Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-12-31

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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: All Turkish settlers will stay, workers will go with a solution

[02] Crisis within the CTP-DP "coalition government" remains in suspense

[03] Daily claims that a British fugitive couple is hidden in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

[04] Arinc: What HSYK did should have a consequence

[05] CHP calls for retrial of coup cases

[06] Iyad Madani takes over as OIC secretary general

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: All Turkish settlers will stay, workers will go with a solution

In statements to Diyalog's general publishing director, Resat Akar, Eroglu said that they do not consider as "refugees" any more those who became their "citizens". "It is not possible to throw away these people who are protected by the constitution", alleged Eroglu referring to the illegal Turkish settlers and added: "We do not claim that those who are workers will become citizens of the common state that will be established [Translator's note: in case of a solution to the Cyprus problem]. However, those who say yes to the plan that will come up, that is, everybody who are citizens of the TRNC at the moment, will continue being citizens of the new partnership state".

Asked how the foreigners see this view, Eroglu replied that "some circles" had adopted the description "settlers", "but this situation changed with time". According to Eroglu the foreigners do not tell them anymore that "those who have come from Turkey will return back". He added: "Since I became president I met with almost all the ambassadors in south Cyprus [Translator's note: this is how he described the ambassadors accredited in the Republic of Cyprus]. There is no view any more saying that 'those who came afterwards and were granted citizenship should go back'. I am saying it with satisfaction that this is put onto the table by absolutely no ambassador".

Asked whether Turkey "is open to new ideas' for strengthening the "TRNC" , if no solution to the Cyprus problem is found in 2014, Eroglu replied that it would be wrong to say this now, "but of course the strengthening of the TRNC, the reduction and minimization of the problems of its people are among Turkey's targets". He went on and claimed: "As Ban Ki-moon has said, this is the 'last effort'. It is the last effort to launch the negotiations and search for a result. If we fail again, we will have to sit and make a new evaluation?"

When asked whether or not the sovereignty is the only matter on which agreement has not been reached in issuing the joint declaration, Eroglu replied "we have already accepted the sovereignty, but it [Translator's note: the Greek Cypriot side] says that 'the founding states will not be sovereign'". Asked whether this is the only disagreement, Eroglu said that "there are a few".

When asked "what you want is for the founding states having sovereign rights and by wanting this you are considering of the separation in case of a disagreement", Eroglu answered: "What we want is for the founding states to be sovereign. If we do not agree in the future, we should not be in the [position we were when we founded] the Republic of Cyprus".

Erolglu reiterated that either there will be progress and a referendum in the Cyprus problem in 2014 or the Turkish Cypriot side will make a new assessment of the situation.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Crisis within the CTP-DP "coalition government" remains in suspense

The committee has reportedly reached an agreement on principle not to renew the contracts of the 366 temporary employees, to send them a letter of warning for one month and to call them to participate in an exam which will be organized by the "public service commission" and will be open for everyone for positions where the "state" needs personnel.

According to the paper, while these developments were happening inside the "assembly", in front of the building the 366 temporary employees and Kamu-Sen trade union were holding a protest and a strike. A row took place that lasted for a short period of time between the protesters and the "police".

Serdar Denktas, leader of the DP-UG and self-styled deputy prime minister, chatted for a while with the protesters. In statements to the press afterwards, Denktas said that his party had no meeting with the National Unity Party (UBP) on the issue of establishing a "coalition government" after a possible collapse of the CTP-DP so-called government.

Denktas noted that the "attorney general" had expressed the view that the employment of these 366 persons was not "illegal" and added that they should find a solution to this problem. He recalled that the "council of ministers" adopted a "draft-law" regarding the reform of the "public sector" and that this "draft-law" will pass from the "assembly" within a period of two months. He added: "There is a formula for all the temporary employees. There is a formula for all of them saying that those who do not pass three exams will cease [to have a contract] and this number is 7,500 not 366?However, our people should know this: No one will be able to take a salary from the state without working, without giving the return for his salary. This order of things is changing. When we have these possibilities, it is not correct to deal with 366 persons, create unrest and bring our people against each other?"

