MIDEAST MIRROR 21.04.15, SECTION C (TURKEY & IRAN)

1-From today’s Turkish press

OPPOSITION PARTY ELECTORAL MANIFESTO: Murat Yetkin in centre-left Radikal: " Leader of the main opposition CHP (Republican People's Party) Kemal Kilicdaroglu is apparently pursuing two tactics in this election: First, not to quarrel, but start a debate with President Erdogan and the AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party]. Second, not to focus on ideology but on economic issues. Rather than criticize what the government does, he is saying what he wants to do himself. After so many years, the CHP is pursuing an election campaign by highlighting social issues and social democracy concepts and it seems that this is having an impact on the voters."

Ali Saydam warns of a ‘boomerang effect’ in moderate, pro-Islamic and pro-government Yeni Safak: "Despite all the confusion and exaggerated promises, the CHP is pursuing an economic-based campaign without attacking the AKP and its leaders. This is an important improvement. However, the promise-trust equation and the 'boomerang effect', which we have often noted, should not be forgotten. If the promises do create a feeling of trust, they return like a boomerang and hit the side making the promise."

Ahmet Sagirli accuses the opposition of peddling fairy tales in centre-right, pro-government Turkiye: "If the CHP comes to power, would it be able to offer pensioners two bonus payments? Yes, it would. Would it be able to make the minimum wage 1,500 liras? Yes, it would. These are theoretically possible. But what benefit would that have in practice? This economic system will take back whatever it may offer. The purchasing power of tomorrow's 1,500 liras would be less than today's 1,000 liras. This is not a story of good and bad men: ‘The bad men will go and the good will come and help the poor’. This only happens in fairy tales."

CONDOLENCES FOR ARMENIANS: Serkan Demirtas remarks on condolences for Armenians in Radikal: "Ankara's aim is to make this message circulate much more, stay on the agenda by being discussed and affect the probable decisions to accept the Armenian genocide claims before April 24th. Although the expressions used are not different from the previous years' statements and will not satisfy the Armenian public, this statement can still be evaluated as a significant development that strengthen Turkey's will to understand the April 24th  phenomenon."

Ali Sirmen in secular, Kemalist Cumhuriyet: "For a state that could not get rid of the stain of responsibility in Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's murder, it is difficult to be convincing in its statements on 1915. It is absurd to expect the state, which crashed the freedom of press and deported a journalist who said there had been genocide in 1915, to be convincing on the genocide issue. It is difficult for the country whose president talked about the probability of deporting the Armenians who do not have the citizenship of the Republic of Turkey, to be convincing on its 1915 statements."

MIGRANT DISASTER:  Abdullah Muradoglu moderate, pro-Islamic, pro-government Yeni Safak: "The contemporary West has turned the Mediterranean into a wall of shame for the Africans at the end of which there is death. The Mediterranean is not bringing together the civilizations, cultures but divides, kills and destroys them. The North/South divide has never seemed as clear in any other era of history. The EU is only concerned with the effort not to make the poor Africans reach their shores. The solution they found is to repulse them. Actually, they are saying 'go back to the hell you are living in'. The powerful Westerners are pursuing a hypocritical policy."

2-From today’s Iranian press

NUCLEAR TALKS: Hard-line Keyhan believes it is time to speak up: "What is mentioned in the explanatory notes of the U.S. State Department clearly differs and in some cases, contradicts what our negotiating team claims to be the Lausanne agreement. The American fact sheet informs of 'cash incentives' and 'credit promises'. The intention to destroy our nuclear facilities is evident. Our faith in our team is sufficient to give precedence to their version over the other side’s interpretation, but a comparison of the State Department's interpretation with the original text shows that in many cases, the U.S. fact sheet is consistent with the contents of Lausanne provisions! For a final judgement, there is no other option than releasing an Iranian fact sheet." 

