Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-08-08

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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 says that no one can force him to sign an agreement which will endanger the future of his "people"

[02] Ozersay says that the negotiations are not interrupted; It is possible for him to be candidate in the next year's "presidential elections"

[03] Columnist refers to the drought that exists in Turkey and the water which they plan to bring to the occupied area of Cyprus

[04] The company which financed Bakirci's trip to Marseille is As-Mad Alci

[05] Kamu-Sen: "Every year 400 million dollars tax evasions take place"

[06] Istanbul Turkish airlines made investments to occupied Salamis Bay hotel

[07] Financial support to the Palestinian students studying in the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] Regional issues on agenda as Erdogan and top officials hold security meeting

[09] Turkey hopeful to boost exports to Russia amid ban on Western products

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu says that no one can force him to sign an agreement which will endanger the future of his "people"

Eroglu alleged that the Turkish Cypriot "people" are determined, they are satisfied with living freely under their own administration and "state" and on their own land and no one could "drag them into a so-called solution by ignoring these realities". He reiterated the allegation that the active and effective guarantees of Turkey are fundamental for the Turkish Cypriots, because they know that a "so-called agreement", as he described it, which will not include these guarantees will be tantamount to Turkey not being able to interfere against the Greek Cypriot attacks like it had happened in Kokkina area and to suffering the same events like in Palestine and Bosnia.

"I am obliged to declare to the Turkish Cypriot people that the Greek Cypriots still desire to impose on us an agreement which will pave the way of being able to return to the pre-1974 period", claimed Eroglu and alleged: "When the Greek Cypriot side refers to a solution within the framework of the 'EU principles', its target is the return to the pre-1974 period. We hope that the UN and the EU will not add another mistake to the mistakes they have committed until today and will not contribute in keeping the dreams of the Greek Cypriot side alive".

Referring to the "TRNC", the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, Eroglu claimed: "The TRNC was not offered to us by anyone. The TRNC is a result of a struggle. (?) I would like to [to be able to] say that the targets which our Greek Cypriot neighbors' had 50 years ago changed, that they consider us as much owners of this island as they are, and that they respect our equality, sovereignty, freedom, and our efforts to create an economy and hang on these lands, but unfortunately this is not possible (?) The TRNC is our security, our future. Defending with conscious and determination this state, and doing what is necessary is our debt to our martyrs, our fathers".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Ozersay says that the negotiations are not interrupted; It is possible for him to be candidate in the next year's "presidential elections"

In statements to Kanal Sim TV and Sim Radio, Ozersay said that due to concerns of the Greek Cypriot side on the proportions on the issue of the citizenship, during the meeting at the Green Tree in New York, the Turkish Cypriot side shared the total number of the "TRNC citizens" at the presence of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ozersay refrained from revealing the number they had stated.

Ozersay noted that the negotiations are not interrupted and that the existing disagreements could be overcome. He recalled that the leaders will be meeting on 2 September.

Ozersay alleged that during the last meeting between the leaders President Anastasiades behaved contrary to the diplomatic regulations. "Everything which had been published in the press is to an important extent true", he claimed.

Ozeray said that the Turkish Cypriot side wants to discuss the issues on which agreement has not been achieved in the past and added that a debate was experienced after the Greek Cypriot side asked for a screening to be held on the agreed issues as well.

Ozersay said that his candidacy in the "2015 presidential elections" in the occupied area of Cyprus is possible and added that this does not depend on anyone else's candidacy, but what is important is his own decision.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Columnist refers to the drought that exists in Turkey and the water which they plan to bring to the occupied area of Cyprus

"However, experts believe that this water will not be freedom for the Turkish Cypriots, but on the contrary, it will make them more depended on Turkey", notes Levent pointing out that the "actually interesting" aspect of this issue that "causes confusion" is that the news coming from Turkey are not good. Referring to the delay in the schedule of bringing water from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus, he goes on and writes, inter alia, the following:

"There are people who say that the water of Anatolia is giving red alert. The Meke Lake in Konya has dried by 99%! [The water level of] Turkey's biggest sweet water lake, Beysehir Lake has gone down 15 meters! The level of water in many big dams went down in dangerous dimensions. Do all these not show that a drought problem exists in Turkey? Turkey's Forests' and Water Affairs' Minister Veysel Eroglu had also stated this: 'Drought exists, but with God's help, there is no interruption in water supply'. (!) (?) Bringing millions of cubic meters of water with undersea pipelines to the TRNC, in spite of the drought which Turkey is facing, will surely also happen again with God's help! (?)"

(I/Ts.)

[04] The company which financed Bakirci's trip to Marseille is As-Mad Alci

[05] Kamu-Sen: "Every year 400 million dollars tax evasions take place"

Referring to the "unregistered labour and tax evaders", Kamu-Sen stated that "every year 700-800 million TL (400 million dollars) tax evasions take place". In the statement Kamu-Sen said that "over 300 warehouses supposed to be under the control of the 'state' have been providing trillions worth of properties to the markets through illegal ways which arise from unpaid taxes and VAT's. Besides this, it is added that since 2007 the 'government' had been granting the mobile phone companies with 65 million dollars which have been destroying the economy".

