TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 57/13 22/3/13
1. Efforts by the breakaway regime to exploit the
economic crisis in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus
2. How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the economic
developments in the government-controlled area of the island
3. How the Turkish press covers the
economic developments in the Republic of Cyprus after Eurogroup’s decision
4. Statements on Ocalan’s call for an end to armed
struggle
5. Atalay describes the election of President
Anastasiades as “more positive”
6. Nami on the Turkish Cypriot efforts for being
represented at the EP
7. European Parliament committee approves Turkey’s
report
8. Erdogan: “We wish to raise our trade volume with
the Netherlands to 15 billion USD by 2015”
9. Davutoglu discussed the Cyprus problem in Poland
10. Poultry from the occupied area not allowed to
enter into Saudi Arabia
11. The occupation regime at the MIIT fair in Moscow
12. KADEM’s opinion poll shows CTP to rank first if
“parliamentary elections” were to take place today in the occupied area of
Cyprus
1. Efforts by the breakaway regime to exploit the
economic crisis in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.03.13)
reports that a written statement issued yesterday by Turkish Cypriot leader
Eroglu’s “office” alleged that distributing bonds by the Republic of Cyprus in
return to the future income from the hydrocarbon resources that exist in the
sea of the island would be tantamount to violating the rights of the Turkish
Cypriot “people”.
Commenting on the intention of the Cyprus government
to establish a fund in order to overcome the economic crisis, Eroglu’s office
claimed that distributing bonds to the depositors of this fund in return to the
future income from the island’s hydrocarbon resources would create drawbacks
from the point of view of the negotiating process [for reaching a solution to
the Cyprus problem] and the stability in the area.
Eroglu’s “office” expressed sorrow about the economic
problems which exist in the government-controlled area of the island and
reiterated the allegation that the Turkish Cypriot side had submitted proposals
which are still on the table regarding the creation of fields of cooperation
between the two sides and the overcoming of the difficulties within a short
period of time.
The statement alleged that in case the proposal
regarding the creation of the above-mentioned fund passes from the House of
Representatives, this would violate the rights of the Turkish Cypriot “people”,
harm the content of a possible future agreement and mortgage the future of the
island.
The statement argued that in view of these
“realities”, these bonds would have no validity and the Greek Cypriot side will
“deepen the lack of confidence” with another “unilateral action”.
The statement went on and noted that the Turkish
Cypriot side is determined to defend the so-called rights of the Turkish
Cypriots in these areas “with the cooperation and help of motherland Turkey”.
The statement also asked for these problems not to
delay the reconciliation process through negotiations and make the expectations
on this issue invalid.
(I/Ts.)
2. How the Turkish Cypriot
press covers the economic developments in the government-controlled area of the
island
The Turkish Cypriot daily newspapers continue covering
today (22.03.13) the developments regarding the economic situation in the
government-controlled area of the island.
Under the title “Solidarity Investment Fund”, Havadis reports that the government of
Cyprus has created a new formula that will secure the sum of 5.8 billion euros,
replacing the rejected rescue package. The paper writes that the formula
provides for taxing the deposits which are over 100 thousand euros,
guaranteeing the deposits which are below 100 thousand euros and selling Laiki
Bank in order to secure resources for the fund. The paper notes also that the
search of resources for the fund from Russia continues and that the employees
and the depositors of Laiki Bank started protesting as of yesterday
afternoon.
Under the title “Clamor”, Yeni Duzen reports that the crisis in the government-controlled
area of Cyprus entered into a new stage yesterday and that the cash crisis
shook the banks. The paper writes that protests started after allegations that
Laiki Bank, one of the biggest banks in the government-controlled area of the
island, would go bankrupt.
Under the title “Sales only in cash”, Afrika reports that life in the
government-controlled area “paralyzed” and the transactions in the market
stopped because the banks are closed. It is said that many Turkish Cypriots
have also deposits in the banks in the government-controlled area and that the
European Central Bank gave a deadline to Cyprus until Monday for coming up with
a proposal.
Kibris refers to the developments under the title “The Greek
Cypriot people rioted”. The paper publishes also interviews with people from
the government-controlled area under the title “The future is uncertain”.
Cyprus Star newspaper in English refers to the issue under the
title “Bail out to involve sale of gas reserves to Russia” and wonders: “But
what about the rights of North Cyprus and Turkey?”
