Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-03-14

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu says they continue to fully agree with Turkey

[02] The Chamber of Commerce is satisfied with EP's Conference of Presidents' decision on the High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots

[03] "Cyprus EU Association" condemned Bagis's statements

[04] Kucuk to carry out contacts in Antalya

[05] The regime continues its preparations for the next three-year "economic program"

[06] The number of students of the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University reached record levels

[07] Bayrak and the Turkmeneli Television Corporation are making joint broadcasts

[08] The Republic of Cyprus' flag was applauded by Erdogan and other Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials at the 14th World Indoor Athletics Championship held in Istanbul

[09] The CIA chief held contact in Ankara

[10] "Tension rises in Turkish politics"

[11] The Turkish ideal, too, is youth; The making of a new claustrophobic Turkish society

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu says they continue to fully agree with Turkey

In statements at illegal Tymbou airport after his return to the occupied area of Cyprus from his one-day visit, Eroglu evaluated his contacts in Ankara and said that his delegation met with Gul at Cankaya Presidential Palace and that the Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also participated at the meeting. He noted that during the meeting they exchanged information in detail regarding the Cyprus negotiations.

Eroglu said that, later on, they met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with whom they discussed the economy of the breakaway regime and exchanged information on the negotiating process.

Noting that after their meeting with Erdogan they met with Davutoglu, Eroglu said that they had the opportunity to discuss the issues in more detail with the Turkish Foreign Minister. He added: "We have no conflict regarding the negotiations which we have been carrying out until today. We have once more seen that we are in full agreement with Turkey in the negotiations, which we started in May after we were elected and we are carrying out with our team. By putting forward many details, we have understood that we agree for the following period as well".

Eroglu said he is extremely satisfied with his visit and the consensus on the "national cause".

Eroglu argued that the Turkish side is ready for a solution and that they expect positive steps from the Greek Cypriot side.

During his contacts in Ankara, Eroglu was accompanied by self-styled foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun, his special advisor Kudret Ozersay, the property expert Selden Hoca and the member of his negotiating team Gunes Onar.

(I/Ts.)

[02] The Chamber of Commerce is satisfied with EP's Conference of Presidents' decision on the High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots

The statement of the Chamber argued that what should follow after this development is the establishment of a group in which persons who have a mentality that works for bringing the Turkish Cypriot "people" and Europe closer and adopt this as their mission.

The statement said: "The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, in a meeting held on 8 March 2012, by adopting the view that the High Level Contact Group with the Turkish Cypriots does not fulfil its duty in the desirable manner, decided to re-determine duty description of the Group and the Parliamentarians who will compose the Group. We have found out that the initiatives of the group members Graham Watson (British-Liberal) and Ska Keller (German-Greens), and the report they prepared against the annual report prepared by the Group has contributed in this decision".

The Chamber expressed its satisfaction with the developments.

(I/Ts.)

[03] "Cyprus EU Association" condemned Bagis's statements

In his statement, Damdelen condemned Bagis's statement saying that these statements are contrary to the international law and the Treaty of Guarantee. Damdelen continued and said that the "Cyprus EU Association" rejects the insulting statement by Bagis that some Turkish Cypriots are "sympathizers of the Greek Cypriots" and underlined that the only alternative for the solution of the Cyprus problem is the Federal United Cyprus.

Damdelen stated further that the main goal should be the solution of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the UN's decisions, a solution that will respect the human rights and the EU values.

The written statement pointed also out that the "Cyprus EU Association" demands from the two leaders in Cyprus to contribute for a solution to the Cyprus problem to be found soon and also called on Turkey to give up its intransigent attitude.

(AK)

[04] Kucuk to carry out contacts in Antalya

According to information acquired by the press and the public relations office of the so-called prime ministry, Kucuk will travel to Antalya via Istanbul and he is expected to carry out several contacts there. Kucuk will be meeting with the Governor and the Mayor of Antalya while he is expected to deliver a speech at a conference called "Investment opportunities in the TRNC".

Kucuk is expected to return to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus after delivering the inauguration speech at the "5th International Mediterranean Summit for Entrepreneurship and Work Opportunities".

