Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-11-04

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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] Bagis says positive developments are happening on the Cyprus problem

[02] Eroglu alleges that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to agree on a mutually accepted joint statement

[03] Ertug describes as "unjustifiable and unnecessary" the Greek Cypriot reactions on Ban Ki-moon's recent statement

[04] Nami: We are in close co-operation with Eroglu

[05] Cakici: the issue of occupied closed Varosha must come onto the agenda before the comprehensive solution

[06] Yorgancioglu: Nami should be at the negotiation table

[07] Talat: the Turkish Cypriots feel themselves as part of Turkey

[08] The exports in the occupied area of Cyprus fall after the 1994 ECJ verdict

[09] Mungan: regime's budget for 2014 provides for a growth of 9.6%

[10] "Water and Food Safety" conference of OIC to be held in the breakaway regime

[11] Nationalist Turkish Cypriot politician Avci was seen taking a Republic of Cyprus passport

[12] Intelligence cooperation between Turkey and Iran is in a "very, very good state," according to the Iranian Ambassador

[13] Turkish Think Tank surveys shows Turkish public sees independent Kurdish state 'Biggest Threat'

[14] Thousands of Alevis hit streets in Istanbul

[15] Turkey's Directorate General for Religious Affairs issues fatwa against tattoos

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Bagis says positive developments are happening on the Cyprus problem

"However, positive developments are happening now on the Cyprus issue. Cyprus foreign minister Mr Ozdil Nami [Translator's note: the self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] had been chief negotiator in the past and he undertook an intensive effort. I hope that within a short period of time we will receive the chief negotiator of the South Cyprus' Greek Administration in Ankara. Athens will receive TRNC's chief negotiator and the emergence of a new UN plan, like the Annan Plan, perhaps a Ban Ki-moon Plan, will be in the question? If the Cyprus issue is solved, we are at the point of being able to easily open 12 chapters and closing 10 chapters. We are at the point of passing some issues with a little work and further increasing that number. If the Cyprus problem is solved, we could open 12 chapters within a very short period of time and easily close 10 chapters".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu alleges that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to agree on a mutually accepted joint statement

"We are ready to hold the meeting of the leaders, which will launch the negotiations from the point they were left, even without the joint statement that has been turn into a precondition by the Greek Cypriot side. Come and let us continue the negotiations from the point we were left and reach the comprehensive solution which the two peoples expect from us in the first quarter of 2014".

Eroglu said that the Turkish side supports UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's expectation in the direction of determining the date of the meeting between the leaders that will launch the negotiations. He added that in his statement of 1 November 2013, Ban Ki-moon ascertained important things regarding the point reached in the efforts exerted in Cyprus for finding a just and lasting comprehensive solution within the framework of his good offices mission. He noted that the expectation of the UN Secretary- General regarding the resumption of the negotiations and his warning that a limited window of opportunity exists, underlined once more that the waste of time in the negotiations must end.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot side does not adopt the Greek Cypriot "attacks" made against the UN Secretary-General because of his correct ascertainments.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ertug describes as "unjustifiable and unnecessary" the Greek Cypriot reactions on Ban Ki-moon's recent statement

In statements to Kibris, Ertug alleged that he finds it difficult to understand the Greek Cypriot reactions to the statement made by Ban Ki-moon recently. He argued that Ban Ki-moon and Downer are trying to fulfill the duty required by their good offices mission in Cyprus and within this framework they are referring to the recommencement of the negotiations from the point they were left.

He argued that they see these allegedly "unjustifiable and excessive" reactions as a result of the so-called delaying tactics for prolonging the process without having any time limit.

He said that they do not find useful the attacks against the UN Secretary-General.

In addition, illegal Bayrak television (02.11.13) broadcast that Ertug commented to the statements of Andreas Mavroyannis, negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side.

Mavroyannis said the Greek Cypriot side will approve the opening of 8 chapters in Turkey's EU accession talks in return of the implementation of the additional protocol and will approve the opening of the Famagusta port to direct trade with the EU if Turkey hands over the closed city of Maras to the United Nations.

Ertug responded to Mavroyannis by saying 'the wrong subject the wrong address'. Ertug said that Mavroyannis' words are "inexplicable" and added that even the exact date of the Ankara visit is not certain. He said that they are still waiting for a response from Greece and the Republic of Cyprus on the visit.

