Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-05-19

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat alleges that the Greek Cypriots voted in favour of the division of the Island.

[02] UBPs lawyer expresses the opinion that in case the Turkish Cypriots accept paying compensation to Greek Cypriots for their occupied properties they will accept that they are illegal.

[03] Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen: Turkey should put into practice the Ankara Protocol.

[04] A bomb was placed under the car of AFRIKAs director Ali Osman. The police of the occupation raided Pyla in the buffer zone.

[05] A new campus is under construction for the so-called Girne American University in occupied Karmi village.

[06] The British drug dealer who became millionaire by selling stolen Greek Cypriot properties under the protection of 40,000 Turkish troops in 21st century Europe continues to challenge the British High Commissioner.

[07] Olli Rehn on Erdogan´s statements regarding Turkey´s EU obligations.

[08] Honeymoon with Russia.

[09] Opinion poll shows AKP to be still in the lead.

[10] Bill on Armenian genocide postponed.

[11] Environmentalists claim US has nuclear arsenal in Turkey.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] Columnist in CUMHURIYET speculates on the agenda of a possible Erdogan-Bush meeting.

[13] Columnist in YENI SAFAK assesses the possible consequences of the attack on the State Council.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat alleges that the Greek Cypriots voted in favour of the division of the Island

Mr Talat thanked the members of the federation for holding their meeting in the occupied areas of the Island and said that Cyprus continues being a very important problem both for Turkey and the Cypriots. He expressed the opinion that the Cyprus problem is the most important problem in Turkeys accession course towards the EU.

Mr Talat alleged that the Greek Cypriot side wishes Turkey to abandon the Island so that it could assimilate the Turkish Cypriots and added that a solution could be possible within the framework of a federation based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal equal partnership.

He alleged that the two sides on the Island voted at the 24 April 2004 referendum in order to decide for their own future within the framework of their right for self-determination and that the Turks said yes for the solution and the Greeks said no.

Addressing the officials of the countries which are in favour of the reunification of the Island, Mr Talat alleged the following: You say that you are in favour of the unification and you took decisions so that the TRNC is not recognized saying that if it is recognized the Island will be divided. How can you continue the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, when the Greek Cypriots voted for the division?

Meanwhile, speaking to young diplomats of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who are visiting the occupied areas of Cyprus, Mr Talat said that there is a serious deadlock on the Cyprus problem, but contrary to the image created in the past, the responsible for this stagnation is not the Turkish side. He argued that the solution will come closer in case the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots is lifted. He said that this message should be given to the Greek Cypriots and that the world should tell them that it might establish relations with the Turkish Cypriots and meet with them in the absence of the Greek Cypriots.

(I/Ts.)

[02] UBPs lawyer expresses the opinion that in case the Turkish Cypriots accept paying compensation to Greek Cypriots for their occupied properties they will accept that they are illegal

The lawyer of UBP, Enver Ozturk said: The provision of article 6 of the law for moral compensation to the Greek Cypriots means that we have made against them an illegal and unjust act and we are paying compensation accepting that they suffered and were in pain because of this.

This, he added, is tantamount to not accepting the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots and the legality of the TRNC.

Reminding the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, Mr Ozturk argued: If we accept to pay such a moral compensation we will put ourselves into the position of illegality being based on the suggestions, recommendations and decisions of an institution which considers us to be illegal. Our allegation is that by making another law in such a manner the state cannot make invalid or disputable the title-deeds it gives .

(I/Ts.)

[03] Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen: Turkey should put into practice the Ankara Protocol

In an exclusive interview to the Ankara correspondent of the paper Utku Cakirozer, Prime Minister Vanhanen replied to the following questions on Cyprus:

Question: What do you say about Cyprus and the negotiations?

Answer: In the Autumn we will face two major risks as regards Turkey´s EU membership. Turkey should put into practice the Ankara Protocol.

Question: If the Protocol is not put into practice and ports are not opened, are you going to suspend the talks?

Answer: Every country has the right to suspend the talks. Probably in autumn some countries could think about this. We do hope that the Commission´s report will be positive and the negotiations will not be suspended.

(MHY)

[04] A bomb was placed under the car of AFRIKAs director Ali Osman. The police of the occupation raided Pyla in the buffer zone

They wanted to blow up with gelignite, during the late evening hours, the car of the director of our paper, Ali Osman, writes AFRIKA which notes that finally the gelignite has not exploded because its wick has not been burned until its end. As soon as he found the bomb, which was place in a plastic bag under the left back tire of his car, Mr Osman called the self-styled police which destroyed the bomb.

