TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
1. Eroglu supported Erdogan’s allegation and discussed
the Cyprus problem with Gul in Cairo; he met with state officials of Burundi,
Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan
2. Reactions to Erdogan’s allegation: You have
destroyed Cyprus
3.
The Keryneia Castle, St. Hilarion Castle and Bellapais Monastery in the
occupied area of Cyprus will be reportedly privatized; The so-called ministry
denies the allegations
4.
Bagis and Erdogan carried out contacts in Slovakia; Statements by Erdogan
5. Contacts by Trade Union Platform in London
6.
Ankara to closely watch the spending of 3 billion TL allocated to the
occupation regime within the framework of the “economic cooperation protocol”
7.
The occupation regime participated at the Fruit Logistica 2013 Fair in Germany
8.
Illegal Near East University organized a conference in Rome
9.
MUSIAD’s chairman in the occupied area of Cyprus calls Turkish Cypriot
businessmen to attend a fair in Turkey
10. Sertoglu is being threatened because of his
meetings with the CFA
11.
Fener Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate opposes
to the use of a church in Trabzon as a mosque
12.
The works for the reconstruction of Agia Thekla chapel have been launched
13. “Elections” in occupied Lefkosia “municipality” to
be held on 7 April
14.
AKP’s Celik slams U.S Ambasador for his
recent remarks
1. Eroglu supported Erdogan’s allegation and
discussed the Cyprus problem with Gul in Cairo; he met with state officials of
Burundi, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper (07.02.13)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu referred yesterday to
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s allegation that “there is no state called
Cyprus” and argued that the Turkish Prime Minister “has once more expressed the
realities”. In statements in Cairo,
Eroglu said that Turkey
does not recognize the Republic
of Cyprus and alleged
that “actually if the world looked at the Cyprus problem in a fair manner, it
would not keep the equal partners Turkish Cypriots under embargoes”.
Eroglu argued that Erdogan’s statements were a message
to the world and reiterated the Turkish allegation that one of the main reasons
for which the Cyprus
problem remains unsolved until today is the UN Security Council’s Resolution of
4 March 1964 on Cyprus.
Noting that the non-solution of the Cyprus problem
is put as an obstacle in front of Turkey’s accession course to the
EU, Eroglu claimed that this shows “EU’s injustice”.
Referring to his contacts during his first day in Cairo, Eroglu said that
he met with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul and that they discussed current
issues and their policy during “the new negotiating process” which will start
on the Cyprus
problem.
Eroglu expressed his satisfaction with the interest of
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, General Secretary of the Organization for Islamic
Cooperation (OIC). He said that during lunch, which he attended upon
Ihsanoglu’s invitation, he was sitting between the President of Maldives and
the Price of Saudi Arabia. He noted that he had a “fine dialogue” with both of
them. Eroglu said that this is the first time he participates in a Summit of the OIC and
added that he had the opportunity to meet or shake hands with many heads of
states.
Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak television
(07.02.13) Eroglu who carried out contacts with the Turkish President Abdullah
Gul in the framework of the OIC’s Summit in Cairo, met also with presidents and
state officials of several member countries of the OIC as well as with state
officials of Burundi, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. He is also expected to deliver
a speech today at the summit.
(I/Ts.)
2. Reactions to Erdogan’s
allegation: You have destroyed Cyprus
Under the title “If there is no Cyprus, you have
destroyed it”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (07.02.13) refers to
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s allegation that “there is no state called
Cyprus” and reports that Erdogan, “whose words are not taken seriously into
consideration anymore because of his inconsistency, played the same disc again”
and forgot which country his army had invaded in 1974.
