Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-10-08

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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] Kucuk will again discuss the 2013-15 "economic program" in Ankara

[02] Atun asked for 1.5 billion Euros from Ankara for the regime's debt to the banks

[03] Foreign diplomats hosted receptions in the occupied area of Cyprus; Turkish Cypriot columnist sees them as "upgrading" the regime

[04] Newly appointed USA Ambassador met with Talat and Kucuk

[05] Milliyet sees a "slave trade" of 20 million Turkish liras in the occupied area of Cyprus

[06] Ozyigit stressed the need for the "putrid system" in occupied Cyprus to change

[07] Alevi organizations organized a protest in Ankara; Turkish Cypriot organizations attended the rally

[08] War veterans who participated in the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and stayed on the island

[09] Turkish daily Afrika on Spiros Hacigrigoriou demand to be allowed to be buried in his village in occupied Yerolakkos

[10] Tension between Turkey and Syria rises; Turkey hits back at Syria

[11] Putin to visit Turkey; trade and energy on top of his agenda

[12] Turkey and Egypt to conduct a joint exercise in the eastern Mediterranean

[13] Hugh Pope: PM Erdogan should set eye-catching goals to solve Kurdish problem; Turkey should normalize its ties with the Republic of Cyprus

[14] "KCK stronger in Europe than in Turkey"

[15] Turkish tourism on rise

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Kucuk will again discuss the 2013-15 "economic program" in Ankara

Kucuk recalled that he had recently discussed the 2013-15 "economic program" of the breakaway regime at the highest level in Ankara and that he would visit Ankara again on 12 October in order to hold contacts on the same program. He and added that they agreed with Prime Minister Erdogan on the issue of making "the necessary investments" in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Kucuk argued that they had taken the views of 160 organizations within the framework of the preparation of the 2013-15 "economic program". However, in statements to Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (08.10.12), representatives of various Turkish Cypriot organizations said that the package was kept secret from them and that they know nothing about it.

Kibris (08.10.12) reports also that during the meetings at Trikomo and Chatoz, the so-called mayors of the villages expressed their support for Kucuk for the presidency of UBP at the congress of 21 October.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (08.10.12) reports that self-styled minister of economy and energy of the regime, Sunat Atun has also expressed his support for Kucuk. According to the paper, speaking at a "solidarity dinner" hosted by UBP last night at Merit Hotel in occupied Lefkosia, Atun said he would support Kucuk "for the stability in the country and the future of the economic program". He argued that the "TRNC" will gain from his decision to support Kucuk. The paper describes this decision as a "surprise".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Atun asked for 1.5 billion Euros from Ankara for the regime's debt to the banks

Atun noted that small businesses are facing difficulties because of the economic crisis and some of them have closed down. He said that it was necessary to secure credits to these businesses and added that they would offer the necessary support so that the small businesses to be able to produce and survive.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Foreign diplomats hosted receptions in the occupied area of Cyprus; Turkish Cypriot columnist sees them as "upgrading" the regime

The paper writes that this is the first time that a crowd of this "significance" participates in an invitation of a chief of a foreign mission.

Kibris reports that Ambassador Kidd did not hide that he was satisfied with seeing participation at the highest level in the reception and said that he was happy because the garden of his residence in the "TRNC" was full for the first time.

Meanwhile, writing in his column in daily Kibris newspaper (07.10.12), columnist Serhat Incirli reports that during the last two weeks three important meetings or receptions were held in the occupied area of Cyprus. Under the title "There is something!" Incirli writes that first it was the reception and meeting with the Turkish Cypriots which was organized by the newly appointed Ambassador of the United States of America to Lefkosia, John M. Koenig and his spouse at Merit Hotel in the occupied part of the divided Cypriot capital. Incirli recalls that in the past, the receptions had been held either in the government-controlled area of Cyprus or at the representation office of the USA in the occupied part of Lefkosia. "Never at a 'TRNC place'", he notes.

He goes on and says: "You could say that perhaps something like this happened because it [the reception] was crowded. Even the fact that it was crowded is a separate message! Why? Because the number of the participants during the last 5-6 years 'did not exceed the number of the fingers of the two hands and the two legs', as the Americans say?"

Incirli notes that last week the German Ambassador had also given a reception and that one night after her own reception Ambassador Guellil participated in High Commissioner Kidd's reception for the Turkish Cypriots.

Incirli argues that all these receptions were important "because, perhaps for the first time, the TRNC side participated at this 'high' level in the receptions of the American and British representatives".

Incirli concludes noting the following: "What am I trying to say? There is a message they want to give. And I believe that the name of this message is the 'division' on the island of Cyprus. If you like call this a 'conspiracy theory'. I believe that efforts are exerted to upgrade the existence of the TRNC".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Newly appointed USA Ambassador met with Talat and Kucuk

(I/Ts.)