(AK)

[05] The regime continues its preparations for the next three-year "economic program"

Addressing the meeting, self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuk said they are becoming hopeful by the fact that their "government" was able to achieve its goals without facing difficulties. Kucuk pointed out to the difficulty of being a "government" in the occupied area of Cyprus, because 80% of the "budget" is spent for salaries and transfers.

In his statements, the self-styled minister of economy and energy Sunat Atun said that as a result of their three-year economic program, the budget deficit of the regime decreased to 100 million Turkish liras from 500 million Turkish liras that it was before. He noted that in spite of the serious recession in the world economy, the breakaway regime's growth rate for 2012 is estimated to reach 5%. Atun said that a new "protocol" for the period 2013-2015 is being prepared between the breakaway regime and Turkey and that a technical committee has been established for holding meetings with technical committees from Turkey.

(I/Ts.)

[06] The number of students of the illegal Eastern Mediterranean University reached record levels

According to the Oztoprak, 3,961 students were registered at the illegal "university" for the autumn term and 953 for the spring term. Therefore, the number of students who registered at the university for the academic year 2011-2012 is 4,914, which is the highest number of students ever registered in DAU. He also said that from them, 948 are students from the occupied area and 2.220 are students from Turkey or foreign countries.

Finally, Oztoprak stated that the number of students registered in general at the illegal universities of the breakaway regime for the academic year 2011-2012, was 13,700.

[07] Bayrak and the Turkmeneli Television Corporation are making joint broadcasts

Guest of the first joint broadcast was the "BRT correspondent" Fatih Turkmen.

[08] The Republic of Cyprus' flag was applauded by Erdogan and other Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials at the 14th World Indoor Athletics Championship held in Istanbul

As the paper writes, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's Minister of Sport Suat Kilic and the so-called minister of education Kemal Durust were at the tribune protocol and applauded the Republic of Cyprus' flag when the athletes were passing in front of the grandstand.

The paper wonders why a Prime Minister of a state and ministers who say that they do not recognize the Republic of Cyprus invited the Republic of Cyprus to the event in Turkey and wonders also whether they were informed that they would applaud the Republic of Cyprus' flag.

(AK)

[09] The CIA chief held contact in Ankara

David Petraeus, the CIA chief, held meetings with top Turkish officials both yesterday and on March 12, the Hurriyet Daily News learned. Petraeus met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the previous day.

An official from the U.S. Embassy said that Turkish and American officials discussed "more fruitful cooperation on the region's most pressing issues in the coming months." Turkish officials said Erdogan and Petraeus exchanged views on the Syrian crisis and anti-terror fight.

The officials further discussed an intelligence-sharing mechanism launched in 2007.

Petraeus' visit coincided with that of Kofi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League's Special Envoy to Syria.

[10] "Tension rises in Turkish politics"

"The recent rise in tension in Turkish politics could be analyzed on two layers; between the government and the opposition and within the government bodies.

Tension between the government and the opposition parties was sparked by an education bill changing the structure of the primary and secondary education system radically. The idea is to focus on vocational training in order to create a trained workforce for industry like the ones in Europe. Especially the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has been criticizing the bill mainly because it decreases the age of choice for vocational training which might cause 'child workers and child brides.' Acting upon the criticism from industry spokespersons who claimed the act would lead 'child labor and child brides,' and also manipulate the country into a more religious one, since Muslim imam schools are regarded as vocational training schools.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Parliament yesterday he would be happy to see a more religious society but never put pressure on anyone for that. He accused the CHP of putting pressure on religious people during the single party CHP regime during 1930s and '40s and also turning a blind eye to the military involving conspiracies to overthrow the government. He also accused the CHP leader Kemal Kilcdaroglu of denouncing the Turkish government abroad.

Kilicdaroglu snapped at this accusation and wove to tell the wrongdoings of the Erdogan government all around the world, accusing him of being a 'post-modern dictator.' Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) went so far as claiming that the anti-democratic behaviour of Erdogan's government has 'outstripped the Nazi times.'

Because of this tension, Erdogan postponed Parliament's vote on the bill -which was supposed to be held this week- to the last week of March. That is considered in the political corridors also as a gesture to Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Cicek, who is afraid the tension could poison the efforts to write a new Constitution in which all four parties (including the Kurdish problem-focused Democratic Society Party-DTP) take part.

