Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-10-07

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Avci said that the new partnership will be based on the two people represented by the two separate states

[02] Yavuz Mildon said that the responsibility of the Cyprus settlement rests to the local authorities

[03] The XXII National Chemistry Congress started in occupied Famagusta

[04] Ortam reveals that the Republic of Cyprus gives incentive credits to the Turkish Cypriot businessmen for investments in the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[05] Turkish President due to Finland Finnish President interviewed by Milliyet

[06] PACE concerned about DTP closure case

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Restructions in the Turkish Armed Forces

[08] From the Turkish Press of 6 October 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Avci said that the new partnership will be based on the two people represented by the two separate states

(DPs)

[02] Yavuz Mildon said that the responsibility of the Cyprus settlement rests to the local authorities

(DPs)

[03] The XXII National Chemistry Congress started in occupied Famagusta

(DPs)

[04] Ortam reveals that the Republic of Cyprus gives incentive credits to the Turkish Cypriot businessmen for investments in the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus

(DPs)

[05] Turkish President due to Finland Finnish President interviewed by Milliyet

Mr Gul will also address the Turkish-Finnish Work Council. He then will visit the Tatar-Turkish Community Centre and on 9th October he will travel to Yuvaskula where he will be the keynote speaker of the Annual Martti Ahtisaari conference. The same day the Turkish President will leave Finland for Estonia for a three-day official visit. Mr Gul will return to Turkey on October 11.

On the other hand, Turkish daily Milliyet newspapers (07.10.08) correspondent Nur Batur publishes a short interview with the Finnish President Tarja Halonen prior to Mr Guls visit to Finland.

When asked to comment on the Turkish-EU relations she said: On the one hand you say you will implement the criteria, on the other you stop and leave the things aside. The EU sooner or later will be enlarged. You go ahead with your reforms speedily. Implement the criteria. And join us. We will welcome you.

When asked whether Turkey will be able to become an EU member, Mrs Halonen said: I do admit that the engagement period lasted too much. Both sides have responsibility on this. At a time, Turkey did not show interest. At present you demonstrate more interest. You say we will do it. We wait and you do not do it. Sometimes you work hard and sometimes you do not do anything. If you want to become a member then you have to fulfil the criteria speedily.

When asked what the criteria were, Mrs Halonen replied: You know much better what the criteria are (with laugh).

When asked to comment on whether Cyprus is included in the criteria, Mrs Halonen replied: From one point yes, because you have to accept the whole family. Cyprus is not the EUs job. It is the UNs affair. Turkey, Greece and the two sides in Cyprus should fulfil the criteria.

When asked what would happen if the Cyprus problem is not solved, the Finnish President said: To be together with the Greek Cypriots is one of the criteria. The best thing is to fulfil the criteria. There are a lot of things you have to do.

When asked if this was a call for Turkey, Mrs Halonen replied: We respect the honest man. We consider if he is keeping what he says. We did not leave you out. You have to implement the criteria.

(MHY)

[06] PACE concerned about DTP closure case

While saying no influence should be exerted on the Turkish Constitutional Court, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, or PACE, has expressed concern about the judicial proceedings that could lead to the closing of the Democratic Society Party, or DTP.

The dissolution of political parties should be regarded as an exceptional measure, to be applied only in cases where the party concerned uses violence or threatens civil peace and the democratic, constitutional order of the country, read Friday's statement from Lluis Maria de Puig, the president of PACE.

The chief public prosecutor, Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, filed the closure case against the DTP in November last year, arguing that the DTP was a centre of separatist activities and had organized connections with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Respect for the principle of proportionality is of special importance with regard to the dissolution of political parties in view of their essential role in ensuring pluralism and the proper functioning of a democracy, Puig's statement read. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly stated that the dissolution of a political party, accompanied by a temporary ban prohibiting its leaders from exercising political responsibilities, is the most drastic measure; a measure of such severity should be applied only in the most serious cases.

Urging for a new constitution, the statement said it would open a window of opportunity for a broad national debate involving all actors of society.

The new text should in particular guarantee an appropriate system of checks and balances and give a prominent 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, the statement said, adding that the Council of Europe, in particular through its Venice Commission, stands ready to help the Turkish government in such an endeavour.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Restructions in the Turkish Armed Forces

In 2010 all commando units will consist of professional troops. Seventeen battalions have been abolished. Two gendarmerie border brigades have been established in Sirnak and Cukurca for border security. New vehicles were purchases against mines.

Ankle sprains constitute the soldiers' most serious problem. Some 40% of the soldiers who have accidents during training or various activities sprain their ankles.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has taken important steps en route to restructuring with the aim of maintaining Turkey's position as a deterrent force in the region. An important phase has been reached in the efforts that have been started with the aim of modernizing and shrinking the Turkish Army and increasing its fire power and movement capabilities. Some 17 battalions have been abolished. During a communication meeting Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug noted that the battalions in question are larger than the Dutch Army. The steps were taken within the framework of the restructuring project are briefly as follows:

-- The Internal Security Training and Manoeuvre Centre Command has been established in Egirdir, Isparta. All privates, non-coms, expert non-coms, non-commissioned officers, reserve officers, and officers who will serve in the internal security operation -- in other words, who will serve at the front in the war on the terrorist organization -- will be assigned to their units after completing their training in the training centre in question.

