Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 08-10-22

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Elcil: There is no isolation and embargo; these are empty talks, tales

[02] Ercakica on the Annan Report and Turkeys election to the UN Security Council

[03] A delegation of AKP MPs is visiting the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

[04] DISY and CTP agreed on supporting the leaders for achieving a comprehensive solution on the Cyprus problem before the next EU parliamentary elections in 2009

[05] UBP and DISY leaders to meet on Friday

[06] Turkeys National Security Council decides to form a new structure against terrorism

[07] Tripartite structure' to be established between Turkey, USA and Iraq

[08] Erdogans Chief Advisor: EU needs Turkey if it desires to become a global power

[09] A private Turkish university opens in northern Iraq

[10] Democratic Society Party stated that during the 1980 military coup d etat, the Kurds were subjected to political, social and cultural genocide Dangerous escalation because of Kurdish demonstrations in Turkey

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 20 October 2008

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Elcil: There is no isolation and embargo; these are empty talks, tales

reports that the Cyprus Turkish Primary School Teachers Trade Union (KTOS) held a joint press conference yesterday with a delegation from Polands Solidarity Trade Union which visited the occupied areas of Cyprus.

In his statements Sener Elcil, general secretary of KTOS, noted that there are some people in the occupied areas who are trading on the embargo and the isolation and added that the cooperation of KTOS with the Polish trade union is a message to those people as well.

He added: They are doing politics in vain; there is no isolation, embargo and such things. These are empty talks and tales. If you develop the relations on the right basis at the right time, these are nothing but words. Our relation is also an example for this. And it will continue developing .

Mr Elcil said that the two trade unions have prepared and submitted a joint project for benefiting from the ¬ 259 million aid of the EU to the Turkish Cypriots and added that this is an educational plan aimed at the teachers.

Meanwhile, the president of the Solidarity Trade Union in Gdynia area, Zdziskawa Hacia said that the working conditions of the teachers in the occupied areas of Cyprus are very good and added that the first salary of these teachers is ¬ 1200. Hacia noted that they want to benefit from KTOS experience on the issue of the salary and its struggle for the employee rights.

Yesterday morning, the Polish delegation visited also the self-styled minister of education, Canan Oztoprak accompanied by officials from KTOS. In a statement issued by the ministry, it is noted that Zdziskawa Hacia said that the salaries in Poland are very low and efforts are exerted for increasing the retirement age. We are conducting various activities in order to solve these problems, she added.

On her part, Mrs Oztoprak said that she feels proud of the educational system, the salaries and the rights of the teachers in the occupied areas and added that in order for a comparison to be made, the working hours and the purchasing power in other countries should be examined.

Finally, Yeni Duzen reports that Sener Elcil issued a written statement yesterday and urged the self-styled government and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat to adopt the Euro as their currency in the occupied areas. According to Mr Elcil, this would bring stability to the economy of the occupied areas. He noted that such a development would protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots on the one hand and it would be a sincere step for the unification of the Island on the other.

(ITs)

[02] Ercakica on the Annan Report and Turkeys election to the UN Security Council

Ercakica said that the Greek Cypriot side, which announced its views as elements that the two sides have agreed, overlooked with insistence the agreement for the new state which will be formed by the two constituent states of equal status. He added: The Greek Cypriot spokesmen make statements either deducting some parts of the facts or adding new elements to the facts. In addition to that they are presenting this not as a kind of settlement of their own wish but as a settlement the two sides have agreed upon. Putting it mildly, this is nothing but distortion.

Ercakica said that the Greek Cypriot who is uneasy for the membership of Turkey to the UN Security Council should feel joy instead of anxiety because the solution of the Cyprus problem is based on the UN parameters and the international role of Turkey has increased.

Noting that it is not possible to understand that the Greek Cypriot side has spent efforts to block the UNSC membership of Turkey, Ercakica said that the Greek Cypriot side is now attempting to launch initiatives by some of the permanent members of the UN Security Council to render Turkey ineffective. Ercakica went on and said that Turkey supports the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the established UN parameters, noting that Turkey supports fully the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talats efforts.

Ercakica said: There is no doubt that a UNSC member Turkey, which undertakes more and more responsibility each day in the settlement for the international conflicts and wants to expand this role of its, could contribute more to the Cyprus settlement.

