TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
1.
Eroglu to participate in the 12th OIC meeting in Cairo
2.
“Erdogan: After 50 years of waiting, Turkey looking for alternatives to EU”
3. Cyprus problem on the agenda of Erdogan’s contacts to Czech Republic Hungary and Slovakia
3. Cyprus problem on the agenda of Erdogan’s contacts to Czech Republic Hungary and Slovakia
4. Turkish Parliament considering bid to turn Hagia
Sophia into mosque
5.
Trade union reacts to the restoration of Apostolos Andreas Monastery
6.
Ship under Hong Kong’s flag carries water pipes to occupied Famagusta port
7.
Second round for UBP voting to be held on February 24
8.
Freedom and Reform officially closing down
9. The IDSB meeting which
took place in the occupied area of Cyprus come to an end
10. Ali Osmen Safa speaks
about the construction of a five-star hotel in occupied Lapythos
11. Trade Union Platform to
carry contacts in London
12. The occupation regimes
participates in a fair in London
13.
An event for promoting tourism of the breakaway regime was organized in Berlin
14. Photo fair about Cyprus has opened in Azerbaijan
14. Photo fair about Cyprus has opened in Azerbaijan
15.
International university congress to be held in occupied Cyprus in April
16. Sixty thousand illegal Turkish settlers have reportedly left occupied Cyprus during the past two years
16. Sixty thousand illegal Turkish settlers have reportedly left occupied Cyprus during the past two years
17.
Hurriyet Daily News and FRANCE 24 to
cooperate by exchanging English-language content on their websites
1. Eroglu to participate in the 12th OIC
meeting in Cairo
Illegal Bayrak
television (04.02.13) broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu
is going to Cairo, Egypt to participate in the 12th meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) upon an invitation by the general secretary of
the OIC Ekmeleddin İhsanoglu.
Eroglu is
travelling to Cairo tomorrow. The summit is starting on Wednesday. According to
Bayrak Eroglu will also hold contacts in the sidelines of the meeting. He will
return to Cyprus
on February 8. He will be escorted by his special advisor Osman Ertug.
2. “Erdogan: After 50 years
of waiting, Turkey looking for alternatives to EU”
Under the above title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (04.01.13) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized EU for putting Ankara's membership bid on hold and said Ankara was looking for alternatives to the 27-nation bloc “after waiting for five decades to join it”.
Under the above title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (04.01.13) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized EU for putting Ankara's membership bid on hold and said Ankara was looking for alternatives to the 27-nation bloc “after waiting for five decades to join it”.
Speaking to
reporters in Ankara
before flying to Prague
for a visit, Erdogan stated:
“I ask this
question concerning the EU: Doesn't a country need to make a decision after it
has been kept waiting for 50 years [for membership]?” Erdogan said, announcing
that he will convey the message openly to EU leaders when he visits Brussels soon. “If you
are going to do it [let Turkey
join], do it, if you are not, say it openly that you are not. …
If you insist
that we should be the ones to say it out loud, we can consider that, too.”
“We will search
for alternatives,” said Erdogan. He also stated that Germany was in a panic after
British Prime Minister David Cameron recently called for a referendum on a
redefined relationship with the EU by 2018.
On Sunday, Erdogan
claimed that the EU and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are not mutually exclusive alternatives, even
though a country may well join one and quit the other if it wants to. He also
said even though it was primarily established to focus on border security, the SCO has now become an organization promoting
economic cooperation among its members.
And in response
to criticism that Turkey's
human rights record would deteriorate if it drops its EU bid, Erdogan said:
“They say there is no democracy in the Shanghai
countries. Democracy did not come to the EU overnight. And don't forget [what
EU nations did in] Rwanda
and Algeria.
Why did they deport Roma people? Does Islamophobia fit into human rights? I
believe the Shanghai
countries will further intensify their democratization process.”
3. Cyprus problem on the agenda of Erdogan’s
contacts to Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (03.02.13) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan made statements about his visit to Czech Republic Hungary and Slovakia
and said that bilateral relations, EU, Cyprus problem, Syria, Palestine, Middle
East, Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Balkans will be discussed during
the meetings.