“If there is no state called Cyprus, then where the
hell your troops had been sent in 1974”, wonders Afrika’s editor-in-chief,
Sener Levent in his daily column today. He goes on and wonders, inter alia, the
following: “[Had they been sent] to Singapore, to Korea? The land
of which country they had invaded? Whom they have shot? Whom they have taken
prisoners? Whom they have buried in mass graves? Onto the head of which country
they had thrown bombs? …”
Moreover, in its “Letter from Afrika” column, the
paper writes that during the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) period in
Turkey, the occupied Cyprus lands have been looted more than ever, more
population than any other period has been transferred from Turkey, crimes have
increased more than ever and more businesses than even have closed down.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper (07.02.13)
reports that Oktay Vural, vice president of the Nationalist Action Party’s (MHP) parliamentary group, criticized yesterday
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan for his statement that “there is no state called
Cyprus”.
He recalled that in statements made by Erdogan on 2 October 2004 during a meeting of AKP’s
parliamentary group, the Prime Minister had said that Turkey had only
one option, adding that they would definitely secure Turkey’s accession into the EU.
Vural read out the conditions which are included in the framework document for Turkey’s
accession negotiations and added, inter alia, the following referring to
Erdogan:
“You are the one who signed all these in the framework
document of the negotiations. You have drawn the framework. The negotiations in
this framework are open-ended, and the membership is not guaranteed. You will
cast anchor in EU ports, you will recognize Cyprus... You are the ones who have
turned Cyprus
into a part of the negotiations with the EU, who have related [the issues]… Yes
there is no such state, but you have handed over to the Greek Cypriots a state
named ‘Cyprus’…”
(I/Ts.)
3. The Keryneia Castle, St. Hilarion Castle and
Bellapais Monastery in the occupied area of Cyprus will be reportedly
privatized; The so-called ministry denies the allegations
Under
the title: “Allegations for the privatization museums and castles”, Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (07.02.12) reports that the chairman of the Turkish
Cypriot’s Travel Agents Union (KITSAB), Orhan Tolu, in statements to the paper,
alleged that discussions were launched in the occupied area of Cyprus aiming to
the privatization of the Keryneia Castle, St. Hilarion Castle and Bellapais
Monastery in the occupied area of Cyprus.
On
the other hand, the “undersecretary” of the so-called ministry of tourism,
environment and culture, Sahap Asikoglu denied the allegations and said that no
decision was taken by the “ministry” for something like this.
AK
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (06.02.12) reported from Ankara that the Turkish Minister of EU
Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis met on Wednesday with Slovakia's
Deputy Premier, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak in Bratislava.
Bagis
and Lajcak discussed Turkey's
EU process, visa liberalization, cooperation against terror and the problem of Cyprus, in a
meeting which was closed to the press corps.
Meanwhile,
according to Ankara Anatolia news agency, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan told at joint press conference with his Slovakian counterpart Robert
Fico in capital Bratislava, the last stop of the Turkish Premier's three-nation
Eastern European tour, that Turkey would move to lift visa requirement for
Slovak nationals, adding that his country expected Slovakia to do same for
Turkish nationals who would visit the eastern European country to provide
services. "We will take the step for visa exemption as soon as I return
home and I believe Slovakia's lifting visa requirement for our businesspeople,
scholars, students, artists and sportspeople would move our relations to a
higher level", Erdogan said.
Erdogan
said that Turkey and Slovakia had a bilateral trade volume of over $1.5 billion.
He added that energy could be a major field for cooperation between the two
countries and that Turkey
had recently passed a new incentive package for investors.
Erdogan
also thanked for Slovakia's
support for Turkey's
European Union membership accession process. Responding to a question whether Turkey would
ever consider withdrawing its EU membership bid, Erdogan said, "it has
been 50 years and we are still at the door [...] But nevertheless we carry on
with patience and we are committed to carry on but for how long is a topic of
another discussion. And of course at some point we may put an end to
it."
Also,
according to Turkish daily Sabah (07.02.13) during the press conference with
his Slovakian counterpart, Erdogan referred also to the situation in Cyprus and
said: “South Cyprus’ situation distance a lot from the obedience to the EU acquis
communautaire. We will not be a weight for the EU. Actually, at the moment it
started to become obvious which are considered as burdens in the EU”.
