Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-09-02

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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] Eroglu refers again to a five-party meeting on the Cyprus problem and the "existing realities" on the island

[02] Denktas wants Ankara to respect the will of the "TRNC people"; He says the economic program should be reexamined

[03] The lack of women in the new "cabinet" is criticized; Siber to become the new "speaker of the assembly"

[04] A Turkish settler participates in the regime's new "cabinet"

[05] Ozgurgun was elected chairman of the National Unity Party- he called on the persons who joined DP to return to the party

[06] Erdogan on Syria crisis; He is expected to meet with Obama and Putin in the sidelines of the G-20 meeting

[07] Opposition parties in Turkey have concerns over military engagement in Syria

[08] February 28 postmodern coup trial starts today in Turkey

[09] How Turkish immigrants in Germany will vote on the forthcoming September 22 elections

[10] The Turkish columnists on the Syria crisis

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu refers again to a five-party meeting on the Cyprus problem and the "existing realities" on the island

In a written statement issued on the occasion of the 1st of September World Peace Day, Eroglu said that time has come to find a solution to the Cyprus problem and reiterated the allegation that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to do its bit.

He argued: "As Turkish Cypriot side we believe that time has come now for making an agreement in Cyprus and we are conveying our views on this issue to both our Greek Cypriot friends and the United Nations... We as Turkish Cypriot side are ready to intensify the negotiations, head towards a result with mutual give and take, afterwards meet at the table with motherland Turkey, Greece, Britain and the Greek Cypriot side, and do our bit. It is not difficult to take a result, as long as the existing realities are not ignored and a viable agreement is targeted with sincerity?"

Eroglu reiterated the allegation that every aspect of the Cyprus problem has been discussed and that all sides know the positions and the views of the other side. He went on and claimed: "What should be done is to return to the table, continue the negotiations from the point they were left and try to reach a result with good will".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Denktas wants Ankara to respect the will of the "TRNC people"; He says the economic program should be reexamined

In statements to Kibris TV, Denktas, who is also the "deputy prime minister" and "minister of economy, tourism, culture and sports" in the newly established "coalition government", replied to allegations that the participation of his party in the "government" has created dissatisfaction in Ankara and that the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cyprus, Besir Atalay had called Ozkan Yorgancioglu, chairman of the Republican Turkish Party ? United Forces (CTP-BG) last Thursday night to express Ankara's dissatisfaction with the fact that the CTP-BG would establish a "coalition government" with the DP-UG.

"If this had happened, I think that Yorgancioglu would have told me", said Denktas and added: "If there is dissatisfaction against us, the reason of the existence of this dissatisfaction will be announced. And we will see whether or not this is based on reality". He said that dissatisfaction might have been created for some reasons which he does not know, because some politicians within the Turkish Cypriot community misinformed Ankara for the sake of their remaining at their posts. "Our duty is to overcome, to eliminate this and go our way, and this is what we are going to do", he added.

Asked why the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government had such a perception for DP-UG, Denktas said he did not think that such a perception existed and that this was only an allegation. He added, inter alia, the following: "Let's say that it is true. The will of the people here produced a result? Mathematically another model was possible, but what was reflected by the will of the people was our coalition under the CTP-BG. Other coalition unions would be tantamount to ignoring the will of the people. Of course, Ankara will also see this will and I have absolutely no doubt about this".

Asked to comment on the debates as regards the "economic program" during the "pre-election campaign", Denktas said that this program should be reexamined in order to be "clearly shown" whether the results from the implementation of this package are positive or negative, "because the information given until today was that 'everything is going well'".

He went on and said: "According to what place [everything] is going well? When you turn and see is there a state which is shrinking? No! Is there development in the real economy? No! They say there is improvement in the budget income. According to what? How this was reflected onto the market? We have to show all this? The action plans should be prepared here and go before Turkey after being prepared here. If this package will be reexamined and a mutual financial protocol will be prepared, this new government should put forward how the expenditure will be made".

Asked whether their first job would be to hold a contact with Ankara, Denktas said that their priority is to overcome the problems in the field of education, the appointment of teachers and to deal with other urgent problems. He noted that they will hold a contact with Ankara after solving these urgent issues.

(I/Ts.)

