Turkish press and other media no. 38/09 25. 02. 09 A. News items

Illegal Bayrak television (24.02.09) broadcast the following from occupied Lefkosia:

“‘The Cyprus negotiations process is moving forward’.
Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica has said that discussions between the two leaders on the property issue were expected to be completed tomorrow or next week. He said that the two leaders will be moving onto the next issue, the European Union or the economy. Ercakica told reporters that any remaining differences on the issues discussed will continue to be taken by the leaders’ special aides.
Speaking to reporters at his weekly press briefing today, the Presidential Spokesperson Hasan Ercakica evaluated the latest stage reached in the Cyprus negotiations process as well as other domestic and foreign related issues. Pointing out that talks on the property issue was expected to be completed tomorrow or next week by the latest, Ercakica said moving on to the next issue so quickly did not mean that an agreement had been reached on the property issue. ‘There will be no limitations on the issue of property’ he said, adding that the senior aides of the two leaders will continue to take up issues where disagreements remain.
Ercakica said that the Turkish Cypriot Side’s aim was to reach a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus Problem by 2009. Ercakica said that the next issue to be taken up by the two leaders will either be ‘Economy or European Union’.
Referring to the upcoming EU parliamentary elections, the Presidential Spokesman reminded that 2 of the 6 seats in the European Parliament reserved for Cyprus belonged to Turkish Cypriots.
Ercakica called on the Greek Cypriot Side to keep those two seats empty until a comprehensive settlement is reached. He also added that any attempt by Greek Cypriot political parties to name Turkish Cypriot candidates would only be serve to usurp Turkish Cypriot rights within the European Parliament.
Pointing out that a solar energy project to be funded within the framework of the financial Assistance Regulation was being prevented by Greek Cypriots by citing the property issue as an excuse, Ercakica said that the Turkish Cypriot Side has not even received a third of the assistance envisaged by the financial regulation because of Greek Cypriot obstacles.
Also touching upon the problem of asylum seekers as well as illegal immigration, Ercakica reminded that the UNHCR had issued a warning that problem of illegal immigrants was expected to grow due to the global economic crisis. Stating that it was wrong to send back asylum seekers to the country of their origin, the Presidential Spokesman said that they tried to do their best to harbour and shelter Iraqi and Palestinian refugees or asylum seekers in the TRNC and that there was no government policy to send back such immigrants. Ercakica also pointed out that the TRNC was fighting human smuggling without any international help or intelligence.”
2. The murderer of Solomos Solomou describes how the events evolved the day the incident took place

Under the title “Shoot the dog”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (25.02.09) publishes in its first page an interview by Kenan Akin who is on Interpol’s red list of wanted persons for the murder of the Greek Cypriot youth Solomos Solomou.

“Akin spoke to Havadis about the events of the 11^th August 1996. Reminding that some former commanders who today have become peace apostles, that day they said ‘Shoot that dog; take him down’ and they fired, he said: ‘Today they have become peace apostles and I am a murderer. There is no such thing”, he stated. Akin went on and stated the following: “If it was today, I would not have been there. It was an unpleasant event in the history of Cyprus. I neither hit nor fired. In the atmosphere of that day many persons wanted to fight for the flag. I took my gun to fire as well, but the incident took place so quickly I was not able to fire. If they want they can make a ballistic research’.

Saying that that shooting the young man who climbed on the mast that day was wrong, Akin expressed his judgment on the incident of 11 August 1996. Saying that Interpol is not searching only for him but other names are also included in the list, Akin noted: ‘The person who gave the command for firing knows very well and who hit him”. Akin who left without replying to the questions of who fired and who gave the order, just said the following: “One Turkish Cypriot officer who was on duty in Turkey has been in the island then because of the incidents. He was the one who gave the order. After the order of ‘shoot that dog’ I involuntary, grabbed my gun. However I did not fire. He who then shouted ‘shoot that dog’ today has become a peace apostle’.”

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (25.02.09), in its front page under the title “The crossing-points should not be closed”, reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, was the guest of the television program “Last situation – Son durum” by Resat Akar on the local TV channel KIBRIS TV.

Noting that he does not support the strategy that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat is following regarding the Cyprus problem, Mr Denktas said: “The agreement that Talat will get from the path he is following cannot be lasting.”

(DPs)
4. Turkey’s MUSIAD holds contacts in occupied Cyprus

Illegal Bayrak television (24.02.09) broadcast the following from occupied Lefkosia:

“A delegation from the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association of Turkey, MUSIAD is continuing its contacts in the TRNC.

Later, the MUSIAD delegation visited deputy-Prime Minister Foreign Minister Turgay Avci. Mr Cakir told Mr Avci that the Association has been discussions ways to minimize the effects of global economic crisis on the Turkish economy with political parties, bureaucrats and academicians. Pointing out that the effects of the crisis have also been seen in the TRNC, he expressed the belief that the difficulties being faced would be eliminated thanks to cooperation between the two countries.