[05] Milliyet sees a "slave trade" of 20 million Turkish liras in the occupied area of Cyprus

The paper writes that 504 B-girls are employed in 42 night clubs in the occupied area of Cyprus. The majority of these women "acts as prostitutes or is forced to do so", it says.

A night club owner told Milliyet that they "offer services" to tourists who visit the occupied area of Cyprus and that the soldiers of the Turkish occupation army and Greek Cypriots are among their clients.

The women are employed with "work permits" granted by the self-styled ministry of labor and social insurance, and the "ministry" of interior. The passports of the women, who come from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Moldova and Japan, are handed over to the "police's" so-called migration department for the period they will stay in the occupied area of Cyprus. The amount paid for the "permit" is 3.500 TL.

Citing statements by a "high ranking official in the administration", Milliyet reports that the annual income of the "state" from these night clubs is 10 million Euros. Baris Basel, expert on social services stated that the annual income from the night clubs is 20 million Turkish liras (TL). Basel said that a woman could go with at least 10 men every day and earn an average income of two thousand TL or 60 thousand TL per month.

According to the paper, a raid had been carried out last week by the "police" into night clubs and people, who were acting as prostitutes or permitting this to happen, were arrested. The paper writes that about 40 persons had been taken to "court", their exit from the occupied area was forbidden and paid a bail of three thousand TL so that to be able to remain free during their trial. A night club owner, however, said he possessed many video tapes and in case this situation continues, "many important persons will be harmed".

(I/Ts.)

[06] Ozyigit stressed the need for the "putrid system" in occupied Cyprus to change

Stating that the occupation regime has become the center of drugs and human trafficking as well as a center of all kinds of smuggling including white slave trade, Ozyigit pointed out that the oil trafficking is to be included in all the above after the recent allegations about corruptions.

Referring to the disappointment which has brought the 6-year's period of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in power, Ozyigit referred also to the current "UBP government" and said that UBP has completely surrender "people's will" to the AKP in Turkey. He referred to the example of the implementation of the "economic package" which is an imposing package as Ozyigit said. He continued and gave the example of the bankruptcy of the Turkish Cypriot Airlines, the selling of the illegal Tymbou airport and the privatization of several other organizations.

As regards the recent issue with the "fake documents" which come up during a period which the UBP congress is to take place, Ozyigit said that the incident with the "fake documents" is a product of the putrid system.

Stating that the way out for the Turkish Cypriots to live behind this putrid system will be the changing of the "administration" in the "country", Ozyigit called on the Turkish Cypriots to exert efforts and with their vote to become a civilized and democratized, to become masters of their own homes and also to exert efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem and for becoming again members of the international platform.

(AK)

[07] Alevi organizations organized a protest in Ankara; Turkish Cypriot organizations attended the rally

(?)The rally, called the "Equal citizenship demonstration for a secular and democratic Turkey", started in the morning, with Alevi protesters meeting at the Ankara train station and proceeding towards S?hhiye at about 10:30 a.m. The protesters chanted slogans calling for justice in the Sivas massacre of 1993 in which 35 Alevis died, abolishing compulsory religion classes, giving Alevi houses of worship (cemevi) equal status as mosques as well as anti-war protests over Syria while voicing support for the people of Syria.

In addition to the ESP and Partisan, the rally was attended by other civil and political organizations, including the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP), the Turkish Communist Party (TKP), the Halkevleri Association, the People's Liberation Party (HKP) and many others.

The groups also protested what they claimed was a weak investigation into recent incidents where the houses of Alevi residents were marked with red dye in several cities.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (08.10.12) reports in its front page on the issue and writes that several Turkish Cypriot organizations has also participated to the rally organized by Alevi organizations in Turkey.

According to the paper, the Cultural Association called Kibris Pir Sultan Abdal, the Baraka Culture Association, KTOS, KTOEOS and KTAMS trade unions as well as the New Cyprus Party (YKP) participated to the protest and expressed their support to the rally with their signatures. The protesters from the occupied area of Cyprus were holding placards such as "AKP take off your hands from the rights in Cyprus and Turkey".

(AK)

[08] War veterans who participated in the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and stayed on the island

According to a statement issued by the CTP, during the meeting, the chairman of the association, Kadir Dedeoglu stated that they had earned the title of "ghazi" by fighting in the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and that they stayed on the island upon invitation by the late Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktas. He said that they have 850 members and that they are an association "above parties".

In his statements, Yorgancioglu wished success to the new administration of the association in its work and said that everybody who "are citizens" of the regime and see their future on these lands, are "respected people" for the CTP.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Turkish daily Afrika on Spiros Hacigrigoriou demand to be allowed to be buried in his village in occupied Yerolakkos

According to the paper, Mr. Hacigrigoriou is waiting for an answer to his demand by the occupation regime's authorities for 20 years. According to the paper, he is now waiting for a response by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu.

