Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 11-07-05

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu statements on the Geneva meeting

[02] Eroglu says an agreement in Cyprus should be reached in the first three months of 2012; He met with Erdogan in Ankara

[03] Statements by Ozgurgun on the upcoming Geneva meeting

[04] "Famagusta Initiative" asks once again the return of the fenced off town of Varosha to its legal owners

[05] The attacker against Afrika admits that he wanted to silence the paper's policy; Reactions to the attack continue

[06] TDP held a protest against the practices of the so-called government

[07] Religious lessons have begun in occupied Cyprus

[08] ADFIMI organizes an international seminar in the occupied part of Lefkosia

[09] "World conference on educational technology researches" in occupied Keryneia

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[10] Eroglu wishes for an agreement to be reached by the end of the year or no later than the first quarter of 2012

[11] Ankara is reportedly worried about the Republic of Cyprus' EU term presidency

[12] Turkish Parliament elects new Speaker

[13] New suspects arrested in "Balyoz" probe

[15] Bootleg alcohol death toll rises to 5

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS

[01] Eroglu statements on the Geneva meeting

Stating that it will not be possible to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem with the efforts of one side alone, Eroglu said that efforts towards a solution can only produce positive outcomes if made by both sides. "We are going to Geneva with the aim of pushing the Greek Cypriot side towards a solution because the time that passes by is not a problem for the Greek Cypriots," Eroglu claimed.

Repeating the Turkish Cypriot side's desire for the introduction of a timeframe and deadlines in the talks, Eroglu said they wanted to depart from Geneva with an outcome that would show the "Cyprus Turks" where they were heading. "I ask, how much longer will the direct talks drag on endlessly without a result? We need deadlines. We are expecting both the UN Secretary General to be understanding and decisive on this issue" he said.

Reminding that the Republic of Cyprus will take over the EU's term presidency in the second half of 2012, Eroglu said that they aim to complete the negotiations by the end of 2011 because they suspect that the Greek Cypriot stance will change once they take over the term presidency.

Eroglu also said he was pleased with the "support" shown to him by Turkish Cypriot political parties, stating that the Cyprus cause was everyone's cause.

Responding to a question as to whether the Geneva meeting will be any different from the previous two tripartite meetings, Eroglu said he believed that the Secretary General will be taking steps that will encourage the two sides towards achieving concrete results. "In any case, the Secretary General has made it clear in his report that the Cyprus negotiation process cannot go on forever. We are expecting him to instruct us to hold intensified talks until September and to invite us to New York to conclude the negotiations", he said.

[02] Eroglu says an agreement in Cyprus should be reached in the first three months of 2012; He met with Erdogan in Ankara

Eroglu noted that in Geneva they will discuss how all chapters will be negotiated in an intensive manner, but they will not enter into details. Noting that the UN Secretary-General would have something to say, Eroglu reiterated the Turkish position that the negotiations in Cyprus continue since 1968 and that the 43-year long negotiations should come to an end. "If we end the negotiations with a solution, both sides will be satisfied. If an agreement is not reached, an evaluation of the situation will be made", he added.

Asked on the possibility of a give and take process in Geneva, Eroglu said that there would be no give and take process in Geneva, that the strategy and the program of the negotiations will be discussed and that the give and take could be carried out when they return to the island and after convergence is achieved on the negotiating chapters.

Asked whether they have a "Plan B", Eroglu said that now it is not the time to talk about a "Plan B", that they are carrying out the negotiations hoping to reach an agreement and that the UN Secretary-General wants to end the negotiations with an agreement before the Republic of Cyprus takes over the term presidency of the European Union. "An agreement should be reached in the first three months of 2012 the latest", argued Eroglu adding that President Christofias also wishes the conclusion of the negotiations in the first half of 2012 and within this framework a time limit exists, even though a date has not been put forward. Eroglu argued that then the UN Secretary-General will decide whether the problem could be solved with the UN's good offices mission.

When asked to comment on news published in the Greek Cypriot press that Turkey had accepted the relation of the property issue with the territory, Eroglu said that Turkey made no statement on this issue, but all issues are related with each other. He alleged that if the territory is related with the property, the territory is related with the guarantees as well and the governance and power sharing is related with the EU affairs.

Eroglu said that the territory will be the last issue of discussion, as the UN Secretary-General has also mentioned in his report. Noting that some criteria exist in the above-mentioned issue, Eroglu alleged that relating the issues in the manner that the Greek Cypriots want would be tantamount to undermining the negotiations.

Responding to a question on the possibility of arbitration by the UN Secretary-General after 7 July, Eroglu said that the UN Secretary-General does not think of introducing the element of arbitration in the negotiations, and that he wants the leaders to find a Cypriot solution. He recalled that the Greek Cypriot side is against arbitration and time limits in the negotiating process.