Columnist Vedat Yorucu comments on the issue in his
column in Star Kibris under the
title “South Cyprus is shaken” and reports that in the backstage the sharing of
the natural gas and the stance followed by Russia in its energy policy in
Eastern Mediterranean are very important. He argues, inter alia, the following:
“We will wait and see here what kind of road map the Greek Cypriots will draw
according to the stance followed by the other western players here. The real
chess game has actually now started. Whoever could dance better the Tango in
the Mediterranean, he will be the winner. However, there is one thing of which
I am sure: that the Greek Cypriots will always be the losers in this game”.
(I/Ts.)
3. How the
Turkish press covers the economic developments in the Republic of Cyprus after
Eurogroup’s decision
The
Turkish Press of today (22.03.12) continues to refer to the economic situation
in the government-controlled area of Cyprus.
The papers cover the issue under the following titles:
Milliyet: “The
Russian bases disturbed the TRNC”. The paper’s correspondent in the occupied
part of Lefkosia reports that the proposal made by the “Greek Cypriot
administration” as he describes the Republic of Cyprus to Russia, saying “give
us money and will give you naval and air bases”, caused strong reactions by the
“TRNC”, the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus. The so-called
foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun, speaking to the paper, warned that in that
case, the waters in the Eastern Mediterranean will warm up. He also said that
the Russians and the Greek Cypriots play a dangerous game in the Mediterranean
and said that if the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are ignored,
they will have to face the consequences.
Also,
in another news report under the title: “Turkey could be the rescuer”, the
paper reports on a statement made by Timothy Ash, a famous economist in the UK,
and head of the EM of Standard Bank, who has argued that the financial crisis
in Cyprus could constitute a peace opportunity for Turkey. Ash alleged that the
Greek Cypriots could look for financial support from Turkey instead of Russia
and in return, Turkey to demand for an agreement under the conditions of the
2004 Annan plan for the reunification of the island.
Hurriyet:
“Run out of money, plastic cards are voided”. The paper writes that 1 million
people in the government controlled area of Cyprus have been in a miserable
situation for one week.
Hurriyet and Cumhuriyet:
“Threats from Russia to the EU”. The paper refers to Russian Prime Minister,
Dimitri Medvedev’s statement who allegedly threatened yesterday the EU that if
they touch their accounts in Cyprus, the Russians will ruin their euro
reserves.
Cumhuriyet:
“Russia is the trump card for South Cyprus against the EU”. The paper reports
that Turkey has reacted strongly as regards the issue of the use of the oil and
natural gas reserves to be found in the Mediterranean and stressed the need for
the Turkish and Greek side to jointly use the oil reserves of the island. Also,
Reuters broadcast yesterday that a high level Turkish official on energy has
stated the following: “It is out of the question for south Cyprus to unilaterally
use these resources. The future of the resources cannot be mortgaged. If we
consider it necessary, we will go into action”.
Hurriyet Daily News (in English):
“Russians ‘launder money’ in South Cyprus”.
The
paper reported on statements by the so-called prime minister Irsen Kucuk who
accused the Greek Cypriots for cooperating with Russian businessmen for money
laundering in their banks. “They are trying to get over a big economic distress
at the moment. We see that they were in cooperation with Russian businessmen
for money laundering for a long time,” Kucuk told the Hurriyet Daily News in
Istanbul, yesterday.
Asked
about claims that Gazprom, the giant Russian energy company, had secretly
offered a private bailout plan to Cyprus, Kucuk said the Mediterranean offshore
area belongs to both the Turkish and Greek people of the island, and that no
others could claim rights to the area without “northern Cyprus” consent as he
described the occupied area of the island.
“Cyprus’
natural resources belong equally to the Turkish and Greek Cypriot people, and
any efforts by Greek Cyprus to strike an agreement on them with Russia would be
met with a strong respond, Kucuk also said.
Taraf:
“Salvo from Medvedev to the EU”
(AK)
4. Statements on Ocalan’s call for an end to armed
struggle
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 21.03.13), under the title “Cautious Turkish
PM welcomes Ocalan’s call for end to armed struggle”, reports from Amsterdam
the following:
“The
call to lay down arms and end the armed struggle by outlawed Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in a letter read earlier today (Thursday)
during the Nevruz celebrations in the south-eastern province of Diyarbakir is
positive, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
‘I
find the call, the invitation, as a positive development. But the essential
thing is the practice,’ Erdogan said at a televised joint press meeting with
his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte.
‘We
would like to see the reflections of Ocalan’s remarks in the shortest period of
time,’ Erdogan said. ‘Once this comes to practice, the atmosphere in Turkey and
the region will change.’
