Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-05-25

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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 German Federal Parliament calls for the gradual withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus. The Turkish side intensifies its efforts to legitimize the trading of usurped Greek Cypriot produce

[02] Reactions to the measures for the Turkish Cypriots announced by the Republic of Cyprus. Soyer refers again to the occupied city of Famagusta

[03] Ten Islamic countries have allegedly recognized the illegal passports of the breakaway regime

[04] Israeli company illegally invests in occupied Vokolida area

[05] Akinci criticizes the policy of the breakaway regime regarding the Turkish settlers

[06] The new leadership of the YKP is announced

[07] The so-called mayor of occupied Keryneia attended an international conference in Lyon

[08] Lecture by Henry Kissinger in Istanbul

[09] UNFICYP organized the screening of a film on an incident which happened at the initial stages when Turkey started the struggle to destroy the Republic of Cyprus

[10] Turkish spokesman says EU-NATO relations could improve without Cyprus

[11] US Congressmen delegation to visit Turkey

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] The Turkish press continues to assess the terrorist attack in Ankara

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The German Federal Parliament calls for the gradual withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus. The Turkish side intensifies its efforts to legitimize the trading of usurped Greek Cypriot produce.

The decision points out that the efforts of the UN towards reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem should be supported and that the Foreign Trade Arrangement prepared by the EU in 2004 is very important.

The speaker of the so-called assembly, Fatma Ekenoglu, who is visiting Berlin leading a parliamentary delegation, met yesterday with MPs of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are under isolation in all fields, in spite of the report of the UN Secretary-General after the 24 April referendum.

Mrs Ekenoglu said that they want the help of the EU for the lifting of the isolations and argued that people think that they were punished because they voted yes in the referendum.

The MP of the SPD, Rainer Fornahl said:

With this motion we want to encourage the German government once more, by drawing attention to the importance we attach to the unification in Cyprus. The side for which I am mad about is that the elite, the intellectuals in south Cyprus do not exert efforts for a solution.

Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily AFRIKA newspaper (25.05.07) refers to the decision of the German Parliament and reports that it asks for the lifting of the isolations, but it also demands the gradual withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus. The paper notes that the delegation from the TRNC under Mrs Ekenoglu was present during the voting.

On the same issue, ANKARA ANATOLIA (24.05.07) reports the following from Berlin:

German parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday which urges the European Union rotating presidency to contribute to the reunification of the divided Mediterranean island.

The resolution also called "all relevant parties" to take solid steps and urged the Greek Cypriot administration to cooperate with Turkish Cypriot institutions.

Several German lawmakers sent a letter to top Greek Cypriot representative in Berlin, criticizing him for attempting to prevent Bundestag from discussing the resolution.

Lawmakers Rainder Steenblock and Rainer Fornahl also accused the Greek Cypriot representative of interfering with the internal affairs of the parliament.

German lawmakers also urged the Greek Cypriot administration to engage in more concrete initiatives.

State Minister Guenter Gloser expressed his support for extending economic aid to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), adding that Germany would continue to exert efforts in getting the Greek Cypriot side to accept an EU commitment to establish direct trade ties with TRNC.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Reactions to the measures for the Turkish Cypriots announced by the Republic of Cyprus. Soyer refers again to the occupied city of Famagusta.

Mr Talat alleged that since the Greek Cypriot administration, as he described the government of the Republic of Cyprus, entered into the EU, its claim for having a right on the whole of the island increased and follows the policy that sees that Turkish Cypriots as its own citizens.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily KIBRIS newspaper (25.05.07) reports that the so-called prime minister of the breakaway regime, Ferdi Sabit Soyer has also evaluated the measures for the Turkish Cypriots announced by the Republic of Cyprus.

Addressing a meeting the night before yesterday in Keryneia, Mr Soyer pointed out that the measures came onto the agenda after the Greek Cypriots saw that the view that the Direct Trade Regulation should be related to the issue of the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha was not gaining ground in the EU. Their aim is to prevent the application of the Direct Trade Regulation, but this is not possible, he alleged.

