Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 10-01-12

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat noted that they evaluated the issue of governance and power sharing and that there is not much to say on this issue

[02] Ercakica said the Turkish side insists on the proposals it submitted in the Cyprus talks

[03] Ozgurgun described as balanced the proposals of the Turkish side

[04] KTOS accuses Turkey of not wanting a solution in Cyprus and of exerting efforts for the division of the Island

[05] Self-styled minister will hold contacts in the United Arab Emirates in order to promote the investments in the occupied areas of Cyprus

[06] Illegal Turkish settlers say they do not want to see the flag of the Republic of Cyprus on the Island

[07] Turkey pins its hopes on the Spanish Foreign Minister for convincing the Greek Cypriot side to accept a four-party summit

[08] Erdogan is visiting Russia to meet with Putin. Turkey and Russia to establish a strategic partnership

[09] Turkey and Lebanon agreed to abolish visa requirements

[10] Erdogan not to attend the 40th World Economic Forum in Davos

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Talat noted that they evaluated the issue of governance and power sharing and that there is not much to say on this issue

In statements after the meeting, Mr Talat said they discussed the issue of governance and power sharing and that the Greek Cypriot side expressed some views orally. Responding to questions at his office last night around 19.00 hours, Mr Talat noted that they evaluated the issue of governance and power sharing and that there is not much to say on this issue. He said they will continue the discussions today and expressed the hope to reach to a more concrete point today and tomorrow.

Asked to comment on some allegations that the Greek Cypriot side has submitted a document in the talks, Mr Talat said: Let me not say whether it submitted or not, but it shared with us some views it has. It has not submitted yet anything in writing.

Mr Talat noted that he could say they discussed in deep the issue of governance and power sharing and pointing out that they spent all day on this issue added that they did not spend time in vain.

Responding to another question, Mr Talat said there was no tension in the meeting and noted that they took up various issues during the face to face meeting with President Christofias which did not last for long.

Noting that they will continue the discussion of governance and power sharing, Mr Talat said they are also planning to take up the issues of economy and the EU.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Ercakica said the Turkish side insists on the proposals it submitted in the Cyprus talks

Mr Ercakica said they are expecting for the Greek Cypriot side to submit counter views or proposals to the above-mentioned proposals of the Turkish side, which are a result of two-month work.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ozgurgun described as balanced the proposals of the Turkish side

Political circles described as interesting the statements by Mr Ozgurgun and pointed out that they are very different from the views expressed by the government.

(I/Ts.)

[04] KTOS accuses Turkey of not wanting a solution in Cyprus and of exerting efforts for the division of the Island

In a written statement issued yesterday, Mr Elcil noted that Turkey exerts efforts for the non-solution of the Cyprus problem and added that while Ankara on the one hand forces the Turkish Cypriot leader Talat to carry out negotiations for the solution and submits proposals, on the other hand it forces the self-styled prime minister Dervis Eroglu to make statements regarding the existence of two separate states.

Mr Elcil said while Turkey intervened in the island in 1974 in order to restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Cyprus and protect its territorial integrity, Ankara continues to exert efforts at full speed for the non-solution and the division.

Reminding of statements made recently by the self-styled minister of foreign affairs, Huseyin Ozgurgun, that the continuation of the negotiating process aims at lifting the obstacles in front of Turkey in its accession course towards the EU, Mr Elcil argued that with these statements Mr Ozgurgun proved that they do not aim at the solution.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Self-styled minister will hold contacts in the United Arab Emirates in order to promote the investments in the occupied areas of Cyprus

Mr Atun will meet with the UAEs Minister for Foreign Trade, Sheikha Lubna Al Quasimi, the Minister of Economy, Sultan Bin Saeed al Mansouri, the ambassador of Turkey to the UAE and other officials.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Illegal Turkish settlers say they do not want to see the flag of the Republic of Cyprus on the Island

(I/Ts.)

[07] Turkey pins its hopes on the Spanish Foreign Minister for convincing the Greek Cypriot side to accept a four-party summit

Foreign Minister Moratinos, who is reportedly owner of property in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus, is a key name not only because Spain holds the EU tern presidency, but also due to the fact that he knows the Greek Cypriot leaders so close that he could convince them, reports Hurriyet.

Ankara seeks for international support on the proposal submitted by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the holding of a four-party summit and the Spanish Foreign Minister is one of the most influential names which is expected to get into action for securing that the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and the Prime Minister Erdogan sit at the negotiating table over Cyprus.

Being a Special Representative of the EU on the Middle East, Minister Moratinos has used the island as a base for seven years and has developed good relations with Greek Cypriot officials, writes the paper, adding that it is hoped for Minister Moratinos to convince the Greek Cypriot side on the issue of a four-party summit.

According to the paper, the Turkish side launched an attack with the proposals submitted in the talks and even if the Greek Cypriot side is not positive to the new opening package which the Turkish side put onto the table in the direction of consultations held with Ankara, it is said that pressure from international actors might force President Christofias to bargain.

Prime Minister Erdogans proposal on a four-party meeting is the most significant leg of the strategy followed by the Turkish side, argues Hurriyet, adding that a summit in which Greece and Turkey will participate bears importance from Ankaras perspective due to critical issues such as the guarantorship rights and the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from the island. According to the Turkish side, if the Turkish proposal is accepted, the summit can be held among five parties, that is, with the participation of Britain as the third guarantor power in Cyprus.

