Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 09-08-14

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The journalist who took the photographs of the five Greek Cypriot soldiers in occupied Chatoz claims that the Turkish Cypriot fighters are those who killed them and not the Turkish army

[02] Interim agreement for the Cyprus problem to be brought to the fore

[03] Ozdil Nami on the land in the buffer zone for the opening of Limnitis crossing point

[04] The occupation regime to participate in the 14th Turcic World Youth General Assembly in Ukraine

[05] Eighteen illegal immigrants of Syrian citizenship were arrested in occupied Karpass peninsula

[06] The 9th International Eurasia Taekwondo Championship will take place in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[07] Richard Holbrooke to visit Turkey later this month.

[08] Turkey and Syria to work on a joint tourism project

[09] A document revealed that the Turkish Armed Forces make discrimination and categorize soldiers according to their religious and military views

[10] Turkish Treasury figures show 22,505 international companies operate in Turkey

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The journalist who took the photographs of the five Greek Cypriot soldiers in occupied Chatoz claims that the Turkish Cypriot fighters are those who killed them and not the Turkish army

The pictures of the Greek Cypriot soldiers, who were taken prisoners following the Peace Operation in Cyprus, have become one of the symbols of the war. Thirty five years later it was revealed that these prisoners have been killed. The journalist Ergin Konuksever who brought back to his memory the incident that took place 35 years ago, said that the prisoners have been killed, yet, this was done by the fighters.

General had shouted at the fighters

Ergin Konukseyer, who took the picture which was in the hands of the Missing Persons Commission, vividly remembers those days. He had summarized the events as follows: When we had reached to Serdarli Region with Meric 1 Tank, we came face to face with the prisoners.

Commander of the tank, Lieutenant Erael Kayan had offered cigarettes to them. Then Hakki Boratas Pasha came. He too inquired about them. He had handed them over to the Turkish Cypriot fighters (mücahit) and told them to keep the prisoners in a closed quarter. We had mounted on the tank and we were about to leave when we heard shots. I had jumped over the tank and run towards the direction where sound of firing shots was heard. In the meantime I saw the mücahits shooting at the prisoners. While I was taking the photographs of the dead Greek Cypriot soldiers lying on the ground and the mücahits, Hakki Pasha had arrived. When he saw the scene he had shouted at them: ´What did you do, did I order you to kill them? I told you to keep them in closed quarters´.

They killed my brother

Following the tough stance by Hakki Pasha, the mucahits started talking. One of them said: They killed my brother. The other reacted as follows: They killed my sister. We were waiting this moment for years. Hakki Pasha ordered the bulldozer which was there to dig a pit and these people were buried there. Meanwhile, one of the mucahits gave the documents and the money taken from the Greek Cypriot soldiers. Pasha became furious and had torn off all the money and the documents. After that we mounted on the tanks and moved away

The story of the pictures

Konuksever says that the said photographs have a very interesting history: When we had left the area we tried to dispatch the photographs we had with us to Turkey. We had to go to Nicosia and from there we would give the films to the helicopter that was going to Adana. We had got on a minibus. Besides me as journalist, there were Adem Yavuz and Cengiz Kapkin in the car. When the driver took a wrong turn, the Greek Cypriots fired at us. I was hit with a bullet. It entered from by back and came out from my shoulder. When firing stopped a thin fair haired Greek Cypriot soldier came. I told him ´I am a journalist´. In turn he said to me ´I am also a journalist but at this moment we are at war´. He took my three cameras and 11 films. Later on they gave me a towel. Adem Yavuz helped me. For hours I waited wounded. Then with an armored vehicle they took us to a military camp. There too I waited for hours. And then they took me to hospital. I was on the stretcher, the nurses attacked me. Then a doctor came and saved me. He took me to the surgery room for operation.

They shot Adem Yavuz

The doctor who operated on me said: I gave my Hippocrates oath. I am responsible for your security. For me my oath is important and not the war. Meanwhile, they brought Adem Yavuz who was unconscious to the bed next to me. When I saw him I was surprised because he was not wounded. I wondered why he was next to me now. Few days later when Adem came to his senses he told me what had happened. When the nurses attacked me, they handcuffed Adem and Cengiz together and then they blind-folded them. At that moment a soldier fired at Adem and wounded him at his stomach. Adem underwent five operations. Especially for the last one the doctor told me: I will operate on him with local anesthesia. I cannot make him to sleep because he will not wake up. I still hear his cries. After the operation he continuously wanted water from me. It was forbidden to him. Then he requested that if he dies he should be buried in his birth place, Cinarly in Sivas by the river and then on his grave I should drink raki (ouzo) and eat zanziki because I longed for those two he said. Unfortunately he was unable to hold on. He was transferred to Adana but he died.

I have said what I know

Konuksever said that five years ago Rauf Denktash had invited him. He said: When Denktash was still President his aid-de-camp called me and invited me to Cyprus to give testimony before the Missing Persons Committee established by the UN. I went to tell what I know. When I entered the room where the commission was, I saw my photographs in a file. I studied them. Yes, they are my photographs when the Greek Cypriots were taken prisoners but no photographs exist when the mucahits killed them. I told them what happened. Later on I told them that It is your duty to find my three cameras and photographs´. Meanwhile the Dutch President of the Commission came to me and whispered to my ear. I come from a cold country. I live in a nice house in Cyprus. I have a luxurious car and I get 20 thousand dollars a month. I never want this case to finish.

(MHY)

[02] Interim agreement for the Cyprus problem to be brought to the fore

This scenario envisages that the agreement will be signed prior to the April 2010 elections, so that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, may secure support for the elections. This scenario is prepared by Britain and the USA but the UN are also involved in it. Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are aware of it and Brussels were also informed. The two sides in Cyprus appear to have no objections towards this plan, writes the paper.