AFRIKA writes in its Letter from Afrika column about the incident under the title Threat and bomb and reports that a few days ago the director of the Resan firm Mr Yusuf Kisa, has issued death threats against Mr Ali Osman. The paper writes that this time they were lucky and notes that this is the third time that a bomb was placed against AFRIKA. It also writes that the persons who were responsible for the two previous attacks have not been arrested yet.

Lets see, will they be arrested this time? We do not know yet if there is an involvement by the officials of the Resat firm who issued death threats against Ali Osman as regards something we have published a few days ago. However, yesterday, after this bomb incident it was revealed the police made a surprise attack at the firms headquarters which are in Pyla. Among the firm personnel arrested was Yusuf Kisa as well, and he was taken to Pergamos police station. How did the Turkish police enter Pyla which is under the UN administration? As far as we know our police was wearing civilian dresses. They have completed the operation successfully, writes AFRIKA.

Reporting about the arrest of Yusuf Kisa, AFRIKA also writes that the self-styled police arrested last night Kisa, on the accusation that he was dealing illegally with banking business in Pyla. During the investigations the police found that Kisa had illegally a 9mm diameter Smith Wesson pistol in his possession. Thirteen more persons were arrested along with Yusuf Kisa.

In addition, as Turkish Cypriot daily VOLKAN newspaper (19.05.06) writes Yusuf Kisa had given to many people stolen checks belonging to a Greek Cypriot and has deceived them taking from each of them 50 Cyprus pounds

(C/S)

[05] A new campus is under construction for the so-called Girne American University in occupied Karmi village

The construction project is expected to cost 6 million and 249 thousand USD and when the dormitory will be complete, it will be able to host 600 students.

The land has been rented from the Efkaf foundation for a 30-years-period. Under the agreement the GAU should invest 4 million Pounds Sterling in total on the rented plot.

The newspaper publishes photos of the site under construction, as well as official supporting documents of the decision taken by the self-styled Council of Ministers by which the land at occupied Trimithi is taken away from Viola Ltd and leased to the GAU under certain conditions.

(M/L)

[06] The British drug dealer who became millionaire by selling stolen Greek Cypriot properties under the protection of 40,000 Turkish troops in 21st century Europe continues to challenge the British High Commissioner

Gary Robb´s return to the island gets further complicated each day as various sides make different comments about the issue. Following Turkish Cypriot `Prime Minister´ Ferdi Sabit Soyer´s statements indicating that Robb came back to the North to complete the development in the Arapkoy (occupied Klepini) area monitored by the Turkish Cypriot `government´, various voices have added massive amounts of information to the situation.

Being a former `citizen´ of North Cyprus, Robb left while the developments that his company, Aga Development, was legally obligated to complete under contract. His return to Cyprus is yet another story. According to the BBC, a nightclub owned by Robb, who is originally from northeast England, was raided in 1996 by 200 police officers who netted ¤ 10,000 worth of amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis. He absconded during his trial and fled to Northern Cyprus.

Subtitle: Return request based on property-based crimes

The Turkish Cypriot `Prime Minister´ last week stated that AGA development director, Robb, was trying to be made part of a conspiracy against the property market in the North by the Greek Cypriots whose Administration sent the Thai authorities a legal notice asking for Robb´s return for building a tourist village in the North on property that it is alleged to belong to Greek Cypriots. Following his reappearance in North Cyprus, Robb´s lawyers presented various documents to the public authorities, one of which is a Red Interpol warrant for Robb issued by the South. (Republic of Cyprus)

Subtitle: British High Commission: We have no connection with Robb

On Monday the British High Commissioner to Cyprus issued a press release stating that the British embassy in Bangkok had no contact with Robb during his detention by the Thai authorities and had made no intervention to secure his release. The statement also referred to the confirmation it claimed was made by the Northumbria Police Department to a Turkish Cypriot newspaper last week verifying that an international arrest warrant was issued by a United Kingdom court in Robb´s name connected to his disappearance while on trial for 14 offences including conspiracy to supply drugs. In statements to a local newspaper, Robb claimed that he had extended his visa during his stay in Thailand in 2006 without any complications.

The paper concludes with the following highlighted with a photo of Gary Robb smiling:

Gary Robb says the High Commissioner´s statements are all lies he was seen by a British embassy official in Thailand and the arrest warrant is by the Cleveland Police Force, not Northumbria! From his point of view, he has not done anything wrong. Why, asks Robb, is the British High Commissioner in Nicosia telling lies? Next week in the CYPRUS OBSERVER an exclusive interview with Robb.