5. Contacts by Trade Union
Platform in London
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (07.02.13)
reports that a 12-member delegation from the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union
Platform has started its contacts in London,
which it is visiting upon an invitation from the British Parliament. The
delegation headed by Sener Elcil, general secretary of Turkish Cypriot Primary
School Teachers’ Trade Union, met the day before yesterday with Mary Southcott,
coordinator of the Friends of Cyprus Group.
The Turkish Cypriot delegation met also with David
Reed, Head of the Office for Cyprus,
Greece
and Turkey
at the British Foreign Office. Yesterday the Turkish Cypriots met with Andy
Love, Member of the Parliament and co-chairman of the Friends of Cyprus Group.
After the meetings, the Platform handed over to its interlocutors a file with
its views and proposals.
Expressing the views of the Platform during their
meetings, Sener Elcil argued that the Turkish Cypriots are those who are harmed
the most from the non-solution on the island. Elcil expressed the belief that
the current policy followed by Turkey
“does not provide for a solution in Cyprus”. He pointed out that the
population transferred from Turkey
in violation of the Geneva Convention, “negatively influences the demographic
structure” in the occupied area of the republic of Cyprus
and creates difficulties in education and the health services. In parallel to
this, he added, the construction of mosques and complexes of buildings adjacent
to mosques by Turkey
is intensified during the past few years in order to impose Sunni Islam. He
argued that these policies “have brought the Turkish Cypriots to the point of
being annihilated”.
Elcil said that a United Cyprus should be created
within the framework of the agreements of 23 May and 1 July in a manner that covers
“the UN parameters and all the views of the sides”. He noted that the Cypriots
should jointly use a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and single
international identity in this United Cyprus, which will be based on political
equality. He asked from the British officials to be more active on this issue
as representatives of a guarantor power.
Within the framework of its contacts, the Platform
will met with Lord Dubs, vice president of Friends of Cyprus Association, and
Nick De Bois, co-chairman of the same
association and Member of the Parliament in Enfield.
(I/Ts.)
6. Ankara
to closely watch the spending of 3 billion TL allocated to the occupation
regime within the framework of the “economic cooperation protocol”
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.13) the protocol surrounding
Turkey’s 3 billion Turkish Lira grant to “Turkish Cyprus”, as the occupation
regime is called, has revealed that Ankara initiates terms for considerable
support, which include a close watch on spending.
The
three year “economic cooperation program” scheduled to last until the end of
2015, foresees to cut the current budget gap of the “TRNC” to 315 million
liras.
The
grant will be handed over to the “TRNC” in three years, according to the
agreement published on the Turkish Official Gazette yesterday. The document was
signed by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is in charge of ties
with Turkish Cypriots, and the so-called prime minister İrsen Kucuk.
The
dues will be determined in Turkey’s
annual budget laws.
Turkey
may also add 300 million liras in loans to support the budget and reshape
public banks in “Turkish Cyprus”.
Turkey
has also promised to send technicians and public employees to lend physical
support to the island.
A
Turkish Cypriot mission will prepare monthly reports and detailed studies
quarterly, which will be submitted to a Turkish mission. The grants will be
given to the “TRNC” after approval is granted by the Turkish mission and
Atalay.
Besides
aiding the Turkish Cypriot economy, the implementation of the program will also
aim to evaluate things in outlook meetings held every six months.
Turkey
will also provide support to particular sectors on the island, mainly tourism,
via its Development Bank and some other lenders, which were not named in the
document.
“Turkish
Cyprus’ tourism revenues” make up a little less than 5 % of its economy. The “deal”
shows that Turkey
will closely watch its grant to the “TRNC”, which started to grow moderately in
2010 after two years of recession.
