Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-06-07

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkey´s Islamic government is continuing the policy of partition in Cyprus despite declarations of good will for a solution. Annan´s report a new tool in Erdogan´s hands.

[02] Turkish officials explain how, counting on the US and Britain, will exploit Annan´s report and a possible resolution to continue Turkey´s expansionist policy against the victims of the barbaric Turkish invasion of 1974.

[03] Gul off to Cairo. Issues of the Islamic conference and the problems created by Turkey in Cyprus as a result of the 30-year military occupation on his agenda.

[04] Turkey´s ambassador to Washington assures congressmen of his country´s close ties with Israel.

[05] Talat and Erdogan discuss the issues of the missing persons and properties during a "surprise" closed-door meeting.

[06] Turkish Cypriot daily VATAN newspaper discloses the back stage of interference by Turkey in the political life of the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[07] Angolemli accused Talat's regime of not doing anything to change the status quo in occupied Cyprus.

[08] A large number of Turkish Cypriot journalists protested against the status quo in occupied Cyprus which tries to limit the freedom of the press.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkey´s Islamic government is continuing the policy of partition in Cyprus despite declarations of good will for a solution. Annan´s report a new tool in Erdogan´s hands

Speaking at a meeting of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry on Saturday, Prime Minister Erdogan said: ''As you know, the OIC Foreign Ministers' Conference will be held in Istanbul between June 14 and 16. I suppose that the `TRNC´ would possibly be declared as the Turkish Cypriot State as it was envisaged in the UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan's plan during the conference. Preliminary reports were prepared to this end.''

On the same issue Istanbul NTV (06.06.04) broadcast that Prime Minister Erdogan has said that his remarks on the recognition (of the areas of Cyprus under Turkish military control) by the Organization of the Islamic Conference were erroneously reflected in the press. The prime minister said: "We did not talk about the recognition of north Cyprus. The issue of recognition is a different issue."

Erdogan, who inspected the Karaman public housing units in Sakarya, was asked about his remarks that the occupation regime will be joining the OIC. Noting that his remarks were erroneously reflected, Erdogan said that the issue of the `TRNC´ joining the OIC as an observer under its title of a Cyprus component state as noted in the Annan plan is being discussed. Erdogan added that a report on the issue is being prepared, stressing that the government will do all in its power to put an end to what he calls "the economic embargo imposed on Cyprus".

[02] Turkish officials explain how, counting on the US and Britain, will exploit Annan´s report and a possible resolution to continue Turkey´s expansionist policy against the victims of the barbaric Turkish invasion of 1974

"The Turkish side is pleased with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Cyprus report because it reflects the truth as it is. The question is what will happen after that. Will the UN Security Council [UNSC] adopt a resolution, and what kind of stand will the permanent members assume?

Observers stress that the report eliminates the philosophical and political reasons for the isolation to which the Turkish Cypriot side has been subjected. They say that the report will be of great support to the political struggle Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots will wage from now on.

The UN Peace Force mandate on the island ends on 15 June. Before that, on 8 June, the UNSC is expected to discuss the report. Turkish officials are not expecting the UNSC to adopt a resolution; they say a UNSC presidential statement may be issued. Turkey is dwelling on the possibility that certain objecting members may try to dilute the statement. In this respect, the stand of Russia, one of the permanent members, is of importance. Russia, which wants a statement that will not blame or punish the Greek Cypriots, is faced with the United States and Britain, two other permanent members. These two countries want the constructive stand of the Turkish side to be appreciated in a concrete manner.

If, contrary to the prediction of the Turkish side, the UNSC is to adopt a resolution, a consensus may be sought among all the members against the possibility of a Russian veto".

[03] Gul off to Cairo. Issues of the Islamic conference and the problems created by Turkey in Cyprus as a result of the 30-year military occupation on his agenda

"Abdullah Gul, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, has left for Cairo, the capital of Egypt, to hold contacts prior to the Organization of Islamic Conference [OIC] foreign ministers´ meeting to be held in Istanbul.