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Ankara:

“Turkey shared the view of Israel in regard to improvement of relations, the spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Burak Ozugergin, spokesman of the ministry, held a press conference in Ankara and said that Turkish authorities were evaluating the response of Israel to the note of Turkey regarding the Israeli Commander of Ground Forces Avi Mizrahi's remarks.

Israeli Ambassador in Ankara Gabby Levy conveyed the response to Turkish authorities on Monday and the importance of continuation of Turkish-Israeli relations was underlined in the response, Ozugergin told reporters.

Israel's response of note was sent to the Turkish Prime Ministry and General Staff, he said. The note of response said that Mizrahi's remarks did not reflect the official position of Israeli government or Israeli General Staff, diplomats from the ministry said on Monday.

“The US administration has not asked Turkish government to use any military bases in Turkey or deploy more Turkish troops to Afghanistan, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

‘We have not received any demands for transfer of US military units to Afghanistan or troops withdrawing from Iraq’, spokesman Burak Ozugergin told a press briefing.

The United States has no military bases in Turkey, Ozugergin reminded. He said the Incirlik military base, which is located in southern Turkey, was being used by US army due to alliance relations and several military agreements. However, he said, ‘but it does not change the fact that Incirlik is a Turkish base’.

Last week, US President Barack Obama approved adding some 17,000 troops in Afghanistan, a move to increase the number of US troops in this country 50 percent.

Upon a question if Obama administration asked Turkish government to deploy more troops to Afghanistan, Ozugergin said Turkey has not received such demands either.

Turkey has some 750 troops in Afghanistan serving in NATO forces.”

“Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on the third countries to support the process aiming at normalizing the relations between Turkey and Armenia.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Tuesday, Ozugergin said, ‘we have been carrying out a series of talks with Armenia in order to normalize our relations. We think that it is not proper to send messages to each other through the press during this process’.

Ozugergin called on the third countries to support the process between Turkey and Armenia since any intervention could have a negative impact on talks. ‘We wish to maintain our cooperation and consultation mechanisms with the new administration of the United States in all areas concerning our joint foreign policy. We got the impression that the US administration also intends to cooperate with us’, he added.”

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Lyon:

“Turkish Industry and Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan called on the European Union (EU) member states to act in line with a recent decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that eased visa regulations for Turkish businessmen.

Minister Caglayan delivered a lecture on "the economic integration between Turkey and the EU" at the EMLYON Business School on Tuesday. Caglayan's lecture was listened by dozens of students receiving courses in English and French at the EMLYON Business School. Minister Caglayan talked about the economic developments in Turkey and Turkey's relations with the EU.

Criticizing visa requirement of the EU from Turkish businessmen, Caglayan expressed happiness over a recent decision of the ECJ that lifts visa requirements of the EU from Turkish businessmen. ’ECJ's decision, once again, displayed the rule of law. The visa issue is actually a violation of human rights of Turkish businessmen’, Caglayan said. ’60 percent of all Turkish exports go to the EU. 75 percent of Turkey's imports come from the EU. It is not just for Turkish businessmen to apply for EU visas while EU businessmen enter Turkey freely, without receiving visas’, Caglayan said.

"EU membership is Turkey's unchangeable strategic goal. It is impossible for Turkey to accept any other alternative other than full membership. We look at the EU negotiations as Turkey's 'modernization project'. The Turkish people extend full support for this project," Caglayan said. ‘We want to make Turkey a base for goods and services in Europe and Eurasia’, Caglayan noted.

Touching on the global financial crisis, Caglayan said that Turkey would not be affected much by the crisis. There is no bank in Turkey that has been hit by the global crisis, Caglayan said.

Chairman of the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency, Alparslan Korkmaz, and Dean of the EMLYON Business School, Tugrul Atamer, also delivered lectures at the EMLYON Business School on Tuesday. Minister Caglayan is expected to return to Turkey on Wednesday.”

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Ankara:

“Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan spoke Tuesday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Expressing willingness to cooperate with each other, Babacan and Clinton discussed foreign policy issues and spoke about their countries' position regarding the Middle East, Caucasus, Central Asia, Balkans and energy issues.
U.S Special Envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell's upcoming visit to Turkey was also discussed during Babacan and Clinton's phone conversation. Mitchell is set to visit Turkey on Wednesday.
Both Babacan and Clinton are expected to attend the conference on Middle East, which will be held in March in Sharm el Sheikh city of Egypt.”

