Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-12-09

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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] Ertug alleges that there will be a joint statement if the Greek Cypriot side abandons its "rigid stance"

[02] Nami to attend OIC Ministerial meeting in Guinea

[03] Yorgancioglu is re-elected CTP's chairman; Ahmet Derya: AKP is trying to reshape the northern part of Cyprus

[04] Verhofstatd: the Turkish Cypriots should be given the status of observer at the EP

[05] TDP wants two Turkish Cypriots to take part at the European Parliament

[06] Contacts of the delegation of self-styled mayors in Brussels

[07] Reactions against Mungan's statement that they have to implement the "economic protocol"

[08] Siber may be the next Turkish Cypriot leader

[09] Taraf to sue PM Erdogan over treason accusations

[10] Columnist: Turkey returns to EU as foreign policy fails

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Ertug alleges that there will be a joint statement if the Greek Cypriot side abandons its "rigid stance"

Ertug was asked by Kibris to comment on a statement reportedly made by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides to Turkish Sabah newspaper, according to which the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem would start this week and the visits of the representative to Athens and Ankara would take place after two weeks.

Ertug said the following: "The Greek Cypriot side seems to have understood that they could not continue for a long time the rigid stance they follow until now on the issue of the joint statement. We will see within a few days if this is true. Our wish is for these developments to happen within a few days. We, as Turkish Cypriot side, are the ones who said yes to the unconditional realization of the negotiations and the visits".

Ertug alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side has the right to ask Turkey's effective guarantees to be included in the joint statement as a return for Greek Cypriot side's insistence on the single sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Kibris cites information acquired from a "high ranking source", who wished to remain anonymous, according to which, "there should be a mistake in the translation" of the statements made by Minister Kasoulides. "A joint statement is needed for the resumption of the negotiations", said the source pointing out that there is no such a statement yet. The same source is quoted as saying that the issue of the joint statement "is highly possible to end this week" during UN Secretary-General's special adviser, Alexander Downer's visit to the island.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Nami to attend OIC Ministerial meeting in Guinea

The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will also be attending the meeting.

[03] Yorgancioglu is re-elected CTP's chairman; Ahmet Derya: AKP is trying to reshape the northern part of Cyprus

In statements after his victory, Yorgancioglu said that some persons "cross the line" during competitions within the parties, but as long as the target is the same, afterwards everyone continues their way together. "Either we will save this community all together, or we will remain spectators to its annihilation, to the weakening of its economic power, to the downgrading of its ability to administrate itself", he noted.

The paper writes that 114 candidates competed for the 40-member council of the party. Representatives from Turkish Cypriot political parties, as well as representatives from Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democracy Party (HADEP) attended the congress.

Meanwhile, addressing the opening of the congress, Yorgancioglu argued that the Turkish Cypriots could not benefit of their rights deriving from the EU and added that in order for overcoming the problems in the "country", the Cyprus problem should be solved. Arguing that the CTP has given difficult struggles in this field and noted that they could not get the solution they desire. He said that their target is to contribute in the solution process during this period they are in the "government".

Yorgancioglu alleged that it is not correct to produce policies only on the so-called mistakes of the Greek Cypriot side and added that it is necessary to sit at the table producing alternative policies and "put pressure" on the "unwilling side". He said that the solution will bring positive results to both the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots as well as for peace in the region. He noted that the island is too small to be divided and big enough to embrace everyone who lives on it.

In his address at the congress, former chairman of CTP, Ferdi Sabit Soyer argued that the process for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem "is being dragged into deadlock". He said that the Cyprus problem is an issue which could not be left to the initiative of the party leaders and added that there is a need for exerting efforts on this matter. Pointing out to the importance of implementing confidence building measures, Soyer argued that peace, democracy and justice are CTP's principles, which could not be changed whoever is elected in its leadership.

Moreover, in his address, Ahmet Derya, member of CTP's party council, said that the CTP had been "like a communist party" in the first years of its establishment and in spite of all pressures and threats the members of the CTP were fighting for the labourers and peace. He said that there is a wish for reshaping the occupied northern part of Cyprus with policies and programs imposed by the AKP and recalled that in some of their statements Turkish officials criticize the Turkish Cypriots.

