Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-09-26

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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 describes as pleasing the reciprocal visits of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot representatives in Ankara and Athens

[02] Eroglu meets Gul; Ertug: we discussed how the "representations" of the breakaway regime abroad could be strengthened

[03] Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz: Turkey may drill for oil and gas in Cyprus

[04] Turkish Cypriot delegation in New York attends a reception hosted by President Gul

[05] Davutoglu discusses Syria, Balkans, Burma on the sidelines of UN General Assembly

[06] Hollande promises to support Turkey's EU negotiation process

[07] Atalay will lay the foundation for two mosques in occupied Cyprus

[08] "Immovable Property Commission" has reportedly turned into Turkish land 8.853.000 square meters of occupied Greek Cypriot land

[09] "A workshop of evaluation and observation the global climate change" in the occupied part of Lefkosia

[10] Criminal complaint filed against former President Demirel for his role in 1997 coup

[11] CHP officials held contacts in Washington

[12] Eighteen prisoners, including PKK convicts, escape from prison in eastern Turkey

[13] Erdogan advisor says that Turkey should quit its EU bid to grow stronger

[14] Self-styled foreign minister Nami met with the Yemen foreign minister

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu describes as pleasing the reciprocal visits of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot representatives in Ankara and Athens

"The problem should be solved by taking into account the characteristics of the two peoples", he argued claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for the solution of the problem.

He reiterated that when he had been "elected" in 2010, he sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General noting that he was ready to continue the negotiations from the point they had been left. "During the negotiations conducted in this process, some important convergences were reached", he argued and called on President Anastasiades to state his commitment to these convergences.

Eroglu claimed that President Anastasiades has put "various preconditions even before sitting at the table" asking positive gestures from the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey. He alleged that according to what the Greek Cypriot press had published, these "preconditions" are reiterated in the letters sent by President Anastasiades to the UN and the EU and put an obstacle for the beginning of the talks.

Eroglu argued that the Greek Cypriot side is the one which should prove its good will and claimed that the Greek Cypriot side has nothing to lose from the lifting of the so-called isolations and embargoes allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots.

Eroglu said that the proposals submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side on the issue of Cyprus' hydrocarbon resources are still on the table and added that they will recall these proposals at the meeting they will hold with the UN Secretary-General.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu meets Gul; Ertug: we discussed how the "representations" of the breakaway regime abroad could be strengthened

In statements to KIBRIS after the 45-minute meeting, Osman Ertug said that a full agreement existed between Turkey and the "TRNC" on the issues discussed during the meeting. He noted that they exchanged views on the Cyprus negotiations expected to resume next month and discussed how the "TRNC's" so-called representations abroad could be strengthened.

Ertug said that they discussed also the reciprocal visits of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot special representatives to Athens and Ankara respectively and confirmed that "the development experienced on this issue is a sign of the full equality that exists between the two sides".

Ertug said that Gul and Eroglu discussed also the letter sent by President Anastasiades to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. "This letter was negatively received by diplomatic circles here. It includes preconditions and elements which contradict to the UN parameters", he alleged.

Asked whether the position of the Turkish side on the issue of the occupied fenced city of Varosha was confirmed during the meeting, Ertug responded: "There is no need to be confirmed. It is out of the question for something to change on this issue".

Meanwhile, Eroglu will give a press conference on Saturday after his meeting with the UN Secretary-General. The Turkish Cypriot delegation is expected to return to the island on Sunday. It is said that Eroglu will return later.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz: Turkey may drill for oil and gas in Cyprus

"The Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa is drilling off the coast of the Mersin-Iskenderun-Antalya region. It will work there, for three weeks more. Later, we will speak with Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] as to whether it will enter Cyprus' exclusive economic zone. If the prime minister approves, the vessel could enter to the north or south of Cyprus because it has both a technical and political dimension," Yildiz told private broadcaster A Haber in an interview early today.

Yildiz also said they might buy a new vessel depending on the work load.

