Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 07-07-19

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish navy warships have started arriving in the occupied area for the celebrations of the Turkish invasion

[02] Two Estonian MPs held a meeting with Serdar Denktas

[03] Azerbaijani MPs are visiting occupied Cyprus in order to participate in the celebrations for the Turkish invasion to the island

[04] Ercakica: Talat and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon have agreed to meet at the earliest convenience

[05] The Turkish contracting company METS abandoned the project of constructing the north coastal road in occupied Cyprus

[06] This Country is ours platform has opened for signature for its member organizations a declaration of 10 principles

[07] Opinion polls on Sundays general elections in Turkey

[08] Report on Iraq by the Turkish Research Foundation (TEPAV) suggests Turkey to follow an integrated policy

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[09] From the Turkish Press on issues of the political agenda

[10] Commentary in the Cyprus Times on the scandals involved in the usurpation and sharing out of the properties of the Greek Cypriot European victims of the Turkish army in occupied Cyprus

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish navy warships have started arriving in the occupied area for the celebrations of the Turkish invasion

The paper also reports that a Turkish Grand National Assembly delegation headed by the deputy Speaker Ismail Alptekin is to arrive in the occupied area today to take part in the 33rd anniversary celebrations of the Turkish invasion and occupation.

Moreover, the paper reports that Alpaslan Nazlioglu, who will represent the Turkish President Necdet Sezer in the 33rd anniversary celebrations, has arrived in the occupied area. He started courtesy calls in the occupied areas.

(MHY)

[02] Two Estonian MPs held a meeting with Serdar Denktas

During the meeting Evlyn Sepp said that they preferred to get information from the officials in Cyprus instead of learning about the Cyprus problem from newspapers and people outside of Cyprus. Denktas in his turn said that they feel happy when they brief people from abroad.

(MHY)

[03] Azerbaijani MPs are visiting occupied Cyprus in order to participate in the celebrations for the Turkish invasion to the island

Azerbaijani parliamentarians Ganira Pashayeva and Havva Mammadova left for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday, Pashayeva told the APA, Azerbaijan Press Agency.

The visit is paid at the invitation of the speaker of TRNC Parliament Fatma Ekenoglu. Azerbaijan MPs will participate in the 33rd anniversary of Peace and Independence holiday of TRNC.

TRNC senior officials-President Mehmet Ali Talat, speaker of the Parliament Fatma Ekenoglu, Prime Minister Ferdi Sebri Soyer, Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister Turgay Avchi will receive them on July 18-19.

Azerbaijani MPs will also participate in the official state event to be held on holiday on July 20.

[04] Ercakica: Talat and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon have agreed to meet at the earliest convenience

He went on and added that during the telephone conversation generally the Cyprus problem was discussed and particularly the Ledra crossing, the antipersonnel mines and the leaders meeting. Mr. Ercakica further said that during the telephone conversation Mr. Talat raised and complained about the football match between the English team Luton Town and the Turkish Cypriot Cetinkaya which was not played because of Cyprus protest to the FIFA and the English Football Association. The statement also informed that Mr. Talat and Mr. Moon have agreed to meet at the earliest convenience.

(MHY)

[05] The Turkish contracting company METS abandoned the project of constructing the north coastal road in occupied Cyprus

(MHY)

[06] This Country is ours platform has opened for signature for its member organizations a declaration of 10 principles

1. This country is ours and we have to rule it

2. Intervention and pressure wherever it comes from is unacceptable

3. Imposed economic destruction packages could not be accepted

4. Provisional article 10 of the constitution should be removed

5. Administration sectors in our country should be left to civilian rule and should be democratized

6. Police force and the fire fighting brigades should be put under civilian authority

7. We have to plan, structure and run our economy

8. The negotiations in the Cyprus problem should continue without any preconditions

9. The lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem should be realized under the umbrella of the UN and Cyprus as a whole should be an EU member

10. The happiness of all the peoples living on our island is in peace and democracy.

(MHY)

[07] Opinion polls on Sunday�s general elections in Turkey

Competition in opinion polls continues:

While a few days are left for the elections on 22 July, the research companies have stepped up their work on their opinion polls. According to the outcome of the two latest opinion polls, the AKP [Justice and Development Party] is the leading party in the country. The CHP [Republican People's Party] is the second and the MHP [Nationalist Action Party] is close to the threshold.

