As part of his contacts, Ozersay met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is in New York in line with the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting at the UN Headquarters was held closed to the press.

He also met with Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Later, Ozersay met with the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Jonathan Allen and attended and addressed a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization, which the "TRNC" is an observer member under the name "Turkish Cypriot State".

Ozersay, during his speech called on the member states to take concrete steps and cooperate in the fields of higher education, trade and tourism.

[05] BKP and the "Left movement" call on both leaders to show a constructive stance in New York

The BKP underlined further in the statement the need for the resumption of the Cyprus negotiation talks without preconditions in the framework of the Guterres report and from the point they were interrupted at Crans Montana.

Izcan, demanded further from the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to undertake decisive steps towards the direction of a United Federal Cyprus. He further added that the priority of the Turkish Cypriot side at the negotiations should not be the regional economic and military interests of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, but indeed, the future of all Cypriots, in order to be able to live in peace.

Izcan also said that another deadlock in the negotiation process would enable the risk of the division of the island.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the "Left Movement", has called on both Akinci and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, to be constructive during their meetings with Guterres.

Abdullah Korkmazhan, speaking on behalf of the movement, has stressed the need for the resumption of the Cyprus negotiation talks within the Guterres framework. Korkmazhan called on both leaders to show political will during the talks in New York in order to be able to convince the UN Secretary-General.

(AK)

[06] The Turkish settlers' YDP party demands "presidential spokesman" Burcu to be removed from his "post"

According to Ozturk, Burcu has described the "1974 peace operation in Cyprus", as it is called by Turkey and the occupation regime, as an invasion. He expresses the view that after Burcu's statements, the "1960 Treaty of Guarantees loses its meaning".

"According to Mr. Baris Burcu, Cyprus belongs to Cypriots and thus no state which is not a Cypriot state has the right to speak or to be legal", Ozturk said, claiming that these positions by Burcu serve only the Greek Cypriots.

Addressing Akinci, Ozturk wonders whether Akinci was aware of these positions as they were expressed by Burcu in his master thesis, before appointing him as his "spokesman" and he also calls Akinci to state whether he agrees with these positions.

Also, the same paper in its column called "Gunun Kahramani [Translator's note: The hero of the day], points out that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci when he briefs the opposition parties, he also includes in his briefing Erhan Arikli (the leader of YDP) which is considered as responsible for the incidents occured in occupied Deryneia. At the same time, Akinci listens also the views of Arikli on the Cyprus problem. But, on the contrary, Arikli without losing time, demands for Burcu to be removed from his position, providing as an excuse the views he expresses in his master thesis.

(AK)

[07] A fishing boat carrying 13 refugees was found out yesterday off the coast of occupied Karpasia

According to the paper, the "coast guard team", after receiving a notice, launched an air-scale operation, accompanied by helicopters and found out the "refugee boat".

According to information acquired, the boat was carrying 13 refugees. The captain of the boat was a "citizen of the TRNC". All people were rescued and are safe.

(AK)

[08] A "court" in the occupied area of Cyprus "ruled out" against the two suspects involved in the incidents occurred on January 22

According to the paper, the "decision" of the "court" to impose 4,000 TL as fine to the two suspects, Ahmet Turkmen and Metin Tas, has caused a shock in the Turkish Cypriot community, writes the paper, supporting that the "sentence" is not dissuasive but stimulus.

Meanwhile, the paper writes that the two "suspects" who accepted all accusations against them, expressed their apologies to the "court", claiming that they regret for their actions.

(AK)

Â. Turkish Press

[01] Turkish Petroleum awards Houston's Rowan first drill contract in Mediterranean

In late May, Turkey's first drilling vessel, which was named after Istanbul's conqueror Ottoman Sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmet, sailed off to the Mediterranean to start the country's first deep-sea drilling operations. (…) It is capable of drilling to a maximum depth of 12,000 meters. The first drilling well will reach 2,600 meters in depth.

Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 27 mobile offshore drilling units composed of 23 self-elevating jack-up rigs and four ultra-deep-water drill ships. (…)

Additionally, the company is a 50/50 partner in a joint venture with Saudi Aramco in ARO Drilling, which owns a fleet of five self-elevating jack-up rigs that operate in the Arabian Gulf. Its Class-A Ordinary Shares are traded in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

[02] Erdogan holds closed-door meetings in New York

The closed-door meeting with Guterres came a day before Erdogan's address to the General Assembly's 73rd session.

The UN said Guterres "commended the excellent UN-Turkish cooperation, including in support of Turkey's hosting of more than 3.5 million refugees".

"The Secretary-General and the President discussed the situation in Syria, with the Secretary-General welcoming the agreement reached on 17 September to create a demilitarized zone in Idlib," the UN said in the statement.

Later, Turkish presidential sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said the two men confirmed their resolution to further develop close cooperation between Turkey and the UN.

Erdogan and Guterres also discussed measures taken for the de-escalation zone in Idlib following a deal between Ankara and Moscow in the Russian city of Sochi as well as the political process in Syria. Some key global and regional issues were also addressed, according to the sources.

Turkey and Russia also signed a memorandum of understanding on that date calling for the "stabilization" of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited. Under the pact, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas where they are already present while Russia and Turkey will carry out joint patrols in the area to head off renewed fighting.

On Sept. 24, Erdogan also held closed-door meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New York.

The theme of this year's general assembly meetings is Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank were also present at the meeting.