Commenting on the statement of the Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou who said that the two communities agreed on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal settlement based on political equality, Ercakica described it as very meaningful and added that the Greek Cypriot side tries to overlook with insistence the Agreement of 23 May, which includes the element of the structure of the new state that will be formed by two constituent states based on the political equality and what the two leaders agreed during the preparatory period.

Ercakica also said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat called Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and congratulated them for the membership of Turkey to the UN Security Council. Noting that the membership of Turkey is an important development, Ercakica said: As you know the election of Turkey to such a kind of duties used to be connected with the condition of Cyprus. But now, it is understood from the statements made following the voting that the existence of the problem is not considered as an obstacle before the membership of Turkey to the UN Security Council from most of the UN member countries.

Finally, the paper reports the following on Mr Ercakicas statements: Upon a question Hasan Ercakica said that Turkeys membership to the UN Security Council will not cause a change in the stance of some permanent members which prevented the approval of the report known as The Annan Report. He noted that the approval of the report during these days when negotiations are being carried out would be very helpful but it would not be realistic to expect the approval of the report after the President of the Greek Administration Demetris Christofias stated that they would take Turkey under control through Russia and China.

(DPs)

[03] A delegation of AKP MPs is visiting the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

Cavusoglu said that when two committees from Ankara and Antalya are in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus to hold an opening ceremony of a student hostel, it means that the Republic of Turkey wants to increase the quality level of the education in the occupied areas. Cavusoglu expressed his satisfaction because he sees that there is cooperation with new university campus and the number of students in the illegal universities has increased from 20 thousands to 43 and the number of the Turkish students has increased from 8 thousands to 28 thousands. Noting that with the occupation regime they put their efforts to increase the promotion of the TRNC in the international arena and to lift the embargoes, Cavusoglu said that although the international community, the EU and other organizations did not keep their promises, the occupation regime obtained important developments. He gave the following examples for these developments: the number of the representatives of the TRNC abroad reached to 15 as well as the acceptance of the TRNC passport in seven countries. Cavusoglu also explained that there are two MPs who represent the occupation regime in the PACE and that the Property Compensation Committee in the TRNC is considered by the European Court of Human Rights as local remedy.

(DPs)

[04] DISY and CTP agreed on supporting the leaders for achieving a comprehensive solution on the Cyprus problem before the next EU parliamentary elections in 2009

According to Ortam, the meeting resulted in the announcement of common goals set between the two parties the efforts to continue in order for a permanent solution on the island to be achieved before holding the next elections for the European Parliament in 2009. Following the meeting, Nicos Anastasiades, leader of DISY and Ferdi Sabit Soyer, leader of CTP held a joint press conference and answered to questions.

On his part, Mr. Soyer stated that they have reached to a mutual agreement to make all the necessary efforts for supporting the two leaders in Cyprus towards reaching a settlement of the Cyprus problem and to give their best for creating a basis for this solution to be reached before the next EU parliamentary elections in 2009. On his part, Mr. Anastasiades stated that providing support for the two leaders is a vision of both parties, while referring to the issue of guarantees, he said that there is no need for a guarantorship to exist in Cyprus, yet, in order for the trust to be re-established among people, a guarantorship system could be established for a certain period of time.

(ML)

[05] UBP and DISY leaders to meet on Friday

(ML)

[06] Turkeys National Security Council decides to form a new structure against terrorism

Turkish National Security Council has decided to form a new structure in order to strengthen the coordination in the fight against terrorism.

Following the regular meeting of the Council a statement was released which read: During the meeting, recent developments both in Turkey and the world were discussed. We affirmed our belief that heinous acts and attacks by the terrorist organization and its supporters targeting our unity would not reach their goal. This threat will be eliminated on the basis of democracy and rule of law. Our fight against terrorism will continue with an influential cooperation of all state institutions and support of our people. To this end, we decided to form a new structure in order to strengthen the coordination in the fight against terrorism.The council called on everyone to act responsibly since all unfair accusations against the security forces which has been fighting successfully against terrorism with a great success, served nothing but the targets of the terrorist organization and its supporters.

Recent developments in Iraq and southern Caucasus were also discussed in detail.