[03] The lack of women in the new "cabinet" is criticized; Siber to become the new "speaker of the assembly"

The paper writes that Talat insists on a CTP-National Unity Party (UBP) "coalition" and criticized the CTP-BG due to his plans for being "elected" to the "presidency" of the breakaway regime. In his tweeter account Talat said the following: "Good luck to the new government. I wish they found a woman doctor and made her a minister so that the first men's government after a long time was not established!..."

Dogus Derya, who had come onto the agenda with reading her own oath at the "assembly", expressed, inter alia, the following views on the social media: "?Democracy does not come by saying beautiful words regarding social sexual equality. The important thing is to secure consistency of words and deeds. Of course, I wish success to the newly established government, but we saw with sorrow that both the CTP and the DP ignored women while establishing the cabinet?"

CTP-BG's general secretary, Asim Akansoy supported Derya's views on the lack of women in the "cabinet", noting that her evaluation was "realistic" and that he agreed with her. "The sensitivity on the issue of social sexual equality remains deficient in a place where women are ignored', he noted.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (01.09.13), CTP's women organization stated that they feel sorrow and responsibility for the fact women are not represented in the "cabinet".

Moreover, Yeni Duzen (31.08.13) reported that the post of the "speaker of the assembly" was suggested to Sibel Siber, woman "prime minister" of the temporary "government", who replied positively to the suggestion.

(I/Ts.)

[04] A Turkish settler participates in the regime's new "cabinet"

Bakirci graduated from Firat University's Medical School in 1996 and started working at occupied Yialousa village's health center in 1997. He has been working as a doctor in occupied Karpasia area since 2001.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (31.08.13) reported that after Mustafa Gokmen, this is the second "minister" of the breakaway regime form the area of Black Sea.

(I/Ts)

[05] Ozgurgun was elected chairman of the National Unity Party- he called on the persons who joined DP to return to the party

Speaking after his election, Ozgurgun said: "Our road is the people's road. Our road is the road of love, brotherhood, embracement, and union", he stated. Criticizing the new "government" of the breakaway regime, Ozgurgun said the following: "The life of this government is defective. It was born dead".

In addition, in an interview in Turkish daily Havadis (02.09.13) Ozgurgun called on the persons who left UBP and joined Democratic Party (DP) to return to the party. He said that UBP's doors are opened for those who want to return and noted that they can join the party without any conditions.

He strongly criticized DP's chairman Serdar Denktas saying that he is trying to become a right wing leader but he will not succeed on doing this. He also said that during the last 30 years that he is a politician, Serdar Denktas failed to prove that he is a right wing leader.

[06] Erdogan on Syria crisis; He is expected to meet with Obama and Putin in the sidelines of the G-20 meeting

"The U.N.'s incapacity, far from stopping the deaths, has given strength to the [Syrian] regime and recompensed it for its massacre. As the whole world has shut its eyes to the ongoing human tragedy in Syria, unfortunately the U.N. has kept silent and watched this tragedy," Erdogan was quoted as saying by private broadcaster NTV during an event in Istanbul.

"The fact that the U.N. showed its incapacity after the use of chemical weapons [in Syria] without taking any steps has left a black stain on the history of humanity," Erdogan added.

The Turkish Prime Minister, however, stopped short of commenting on U.S. President Barack Obama's decision on Aug. 31 to engage the Congress for a limited military action against Syria.

Erdogan said the chemical attack on Aug. 21, which might be a turning point the conflict, should not be the only reason to intervene, stressing that the death toll had passed the 100,000 mark. "Hasn't 100,000 deaths any importance for us? [?] The U.N. has made us question its own existence during the whole conflict," he said.

Erdogan also gave his full support to a campaign named "the world is bigger than five," launched against the U.N. Security Council system where five permanent members ? the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France ? have veto powers for any decision.

"Imprisoning the U.N. to what the five permanent members are going to say is anti-democratic. A decision taken under the conditions of the Second World War does not have to remain as such. Youth have started a campaign named the world is bigger than five. I support it," he said.

Ahead of Obama's statements, Erdogan had called for an intervention against Syria similar to the one against Kosovo in 1999. "It should be more than a hit-and-run but push the regime to the brink of collapsing," Erdogan had said during the Victory Day reception in Ankara on Aug. 30.