Derya noted that Turkey has deliberately turned the Turkish Cypriots into dependants on it. He added that efforts are exerted to take away from the Turkish Cypriots their economic values and education and interferences are experienced in their social life.

Derya said also that in the Cyprus problem efforts are also exerted to impose the view that "everyone should go his own way if the problem is not solved". He noted that CTP's duty is to resist against these impositions and added: "Unfortunately, I see that they are trying to reshape, change the CTP. There is a wish to be changed into a liberal democrat party, which will be implementing AKP's policies. This congress will be a turning point on this issue. I oppose to this party becoming a liberal democrat party".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Verhofstatd: the Turkish Cypriots should be given the status of observer at the EP

Verhofstatd wished a solution to be found to the problem of the representation of the Turkish Cypriots at the EP before the European elections of 2014 and added that a development in this direction or even a solution to the Cyprus problem until the date of the elections would be very pleasing development for them.

He said that his group has repeatedly proposed the participation of two Turkish Cypriots as observers in the works of the EP, but this proposal could not find the necessary support in the EP. He noted that he is not very sure that the most ideal and preferable development for the Turkish Cypriots could be realized on this issue. He pointed out that the Turkish Cypriots have the right to vote and being elected according to the laws of the Republic of Cyprus, but alleged that he doubts that this alternative "is functional" before a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

(I/Ts.)

[05] TDP wants two Turkish Cypriots to take part at the European Parliament

A delegation headed by Ozyigit paid a visit to the acting director of the European Parliament's Cyprus Office Alexandra Attalidou.

Speaking at the meeting held at the European Parliament's Cyprus Office in the government controlled area of Cyprus, the acting director Alexandra Attalidou congratulated Ozyigit on his recent election as party leader. "We look forward to promoting the image of the European Parliament within the Turkish Cypriot Community", she said, stating that her office was always ready to help establish contacts between the European Parliament and the Turkish Cypriot Community.

The EP's Cyprus Office Director Alexander Attalidou also expressed the hope that the Turkish Cypriot community and the TDP will be engaged in next year's elections at the European Parliament.

For his part, the leader of the Social Democratic Party Cemal Ozyigit said that both the European Union and the European Parliament was of utmost importance to the Turkish Cypriots. He expressed the view that the EU should be more involved and active in the Cyprus negotiations process expressed to gain momentum in the coming days.

Reminding that the Greek Cypriots were occupying two seats in the European Parliament allocated for Turkish Cypriots, Ozyigit conveyed his party's demand that two Turkish Cypriots should be participated in the European Parliament as full members and not as observers. He also asked that Turkish Cypriots be allowed to elect their own representatives to the European Parliament.

[06] Contacts of the delegation of self-styled mayors in Brussels

They met with the Czech MEP Libor Roucek, the British MEP Chris David, the German MEP Ismail Ertug and the British MEP Michael Cashman. The paper reports that the EU funded projects were discussed during the meetings.

The delegation of the self-styled mayors also met with the head of the European Commission's Cyprus desk Michaela di Bucci and her assistant Vincent Rey.

Within the framework of their contacts with the local administration, they met with the Mayor of Schaarbeek, Bernard Clerfayt and the deputy mayors Sadik Koksal and Sait Kose. They discussed possibilities of cooperation on culture sector.

[07] Reactions against Mungan's statement that they have to implement the "economic protocol"

Harmanci said, inter alia, the following: "If the CTP has changed its stance on the issue of the economic package and decided that it will be literally implemented, it should share this view with the public. Otherwise, if they continue saying one thing and do something else, this does not fit into political ethics and it is a two-faced policy".

Meanwhile, Ortam reports that Dogus Derya, so-called MP with the CTP, also criticized Mungan on her Facebook account. She, inter alia, wrote the following referring to Mungan: "E man, who are you? Or rather, who made you minister? Either you are in the wrong party or I am! It is enough, honestly!"

Moreover, according to Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (07.12.13), the chairman of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) has also criticized Mungan noting that the latter's statement "was an announcement of what was known". Izcan argued that the CTP- Democratic Party self-styled government "is behaving as a local organization of the Justice and Development Party (AKP)".

(I/Ts.)