Erdogan said
that he would hold meetings in Czech
Republic on Monday
(today), and then he would proceed to Slovakia, and then to Hungary on
Wednesday.
“We will take
steps to help these countries investing in our country in the future”, added
Erdogan who spoke to reporters before he left for Czech Republic
on Sunday.
EU Minister
Egemen Bagis, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Taner Yildiz and Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu, along with 80
businessmen will accompany Erdogan during his visits.
4. Turkish Parliament considering bid to turn Hagia
Sophia into mosque
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (04.02.13) reports that a
parliamentary commission in Turkey, is considering an application by citizens to
turn the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
into a mosque.
According to the
paper, three citizens living in the northwestern province of Kocaeli
appealed to the commission with a request to change the status of Hagia Sophia.
A survey conducted with 401 people was attached to the application, in which
more than 97% of interviewees requested the transformation of the ancient
building into a mosque and afterwards for it to be reopened for Muslim worship.
The application
has been taken under consideration by the Parliament’s Petition Commission, Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday, adding that the
commission would be asking for the opinions of the related institutions on the
issue.
As well as the
application received from the Kocaeli citizens, the commission received 15
separate petitions within five days in the form of electronic mails, all asking
for “opening of the Hagia Sophia to worship.”
5. Trade union reacts to the restoration of
Apostolos Andreas Monastery
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (04.02.13) reports that Hizmet-Sen trade union, has
alleged that the Republic of Cyprus wants to establish an “orthodox theological
state” in the area of occupied Karpasia peninsula by showing as pretext the
restoration of Apostolos (Saint) Andreas Monastery in Rizokarpasso area.
In a statement
issued yesterday by Hizmet-Sen’s chairman, Mehmet Bahadir Kurumanastirli, the
organization says that it will not allow the destruction of what it called the
tomb of a Moslem martyr which is there and will allegedly be destroyed during
the implementation of the restoration plan.
Kurumanastirli
said that if needed, they will prevent the restoration by occupying the tomb.
He congratulated the Turkish Cypriot leader, Eroglu for his statement that the
breakaway regime would pay the money needed for the restoration of the
monastery, arguing that with this statement Eroglu “spoiled the game of Greek
Cypriots and Greeks”.
Moreover, he
criticized the officials of Evkaf foundation, whom he accused of shadowing what
he called “diplomatic successes” of Eroglu and of not responding to
Hizmet-Sen’s demand for separately restoring the above-mentioned tomb and
opening it for religious service.
(I/Ts.)
6. Ship under Hong Kong’s
flag carries water pipes to occupied Famagusta
port
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (04.02.13) reports that a ship under the flag of Hong
Kong named “YI CHUN 15” carried yesterday the first part of water pipes, which
will be used within the framework of the project of transferring water from
Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus.
“YI CHUN 15”,
which arrived at the occupied port
of Famagusta in the
morning, is the biggest ship that entered into the occupied ports of the Republic of Cyprus, notes the paper, adding that
1.430 pipes made of polyurethane were carried for being furnished from the sea
to the shore. According to the paper, the total weight of the pipes is 3.256
tons.
The ship was
received at the occupied port by the self-styled ministers of public works and
agriculture, Hamza Ersan Saner and Ali Cetin Amcaoglu respectively, as well as
by the so-called director of the “ports’ department”, Serdar Canaltay.
Saner said that
the second step was taken, after the beginning of the construction of the dam
and argued that the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, will continue to be
strengthened.
Amcaoglu, on his
part, said that the dam in the area of occupied Panagra village will be
completed on 31 October. He noted that some parts of the pipes to be used in
the project, are made in China
and some materials are produced in Turkey. Asked whether oil could be
carried with these pipes, Amcaoglu responded “I do not think so”.
(I/Ts.)
7. Second round for UBP
voting to be held on February 24
Illegal Bayrak
television (03.02.13) reports that the National Unity Party (UBP)
Assembly which convened to decide on the date and the venue of the second round
of general congress of the party, has approved unanimously to hold the second
round on Sunday the 24th of February at the Atatürk Sports Hall in occupied
Lefkosia.
Announcing the
decision, the UBP Secretary
General Fuat Namsoy said that the decision which was also agreed by the
leadership candidates was approved by the party assembly.
