Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-06-27

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gagauz Opened a representation office in the TRNC

[02] Talat: Instability in Turkey could hurt Turkish Cypriots

[03] The 80% of the hotels in occupied Cyprus are on the verge of bankruptcy

[04] The illegal police footsal football team wanted to participate in the Barcelona footsal football tournament

[05] History burst out from Salamis

[06] The National Security Council convened yesterday

[07] PACE sternly warns Turkey over democracys future

[08] Turkish Spokesman Views Union for Mediterranean Project

[09] Babacan leaves for African Union meeting in Egypt

[10] Turkey will construct second nuclear plant in Sinop

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Gagauz Opened a representation office in the TRNC

Mr Formuzal also stated that he will have a meeting today with the self-styled prime minister, Ferdi Soyer, to whom he will announce the decision of the Gagauz assembly about the opening of a consulate in occupied Cyprus.

He also stated that Nikolai Vornikov, who is a graduate from YDU, will be appointed as consul of the autonomous Gagauz Republic.

The paper also writes Mr Formuzal and the founder of the illegal Near East University, Rector Dr Suat Gunsel, signed a protocol of cooperation in the field of education.

In addition, Mr Formuzal held a meeting with the speaker of the self-styled assembly, Fatma Ekenoglu. The paper writes that cooperation between the assembly in occupied Cyprus and the assembly of Gagauz was discussed during the meeting. Mr Formuzal stated that he wanted a parliamentary delegation from the Gagauz Autonomous Republic to visit the TRNC to strengthen bilateral relations.

Mr Formuzal also held a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce where he discussed business potentials between Gagauz and occupied Cyprus.

(CS)

[02] Talat: Instability in Turkey could hurt Turkish Cypriots

Political instability in Turkey has the potential to hurt the Turkish Cypriots as they are preparing for direct negotiations with the Greek Cypriots for reunification of the divided island, Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday.

"Any instability that could arise in Turkey will certainly affect us, there is no doubt about it," Talat told reporters in Istanbul after a meeting with Suleyman Celebi, chairman of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (D0SK), one of the biggest labor unions in Turkey.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is facing a closure case at the Constitutional Court on charges of becoming a focal point for anti-secular activities. Senior officials of the party, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, a former AK Party member, also face a political ban in connection with the closure case. Many fear a ban on the governing party and the prime minister would destabilize politics at home and deal a serious blow to Turkey's relations with the European Union.

Talat said Ankara's support for the Turkish Cypriot side in the reunification process was crucial and that any destabilizing development in Turkey would have dire impacts on the Turkish Cypriots as they negotiate a just settlement with the Greek Cypriots.

"Turkey is the only country that unconditionally supports us in the world. Any weakness that could emerge in this country will have the danger of leaving us alone in the middle of the road," he said. "We appreciate Turkey's importance more and more when we see other countries that we hope will support us. Look at Britain; they signed a memorandum with the Greek Cypriots and are attempting to change parameters of a settlement," Talat stated.

The British government and the Greek Cypriot administration signed a cooperation deal in early June, a move criticized by Turkey and the Turkish Cyprus as an intervention in the ongoing peace process.

"Therefore, we are concerned about political instability in Turkey," Talat said. "We want the problems to be resolved as soon as possible. Turkey will solve this within its own mechanisms."

Talat met with Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias in March, soon after Christofias' election victory against hard-liner Tassos Papadopoulos, and the landmark meeting ended with an agreement to start preparatory talks to pave the way for direct reunification talks in the following months. The direct talks had been expected to take place in late June, but disagreements as to the timing emerged in later stages of the preparatory talks.

Talat and Christofias are now expected to meet on July 1 to review progress in preparatory talks and hopefully set a date for direct talks. "We have good intentions. We really want to reach a solution," Talat said. "We have no bad intentions, no secret agenda. We are working with sincerity, but we also know it is important to safeguard the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots."