In addition in statements to Today's Zaman (03.11.13) Ertug said the following: "The visits -- planned for October -- didn't happen. The ball is in the Greek side's court. We are still waiting for a date from them. Both Greece and Greek Cyprus are dragging their feet on the visits of the special representatives. They have a number of concerns. However, the problems that they talk about are not the real ones. For example, Greek Cyprus says that Ankara and Athens should agree on the [date of the] visits, about which they had previously agreed [at the time of the UN meeting]," he said.

[04] Nami: We are in close co-operation with Eroglu

Nami said that the Cyprus problem entered a very critical phase. He also said that the Turkish Cypriot side is not trying to impose any deadlines but as he added attention must be paid to the natural time limits. He said that this issue must be taken seriously since in the past the two sides paid a heavy price for ignoring the natural time limits.

He also said that the aim of reaching a solution in the first months of 2014 does not seem possible and accused the Greek Cypriot side of avoiding the issue of a common statement.

[05] Cakici: the issue of occupied closed Varosha must come onto the agenda before the comprehensive solution

According to a written statement issued by the TDP, Cakici said that "Varosha has been left to the snakes and centipedes" by repeating the statement that "Varisha is part of the comprehensive solution" and added that an opening regarding Varosha would create positive acceleration in the process for the solution.

Cakici attended the 4th Regular Congress of his party in occupied Famagusta area during which Mustafa Emiroglulari was reelected chairman of TDP's regional organization.

Cakici noted that TDP struggles for the solution of the Cyprus problem, equality, justice, human rights, democratization and transferring power to the civilians. He argued that the area of Famagusta will be leading this struggle.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Yorgancioglu: Nami should be at the negotiation table

In an exclusive interview to the journalist Osman Kalfaoglu, Yorgancioglu said that he believes with the resumption of the Cyprus talks, Nami should be part of the negotiation team. Yorgancioglu explained that Nami conveyed this request to Eroglu, however, he added, they won't be able to know on this issue before the resumption of the negotiation process. Yorgancioglu also said that Nami's experience will contribute a lot to Eroglu.

Commenting on the question whether the meeting of Nami with the Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis was a result of a more proactive target of the "government programme" on the Cyprus problem, Yorgancioglu said that Nami has not met only with Mavroyiannis, but he also met with the Turkish Foreign Minister in New York and in Brussels, adding that Nami works in an active way and he constantly shares his thoughts with the Turkish Cypriot leader.

Yorganicioglu went on: "We, as government, as prime minister and most of all our foreign minister, are eager and determined to contribute as much as we can in the process for the solution of the Cyprus problem."

[07] Talat: the Turkish Cypriots feel themselves as part of Turkey

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Talat alleged, inter alia, the following: "It is totally legitimate for us as Turkish side to put certain target dates. It is extremely reasonable and legitimate for the Turkish Cypriot side to put certain time limits. What is essential when you put timetables is to put it forward within the scope of a programming of the solution? If we create the climate that everyone should go his own way by saying that we have put a final date and we could not solve it, this will be used against us and cause disappointment in the peoples?"

Talat went on and said that no one evaluates and takes seriously into consideration how the sides will reach a final result until next February or March in the negotiations that will be launched in November by the sides which could not agree on the text of the joint statement to be issued after the first meeting. Talat noted that the Cyprus problem could be solved within a few months if the accumulated experience is used. "However, the current environment shows that this will not happen", he said adding that he does not see that the Turkish Cypriot leadership exhibits a "fast-moving approach".

Referring to his possible candidature in the "presidential elections" in the occupied area of Cyprus, Talat said that he could not say whether he will be a candidate in the "elections", because he will not decide this alone. He noted that this will be decided by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which is the biggest party in favor of the solution, and the other pro-solution forces in the community.

(I/Ts.)

[08] The exports in the occupied area of Cyprus fall after the 1994 ECJ verdict

Ali Cirali, chairman of the Chamber of Industry, noted that prior the ECJ judgement, 150-200 thousand tons of citrus fruits and 20 thousand tons of potatoes being grown in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus exported to the EU countries.

The chairman of the "shippers' association", Hasan Dortgazi, said that the 80% of their citrus fruits exports is send to Iraq and the 20% to Turkey.