The Administrative Research Center of the Foundation of the Graduates of the Political Sciences Faculty (YON-ARA) has finalized the last phase of the research it conducted in March and May. It was held under the supervision of Dr Metin Ozugurlu, lecturer at the Ankara University Political Sciences Faculty, in 19 provinces from 30 June to 8 July. Some 2,225 respondents were interviewed face-to-face during the research. Some 14.6 percent of the respondents were workers, 13 percent were civil servants, 21.3 percent worked for themselves and 26.5 percent were unemployed.

According to the outcome of the research, the AKP will emerge as the leading party. The votes it will secure will be between 28-33 percent. Some 64 percent of the voters who supported the AKP in the elections in 2002 said that they will vote for the same party. However, 15 percent said that they were undecided, 7 percent said that they will vote for the MHP [Nationalist Action Party], 4 percent said that they will vote for the CHP, 3 percent said that they will vote for the GP [Youth Party], and another 3 percent said that they will vote for the SP [Felicity Party].

The outcome of the research showed that the CHP is slowing down and even experiencing a partial regression, regardless of the progress it made as a result of the meetings that were held to support the republic in March and May. The number of the undecided left-wing supporters in the overall undecided voters seems to have increased. The CHP maintains the support of the 80 percent of the voters who voted for it in 2002. However, it is finding it difficult to secure new resources. According to the results of the opinion polls that were held in March and May, the CHP seemed neck and neck with the AKP. It now seems that it has fallen behind that party by 2 or 3 points. The CHP commands about 25.1 percent of the votes. Considering all that, the election of a third party to the parliament is guaranteed. According to the research, the Democratic Party [DP] is the organization that weakened most between March and May. It lost 4 points and now commands 3.5 percent of the votes. The GP seems to be supported by the 4.6 percent of the electorate. However, its votes will increase to 8 percent after the undecided voters are distributed among the political parties. But, it is not expected to be able to surmount the threshold.

Meanwhile, the opinion poll carried out by the Baskent [Capital] Strategic and Social Research Center also showed the AKP well ahead of the other parties. According to the outcome of the research, in which 4,800 respondents were interviewed, the AKP is the leading party with the 34 percent of the votes. The CHP is the second party with 19.1 percent. AKP Commands 36 Percent of the Votes in Ankara. As in Istanbul, the AKP has also been successful in Ankara. According to an opinion poll in the capital, in which 3,420 respondents were interviewed, the party leads with the 36 percent of the votes.

An opinion poll in Izmir showed that the CHP leads with 27.1 percent of the votes. The AKP is the second party with 16 percent, the DP is the third with 13.3 percent, and the GP is the fourth with 10.8 percent.

Another recent opinion poll published by Today�s Zaman newspaper on 19/07/07 reached the conclusion that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) will make it to Parliament after Sundays elections.

The survey, conducted by the Genar Research and Consultancy Company, aimed to take the pulse of the people as the countdown begins to the big day.

According to the survey, conducted on 3,524 individuals over the age of 18 from 26 towns, the AK Party will get 39.8 percent of the vote, followed by the CHP at 21 percent and the MHP at 13.3 percent. The total percentage of the vote the independents will take is 7.7 percent, the survey suggested.

Some 12.6 percent said they were still undecided. A majority of respondents said the recent crisis in the presidential election --where Parliament overwhelmingly voted for the AK Party nominee in the first round only for it to be canceled by a somewhat dubious Constitutional Court decision-- had worked in favor of the government party.

The findings of the poll showed that the number of votes on the left hadnt increased overall. The pollsters said the polarization of society during the presidential election process had worked in favor of the CHP and the MHP as well. However, the report introducing the findings said the alliance of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the CHP had not really had a significant effect. In light of all these evaluations, we can say that the CHP will remain the main opposition party, it said.