Turkey's election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the term 2009-2010 with a great majority of votes will accelerate regional and international efforts to ensure peace, stability, security, cooperation and prosperity in the world, the statement added.

[07] Tripartite structure' to be established between Turkey, USA and Iraq

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Tuesday that tripartite structure planned to be established between Turkey, United States and Iraq would not have representatives.

Relevant units of the three countries will convene and discuss what could be done about terrorist PKK organization. It is up to Baghdad whether or not the regional administration in north of Iraq would be included in this structure Babacan told the private NTV channel.

The tripartite structure that was established three years ago with the participation of representatives did not work. That was totally shelved and the representatives retired. There is a separate tripartite coordination system that has been established between the Turkish and U.S. military. This system includes Turkey's deputy chief of General Staff, vice chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and general of the U.S. troops in Iraq. Iraq is not included in this system. Military operations going on in the past one year are an outcome of this system and good coordination. A military success is in question.

Babacan said the tripartite system, planned to be established, aimed at creating an atmosphere to discuss what could be done about the terrorist organization. He said this system would not be an alternative to bilateral talks. Asked whether regional administration would be included in this structure, Babacan said, we say this structure has three legs. One of them is Iraq. When we say Iraq, we should think of whole Iraq. It is the preference of Baghdad. Referring to a statement of Massoud Barzani, leader of the regional administration in north of Iraq, that a new page was opened in relations with Turkey, Babacan said Turkey established direct dialogue with the regional administration in north of Iraq.

By considering the domestic structure of Iraq, we should work on what we can do to deal with and eliminate terrorist organization by taking advantage of this, he said.

Babacan said the motion regarding deployment of Turkish troops was issued on October 17, 2007, adding that we carried out intensive contacts in the Middle East and Europe. We got the open support of the central government in Baghdad and PKK was announced as the common enemy during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington D.C..

Thus only administration in north of Iraq remained as the element to isolate terrorist PKK organization. Nobody should allow attacks on Turkey from the region where they say was under their control. A busy but silent diplomacy traffic will be carried out from now on. You will not hear many statements from us on the matter, Babacan said.

Asked to comment on a probable military cooperation, Babacan said there were many methods in diplomacy, noting that acting with a proper method at the proper time was important. The sooner the stability is restored in Iraq in general, this will be in our advantage, he said.

Babacan said the model suggested by Turkey about Kirkuk was welcomed, adding that Turkey will take into consideration the difficult period Iraq has been going through, but on the other side we will continue to be in contact with Baghdad and the local administration to resolve the problem about PKK.

[08] Erdogans Chief Advisor: EU needs Turkey if it desires to become a global power

Chief advisor to the Turkish Prime Minister said on Monday that the European Union (EU) would definitely need Turkey if it desired to become a global power.

Addressing a group of diplomats, journalists and students after attending a conference on Turkey-EU relations in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Chief Advisor Prof. Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey's full membership to EU would strengthen the union.

Noting that Europe should think globally for its future, Davutoglu said Europe's new vision necessitated making strategic connections with Asia and Africa. Turkey is the key country that will help Europe accomplish its vision, Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu also said that Turkey had close relations with its neighbours in the Middle East and the Caucasus region.

Turkey's role in the region is based on finding solutions to the existing problems, not on creating new crises, he said.

Davutoglu said that countries of the region which had problems with each other, confided in Turkey.

This is because Turkish officials do not hesitate to express the issues they discuss behind closed doors at international platforms as well, he said.

[09] A private Turkish university opens in northern Iraq

As relations normalize between Turkey and the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq, Turkey has followed in the footsteps of the US, France and Lebanon in establishing a university there.

Diplomatic relations between Ankara and Arbil, the capital of the northern Iraqi administration, were almost frozen after the foundation of the regional Kurdish government there and Massoud Barzani's election as its president. Recently the relations have seen a period of thaw, and some of the walls between the two parties have been brought down, Barzani explained yesterday after his meeting with Turkey's special envoy to Iraq, Murat Ozcelik. Ankara emphasizes the importance of "silent diplomacy" with the Kurdish administration in this regard.

