Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-08-09

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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: what happened at Kokkina showed to the world that Turkey's active and effective guarantees include military intervention

[02] Turkish Assembly to convey urgently on August 14 on Syria- 48,388 Syrians currently staying in Turkey after fleeing clashes in their country

[03] Turkish columnists comment on the forthcoming visit of Clinton to Turkey on the light of Syria and Kurdish issue developments

[04] TDP accuses "DPO" of not being able to correctly carry out a population census and calculate inflation

[05] Turkish Cypriots continue manipulating the Olympic Games

[06] Data shows there are 397 more illegal workers in the occupied area of Cyprus

[07] More developments in the UBP prior to its congress

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: what happened at Kokkina showed to the world that Turkey's active and effective guarantees include military intervention

Referring to the EU term presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, Eroglu reiterated the Turkish view that "the EU added another mistake to its mistakes by making the Greek Cypriot side, EU president". He alleged: "The Greek Cypriot side, which resorts to every way so that progress is not achieved and a solution is not reached in the negotiations, has been rewarded instead of being punished. If this mentality continues, no agreement could be found in Cyprus".

Eroglu went on and called everybody to "defend the state with the Kokkina spirit" and act together for getting rid of the so-called embargoes. He added: "Motherland Turkey and we are determined: we will not allow for the Turkish Cypriot people to be kept in uncertainty any more. Whatever will happen right after the Greek Cypriot elections and if there will be an agreement will be clarified within a short period of time, a time limit will be put. Otherwise, there are steps which we will take. At the presence of Kokkina martyrs, I once more call on the Greek Cypriot side for a just and viable agreement based on the realities and underline that they should know that the Turkish Cypriot people will never consider making a step backwards from governing themselves and abandoning their territory".

Eroglu said that what happened at Kokkina showed to the world that Turkey's active and effective guarantees include military intervention as well. Referring to the indispensable conditions of the Turkish Cypriots, he argued that these are their "determination to live free and sovereign, the continuation of Turkey's active and effective guarantees and the development of their bonds with Turkey with mutual respect, love and brotherhood". He said that the main reason for holding these ceremonies is to remind to the "people" of these indispensable elements for the Turkish Cypriots.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Turkish Assembly to convey urgently on August 14 on Syria- 48,388 Syrians currently staying in Turkey after fleeing clashes in their country

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) filed an official request at the Parliament Speaker's Office, calling on the parliament speaker to hold an urgent session.

The CHP's move comes in the wake of simultaneous attacks on four military outposts in the south-eastern province of Hakkari by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Sunday. The attacks left six soldiers and two village guards dead. Fourteen PKK members were also killed in clashes with Turkish security forces.

The Turkish Parliament adjourned for summer recess on July 4 and will start a new legislative year on Oct. 2.

Speaking to reporters Cicek was reminded of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) rejection of the CHP's proposal for the parliamentary gathering.

In response, Cicek said: "I don't know that part of the issue. The Parliament Speaker's Office has a limited number of responsibilities. Taking past practices into consideration, we do that part of the job. The rest concerns the deputies and party groups."

The AK Party and the MHP oppose the CHP's proposal on the grounds that it will serve the interests of the PKK.

In addition, Ankara Anatolia news agency (08.08.12) reports that the Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD), has announced that there are 48,388 Syrians currently staying in Turkey after fleeing clashes in their country.

In a written statement, AFAD said that Syrians staying in Turkey were welcomed in Altinozu, Yayladagi, Reyhanli, Apaydin and Karbeyaz towns of the southern province of Hatay, in southern provinces of Sanliurfa (Ceylanpinar), Gaziantep (Islahiye) and Kilis.

AFAD said that Syrian citizens taking shelter in Turkey were provided with lodging, food, health services, security, social activities, education, religious services, translation services and communications. AFAD said that 1,765 Syrians entered Turkey on August 7 and 8, and that 505 Syrians returned to Syria on their own, adding that so far, a total of 79,061 entered Turkey and that 30,673 Syrians returned to Syria on their own will.

