Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 10-09-21

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] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu: realities in Cyprus should not be ignored in the search for an agreement

[02] So-called DP deputies resign and join UBP

[03] So-called deputies hold meetings in Strasbourg

[04] A settlers association in occupied Cyprus thanks Eroglu for his support

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[05] Breaking off Cyprus talks

[06] Highlights

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu: realities in Cyprus should not be ignored in the search for an agreement

In statements at the illegal Tymvou airport, Eroglu said that the Cyprus problem will be solved by the people who live on the island through negotiations and added that in the search for a solution, what happened in Cyprus cannot be disregarded. He noted that since President Christofias and he are the ones who will solve the problem, they should be equal wherever they are and that the problem cannot be solved if they are not equal.

Eroglu said that they are looking for a viable and lasting agreement and added that therefore the realities existing today in the north and the south should not be ignored.

Noting that the main aim of his visit to New York is to meet with the UN Secretary-General, Eroglu recalled that he had suggested a joint meeting with Mr Ban Ki-moon and President Christofias, but the latter rejected this proposal, using the pretext that when he travels abroad he is the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

Eroglu said he will meet President Gul tomorrow and that during his stay in New York he will carry out some lobbying activities. He noted that he has requested meetings with some Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Islamic countries in New York, but has not received any answers yet. He also said he will give press interviews. Eroglu will return to the occupied areas of Cyprus on 28 September.

( I/Ts.)

[02] So-called DP deputies resign and join UBP

Speaking during a ceremony at UBP headquarters, Ertugrul Hasipoglu and Mehmet Tancer accused Serdar Denktas, leader of DP, for lack of foresight.

In his statements, so-called Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk said two of our valuable deputies returned to the National Unity Party. Referring to rumours about the resignation of the two MPs from the Democrat Party, Irsen Kucuk made it clear that the UBP had nothing to do with it. Concerning the continuing talks between the UBP and TDP for the establishment of a coalition government, Kucuk said that the fact that this development will not affect the efforts to form a new government, adding that the UBP is ready to continue meetings with TDP since the goal is to reach 28 or 29 deputies.

According to Haberdar (21.09.10), Mehmet Cakici, leader of TDP, stated yesterday to the assembly that with the two deputies joining UBP there is no need to establish a coalition government, which means that UBP-TDP consultations have come to an end.

Commenting on the transfers of deputies shift to UBP, Omer Kalyoncu, CTP deputy for occupied Kerynia, said that the statements by Irsen Kucuk that the aim is to reach the number 28 or 29 deputies, indicates that these moves are part of a pre-planned a scheme.

[03] So-called deputies hold meetings in Strasbourg

The two deputies will be meeting with the Co-ordinator of the EP High-Level Contact Group for Relations with the Turkish Cypriot Community Libor Roucek, as well as other members of the Group. High on the agenda of the meetings will be the latest stage reached in the Cyprus problem and the EU Direct Trade Regulation.

The two deputies are expected to return to Cyprus on Thursday.

[04] A settlers association in occupied Cyprus thanks Eroglu for his support According to the Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (21.09.10) Huseyin Sancar, chairman of the Culture and Solidarity Association of the Turkish settlers from Konya who live in occupied Cyprus, thanked the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu for his statements in a Greek Cypriot newspaper that the TRNC citizens of Turkish origin are not migrants and that the Cyprus solution does not include withdrawal of citizens from Turkey. Inter alia, Sancar stated in a written statement that his association supports a permanent solution in Cyprus, based on the active and effective Turkish guarantees, adding that the negotiating team struggles towards that direction.

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[05] Breaking off Cyprus talks

Eroglu and his team are determined to keep the talks going. Bozkurt, points to a growing resignation among Eroglus team that the Greek Cypriots are simply wasting time by putting forward rehashed old ideas that simply do not recognize the changed facts on the ground.

Understandably, Bozkurt adds, Eroglu is very careful not to fall into the traps set up by the Greek Cypriots to present him as hard-liner with no real interest in talks. The negative campaign backfired on the Greek Cypriots when Eroglu expressed his readiness to pick up where his predecessor left off, Bozkurt points out adding that Eroglu conveyed the strong commitment of the Turkish Cypriots to the talks during a visit to Brussels last week, a message which he will repeat in New York this week on the occasion of UN General Assembly.

Bozkurt continues: Nevertheless, both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are preparing themselves for what some observers describe as an inevitable outcome of more than 35 years of fruitless talks: Partition and then separation with two independent states on a tiny island. Eroglu and his team are not revealing any details on that matter, Bozkurt adds pointing out that: Though they are quite focused on revitalizing talks with new ideas, such as offering to set up a joint construction and housing authority to develop abandoned properties on both sides of the island to make progress on property settlement issues, Eroglus team is also developing a 'plan B' as a fall-back position in case talks end in failure and the UN simply gives up on settlement.

Bozkurt indicates that there is growing, indifference, fatigue and frustration on the island, and that Turkish residents on the island feel strongly that the Greek Cypriots will never give up their demands which will disrupt their lives. A similar indifference can be noted in mainland Turkey says Bozkurt adding that stories on Cyprus rarely make the headlines Turkish papers.

Bozkurt adds: The Greek Cypriots may be making a grave mistake by thinking that time is on their side. Their game plan to keep pushing isolation on the Turkish residents is not as effective as it used to be. At the same time, European officials are increasingly worried that the obstructionist policies of a tiny island are deeply hurting the economic, military and political interests of the 27-member bloc as a whole. More and more people in Europe have begun to describe Greek Cypriot government as a 'spoiler kid'.

