Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-05-08

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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] The occupation regime continues granting "citizenship" to Turkish settlers

[02] Talat: Turkey could not enter into the EU without a solution to the Cyprus problem

[03] Elcil criticized Atalay for his latest statements

[04] Australia High Commissioner visited the "mayor" of occupied Lefkosia

[05] Turkish columnist suggest that US interest on the solution of the Cyprus problem increased

[06] "PKK pullout starts with controversies"

[07] International Defense Industry Fair begins in Istanbul

[08] Erdogan says Israel's strike on Syria 'absolutely unacceptable'

[09] The private TV channel AS TV in the occupied area of Cyprus stops its broadcasting

[10] Products that contained pork meat were destroyed

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The occupation regime continues granting "citizenship" to Turkish settlers

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (08.05.13) refers to the same issue under the title "16 'citizens' more in one meeting!" The paper reports that the "cabinet" approved the "citizenship" of 16 persons during its meeting of 22 April 2013.

According to the paper, the National Unity Party (UBP) self-styled government has totally distributed the "citizenship" of the regime to 5.617 persons within the period 1 May 2009 - 8 February 2013. The paper writes also that in every meeting of the "council of ministers" 15-20 persons are granted the "citizenship" of the regime. The decision of granting the "citizenship" to 16 persons was published in the "official gazette" on 2 May 2013.

According to the paper, the fact that 15-20 persons are granted the "citizenship" in every meeting is strengthening the allegations that the number of 5.617 new "citizens", which had officially been announced by the UBP "government", will reach 10.000 by the end of this year. The paper publishes the names of the 16 new "citizens", most of whose are born in Turkey.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Talat: Turkey could not enter into the EU without a solution to the Cyprus problem

Assessing the view that the United States of America has stepped in the Cyprus problem, Talat said that he also saw that America's interest is increasing. He noted that he had held a meeting with an American diplomat six months ago and he saw that the US had no interest in Cyprus then. Talat argued that the reason of America's current interest in Cyprus is related to the improvement of the relations between Turkey and Israel by America, the increasing role of Turkey in the area and Turkey's EU accession process.

Referring to the economic situation in the occupied area of Cyprus, Talat said that if Turkey had not given money to the breakaway regime, the situation in occupied area would have been much worse than the one in government-controlled area of the island and that they should act having all these in mind.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Elcil criticized Atalay for his latest statements

Issuing a written statement, Elcil accused the AKP government in Turkey and Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalaty for his latest statement and said: "You are a Colony Minister that you have violated the international law with this separatist system you have created after 1974 and you will continue to be the puppet of the governments here".

Elcil went on and accused the Turkish government for administrating the "northern part of the island as a colonial power". He said also that Atalay who is visiting the island "every week", gives instructions to the "officials" of the UBP, adding that Atalay, in the framework of the integration and assimilation policy followed by Turkey, pokes his nose into their matters, exactly like a Colonel.

He went on and said that Atalay had visited the occupation regime after the UBP congress, since he felt uncomfortable after the disputes for the chair which were taking place in the UBP party, and during his visit, as he said, gave instructions to Kucuk.

AK

[04] Australia High Commissioner visited the "mayor" of occupied Lefkosia

Peacock said that 20 thousands Turkish Cypriots live in Australia, adding that Australia High Commission has also an office in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus. Furthermore, Peacock said that Australia is one of the few countries, which also has a special representative for Cyprus affairs. He also wished that the Cyprus talks resume the soonest possible.

Fellahoglu, for his part, said Australia is a very important country for the Turkish Cypriots, adding that they are getting ready to organize joint culture activities with the Australia High Commission.

[05] Turkish columnist suggest that US interest on the solution of the Cyprus problem increased

"A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement a while ago escaped the attention it deserved. That statement was stressing that Turkish and American top diplomats were meeting very frequently. Issues were so intense that, though they had 10 or so telephone talks within a week, there were many issues they did not complete discussing. Thus, they decided to come together in Istanbul for a face to face meeting. It was extraordinary for an American Secretary of State to visit a country three times in a few weeks. But, that was what apparently what Secretary of State John Kerry understood from proactive foreign policy. Troubleshooting required concentration and effort; he was ready. Furthermore, managing problems was over for Kerry, it was now time to bring about solutions.

The success of the Israeli 'apology' and 'resolution' of the 'Semitism allergy' of the Islamist government in Ankara helped boost expectations from Kerry. Next in line were the Middle East problem, intra-Palestinian animosities, Iran, Islamist jihadism and such for the Americans; Syria, the separatist Kurdish threat and the opening, hydrocarbon politics, Cyprus and such were for the Turks. So, the proactive Kerry and the proactive Ahmet Davutoglu continued their intense contact in any way possible.

Greek Cypriots were shocked last week to learn from Washington that, rather than arranging a meeting for Foreign Minister Ioannis Kassulides with Kerry sometime in late June, the secretary of state was inviting the Greek Cypriot minister for a May 10 meeting. Plus, Kassulides was given appointments by all top executives of the "national security" team in Washington.

Naturally, diplomacy is the art of attaining the best possible result with the probable lowest effort or cost. Turkey's increasing geostrategic importance; efforts to diversify the energy resources of Europe and preventing Turkey from drifting away from Europe and a Western European understanding of democracy, lie in the background of Kerry's efforts as much as his deep foreign policy understanding and pro-settlement resolve.

Now, not just a 'quick' May 10 appointment for Kassulides but claims that the Obama administration may soon appoint a powerful special Cyrus envoy, like in the George Bush Sr. times, led to evaluations that Washington was getting actively engaged in Cyprus diplomacy once again. This of course should not be solely attributed to the gassy offshore details. Still, the Americans and the British appear to be "understanding" the awful situation the new Greek Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades has been in because of the economic crisis he inherited and his demand for time until September. Yet, they are pressing as well for talks to be agreed to start after September and with a firm schedule. That is, they are also against open-ended talks. At least that's how developments are seen so far in assessments made in Ankara and northern Cyprus.