Meanwhile, Gunes (05.07.11) reports that Eroglu met last night in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No statements were made after the meeting.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Statements by Ozgurgun on the upcoming Geneva meeting

Noting that the Geneva meeting will be an important indicator, he said that the Turkish Cypriot side is determined to work hard in order for this discussion process to be concluded with a result. Ozgurgun said that since September 2008, when the comprehensive negotiation process begun, despite "the constructive and sincere stance of the Turkish Cypriot side at the negotiation table", the desirable progress has not been achieved yet. He, inter alia, noted that at the Geneva meeting, all the prospects of the negotiation process should be examined and a road map should be created. As he said, the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for something like this, but the UN will have to convince the Greek Cypriot side on this issue.

Ozgurgun noted that is an undeniable truth the fact that with the extension of the negotiation process, the expectations for a just and permanent solution will continue to lessen as well. He, inter alia, added that nobody should expect that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to be captive of the negotiations that do not head towards a conclusion.

[04] "Famagusta Initiative" asks once again the return of the fenced off town of Varosha to its legal owners

In the written statement, "Famagusta Initiative" asks for the fenced off town of Varosha to be returned to its legal owners under UN control, and at the same time the occupied port of Famagusta to be opened to international sea traffic under the supervision of the EU.

"Famagusta Initiative" also said that some circles want to wipe from history the Turkish Cypriots with a fast clearance method and replace them with other elements. The Initiative also claimed that while they resist with their culture, their tradition, their value and their institutions, these circles ignore them.

[05] The attacker against Afrika admits that he wanted to silence the paper's policy; Reactions to the attack continue

The "court" decided the detention of Yalcin for three days. He was accused of an attempt to murder, illegal possession and use of a gun, possession of explosives and opening fire in an inhabited area. The paper wonders whether the "police" have found out anything regarding the collaborators of the attacker and the persons who had given him the gun.

Furthermore, Afrika reports that reactions to the armed assault continue. In a written statement issued yesterday, the self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuk expressed "great sorrow" for the attack against Afrika and described as "unacceptable" such attacks against the press and journalists. He argued that the reply to these attacks is given through the successful operations carried out afterwards and the arrest of the perpetrators. He congratulated the "police" for the arrest of the person who carried out the attack against Afrika.

A delegation from the United Cyprus Party (BKP) under its general secretary, Izzet Izcan, visited Afrika yesterday and expressed the support of the party to Sener Levent, Afrika's editor-in-chief. Izcan said that the militarist regime in the occupied area of Cyprus exerts efforts to intimidate and terrorize the Turkish Cypriots, the progressive people, the intellectuals and the journalists in order to downgrade their struggle for peace and democracy. Izcan noted that they strongly condemn the attack against Afrika and underlined that the main problem is the militarist regime in the occupied area of Cyprus.

The Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) issued a statement noting that those responsible for the attack are the Turkish Government and its institutions on the island, as Turkey occupies the northern part of Cyprus and it is responsible of the security of this place "as a necessity of the occupation law".

Moreover, members of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), who organized a protest in front of the "assembly" of the regime yesterday, visited the headquarters of the paper after the above-mentioned protest and expressed their support to Afrika's journalists. The activists, header by TDP's chairman Mehmet Cakici, shouted slogans such as "let the hands thrust out on Afrika be broken".

In addition, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Journalists' Union, Cenk Mutluyakali issued a statement recalling that the pictures of the attacker had been published in the press and wondered how a person who had said (to the writers of Afrika) that he would kill them was permitted to enter into the island. He noted that the necessary security measures had not been taken and the regime remained spectator to this attack. He said that the lack of control at the entrances of the occupied area of Cyprus and the weakness in the field of security is obvious.

Moreover, in a statement issued yesterday by Sener Elcil, general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS), it is said that on the one hand the Turkish Cypriots are exploited politically, economically and culturally, and on the other efforts are exerted to silence them through threats, bullets and death. In the statement issued on behalf of KTOS, Elcil notes that the bullets shot against Afrika aimed against the entire Turkish Cypriot community.

Finally, the Turkish Cypriot "civil servants" trade union (KTAMS) described the attack against Afrika as a "bullet against the freedom of thought", while Mehmet Ozkardas, chairman of the other trade union of the "civil servants", KAMU-SEN, wished for the "forces that are behind the killer to be revealed and not to remain in darkness."

(I/Ts.)

[06] TDP held a protest against the practices of the so-called government

Mehmet Cakici, chairman of TDP, called the Turkish Cypriots to start a struggle for "awakening and revolt" against the injustices, against the practices of the so-called government squashing the people, selling the institutions and throwing to the road the workers. He also said that they should fight against the "privatizations" of properties, which belong to the Turkish Cypriots, as the "Turkish Cypriot Airways", the Saray Hotel, the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University ("DAU"), as well as the "electricity authority", the "telecommunication department", and the "dairy cooperation".