The poll suggests that the MHP faces no risk of staying under the 10 percent threshold barrier.

Some 1.4 percent of respondents who said they would vote for the AK Party said they still had some reservations, followed by a 1.2 percent of such voters among CHP supporters and 2.1 percent for MHP supporters. Genar also calculated the possible seat situation in Parliament after the elections. The AK Party is expected to have at least 297 deputies, the CHP 125 and the MHP would have at least 75 deputies. There would be at least 25 independent deputies, the poll found.

The considerable sum of 80.1 percent of respondents said they would certainly vote in the elections, while only 6.2 percent said they were not going to vote.

[08] Report on Iraq by the Turkish Research Foundation (TEPAV) suggests Turkey to follow an integrated policy

It is not possible to find radical solutions to Turkey's problems stemming from north of Iraq by solely using force, stated Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) in its Iraq report on Wednesday.

In its report, TEPAV argued that Turkey has to assume an integrated policy covering all "soft factors" like cultural, economic, psychological and social aspects.

"We have tried to put forward a medium-term perspective with this report," said Prof. Dr. Guven Sak, the director of the foundation, in a press conference held in Ankara to introduce the report.

On the other hand, "turning a blind eye to developments will not contribute to a solution," said researcher Mustafa Aydin, and noted that they took into consideration all possibilities when preparing the report, including "the possibility of establishment of Kurdish state".

Mustafa Aydin emphasized that "a very dynamic process" is under way in Iraq, and pursuing a policy --as if there is a static situation there-- will not solve the problems. Stressing the need to monitor the developments in the region and implement policies according to changing circumstances, Aydin said that not only military operation option but also cultural, economic, political and social options should be taken into consideration.

"If we only use military force, we may face some threats like clash with the terrorist organization PKK and Kurdish groups in the region, reaction of international community. And we may also lose influence in the region," he noted.

Aydin said that formation of a central government in Iraq in the short and medium term is not so likely, and noted that there may be a federal structure or confederation in this country.

"A divided Iraq" can be a second scenario, Aydin stated. According to Aydin, there may be an Iraqi Arab state and an Iraqi Kurdish state; or Iraq may be divided into three like a Sunni state, Shiite state and independent Kurds.

He added that Turkey should develop a "common strategy".

Touching on the "possibility of a Kurdish state and its possible location", another researcher Nihat Ali Ozcan said that it will be a terrestrial region, and be 900-1,000 kilometers away from the sea, and therefore it will need the assistance of neighboring countries for global integration.

[B] Commentaries, Editorials and Analysis

[09] From the Turkish Press on issues of the political agenda

In a commentary in Sabah newspaper Erdal Safak points out that it is the first time a Turkish leader has promised to withdraw from politics if he cannot rule alone. In commentary, Mr Safak stresses that no matter what the reason behind the statement is, "Erdogan's unexpected and self-confident declaration will undoubtedly affect the choices of a certain group of voters. Even if it does not lead to a polarization or to the formation of camps, the declaration will lead to a closing in of ranks. Those who did not really want to vote for the AKP [Justice and Development Party] but who neither wanted it to leave power (the ambivalence of Istanbul businessmen) will now vote for the AKP. Those who wanted to see it go will move away toward the strongest alternatives."

In an article also in Sabah, Mrs Asli Aydintasbas argues that Erdogan is confident his party will get at least 40 percent of the vote on 22 July. He said he will quit politics if he cannot rule alone, the columnist maintains, "because he wants to push the rival party leaders to a corner and get an advantage in the new political struggle that will begin after the elections." Erdogan wants to make Deniz Baykal's party leadership questionable, she adds.

Another Sabah writer Ergun Babahan, expresses the following opinion: "It is very important in terms of our democracy that the prime minister had the courage to say he would reassess his situation if his party failed to come to power on its own." In the article, the columnist urges all other party leaders to be inspired by this statement, and reassures them that other capable leaders will emerge in case they decide to withdraw from politics.