(…)
7. The occupation regime participated at the Fruit
Logistica 2013 Fair in Germany
Under
the title: “Our products were promoted”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(07.02.12) reports that the occupation regime has participate to the Fruit Logistica
2013 fair, a fair for fruit and vegetables, which is taking place in Berlin,
Germany.
As
the paper writes, the occupation regime participates at the fair with its own
stand and is represented by a delegation headed by the so-called minister of economy
and energy, Sunat Atun.
According
to a statement issued by the “Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry”, the
occupation regime participated at the fair which opened yesterday and will
close on February 8, with fruit and vegetable producers, under the name “North Cyprus”.
Meanwhile,
with the framework of his visit to Berlin, so-called minister Atun and his
accompanied delegation, visited yesterday the Turkish-Germany Trade and
Industry Chamber, where the held contacts with officials there. According to
the paper, Atun proposed during his visit to the chamber, the establishment of
a joint trade committee.
Also,
as the paper writes, during the meeting it has been decided that in April, an
exchange of views meeting will be held between the officials of the
Turkish-Germany Trade and Industry Chamber and “representatives” of the
so-called ministry.
AK
8. Illegal
Near East University
organized a conference in Rome
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (06.02.12) reported from Rome that the illegal Near East University
(YDU), presented the "Contribution to Global Education" award to
Enver Yucel of the Bahcesehir
University for his
contributions.
The
award was presented to Yucel as part of the Fifth Conference of World
Educational Sciences organized by the “Near East University”
and hosted by the La Sapienza University in Rome.
AK
9. MUSIAD’s chairman in the occupied area of Cyprus calls
Turkish Cypriot businessmen to attend a fair in Turkey
Under
the title: “The ‘TRNC’ will participate”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(07.02.13) reports that a conference for the promotion of the Hamriyah Freezone
Area, the UAE’s Trade Opportunities and the Dubai Sharjah Free Zone, is to be
organized in the Marmara Hotel in Istanbul on February 12.
The
paper writes that the Turkish Cypriot businessmen, who would like to attend the
conference, could conduct with the MUSIAD’ chairman in the occupied area of
Cyprus, Okyay Sadikoglu to convey their interest.
AK
10. Sertoglu is being
threatened because of his meetings with the CFA
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (07.02.13)
reports that Hasan Sertoglu, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot so-called football
federation, told the paper yesterday that those who do not know the problems of
the Turkish Cypriot football have started to give advices on the issue of his
so-called federation’s meetings with the Cyprus Football Association (CFA or
KOP), but no one submitted any alternative solution.
Sertoglu noted that he has received threatening
telephone calls on the issue of the negotiations process with the CFA, but
added that he will not give any concessions from his “decisive stance”. He
argued that there are some persons who “wear themselves out” in order to destroy
the process, but expressed his satisfaction because “the vast majority of the
people” support his efforts. He said that in spite of the threats, he will not
turn back.
Sertoglu alleged that the positive climate in the
negotiations was spoiled after the incident that took place last week when
football players from Turkey
playing in occupied Akanthou village’s team had not been allowed to enter into
Pyla village to play with the local Turkish Cypriot team. Sertoglu noted that
his “federation” will not remain silent on this issue. He said that they would
visit Pyla today with the chairmen of all organized associations in the field
of football: players, referees, managers and sport writers. He said that they
will react to what he called “this inhumane practice which is contrary to
sports ethics”. He noted that they have held meetings with the competent
authorities on the issue and expressed the belief that the problem will be
solved soon.
(I/Ts.)
11. Fener Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate opposes to the use of a church in Trabzon as a mosque
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.13) reports that the Fener Greek-Orthodox
Patriarchate supports the continued use of the Hagia Sophia in Trabzon as a museum, not as a mosque.
The
Patriarchate’s press officer, Dositheos Anagnostopulos, told the Hurriyet Daily
News in a phone interview yesterday: “As is known, Trabzon is not urgently in need of a mosque,
and it is also known that there is no Orthodox community there. The best way is
to keep the church as a museum”.