Furthermore, the so-called minister of foreign affairs, Turgay Avci expressed the same views on the measures alleging that their aim is osmosis. He described them as opening with hidden intentions and as a serious blow to the 8 July process.

Meanwhile, according to KIBRIS Levent Bilman, spokesman of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also referred to the issue of the Direct Trade Regulation. In statements during his weekly briefing yesterday, Mr Bilman reminded the promise that the EU has given to the Turkish Cypriots and noted that many countries within the Union are feeling distressed for this issue.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ten Islamic countries have allegedly recognized the illegal passports of the breakaway regime

According to the paper, the breakaway regime undertook a comprehensive initiative on this issue at the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of ICO in Pakistan between 15 and 17 May.

The so-called minister of foreign affairs Avci exerted intensive efforts for the recognition of the TRNC passport and the direct trade between the occupied areas of Cyprus and Islamic countries, notes the paper adding that ten ICO member states promised Avci that they will exert serious efforts for the recognition of the TRNC passport and for the TRNC citizens being able to travel to these countries without any problems.

Ankara and the TRNC decided to keep secret the names of these countries so that this effort is not sabotaged by the Greek Cypriots, notes the paper.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Israeli company illegally invests in occupied Vokolida area

The company is expected to begin desalinating 2000 cubic meters of sea water for consumption starting from 1 May 2008. The agreement was based on the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model and the water will be used for the needs of occupied Vokolida area and the Holiday resort.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Akinci criticizes the policy of the breakaway regime regarding the Turkish settlers

Addressing yesterday a meeting of TDP in the occupied part of Nicosia, Mr Akinci noted that the real service to the country would be questioning the population policy and added that the population, which increased through not normal means influences negatively all the fields of the life in the occupied areas of the island.

Meanwhile, the candidate for the leadership of the TDP, Mehmet Cakici said that the most fundamental principle of the TDP will be to ensure that the Turkish Cypriots develop roots on this land.

(I/Ts.)

[06] The new leadership of the YKP is announced

(I/Ts.)

[07] The so-called mayor of occupied Keryneia attended an international conference in Lyon

More than 500 scholars and mayors from 48 countries attended the conference. The attendants were from Albania, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Jordan, South Korea, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Mexico, Iran, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Britain and U.S.A. Issues like the economic structure of a town, the life in a town were discussed.

During the conference, Mr Aygin explained the economic situation of the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the negative aspects of the so-called isolation. He also thanked the Mayor of Lyon for his hospitality and invited him to visit the occupied Keryneia.

(DPs)

[08] Lecture by Henry Kissinger in Istanbul

(MHY)

[09] UNFICYP organized the screening of a film on an incident which happened at the initial stages when Turkey started the struggle to destroy the Republic of Cyprus

The Vanished Bus drama documentary, which is written by the Presidential Undersecretary Rasit Pertev and directed by Fevzi Tanpinar continues its TRNC tour.

Yesterday, the film was put on a display at the Buffer Zone.

The film was watched by Ambassadors from 14 countries, high ranking UN officials and many foreign diplomats at the Buffer Zone.

The display was organized by the UN Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus.

The film addresses a bitter incident of the past; a bus carrying a group of Turkish Cypriots to work which went missing on the 13th of May 1964 after taking off from Larnaca.

The documentary will also be screened in the foreign countries soon.

[10] Turkish spokesman says EU-NATO relations could improve without Cyprus

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected Thursday news reports that Turkey had assumed "an obstructing attitude" over the improvement of relations between NATO and the European Union because of its reservations about the Greek Cypriot participation in a NATO-backed EU mission in Kosovo. "Turkey does not bring up any rejection on the improvement of relations between NATO and the EU," Levent Bilman told a weekly press conference. "We have made our views clear on numerous accounts that the Greek Cypriot administration did not and could not represent the whole island or the Turkish Cypriots," he expressed.