According to Sener Levent, the reason that the Turkish Cypriot side is not permitting to Mr. Hacigrigoriou to be buried in occupied Yerolakkos village, even when referring to this 2 metres place only, is that this is to be considered as an "exchanged of property".

Levent writes also that he recently visited together with Mr. Hacigrigoriou the cemetery in occupied Yerolakkos and underlines that it is completely destroyed.

(AK)

[10] Tension between Turkey and Syria rises; Turkey hits back at Syria

Turkish troops immediately retaliated against Syrian troops and hit an ammunition depot belonging to the Syrian army on the other side of the border. Eyewitnesses said they saw a fire break out. The town mayor, Abdulhakim Ayhan, confirmed that Turkish artillery immediately returned fire. He said shrapnel from the Syrian mortar caused some damage to a grain depot but no one was hurt by the shelling.

Mortar shelling intensified yesterday in Tel Abyad, which was recently seized by Syrian rebels. Several shelled mortars were heard from Akcakale. Police told residents who live close to the border fence to evacuate their houses.

Speaking at the opening of the Atakoy Advanced Biological Purification Facility in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the main opposition Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) for its attitude on the Syria motion. "You have to be prepared as if you are about to be in a war at any time. If you cannot be prepared, you cannot call yourself a powerful country and powerful nation."

"In the end we did as was required. Nobody should dare to test our determination and sensitivity on this subject", Erdogan added.

The U.S. also evaluated the recent escalation. The continued exchange of artillery fire between Syria and Turkey raises additional concerns that the conflict may escalate and spread to neighboring countries, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said, adding that Washington is using its diplomatic channels to relay worries.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.10.12) daily Zaman has reported that Turkey has been reinforcing its position along the Syrian border after the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a group in northern Syria with purported ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), announced the establishment of Popular Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syrian towns.

The Turkish military alerted and deployed additional forces in eastern province of Sanl?urfa's Suruc district, which is located opposite from the Syrian town of Ayn al-Arab, which is controlled by the PYD.

Numerous multiple missile launchers and more than 20 tanks are poised for possible danger in Suruc, while the number of soldiers has also been increased in the region, the reports said.

The border is being watched 24 hours a day and all crossings between Suruc and Ayn al-Arab have reportedly been cut since the conflict in Syria began 17 months ago.

The PYD previously established camps for fighters in Ayn al-Arab and Afrin, which are both near Turkey.

[11] Putin to visit Turkey; trade and energy on top of his agenda

Describing Putin's visit as critical and very important, Murat Bilhan, vice chairman of the Turkish-Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM), stated: "Differences in the political stances Turkey and Russia have adopted in recent times, seem to get bigger."

Bilhan referred in particular to the Syrian crisis, regarding which the two countries have taken positions diametrically opposed to each other.

Trade and energy issues are said to occupy the top of the agenda for Putin's visit, but analysts believe Syria is also destined to be one of the main topics. (?).

(?)Turkey and Russia may have differences of opinion on some political issues, but they seem at the same time determined to strengthen their relations. The Turkey-Russia High Level Cooperation Council was established in 2010, and in the meetings of the cooperation council, as will be the case during Putin's coming visit, some ministers and high-level bureaucrats also participate, which make the gatherings look almost like a lesser version of a joint council of ministers' meeting between the two countries.

In a move expected to give a substantial boost to bilateral relations, the two countries reciprocally abolished visas last year. (?).

The two countries are already good partners in trade, and Putin's visit is expected to further enhance relations on the business front. Turkey and Russia have a trade volume of $30 billion, $24 billion of which is Russia's exports, mainly gas, to Turkey. According to data of the Turkish Ministry of Finance, there are nearly 1,400 firms with Russian capital active in Turkey, while more than 2,000 Turkish firms are doing business in Russia. Turkey's total direct investments in Russia amounts to $10 billion, which represents Turkey's greatest investment abroad, while Turkish construction firms have so far shown a total turnover of $35 billion in projects in Russia. Turkey is also a major destination for Russian tourists, with 3.6 million Russians having visited Turkey in 2011.

In an effort to knit closer ties between the Turkish and Russian peoples, the two countries also established, at the beginning of last year, a Turkey-Russia Social Forum, through which civil society organizations in both countries will collaborate on joint projects. "During Putin's visit, this social forum is expected to be activated," Hasan Selim Ozertem, an analyst from the Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization (USAK), informed Sunday's Zaman, adding that he expects the forum to amply contribute to the strengthening of ties between the two peoples. Following Putin's visit, should Putin and Erdogan leave together for a meeting in Azerbaijan, as is being claimed by some Turkish media outlets, then it could be interpreted as a sign that the two countries are aiming even higher in bilateral relations.

