Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-10-02

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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 evaluated his contacts in New York; he said the principle of bi-zonality is of vital importance of the Turkish Cypriot side

[02] Nami: The two sides in Cyprus are working for a common text for the negotiations' launching- The aim is solution by spring

[03] Gul encourages a timetable for the Cyprus talks

[04] Afrika accused CTP of changing its stance regarding the role of Eroglu in Cyprus negotiations

[05] Denktas is going to Ankara invited by the Turkish Minister of Tourism

[06] New crisis in DP: Two members resigned from the party

[07] The local products of occupied Cyprus will be branding with the logo "Made in North Cyprus"

[08] Evaluations on the democratization package by opposition leaders

[09] Turkey's education unions at odds over lifting ban on headscarf

[10] Reactions in the breakaway regime on Erdogan's democratization package

[11] Bagis heads to EU for progress report

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu evaluated his contacts in New York; he said the principle of bi-zonality is of vital importance of the Turkish Cypriot side

Stressing that he had held a fruitful meeting with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Eroglu said he informed Ban on the course of the Cyprus talks.

Claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to start a productive negotiations process under the basis of a timetable, Eroglu argued it is possible to reach a solution until the end of the year if the Greek Cypriot side shared the same political will.

Alleging that the Greek Cypriot side had an intention to distance itself from convergences and to put forward preconditions for the restart of the process, Eroglu claimed the President Anastasiades' letters to the UNSG and the President of the EU Commission were obvious examples proving these intentions.

"The content of these letters appeared in the Greek Cypriot newspapers. Amongst other things, Anastasiades was talking about how the new partnership will evolve from the Cyprus Republic. At no stage of the negotiations was such a position accepted as a UN parameter", Eroglu said.

Eroglu warned that approaches and arrangements which water down security and guarantees will not be accepted and added that the preservation of the principle of bi-zonality as defined by the UN was of vital importance for the Turkish Cypriot side.

Noting that negotiations should restart without prejudgments, prejudices and preconditions, Eroglu said the ways how to overcome the current problems through negotiations should be determined with a sincere spirit and through mutual dialog which requires effective and productive methodology.

Commenting also on contacts to be held by the special representatives in Ankara and Athens, Eroglu claimed that these visits will be realized on the basis of equality.

He also added that the Turkish side perceived this development as a step towards holding a multilateral conference.

Expressing the Turkish Cypriot side's target to reach a comprehensive agreement until the end of the year, Eroglu argued this will be followed by a multilateral conference during which all subjects will be finalized.

"If a full consensus will be reached, this will be presented to the approval of the two communities at a simultaneous referendum" he added.

Eroglu concluded by saying that the issue of territory which would cause unrest in the island should be discussed at the last stage of the negotiations.

[02] Nami: The two sides in Cyprus are working for a common text for the negotiations' launching- The aim is solution by spring

Nami stated that the two sides in Cyprus are working for preparing a common text for the re-launching of Cyprus negotiations and added that the UN Secretary General wants the negotiations to start without any delay.

He also said that there are differences between the two sides regarding how the negotiations will start and noted that works are taking place under the UN supervision so that these differences to be lifted and a common text to be prepared.

He also said that the aim is the text to be competed upon Downers' arrival to the island next week. "It will be announced by each leader", he stated and added that it is said the negotiations to be started in October.

Asked to elaborate further on the differences between the two sides, Nami stated that the Greek Cypriot side wants all the issues regarding the peace procedure to be discussed all together and claimed that there is an open effort to avoid commitments on the issue of rapprochement by the Greek Cypriots. He also said that the Greek Cypriot side is against setting a timetable for the talks. As regards the Turkish Cypriot side, according to Nami it is committed to the rapprochements reached until today and wants also an agreement on the rapprochements in which the two sides agreed. After that, all the issues can be put on the table.

Nami said that all the sides that they held contacts in New York agreed that the negotiations must start in October and that the negotiations shall not have an open end. He also claimed that even the UN started to believe that this is the last initiative for the solution of the Cyprus problem. He also said that we have now reached a point where someone will pay the price for the non-solution.

Referring to the leaking of the letter of President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades to the UN, Nami said that it created uneasiness and its content was not pleasant. He said that the issue of the European Union's participation to the negotiations is not accepted by the Turkish Cypriot side and claimed that the Varosha issue was not at all at the New York agenda.

