Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 06-10-24

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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 occupied areas are celebrating the Ramadan Bayram with Talat and the Commander of the occupation forces receiving well wishers

[02] Press reports invoke EU sources on the Greek Cypriot sides approach of the Finnish proposals

[03] Turkeys Navy is producing its own sonar system

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[04] Columnist argues that the ruling AKP is financing the construction of hotels in occupied Cyprus

[05] Columnist in the New Anatolian argues that a war of attrition has started against AKP

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The occupied areas are celebrating the Ramadan Bayram with Talat and the Commander of the occupation forces receiving well wishers

The three-day Ramadan Bayram marks the end of the month-long period of fasting between dawn and dusk.

All the self-styled government and semi government offices, with the exception of essential services, will be kept closed until the 26th of October.

In line with the Bayram tradition the self-styled President of the illegal regime set up by Ankara, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat accepted well wishers at the so-called Presidential Palace this morning.

The commander of the Turkish Occupation Forces in Cyprus Lieutenant General Hayri Kivrikoglu also accepted well wishers at the headquarters of the Turkish Forces contingent in occupied Lefkosia.

[02] Press reports invoke EU sources to the Greek Cypriot sides approach of the Finnish proposals

It is reported that the Greek Cypriots are against the Finnish draft proposals prepared to prevent an impasse regarding Turkeys EU accession process.

It is also reported that although the Greek Cypriots are keeping quiet on the issue so as not to be blamed as the side that will reject the Finnish draft proposal first, they are worried about the developments.

It is reported that the Greek Cypriots do not want Finland to submit its proposal in writing.

According to information AB Haber news agency acquired from EU observers in Brussels, the EU leaders will try to bring together a solution in the summit which will be held in the mid December (14-15) in Brussels for the port crisis.

The Greek Cypriots underline that in the Finnish proposal Turkeys EU responsibility is combined with the isolations towards the TRNC. The Greek Cypriots, who note that the lifting of the isolation from Turkish Cypriots is not a responsibility of the European Union, but the implementation of Ankaras Additional EU customs protocol is an obligation for Turkey, are uneasy for the combination of these two issues in the Finnish proposal.

The EU observers said that the Greek Cypriot side doesnt want to take the responsibility of saying no from the beginning and added that as a matter of fact this same thing is taking place for 30 years now. There is a saying in Cyprus that whoever says no first, he takes the blame. The same observers were quoted to have said that while the Greek Cypriot side creates the impression that the possibility to accept the Finnish proposal is very low, there is a very low possibility also to say yes to the proposal but this will be a tactical yes.

The EU observers also note that Finland stresses that it is not final yet whether it will submit the proposal in written form or if the sides will accept the proposal but in their (EU observers) view if Finland submits the proposal in a written form to the sides, then its aim will be to corner both sides.

The EU observers believe than neither the Greek Cypriot side nor the Turkish side approach positively the proposal, but they are careful with each other in order not to take the responsibility.

In addition, Turkish daily CUMHURIYET newspaper (24.10.06) reports that the countries that support Turkey in the EU, approach with suspicion the Finnish proposal on Cyprus.

The paper invokes EU sources according to which this proposal includes risks for Ankara and that the acceptance of the proposal will be a political stupidity. According to the same sources, Ankaras hands will become weak on the Cyprus problem in case it accepts this proposal. The sources also support that the attitude of both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus on this issue cannot be accepted.

According to the sources, in case the Finnish proposal fails, the most positive scenario for Turkey will be the postponement of the two chapters under the name Customs Union and Free circulation of goods. The worse scenario for Turkey will be the cessation of the negotiation procedure, according to the same sources.

(DPs/CS)

[03] Turkeys Navy is producing its own sonar system

Thanks to work done by the Navy, Turkey is about to produce its own sonar system using domestic means and free itself from outside dependence for the first time. This system will be used on the vessel TCG Heybeliada, which is the first policing vessel of the National Ship (Milgem) Project. As part of the Navy's Far Horizons Project, maritime security to counter smuggling, terrorism and illegal migration starting with the observation of Turkey's coastlines will be fully implemented by the end of 2007.