Within the government bodies, the most interesting indication was a joint statement yesterday by the General Directorate of Police (Emniyet) and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), a first of its kind, saying that there was no problem between them and they share every kind of information and cooperate excellently against terrorism. The same day there were reports that an army brigadier general who is supposedly in charge of assessment of the aerial intelligence after which 34 villagers were killed by jets, mistaken for outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants on Iraqi border in December 2011. Both developments took place following a top security meeting in Istanbul March 11.

Considered together with the Ankara visit of David Petraeus, the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency, yesterday, mainly focusing on Syria, one can also conclude that Erdogan's postponing of an inner crisis might be in preparation of a larger-scale security action in the coming weeks."

[11] "The Turkish ideal, too, is youth"; The making of a new claustrophobic Turkish society

"The American author Henry Miller, once wrote: 'The American ideal is youth ? handsome, empty youth.' According to the findings of a survey, the Turkish ideal, too, is youth ? conservative, empty youth.

Prominent Turkish think-tank SETA, otherwise known to be a fierce enthusiast of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, recently released the findings of its research, "Turkey's Youth Profile.' It refreshed national hopes that British politician and author Benjamin Disraeli was right when he said that 'The Youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity.'

In order to get a socio-cultural snapshot of Turkish youth, a SETA team of academics interviewed 10,174 youths, aged 15-29, from all of Turkey's seven regions.

According to SETA's findings:

1) A fifth of interviewees did not have any social security coverage.

2) Most (SETA did not mention a percentage here) do not speak any foreign language.

3) Only one in every 10 has been abroad (and only 1.5% has been abroad to study).

4) For those who have been abroad, the top five destinations are Germany, (Turkish occupied) Cyprus, the United States, France and Bulgaria. In the top 10 destinations there are only two Muslim countries: Syria, raking sixth; and Iraq, ranking ninth,

5) The most popular cultural activity is watching TV, and the most popular TV shows are soap operas.

6) The most popular TV soap is the "Valley of the Wolves," whose hero is a Turkish James Bond, plus Rambo, plus Superman, plus every other hero known, with his deeply violent anti-western and anti-Israeli adventures.

7) One-third of the respondents do not read any newspaper (this reminds us of a recent survey which found that books, for the Turks as a whole, are the 235th most important item they need in their lives).

8) Only 12% regularly read a magazine (and the most-read one is a pop magazine),

9) They listen mostly to Turkish pop music (52.4%) and foreign pop music (22%).

10) Slightly over one-third smokes; 21.7% drink alcohol and 21.4% play lottery games and bet.

11) Forty percent do not do gym or sports.

Aaaand?.

The person a large section of the Turkish youth most admire is Mr. Erdogan. Unsurprisingly! And there is not a single woman in the top 10 list of people to admire. Unsurprisingly?

Mind you, the group interviewed by SETA represents the 5-19 age group, growing up at a time when Mr. Erdogan came to power. I am not sure if this is the "devout generation" Mr. Erdogan has pledged to raise, since there are no findings to measure their devoutness, but the "most admired person" choice gives a clue.

It may sound intriguing that the devout Turkish youth are tempted to visit mostly non-Muslim countries when given a chance to travel abroad. But for the careful observer this should come as no surprise, since Muslim countries have never been the preferred destination - either to visit or to live in - for Muslim refugees all around the world.

It must be a simple twist of fate that dozens of Muslims (and Christians) from neighbouring Arab countries and Africa try to infiltrate the border into Israel every day; that "tens of thousands of Arabs and Muslims have put their lives at risk by crossing the border into Israel from Egypt, where (Egyptian) border guards often open fire at women and children," according to Ramzi Abu Hadid, a Jordan-based Palestinian journalist.

So, this is the profile of the Turkish youth: a not-ignorable percentage of them being outside the social security umbrella; the Turkish youth do not speak a foreign language; do not travel abroad; their top cultural activity is watching TV soaps, most notably the Valley of the Wolves; a significant percentage of them do not read books or magazines; do not do sports, but do not smoke or drink alcohol either. On top of everything, they adore their prime minister!

Is anyone surprised? Not this columnist." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

/EI

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