Responding to a
question, Namsoy said that delegates who newly joined the National Unity Party
will also be able to cast their votes in the general congress.
8. Freedom and Reform officially closing down
Turkish Cypriot
daily Haberdar newspaper (03.02.13) reports that the Freedom and Reform Party
(ORP) organized an extraordinary congress in which it was decided that the
party is terminating its activities.
During the
congress the merging of ORP with the National Unity Party was finalized as
well.
The party was
established in 2006 and in the ”parliamentary elections” of 2009 elected two “MPs”
9.
The IDSB meeting which took place in the occupied area of Cyprus come to an
end
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan (24.01.13)
reports that the 9th Youth meeting of the Union of NGO’s of the Islamic World
(IDSB), a meeting which is taking place twice a year, took place in the
occupied area of Cyprus
between January 29-February 2.
According to a written statement issued
by the Union of NGO’s of the Islamic World (IDSB), more than 200
representatives of NGO’s from 40 countries participated to the meeting.
Speaking during the meeting, the general
coordinator of the Union of NGO’s of the Islamic World (IDSB), Cihangor Isbilir
stated that the hot hospitality showed by the “TRNC” and the Turkish Cypriots
who hosted the meeting, has increased the recognition of Cyprus.
Also, speaking during the event, Zaid
Ezem, chairman of the Kubab Vakif of Pakistan, stressed the importance of
organizing the IDSB’s meeting in the “TRNC” and said that this meeting was not
important only for Cyprus but for the whole world. He added that this meeting,
which was a meeting for the peace and prosperity, will send important messages
to Syria,
Iraq,
Palestine and Libya, that
peace is necessary.
(AK)
10.
Ali Osmen Safa speaks about the construction of a five-star hotel in occupied
Lapythos
Under the front page title: “License for
casino before even to be built”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (04.02.13)
reports on statements by Ali Osmen Safa, chairman of the “administration board”
of the “Med View Sunset Ltd”, a company which undertaken the construction of a
five-star hotel in occupied Lapythos village.
In statements to the paper, Safa has
said that in 2007 his company undertaken the project to built a five-star hotel
in Lapythos. The hotel would have the capacity of 252 rooms. However, according
to Safa, after a decision of the “government” during 2008, it has been decided
for the bed capacity of the hotels to be increased to 500 rooms. Indeed, a new
decision by a “court” has abolished the increase of the bed capacity of the
hotels and later on, the “ministerial council” has given permission for the
operation of a casino at the hotel, before even this to be constructed.
Ali Osmen Safa in his statements speaks for
luck of rules of law and expresses his disappointment of the situation in the
occupied area of Cyprus.
AK
11.
Trade Union Platform to carry contacts in London
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen
(02.02.13) reported that the Trade Union Platform has announced that they will
carry out contacts in London
upon an invitation they received from the Socialist Workers Party in the UK.
In a written statement on the issue, the
general secretary of KTOS trade union, Sener Elcil said that a two-persons
delegation of the Trade Union Platform will carry out contacts in the UK and
meet with officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and of the parliament of the UK, as well as with
British and international media representatives.
Elcil stated that in the framework of
the Trade Union Platform’s decision to take action against the
assimilation-integration policy which is followed in the “TRNC” by the Turkish
governments, as well as their decision to oppose to the imposed economic
package, the Trade Union Platform has decided with determination, to transfer
these issues to the international arena. Elcil added: “During the meetings, we
will share our views regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem which should be
based on the decisions and the parameters of the UN and should aimed to the
United Federal Cyprus. We should also discuss about the realities under which
the Turkish Cypriot community lives”.
The Trade Union Platform, will organize
a press conference when it will return from London, in order to inform the community
about their contacts, writes the paper.
AK
12.
The occupation regimes participates in a fair in London
Under the title: “The promotion
continues”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (03.02.13) reported that the
occupation regime participated to the “Destination The Holiday& Travel Show
2013”, a fair which is taking place in London and is consider to be the most
important fair for the consumers.
As the paper writes, the occupation
regime participated to the fair with its own 32 square meters stand. The Direct
Traveller Company, as well as the New President and the Cyprus Paradise
companies participated at the stand of the occupation regime, where several
products of the occupation regime were promoted.