[07] Olli Rehn on Erdogan´s statements regarding Turkey´s EU obligations

We will not bring the additional protocol to our parliament unless isolation of `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus´ is ended, he said. Opinions that the time regarding the additional protocol (will end at the end of this year are wrong.

Responding to Erdogans comments, Prime Minister Vanhanen said the EU expected the Turkish parliament to ratify the additional protocol. Finland will take over the rotating presidency of the bloc at the beginning of next year. Cyprus will be one of the most challenging issues to be dealt with during Finlands EU presidency, Vanhanen said.

NTV television (18.05.06) broadcast the following from Sofia: Unless Turkey meets all of the requirements set by the European Union for its accession, it was possible a halt could be called to Ankaras membership negotiations, the Commissioner in charge of the blocs enlargement process said Wednesday.

It was essential that Turkey push forward with its reform process in order for the accession process to continue, Commissioner Ollie Rehn said while on a visit to Bulgarian capital Sofia on Wednesday.

It is necessary that the Turkish government takes immediate action in order to restart the momentum of reforms in the country and also to respect its commitments, as regards the Ankara protocol, to full member states, Rehn said.

This would be the best and only way to avoid a recess later on this year in the negotiations between the EU and Turkey, he said. One of the main hurdles is Turkeys refusal to ratify an extension to its customs union with the EU to extend its coverage to the ten new members of the bloc that joined in May 2004, one of which was the Greek Cypriot administration.

Though Turkey has signed the protocol it added a codicil specifying that the agreement did not signify formal recognition of the Greek Cypriot state (Republic of Cyprus). Ankara also has refused to allow Greek Cypriot ships and aircraft to use Turkish ports or airports, a move that has been deemed as unacceptable by the EU.

(Tr. Note: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the illegal regime the Turkish Republic has set up in the occupied northern part of Cyprus after cleansing it ethnically with 40,000 Turkish troops).

[08] Honeymoon with Russia

First the Secretary General of the National Security Council (MGK), Yigit Alpogan will leave for Moscow having Iran as the main agenda issue, at the invitation of the Head of the Russian Security Council, Sergei Ivanov on 22 May. With the same agenda the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is to arrive in Ankara on 31 May. Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer between 28-30 June, Speaker of the Turkish Grand national Assembly Mr Bulent Arinc between 11-13 July are to pay visits to Russia. Russian sources have branded these contacts which have Iran as the main agenda issue extremely important

(MHY)

[09] Opinion poll shows AKP to be still in the lead

The TB Consultancy and Research Company conducted face-to-face surveys with some 2,900 people in 16 cities, 12 districts and 21 villages at the beginning of this month.

According to the survey, if early elections were held now the parties exceeding the 10 percent electoral threshold would include the Justice and Development (AK) Party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), the True Path Party (DYP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP).

Nearly 77 percent of those surveyed were male, while the remaining 23 percent were female. Some 30 percent of participants, classified by age, were of age 18 to 25. Some 23 percent were between 26 and 35, while more than 22 percent were between 36 and 45. Some 15 percent of those surveyed were between the ages of 46 and 60, and nearly 8.5 percent were over the age of 61.

Over 15 percent of participants in the opinion poll were university graduates, while some 48 percent graduated from high schools, and nearly eight percent were middle school graduates. Primary school graduates made up just over 28 percent of participants, while less than one percent had never been able to go to school at all.

The participants were asked which political parties they would vote for if early elections were held today. After undecided and empty votes were eliminated, the results of the survey are as follows:

The AK Party topped the list with just over 32 percent of votes while, just like now, the CHP would be the main opposition after winning some 16 percent of the survey takers votes. The DYP won over 12 percent of votes, and the MHP, with some 10 percent, squeaked over the threshold as well. According to survey results these are the four parties that would be represented in Parliament.

The parties that would be "left out in the cold" include the Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) -- now merged into Democratic Society Party (DTP) -- with just more than 6 percent of votes, the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) that also received some 6 percent, the Felicity Party (SP) with nearly 4.5 percent and the Youth Party (GP) with some 4 percent. All the rest of the parties put together received some 7 percent of the survey takers votes.

Survey results also showed trends in "vote-shifting" between political parties from the November 2002 general elections until now.

Nearly 58 percent of people participating in the survey who voted for the AK Party in the last general elections said that they would vote for the ruling party again. Some 2 percent switched to the CHP, some 5 percent switched to the DYP and 5 percent to the MHP. Almost 14.5 percent said that they are undecided about whether or not to vote for the ruling party again, while nearly 9 percent said that they would not vote for any of the parties in the race.