Milliyet columnist Taha Akyol maintains that the presidential elections will be the first item on the agenda after the elections. In an article, Akyol argues that the AKP and the Nationalist Action Party, MHP, will be the two parties that can agree the easiest on this issue. Relating a conversation he had with Vedat Bilgin, an influential MHP figure, the columnist announces that the MHP will act constructively with a view to reaching a consensus. Even though the AKP and MHP votes in the Assembly will be enough to elect a president, Akyol says, they should be careful not to antagonize the CHP and not to create opposing camps in the Assembly. Akyol hopes that the Assembly does not elect "a president who will create tension and obstacles on Turkey's path."

An article in Milliyet deals with Erdogan's Report Card at the Imam Hatip Islamic Schools, his Youth and his start in Politics. In the article, Can Dundar reveals Erdogan's report card in Imam Hatip school, according to which Erdogan was a slightly below average student who did poorly in Koran classes and Arabic but well in National Defense classes and in gymnastics. The prime minister was reportedly very socially active and a member of the debate club. Dundar bases his article on the findings of journalist Rusen Cakir who has been following Erdogan's political career.

A short report in Hurriyet refers to the murder of Tuncay Seyranlioglu, the independent candidate running from Istanbul who was murdered on 17 July, and discloses that he had 32 police records for fraud.

In an article entitled "This is what politics is about", Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru argues that rather than expressing any doubts about the AKP's prospects for being reelected into office, Prime Minister Erdogan's latest remarks disclosing that he will quit politics if the AKP cannot form a single-party government following the 22 July elections, are a call for voters to enable the AKP to win more seats in Parliament so that it could press ahead with its agenda easily.

Under the title: "Latest poll in Erdogan's pocket: 42-22-12" Yeni Safak publishes a Pollmark survey conducted last week which suggests that the AKP is poised to win the election by polling 42 percent of the vote, followed by the Republican People's Party, CHP, with 22 percent, and the Nationalist Action Party, MHP, with 12 percent.

Under the banner headline, "I dare you," Vakit newspaper publishes a front-page report which highlights Erdogan's remarks at the AKP's election rallies in Isparta and Konya announcing his intention to quit politics if his party fails to obtain enough votes to establish a single-party government and call on CHP leader Deniz Baykal and MHP leader Devlet Bahceli to do the same.

In an article entitled "It is the MHP not the AKP that is benefiting from the PKK's activities", Vakit columnist Ali Ihsan Karahasanoglu takes issue with MHP leader Bahceli over his remarks in Iskenderun yesterday accusing the AKP of cooperating with the PKK in the elections. Karahasanoglu asserts that the upsurge of PKK terrorism in the past few months has placed the AKP in a difficult position ahead of the election and that if there were any collaboration between the Erdogan government and the PKK, the latter would have been supposed to cease its terrorist attacks well in advance of 22 July. He also claims that it is common knowledge that the MHP can seriously hope to win representation in Parliament today only because of the escalation of PKK terrorism.

In an article entitled "From another standpoint", Vakit columnist Abdurrahman Dilipak calls attention to data suggesting that Muslims have a significantly weaker stake in cultural activity in Turkey (15 percent) than they do in politics (40 percent) and calls on Islamic sections to allocate more time and resources to learning, culture, and the arts and restrict the time, money, and human resources they devote to politics. He also warns that political struggle in general has started to dangerously divide the people into camps.

In an article entitled "Gul and Erdogan wanted us to join the crusade started by Bush", Milli Gazete columnist Suleyman Arif Emre accuses Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul of expecting to make reparations to the Bush administration for the defeat of the 1 March authorization bill on Iraq by arranging for the Turkish army to enter the "dirty war" in Iraq on the US side. Emre claims that to this end Erdogan and Gul have excluded some 153 deputies who voted to reject the said bill from the AKP's candidate lists.