Finally, Nami claimed that the aim is the negotiations to be launched in October and a solution to be reached by the first month of spring adding that the UN wants all parts to support this goal.

[03] Gul encourages a timetable for the Cyprus talks

The official website of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey publishes the full text of Gul's address.

As far as the Cyprus problem is concerned, Gul said the following:

"The Cyprus issue, which has been ongoing for almost 50 years, must be resolved. The parameters for resolving the conflict are well-known. It is essential that there is no delay in conducting direct talks between the two communities in order to reach a comprehensive settlement based on these parameters. On the other hand, we know from experience that open-ended talks do not produce any results. The process to be initiated will be a test of sincerity for everyone involved. Turkey, as we have always done, will support all diplomatic efforts for a fair and lasting peace on the island and will maintain utmost solidarity with the brotherly Turkish people in Northern Cyprus [editor's note: breakaway regime in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus]."

[04] Afrika accused CTP of changing its stance regarding the role of Eroglu in Cyprus negotiations

Afrika writes that during a speech that Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the self-styled prime minister and leader of CTP made in the self-styled assembly, he stated that "CTP will act together with Eroglu on the enforcement of the negotiations".

The paper further writes that Yorganciolu stated that the Cyprus problem will be one of the most important issues on the agenda in the coming period and added that the "assembly" must follow the developments and pay an effective role on the solution.

The paper also writes that the self-styled foreign minister Ozdil Nami referred to the recent developments regarding the Cyprus problem and stated that his contacts and Eroglu's contacts in New York were very successful.

The paper also adds that the concord between Eroglu and CTP's views regarding the Cyprus problem may be an indication for the 2015 "presidential elections" in the breakaway regime.

[05] Denktas is going to Ankara invited by the Turkish Minister of Tourism

Denktas is invited by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Omer Celik, who is hosting the conference.

[06] New crisis in DP: Two members resigned from the party

These are Kemal Ozturk, DP Lefkosia district chairman and Munur Ozturk the chariman of DP Youth Organization.

The paper writes that many problems exist between the members of the party.

[07] The local products of occupied Cyprus will be branding with the logo "Made in North Cyprus"

The products will be branding with the logo "Made in North Cyprus". The KTSO aims to improve the quality of the local products

[08] Evaluations on the democratization package by opposition leaders

"Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] is attempting to pull the wool over our nation's eyes with democratization packages. He is meeting the demands of the PKK one by one," Bahceli said on Oct. 1. Bahceli labelled the package as "a so-called democratization package" while claiming the package was the outcome of the PKK's imposition on government.

"Mr Prime Minister, who praises himself on carrying out silent revolution, surrendered to the PKK with a sneak revolution. This package is the outcome of bargaining. This package granted was approval of the PKK and murderer of Imral? [jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan] and was blended with reports of the Wise People Commission. The will of the Turkish nation, the will of Parliament, and expectations of our nation were not taken into consideration," Bahceli said. "Separatism has gained more ground with this package."

On the same issue, HDN (online, 01.10.13), under the title "Package is cosmetics, main opposition leader Kilicdaroglu says", reported that the democratization package falls short of addressing Turkey's main problems and enhances the government's authoritarian tendencies, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has said. Belittling the package for its incapacity to provide a cure for the country's ills, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said these had been mostly aggravated in the last 11 years under the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) rule.

"I am saying this clearly, Turkey's problems cannot be solved with cosmetics. This is short-sightedness, looseness, lack of seriousness," Kilicdaroglu said, in a press conference held in the party headquarters yesterday, a day after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement of the package.

"The package that has come out is a package brought in to enhance a majoritarian authoritarian regime," Kilicdaroglu said, arguing that the AKP had only introduced this skin-deep package to ward off social pressure. "No package that does not touch the election system in Turkey, the law on political parties and parliamentary regulations, can democratize Turkey," Kilicdaroglu said.

While slamming the proposal of "narrowed regions," Kilicdaroglu said the root of the problem was the election threshold itself, and should the AKP propose to lower it, say to 3%, the CHP would have backed such proposals wholeheartedly.

Kilicdaroglu also pointed to a lack of sincerity, as his party had already proposed similar changes, yet to be vetoed by the AKP. "What they brought before us today is a bad copy of our proposals," Kilicdaroglu said.