8. US Ambassador to Turkey comments on James Jeffrey’s trip to Ankara

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Ankara:

“US Ambassador in Ankara, James Jeffrey said Tuesday that the US both acknowledged and supported Turkey's recent key role in the Middle East.
Jeffrey told reporters in Ankara that George Mitchell, US Special Envoy to the Middle East, would pay a two-day visit to Turkey.
‘We haven't made an official announcement yet but Mitchell will be visiting Turkey for the next two days. This is because Turkey has been playing a key role especially in the Middle East. A constructive role in Iraq and a leading role in Syria, Israel and Lebanon. We support this and want to provide coordination’, said Jeffrey.
When asked to comment on Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent call on the US to redefine terrorism, Jeffrey said the US was in close cooperation with Turkey against terrorist organisation PKK. He said the US viewed all groups that deliberately attacked civilians as terrorists, regardless of their motives.”
9. Turkey and Russia to participate in Eastern Partnership Projects

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Brussels:

“Member states of the European Union (EU) agreed on Tuesday that Turkey and Russia shall participate in the "Eastern Partnership" initiative on a project basis.

Speaking after a meeting of EU's foreign ministers in the Belgian capital of Brussels, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that the partnership's comprising of 6 permanent member states (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus) did not mean that Turkey and Russia would be left outside.  Kouchner said that EU agreed to call on these two countries to participate in several projects to be carried out within the framework of the partnership.

The Eastern Partnership is a project which was formally proposed to be initiated by the European Union (EU). It was presented by the foreign minister of Poland with assistance from Sweden at the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on May 26, 2008.

It is meant to complement the Northern Dimension and the Union for the Mediterranean by providing an institutionalised forum for discussing visa agreements, free trade deals and strategic partnership agreements with the EU's eastern neighbours, while avoiding the controversial topic of accession to the European Union. Its geographical scope is to consist of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Belarus will also participate at a technical level.”

Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.02.09) reported the following from Ankara:

“Turkish Parliament Speaker's Office said, ‘according to the irrevocable Article 3 of the Turkish Constitution, Turkish is the official language of the Turkish state. No one can propose to amend those irrevocable provisions of the Constitution. Since the parliament is a constitutional institution, all MPs are obliged to use the official language of Turkish in their all kinds of legislative actions’.
Releasing a statement after Ahmet Turk, chairman of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), made a part of his speech in Kurdish language at his party's group meeting in the parliament, the Parliament Speaker's Office said, ‘legislative actions at the parliament do not consist only of general assembly works. They also include consultative board meetings, works of commissions and political parties' group meetings. Use of any language except for Turkish means an open violation of the Constitution’.
‘Article 81 of the Political Parties Law also bans use of any other language by political parties during congresses, outdoor or indoor meetings, rallies and propaganda. Accordingly, it is evident that use of any other language apart from Turkish at a political party group meeting is legally impossible. Therefore, state-owned TRT channel cut off the speech not to allow any action against the Constitution and the laws’, the statement added.”
B. COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

1. Columnist views the geopolitical developments in the Black Sea

Istanbul Yeni Safak newspaper (24.02.09) publishes a column by Ibrahim Karagul under the title “The Geopolitical Earthquake: Who will collapse, and who will rise?”:

Following are the summaries of reports and commentaries of selected items from the Turkish press on 24 February 2009:

In an article entitled "Conscience and Heart", Yeni Safak columnist Fehmi Koru comments on questions posed by certain Western and domestic circles as to whether Prime Minister Erdogan's Davos walkout and his election campaign messages regarding the West signify that Turkey is ending its alliance with the West and shifting its interest to the East.  Koru claims that the ruling AKP is becoming increasingly sceptical about relations with Western countries before he goes on to advise "well-meaning Westerners who are trying to understand what is going on in Turkey" to engage in some soul-searching regarding what he describes as their pro-Israeli stance on the Mideast dispute and their "lack of conscience" vis-à-vis the injustices to which Muslims are subjected.

In a column in Hurriyet, Mehmet Ali Birand says Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan resorts to the tactic of gaining popular support by portraying himself as a victimized but rebellious opposition leader, never as the head of the government accountable for his performances, and is now using the same tactic in its fight with the Dogan media group. Birand notes: "Like an opposition leader he blames the CHP. He criticizes briskly whenever he gets the opportunity. He slams them down. Nowadays he selected a new target:  Dogan Yayin Holding (Dogan Media Group). With an attitude of a rebellious leader who experienced injustice he complains about papers that criticize him and journalists who act in the natural course of their occupation. He does this so naturally that people who don't know what's going on get the impression of a 'Poor AKP leader who cannot free himself from injustice and thus rebels’. Also 40 percent of his supporters are comprised of the press that he calls 'party media' and support the AKP unconditionally. Besides, I have never seen an administration before that could with this tactic increase its votes.

Summarizing the results of journalist Tarhan Erdem's Konda poll "Who are we? Lifestyle 2008" in a column for Hurriyet, Cuneyt Ulsever says "the study is full of surprising findings for not only academics, intellectuals, journalists and politicians but also for industrialists, bankers, trade unions and merchants.  I suggest top-level managers of private sector companies discuss the results among themselves. I extend my heart-felt appreciation to Erdem and his team."

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