In addition, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (02.09.13) reports that Erdogan, due to arrive in St. Petersburg to attend the G-20 summit this week, is expected to extend Turkey's position on what should be done about the Syria crisis in talks with the US and Russian leaders as a probable US-led operation in the neighboring country looms.

An official with the Prime Ministry has confirmed that one of the main items on Erdogan's agenda for the St. Petersburg visit, is the Syrian crisis and that Turkey will discuss with world leaders the need to take concrete steps on the Syrian civil war.

Erdogan is expected to meet with the US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the official stated that the slots for the bilateral talks during the summit have not yet been fixed.

[07] Opposition parties in Turkey have concerns over military engagement in Syria

If there is one thing they have in common, it is their sharpened criticism of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) foreign policy.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) claimed that the AK Party's plans went all wrong after the West geared up towards a military intervention in Syria.

Highlighting that Turkey's stance towards Syria has found no support on the international stage, Erdogan Toprak, the CHP's deputy chairman, told Today's Zaman that "the result of the vote that took place in the British parliament showed that Turkey is left alone in its foreign policy. All of the AK Party's assumptions about the region have proved flawed." Toprak stressed that in order to reach a resolution in Syria, foreign states should not intervene in Syrian internal affairs in the first place.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) wants to wait until the United Nations releases the official reports the findings of a chemical attack investigation. Celal Adnan, the MHP's deputy chairman, underlined that the mandate which passed in Parliament in October of last year is still in effect, and it gives Turkey the right to react to any possible threat coming from Syria.

He maintained that the UN investigative reports should be released before taking a step, saying: "We want the mandate that we have supported before in Parliament to stay in effect at the moment without any change. It is a wrong action for Turkey to start a call for war before the UN investigation is done," said Adnan.

Gultan Kisanak, co-chairperson of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) -- the political wing of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party, whose Syrian affiliate has aligned itself with the Bashar al-Assad regime -- emphasized that a military intervention in Syria would only deepen the country's conflicts. "There has already been a terrifying civil war going on in Syria for two years. An international military intervention would not cause anything but the expansion of the ongoing war," said Kisanak. He believes that a military intervention will not help solve the existing conflicts of the country.

Remzi Cayir, Grand Unity Party (BBP) deputy chairman, maintained that a military intervention led by the US would not contribute any good to a solution for Syria. "The Syrian deadlock pulls on the heartstrings. It is obvious that a US-led military intervention would only serve as window-dressing for the world. Showing the world that it has developed a humane reaction in the case of a chemical attack, the US wants to clear its image on the international level. Although Assad is the root of all the problems in Syria, the main objective of the military intervention is not to change the existing regime," he stated.

[08] February 28 postmodern coup trial starts today in Turkey

A coalition government led by a now-defunct conservative party was forced by the military to step down on February 28, 1997. "Not only were fatal blows dealt to fundamental rights and freedoms after the coup, but democracy and the rule of law were also suspended" writes the paper adding that the coup introduced a series of harsh restrictions on religious life, with an unofficial but widely practiced ban on the use of the Islamic headscarf at public institutions and universities.

In 2012, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the military. There are currently 38 suspects in jail pending trial, accused of plotting a coup. The indictment demands aggravated life imprisonment for 103 military officers of the time.

Former Chief of General Staff retired Gen. 0
smail Hakki Karadayi is referred to as the prime suspect in the indictment. Among other top suspects in the document are former Deputy Chief of General Staff retired Gen. Cevik Bir, former 1st Army Commander retired Gen. Yalcin Ataman and former Secretary-General of the General Staff retired Maj. Gen. Erol Ozkasnak. The suspects are accused of overthrowing the government and preventing it from performing its duties.

Among the other major suspects in the case are retired generals Fevzi Turkeri, Cetin Dogan and Teoman Koman, retired major generals Cetin Saner and Kenan Deniz, and retired Lt. Gen. Engin Alan. The only jailed civilian in the investigation is then-President of the Higher Education Board (YOK) Kemal Guruz.

[09] How Turkish immigrants in Germany will vote on the forthcoming September 22 elections

Turkish voters form a significant constituency as there are more than 700,000 eligible voters of Turkish origin in the country, where sometimes a narrow margin can decide the winner of an election.