Spokesman said Turkey expected that the cooperation between NATO and the EU must be carried out in line with previous agreements.

Bilman was referring to decisions adopted during a December 2002 EU summit which set the ground rules for a common European security and defence policy or the ESDP.

Accordingly, the summit affirmed that the Greek Cypriot administration would not be allowed to participate at operations which would use NATO's capabilities.

"Obviously, the EU mission in Kosovo will take advantage of an environment of security which was maintained by NATO, while it carries out its duties there," Bilman said [.]

"Turkey does not oppose in any way to the cooperation between NATO and the EU on this specific mission (in Kosovo) and all we ask of is compliance to the previous agreements that the two organizations reached in the past," he added.

[11] US Congressmen delegation to visit Turkey

A delegation of the U.S. congressmen will arrive in Turkey on Friday to hold talks with Turkish lawmakers.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc will receive U.S. delegation headed by Edward Whitfield, co-Chairman of Congressional Caucus on Turkish-U.S. Relations on May 28th.

Egemen Bagis, co-Chairman of Turkey-U.S. Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group, will host a dinner in honour of the U.S. delegation the same day. The delegation will proceed to Istanbul on May 29th and leave Turkey on June 1st.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[12] The Turkish press continues to assess the terrorist attack in Ankara

According to a report by Ugur Ergan in HURRIYET, it has been ascertained that military intelligence units informed the National Security Council during its 10 April meeting that the PKK was preparing to conduct suicide attacks. According to "reliable sources," the report adds, the military intelligence warned that the PKK would end its "so-called ceasefire" on 18 May and then carries out an attack in Ankara or another big city.

Commenting on the Ankara blast, MILLIYET columnist Fikret Bila writes that Chief of the General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit's assessment after the explosion shows that "the terrorist organization has selected new targets and new methods." Recalling that Gen Buyukanit warned that the organization might carry out similar attacks in the coming days, Bila says in his 500-word column that it seems there is "serious intelligence" about the terrorist organization's plans. Stressing that Gen Buyukanit has been pointing to the presence of circles that support the terrorist organization for some time, the columnist speculates that the chief of the staff apparently holds the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq and the United States responsible for the PKK activities.

Writing in the same newspaper, Taha Akyol argues that despite the lack of concrete evidence showing PKK involvement in the Ankara blast, there are signs that create the impression that the attack was conducted by this terrorist organization. In his column, Akyol adds that a PKK decision to launch terrorist attacks and the use of a "PKK-type" explosive have made the police think that the organization is responsible for the explosion in the Ulus Square. Stressing that suicide attacks, which were first conducted by Palestinian militants, are likely to spread to the region like a "mental disease," he says: "Considering the current atmosphere in the world, Chief of the General Staff Gen Buyukanit should have avoided announcing that similar suicide attacks might be conducted in other big cities. I am a writer! A party leader, a union member, or a terror expert can talk like that! However, senior state officials should avoid making such statements and creating the impression that further terrorist attacks are imminent in Turkey."

A commentary in HURRIYET by Bekir Coskun claims that the Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq and the United States are behind the terrorist attack in Ankara. Coskun adds that terrorism will not end unless the US administration stops supporting the PKK.

An article by REFERANS columnist Cengiz Candar draws attention to the "political climate" in which the terrorist attack took place. Focusing on Gen Buyukanit's warning that further attacks might be carried out in big cities, Candar asserts that it seems security bureaucrats are not surprised with this incident. Stressing that many crowded rallies will be held during the political parties' election campaigns, he asks whether this attack should be regarded as an attempt to prevent Turkey from holding democratic elections on 22 July. He says: "The current political climate legitimizes such questions," adding, "Considering all the options, we can say that there is a serious threat against democracy, but not the basic principles of the republic."