(CS)

[03] Ozdil Nami on the land in the buffer zone for the opening of Limnitis crossing point

Special Representative of the TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat in charge of UN and EU Affairs- Ozdil Nami has responded to the claims issued in the Greek Cypriot media regarding the preparatory work in the area of the Yesilirmak [occupied Limnitis] crossing point.

Greek Cypriot media said the two sides might face some difficulties on the issue of expropriation during the phase on road construction.

Speaking to the BRT newsroom, Ozdil Nami said there is no legislation regarding expropriation activities within the UN-controlled buffer zone. He also noted that the road on the side of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will pass through the state land. Thus, there wont be any problems he said.

A road, with a length of 6.5 km, needs to be constructed for the opening of the Yesilirmak crossing point. It is going to be constructed between the villages of Yesilirmak and Pirgo. Part of the road remaining in South Cyprus has already been constructed and work is underway to construct the rest of it in the buffer zone and on the TRNC land.

[04] The occupation regime to participate in the 14th Turkic World Youth General Assembly in Ukraine

(CS)

[05] Eighteen illegal immigrants of Syrian citizenship were arrested in occupied Karpass peninsula

(CS)

[06] The 9th International Eurasia Taekwondo Championship will take place in the occupied areas of Cyprus

(CS)

[07] Richard Holbrooke to visit Turkey later this month.

I will be leaving the day after tomorrow for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Then I'll fly to Istanbul, where the Turks are hosting a Friends of Democratic Pakistan meeting, Holbrooke said Wednesday in an address to the Center for American Progress, a think tank in Washington.

He said he would be in Afghanistan during the war-torn country's presidential election on Aug. 20 at Obama's request. Incumbent President Hamid Karzai is leading in public opinion polls before the election.

In addition to attending the Istanbul meeting, Holbrooke is also expected to meet with senior Turkish officials.

Fighting against Taliban:

Friends of Democratic Pakistan is a group of nations aimed to extend support to Pakistan's government in its efforts to consolidate democracy and to back social and economic development in the country.

Twenty-four countries, including Turkey, and international organizations are members of the group. Sources said Holbrooke would like Turkey to send combat troops to Afghanistan to join Western forces fighting the Taliban, but Turkish officials have repeatedly made it clear that Ankara has no such intention.

Presently, nearly 1,000 Turkish troops are serving in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, and are tasked with defending the capital Kabul.

Since last week, U.S. forces have been conducting a large-scale military offensive against Taliban strongholds in the country's south.

[08] Turkey and Syria to work on a joint tourism project

Officials from the Association of Turkish Travel Agents (TURSAB) and the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Tourism convened in Damascus on Wednesday to discuss a project that would jointly promote tourism to Turkey and Syria.

The project aims to help tourists -- especially from the Far East -- visit Turkey and Syria under a single program. Prices, border passage and accommodation standards will be similar in both countries under the project.

Accordingly, a tourist who visits the Syrian city of Aleppo will be able to visit the southeastern Turkish province of Gaziantep, the closest Turkish city to Aleppo, as part of a single travel package. Also, cities that are similar culturally, like Istanbul and Damascus, will be included in similar packages. Officials will meet again in the coming months to discuss the project in detail.

[09] A document revealed that the Turkish Armed Forces make discrimination and categorize soldiers according to their religious and military views.

The Land Forces Command sent a copy of the said document to the National Intelligence Organization (M0T), the Gendarmerie General Command and various police departments, warning them to keep an eye on the names included in the document when they are conducting security investigations.

Several soldiers and cadets were mentioned in the document just for praying or carrying religious symbols. One of them is Onur Dusgul, a cadet at the Maltepe Military High School. According to the document, Dusgul poses a danger to the constitutional order of the Republic of Turkey.

The document notes that praying is among Dusgul's illegal acts. The cadet also reads religious books, carries religious symbols and is in close contact with illiterate individuals coming from eastern and southeastern provinces. The document also accuses Dusgul of criticizing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern republic, and 0smet 0nonu, Turkey's second president.

Dusgul favors the destruction of the constitutional order of the Republic of Turkey and the establishment of an order based on Shariah rule. He has the power to poison his entourage at school with his views if he has the chance. He should be kept under control when his service in the military ends, states the document.

The document also asks M0T, the Gendarmerie General Command and police departments to include Dusgul on their monitoring lists .

[10] Turkish Treasury Figures Show 22,505 International companies operate in Turkey

According to the figures by the Turkish Treasury Undersecretariat, 54.7 percent of these companies are from the European Union (EU) countries.

German companies are ranked the first among international firms with 3,852 and British and Dutch companies followed Germans with 2,123 and 1,732 respectively.International companies in Turkey operate in the areas of wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing industry and real estate

The number of foreign companies which were established in Turkey till the end of June 2009 and their countries are as follows:

COUNTRIES                     NUMBER OF COMPANIES
EU Countries                          2712.312
Germany                                  3.852
The Netherlands                          1.732
Britain                                  2.123
Other EU countries                       4.605
Other European countries (except the EU) 2.939
African countries                          382
North America                            1.118
USA                                        974
Canada                                     144
Central and South America                  123
Near and Middle East countries           3.823
Azerbaijan                                 651
Iraq                                       627
Iran                                     1.089
Other                                    1.456
Other Asian countries                    1.528
Peoples Republic of China                  356
South Korea                                144
Other                                    1.028
Other countries                            280
TOTAL:                                  22.505

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