Meanwhile, in statements to Havadis, the self-styled prime minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu said that the "coalition partners" are close to reaching an agreement on the issue of the 366 temporary employees and that the formula will encompass all the temporary employees.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Daily claims that a British fugitive couple is hidden in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

The paper reports that the British couple has been wanted by the British secret services MI6 and the National Crime Agency (NCA). Meanwhile, the paper also reports that the MI6 has asked the help of the police of the breakaway regime in order the couple to be extradited to the British High Commissionaire.

[04] Arinc: What HSYK did should have a consequence

"Not only with regard to the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors [HSYK], but our Justice Ministry will do whatever necessary ? legal or judicial ? against those who are in the wrong and causing chaos in Turkey by leaking confidential information about investigations and by distributing statements in front of the courthouse," Bulent Arinc, a deputy prime minister and the government's spokesman, told reporters Dec. 30 following a weekly Cabinet meeting.

"There must be consequences to the HSYK's move that ignored its own regulation," Arinc said.

Underlining that there was no check-and-balance system that could rein in the improprieties of the members of the judiciary, Arinc signalled that the government might reconsider the issue.

Arinc echoed Erdogan's self-criticism that giving broad immunity to the members of the HSYK was "a mistake" and expressed his disappointment in the HSYK's statement. "By increasing the number of its members from five to 22, we thought that we were making a democratic body. We regarded this as an important step toward democratization," he said.

There are three powers, the government spokesman said. "Both the legislative and the executive are under judicial control. But which power is controlling the judiciary?"

[05] CHP calls for retrial of coup cases

"Everybody knows that those who have plotted against their own country's national army, national intelligence [organization], national bank and the civilian rule that has been enshrined in the nation's heart could not have dealt for the good of this country," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top political adviser, Yalcin Akdogan, said Dec. 24 in his column in daily Star.

In his column leading up to the opposition's calls for exposure of "the plot," Akdogan argued that hundreds of military officers who were convicted of plotting to overthrow the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government led by Erdogan had been framed by groups within the judiciary who are now allegedly orchestrating a widespread corruption probe against Erdogan's allies.

Akdogan was apparently referring to followers of U.S.-based spiritual leader Fethullah Gulen, whose members command a global empire of business, media and education interests. Gulen has denied any involvement in the investigation.

Following such statements, the government cannot move on as if nothing has happened, CHP Deputy Chair Umut Oran said Dec. 30, adding that all the related case files should be reopened. "2014 should not be a year that the law of rulers is implemented, but should be a year in which the rule of law is implemented," Oran said.

MHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Oktay Vural urged the prime minister to submit a bill for this aim. "We would like Prime Minister Erdogan to submit a bill, saying 'Although I knew that these [coup] plans were fake, I marketed them before the nation, I apologize, I will take the necessary action,'" Vural said Dec. 30.

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu urged the government on Dec. 30 to act on the issue without losing any more time, suggesting that the Parliament could adopt related legal arrangements before it enters recess because of local elections scheduled for March 2014.

"If the AKP is concerned about a legal plot, like Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Mustafa Elitas said and if it wants to pave the way for a retrial via a legal arrangement, we are offering a blank check. Let them bring the legal arrangement to the Parliament, we will support it," Kilicdaroglu told daily Hurriyet.

In remarks to Turkish daily Hurriyet, AKP deputy parliamentary group chair Elitas said Turkey could change laws to allow the retrial of hundreds of military officers who were convicted of plotting to overthrow Erdogan's government.

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, however, ruled out any possibility of a retrial in the near future regarding the coup plot cases, adding no such eventuality was discussed during the Cabinet meeting on Dec. 30. "Requesting the cases to go to a retrial in connection to daily events can only express a wishful thinking," Arinc said.

The convicted military officers have long claimed that much of the evidence against them was fabricated.

[06] Iyad Madani takes over as OIC Secretary General

Former Saudi Foreign Minister Iyad Madani on Monday took over formally his new post in Jeddah. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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