Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-08-23

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hasan Ercakica: No obstacles in the way of commencing talks on substantive issues.

[02] The UN Secretary - General is expected to discuss Cyprus with the Turkish Prime Minister.

[03] British Vodafone in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[04] US Congressional staffers delegation in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

[05] A delegation by the self-styled assembly is visiting FYROM.

[06] A resumption of the Committees meetings.

[07] Problems with the electricity continue in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

[08] A secret meeting between Gul and the Israeli families of the soldiers who were taken prisoners by Hamas and Hezbollah.

[09] The Cyprus problem among the issues the Turkish Foreign Minister will discuss in the coming month.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Turkey to aim for referendum over Kirkuk.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Hasan Ercakica: No obstacles in the way of commencing talks on substantive issues

The presidential spokesperson Hasan Ercakica has said that there are no obstacles in the way of commencing talks on substantive issues since all the parties involved in the Cyprus problem were already well aware of the essence of the Cyprus problem.

The presidential spokespersons words came during the routine weekly press conference at the presidential palace.

Speaking at the press conference, the presidential spokesperson Hasan Ercakica said that the Turkish Cypriot side perceived the meetings held between the presidential undersecretary Rasit Pertev and Tassos Djionis as a speedy means to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

Underlining the need to start talks on substantive issues related to the Cyprus problem, Mr Ercakica pointed to the fact that all the parties involved in the Cyprus problem were already aware of the essence of the problem.

Reiterating the Turkish Cypriot sides readiness to discuss such issues, Mr Ercakica added that the bi-communal technical committees could commence work right way.

Asked what progress had so far been achieved between Mr Pertev and Mr Djionis and why the bi-communal technical committees had not started work, the presidential spokesperson refrained from making any comments in line with the agreement of secrecy agreed upon within the framework of the 8th of July Set of principles.

Referring to conflicting reports that have emerged in the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot media on the opening of an EU contact office in North Cyprus, Mr Ercakica criticized statements made on the issue by the head of the representation of the European Commission in Cyprus Mr Themis Themistocleous.

Explaining that the German firm which was responsible for the setting up of an office in North Cyprus was in fact responsible for the commissions logistic affairs in other countries as well, Mr Ercakica said that the firms status of operation was therefore not particular to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

He added that the European Union had not changed its position to open a contact office in North Cyprus and that the Turkish Cypriot side insisted on the idea that all EU financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriot people should be channeled through this office.

(Tr. Note: The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an illegal regime set up by the Turkish Republic in the occupied northern part of Cyprus)

[02] The UN Secretary - General is expected to discuss Cyprus with the Turkish Prime Minister

According to the paper, the main topics on the agenda of the meeting will be the international peace keeping force in Lebanon and the negotiations regarding the Cyprus problem.

(I/Ts.)

[03] British Vodafone in the occupied areas of Cyprus

There was no result from the meeting which Vodafone, the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) and TRNC officials had yesterday at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, writes the paper adding that nothing was signed during that meeting.

The self-styled Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Salih Usar said that the main obstacle in the negotiations they have with the representatives of Vodafone is the investments that the company will make in the occupied areas of Cyprus. He noted that they could immediately give Vodafone the necessary licenses when Telsim is transferred to the above-mentioned company.

(I/Ts.)

[04] US Congressional staffers delegation in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

A delegation of bureaucrats from the United States congress is in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for a series of contacts with state and government officials.

The congressional staffers one-day visit organized by the American Turkish Council is part of a wider regional tour that includes Turkey.

The delegation which arrived in the TRNC through Ercan (occupied Tymbou) airport this afternoon will be received tomorrow morning by President Mehmet Ali Talat and later by Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer.

As part of its other contacts in the republic, the delegation will also be meeting tomorrow afternoon with the Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas and the Minister of Economy and Tourism Dervis Kemal Deniz.

A dinner is being hosted about now for the congressional staffers by the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of industry and other Turkish Cypriot businessmen.

[05] A delegation by the self-styled assembly is visiting FYROM

According to a statement issued by the assembly, the delegation is consisted of Arif Albayrak, Kemal Durust and Ertugrul Hasipoglu, MPs with CTP, UBP and DP respectively, will participate in a poetry night in the city of Struga and have various contacts.

The delegation is expected to return to the occupied areas of Cyprus on 29 August.

(I/Ts.)

[06] A resumption of the Committees meetings

The two men who met at the residence of the UN Secretary-Generals Special representative for Cyprus Michael Moller have been coming together as part of a new process to prepare the ground for talks both on the technical level and on issues of substance.

The two men are expected to meet again on Thursday the 24th of August.