Moderate Iran clarifies: "The most stressful conflicts in Washington over the past decades were not about the nuclear issue. The challenge that caused the most dreadful conflicts between the U.S., Israel and hostile Arab states is the change in the U.S. strategy regarding regime change in Iran. If Obama's policy of engagement leads to a final nuclear agreement, it will be a new chapter in the political history of Iran and the region. It will not be easy for Obama; the political life of all those moving along the path to a nuclear agreement will not be without risk." 

IRAN/SAUDI ARABIA: Reformist Arman lists the theatres of conflict with the Saudis: "The bombing of the defenceless Yemeni people and the assault on two Iranian teenage boys at Jeddah airport have made the prospects for Tehran/Riyadh ties unclear. Despite high Islamic commonalities, ties have never been agreeable. Saudi Arabia worries about Iran's influence. In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia's policies resulted in some political and religious groups standing against the resistance. With American orders, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have allocated $36bn in aid to the terrorists in ISIS, al-Nusrah Front and the Free Syrian Army in the four years of the Syrian crisis. In Iraq, Saudi Arabia has played a totally destructive role since 2003 and has tried to promote a tribal religious war. Since 2011, Saudi Arabia has resisted the Yemeni people's will for a change in the political structure of their country and has prevented the emergence of a national unity government."

REACTIONARY ARABS: Centrist Jomhuri-ye Eslami condemns: "The reactionary Arab proxy war against regional nations swelled the pockets of American arms manufacturers and helped them resolve their financial problems. The New York Times wrote that Middle East wars have been a blessing for the U.S.. Saudi fighters drop several tons of bombs every day on the defenceless and deprived people of Yemen and shamelessly justify their crimes as counter-insurgency and self-defence. Regional reactionary rulers have spent billions of dollars of Muslim funds to buy these weapons without firing a single shot at the enemies of Muslims. The reactionary Arab rulers are unaware that such measures and compliance to colonial powers will never ensure the survival of their thrones." 

YEMEN: Conservative Khorasan claims that Saudis have no strategy for Yemen: "Those, who claim to be Yemen's government and receive money from Saudi Arabia, have demanded that the Houthis must be disarmed. They do not know that crises can be resolved only with a realistic approach. The Houthis' military capability emerged from cultural and ethnic realities. In a country where non-governmental military players are much more important than classical armies, the demand for the disarmament of Ansarallah is more like a joke, which makes it clear more than ever that Saudi Arabia has no strategy for Yemen and believes it can achieve results only by shedding blood."

Hard-line Javan explains: "There are two explanations of the Saudi-led attacks on the Yemeni people. The nature and the strategies of the attacks comply with Zionist and colonialist approaches. The attacks are led by regimes that have been formed to serve the colonial interests of the Zionists and protect them. The Saudi ruling family and the reactionary coalition have attacked Yemen due to perceived threats from the spread of Iranian influence."

Reformist Mardom Salari revisits double standards: "Despite appearing to support Yemen, Russia abstained from the vote against the Houthis at the UN reflecting Kremlin's hypocrisy. Comparing Russia's performance in Ukraine with what Saudi Arabia does to maintain its hegemony over Yemen shows that members of the Security Council are ruthlessly set on their interests. The result is the double standard policies in Yemen, Syria and Iraq." 

IRAQ/TURKEY: Conservative Siyasat-e Ruz disapproves: "Iraqi President Fu'ad Ma'sum is due to visit Turkey. Baghdad insists that Turkish policies towards Iraqi Kurdistan have resulted in political tensions and even fuelled the country's division. Ankara should frame its policies in Iraq based on relations with the Iraqi central government and its principles. Turkey has also broadly supported terrorist groups, particularly in Syria on behalf of the U.S.. Apart from developing economic and political ties, the visit comes amidst popular criticism of Turkey." 

EGYPT/ISRAEL: Conservative Resalat is harsh on Sissi: "Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's dependence on Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sissi cannot be hidden! The current dictator of Cairo is seeking to use the influence of Americans to restore peace and stability in Egypt and push back the supporters of Mohamed Mursi and the Muslim brotherhood. Sissi has met with many Americans including William Burns and most of his actions are under the supervision of the Zionists and Netanyahu."

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