In statements about the fair, Caglar
Guclusoy from the “department of promoting and marketing of the ‘ministry’”,
said that “TRNC’s stand” has attracted the interest of a lot of visitors and
added that their aim is to promote the “TRNC” in the best way.
The fair will last four days, writes the
paper, without however, to give details on the date the fair opened.
AK
13. An event for promoting tourism of the breakaway
regime was organized in Berlin
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.02.13) reports that an event for promoting the breakaway regime’s tourism took place in Berlin, Germany.
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.02.13) reports that an event for promoting the breakaway regime’s tourism took place in Berlin, Germany.
The event, which
took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel which is linked with Hilton chain
hotels, was organized by the Akmina Travel agency which is organizing the
conduction of charter flights from various European countries to the breakaway
regime.
Self-styled
representative of the breakaway regime in Berlin Kemal Gokeri, the official
from the Turkish Embassy to Berlin Deniz Kalyoncu and representatives of the
“ministry” of tourism participated in the event.
14.
Photo fair about Cyprus
has opened in Azerbaijan
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (04.02.13)
reports that the photo fair called “Cyprus as it is view by a
youngster” has opened in the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan.
The fair is organized by the “Friendship
Union of Azerbaijan-Cyprus”.
The same fair will be exhibited in
several other places writes the paper, like in Belgium on May 28, in Moscow and
St. Petersburg in June and in France on July.
AK
15. International university congress to be held in
occupied Cyprus
in April
Illegal Bayrak television (03.02.13) reports that delegation from the Kadir Has University is having contacts in the breakaway regime.
Illegal Bayrak television (03.02.13) reports that delegation from the Kadir Has University is having contacts in the breakaway regime.
According to
Bayrak, during a meeting the delegation held with the Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu the Rector of the Kadir Has University Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın
said that they arrived in the breakaway regime with the aim of discussing
opportunities for cooperation with the illegal universities and to hold
contacts about the congress that they are planning to organize in the breakaway
regime in April.
He said that within
the framework of the congress, they are aiming to bring a large number of
academicians to the breakaway regime and added that they want the academicians
to see the “realities” in Cyprus.
16. Sixty thousand illegal Turkish settlers have
reportedly left occupied Cyprus
during the past two years
Turkish Cypriot
daily Star Kibris newspaper (03.02.13) reported that Enver Dincoglu, chairman
of the so-called Turkish Cypriot Refugees Association [Translator’s note: as
one of the organizations of illegal Turkish settlers is called] has argued that
60 thousand Turkish settlers have abandoned the occupied area of Cyprus during
the past two years and added that Cypriot young people have also started to
migrate.
“Soon no people
will remain in the streets”, said Dincoglu in statements to Star Kibris,
showing the stagnation in the building sector as the reason for which the
population from Turkey
leaves from the occupied part of the island.
Dincoglu argued
that the decrease of the population leads the small shopkeepers to disaster and
the medium-sized businesses have come to the point of bankruptcy. “I am also
thinking of going away soon. Life is unbearable here”, he said.
Dincoglu went on
and said: “Let those who say that the population has not decreased, look at the
schools. In 2011, the children of 370 refugee (settlers) families were going to
Democrasi High School. This number decreased to
270 in 2012 and 180 now”.
Dincoglu argued
that 10.000 persons of those who left were “citizens” of the breakaway regime,
but preferred to leave because the conditions in Turkey are continuously improving.
Referring to the unemployment in the occupied area of Cyprus, he said
that local people are not employed in the hotels and argued that 90% of those
working in there are foreigners.
(I/Ts.)
17. Hurriyet Daily News and FRANCE 24 to cooperate by exchanging English-language
content on their websites
Turkish daily
Hurriyet newspaper (04.02.13) reports that Hurriyet Daily News , which is
Turkey’s first English-language newspaper, has come to an agreement with
France's international news channel, FRANCE 24, to cooperate by exchanging English-language
content on their websites beginning January 31, 2013.
Pursuant to this
agreement www.france24.com and www.hurriyetdailynews.com will begin sharing
news items, feature videos, columns and photos produced and published by their
partners.
“This
partnership aims to reach a broader audience with reliable current event
coverage and rich news content”, writes the paper.