The Naval Research Center Command (ARMERKOM) is part of the Navy's Research Project Development and Scientific Decision Support Division, which is one of the TSK's (Turkish Armed Forces) R and D centers. ARMERKOM aims to spearhead development of our defense industry on the path to producing home-grown, original systems by keeping track of new technologies. The reason for ARMERKOM being set up goes back to 1974. The embargo imposed after the Cyprus Peace Operation plus the problems it caused demonstrated once again the importance of defense production using domestic resources, and so the Navy founded its first R and D division at the Golcuk Shipyards in 1975 in order to follow advanced combat technologies and apply them to its own naval platforms. This move was followed in 1995 by the founding of the Software Development Center. ARMERKOM was set up in 1998 to put all Navy R and D work under one roof. Acting on the notion that "full independence is only possible through obtaining contemporary science and technology," ARMERKOM currently employs over 200 personnel and is working on about 80 projects. ARMERKOM designs combat management systems, which are defined as critical technologies, to meet the requirements for ships, planes and helicopters, and it also designs electronic warfare and underwater acoustic equipment as well as developing the software for them. ARMERKOM runs projects jointly with universities, TUBITAK [Science and Technology Research Board of Turkey] and NATO Technical Study Groups. ARMERKOM conducts research in the field of combat management systems and in areas where the national defense industry has not started working yet. It builds prototypes for the Navy, develops original software and then hands everything over to the national defense industry for mass production. ARMERKOM aims to ensure the development of home-grown systems meeting international standards by using cost-effective solutions that will take the Navy into the future.

ARMERKOM consists of four divisions: Software Development, Electronics Development, Electronic Warfare and Acoustic Research, and employs over 200 personnel made up of commissioned and warrant officers specializing in electronics, computers and acoustics, plus civilian engineers and workers. ARMERKOM is working on projects jointly with international R and D institutions in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Pakistan, Canada and NATO.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[04] Columnist argues that the ruling AKP is financing the construction of hotels in occupied Cyprus

He says:

The main reason that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus TRNC was turned into an open garbage dumping place is the uncontrolled building boom all over it. The island has become the holiday place of the lowest class of British people. Tasteless and worthless people are building cheap homes on plots of land belonging to others.

The building industry is the biggest industry in the island. I am sure Cyprus is way ahead of China in putting concrete on the ground.

Kyrenia in 5-10 years time will develop in such a way that the whole of northern shores of the island will be included in Kyrenia. There will be no villages. They will rape all the shores. If they are not burned down before, all the forests will be garbage dumping place.

With low-interest rate loans provided by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to its supporters, colossal hotels are being built. For tourists who will come or who will not. While Turkey, thinks of ways to get rid of the cheap tourists visiting Turkey.

On the other hand, Ankara is preparing infrastructure for cheap tourists in Cyprus. The level of a country is the level of its people living in it. For this reason there is no end of this course.

(MHY)

[05] Columnist in the New Anatolian argues that a war of attrition has started against AKP

This columnist was away in Erbil [Arbil] for more than a month. He was in constant contact with Ankara and the developments in Turkey and thus he had a good feel of what is going on in the country.

However, it is one thing being in close touch with events and another thing breathing the air of a country and feeling how trends are developing.

Back in Ankara, one feels that there is a campaign that is now underway to hurt the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) as much as possible and if necessary start a war of attrition that will last until the elections on November 2007.

Those of us who have been in this business for so long can read between the lines in newspapers and see clearly how this war is shaping up. So once again the secularist elite of Turkey are regrouping to stall the AK Party...

For the past two days, mass circulation daily Hurriyet has been drawing attention to the plight of pro-Islamic businessman Dursun Uyar and is actually demanding his arrest. The paper claims the businessman should be in prison and says he is being protected by this government and its ministers.

Uyar is the boss of the giant pro-Islamic Yimpas Holding which attracted huge funds from pro-Islamic masses. The company fell into financial difficulty and those who provided the funds, who were thousands of people who had invested their small savings in the company, lost all their money. This created a furor not only against Yimpas but against all similar pro-Islamic holding companies that attracted such funds form the masses.

Court cases were filed against Duyar and he was sentenced to prison and was ordered to pay a heavy fine. His case is pending at the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Hurriyet claimed that for the past four years the file on Duyar has been dormant at the Court of Appeals and in another eight months the case will be thrown out because of the legal time limit on the case will run out.

On Sunday, Hurriyet said there is an international arrest warrant for Duyar but despite this he was seen with four ministers attending a funeral on Friday.

It is clear that Hurriyet is out to get not only Duyar but also the AK Party and its cabinet ministers.

Meanwhile, mass circulation daily Sabah has also joined the AK Party bashing campaign. On Sunday the newspaper published a banner headline saying a telephone used to contact call girls belonged to AK Party Bingol Deputy Feyzi Berdibek. The paper said police found out that the telephone belonged to Berdibek who told authorities that while the phone was registered in his name someone else had used it to contact call girls. However, a Sabah reporter called the phone number and Berdibek answered it. Berdibek reportedly told the Sabah reporter: I am a bachelor. Don't bother me.

These are ugly stories that could harm any party. Why have they surfaced now is really no coincidence. The same newspapers could find similar stories against opposition deputies but it is clear that there the target is AK Party and the mass circulation papers have joined forces against AK Party in this war of attrition.

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