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (27.06.08) also writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader visited the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO). During the meeting, which lasted 20 minutes, Mr Talat referred to the latest developments of the Cyprus problems and stated that the Turkish Cypriot people need the continuation of ISOs support.

Moreover, illegal Bayrak television (26.06.08) broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader will return to the occupied part of Cyprus on the night of 27th of June.

[03] The 80% of the hotels in occupied Cyprus are on the verge of bankruptcy

He also stated that while the isolation is continuing the problems in tourism will continue as well and added that the number of the tourists who visit occupied Cyprus has been decreased since the year 2005.

Mr Beydagli made these statements during a visit he paid to the Social Democrat Party (TDP). The delegation also held a meeting with the United Cyprus Party (BKP) and it will continue to have meetings with political parties hoping to find a solution for the problems faced by the Union.

(CS)

[04] The illegal police footsal football team wanted to participate in the Barcelona footsal football tournament

The police general directorate notes in its statement that it is obvious this development must be the result of a Greek Cypriot initiative which in the year 2002 also prevented the TRNC Police footsal football team from participating in a similar tournament. The police general directorate also notes that in 2006 the TRNC police footsal football team won the championship of the tournament which took place in France.

(CS)

[05] History burst out from Salamis

The paper, which notes that this is the 11th year of excavations in Salamis, also writes that the excavations have started on the 3rd of June and will continue until the 31st of July.

(CS)

[06] The National Security Council convened yesterday

The meeting of National Security Council (MGK), which convened under the chairmanship of President Abdullah Gul, ended in Ankara on Thursday. Releasing a statement after the meeting, MGK Secretariat General said that council members discussed operations and measures of security forces against terrorist organization; recent developments in Iraq; and measures which officials would take regarding the rising energy demand of Turkey. The council expressed determination that successful operations against terrorist organization as well as measures which were taken regarding fight against terrorism would be pursued.

It was stated that Council members assessed the results of meetings which were held with Iraqi officials as well as groups and formations in Iraq. Turkey would help settlement of stability in Iraq and the region, said the statement. Council members also discussed policies regarding Turkey's energy security. They took up to benefit from domestic and renewable energy resources on maximum level, increase cooperation with neighboring countries, and also Turkey's role as an energy passage country.

[07] PACE sternly warns Turkey over democracys future

Europe's human rights watchdog bluntly warned Ankara yesterday, indicating that European Union candidate Turkey might return to the class of low-democracy countries in the near future due to a malfunctioning of state institutions vis-ŕ-vis democratic principles.

Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a report yesterday that says the council should consider re-imposing the monitoring of Turkey's human rights and democratic practices if necessary in the face of a closure case launched against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

The report, drafted by Belgian PACE deputy Luc Van den Brande, was voted on during an urgent debate held yesterday on the closure case and the political situation in Turkey. Parliamentarians also approved an amendment that says the criteria of secularism cannot be applied to political parties since "political parties animated by the moral values of a religion are widely spread in most of Council of Europe member countries." AK Party faces closure on charges of anti-secular activities.

"The Monitoring Committee is concerned that, regardless of their outcome, the ongoing judicial proceedings to dissolve the ruling AK Party in Turkey and to ban from politics 71 of its members, including the prime minister, the president of the republic and 39 deputies, are seriously affecting political stability in the country as well as the democratic functioning of state institutions and delay urgent economic and political reforms. They also spark a renewed debate about political party closure in Turkey, in relation to which the Strasbourg court has found several violations of the European Convention of Human Rights in the past," Van den Brande, who was also the rapporteur of the urgent debate during the spring plenary session which will end today, said in his report.

"The Monitoring Committee takes note of the government's initiative to draft a new, civilian constitution and considers that this opens a window of opportunity for a broad national debate involving all actors of society. It encourages the government to finalize this process in close cooperation with the Venice Commission. The new constitution should in particular guarantee an appropriate system of checks and balances and grant a center place to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in line with European standards, in order to fully ensure the democratic functioning of Turkey's institutions and the consolidation of its modernization and reform process," it said.