Finally, Bugun, publishes an article entitled "Cut this out for future reference: A six-party Parliament is in the offing", Bugun columnist Hakan Aygun asserts that the Democratic Society Party, DTP, which is trying to send independent representatives to Parliament, will become a key group in the National Assembly without whose support no coalitions will be possible.

On Northern Iraq a banner headline in Hurriyet reports that some 3,000 former PKK fighters have joined the ranks of Talabani and Barzani peshmergas as mercenaries. According to the report by Saygi Ozturk, military sources say that those PKK members who did not return to Turkey after breaking away from the organization joined the peshmergas.

On the latest suicide bombings in Kirkuk Fikret Bila of Milliyet analyses the issues and he differentiates them from the anti-US and Sunni-Shi'a strikes throughout Iraq. In his article, Bila argues that the 7 July bombing in Kirkuk -- where 154 Turkomans were killed --aimed to force the Turkomans and Arabs to flee the city. The bombing on 17 July, he says, was probably carried out against the Kurds "on the grounds that they cooperate with the US forces in the occupation; because of the efforts to have Kirkuk placed under the Kurdish administration; and because 1,000 peshmergas wear Iraqi army uniforms and join the US forces in the operations in Baghdad." Bila expresses the view that "normalization" is certainly not taking place in Kirkuk, and accuses the United States and the regional Kurdish administration of dragging Kirkuk toward a civil war.

In an article under the title "The row over Iraq," Today's Zaman columnist Dogu Ergil argues that any cross-border military operation into northern Iraq these days would be "directed at the Kurdish government in Iraq" with the aim of "strongly convincing the Turkish electorate that Turkey will neither allow terrorist incursions into its territory from Iraq nor afford peace and stability to any administration that allows [them] for any reason."

On the gas deal with Iran Sami Kohen in Milliyet asks if the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran is the sign of a change of direction for Turkey. He argues in his article in Milliyet that with this accord, "the crack in Turkish-US ties becomes deeper." Faced with the US inaction in north Iraq, he affirms, Turkey opts for acting more freely. Nevertheless, Kohen goes on, whether or not the new government will pursue such a policy is debatable, and wonders if the United States and the West will change their negative stand toward Turkey if the latter pursues this new trend.

In an article entitled "We are closing ranks with Iran", Yeni Safak columnist Hakan Albayrak asserts that "Turkey has written history" by signing the latest natural gas agreement with Iran. He interprets the agreement as meaning that Turkey and Iran have "taken the wind out of the United States' sails in this part of the world" and that Tehran has "scored a goal" against US efforts to isolate Iran from the world. He also expresses the hope that the agreement will clear the way for strategic cooperation between Turkey and Iran in every field.

In an article under the title: "Is Turkey defying the US?", Yeni Safak columnist Ibrahim Karagul discusses the reasons behind the United States' "annoyance" at the natural gas agreement signed between Ankara and Tehran. He claims that the agreement will prove a major contribution to the development of Turkish-Iranian relations as well as increasing cooperation between the EU and these two countries, adding that the deal will not meet with criticism from Russia as expected. He also argues that the agreement means that Ankara does not recognize the US embargo against Iran.

Finally, in an article entitled "What is behind the Iran move", Zaman columnist Abdulhamit Bilici refers to the latest energy-related "memorandum of understanding" between Ankara and Tehran as a response to Russia's efforts to exclude Turkey from the "energy game" by signing natural gas agreements with Italy and "an objection to the United States' ruling out of the Iran option." Bilici also asserts that Turkey's move is a continuation of its policy of maintaining good relations with its neighbors and that with the exception of US neo-cons and certain cliques, the West regards Turkey's relations with Iran and Syria as a fortunate situation.

[10] Commentary in the Cyprus Times on the scandals involved in the usurpation and sharing out of the properties of the Greek Cypriot European victims of the Turkish army in occupied Cyprus

Hardly a day passed by in the country without a new scandal caused by ORP officials being unveiled.

With the interview he made during a live TV program, Variant Ahmet claimed that he had lent 100,000 dollars to Environment and Natural Resources minister Asim Vehbi and gave enough evidence to prove that his claims were not unfounded.