For the acceptance of the four-party meeting, Ankara is to speed up its diplomatic movements in order to gain the support of especially the EU member countries.

On the other hand, the meeting which Turkeys EU Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis will hold with the Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos on Friday bears great importance for the developments, the paper notes.

(ML)

[08] Erdogan is visiting Russia to meet with Putin. Turkey and Russia to establish a strategic partnership

Turkey and Russia will set up a high-level strategic cooperation working group Wednesday when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pays a working visit to Moscow. Accompanied by five Cabinet members and a group of businessmen, the prime minister aims to boost bilateral relations, especially in the economic field.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will discuss ways to strengthen strategic and economic ties during a two-day working visit later this week in Russia.

During their meeting, the two leaders plan to establish a high-level strategic cooperation working group while energy will also be at the top of the agenda, Russian diplomatic sources said.

They are dominant actors and are strategic partners in the region. Russia wants to export its energy through a more secure route while Turkey is keen on strengthening its position as an energy corridor. Its a win-win situation, a Turkish official requesting anonymity told the Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review on Monday.

The working group will be co-chaired at the prime ministerial level while other ministers coordinate the meetings with the participation of senior bureaucrats. It is a clear sign that the cooperation will go further as a result of mutual respect, the same official said.

Erdogan will meet some 300 Turkish entrepreneurs at a dinner on Tuesday night before holding talks with President Dimitry Medvedev and Putin the following day.

Russia is a major market for Turkish exporters and contracting groups but they such business has suffered due to the aftermath of the Georgian War of 2008.

Turkey and Russia largely tackled problems in customs, food exports and transportation in August 2009 when Putin made a surprise visit to Ankara to request permission to conduct feasibility studies on the South Stream gas pipeline projected to run under Turkish waters.

Were looking for a mechanism to prevent any more crises and put the relations on a sound footing, a separate Turkish official told the Daily News on the condition of anonymity.

Russia, the worlds biggest energy exporter, will carry its crude oil through a Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline currently being constructed from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean port. Turkey is soon to announce two tenders for nuclear power plants for which Russias Atomstroy is said to be a potential bidder.

The officials are also expected to review the natural gas purchase agreement that expires in 2011. Experts suggest it is time for Turkey to ask for a price reduction while domestic consumption is less than the total amount imported given that Iran and Azerbaijan can supply gas at considerably cheaper prices.

State-run gas importer BOTAS has also been contracted to annually pay Iran for a specified amount of gas regardless of whether or not the gas is consumed. As a result of decreased domestic demand, Turkey will pay approximately $1 billion for gas unused in 2009.

The Foreign Economic Relations Board, or DEIK's, Turkish-Russian Business Council co-chairman, Cem Kozlu, said: Trade between Russia and Turkey had a narrower scope 15-20 years ago. Now, what is different and good is having dynamic and multi-dimensional trade relations.

Officials predict a $38 billion trade volume in 2010 that will reach its target quicker than in 2008. Kozlu suggested there is a promising potential waiting to be activated. It is not just in the hands of politicians or the CEOs of big firms to set trade volume targets, he said, adding that there is a chance for new opportunities with many more actors in the picture.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan and Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker will also be among the visiting delegation.

[09] Turkey and Lebanon agreed to abolish visa requirements

Turkey and Lebanon will reciprocally lift visa procedures, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

A statement of the ministry said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ali al-Shami signed the agreement on reciprocal removal of visa requirements.

Under the agreement, Turkish and Lebanese citizens will be exempt from visa reciprocally for their stay in each other's territories no longer than 90 days.

The agreement will take effect after the two countries ratified them.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a joint press conference with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Din al-Hariri and said two countries had signed six agreements, including the visa exemption agreement. Erdogan said the other agreements were on areas of health, agriculture, military cooperation, transportation and education.

Following Turkey's recent diplomatic initiatives and its 'zero problem with neighbors' policy, number of countries lifting visa requirements on Turkey has risen to 55 after Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Jordan.

Below is the list of countries and special administrative regions that do not impose visa requirements on Turkey:

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Albania, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Morocco, Fiji, the Philippines, Guatemala, Republic of South Africa, Georgia, Haiti, Croatia, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Colombia, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Kosovo, Costa Rica, Libya, Lebanon, Macau Special Administrative region, Macedonia, Maldives, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Republic of Palau, Paraguay, St. Vincent-Grenadines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syria, Swaziland, Chile, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Jordan, and Venezuela.

[10] Erdogan not to attend the 40th World Economic Forum in Davos

Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said he will be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this year after the countrys prime minister announced he would not be attending, Turkish media reported Monday.

Ill say it just once: I am not going to go there again, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to daily Milliyet.

Daily Hurriyet reported that Simsek would attend the meeting instead of Erdogan. Simsek emphasized the importance of Turkeys presence at Davos in terms of relations with international investors.

Erdogans announcement comes nearly a year after he stormed out of a debate on the Gaza conflict at the 2009 Davos summit. He accused Israel of barbarian acts and told Israeli President Shimon Peres, You know well how to kill people.

His reaction caused tension between the two countries that has had long-lasting implications in their diplomatic affairs. Before the outburst, Turkey had been a key Israel ally in the region since the two signed a military cooperation deal in 1996.

This years summit in Davos will mark the 40th World Economic Forum.

EG/

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