TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 30/13 12/2/13
1.
“Erdogan: Turkey never abandoned its goal of EU membership”
2.
Explosion at Turkish-Syrian border gate kills 13, police search two suspects
3.
TPAO and Shell to sign a $350 million agreement
4. Yıldız expressed Turkey’s
determination to Northern Iraq energy market
5.
Turkish Cypriot businessmen visit northern Iraq
6.
Coal-generating company in Turkey to set power plant with Chinese firm
7.
Elcil’s impressions from his visit to London on the Cyprus problem
8.
Amcaoglu on water transfer from Turkey
9.
1st plenary meeting of Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation
Organization
10. Tatar says Net Holding Group’s investments reached 1.5 billion TL
10. Tatar says Net Holding Group’s investments reached 1.5 billion TL
11.
Turkey's EU minister departs for London
12.
Turkish economy minister is paying a visit to Libya today
13.
German investors in negotiation with the breakaway regime for the construction
of a new waste facility
14.
Developments in Turkish airlines signing Turkey’s conservative turn
1. “Erdogan: Turkey never abandoned its goal of EU
membership”
Under the above
title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.02.13) reports that the
Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan , addressing the ambassadors of EU
countries at a dinner held last night at the Prime Ministry in Ankara, said
that Turkey has never abandoned its primary goal of EU membership and that it
is determined to speed up the process.
Erdogan, who
recently hinted that Ankara is seriously pondering joining the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO), he added that while Turkey renews its
commitment to the negotiation process, it also expects substantial moves from
the EU side, such as the opening of new chapters.
Erdogan said
that not a single chapter was opened for negotiations over the past
two-and-a-half years. This, he stated, constitutes a first of its kind in the
history of EU enlargement deeming the fact a sign of disrespect towards Turkey,
which witnessed significant progress in a number of areas over the past 10
years. He said the situation is “unacceptable”.
Erdogan claimed
that Turkey's membership in the EU will present a good example and bulwark
against racism, as well as the theory of a clash of civilizations between the
Western and Muslim worlds.
2. Explosion at Turkish-Syrian border gate kills
13, police search two suspects
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.02.13) reports that Turkish police are searching for two people
as suspects for a blast where at least 13 civilians were killed and 28 others
were wounded February 11 at the Cilvegözü border gate on the Turkish-Syrian
border, in the southern province of Hatay's Reyhanlı district.
Turkish police
are searching for two people who parked two separate cars before the explosion
took place, CNN Türk has reported.
According to
recorded CCTV footage, the two suspects left their vehicles just minutes before
the explosion. The broadcaster added that the police sketches of the two people
had been prepared and that a search was under way.
CNN Türk also
said there could be more deaths, but that some of those killed could have been
taken over to the Syrian side of the border.
.
3. TPAO and Shell to sign a $350 million agreement
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.02.13) reports that Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources, Taner Yildiz said as Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), they will
be signing on Thursday an agreement of $350 million based on searching
petroleum and natural gas.
Speaking on
Kanal 24 TV channel on Monday, Taner Yildiz replied questions regarding the
search of petroleum and he reminded that there would be new projects to be
developed in the Black Sea.
Yildiz noted
that they came across natural gas in Black Sea and they would hold works in the
close region.
"From the
natural gas and petrol sources' point of view, we are not like Saudi Arabia.
However, all countries have to calculate their own advantage and disadvantages,
then act accordingly," suggested Minister Yildiz.
4. Yıldız expressed Turkey’s determination to
Northern Iraq energy market
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (11.02.13) reports that Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said that “Turkey cannot remain indifferent to a blossoming energy market in Iraq's north and will not exert extra effort to coax parties who dislike this fact”.
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (11.02.13) reports that Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said that “Turkey cannot remain indifferent to a blossoming energy market in Iraq's north and will not exert extra effort to coax parties who dislike this fact”.
“What is more
natural than us looking after our interests in energy cooperation with the
local government in Iraq's north? … Some countries may not approve of this but
we are not considering a halt in investments in this regard,” Yıldız told a
private TV channel in İstanbul.
Underlining that
Turkey has investments in the energy markets of Venezuela and Colombia, Yıldız
said “it will be strange to turn a blind eye to a market sitting next to us.”
Turkey has
recently ramped up its energy cooperation with the autonomous Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq's north. The broad energy partnership between
the two ranges from exploration to exports and the landlocked KRG has little
option but to export the region's oil and gas reserves to world markets.
5. Turkish Cypriot businessmen visit northern
Iraq
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (12.02.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen
Council (Cyprus TIAK) in cooperation with Turkey’s Businessmen and
Industrialists’ Confederation (TUSKON) organized a business trip to the city of
Erbil in northern Iraq between 11 and 14 of February, 2013.
Under the title
“40 businessmen participated”, the paper the paper publishes statements by
Ilker Zugurt, chairman of the administrative council of Cyprus TIAK, who said
that their aim was to see in which fields they could cooperate with northern
Iraq, “the star of which is shining in the area and is considered as the Dubai
of the future”. He noted also that they aimed at developing their trade
cooperation and at inviting northern Iraqi entrepreneurs to invest in the
occupied area of Cyprus.