A recent poll conducted as part of the Dortmund-based EndaX initiative launched by an institute named Futureorg recently conducted among 570 voters of Turkish origin, found that these voters still overwhelmingly vote for left-wing parties. The poll, conducted with the support of the World Media Group, found that 42.9 percent of those surveyed will vote for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP) and 21.6 percent for the Greens. A total of 20.3 percent said they were planning to vote the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) while the percentage of votes likely to be cast for the Bundnis fur Innovation und Gerechtigkeit (BIG) -- which can loosely be called an immigrant party -- was 6.9 percent. The poll found the votes of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) at 3.1 percent and the Left Party at 1 percent.

Although the SDP and the Greens still remain the most favored parties by Turkish voters according to the results, they also indicate a drop in the percentage of votes of these two parties in comparison with the vote distribution in the 2009 elections. The poll results point to a 7.3 decrease in the votes of the SPD and a 9.4 percent drop in the votes cast for the Greens by Turkish voters. The CDU has increased its votes among voters of Turkish background by 8.9 percent and BIG by 4.7 percent, the survey finds. Some 45.6 percent of first-time voters said they will vote for the SPD, followed by 21.1 percent for the CDU as the second party of choice for first-timers.

Head of the Futureorg Institute Kamuran Sezer said the fall in the percentage of votes for the SPD can be explained by the anti-Muslim and anti-Turkish rhetoric of German politician Thilo Sarrazin and the SPD's failure to display a determined stance to expel Sarrazin from the party. Likewise, Green Party deputy Mehmet Kilic's stance against the circumcision of male children and the party's co-chairs Claudia Roth and Cem Ozdemir's stance against the Turkish government during the Gezi protests in Turkey can explain the loss of votes among this party. Although most Turkish immigrants in Germany usually vote SDP or Greens in their country of residence, most are not liberals and the majority of those with dual citizenship vote for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Turkish elections.

According to Sezer's evaluation, a significant increase in the percentage of votes of the BIG party from Turkish voters is because the voter is protesting the other parties. BIG is a party of protest votes, Sezer explained. He said the increase in CDU votes can be attributed to the Turkish community's belief that the CDU is sincere and convincing regarding its promises to Turks, although the CDU is vehemently against Turkish entry into the EU.

Bekir Yilmaz, head of the Berlin Turkish Community Association, said the poll results indicate a Turkish immigrant profile that is increasingly acting as a citizen of Germany.

The Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD) has the slogan "To the Ballot Box" to invite every Turkish citizen eligible to vote in the upcoming elections. "Germany, to which we have dedicated our labor, efforts and lives is now our home and the home of our children. To leave a Germany that is livable to our children, we need to exercise our democratic right and fulfill our responsibility as citizens in the Sept. 22 federal parliamentary elections," says Suleyman Celik, head of the UETD.

According to figures from a different poll Celik cited, only 18 percent of Turkish voters actually go to the voting booth on election day. "If we want attention from the politicians, we should show the same attention. Instead of playing the victim, we should vote on Sept. 22 and tell the politicians that we also have a say."

[10] The Turkish columnists on the Syria crisis

Under the title "Foreign Intervention or Domestic Massacre", Yasin Aktan writes the following in Yeni Safak ( 31.08.13).

"The crisis in Syria has stopped being a domestic problem and has gradually become one that concerns the whole world. [?]

Even under those circumstances, in order for the intervention of other countries to have a legitimate basis, the issue must have an aspect that concerns those countries directly. As a matter of fact, if a state choses a struggle method that can be considered as a crime against humanity against the opposition that is treated as the enemy in that country, that issue will stop being one of officiousness or of arbitrary intervention for the whole international community, and will become a matter of heavy responsibility. [?]

The tragedy that is taking place today in Syria has already stopped being a national issue, and has reached a state that can no longer be solved without an intervention from the outside.[?]

The ruler of a country is massacring his own people every day using conventional or chemical methods. Nevertheless, there is a strange indifference towards those massacres. In the face of the puzzle and concern caused by the death of 100,000 people, Obama stipulated that, in order to intervene, the "red line had to be crossed," red line meaning the use of chemical weapons. When that line, which was probably drawn because Obama was extremely confident that Al-Asad would not go that far, was crossed, it first sparked a great reaction, and signals of intervention started to be given.