This claim provoked yet another wave of public criticism and protest, although both Asim Vehbi, and his relatives and friends refrained from making any comment regarding Variant Ahmet�s allegations.

Meanwhile, Variant Ahmet suddenly vanished into thin air despite promises that he would hold a press conference and reveal documented evidence regarding the bribery/extortion money scandal.

News we obtained from reliable sources state that Variant Ahmet and his partners in crime have been trying to strike a deal between them.

According to this agreement, Variant Ahmet would disappear from the scene and not reveal any of the documented evidence he has so that he could get back all the money he paid as bribe/extortion.

We have proved all this by airing on a TV program a taped conversation of the negotiations going on between Variant Ahmet and ORP officials.

Meanwhile, Variant Ahmet burst onto the scene again and rocked the entire country with his allegation on a TV program that the main actor behind the scenes of the crisis was the mufti who is the real person that has been ruling the Freedom and Reform Party since the very first day the party was set up.

As the Variant Ahmet crisis continued to grow, another scandal the mufti scandal surfaced and rocked the entire country once again.

A taped conversation between the mufti and the Kibrisli newspaper journalists, and the curses the mufti screamed at Asim Vehbi and Turgay Avci left the public reeling in rage and disbelief.

What the mufti said during this conversation sufficed to prove that the allegations of corruption, embezzlement and abuse of power among the Freedom and Reform Party officials were not unfounded.

Turgay Avci�s statement that there was no relationship of any sort between his party and the mufti only placed him in a more ridiculous position, for the mufti�s influential position and authority in ORP was not a secret to anyone in the country.

After the 100,000 dollars-worth lottery tickets scandal, a second scandal was unveiled, this time about Environment and Natural Resources minister Asim Vehbi who allocated state-owned land to Variant Ahmet through a council of ministers decision in the absence of any application and any procedures required for such transfers.

Although a new scandal was unveiled every day, Turgay Avci and ORP officials remained mute against all the accusations and allegations which were directed at them and refrained from making any comments about any of the scandals caused by party members.

Another scandal the Kibrisli newspaper revealed with documented evidence was about a British businesswoman named Amanda Warrender who was forced to purchase 10,000 pounds-worth lottery tickets issued by the Freedom and Reform Party so that Enver Ozturk would do her job.

A taped conversation revealing the details of this agreement made by Amanda Warrender, and former minister of Economy and Tourism, Enver Ozturk, was aired on Harman�s Dogruyu Soyle (Tell the Truth) TV program.

The broadcast of this taped conversation prompted yet another public outcry about the corruption, embezzlement and abuse of power among ORP officials.

As ORP officials used every means to impose a blackout on the press and to prevent news of the scandal from reaching the public, CTP officials lapsed into silence and chose to turn a blind eye on this disgrace-fullness for the sake of preserving their seats and positions at the government.

Certain journalists who were promised free trips, plots or bank credits by ORP officials burst onto the scene, hurling accusations and allegations against Kibrisli newspaper journalists who were only trying to bring criminals to justice, and claiming that the broadcast of taped conversation which proved the corruption, embezzlement and abuse of power among ORP officials was not ethical in any sense.

Yes, this was interesting but true.

These journalists believed that the taped conversations which helped unveil the scandalous crimes and irregularities perpetrated by ORP officials should not have been aired on TV.

Well, if we had not broadcast the taped conversations in mention, the embezzlement, corruption and abuse of power among ORP officials would have continued to remain only a rumor, which was what these so-called journalists wanted, anyway.

This is the first time this country has witnessed such a big scandal.

This is the first time this country has witnessed a scandal being unveiled in this manner. This is the first time this country has witnessed attempts to protect thieves, bribers and corrupt politicians under the guise of journalism. All these issues clearly indicate that not only the politicians, but also the journalists of the status quo are mired in moral degradation. But again, under the current circumstances where all form of immorality is accepted normal, this moral degradation among journalists and politicians must be accepted normal as well!...

EG/

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