivities on issues of human rights and freedoms and added that Derya expressed her sensitivities in this direction. He said that he met with Derya after the incident and warned her, adding that her action was not right.

In her statements, Derya said that the text which he read out does not mean that she rejects the existing "oath of the MPs", the scope of which she described as "narrow". She noted that her action was not a protest against the existing "oath". She added that different social groups are living in the "country" and that she gave this "oath" in order for these groups to "become visible". She argued that the "oath of the "MPs" prepared in 1983 was written in the "sovereign language of the men". She noted that she wanted to share the "voice of her conscience" by reading her own oath first.

According to Halkin Sesi, Derya's action was covered also by the Turkish media and the Greek Cypriot press. Turkish NTV broadcast the news under the title "Federal Cyprus caused crisis" and argued that the crisis at the breakaway regime's "assembly" started when Derya took an oath that she will not abandon the ideal of establishing a federal Cyprus. Turkish Oda Tv broadcast the news under the title "This is TRNC's Leyla Zana".

Dogus Derya's oath was the following: "I vow on my human honour that I will work so that every individual living in the country of Cyprus does not face discriminations because of his/her language, religion, race, place of birth, class, age, physical situation, sex or sexual orientation, that I will try to create a just and equal system in which labour will not be exploited, that I will exert efforts for the establishment of the values of peace and reconciliation instead of the culture of conflict and violence, that I will remain committed to the principles of democracy and the social rule of law and to the human rights and freedoms, and that I will not abandon the ideal of establishing a federal Cyprus".

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (13.08.13) refers to the issue under the front-page title "oath of conscience", while Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (13.08.13) covers the developments under the title "A feminist revolution!"

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (13.08.13) refers to "Birth in the dead assembly" [Translator's note: Dogus in the Turkish language means birth]. The paper writes that Derya dared to do something that no one could do in the "assembly" for the last 30 years and "carried her conscience to the parliament".

Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (13.08.13) refers to "Lack of respect" to the "assembly" by Derya, while Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (13.08.13) covers the issue under the title "Childish 'show'!!" Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper (13.08.13) argues that a "scandal" took place yesterday at the "assembly" and accuses the CTP-BG of creating tension from the very first day.

The Turkish press (13.08.13) also reports about Derya.

Under the title: "Oath crisis in TRNC", Hurriyet reports that CTP "MP" Dogus Derya created a crisis when she read a statement that was different from the official text of the oath, noting that she will not abandon the principle of establishing a federal Cyprus with the Greek Cypriots. According to the paper, following the crisis occurred, Derya returned and took the normal oath.

Sabah reports on the issue under the title "Feminist oath crisis in the assembly" and writes that Derya refused to take the oath saying that has a male-dominated tone that does not reflect pluralism.

[02] Works for the establishment of a "coalition government" are launching today

Kibris writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu will hold separate meetings today with the leaders of the political parties that are represented in the "assembly" and will assign one of the parties with the duty of establishing a "government" within a period of fifteen days.

In statements on the issue, Eroglu said that if the party, which will be assigned to establish a "government", manage it, this will be good; if it fails then the duty will be assigned to another party. He stated that his will is, a new "government" to be established the sooner.

[03] UBP established a committee to deal with leadership problem and to hold talks on "government" establishment

The committee, who will hold a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu today on the issue, consists of UBP chairman Irsen Kucuk, UBP general Secretary Necdet Numan, UBP Lefkosia "MP", Huseyin Ozgurgun and UBP Trikomo "MP" Nazim Cavusoglu.

Another meeting today will deal on the issue of UBP new leader, after current chairman Kucuk's statements that he is going to resign, following his failure to be elected as "deputy" with the party. According to the paper, the committee will try to find a way so that only one candidate will run for the position.

Kibris also writes that Ozgurgun, who served in the past as UBP chairman, asked yesterday if he is thinking of running again for the position. Ozgurgun replied that he is ready to take any duty.

[04] Turkish Cypriot columnist: annoyance in occupied Cyprus by Turkey's meddling

According to Harman, it seems that the "government" will be established not according to the wishes of the political parties, but in the direction of the interests of the possible "candidates" in the 2015 "presidential elections".

Wondering who will benefit from the climate which has been created and whether Ankara will want the Democratic Party ? National Forces (DP-UG) in the "government", Harman points out that if we take into consideration that whomever Ankara indicated could not be "elected", it seems that DP-UG will participate in the "government" with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG), if Ankara's stance is not in DP-UG's favour.