Currently, 10,666 Syrians are staying in Hatay, 7,754 in Gaziantep province (Nurdagi-Islahiye), 12,033 in Kilis, and 17,540 in Sanliurfa province (Ceylanpinar), AFAD said. 395 Syrians, including 44 companions, are staying in various Turkish hospitals and receiving medical treatment, AFAD said.

[03] Turkish columnists comment on the forthcoming visit of Clinton to Turkey on the light of Syria and Kurdish issue developments

Under the title "Agenda with Clinton: Syria and PKK", Turkish daily Cumhuriyet (08.08.12) publishes an article by Utku Cakirozer who writes the following:

"The most fundamental mistake of the government in its policies with regard to Syria, has been to base its entire strategy on the assumption that Al-Asad would be overthrown quickly and to say at the outset what should have been said at the end. Al-Asad's unexpected resistance has put Ankara in a very difficult position at home and abroad. Harsh remarks prepared the ground for Western countries to push Turkey to the fore.

The second mistake was that the government extended its right of criticism derived from its status as a democratic neighbour, to the point of interfering in the internal affairs of Damascus by providing logistical support to political and military groups that oppose Al-Asad without an international resolution that would provide legitimacy to any intervention against a sovereign state. [?]

Turkey's last mistake in this process is that it did not think sufficiently about the prospect of matters developing contrary to our national security and interests in the authority vacuum that would arise in Syria. When we examine the consequences thus far of the anti-Al-Asad campaign that Turkey has actively supported, we see the following:

1. Pro-PKK [Kurdistan People's Congress, KGK] Kurds have seized the administration of Kurdish towns immediately beyond our border.

2. An autonomous Kurdish region has been established on our border with Syria, similar to the one in Iraq.

3. The sectarian war Al-Qa'ida and other jihadi groups are waging in Syria constitutes a serious threat to the Alawites and Christians in that country.

At this point, it appears to be impossible for Syria to continue under Bashar al-Asad's leadership. At this time, the only valid prediction for the post-Al-Asad period in Syria is that "chaos" will reign. [?]

Thus far, the US administration has preferred to push Turkey to the front stage instead of actively intervening in the Syrian crisis. Now, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is coming to Istanbul to discuss scenarios related to the post-Al-Asad period. Turkey can start the international cooperation necessary to activate the principles enumerated above with this visit.

Syria as well as the PKK will be on the agenda of Clinton's talks [in Turkey]. The United States has openly supported for a long time the policies of the Justice and Development Party government to 'solve the Kurdish problem through political negotiations.' Indeed, Washington has signalled to the Peace and Democracy Party that it should support this process. Consequently, it would not be surprising if Clinton takes a very strong stand in Istanbul against the PKK's terrorist acts, aimed at undermining the negotiation process and pushing the government to seek military solutions. At this point, we hope that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will be more insistent about concrete steps by the United States to meet the expectations of the Turkish people instead of grand standing before the press."

In addition, under the title "The agenda", Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (08.08.12) publishes the following article by Yusuf Kanli:

"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be visiting Turkey this Saturday for several hours. Why is she coming? Will she be delivering new instructions to the co-chairman of the Greater Middle East and North Africa Project? Or will she prefer to talk business?

Will she be discussing ways and means of boosting intelligence sharing and anti-terrorism cooperation between the Turkish and American states? Would it mean anything at all if she realizes, in view of the fact that when Americans were the occupation power in Iraq all through the past decade, our sons were continually killed in cross-border attacks from Iraq by terrorists who were hiding there?

Will she discuss, perhaps, the sale of some intelligent weapons systems that could penetrate into the cave-dens of terrorists in the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq and demonstrate the might of Turkey and its allies to the heinous terrorists? Well, everybody must have an answer to this. The American administration and Congress don't trust Turks and they would never ever sell such weapons to Turks. Turks are neither Israelis nor are Kurdish terrorists the Palestinians of occupied territories. [?]

Will she indeed discuss anything other than Syria and Iran in Ankara? Iran? Yes, indeed. The Iranians warned Ankara the other day that after Syria, it might be Turkey's turn to go through the so-called "spring." Because of the heat of summer, perhaps our friends in Tehran are apparently underestimating the prospects of a spring in Tehran. What's unfolding is a concerted program that started back in the times of the white Bush and continuing with the black Bush, Barrack Obama. Withdrawing from Lebanon brought the war to Damascus, withdrawing from Damascus will bring it to Tehran. Then, perhaps it will continue on to somewhere else, probably Ankara, most probably down to heartland Arabia or further down to the Gulf.