Over 56 percent of those surveyed who voted for the CHP in the 2002 elections said they would vote for the main opposition again. Some 4 percent would give their votes to the AKP, some 3 percent would switch to the DYP while just over 3.5 percent would vote for ANAVATAN instead. While some 13 percent of people were undecided about whether they would vote for the main opposition party again, almost 7.5 percent said that they wouldn't vote for any of the parties at all.

[10] Bill on Armenian genocide postponed

Debate of the proposed law was curtailed due to the session starting late and was not completed when the time allocated for the debate ran out.

Further debate on the opposition sponsored bill will not take place until October at the earliest.

[11] Environmentalists claim US has nuclear arsenal in Turkey

Greenpeace yesterday claimed that the U.S. has 480 nuclear weapons in Europe and 90 in Turkey.

During the Cold War the U.S. deployed nuclear weapons in NATO member states to deter possible attacks on those countries, stated Greenpeace Mediterranean Disarmament Campaign representative Aslihan Tumer at a press conference.

She claimed that the nuclear weapons in question are still deployed in Europe and on military air bases in Turkey despite the end of the Cold War. "The U.S. has 480 nuclear weapons in Europe and 90 in Turkey. Those here are at Adana's Incirlik Air Base," asserted Tumer, who went on to claim that the weapons are still in Turkey as they may be used against Iran or Syria.

The weapons at Incirlik Air Base are B61-type nuclear bombs which are 2,000 times more powerful from the "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, claimed Tumer.

"It's hypocritical to demand the nuclear disarmament of other countries when you're protected by the nuclear weapons of another country," said Tumer, urging Turkey to return the nuclear weapons to ensure regional security.

Recalling that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit the U.S. next week, Tumer said the premier should bring up the matter with Washington.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[12] Columnist in CUMHURIYET speculates on the agenda of a possible Erdogan-Bush meeting

In addition to making deep evaluations abroad, Prime Minister Erdogan has also briefed us.

Erdogan will soon visit the United States. According to the information given by him, Iran is one of the main reasons behind his upcoming visit.

We were certainly not surprised that the Foreign Ministry did not have any information on the visit! As we always emphasize when the time is right, Turkey has four foreign policies:

Erdogan's foreign policy, the Foreign Ministry's foreign policy, Arinc's foreign policy, and the state's foreign policy.

It is possible to say that Erdogan's passion for the United States is a part of his political life. He was one of the three persons who had been invited from Turkey to the Davos summit that had been held in the spring of 2002. An additional invitation had been issued by the United States immediately after the 3 November 2002 elections, even before Erdogan had been appointed prime minister. He had flown to Washington in December 2002 as the AKP [Justice and Development Party] chairman.

This had been the first time that a Turkish politician who was not appointed to any state office had held a meeting with the US President!

There is no doubt that the emphasis put by the United States on this visit, on Erdogan, and on the AKP government had stemmed from the Iraqi issue. Would the Bush administration receive from the AKP government the support that it had not received from the Ecevit government? Erdogan had given the United States the following word:

"Saddam is a dictator and we do not want to have a dictator as our neighbor."

This had been sufficient for the United States.

Approximately four years have passed since then. Everyone knows about the developments regarding Iraq. Despite the fact that it was not able to receive the approval of the assembly, the AKP extended support to the United States through other routes. Nonetheless this was not done in line with the wishes of the United States!

Today, in addition to Iraq, Iran also appears on the agenda and according to the initial reports, the prime minister is going to the United States in a hurry!

Big states briefly look at the other countries in the following manner: They come in order to demand something and they issue invitations in order to demand something!

Turkey announced that it will basically adopt the following policy with regard to the Iranian issue:

We will comply with the decision that will be reached by international institutions!

The truth is that this policy has not been properly studied. When someone talks about international institutions, we first think of the United Nations. Even if it is necessary to expand BM [the acronym of United Nations in Turkish] as "Bush-Like Nations," there is no doubt that if the United States is not able to convince the United Nations to issue the resolution in line with Washington's wishes, it will go to NATO. Turkey is more dependent on US policies in NATO. There is no doubt that each and every NATO member will comply with the decisions, but the problems that will be faced by Canada when complying with the decisions do not resemble the problems that will be faced by Turkey.

The United States has announced that it has suspended the Black Sea policy that it had been talking about for a long time. Please pay attention, it has not cancelled it. Rather it has suspended it! The word "suspend [aski in Turkish]" is a very flexible word. You may suddenly see the letter "b" before it [baski in Turkish means pressure]!