[04] Turkish Cypriot delegation in New York attends a reception hosted by President Gul

UN's and Arab League's Special Representative for Syria, El Ahdar el-Ibrahimi, the Palestinian President, Mahmut Abbas, the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Somalia, Hasan Sheikh Mahmut and former US Foreign Secretary, Henry Kissinger were among the participants in the reception.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Davutoglu discusses Syria, Balkans, Burma on the sidelines of UN General Assembly

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has met Lakhdar Brahimi, joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria in New York.

Diplomatic sources said, during the meeting, Davutoglu pointed out that there should be fast and lasting solution meeting the expectations of Syrian public. Davutoglu told Brahimi that gathering of the Second Geneva Conference was an unavoidable necessity to put forth the parameters and objectives of the process, while Brahimi briefed Davutoglu about the preparations for the Geneva II.

Davutoglu participated in several regional and global initiatives besides his bilateral meetings. During the trilateral meeting among foreign ministers of Turkey, Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, sources said that the parties agreed on widening the scope of their cooperation. The ministers exchanged views about the benefits of the Trilateral Business Forum that would be convened next year in Sarajevo, emphasizing that the initiative created a positive dynamic in the region instead of tension.

Davutoglu also participated in the Organization for Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Rohingya Contact Group meeting and highlighted that the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (ex Burma) were still in a worrisome situation which needed to be addressed by the OIC continuously and more efficiently.

Besides, Davutoglu attended Bosnia Herzegovina Contact Group and noted that despite all developments; the situation in Bosnia Herzegovina was still fragile, therefore called on the OIC to support the country in all terms.

[06] Hollande promises to support Turkey's EU negotiation process

President Hollande expressed his pleasure at meeting with President Gul and said he would also pay a visit to Turkey in the near future and reiterated that he supports the continuation of Turkey's negotiation process with the EU after the chapters are successively opened.

President Gul expressed his belief that President Hollande's visit to Turkey will boost the bilateral relations between the two countries. Declaring that Turkey's membership in the EU is Turkey's strategic orientation and objective, President Gul underscored that Turkey attaches great importance that new chapters be opened.

The two leaders also discussed the Syrian civil war; both sides agreed that the agreement on the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons should be turned into a UN Security Council resolution with the power of sanction. They further reaffirmed the continuation of the existing cooperation toward a resolution of the crisis in Syria.

According to diplomatic sources, France and Turkey share the same approach on the Syrian crisis, the paper reports.

[07] Atalay will lay the foundation for two mosques in occupied Cyprus

According to the paper, Atalay is coming in order to lay the foundations for projects, which will conform more the Turkish Cypriots to Islamic law. The paper also writes that the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) is determined to design the social structure of the Turkish Cypriots according to its own vision.

[08] "Immovable Property Commission" has reportedly turned into Turkish land 8.853.000 square meters of occupied Greek Cypriot land

The paper writes that the Commission paid 133 million pound sterling to Greek Cypriot refugees since its establishment in 2006. Havadis goes on and notes that with the increase of Greek Cypriot applications to the "Commission" especially in the period 2012-13 due to the economic crisis, "a serious Turkification in the Greek Cypriot properties" is being held.

The paper writes that Greek Cypriots applied to the "Commission" for 14 million 709 thousand square meters of occupied land until today and adds that compensation was paid for eight million 853 square meters of land, which "passed to the Turkish land register".

Moreover, 460 thousand square meters of land have been returned to their Greek Cypriot owners and one million 196 thousand square meters were exchanged with Turkish Cypriot property in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus.

(I/Ts.)

[09] "A workshop of evaluation and observation the global climate change" in the occupied part of Lefkosia

Dr. Mustafa Yildirim, Deputy General Director of Turkish State Meteorological Service of Turkey's Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs, also participates in the workshop.

[10] Criminal complaint filed against former President Demirel for his role in 1997 coup

The 18th hearing of the historic trial, which involves 103 suspects accused of attempting to overthrow a democratically elected government on Feb. 28, 1997, continued on Wednesday at the Ankara 13th High Criminal Court, where defendants are currently giving statements. Before the hearing began, lawyer Mustafa Polat filed a criminal complaint against Demirel for his role in the "postmodern" coup.