[09] Mungan: regime's budget for 2014 provides for a growth of 9.6%

In statements to illegal TAK news agency, he noted that one of the fundamental principles of his "government" for the budget of 2014 is budget discipline and savings in current expenses. He said that no one will be hired by the "state" this year and only 360 persons will be employed in 2014. He added that 75 of these newly appointed employees will be teachers and the rest 285 persons will be employed as permanent staff.

Mungan said that the budget deficit will increase by 22.7% in comparison to the previous year and added that the only way of dealing with this problem is to "register the underground economy". He noted that the deficit in the budget of 2013 was 290 million 330 thousand and 348 Turkish liras and increased to 366 million 238 thousand in the budget of 2014.

He said that the total amount of Turkey's aid and credits in the regime's budget was 942 million Turkish liras in 2013 and increased by 7.76% reaching one billion 15 million liras in 2014.

(I/Ts.)

[10] "Water and Food Safety" conference of OIC to be held in the breakaway regime

The paper writes that the general secretary of OIC. Ekmelettin Ihsanoglu will also participate in the conference. The conference will be held in the Acapulco Hotel in occupied Keryneia.

[11] Nationalist Turkish Cypriot politician Avci was seen taking a Republic of Cyprus passport

[12] Intelligence cooperation between Turkey and Iran is in a "very, very good state," according to the Iranian Ambassador

Speaking to the daily Hurriyet, Bigdeli said the intelligence cooperation between the two countries were at a level that should be between strong neighbors and brothers, which bothered Western powers, as well as Israeli authorities.

"Why do they not like it when Turkish and Iranian intelligence agencies cooperate? They expect Turkey to have good cooperation with MOSSAD or CIA. There is that side to it. Turkish and Iranian agencies always have cooperation, and they should have so, and they will have so. It is normal between neighbors to have that, but they treat it with doubt," Bigdeli said.

When asked about the recent claims of Turkey handing over Israeli spies to Iranian authorities, Bigdeli did not go into details, and just said, "I've been here for only seven months. The claims in that story go back a year. I have no information regarding them."

The Iranian envoy further told Hurriyet that Iranian and Turkish agencies cooperated during the rescue of the Turkish pilots who had been kidnapped in Lebanon, and the Iranian citizens who were retrieved from Syria.

[13] Turkish Think Tank surveys shows Turkish public sees independent Kurdish state 'Biggest Threat'

[14] Thousands of Alevis hit streets in Istanbul

Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "We won't be the state's Alevis," and "We will never bend the knee to injustice," as well as slogans referring to the anti-government Gezi Park protests that were sparked in May. Around 50 Alevi associations and political parties were represented in the rally.

Alevis, who follow a liberal sect of Islam, voiced several demands, including the removal of compulsory religion courses in schools, official recognition of their worship places, Cemevis, and investigations into the unknown murders of Alevis.

"We want our beliefs to have legal status so the Alevi community can perform its rituals freely," the Pir Sultan Abdal Association stated on its website, in its call to the rally. It calls for the cancelation of a project in which a mosque and a Cemevi will be built next to each other in Ankara, in a project supported by Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen.

Alevis also demand the removal of the compulsory religion courses, as well as the Religious Affairs Directorate on the ground that it is a conflicting situation that "a secular country has an institution which only serves Sunni Hanefi Muslims." They also demand the return of land, Cemevis, and other assets that were confiscated by the state. The estates belonging to Alevis such as Haci Bektas Veli Dergah Sahkulu, Garipdede and Erikli Baba should be returned to Alevi communities without any cost, it said.

[15] Turkey's Directorate General for Religious Affairs issues fatwa against tattoos

"The same way that they are harmful for health, they are prohibited by religion," the body's High Committee of Religious Affairs said on Nov. 2, in response to a question over whether tattoos were permissible.

"In Islam, drawing attention [to oneself] and changing the properties and form given by birth is considered to be altering creation, and is therefore banned," the Diyanet said, adding that the practice dated back to the pre-Islamic "age of ignorance."

The statement also mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad said that those who changed how they were created were distancing themselves from God's mercy and grace.

The Diyanet also clarified that Islam disapproved of earrings and other such piece of jewelry in men. However, the statement said that long hair on men and styling hair in any kind of way is not considered illicit, so long as the hair is kept clean. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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