They also stated that every year the banks that had been siphoned 10 years ago and up to 700 million dollars, fuel evasions, cigarette and alcohol evasions, black money whose performers are known, have caused billions of dollars loss. Kamu-Sen stated that the remission of tax that had been passed by statutory decree is not going to benefit the SMEs but will be helpful to the ones who have been evading taxes for years.

[06] Istanbul Turkish airlines made investments to occupied Salamis Bay hotel

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the General Manager of the occupied Salamis Bay Conti Resort Hotel Mehmet Kral said that the new facility was constructed in line with increasing demands and needs.

Explaining that "as Istanbul Turkish Airlines they have been making various investments in the TRNC (editor's note: the occupied area in the Republic of Cyprus) since 1986", Kral thanked everyone who contributed to bring the resort to life.

Also addressing the event, the self-styled deputy prime minister and minister of economy, tourism, culture and sports Serdar Denktas highlighted the importance of raising the quality of service to the tourists visiting the "TRNC". He also stressed that investments were crucial and necessary for the development of the tourism sector.

[07] Financial support to the Palestinian students studying in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to the statement issued by the "ministry", Arabacioglu met with the "eastern mediterranean university academic personnel union (DAU-Sen) supervisory board secretary" Sami Fethi, the organization secretary Omar Mustafa and the associate Professor Mustafa Riza.

DAU-Sen told Arabacioglu that they wanted the "education ministry" and the "government's" support for their efforts of helping the Palestinian students who are studying in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, as a result of Israel's attack on Gaza. DAU-Sen noted that there are up to 40 Palestinian students in "north Cyprus", who are experiencing financial difficulties, requesting that they should be exempted from paying tuition fees. Arabacioglu said that it would be impossible of them to ignore the incidents taking place in Gaza, noting that the Turkish Cypriots had also experienced great struggles in the past, and that they are ready to support the Palestinian students who are not only studying in "DAU" but also all over "north Cyprus".

[08] Regional issues on agenda as Erdogan and top officials hold security meeting

Chief of General Staff, Gen. Necdet Ozel, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Hakan Fidan, and Gendarmerie General Command General Servet Yoruk attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 08.08.14), under the title Turkey airdrops aid to internally displaced persons in Iraq", reports that the Turkish Government airdropped humanitarian aid to thousands of members of the Yazidi community on Aug. 7, Davutoglu said, adding that Turkey was the sole country conducting humanitarian operations for displaced Iraqis fleeing from ISIL violence.

Davutoglu's statement came right after he chaired a security meeting focused on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) advance into northern Iraq, which presents a security risk for Turkey amid growing concern about an influx of Iraqi minority groups fleeing violence into Turkey.

Having already started to supply humanitarian aid to Turkmens, Davutoglu said: "Having the experience of Syria, what we want to do is to set up camps in the Kurdish region [of Iraq]. We could not manage that in the Syrian case," in reference to plans to erect a camp in the Dohuk region for 20,000 Iraqi Turkmens.

The Government has ordered border governors to take necessary measures, the Minister said, noting that a number of Yazidis had crossed into Turkey and took shelter with relatives. "Not a single Yazidi is kept waiting on the Turkish border," he added. Despite Turkey's current aid to the Yazidis, Kurds in northern Syria have long accused Ankara of facilitating ISIL activities in the area.

Because the meeting was attended by two top commanders, the land and gendarmerie force heads, it is believed that security measures along Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria were also discussed. Davutoglu, in earlier interviews, hinted that Turkey was capable of protecting its borders against any manner of threat.

[09] Turkey hopeful to boost exports to Russia amid ban on Western products

President Vladimir Putin ordered his government to adopt the measures to retaliate against Western countries that imposed sanctions on Russia's defense, oil and financial sectors over its support for rebels waging an insurrection in east Ukraine.

Mehmet Buyukeksi, the head of Turkey's top exporter, the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), said that they thought the Russian move "would create an opportunity" for Turkish exporters to increase their trade with the country.

Speaking to broadcaster NTV, he said Turkey had been suffering from some problems in its trade with Russia, particularly in poultry exports and the Russian announcement could help the country recover from the setbacks.

He said fruit, egg and poultry sectors could particularly benefit, as the Turkish Agriculture Ministry has been implementing some restrictions on other food products. Buyukeksi also said the ministry could ease some of its bans.

Importantly, Uludag Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Union Chairman Salih Cali said that the situation could possibly persuade Russian authorities to loosen tight controls that had hampered trade in recent years.

With the loss of some of its major import markets, the Russian government has pledged to compensate the decline in purchases by boosting its imports from other countries, including Turkey, Latin America and ex-Soviet nations.

Russia is planning to propose that Turkey boost fruit and vegetable supplies to replace the now banned imports, the ITAR TASS state news agency quoted the chief of Russia's phytosanitary watchdog, Sergey Dankvert, as saying.

Turkey was able to quickly increase supplies of produce to Russia, Dankvert said, as there were no licensing procedures. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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