The paper also reports that the protesters holding black flags - resembling the bad days that the Turkish Cypriots are living - were calling the Turkish Cypriots by chanting with drums and trumpets to revolt for a struggle against the "government" and to give an end to their oppression.

[07] Religious lessons have begun in occupied Cyprus

Speaking during a press conference, the head of the "religious affairs department", Talip Atalay, said that around two thousand students are attending the lessons that are being held in 22 schools of occupied Cyprus. He, inter alia, added that they do not desire to experience the unpleasant events of the previous years by those opposing the lessons, noting that they are not offering Quran courses but lessons of information on religion. Atalay also stated that the lessons will be given five days a week, adding that the theory will be taught in schools and the practice will take place in mosques.

Reacting to the commencement of the above-mentioned summer lessons, the Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) and Secondary Education Teachers' Union (KTOEOS) protested in front of the so-called ministry of national education, youth and sports. Speaking at the protest, KTOS chairman Guven Varoglu, said that "just as the Turkish Cypriot community did not succumb to the priests' army, it will not succumb to the imams' army as well". He added that the aim of the Quran courses that are brought up every summer period is to make the Turkish Cypriot community "more Turkish and more Muslim". He, inter alia, noted that the Quran courses do not comply with the culture and the demographic structure of the Turkish Cypriot community.

On his part, KTOEOS chairman Tahir Gokcebel, said that the use of school buildings in carrying out the Quran courses is unacceptable.

[08] ADFIMI organizes an international seminar in the occupied part of Lefkosia

The seminar is managed by a U.S. trainer Dr Nicholas Bruck, President of International Development Enterprise Associates. The seminar is to enhance the training skills of trainers and training administrators in banks and other financial intermediaries and to review the development of effective training and learning programs for their institutions. It is also designed for trainers in financial institutions, training unit managers, or management trainers in national and regional development finance institutions.

Bank managers from Pakistan, Sudan, Malaysia, Iran, Egypt, Turkey and the occupation regime participate in the seminar.

[09] "World conference on educational technology researches" in occupied Keryneia

More than 300 scientists from 39 different countries will submit their reports and keynote speakers from Canada and European countries will also take part.

[B] TURKISH PRESS

[10] Eroglu wishes for an agreement to be reached by the end of the year or no later than the first quarter of 2012

Speaking to the paper, the Turkish Cypriot leader referred to the ongoing negotiation talks and said that a slow progress has been achieved at the talks. Alleging that the Greek Cypriot side feels ease due to its political recognition and its membership to the EU, Eroglu said: "The Greek Cypriot side is wealthy. The lifting of the embargoes and the isolation over the Turkish Cypriots is essential in order to motivate them. This is the duty of the EU and the international community".

As regards the chapters which lie in the agenda of the negotiations, Eroglu said that no chapter is closed yet and added that they had negotiated in different periods three or four out of six chapters. Referring to the chapters of "Economy" and the "EU", he said that they consider that it could be possible to close. On the chapter of "Administration and Power Sharing", Eroglu said that no necessary progress has been achieved and on the chapters of "Federal Police", "Police of the Founding States" and "International Agreements", said that they are about to close.

Eroglu further said that the fact that the Greek Cypriots connect the Property issue with the Territory issue creates a great discomfort to the efforts to understand the Territory issue. He then said that the fact that not enough progress has been achieved at the talks derives from the policy which is followed by the Greek Cypriot side to delay the process and from its stall tactics. Stressing the need for the Greek Cypriot side to exert so many efforts as the "TRNC" does for the solution, Eroglu expressed the wish for a solution to be found by the end of the year or no later than the first three months of 2012.

Referring to the issue of natural resources in Cyprus, Eroglu said that they have also the right to benefit equally from the undersea resources. Saying that the "Greek Cypriot administration" is following one sided efforts towards this issue, Eroglu claimed that it does not have the right and the authority to sign agreements. He also added that this kind of actions destroy the natural atmosphere, create tension and constitutes the reasons for the Turkish Cypriot side to question the sincerity of the Greek Cypriot side at the negotiations on the issue of reaching a fair and a viable agreement.

Referring on what the "isolation" poses to the Turkish Cypriot "people", he stressed the need for the restriction of the "isolation" and said that keeping the Turkish Cypriots under "isolation" and restrictions is not compatible with the human principles and the political realities.

Eroglu also expressed his appreciation to "motherland Turkey" for its help and support.

(AK)

[11] Ankara is reportedly worried about the Republic of Cyprus' EU term presidency

Referring to the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu's contacts in Ankara, the paper writes that Eroglu discussed the "details of the approved strategy regarding the Geneva Summit and the UN's five-stage plan". Cumhuriyet notes that this plan was also discussed in Ankara during the recent visit of Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor for Cyprus.