According to Hurriyet Daily News (online, 30.09.13), the opposition parties, particularly the Kurdish political groups, expressed their disappointment with regard to the democratization package underlining that it wouldn't address Turkey's needs for democratization and demands outlined in the context of the Kurdish resolution process.

"The Kurds wished for the solving of the Kurdish problem, the solving of the belief difficulties of the Alevis, and the allowing of all those alienated in the country to contribute to its rule. We have been struggling for years for this. We wish to clearly state that this package has not met any of these wishes. This is not a package that addresses Turkey's need for democratization," Gultan Kisanak, co-chairperson of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) told reporters Sept.30. "Was this a package worth waiting for? All of Turkey saw," she added.

The BDP will continue to make its assessments with regard to the package and will make further statements on the fate of the ongoing resolution process. As Kisanak put it directly, a number of crucial demands form the BDP as part of the Kurdish resolution process had not been addressed by the package.

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (online, 02.10.13), under the title "Kurdish intellectuals: PM's reforms opened the way for progress", reported that some Kurdish intellectuals believe that the package revealed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday is a significant step, noting that there is now an expectation of continued efforts towards democratization.

"The government's democratization package will pave the way for more steps to be taken on the Kurdish issue. There is a need for more packages and more comprehensive solutions," said Bayram Bozyel, Rights and Freedoms Party (HAK-PAR) deputy chairman, to Today's Zaman, adding that he agrees with Erdogan that the package is not the first and should not be the last.

Evaluating the BDP's remarks, Kurdish intellectual Ibrahim Guclu told Today's Zaman that the statements were shallow and based on ideology. "When you consider the whole of Kurdish society, not just the BDP, you will see that opinions on the package are different. Thus, the government has taken a necessary step, yet we still need more," said Guclu.

[09] Turkey's education unions at odds over lifting ban on headscarf

The Education and Science Personnel Union (Egitim-Sen) has denounced the decision, which will allow female teachers to wear headscarves in schools, for placing the country under a religious theme, while Egitim-Bir-Sen and Turk Egitim-Sen welcomed the decision with their separate reservations.

"We do not find it right to bring religious symbols into the public sphere. This will result in placing the country under a religious theme," said Egitim-Sen President Unsal Yildiz yesterday.

"[Allowing the] headscarf will be an obstacle in providing this public service [education]. There will be serious obstacles for students with different religions or sects in receiving this service. They will have serious problems in communicating with teachers [who are wearing the headscarf]," Yildiz told the Hurriyet Daily News.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the "democratization package" on Sept. 30, which included the removal of the headscarf ban for public servants except prosecutors, judges and military personnel. Ahmet Ozer, the deputy secretary-general of the education sector labour union Egitim-Bir-Sen, however, welcomed the government's decision to remove the ban but said that it was insufficient for excluding prosecutors, judges, and members of military, who have to wear uniforms.

Turk Egitim-Sen criticized the democracy package for involving the headscarf issue along with the "controversial" issue. Turk Egitim-Sen head Ismail Koncuk said yesterday that the removal of the student's oath and permitting Kurdish language private high schools should not be in the same package as the headscarf. "The demands of the [outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party] PKK and headscarf issue should not be in the same package. The removal of the headscarf ban is approved by a wide range of society, but the others, such as Kurdish language private high schools are controversial," Koncuk said.

[10] Reactions in the breakaway regime on Erdogan's democratization package

The paper writes that together with the return to the old names of the villages, the package provides the lifting of the rule of reading the Turkish oath at the primary schools every morning. This is expected to be applied to occupied Cyprus as well, according to Afrika which notes that the non-democratic package created a lot of reaction in Turkey.

Commenting on the issue, the general secretary of the primary school teachers' trade union (KTOS) Senel Elcil stated that the package is an attempt to hide the obscurantism opposed in Turkey. He also noted that the "law" for changing the names of the villages in occupied Cyprus after 1974 must be cancelled and the villages must return to their Cyprus Republic period names.

[11] Bagis heads to EU for progress report

EU Minister Egemen Bagis will hold talks in Brussels with senior EU officials tomorrow. Bagis will also promote the government's recent democratization package during his talks and will ask the commission to refer to the package in the Progress Report.

The Minister will have talks tomorrow with the European Union's commissioner for enlargement, Stefan Fule, and the chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, Elmar Brok, in Brussels. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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