Along with the breaking down of walls has come the building of bridges between Turkey and its northern Iraqi neighbours. Ishik University, newly opened by the Turkish Fezalar Educational Co. in Arbil, is one of those bridges. Fezalar has been active in education in the region for 14 years and has 10 schools in Arbil, Sulaimaniya and Kirkuk. The university is now accepting student registration, and classes will begin in mid-November.

The idea to open a university came from the families of students who had attended other Fezalar schools, said Talip Buyuk, the corporations general manager, at a press conference on Tuesday in Arbil. We have had 788 students graduate from our schools, and for a few years the families have been strongly encouraging us to open a university, he added. Eventually Fezalar decided to raise the topic with the Kurdish administrations education officials, who backed the proposal. During the press conference Buyuk spoke of the success of the Fezalar schools and noted that Fezalar students won medals at several international intramural scientific competitions.

Local Kurdish media showed great interest during the press conference and in particular asked whether the universitys opening would contribute to improving relations with Turkey. In response, Buyuk emphasized that the institutions aim was to focus on scientific educational and success. His words were echoed by Professor Salih Hosoglu, chosen to be the university rector, who said that their main mission was to educate students at world standards.

We are pleased with the success of all Fezalar schools and believe that Ishik University will also be successful, said Himdad A. Muhammad, the Kurdish regional administrations Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research director of private education. As for relations with Turkey, he said: These are political issues and we are dealing with scientific studies and education. But we are happy with the latest developments. We hope the opening of this university will contribute to the improvement of relations.

The university will have four departments: dentistry, engineering, economics, and administrative sciences and education. Rector Hosoglu explained that there would be English preparatory classes to fulfil the requirement that foreign universities in northern Iraq offer education in English. Demand from students to enrol at Ishik is high, and we need to open evening programs to meet it, Buyuk said, mentioning also that the university would only be accepting students with the highest scores on the ministerial higher education entrance exam.

[10] Democratic Society Party stated that during the 1980 military coup d etat, the Kurds were subjected to political, social and cultural genocide Dangerous escalation because of Kurdish demonstrations in Turkey

Mr Turk also stated that his partys aim is to resolve the Kurdish issue peacefully and criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) policies because it sees the issue only as a security problem. As for the reason that led the members of the party to hold their assembly meeting in Diyarbakir, he said that the party is protesting against the ill-treatment of the PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

On the other hand, under the title Dangerous escalation, Turkish daily Milliyet (22.10.08) reports in its first page about the protests taking place in Turkey by people who are protesting against the alleged ill-treatment of the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan. The paper writes that the demonstrations are raising the tension in the country. In Istanbul, three cars, a supermarket and a public health care centre were set on fire. In addition the PKK seems to be responsible for an attack which took place against the Turkish Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. The tension was in its higher levels in the Dogubeyazit town of the Agri province where 20-year old Ahmet Ozkan was shot dead by the Turkish policemen during a demonstration the previous day.

(CS)

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[11] From the Turkish Press of 20 October 2008

a) Ergenekon Case:

In an article entitled "The suspect has been identified but he is nowhere to be found," Hurriyet columnist Mehmet Yilmaz emphasizes that judges trying defendants accused of being affiliated with a shadowy organization called Ergenekon and plotting against the state will face serious difficulties because of attempts to turn the trial into a show, holding hearings in a room which does not have enough space for the defendants and their lawyers, and a very long indictment issued by the public prosecutors. He also points out that the name of the prime suspect in the case has not been made public yet, adding that the trial will be incomplete if that suspect does not appear before the court.

In an article entitled "The last figure in the media gang," Hurriyet columnist Ertugrul Ozkok says that a series of mistakes were committed during the run-up to the Ergenekon trial which, he notes, could be described as a witch-hunt. He notes: "This investigation process looked like a McCarthyist campaign aimed at intimidating opponents as a result of arbitrary wiretapping." Ozkok concludes by saying: "Nevertheless, I believe that those mistakes have not diminished the importance of the trial. But, these are my sincere opinions about the Ergenekon case."

In an article entitled "Polarization caused by the Ergenekon case," Milliyet columnist Fikret Bila notes that physical problems were experienced in the first hearing in the Ergenekon case because of the small space of the courtroom. He also cautions that the trial could set the stage for a confrontation between Turkish and Kurdish nationalists.