In a statement at Esenboga Airport, Gul recalled that the OIC foreign ministers´ meeting will be held in Istanbul in the coming days, adding that he has been visiting the countries that will be participating in this meeting and that his visit to Egypt was planned within this framework.

Noting that during his Cairo contacts he will be received by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and will meet with Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa, Gul said that he will exchange views on issues that interest the OIC and primarily on the issues of Iraq and Palestine.

Pointing out that during his contacts he will also give information on the Cyprus developments, Gul said that Turkey will seek support for its candidacy for the OIC Secretariat General.

In reply to a question on whether the issue of the weapons seized aboard a ship in Istanbul will be discussed during his visit, Gul said: "This is a technical issue. I believe that it will be resolved in a short while. I believe it will not be a problem." According to information received, during his visit Gul will also convey a written message from President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Mubarak. Gul is expected to return to Turkey tomorrow [7 June]."

[04] Turkey´s ambassador to Washington assures congressmen of his country´s close ties with Israel

In the meeting, Logoglu said that Turkey and Israel had very good relations and stressed that there was no change in Turkey's policies towards Israel.

Logoglu noted that recent developments in the region were criticized more by many countries when compared with the past and that countries had always criticized Israel of using ''excessive force''.

On the Turkish-Greek relations Mr Logoglu said they would become better if Cyprus and Aegean issues were solved.

During the meeting with the group of U.S. Congress, Mr Logoglu said that significant development had been recorded in Turkish-Greek relations when compared with four years ago.

The conditions of West Thracian Turks had improved, Mr Logoglu noted, adding that Greece supported Turkey's European Union (EU) process.

"Only Cyprus and the Aegean issues remained between the two countries," he pointed out.

Mr Logoglu, called on the group to visit Turkey in order to learn more and assume a more positive approach towards Turkey and Turkish people.

"The U.S. Congress had not assumed a friendly approach towards Turkey for years, but some things had changed in a few years," he said.

Logoglu stated that the U.S. Congress had been friendlier and understand towards Turkey in recent years thanks to efforts of the Turkish lobby. Resolutions supporting Turkey had been presented to the U.S. Congress for the first time and been adopted, Logoglu said.

Logoglu noted that some problems had occurred between Turkey and the United States due to Iraq war but, despite this, the U.S. Congress adopted the resolution on 1 billion U.S. dollars of loan to Turkey.

Turkey and the United States had a genuine friendship, alliance and partnership, Logoglu said. "Turkey, as a secular and democratic country, would play an important role in the Middle East and North African initiatives thanks to its experiences and expertise," he added.

Touching on efforts of the Armenian lobby to make the U.S. Congress accept the genocide, Logoglu said that it was not right for legislators to decide about an issue which was discussed even by the historians.

Logoglu noted that such a resolution which might be passed from the U.S. Congress would hurt 70 million Turks and such an attempt would dynamite Turkish-U.S. friendship.

[05] Talat and Erdogan discuss the issues of the missing persons and properties during a "surprise" closed-door meeting

According to information acquired from diplomatic sources, the Turkish side is working on a formula for unilaterally and gradually applying the provisions of the Annan Plan on the issue of the properties. The same sources said that Erdogan and Talat discussed the conviction of Turkey on the Loizidou case, paying the compensation to Mrs Loizidou and the hundreds of other Greek Cypriot applications which are pending at the ECHR. No statements were made after the meeting which lasted for one hour and 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, the editor-in-chief of KIBRIS, Basaran Duzgun writes in his regular column that no one should be surprised if after Talat's visit to Strasbourg, the ECHR takes a decision that will be forcing the sides to apply the Clerides - Denktas January 2002 agreement on the issue of the missing persons.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (07.06.04) refers to the Erdogan - Talat visit under the banner front-page title "Surprise visit" and supports that political observers note that the meeting was related to the the so-called "government" crisis in the occupied areas of Cyprus. The paper reminds that Mr Erdogan had a quarrel with the leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (PDM), Mustafa Akinci due to statements of the Turkish Prime Minister in Spain some months ago. Therefore, Erdogan does not see positively Akinci's participation in the "government".