[07] Problems with the electricity continue in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Furthermore, under the title Uprising for the electricity , Turkish Cypriot daily HALKIN SES0 newspaper (23.08.06) refers to the problems with the electricity in the occupied part of Cyprus and writes that the breakdown at Kalecik (occupied Gastria) power plant exists since last Saturday, whereas yesterday the gas turbine at Dikomo stopped operating. Self-styled Prime Minister Soyer said that they have a serious project regarding building a new electricity power plant and that this power plant will operate next February.

(I/Ts.)

[08] A secret meeting between Gul and the Israeli families of the soldiers who were taken prisoners by Hamas and Hezbollah

(MHY)

[09] The Cyprus problem among the issues the Turkish Foreign Minister will discuss in the coming month

According to Foreign Ministry sources, Gul is planning to visit EU Term President Finland on September 1 to participate in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers. The major topics during Gul's talks with his counterparts will be Turkey's EU accession talks and ways to overcome a potential crisis at the end of this year due to the Cyprus problem.

The Turkish Foreign Minister will later visit France on September 12, which is expected to mend ties between the two countries after relations were strained earlier this year by the French Parliament's move to criminalize questioning the Armenian genocide claims and several obstacles from Paris impeding smooth progress for Turkey in its EU accession talks.

On his visit to the French capital, Gul is expected to attend a Mediterranean Cultural Workshop to be held on September 13 at the invitation of the Paris administration.

Gul will travel to New York on September 16 to participate in UN General Assembly meetings and he's scheduled to stay in New York around a week, where he will also have a series of bilateral talks.

Diplomatic sources said that Gul's long-awaited visit to Athens is initially scheduled for October 2, but if Gul has to accompany Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his Washington visit at the same time, the foreign minister's Athens visit could be postponed.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[10] Turkey to aim for referendum over Kirkuk

By saying No one should expect Turkey to remain indifferent to events in its region yesterday, did Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul merely refer to Lebanon? Despite the fact that the discussions on whether or not to send troops to Lebanon constitute the main item on the agenda, Turkey continues to be closely interested in yet another place in its region and that place is northern Iraq.

The issue of Kirkuk is not merely related to the PKK's presence or its activities. Kirkuk, whose status is directly linked to Iraq's future and which has the potential of instability, maintains its place on the agenda.

Two separate reports that were published on Iraq by two international research institutions prove that even if it appears to be secondary today, Kirkuk will cause great problems for the region within one year.

In fact, the cauldron that has been boiling in Kirkuk since the war has never cooled down. In fact, the reports that arrive from Iraq were also in this regard.

Two weeks ago a Turkoman delegation visited Turkey. Other than one of the members who has good relations with the Kurds, all the Turkoman representatives of Shiite and Sunni origin took place in the delegation. When I asked why he did not come, I found out that he was invited but that he did not give a positive answer to the invitation.

I am writing this because following this visit there were rumours behind the scenes to the effect that Turkey has discriminated among the Turkomans.

The Turkomans expressed their concerns about Kirkuk and signaled that they will act together with the Iraqi Parliament. And they also demanded support from Turkey.

The fact that the Sunni and the Shiite Turkomans acted in unity shows how wrong it is to view the developments in Iraq as clashes that are based on religious reasons. The Turkomans' stand showed that the Iraqi people may unite around a common interest. What is important is not lining one's pockets, but uniting around the common interests.

Ankara recommends holding a referendum on an agreement that will be reached between all the entities in Iraq on the status of Kirkuk.

The Arabs, the Turkomans, and the Assyrians have noted on different occasions that a referendum that will be held without this kind of an agreement will lead to problems.

The Kurds do not listen, however. The officials of the Kurdish regional administration do not want to hold discussions now on the question that will be asked in the referendum.

There is no doubt that the bargains on Kirkuk will mark the period ahead.

The two reports that I talked about put forth interesting claims regarding Kirkuk. According to the report undersigned by GIS/Defence and Foreign Affairs that was published this month, Turkey has increased its military and intelligence activities in northern Iraq. Claiming that a large number of intelligence officials and special teams have been sent to the region lately, the report notes that despite the fact that these activities appear to be related to the PKK, they actually aim to control the developments in Kirkuk.

Envisaging that if the developments that will follow the incidents in the region, including Lebanon, strengthen Iran, Tehran may advance from its own Kurdish region to northern Iraq and it may take control of Kirkuk, the report stresses that the Turkish Army will not allow this.

The report published by the liberal International Crises Group (ICG) on 18 July claims that a crisis that is more dangerous than all the other crises in the region is developing in Kirkuk. Even more dangerous is the fact that this crisis is being neglected.

Calling upon the United Nations to immediately appoint a special representative to Kirkuk, the report recommends resolving the problem under the umbrella of the UN Security Council. Furthermore a call is issued on the Bush administration to extend support to this.

Our region has turned into such a place that it has become necessary to consider all the crises simultaneously. A crisis is emerging from within a crisis.

/SK

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