Polat also requested that the defendants be asked whether they would like repentance to be taken into account by the judges deciding their sentences. A coalition government led by a now-defunct conservative party, the Welfare Party (RP), was forced by the military to step down on Feb. 28, 1997. Not only was severe damage done to fundamental rights and freedoms after the coup, but democracy and the rule of law were also effectively suspended. The coup introduced a series of harsh restrictions on religious life, with an unofficial but widely practiced ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf at public institutions and universities.

[11] CHP officials held contacts in Washington

"Where CHP's views were once just a matter of interest, now we are faced with more comprehensive and detailed questions, and this gives me the impression that the US considers CHP as the potential ruling party in the next term," Logoglu said.

Noting that the purpose of their US visit was to share CHP's views on Turkey's domestic and foreign issues ahead of an anticipated visit to the U.S. by party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Logoglu said that his general impression from the meetings so far was that the US closely monitored the developments in Turkey, and were deeply concerned about the consequences.

Regarding CHP'S view on US-Turkey relations, Logoglu said that they preferred "strong and sustainable relations based on common values and interests, regardless of the conjuncture", and that they shared this with US officials. Referring to a question posed at Pentagon, Logoglu said they (CHP), as well as about 70% of the Turkish population was against a US military intervention in Syria; however, they agreed with the US on finding a political solution.

As for a question regarding how the US administration and Congress viewed the ruling AK Party, Logoglu said that "lately the US officials have been able to express their concerns more freely compared to previous visits, albeit not directly".

Logoglu added that they also met with a representative of the pro-Israel lobby group, AIPAC.

In response to a question about whether there was a discord between the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, Logoglu noted that since Gul served as a Foreign Minister for about 4 and a half years, and represented Turkey on various international platforms, he had an extreme wealth of knowledge which influenced his choice of words and mentality. Saying this was the reason why Gul always had a more careful and restrained discourse, Logoglu said "Nonetheless, it would be quite an exaggeration to see this as a deep difference of opinion between the President and Prime Minister."

[12] Eighteen prisoners, including PKK convicts, escape from prison in eastern Turkey

The prison break outside the city of Bingol comes days before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveils a package of reforms designed to strengthen democracy and keep on track a fragile settlement process to end a conflict between PKK members and the Turkish state.

The PKK has been fighting for autonomy for the mainly Kurdish southeastern region for almost three decades in a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people. Among Kurds' demands are changes to the anti-terrorism law that would make it more difficult to jail non-combatants for ties with the PKK.

The prisoners who escaped overnight were convicted of or charged with belonging to the PKK or aiding and abetting the militants and are believed to be hiding in a mountainous, wooded area of Bingol province, security officials said.

[13] Erdogan advisor says that Turkey should quit its EU bid to grow stronger

In his column for the Star daily, titled "Could Turkey be among the leaders?" Yigit Bulut said that "the West, or the imperial order" drew a roadmap for Turks during both the Ottoman and republican eras to steer the course of events toward its own benefit. Bulut explained his views by giving examples of Turkey's relations with Germany from the fall of the Ottomans to the present day.

According to Bulut, Turkey is the center and leader of a circle that includes the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. He said that Turkey's leadership emerged "naturally" after 2006 when the country left behind the "artificial period of 1850 to 2006."

"Today, everything is under the control and will of the Turkish state, not the imperial powers. Within the scope of this 'natural leadership' in the region, I personally think Turkey will be successful in leading the new models emerging in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa and that Turkey should immediately get rid of the European Union scenarios. We're still dealing with those who have wasted our time with nonexistent roadmaps for the last 150 years. If there is a civilization project underway, it will emerge from the richness of our roots and history, not from the EU, which has gone into a process of dissolution," Bulut said.

Bulut's statements came as latest step down of declining expectations for Turkey's EU accession process. Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bagis has recently said that Turkey will probably never become a member of the European Union because of stiff opposition and "prejudiced" attitudes of current members, and that Turkey had to accept that its long-cherished goal of joining the EU was likely to end in disappointment.

[14] Self-styled foreign minister Nami met with the Yemen foreign minister

According to Bayrak, Nami held a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Yemen Abu-Bakr Abdullah Al-Qirbi and they discussed ways of improving the relations between Yemen and the breakaway regime. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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