(I/Ts.)
6. Coal-generating company in Turkey to set power
plant with Chinese firm
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (12.02.13) reports that Turkey’s Hattat Holding is in talks
with Chinese and South Korean firms, to develop Amasra coal mines, setting a
goal of a total of 3.5 billion euros in investments there.
The company
holds a license to extract coal in Amasra province in the Black Sea region, and
it plans to establish a coal-fired thermal power plant there with a
1,320-megawatt (MW) capacity.
“We are in talks
with one Chinese and one South Korean firm. We negotiate with the Chinese one
more frequently, but the South Korean firm is a giant one and they are very
eager about the deal too. I think we will sign a deal by June,” İpek Hattat, a
board member of Hattat Holding, said.
She did not give
the names of the companies, but she said the company would invest more than $1
billion in the power plant. The investor
company will select the engineering and construction firms that will take part
in the power plant’s construction. Hattat said the discussions with these firms
were continuing.
7. Elcil’s impressions from his visit to London on
the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot
daily Afrika newspaper (12.02.13) reports that a delegation from the Trade
Unions’ Platform, which had been in London for various contacts, returned to
the occupied area of the island the day before yesterday. Sener Elcil, general
secretary of the primary school teachers’ trade union (KTOS), evaluated the
results of the visit and conveyed to Afrika his impressions regarding the
stance of the British government on the Cyprus problem.
Elcil argued
that the British government wants the chairman of Democratic Rally Party
(DISY), Nikos Anastasiades to win the forthcoming presidential elections in the
Republic of Cyprus and officially supports the “strategy of a solution plan
focused on the oil and natural gas” in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
He said that the British plan is the resumption of the Cyprus talks after May
or June and to shape a solution which will have as its center the oil and
natural gas.
Elcil claimed
that the Turkish Cypriots will lose the struggle for their existence if they
are not united, and added that Turkey ignores the Turkish Cypriots. He argued:
“The interests of Turkey, Britain, the Greek Cypriots and the USA on the island
will be secured, but we, the Turkish Cypriots, will not exist on this stage and
we will lose. Turkey will decide for us. Therefore, we must be on the
stage”.
Elcil noted that
responding to one of his questions, the former British Foreign Minister, Jack
Straw told him that during the period of the Annan Plan they bargained for
Britain to take the sovereignty in a field in the sea. He said that Britain
will not abandon its sovereign military bases, which have become more valuable.
He noted that they were told that NATO has the right to use these bases and it
can use them whenever it wants.
Noting that they
told their interlocutors that Turkey does not support the rights of the Turkish
Cypriots, Elcil added: “They are not aware of our existence. The AKP says to
them that ‘they [the Turkish Cypriots] do not have a say, discuss with me, I
will decide for them’. Therefore, we attached great importance to this
meeting”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Amcaoglu on water transfer from Turkey
Illegal Bayrak
television (11.02.13) reports that the self-styled minister of agriculture and
natural resources Ali Cetin Amcaoglu has said that the project of the century-
the water transfer project is progressing faster than planned.
Speaking on
Bayrak Haber, Amcaoglu said that the construction of the Dam in occupied
Panagra village will be completed by the end of October, 5 months earlier than
expected, and that works for the placement of supply pipes have started.
He said that the
construction of the line for the transmission of water from Turkey will be
launched within this week and that placement of underwater pipelines will start
in summer. As he said, the water to be transferred will be used for potable and
irrigation purposes.
Furthermore, in
an interview to the Anatolian News Agency, (12.02.13) Amcaoglu said that the
Turkish Cypriot side is ready to consider sharing its water resources with the Republic
of Cyprus if such a request comes.
Also, referring
to the upcoming presidential elections, he alleged that “the election of a new
leader isn’t very important, as the Greek Cypriot side is certain to maintain
its intransigence on the Cyprus problem”.
9. 1st plenary meeting of Parliamentary Assembly of
Economic Cooperation Organization
Ankara Anatolia news agency (11.02.13) reports that the first plenary meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and a related signature ceremony for the establishment of the assembly, began in the Pakistani capital of Islamaabad on Monday.
Ankara Anatolia news agency (11.02.13) reports that the first plenary meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and a related signature ceremony for the establishment of the assembly, began in the Pakistani capital of Islamaabad on Monday.
Parliament
speakers of Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and
Kyrgyzstan are attending the meeting in Islamabad.
Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are being represented by deputies in Islamabad.
Speaking at the
meeting, Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek stressed that the ECO was a
community with 400 million people. "We need to be in solidarity so that
the ECO is respected and strong," Cicek underlined.
ECO was
established by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in 1985. Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan,
Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan joined the ECO in 1992.