In an article entitled "Would Turkey be drawn into a civil war?", YENI SAFAK columnist Ibrahim Karagul describes the bomb attack in Ankara as one of a number of developments suggesting that "we are on the eve of a profound transformation aimed at redefining both Turkey's domestic political structure and its regional position. The social and cultural divides at home, the security problems, the extraordinary changes taking place around us and the new trends farther away look set to throw Turkey right in the middle of a sharp conflict at home and abroad." Karagul also poses such questions about the bomb attack as whether it was "in retaliation against the explosions in northern Iraq" or whether it was a warning of "what will happen to you if you enter northern Iraq" or "if you do not enter northern Iraq right away."

In an article under the title: "Terror is casting its vote", YENI SAFAK columnist Fehmi Koru argues that the bomb attack carried out in the Ulus district of Ankara makes sense only as part of a bid to influence the outcome of the forthcoming general election. He claims that terrorism has always "cast its vote" ahead of elections in Turkey ever since the early 1990s either through an escalation of attacks or through "silence" and recalls how the results of the 1999 and 2002 elections were "determined" respectively by public response to the extradition of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and the lack of any terrorist incidents with consequences for mass psychology.

Under the headline, "Part of the same dirty game," VAKIT publishes a front-page report which asserts that according to "experts," the suicide bomber who carried out the bomb assault in Ankara was used as a "pawn" by forces that are trying to create chaos in Turkey and "frighten" the public ahead of the presidential and general elections.

In an article entitled "That bomb was thrown at the nation as Represented by 'Ulus'", VAKIT Editor-in-Chief Hasan Karakaya asserts that the suicide bomb attack in Ankara is intended to influence President Sezer's impending decision on the constitutional amendment arranging for presidents to be elected through popular vote. He claims that the aim of the attack is to manipulate the "national will" so as to cause Turkey to choose "the twilight of moonlight" over "the brightness of the bulb." ["Moonlight" is the codeword said to have been used in reference to the coup that did not happen in 2004. "Bulb" stands for the ruling AKP.]

In an article entitled "The PKK, or 'Good Guys,' or 'Our Guys?'", VAKIT columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak asserts that the bomb attack in Ankara could not be "the work of the PKK" and warns that assaults could continue to be staged in the Black Sea and southeast regions as well as in Ankara and Istanbul. He calls attention to allegations linking the attack to an effort to have the forthcoming elections postponed and urges the Erdogan government to refrain from adopting an attitude that could "further embolden the other side".

Under the headline, "New scenario: To throw Turkey into chaos through suicide bomb attacks," ZAMAN publishes a front-page report which asserts that three suicide bombers have been captured in Istanbul and Adana. According to the report, the police have been put on high alert in all provinces.

In an article entitled "The answer lies in timing", Davut Sahiner, an "international security expert," claims that the bomb attack in Ankara was carried out by the terrorist PKK to increase the ongoing political tensions in Turkey and intensify "the destabilizing effect of the [Republican] rallies." Sahiner claims that the PKK has largely acted as a "proxy" for various groups ever since the capture of Ocalan and that it may have staged the attack in Ankara at the instigation of the following "suspects." 1. "Other countries." 2. Barzani and Talabani. 3. "Deep state gangs." 4. The Democratic Society Party, (DTP).

In a commentary under the title: "Could the Ulus bombing push the Gov't into cross-border operation?" TODAY´S ZAMAN columnist Lale Sariibrahimoglu recalls how "a senior Turkish general" told her "more than a year ago" that "a major PKK terrorist attack within Turkey, killing many and injuring dozens," could "prompt" the Turkish army to enter northern Iraq.

In an article entitled "The cycle of terror and the illiberal state," TODAY´S ZAMAN columnist Ihsan Dagi asserts that "a new isolationist wave is likely to shake Turkey amid the ever growing nationalism and anti-Westernism" in the wake of the suicide bomb attack in Ankara.

In an article entitled "Anafartalar", MILLI GAZETE columnist Hasan Unal refers to the suicide bomb attack on the historically named Anafartalar Street in Ulus, Ankara as an "organized" act with the "strategic" aim of warning Turkey against opposing the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq and intervening in Kirkuk.

EG/

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