"Eroglu has never lost until today against Ankara. Neither during the process of [UBP's] congress, nor in the battle for establishing sovereignty over the UBP nor in the early elections of the 28th of July", says Harman adding:

"My prediction is that Eroglu will win against Talat, that is, against the candidate that Ankara seems to support, because the Turkish Cypriots and the reasonable citizens from Turkey who settled in Cyprus, are very annoyed by Ankara's meddling, in the one or the other way, in the internal politics or the internal dynamics. Even though before the elections they say 'ok brother', when they go to the ballot box, they do whatever they want or what their conscious says".

(I/Ts.)

[05] Top brass reshuffle indicates full government control over Turkey's arms purchases

They said the new command structure featured generals who would work in full respect to government's authority in procurement, agreeing to retreat to a minimal role in specifying requirements and choosing bidders.

"In the past the general shapes the procurement process even by solely telling the government which equipment the military needed. I think this role too would be minimized with the selection of a government-friendly top brass," said one London-based Turkey specialist.

A local agent for a Western major player in the Turkish market said: "The days when we used to try to impress the generals are over. Now the only sensible counterpart for all international bidders is the government."

The Supreme Military Council, chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo
an, decides on promotions and retirement of top military officers every year, and announced unexpectedly the retirement of the paramilitary gendarmerie force commander, Gen. Bekir Kalyoncu, who had been the leading candidate to take over the Land Forces.

Kalyoncu was viewed as a government critic. Instead, Gen. Hulusi Akar was given the job and, according to custom, would be expected to replace Gen. Necdet ?zel as overall head of the armed forces in 2015. The General Staff also announced on its website the appointment of Vice Adm. B?lent Bostano
lu as commander of the Navy, Lt. Gen. Akin ?zt?rk as head of the Air Force and Gen. Servet Yoruk as commander of the gendarmerie.

Last October, the government introduced a new set of rules to regulate the procurement mechanism and broaden the jurisdiction and administrative powers of the civilian procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM).

Under the new rules a program will take off when a military request for a weapons system has been approved and proposed by the SSM and approved also by the defense minister. The SSM will be solely responsible to determine the ideal modality for every procurement. It also will have powers to buy from a sole source when it deems it necessary due to "national interest, confidentiality, monopoly of technological capabilities and meeting urgent requirements."

"The new rules, coupled with the profile of the new top brass, mean that we may see a one-man show in procurement in the powerful personality of the prime minister," said one Ankara-based analyst.

[06] Ergenekon suspect Gen. K1
l1
n? arrested

Former National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General K1
l1
n? was sentenced to 13 years, two months' imprisonment by the 0
stanbul 13th High Criminal Court last week. He surrendered at the 0
stanbul Courthouse in the city's ?a
layan neighbourhood early on Monday morning. A court in 0
stanbul arrested him and he was expected to be sent to Silivri prison.

The trial on the Ergenekon terrorist organization, which had been ongoing since the discovery of a weapons arsenal in a district of 0
stanbul in 2008, ended on Monday of last week, when 19 individuals, mostly retired army top brass, received life sentences for attempting to stage a coup. The court sentenced a former chief of General Staff to life without parole and handed down heavy sentences to nearly 300 defendants, including many former military commanders. As Gen. K1
l1
n? did not attend the hearing last week, the 0
stanbul 13th High Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Discussing the Ergenekon verdicts with the H?rriyet daily last week, Gen. K1
l1
n? described the court's decisions as "extrajudicial." He stated: "The road that Turkey is following is unfortunately clear. These [Ergenekon decisions] are unlawful decisions taken on Turkey's dark road. The decisions are designed to punish and intimidate the enlightened and Kemalist individuals of Turkey. They [presumably the government] crowned their seven-year operation against the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] with these recent unlawful decisions."

Gen. K1
l1
n? also stated that he had immediately filed an appeal against the prison sentence through his lawyer, Hasan G?rb?z.

Gen. K1
l1
n? is best known for his public remarks suggesting an alliance between Turkey, Russia and Iran as an alternative to the EU. During a conference at a military academy in March 2002, K1
l1
n?'s exact words were: "Turkey has not been getting any support from the EU on our national priorities. The EU has a negative perspective on issues related to Turkey's national interests. Russia is also standing alone. That is why it is necessary to enter a partnership that also includes Iran, without ignoring the US." His words were met with harsh reactions and criticism from the public at that time. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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