[08] Siber may be the next Turkish Cypriot leader

According to a "high rank official", Sibel is accepted by a large part of the Turkish Cypriot community and in case she is candidate at the next "elections", she may be the first woman Turkish Cypriot leader.

The paper also reported that Sibel, who recently visited Ankara as quest of Turkey's Assembly Speaker Cemil Cicek, also met with Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Sibel also got the majority of votes among the candidates at the "early elections" in July, and she got "46 votes" at the "assembly" of the breakaway regime from 50 "deputies", the paper wrote.

[09] Taraf to sue PM Erdogan over treason accusations

Taraf said Erdogan had filed a criminal complaint against the daily's Mehmet Baransu for leaking secret state documents but then went further by saying "the judiciary must do its duty" during a meeting.

A lawyer for the daily, Veysel Ok, will file the criminal complaint this week, the daily said today. "Erdogan's words mean ordering prosecutor and judge what to do, and it is a damage to the judiciary. These are crimes under the Turkish Criminal Code's 228th Article," Ok was quoted as saying by Taraf.

"Revealing state privacy is not called freedom, it is sheer treason," Erdogan said, addressing a crowd in the north-western province of Tekirdag during a mass opening ceremony on Dec. 7.

The statement comes a day after prosecutors launched investigations Baransu and Taraf. Separate criminal complaints were filed by the Prime Ministry, the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the National Security Council (MGK).

On Dec. 7, Baransu said via Twitter that he found a hidden camera and a receiver in his apartment. "My source who told me that intelligence officers were following me warned me of this," he said.

On the same issue, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (online, 08.12.13) reported that Helene Flautre, the co-chairwoman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, has described the launch of an investigation into the Taraf daily and journalist Mehmet Baransu for publishing records of controversial National Security Council (MGK) documents as being "scandalous" and "inappropriate," adding that she has serious concerns about freedom of the press in Turkey.

"Attacking the newspaper or the journalist who printed this news [about government profiling of individuals] is like arresting somebody who runs toward you and reports a crime. The journalist is told: 'You are going to jail. It is you who is going to jail for revealing a crime.' Certainly, this is obviously an inappropriate situation and is scandalous behaviour. This newspaper reported something for the public's benefit and it revealed a violation of duty at the end of the day," Flautre told the private Cihan news agency in an exclusive interview.

She said the limits of activities about collecting information about the private lives of individuals are clearly set by laws and if these laws have been violated, then there is a need for extensive reform to establish a democratic control mechanism.

Baransu now faces charges of acquiring confidential documents crucial to state security, unveiling information that is forbidden to announce and political and military espionage. He may face a prison term of up to 43 years for the charges.

The European parliamentarian said she believes there is a serious censorship imposed on the Turkish press, which triggers self-censorship.

"As a matter of fact, when you take the consequences of the publications you make, you began to be more careful before you print them. This is definitively a worse situation. There is a need for the establishment of a structure that will clearly guarantee media freedom in Turkey. Politicians making accusatory statements about newspapers or journalists are not something that can be seen in deep-rooted democracies," Flautre said.

She also said the launch of an investigation into Taraf and Baransu will definitely come to the agenda of the European Parliament during the talks on its annual report on Turkey.

[10] Columnist: Turkey returns to EU as foreign policy fails

"You will hear good news on Dec. 16. Turkey is launching a new process with the EU. You will hear about it on Dec. 16, I am not disclosing it now. You will be informed about it when we put our signatures on Dec. 16," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Anadolu Agency during his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) rally in Kirikkale, a town in Thrace, on Dec. 6.

Turkey's return to the EU agenda will be enriched by some high-level exchange of visits in December and January. Among them most importantly is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's projected visit to Brussels in mid-January, nearly four years after his last journey where he will meet with top EU officials, President of the European Commission Herman von Rompruy, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Parliament Martin Schultz.

French President Francois Hollande's visit to Turkey and Turkish President Abdullah Gul's planned visit to Italy, both late January, are also seen very important in this regard. For his part, Davutoglu will be in Athens on Dec. 13, in an important visit that comes just before Greece resumption of the EU's term presidency on Jan. 1, 2014. Apart from Turkey's accession process, envisioned unification talks in Cyprus will also be a very important item during the foreign minister's visit. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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