"The Monitoring Committee proposes to the assembly to intensify its post-monitoring dialogue with Turkey, closely follow the development of the democratic functioning of its state institutions and, in particular, the constitutional drafting process and, if need be, seriously consider the possibility of reopening the monitoring procedure for Turkey."

Leaders of political groups at PACE made harsh remarks concerning the ongoing political turmoil in Turkey as they delivered speeches during the debate, with left-wing deputies who are members of the Socialist International defending the AK Party.

Swiss deputy Andreas Gross, who is head of the socialist group at PACE, defined what Turkey has currently been going through as "a judicial coup d'état" and warned that this might turn into "a military coup d'état." He underlined that the Constitutional Court could never replace Parliament.

René van der Linden, head of the right-wing European People's Party group and the former president of PACE, said the closure of the AK Party would spell "a coup" and added that in such a case, it would be impossible for the EU to continue membership negotiations with Turkey.

Members of the Turkish delegation to PACE who are from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), meanwhile, suggested that the report's content "went far beyond values and standards defended by the Council of Europe."

"Attempts aimed at influencing the Turkish judiciary are against international law and the principle of the independence of the judiciary," the CHP deputies and MHP deputies said in a written statement.

As for his part, Van der Brande, in a speech during voting, said his report "should not be considered an intervention in the Constitutional Court's decision." By discussing this report, the Council of Europe wants to give a clear message to Turkey and other countries, the rapporteur said.

"We hope that a decision in line with standards of the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission will be made," he said

[08] Turkish Spokesman Views Union for Mediterranean Project

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that a decision would be made soon about Turkey's position on the Union for Mediterranean Project and the Mediterranean Summit.

Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for the MFA, said at the weekly press briefing on Thursday, "since all aspects of the project have not been clarified yet, our assessment process has not finished. We will make a decision soon about Turkey's position on the Mediterranean Union Project and the Mediterranean Summit to be held on July 13th."

"The original version of the project included some disturbing elements since it was introduced as an alternative to the EU membership. Later on, representatives of French, Italian and Spanish governments said in a declaration in Rome that the project did not concern ongoing entry negotiations," he said.

"We were told that the Mediterranean Union would not be a political body and that the union would not deal with political issues. We are waiting for further information about the mechanism before making a decision," Ozugergin added. The Union for the Mediterranean is a proposed community of EU- member states and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea planned to be established in July 2008. It was originally suggested by French President Nicolas Sarkozy as part of his election campaign. Sarkozy, last year, invited all Mediterranean leaders to a summit in France to take place on June 13th, 2008.

[09] Babacan leaves for African Union meeting in Egypt

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan left for Egypt late on Thursday to attend the 13th regular meeting of ministers council which will be held during African Union Summit in Sharm El Sheikh city.

Babacan will be in Egypt between June 27th and 28th.

Babacan will address foreign ministers of the Union in a special session. He will also hold bilateral meetings.

On its 10th summit meeting, which took place in Addis Ababa in January 2008, African Union accepted Turkey as a strategic partner.

Also Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit will take place in Istanbul in August.

[10] Turkey will construct second nuclear plant in Sinop

Turkey's energy minister announced on Thursday that Turkey would construct its second nuclear power plant in a Black Sea city.

Energy & Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that the plant would be built in the northern city of Sinop, and the tender would be held in 2008. "The dimensions of the second nuclear power plant have not been determined yet, but it will not be smaller than the one to be constructed in Mersin's Akkuyu town (south of Turkey)," Guler told reporters.

Guler said that the second nuclear plant would be in Inceburun hamlet of Sinop, but told reporters that the type of tender and the details had not been shaped up yet.

Six firms/consortia have got specifications for the tender for 4,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Akkuyu. They are AECL Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Canada), Itochu Corporation (Japan), Vinci Construction Grand Projects (France), Suez Tractebel (France-Belgium), Atostroyexport (Russia), KEPCO (South Korea).

Bids for the tender will be opened on September 24th, 2008.

EG/

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article