Similar to the Mediterranean, the United States wants to do whatever it wants in the Black Sea, but the Montreux Convention prevents it from doing so. Turkey is concerned that if the convention is violated, the discussions regarding the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles may once again appear on the agenda.

According to the reports that arrive from Washington, the United States said the following: "If Turkey does not want it, let us not break its heart. Let us comply with the Montreux Convention and let us suspend the Black Sea."

It is possible to translate this sentence as follows: "Let us give the impression that we are complying with Turkey's demand and in return let us say to Turkey: 'Pal, now it is your turn'."

There is no doubt that there is also the policy of "Instead of throwing it away, you may use it." Is Erdogan conducting this visit in order to demand the United States's support for the elections? The prime minister is not revealing anything about the Iranian issue. When he is asked about the elections, he is saying that they will be held on time. In our opinion however, the answer is: All of the above!

[13] Columnist in YENI SAFAK assesses the possible consequences of the attack on the State Council

by Ali Bayramoglu under the title: "Bloody game in Ankara":

An unbelievable day was yesterday for Ankara. An attorney strafed with bullets the judges from the 2nd Chamber of the Council of State, who were in a meeting. And in his initial statement, he linked the attack to the ruling on the headscarf that this Chamber had handed down.

The first questions were the same almost everywhere: Was it an isolated attack? Was it the work of some organization? Was it a step in a provocation?

Whatever the answers to these questions, the following reality will not change: The armed attack against the 2nd Chamber of the Council of State not only leaves behind it four wounded judges, one of them seriously, but expresses "symbolically, the most severe and serious attack possible against the center of the state in this country."

For the judges of a higher court to be attacked while in a meeting is accepted by every political system as a challenge. Because the target of the attack was stability, democracy, and institutions. The consequences, and the price, of this are shocking.

The fact that this attack was directed against a Chamber that had ruled that a teacher who wears a headscarf should keep her head uncovered while going to and from school will yet further increase this shock.

"States based on law" are structures which are able to deal with such incidents in a "cool-headed and effective" manner, which reduce to a minimum the "politicization of reactions", and which "expose the incident, the attackers, and any support behind them with methods that will not damage the other aspects of the political system".

I hope that this is the way it works out in our case... I am worried on this score, however...

The political tension that has been experienced in the country for some time now (and particularly since the Semdinli indictment), the campaigns launched in order to force early elections, the debates on legitimacy regarding the government, which has been having difficulties in this context, and all of these things being put on an axis involving religion, secularism, and the headscarf, are plain to see...

The Cankaya [i.e., presidential] election is so important in the eyes of some people, and in the eyes of certain actors and institutions of the state, as to turn various political steps that will be taken into initiatives that will harm the stability of the country...

Indeed, in these conditions, the first thing that the Council of State attack brings to mind is the idea of a provocation along these lines...

Moreover, even if the action should be an isolated incident, it happened at a time and in a way as to generate the same results as an organized provocation...

Indeed, what is seen is that, with the attack on the 2nd Chamber of the Council of State, a new stage in these developments has been reached.

What I mean by "stage" is this: A mechanism of violence has been triggered that will deepen the political crisis in the country, force the party in power into an early election, and serve to generate, in an atmosphere of polarization and anxiety, new voter alliances.

Regardless of whether this mechanism was triggered against a given target by this or that group within the framework of a set plan, or whether it came about as an isolated initiative fed by the polarization in the country and the controversy over the regime, the result will not change...

With this attack, Turkey has entered into a new and dangerous political environment... Because various political parties, led by the Republican People's Party [CHP], will compete with one another to lay this action at the feet of the party in power, and the incident will be politicized as a systemic threat arising from religious reaction [irtica]; in short, the goal of provocation, if indeed this was the goal, will have been reached...

Indeed, [CHP leader Deniz] Baykal was unable to hold himself back from making a speech that was every bit as dangerous as the attack in Ankara itself...

He went to the scene of the incident, decided it was an organized affair, pointed out that the regime was in danger, and blamed the party in power... He said that blood had besmirched political life...

The real danger is in just this, because what this fundamentally amounts to is the politics of blood... As difficult as it is to establish order in a country, and especially in this country, it is just that easy to upset it...

If the state, the political administration, and the institutions of political life do not endeavor to prevent this game and the associated dangers, then we are indeed headed toward difficult days...

Do the members of the government still find such analyses exaggerated, one wonders?

/SK

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