The
Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate holds annual ceremonies in the Sumela
Monastery in Trabzon
province with a special permit issued by the Ministry of Culture.
Asked
whether the Patriarchate would demand to hold ceremonies in Hagia Sophia as
well, Anagnostopulos said that if the ministry permitted it and the Orthodox
community desired it, this would be their duty, not only a desire.
The
Foundations Directorate had announced on February 4 that the Hagia Sophia in Trabzon would soon be
opened up for prayers.
Foundations
Directorate Head Adnan Ertem said that five of the seven Hagia Sophias
nationwide were currently functioning as mosques, but two were still inactive,
adding that the culture minister was the “occupying force” in the decision to
reopen Trabzon’s
Hagia Sophia.
“We
have won the court case regarding the situation,” Ertem said. “We are planning
to open the place for prayers again after the necessary processes are
completed.”
The Hagia Sophia
Museum was first
dedicated as an Orthodox patriarchal basilica in 360 A.D. Until the year of
1453 it served as the Greek Patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople.
Following the city’s conquest by the Ottoman Empire,
the building was converted into a mosque in 1453 and remained so until 1931,
when it was closed to the public for four years. It was reopened by the
republican authorities in 1935 as a museum.
12. The works for the reconstruction of Agia Thekla
chapel have been launched
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (07.02.13) reports that after the latest reports
published by the paper the recent days about the delay being observed at the
works for the reconstruction of Agia Thekla chapel in occupied Vokolida due to
the obstacles putted by the officials of the Noah Ark Hotel, the constructor
company which won the tender, has launched the reconstruction of the chapel.
Yeni
Duzen paper wrote the other day that it was the Noah Ark Hotel which puts
obstacles in the reconstruction of the chapel.
The
200-year-old Greek Orthodox Ayia Thekla Chapel at the occupied village of Vokolida, was demolished on May 2, 2011, by a bulldozer
on the ground that the Noah Ark Hotel was to be built there.
(AK)
13. “Elections” in occupied
Lefkosia “municipality” to be held on 7 April
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (07.02.13)
reports that the self-styled assembly’s committee on legal and political
affairs adopted yesterday unanimously the “draft-law” which provides for holding
“by-elections” in occupied Lefkosia’s “municipality” on 7 April 2013. According to statements made by Mehmet
Tuncer, chairman of the “committee”, the so-called mayor and the “members of
the municipal council” in occupied Lefkosia will be “elected” on 7 April after
the “law” passes from the “general assembly” today.
(I/Ts.)
14. AKP’s Celik slams U.S Ambasador for his recent remarks
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (06.02.13) the Deputy Head of the Justice
and Development Party (AKP), Huseyin Celik reacted strongly today to critical
remarks from U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone regarding the
Turkish judicial system. “We are inviting Ricciardone to remain within his
boundaries and limits. We are not pleased with [his remarks], we condemn and
denounce them. The ambassador should know his place,” said Çelik in televised
comments on the private broadcaster Kanal A.
Ricciardone,
who briefed Ankara
reporters yesterday on the suicide attack in the USA Embassy in Turkey,
criticized the long detention of army officers, scholars and students. “You
have your military leaders, who were entrusted with the protection of this
country behind bars as if they were terrorists... When a legal system produces
such results and confuses people like that for terrorists, it makes it hard for
American and European courts to match up,” Ricciardone had said.
Celik
noted that the U.S.
envoy had in the past also commented about internal questions in Turkey,
emphasizing that it was inappropriate for a diplomat to make judgments about
“topics that he does not know the details of.”
“The
Prime Minister had called him ‘novice ambassador.’ As it seems, Ricciardone has
not yet learned his place in that period,” said Celik.
The
AKP deputy also asked the U.S.
envoy to give explanations for the Guantanamo Camp, where al-Qaeda suspects are
detained.
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