Anyhow, the subject she will be discussing in Ankara will not be a pleasing one at all. It is a nasty issue. She will either discuss, as it appears, the creation of a buffer zone in Syria along the Turkish border or Turkey's striking of selective targets in Syria to speed up the collapse of the Basher al-Assad regime. Regardless, she will be discussing here how Turkey will be pulled into the Syrian mess as if it was not already in that mess up to its nose through legitimate refugee-sheltering programs, supporting and abetting Syrian rebel forces, as well as engaging in alleged clandestine terrorist-brewing efforts in secret camps.

The Prime Minister was adamant the other day. He declared that like what Turkey has been doing with the terrorist presence in Iraq, Turkey would not refrain from engaging in hot pursuit operations on terrorist hideouts in Syria if cross-border terrorist activities continued. With tears in our eyes grieving for the loss of eight sons this week, our reaction is of course emotional. Yet, who are the terrorists? Those that kill our sons; those who vandalize Syrian towns with Turkish and other Western assistance, or the Syrian government who, for the sake of its survival, is killing its own people?"

[04] TDP accuses "DPO" of not being able to correctly carry out a population census and calculate inflation

Kutalmis wondered why workers who have "work permit" return back to their country and the British who had bought immovable property in the occupied area of Cyprus sell these houses and abandon the island. "Do they go away because of the inexpressiveness in the TRNC", he asked.

Kutalmis noted that the seven-month cost of living in Turkey is 1.7% and the expected cost of living for the end of the year is around 7%. Therefore, he added, the calculation that the seven-month cost of living in the occupied area of Cyprus is minus 0.27% is not persuasive. He argued that this "game is concocted" so that the employees are not given increases according to the cost of living. He noted that even in the economies of the developed countries of the world, the cost of living is 7% and is not decreasing. Finally, he called on the "government" to resign in order for not telling more lies.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Turkish Cypriots continue manipulating the Olympic Games

"Officials" from the two Turkish Cypriot organizations and Buckett met yesterday in occupied Kerynia to make the last assessment of their protest. They will march towards the Ledra Palace barricade and hand over a letter of protest to United Nations officials. The march will start at 09.45 o' clock from Agios Dometios barricade, head towards Arasta area (Ledra Street) and end at Ledra Palace barricade.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Data shows there are 397 more illegal workers in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to the paper, after inspections conducted by the self-styled working department between February 15 and August 3, there are 397 illegal workers out of the 6,270 workers in the occupied area of Cyprus.

The illegal workers are employed mostly at the constructor field.

[07] More developments in the UBP prior to its congress

Meanwhile, addressing his party's fast breaking dinner last night, Kucuk said that after the congress on 21 October, all party members will walk together and reach their target with firm steps in order for making UBP bigger. He noted that their target is the UBP to win the "elections" in 2014 and become "government" alone again.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (09.08.12) reports that Ahmet Kasif, self-styled minister of health and candidate for the presidency of the UBP, said yesterday that it would not be correct to relate his candidacy with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu. Responding to questions through his webpage and asked whether Eroglu exerted any pressure on him for becoming a candidate in the congress of the UBP, Kasif described Eroglu as "important leader" for him and for all the members of the UBP and added: "It is out of the question for me to be any person's candidate. Therefore, relating my candidacy with Mr Eroglu is not correct".

Explaining why he decided to become candidate against Kucuk, Kasif said that the UBP "government" failed recently on the most important issues, in spite of its success in many other issues. He noted that these failures and the pressure exerted on him by members of the party forced him to announce his candidature for the presidency of the UBP. He referred to a "gap of authority" that has been created within the party and within the "government" and added that Kucuk could not interfere in this situation. He argued that persons, who are not qualified are employed in the "prime minister's office" and that various groups have been formed within the UBP, which is being weakened and needs a new vision, a new plan and a new program to continue to be "in power".

(I/Ts.)

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