"Both the TRNC and Turkey completed their preparation from the diplomatic point of view based on the information that the Secretary-General will ask from the leaders to carry out intensive negotiations between July and September", writes Cumhuriyet adding that according to information leaked to the diplomatic backstage, Ban Ki-moon will ask from the leaders to review again quickly all the issues which both they and their special representatives as well as the working groups had discussed. The sides will determine the points on which they agree and the points on which they disagree and hold a last meeting in October in New York, reports the paper.

According to the result that will come up from the New York summit, continues Cumhuriyet, the Secretary-General will either give the green light for the separation of the roads of the sides or will press the button for an international conference to be held under the UN umbrella. The Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side, and the three guarantor powers -Turkey, Greece and Britain- will participate at the conference. The European Union and the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council might also attend the conference as observers, according to Cumhuriyet.

Furthermore, the paper reports that the conference will include all the chapters of the Cyprus problem and mainly the guarantees and its agenda will be the "preparation of a partnership agreement" which will prepare the ground for a federation between the two sides in Cyprus.

"It is expected that the conference will be held in April the latest", notes Cumhuriyet adding that if an agreement is reached at the conference, the text of this agreement will be submitted to a referendum before 1 July 2012, that is, before the Republic of Cyprus takes over the EU term presidency. If the reply of the people in the referendum is positive, the EU term presidency should be taken over by the "partnership state" of the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, writes the paper noting, however, that it is not known how the Turkish Cypriot side will take its place in the EU, as it carried out no accession negotiations with the Union.

(I/Ts.)

[12] Turkish Parliament elects new Speaker

Cemil Cicek was elected as Turkey's new Speaker of Parliament in the legislative elections on Monday following three rounds of voting. Cicek, an Ankara Deputy, AKP Ankara Deputy Zelkif Kazdal, and MHP Antalya Deputy Tunca Toskay were the candidates in the Speaker's election. Cicek received 302 of 376 first round votes; Toskay finished second with 50 votes, while Kazdal scored just 23 votes, leading him to bow out at the end of the round. In the second round, Cicek got 322 votes, while Toskay had 52. Cicek was elected parliamentary Speaker with 322 votes in the third round to Toskay's 50.

"Our first task is to keep Parliament's esteem at the highest levels possible. This holy place is not for conflict. Let's turn it into a place of civilized debate," said Cicek in a speech after being elected Speaker. "This Parliament is that of heroes. Even in the hardest of days, it has been a source of hope," said Cicek, labeling the Parliament as the "heart of democracy", noting that it should continue in that tradition.

He called for a new Constitution and for a parliamentary solution to the Kurdish issue and terrorism. "Parliament should made the address for a solution instead of the cause of an issue. This is in our hands. Instead of turning our hands into fists, we should start the political term by shaking hands," he said.

Responding to questions from the media after Cicek's election, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they could fulfill their promise to draft a new Constitution if they reach a consensus with the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP. He also said the Republican People's Party (CHP) would be considered absent even if they came to Parliament but did not take oath, referring to the rule that Deputies will lose their status if they fail to attend five parliamentary meetings. Erdogan also said he wanted the CHP to be involved in the work on a new Constitution as the main opposition party, but added that they were on the wrong path.

All Deputies of the CHP, including party chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu, joined Parliament for the election, but remained seated in silence without voting. Prior to the general assembly, Kilicdaroglu met with CHP officials in his office at Parliament, where they decided on continuing their boycott by not voting. At the same time, however, the party decided to submit members to the commissions but said it would refuse to take the oath even if asked to do so by the Parliament Chairmanship Council. The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP-backed, independent Deputies were completely absent from Parliament as part of their ongoing parliamentary boycott.

[13] New suspects arrested in "Balyoz" probe

The generals are Turgut Atman, Gungor Nedim Kurubas, Bulent Kocababuc, Mehmet Eldem and Mustafa Erhan Pamuk. The colonel is Mehmet Orgen. All of them stand as suspects in a new indictment into coup documents seized in separate police searches of the Golcuk Naval Command and the home of a retired colonel in Eskisehir. The indictment mentions 28 suspects who are accused of a failed attempt to destroy the Parliament and overthrow the Government.

[14] Bootleg alcohol death toll rises to 5

News reports said that the fifth victim, Viktoria Nikoloeva (22), had been receiving treatment at Akdeniz University Hospital in Antalya. Doctors pronounced her brain dead on June 21 and she died on Monday. Twenty-one Russian tourists visiting the popular Turkish Aegean resort of Bodrum were hospitalized late last month with symptoms of severe poisoning from bootleg alcohol following a yacht tour organized by a local company.

[Note: Turkish Customs Office declared that the bootlegged alcohol was imported in Turkey from a company operating in the occupied area of Cyprus] TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

EG/

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