In an article entitled "An unavoidable scandal," Milliyet columnist Melih Asik points out that suspects detained in connection with the Ergenekon probe appeared before the court 500 days after their detention. He says: "The general conviction is that this trial may continue one thousand years. People who have been remanded in custody may die in prison. It is a trial where Prime Minister Erdogan serves as the public prosecutor and everybody who is opposed to the AKP [Justice and Development Party] and the United States faces charges in a trial which will continue for an unlimited period of time and without a predictable outcome. A similar trial could only be seen in the Middle Ages."

In an article entitled "What is being tried?" Radikal columnist Ismet Berkan says that plans were actually drawn up to stage a military coup in 2003 and 2004, adding that the then Chief of the General Staff and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff consulted with all generals in the military about those plans. He comments: "This is the reason behind the charges brought against the defendants. But, the indictment which will be read out during hearings does not outline those plans in the same level of simplicity and by referring to those facts. It, therefore, causes widespread confusion. In fact, nobody is accused of devising plans for staging a coup in 2003 and 2004."

In an article entitled "Real Ergenekon Culprits should be punished," Turkish Daily News columnist Mehmet Ali Birand says that he received death threats from people believed to be affiliated with Ergenekon or the "deep state," adding that "the case will expose, for the first time, the dirty linen of recent Turkish history." He also expresses his hope that the case will not turn out to be a farce like some trials conducted in the past.

Under the banner headline, "Gang never tires of trying to create chaos," Vakit carries a front-page report which accuses pro-Ergenekon groups including "illegal leftist organizations and Labour Party, IP, and Republican People's Party, CHP, supporters of trying to influence the judiciary by staging acts of protest during the first hearing in the trial of the suspects in the Ergenekon case.

In an article entitled "Ergenekon trial: A test for Turkish democracy", Today's Zaman columnist Lale Sariibrahimoglu discusses the significance of the start of the Ergenekon trial. She also objects to the portrayal of the Ergenekon case as "an act of revenge initiated by the ruling party to settle scores with those who allegedly sought to overthrow it."

b) Erdogans visit to Diyarbakir Kurdish protests:

In an article entitled "Stores closed down and bus services ground to a halt and we are back to square one," Hurriyet columnist Yalcin Dogan says that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not given an enthusiastic welcome during his visit to the southeastern city of Diyarbakir yesterday mainly because the government has authorized the Turkish military to conduct a cross-border operation in northern Iraq. Pointing out that stores were closed down and bus services were stopped to protest Erdogan's visit yesterday which, he notes, was reminiscent of protests in the past 20 years, Dogan concludes by saying that not much has changed in policies pursued by Turkish governments and protests staged by Kurds in the region.

In an article entitled "Maltreatment of Ocalan," Milliyet columnist Guneri Civaoglu says that recent pro-Ocalan protests and riots staged in various Kurdish cities in southeast Turkey were actually aimed at preparing the ground for a general amnesty which would also cover PKK guerrillas and Ocalan. He says: "According to that plan, the PKK will be integrated into the legitimate system, its goals will be transformed into the manifesto of a political party, Ocalan will be elected as its leader, and the state will be restructured.

Meanwhile, such rehearsals will remind the possibility of a civil war like the sword of Damocles over that road map."

In an article entitled "Kurds and Ergenekon," Taraf columnist Ahmet Altan criticizes Turkish and Kurdish communities for succumbing to their desire to take vengeance on each other, emphasizing that continued fighting between the Turkish military and the PKK also creates a fertile ground for crime organizations like Ergenekon.

c) MHP's Election Strategy:

In a report entitled "MHP [Nationalist Action Party] Opens up to Left" in Vatan says that MHP leadership decided to nominate candidates from both centre-right and centre-left in the upcoming local elections scheduled for March 2008 as part of a strategy aimed at attracting voters with different political views.

d) Columnist Criticizes Government's Plan:

In an article entitled "An operation aimed at laundering Deniz Feneri [Light House] money set to begin," Milliyet columnist Yaman Toruner argues that the government's plan to facilitate transfer of funds from abroad by offering tax advantages is actually aimed to ensure that funds raised by Islamic charities like Deniz Feneri in other countries are transferred to Turkey without facing any obstacle.

EG/

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