In the meantime, according to Greek Cypriot news reports, some pundits have started floating the idea of changing the modality of Cyprus talks which for the past few years have been continuing under the motto of achieving an "accord for Cypriots by Cypriots." Reportedly the new talks might not be just representatives of the two peoples but the three guarantor powers as well as the EU might find seats reserved for them at the negotiations table. Not a bad idea, is it not?".

[06] "PKK pullout starts with controversies"

Defined as the first phase of the resolution process, the debate around the withdrawal of the militants fueled an already tense political climate in the country as the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) vowed they would hold the government responsible for any military operations against militants during their withdrawal.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that the militants should leave their arms behind and criticized the PKK chieftains for announcing the exact timeline of the retreat.

"Their announcement of a date etcetera, these kinds of things is wrong. I mean, if you will do something, then there is already no need to announce a date, this and that. The principles of this are leaving and laying down the arms. They would in any case know how to leave from wherever and how they had entered in the first place," Erdogan told reporters on May 7 following his address to his parliamentary group.

Erdogan made this remark when he was reminded that Murat Karay?lan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), announced that the PKK withdrawal would begin on May 8. He also criticized the media's publication of some maps outlining the directions of the PKK members' retreat from Turkey into the northern Iraq. "How they will leave, when they will leave is up to them. Making definitions [on their retreat] is not part of our strategy," he added.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler echoed his prime minister while advising the media not to depict May 8 as an extraordinary day as all security forces were taking care of their business as usual.

A serious warning came from Gultan K?sanak, co-chairperson of the BDP, who recalled the military's operations against the militants in 1999, during their massive withdrawal from Turkey after the PKK's leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured. "I am speaking very openly. Good things did not occur in 1999. This withdrawal process should be carried out in its whole skin," she stressed.

Underlining that they took the government's statements as assurances, she said, "We will hold the government responsible for any military operation. BDP's other co-chairperson, Selahattin Demirtas, estimated that the withdrawal process would take around three to four months considering the geographical size and thinking that they would use the same routes they had been using when entering into Turkey from northern Iraq.

[07] International Defense Industry Fair begins in Istanbul

781 firms from 50 countries attend the fair at TUYAP Fair and Congress Center until May 10. IDEF contents Land, Sea, Air and Space, Transportation, Logistic, Support Activities and Supplies Materials, and Tools and Equipment.

Ministers of defense from various countries, heads of General Staff and senior level military officials were accredited for the fair which sets grounds for decision makers to exchange ideas.

Commenting on the issue, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (08.05.13) writes the following: "The leaps that Turkey's defense industry has made in recent years go on show at the country's biggest arms fair, with national and sectorial officials now looking to sell rather than buy hardware.

For several years in a row, Turkey's premier defense exhibition IDEF was a venue for Western weapons makers to showcase their products primarily aiming at Turkish buyers willing to shell out the big bucks. Not anymore. This year, the show has opened with Turkish arms makers predominantly showcasing their products to potential buyers from both home and abroad.

[?]

IDEF'13 will host over 800 defense companies from 49 countries from May 7 to 10 in Istanbul. Organized since 1993, the exhibition is viewed as one of the world's top five international events on defense and security. Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Y?lmaz has said he expects a "record number of agreements to be signed during the exhibition."

Over the last several years, Turkey has made it an "established government policy" to seek local solutions to meet the modernization needs of NATO's second largest army. "I guess we have been too explicit in our emphasis on local solutions and our desire to go as national as possible," the defense procurement official said. "I do not think any smart manufacturer could view Turkey as a market now."

In recent months, Turkey's defense companies have given pace to their efforts to unveil several "national Turkish" systems apparently in efforts to showcase them at IDEF'13.

[?]"

[08] Erdogan says Israel's strike on Syria 'absolutely unacceptable'

Activists said on Monday that the airstrike on Sunday morning, Israel's third in Syria this year, killed at least 42 Syrian soldiers. The Israeli government has not formally confirmed involvement in the strikes. However, Israeli officials have said the attacks targeted advanced Iranian weapons transiting Syria to reach Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, an ally of Syria and foe of Israel.

Erdogan said that such attacks embolden what he called the "illegitimate Syrian regime" while speaking at parliamentary group meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Tuesday.

"These attacks are chances, opportunities offered on a golden tray to Assad and to the illegitimate Syrian regime. Using the Israel attack as an excuse, he is trying to cover up the genocide in Banias," he said. Erdogan was referring to a Syrian coastal town where anti-Assad activists said at least 62 people were killed by government fighters over the weekend.

[09] The private TV channel AS TV in the occupied area of Cyprus stops its broadcasting

According to information acquired by Kibris Time news website, the AS TV will stop broadcasting in the occupied area of Cyprus as of today, and start broadcasting in Istanbul as of tonight, since the channel was bought by the well-known journalist and TV programmer in Turkey, Ugur Dundar.

The owner of the private TV channel in the occupied area of Cyprus was Metin Sadi. The paper writes that the amount of money that the channel was sold was not given to publicity.

AK

[10] Products that contained pork meat were destroyed

According to the controls, some package of sheftalia (Cypriot spiced minced meatball) were produced with mixture of pork minced meat and bird meat. The so-called municipal police confiscated 36 packages of sheftalia and destroyed them.

Ozay Oykun, "mayor" of occupied Giallousa, claimed that the products were destroyed because they were dangerous to people's health. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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