[06] Turkish Cypriot daily VATAN newspaper discloses the back stage of interference by Turkey in the political life of the occupied areas of Cyprus

The paper notes that Nuri Cevikel, the Turkish settler who had been elected in the "assembly" of the occupation regime with Mehmet Ali Talat's Republican Turkish Party - New Forces (RTP-NF) and is known for his close relations with Justice and Development Party (JDP) of Prime Minister Erdogan, considers himself as the definite president of the NP. However, Huseyin Kaya, "mayor" of occupied Yerolakkos village, which has been turned into the headquarters of the new party, has already sent the message that he is also interested for the NP leadership.

"As you realize, the New Party, which aims at gathering under its roof the voters from Turkey, will be forcing everybody to talk about it within the next few days", notes VATAN adding that "the aim of the party to be the new party of the people from Turkey, has not been welcomed in many circles".

The paper concludes as follows: "Political circles note that there are already initiatives for creating conflicts in the island between the Turkish Cypriots and the Turks from Turkey and say that such a party will further incite the division (between the Turkish Cypriots and the Turks from Turkey)! It is noted that the JDP, which has not yet given any material aid to the NP and seems very stingy on this issue, definitely wants Cypriots in the party and is conveying the message that otherwise no material or moral support will be given to NP"!

[07] Angolemli accused Talat's regime of not doing anything to change the status quo in occupied Cyprus

During the General assembly Mr Huseyin Angolemli, who was re-elected as the leader of the CLP, strongly criticised the so-called Republican Turkish Party's government. Speaking at the assembly, Mr Angolemli stated that the status quo in the occupation regime remains standing, despite the fact that the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) came into 'power' and formed a so-called government. "The only thing that changed is the directors of the 'ministries' and the permanent undersecretaries", said Mr Angolemli adding that the RTP has not done anything since it came to 'power' to withdraw the prosecutions against the Turkish Cypriot journalists.

In addition, important decisions were taken at the assembly as regards the Cyprus Problem, after the positive answer that the Turkish Cypriots gave to the 24 April referendum. Among the decisions that the CLP took, were to put in force the Constitution that the Turkish Cypriots accepted when they voted "yes" to the referendum, the transformation of the so-called TRNC to a 'Cyprus Turkish State' and to change all the 'laws' dated from the British colonial period.

[08] A large number of Turkish Cypriot journalists protested against the status quo in occupied Cyprus which tries to limit the freedom of the press

A large number of Turkish Cypriot journalists, "united as a fist", as the paper writes, protested against the status quo in occupied Cyprus which 'filed charges' against some Turkish Cypriot journalists who wrote about the conducting of a symbolic referendum which took place on the 25th of March in the occupied Elia village.

The journalists holding banners with the slogan "We will not remain silenced", gathered in front of the pseudo assembly and then marched to the monument of Dr Fazil Kucuk, who was a journalist himself, and left a banner with their slogan in front of his statue.

The chairman of BASIN SEN, Mr Kemal Darbaz, who visited in the framework of the demonstration the so-called Prime Minister of the pseudostate Mehmet Ali Talat and the chairman of the pseudo assembly Fatma Ekenoglu, criticised the prosecutions against the Turkish Cypriot journalists. He stated that "nobody can prevent the press from doing its duty" and demanded the changing of the regulations as regards the freedom of the press in occupied Cyprus.

In addition, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRISLI newspaper (05-06.06.04) started to gather and publish signatures of Turkish Cypriot persons who protest against the prosecution of the Turkish Cypriot Journalists. The persons who sign, declare that they want to be put in jail with the journalists accused, saying: "We are doing whatever our friends would do, we would say whatever they would say, and we will put our signature under what they would write, because we are the chorus of freedom and peace".

/SK

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