Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 04-07-30

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The so-called Assembly has rejected the proposal for early elections.

[02] So-called Economy Minister Donmezer resigns.

[03] Iranian delegation to visit the occupied areas while a so-called parliamentary assembly delegation will visit Iran.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The so-called Assembly has rejected the proposal for early elections

"The `TRNC´ Assembly, meeting for the last time before the summer recess, rejected the government's proposal to hold the early elections on 6 November. At the Republican Assembly voting, the early election proposal was rejected by 23 votes against 20. Thus, the resolution of the government crisis, which emerged when the government lost its majority, has now almost certainly been left to after the parliamentary recess.

In the meantime, DP´s (Democratic Party) Economy and Tourism Minister Ayse Donmezer has been removed from her post.

The main opposition NUP (National Unity Party) did not support an early election, arguing that the minority government has to resign as required by democratic norms and that if no new government is formed in its place an early election would automatically take place. Whereas, the opposition PDM (Peace and Democracy Movement) proposed that instead of the government resigning, an election government should be formed comprising pro-solution forces. It declared, however, that they would support an early election during the period that falls between December and April, when the presidential elections would be held.

Talat: I will not resign

And Mehmet Ali Talat, the prime Minister of the government that took a decision on early elections, declared that the voting has demonstrated that the opposition does not want an early election. Speaking at the Republican Assembly, Talat said: "The Turkish for this is this: The opposition does not want elections. But an election is necessary for a stable government". Stressing that the government will not resign before another government is established, Talat said that "it would be a betrayal of the people if the country is left without a government at this critical period".

The `TRNC´ Council of Ministers decided yesterday to hold the early elections on 6 November, provided that the political parties are first consulted about it. The government then submitted its decision to the Republican Assembly.

The RTP-DP government, which has fallen into a minority with its 23 seats in a 50-seat Assembly, is unable to adopt any decision".

[02] So-called Economy Minister Donmezer resigns

Later on the same day illegal Bayrak broadcast that Mrs Ayse Donmezer has been removed from her post by the party leader Serdar Denktas.

DP leader Serdar Denktas, who is also so-called Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, told the BRT reporter that he dismissed Donmezer from her post due to discord between them. Noting that for some time now they could not work harmoniously and that they had differences of opinion, Serdar Denktas thanked Donmezer for the services she rendered to date.

Ayse Donmezer, in turn, confirmed her disagreements with the party leader, adding that she does not want to say anything more at this stage. "Apparently because the esteemed party leader was displeased with my work for a while now, he called on me to resign otherwise he would dismiss me. I had to choose one of the alternatives, and I decided not to resign, upon which I was removed from my post", said Donmezer.

[03] Iranian delegation to visit the occupied areas while a so-called parliamentary assembly delegation will visit Iran

"Turkish and Iranian authorities clinched yesterday a multi-dimensional cooperation scheme, a move that will boost economic and security ties between the two neighbors.

Among agreements signed in Tehran, on the last day of a key visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan there, is a memorandum of understanding under which Iran designates the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) a terrorist organization, a step that is expected to strengthen Iranian cooperation against the group, whose militants operate not only in Turkey, but also on the Iranian border and northern Iraq.

Other deals will formally allow two Turkish companies to go ahead with two lucrative tenders they have won in Iran. Separate agreements also resolve a pricing dispute concerning natural-gas supplied by Iran to Turkey.

Erdogan's visit comes amid growing international criticism against Tehran for its nuclear program. A U.S. official was quoted as saying in the Turkish press that business contracts with Iran were punishable by sanctions under U.S. law.

But Erdogan, keen to implement a government policy of boosting business ties with neighboring countries, shrugged off the criticism, saying Turkey would do business with Iran in the same way that other countries do; a veiled reference to European investment in the country. Erdogan met Iranian President Muhammad Khatami, Vice President Muhammad Reza Arif and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, as well as defense and oil ministers.

"This is your home. Welcome to your own country," Khatami said as he welcomed Erdogan upon his arrival at the Sadabad Palace, where the two met for an hour before proceeding to a working lunch. In his talks with Iranian officials, Erdogan said the two countries aimed at boosting their bilateral trade volume from the current $2.3 billion to $5 billion.

Major Turkish investment in Iran, namely deals with a Turkish-led consortium to operate Tehran's new airport and GSM operator Turkcell running Iran's first private mobile phone license, faced obstacles due to conservative opposition to deals on the grounds that the Turkish companies involved had "Zionist links."

The mobile telephone license won by a Turkcell-led consortium in February represents Iran's biggest foreign investment deal since the 1979 Islamic revolution, with a projected investment of more than $3 billion over 15 years.

Engineering consortium Tepe-Akfen-Vie (TAV) had won a tender to operate Tehran's Imam Khomeini international airport, but the airport was closed down by army tanks in the first day of operation due to suspicions over TAV involvement.

Reform message

In an address at the Turkish-Iranian Business Forum, Erdogan also sent messages encouraging reform.

"Countries building higher walls on their borders, viewing change with suspicion and not supporting the entrepreneurs will remain bystanders in the ongoing globalization process," Erdogan said, explaining economic and political reforms that have both brought Turkey closer to its goal of becoming a member of the European Union and raising the living standards of its people.

"With Turkey's accession, Iran will become a neighbor to the EU," Erdogan said, a remark that might irk certain Turkey-skeptics within the union.

"Iran is the door that links Turkey to the East and Turkey is the door to the West for Iran," Erdogan said, emphasizing that economic and trade ties should be developed on the basis of such an understanding.

US, Israel criticisms from Iran

Erdogan also listened to criticism against Israel and the United States from Iranian leaders, who said the United States had a responsibility in the growth of al-Qaida terror.

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said terrorist groups have found a suitable environment in which to develop, especially after the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq started. As for Israel, Kharrazi said Israel had been engaged in northern Iraq since the 1960s.

A recent New Yorker journal report that Israel had agents operating in northern Iraq and were providing training to Kurdish peshmergas had irritated Turkey. However, Kurdish and Israeli officials denied the report.

Turkish and Iranian officials also discussed Iranian contribution to efforts in ending the international isolation of Turkish Cypriots after their vote in support of a U.N. plan aimed at reunification of the island.

Iranian officials said a high-level delegation would visit the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)´ soon, with a `TRNC´ parliamentary delegation visiting Tehran."

/SK

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