Despite all that, taking action against the state massacre in Syria is a responsibility towards humanity, and that necessitates an international humane intervention. [?]

Foreign intervention is bad in principle, but that principle needs to be weighed together with the principle that it is worse to watch from the sidelines dictators who massacre their own people and commit crimes against humanity. The discourse today against foreign intervention and war do nothing but encourage the dictators who massacre their people in masses and with the use of chemical weapons when necessary, and extend the life of their dictatorship. Is that not strange?

As a matter of fact, those who oppose a possible US intervention or any other foreign intervention have to prove sincerely the kind of proposal they have for a solution against the massacre of civilians by the regime as in the example of Syria. That is of course, if their opposition does not stem from any organic or ideological affiliation with bloody-handed dictators" Under the title "What Will Turkey's Role Be?" Sami Kohen writes in Miliiyet (31.08.13):

"What sort of place will Turkey have in a military intervention carried out against Syria? In what way will the affair impact Turkey?

In the face of the latest developments pertaining to a possible operation, as well as the ongoing uncertainties, it is difficult to answer these questions. [?]

Turkey earlier announced that if a resolution for an intervention came out of the UN Security Council, it would join the coalition to be established. But there are still important points in this regard that are not yet known: Would Turkey take a role in the "limited operation" that would be mounted? For instance, would Incirlik Air Base be utilized? Would Turkey provide protective or logistic support to the allied forces?

In reports coming out of Washington, it is being stressed that the operation would truly be very limited, and of short duration (and would not aim at toppling the regime in Damascus.) This conveys the impression that not very much would be demanded of Turkey. [?]

The stance of the United States has pleased Ankara. But it is clear that the government considers a "limited" operation insufficient, and that it favors a "comprehensive military operation" that goes beyond such a "perfunctory" gesture. The government continues to hold the belief that only an operation of this sort would be able to change the regime in Damascus.

[?]The price for our country that would result from a broad-scale military operation that also included Turkey would be heavy (in terms of refugees, border security, terrorism, the economy, and relations with Russia and Iran). Indeed, the government's policy of taking a stance in the Syrian crisis has already created sufficient problems?

If Ankara now engages in some "fine tuning" for a more flexible strategy, it will be more successful in the "regional role" that it wants to play. Under the title "The Bashar Lobby or the Devil's Advocates", Mustafa Ozcan writes the following in Yeni Akit (01.09.13):

"Obama did not hesitate this much when he targeted and struck at Bin Ladin. So many objections were not raised against striking at Saddam even though he did not have weapons of mass destruction. Bashar al-Asad must be favored by the devil. [?]

A great deception is under way. They did not defend Iraq, even though it was in a righteous position, as much as they have defended Al-Asad, even though he has done wrong. Prior to 2003, Saddam told the Americans through the Saudis: "I do not possess weapons of mass destruction. We are adversaries with Iran. They must not realize that I am weak. This is why I am bluffing. Please understand!" What did George W. Bush do instead? He fabricated evidence and attacked Iraq with the surreptitious complicity of Iran. As one of Obama's spokespersons has testified, evidence was fabricated over Iraq. Contrary to the fabrication of evidence [in Iraq], we see cover-up of evidence [in Syria]. The [Syrian] regime used chemical weapons 13 times but no one even noticed. Clearly, those who oppose any strike against Al-Asad want this to continue.

If a chemical attack was carried out, this was done by either the opposition or the regime. Those who insist that the regime would not do this refuse to see its dirty hands because they are partners with the regime. Why would a regime that slaughters its own people with tanks, guns, airplanes, and missiles refrain from using chemical weapons? What criterion would prevent it from doing that? [?]

[?] Obama has become the world's ethics police, despite his reluctant, belated, and inadequate plans. They get no pangs of conscience when Syrian babies are killed by these weapons. They do not even think about ethics. What world is this? Obama and Westerners appear to be very eager to strike at Al-Asad. However, their aim is to save their own honor rather to ask for a reckoning. No one should look for absolute justice on this issue. [?]"

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