-- The efforts for fully professionalizing five commando brigades in the Ground Forces have been accelerated. The rate of professional commandos has been raised to 70% and the rate of gendarmerie commando has been raised to 90% in these units. In 2010 all commando units will consist of fully professional troops.

-- The First Army Command, the Second Army Command, the Aegean Army Command, and the Training and Doctrine Commands will be reorganized. Within this framework, 17 battalions has been abolished and 583 tanks and 152 obus shells have been taken out of the Turkish Army's inventory. The number of the Leopard and M60 tanks was increased. The majority of the units were equipped with Storm busses.

-- Unmanned air vehicles were used in the regions of the First and Second Armies for fighting terrorism. Night vision systems have been installed in most of the military vehicles.

-- Two gendarmerie border brigades were established in Sirnak and Cukurca with the aim of increasing border security. These brigades were reinforced with the newly established seven border battalions. With the gendarmerie battalion in Yuksekova, the three battalions will be in charge of the security of the Iraqi border.

-- The terrorists are using hand-made explosives and they lay mines along the roads. In the face of this threat, vehicles that have been manufactured with the use of high technology were purchased. This way, the location of 70% of the mines will be determined prior to explosion.

-- The Boeing 737 AWACS early warning and control planes were tested.

-- The first Turkish corvette that was nationally manufactured was launched in Heybeliada. Eleven more corvettes will be built.

-- Six new submarines that are able to cruise 20,000 kilometres and to remain 50 days below the sea will be received in 2015.

[08] From the Turkish Press of 6 October 2008

a) Reaction to PKK Attack on Military Outpost:

In an article entitled "Turkey's Intelligence Sharing With the US Broken Off," Hurriyet columnist Fatih Cekirge notes the high number of casualties in September attacks and announces that the last attack is because the intelligence sharing mechanism with the US was broken-off after the last operation.

Ferai Tinc says repetition of attacks on the same place causes the event to become meaningless. In an article in Hurriyet, she points out that this war is Turkey's most important problem and recalls that the AKP had promised to tackle it. She praises the government's courageous step in foreign policy and adds that these steps were undermined when no domestic steps were taken. She says, "Unless domestic and foreign elements are jointly evaluated, it is impossible to form a radical vision against this war which soaks up Turkey's energy." Tinc adds that forming a vision is not enough and the important issue is to be able to assume a political responsibility and to explain it to the public.

In an article entitled "The General Staff explained Aktutun with its reasons", Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila summarizes the press briefing by Deputy Chief of Staff Igsiz on 5 October and praises the new press policy adopted by Gen Ilker Basbug, chief of the General Staff, for being "transparent, full of technical details, and satisfying in terms of informing the public."

Radikal columnist Murat Yetkin praises the comprehensive press conference by Gen Igsiz in an article entitled "When Barzani also cooperates." Yetkin notes that although all the questions posed were answered, new questions were raised after the press conference. He summarizes them as follows: 1. "Will an investigation be launched into Aktutun raid?" The answer is no. 2. "Will the policy not be interrogated?" Will the government, the parliament, the army and the judiciary not change the methods of tackling the PKK, Kurdish separatism, and the Kurdish problem? Yetkin calls on Erdogan and Gen Basbug to seize the opportunity to make a change at the memorandum talks that will be held in parliament on 8 October and the important counterterrorism meeting to be held on 9 October.

Under the banner headline, "Twelve questions to the Military," Vakit runs a front-page report which asserts that "experts" have directed the following questions at the General Staff in connection with the latest PKK attack: "1. Did the spy planes bought from Israel fail to detect the terrorist group that crossed the border with mules carrying heavy weaponry? 2. Why has the delivery of the early warning aircraft ordered from Boeing in 2002 been delayed for over a year? 3. Did the United States share real-time intelligence with Turkey regarding the terrorist group that carried out the attack? 4. How come air and ground support for the outpost that was raided failed to be provided in the first five hours after the attack started?" etc.

In an editorial entitled "The Aktutun outpost reality", Cumhuriyet criticizes the AKP government for disregarding national interests while formulating foreign policy. Pointing out that the attack came from north Iraq, which is under US occupation, the editorial says "the focus should be on north Iraq and the United States which controls Iraq today, and the truths must be said openly...

The Turkish Republic cannot continue to live under the guardianship of circles that desire to establish an Islamist state by acting as US subcontractors in the Middle East."

In an article entitled "Mount Qandil," Milli Gazete columnist Mahmut Toptas asserts that the terrorists who carried out the latest attack in Semdinli are using US weapons and spending US money and that for this reason US State Department officials are merely "rubbing salt into the wound" in offering their condolences to Turkey in the wake of the assault. Toptas calls on the United States to stop "giving weapons" to the PKK rather than asking it to lay down arms.

EG/

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