Erdogan's schedule in New York runs through Sept. 26.

[03] Commentary: "The biggest obstacle of solution in Cyprus is the Turkish Cypriots"

"On Sunday, while I was sitting at my home, I got a txt message from UBP (National Unity Party) 'deputy' Ersin Tatar. Tatar was briefing me and probably thousands of others on his telephone list that the Cyprus issue could only result in an agreement with the Greek Cypriot side if they come to reason, but such condition is not seen for today.

Tatar is one of the most valuable, perhaps the most valuable deputy of UBP, which is the biggest party. Tatar has rare qualities: he is well-educated and honest. He is the candidate, who is closer to be elected leader at the UBP Congress to be held next month.

If I have a vote, I would have given it to him.

But, unfortunately, like all other politicians on the Cyprus issue, he is parroting (repeating) the classic statements of the Turkish Cypriot side.

I replied to him: 'If an agreement in Cyprus is desired, the Turkish Cypriots need to come to reason, but you cannot say this as a politician'.

I want to explain you why I think like this, knowingly I cannot convince anyone.

I don't claim that the Greek Cypriots are bathing in zam-zam water (Holy water). However, the Cyprus problem cannot be solved due to extreme and in some cases unreasonable demands of the Turkish Cypriot side.

At the beginning of these demands, the continuation of Turkey's guarantorship, which includes the right to unilateral intervention and the Turkish army on the island to protect the Turkish Cypriots come to stay.

This demand is unreasonable. Humans establish a partnership with the people they can trust.

If you don't trust the Greek Cypriots, if you are worried that one night they will come suddenly and cut our throats, why do you want to enter under the roof of a joint/common state?

Those days are over. The Turkish Cypriots live now in a single region and not scattered in hundreds of villages who will easily be the prey of the Greek Cypriots. They will have their own armed police force in a future federation. The roof of the European Union is an additional guarantee. And the Greek Cypriots know that if they attempt an ethnic cleansing again, their economy will collapse.

Turkey in order to intervene in Cyprus needs neither the Treaty of Guarantees nor the presence of Turkish soldiers on the island.

Nowadays, a state in order to intervene in another state has to be strong enough; it does not need an agreement as the guarantee agreement.

The intervention of Turkey to Syria and Iraq as well as U.S.A.'s intervention to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia are examples.

If you have the power, you enter another country to protect your interests; everyone yells but no one does anything.

Then, why do you insist on the guarantee agreement and on the military presence?

Because, the Greek Cypriots will not approach any agreement unless the island is cleared from the Turkish guarantor and the Turkish army. And they are right.

Would you be comfortable with 40 thousand Greek soldiers on your frontier?

Solution for Cyprus is the demilitarization of the island.

Another issue that hampers the agreement is that the Turkish side asks for veto power in all important institutions starting from the Council of Ministers.

The Greek Cypriots accept this power only for the Council of Ministers and for important committees closely related to the Turks.

Why is not that enough?

If you have the veto power everywhere, it means that you manage the island and not together. In the world, there is not such federation model, where the minority administers the majority.

I am sorry to say this, but it is the fear, the insecurity and inferiority that determine our position in the negotiations.

If we go with this head, the lawlessness, lack of authority, illicitness and the corruption in the 'TRNC' which cannot manage to become a state, will finish us and not the Greek Cypriots.

The path to the solution is not the demagogue and the lies, but the facts. Let's talk to them"

(DPs)

[04] MHP submits amnesty draft bill to Parliament

"The number of people who will benefit from the bill is 162,989," MHP deputy chair Feti Y?ld?z had said, Demiroren News Agency reported over the weekend.

Crimes committed before May 19 will be subject to one-off five-year conditional reduced sentences, he added. "Crimes committed against the state, terrorism, sexual abuse, and murder will be excluded from the bill," he said.

"The physical conditions in prisons are pretty insufficient. Occupancy rates are causing violation of human rights for people there. The capacity of 449 prisons is 211,274," he said.

"But, as of yesterday [Sept. 21], a total of 253,535 people were recorded to be imprisoned. The health of people in prisons deteriorates and it becomes harder to live with dignity and self-respect," Y?ld?z said in their reason behind presenting the bill.

The MHP has long called for granting pardons for some prisoners, mounting its calls and vowing to bring it to the country's agenda during election campaigns ahead of the June polls, which it entered in alliance with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). But the AKP at the time had said it did not have the issue on its agenda.

On Sept. 23, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said their principle was to grant amnesty only to convicts who committed crimes against the state, saying crimes against individuals cannot be subject to amnesty. He said they will discuss the bill if submitted to Parliament by the MHP.

[05] Cumhuriyet reporter faces investigation due to report on court's Brunson ruling

After he was kept in pre-trial detention in an Izmir prison for almost two years on terrorism and espionage charges, US pastor Andrew Brunson was moved to house arrest in July despite expectations of the US administration for his release.

Following the court's decision on Brunson, Uludag wrote an article questioning the independence of the court because the same court had ruled for the continuation of Brunson's pre-trial detention a week earlier. "Is it the judiciary or the state that both jailed and released [the pastor]?" was the headline of his story. The journalist claimed Brunson was jailed by the government and was put under house arrest by the government and not by the court.

The investigation into Uludag has been initiated based on Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which concerns insulting the Turkish Republic and the state's agencies and organs.

Uludag will testify to prosecutors next week, according to RSF. (…)

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(DPs/ AM)

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