[12] Turkey and Egypt to conduct a joint exercise in the eastern Mediterranean

The exercise, called "Sea of Friendship" (Bahr al-Sadaka), will be hosted by Egypt. The Turkish Naval Forces will participate in the exercise with two frigates, two fast attack craft, one replenishment tanker, two landing ships, one marine infantry company, two helicopters and one Special Forces team. The navies of the two countries held the Sea of Friendship exercise last year, too.

The event aims to develop mutual cooperation and interoperability between the two navies. (?)

[13] Hugh Pope: PM Erdogan should set eye-catching goals to solve Kurdish problem; Turkey should normalize its ties with the Republic of Cyprus

Pope said, inter alia, the Turkish government should not use the tactic of giving a little bit under pressure, but set out some eye-catching goals in regards to solving Turkey's long-standing Kurdish problem.

(?)Asked to reply to the question whether there is still need for Turkey to normalize its ties with Cyprus, Pope said: "Turkey has been neglecting its EU story because it's been feeling rejected by European leaders -- quite understandable. The time has come to reassess. There are three areas around Turkey: the Middle East -- it's a disaster and no longer a land of opportunity. The Russian area is OK, but they are not really friendly, are they? There are relations between the US and Turkey, but it is not people to people; it is not something that Turkey as a whole can embrace. What about the EU? It's Turkey's biggest relationship. For instance, when you look at the airline connections between Turkey and Europe, it's a wide, dense, much used web. Ankara is behaving like it does not matter at all. The positive agenda is very nice; [EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan] Fule has done a great job to keep the flame alive. The time has come for Turkey to rethink the value which it attaches to the relationship. Some kind of normalization with the Republic of Cyprus [the Greek Cypriot government is not recognized by Turkey] will be good for Turkey and relieve many tensions. Why not start preparing the ground for a more confederal settlement in Cyprus? In order to have better relations with the EU, normalizing with Cyprus would greatly help. Turkey has to motivate itself in that regard".

[14] "KCK stronger in Europe than in Turkey"

According to a number of reports by the intelligence department of the Turkish police force that have been seen by Today's Zaman, the activities of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) stretch from lobbying to remove the PKK from international police organization Interpol's list of terrorist groups to laundering money and collecting extortion from Europe-based Kurds. The reports say it is active primarily in Germany, France and Greece.

To shore up its financial power, the KCK uses a web of some 1,000 corporate members of the International Kurdish Businessmen Union (KAR-SAZ), based in Rotterdam, the Turkish intelligence reports find, naming 279 of those companies as facilitating the group's illegal operations. The reports say Germany takes the lead in hosting the largest number of them (147), followed by France (49), Switzerland (14), the Netherlands (13) and the UK (12). Others are in Austria, Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Belgium and Romania.

In an ongoing investigation into the KCK, Turkish prosecutors say the group controls the PKK, which has been fighting Turkish security forces since 1984, and other affiliated groups. That investigation, which started in December 2009, has seen hundreds of suspected KCK members, including several mayors from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), detained.

Most recently, counterterrorism units have taken 62 suspects, including key provincial officials and an acting mayor from the BDP, into custody in seven provinces in southern, south-eastern and eastern Turkey. The suspects are accused of various crimes, including membership in a terrorist organization, aiding and abetting a terrorist organization and attempting to destroy the country's unity and integrity.

According to the police intelligence reports, the Finance Ministry's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), has detected handsome money transfers from the Swedish Left Party, once known as the Communist Party of Sweden, to bank accounts that belong to people active within the KCK.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has gone public a number of times with remarks accusing several European countries of condoning the activities of illegal groups that orchestrate terrorist attacks in Turkey and threaten its unit. "Certain European countries have long refrained from lending the required support to Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Despite all the suffering and bloody attacks on civilians and security forces, there are still countries that have not ceased to financially support the PKK, turning a blind eye to its activities and propaganda. These countries fail to extradite [PKK] criminals to Turkey and do not fight crime," he said at a luncheon in late June 2010 at which he hosted foreign delegations.

"Those who tolerate terrorism become an accessory to the bloody face of terrorism," he said in early November of last year while speaking at a meeting in the German capital of Berlin.

[15] Turkish tourism on rise

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Ulusoy said that Turkey hosted 31,456,076 foreign tourists in 2011 in spite of the political turmoil in the Middle East and the economic crisis in Europe, primarily in neighboring Greece. "Turkey earned 23.02 billion USD from tourism in 2011. We expect to earn the same figure in 2012," Ulusoy stated.

Most of the foreign tourists entered Turkey via the southern province of Antalya (7.3 million) followed by the north-western province of Istanbul (6.1 million) and western province of Mugla (2.2 million ), Ulusoy also said. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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