10. Tatar says Net Holding Group’s investments
reached 1.5 billion TL
Turkish Cypriot
daily Gunes newspaper (12.02.13) reports that Ersin Tatar, self-styled minister
of finance of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus, has said that the investments of Turkish Net Holding Group in the
occupied area of the island, reached 1.5 billion Turkish liras (TL). According
to a statement issued by his office, Tatar visited on Sunday the Merit Royal
Hotel, which is under construction in occupied Keryneia area and met with Reha
Arar, president of the administrative council of Merit International and Irfan
Hurriyetoglu, general director of the hotel.
“I congratulate
Besim Tibuk, who offered great services to the TRNC and made big investments in
tourism”, he said during the visit, noting that Merit Royal Hotel which will
open soon, will “bring a new vision to the TRNC”. Tatar went on and added that
such investments promote the breakaway regime in the world.
(I/Ts.)
11. Turkey's EU minister departs for London
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (12.02.13) reports that
Turkish Minister of EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis on
Tuesday departed from Istanbul and is on his way to the British capital of
London to hold formal talks.
Speaking to the
press prior to his departure from the Ataturk International Airport, Bagis said
that he would meet with Lord William Wallace, the Spokesperson for the House of
Lords for foreign relations and defense, and then gather with the members of
the Parliamentary EU Enlargement Group.
Giving information
on his planned talks in the United Kingdom, Bagis said that they would send
several messages through the British media.
"United
Kingdom is among the countries which extend support to Turkey's EU
process," Bagis underlined.
"The UK has
made different outbursts on the EU and the upcoming term. UK Prime Minister
David Cameron announced that they would carry their membership in the EU to a
referendum if they won the elections in 2015. There are actually two
attention-grabbing leaders in the EU in recent times. One of them is the
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the other is David Cameron.
They make statements warning Europe. They are conveying their sensitivities, so
no one could say in the future that they did not warn. I do hope that the EU
public opinion receive the warning messages from these two leaders," Bagis
underlined.
12. Turkish economy minister is paying a visit to
Libya today
Ankara Turkish
Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan will pay a one-day visit in Libya today,
according to his press office.
Caglayan will be
accompanied Turkish businesspeople, exporters and representatives from Turkish
construction firms and he will meet with Libyan President Mohamed Yousef
El-Magariaf and Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.
Caglayan will
also meet separately with his Libyan counterpart Mustafa Abu Fannas, Housing
Minister Ali Hussein Al-Sharif, Finance Minister Alkilani Al-Jazi, Transport
Minister Mohamed Al-Ayib.
The Turkish
minister will participate in a meeting of the Turkish-Libyan Business Forum and
address the Turkish and Libyan businesspeople.
Caglayan's
meetings in Libya will discuss Libyan government's late due debt payments to
Turkish contractors, agreements to set up a free-trade zone and to prevent
double taxation as well as relations in trade, industry and tourism.
13. German investors in negotiation with the
breakaway regime for the construction of a new waste facility
Illegal Bayrak
television (12.02.13) reports that the self-styled minister of tourism,
environment and culture Unal Ustel, stated that investors from Turkey and
Germany are currently negotiating with the “ministry officials” for the
construction of a new waste facility in the breakaway regime.
Ustel, who was participating in a television
program, also said that talks are being maintained between the breakaway regime
and the Republic of Cyprus for the temporary transfer of whey waste from
occupied areas to a facility in the free areas.
14. Developments in Turkish airlines signing
Turkey’s conservative turn
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (12.02.13) reports that the new uniforms of Turkish
Airlines (THY) hosts and hostesses have raised eyebrows in Turkey after the
photos of the new designs have leaked to Twitter. The public has found the new
clothing very conservative, stirring controversy on social media channels such
as Facebook and Twitter. The new outfits, which were created by famous Turkish
designer Dilek Hanif, have been first published on Twitter and later on spread
by Facebook.
The
most-criticized parts of the uniforms are the hats. Some have claimed the hats
– along with the whole outfit – are reminiscent of costumes in the Ottoman-era
TV serial “The Magnificent Century” (Muhteşem Yüzyıl).
THY
representatives have responded to the Twitter reactions, saying the uniform
designs have not been finalized yet.
In addition,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (12.02.13) also reports that Turkish Airlines will stop
serving alcoholic beverages in business class during domestic flights except
when flying to six specific destination points, claiming the demand was too
low.
After surveying
the preferences of passengers over the last year, Turkish Airlines has decided
to remove alcoholic drinks from the service menu except during flights to
İstanbul, İzmir, Bodrum, Dalaman, Antalya and Ankara.
Alcoholic
beverages used to be served to business class passengers aboard domestic
flights up until last week. Planes flying domestic routes will now not stock
alcoholic beverages on board as part of austerity measures regarding service
goods.
Recently, THY
aroused public criticism with several passengers having reported that when they
asked for alcoholic drinks the cabin crew denied their requests, saying that
alcohol had been forgotten to be loaded with the plane’s cargo.
Turkish Airlines
currently offers alcoholic drinks to both economic and business class
passengers on international flights except en route to Iran and some Arab
countries as demand is low.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
/EI