Just think about the energy security for a number of Eastern and Central European countries and how important it is for them to develop alternative supply routes using Turkey as a transit country. But EU-candidate Turkey could not even open talks on energy in negotiations because of the Greek Cypriot governments veto. With the increasing Turkish clout in foreign policy both regionally and globally, coupled with it possessing the fastest growing economy among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members, Ankara is manoeuvring herself into a much better position when compare to the Greek Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriots should also recognize that they are being used as a proxy by France and Germany, the two major European powers that have much to lose in the event that Turkey becomes a full member of the EU. The Greek Cypriots simply became a tool for these countries that are located thousands of miles away from the tiny island. At a time when Turkey is sincerely trying to develop relations with 'old enemy, new friend' Greece and focusing on cooperating while pushing thorny issues aside, Cyprus could really use the new 'zero problems with neighbours' policy of Turkey and capitalize on this unique opening. Turks really mean business and want to reconcile differences on the island.

Bozkurt adds that the Greek Cypriots should to make the most of this fertile ground and that idling away time does not serve the interest of either the Turkish or Greek Cypriots on the island and concludes: But if there is no genuine effort made and the focus is instead on window-dressing then the inevitable outcome of partition will look more appealing to many people. I just hope it never comes to that.

[06] Highlights

Writing in Hurriyet Daily News, Yusuf Kanli points out that despite the fact that the Turkish Government will not publicly hold talks or conduct bargains with a terrorist organization, it is time that Turkey questions whether it is really possible to end the bloodshed without engaging with the PKK or its civilian political elements including the BDP. If Turkey really wants to end the bloodshed an amnesty is inevitable, he adds.

Asli Aydintasbas in Milliyet asserts that the terrorist attack in Hakkari was launched without the knowledge of Ocalan or Karayilan, and says that the state tends to perceive them as the "good guys", while it considers as the "bad guys" in the PKK, the Syrian PKK members, the commanders who are in favour of aggression, and Cemil Bayik who reportedly has obscure relations. Aydintasbas draws attention to the rumours that the PKK members from Syria escalate violence and will eventually undermine the efforts of the moderate wing in the PKK to reach an agreement with the state.

Star columnist Samil Tayyar puts the blame for the terrorist attack in Hakkari on the "deep PKK" headed by Syrian Fehman Hussein, code name Dr Bahoz, who is waging a power struggle against Murat Karayilan. Tayyar calls on the BDP representatives to rescue themselves from the control of the "deep PKK" and to listen to Kurdish intellectuals such as Kemal Burkay. If Selahattin Demirtas and his colleagues who are courageous enough to defy the Turkish general treat the bandits with the same courage, we will further approach the solution of the Kurdish issue, says Tayyar.

b) Referendum

In an article in Zaman entitled "Fifty-Eight% Factor in Washington" the papers Washington correspondent Ali H. Aslan cites the 58% public support for the constitutional reform package revealed by the results of the recent referendum in Turkey as the reason behind a recent statement by Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon issuing "soft messages" about Turkey "despite" the recent German Marshall Fund Survey that confirms allegations of a shift in Turkey's orientation away from the United States, the EU, and NATO. He claims that the referendum results appear to have "brought Washington into line" as well as strengthening Barack Obama's hand in his decision to continue his engagement with the Erdogan government.

In an article in Milli Gazette entitled "Would the Presidential System Suit us?", columnist Abdullah Ozkan expresses scepticism about calls for a switch to the US-type presidential system in Turkey. He argues that a country like Turkey that has failed to apply the democratic regime successfully and "produce welfare, security, and peace out of democracy" cannot achieve these results merely by adopting the presidential system. He also warns that a presidential system established by the current government would only pave the way for a "strongman" regime.

c) Economy

In an article in Hurriyet, Emre Deliveli draws attention to "the regional polarization that has emerged with the referendum," and argues that the appearance of political stability in Turkey is merely an illusion and adds that the economic landscape in Turkey will be equally illusionary.

Erdal Saglam in an article in Hurriyet says that despite the fact that developed countries continue to experience an economic slowdown, the growth rate in Turkey is expected to rise to 7-8 % at the end of the year. Saglam argues that the economic growth in Turkey is based on the increase in domestic demand and adds: "Growth based on only domestic demand means excessive heat in the economy. And the results of such growth are obvious: the inflation rate will once again rise, the current deficit will continue to grow, and the ratio of the debts to the national income will once again increase."

d) Interview with Hannes Swoboda

In an exclusive interview to Cumhuriyet, Hannes Swoboda, vice president of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament speaks about the meeting with CHP's Kilicdaroglu, the danger of Islamization that has emerged during the AKP governments, and how this process may be blocked through the EU's cooperation with the CHP. Noting that the Kurdish problem may be resolved with the CHP's policies, Swoboda expresses the hope that, unlike Baykal, Kilicdaroglu will be able to turn words into deeds.

e) Greek Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos's visit to Turkey

Semih Idiz in an article in Milliyet refers to Greek Deputy Prime Ministers visit to Turkey and his speech in Izmir on Saturday and notes that though there are still serious problems between Turkey and Greece: "Nonetheless compared with the tense atmosphere that had prevailed during Pangalos's term as foreign minister, the ties between the two countries are certainly being conducted in a more civilized atmosphere. Pangalos's visit in Turkey and his remarks are the proofs of this."

f) Meeting of Turkish, Armenian, Azeri Journalists

A chief editorial in Hurriyet Daily News praises Istanbul Global Trends Center's and German Friedrich Ebert's Foundation's efforts to bring together reporters and editors from Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan and adds: "This novel project, and the brave journalists who came together to share their perspectives, is the strongest source of hope we can imagine for Nagorno-Karabakh specifically and regional peace-making generally." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/E I

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