Still,
Erdogan criticized the absence of a Turkish flag during the celebrations in
Diyarbakır. ‘I would have liked to see our flag there,’ he said. ‘I believe
that this is not only my wish but the nation’s. This was a serious omission”.
On
the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.03.13) reports that European
Commission on Thursday said they welcomed a call made by Abdullah Ocalan for
PKK to halt violence and to retreat from Turkey.
In a
joint statement released on Thursday, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan
Fule and EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Catherine Ashton underlined that they welcomed Ocalan's call and the positive
responses to such a call.
The
call made on Thursday was an important step in ending the problem which caused
a high number of casualties in Turkey, the statement also said.
Moreover,
Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.03.13) reports that the German Foreign Minister
Guido Westerwelle, in a statement released on Thursday, said he found the call
made by the head of PKK, Abdullah Ocalan to give up armed struggle as an
important step for mutual confidence.
The
German Foreign Ministry quoted Westerwelle as saying that Ocalan’s call should
be followed by concrete steps and that silencing the guns was crucial.
In
addition, Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.03.13) reports from Washington that the
spokesperson for the US State Department, Victoria Nuland said on Thursday that
they welcomed PKK's announcement to halt violence in Turkey.
Nuland
said: “The United States welcomes today’s announcement by the Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) to halt the violence as a positive step toward ending more than
three decades of tragic violence in Turkey. This violence has claimed too many
lives and too many futures, and must end. We applaud the courageous efforts of
the Government of Turkey and all parties concerned to achieve a peaceful
resolution that will advance democracy in Turkey and improve the lives of all
of Turkey’s citizens.”
“The
United States will continue to support the people of Turkey in their effort to
finally resolve this issue and move toward a brighter future,” Nuland also
said.
5. Atalay describes the
election of President Anastasiades as “more positive”
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar newspaper (22.03.13)
reports that Besir Atalay, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister has argued that the
economic developments in the occupied area of Cyprus are positive and that the
future of the breakaway regime is “very bright”.
In statements to a TGRT television, Atalay was asked
yesterday whether there was any contact between the newly elected leadership in
the government-controlled area of the island and the Turkish Cypriot
leadership. Atalay said that the leaders have not met yet, but a process will
commence after the normalization of the situation.
Atalay argued: “In fact, economic difficulties are
experienced currently in south Cyprus. Of course, the new head of state is one
of the politicians who supported the voting of the Annan Plan. During his
entire political life, he seemed open to dialogue. We considered his election
more positive in general. Of course, since he is elected, they are struggling
with a very big economic difficulty. They are experiencing a very big
problem”.
Referring to the occupied area of Cyprus, he
reiterated that Turkey offers any support it can, that after one year water
with undersea pipelines will be transferred from Turkey to the occupied area
and that electricity will also be brought.
(I/Ts.)
6. Nami on the Turkish Cypriot
efforts for being represented at the EP
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (22.03.13)
reports that Ozdil Nami, so-called deputy with the Republican Turkish Party
(CTP), has assessed Turkey’s progress report and the developments at the
European Parliament (EP). In statements to Havadis, Nami recalled that a
delegation from the so-called assembly of the breakaway regime has been holding
intensive contacts in Brussels and Strasbourg for the past couple of weeks. He
said that during their meetings they have discussed the above-mentioned
progress report and especially the paragraph regarding Cyprus. He argued that
in this paragraph there is an issue that constitutes danger for the Turkish
Cypriots and this is the opening of the occupied port of Famagusta to free
trade with Europe.
Noting that the report includes as precondition
[Translator’s note: for the opening of the occupied port] the return of the
occupied fenced city of Varosha to the Greek Cypriots and the withdrawal of
Turkish occupation army, Nami said: “In the contacts we have held we told our
interlocutors that this was a wrong approach and we demanded for this
connection to be lifted. In the voting held today (yesterday) the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the European Parliament lifted this connection in the
direction of our demand. This is a pleasing development”.
Nami said that another issue was the representation of
the Turkish Cypriots at the EP with a formula similar to the one implemented at
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Noting that some
proposals for amendments to the report have been submitted in this direction
and that efforts have been exerted in the direction of the acceptance of these
changes, Nami said that the inclusion of this issue to the report was rejected
with a small difference in the voting, in spite of the fact that their proposal
received significant support.
Nami argued that the fact that this was not included
in Turkey’s progress report does not mean that the EP also rejects it. He
added: “Our efforts to gain the representation we deserve at the EP have
enjoyed significant support. Our efforts will continue from now on”.
The paper writes that 67 parliamentarians participated
yesterday in the voting of the above-mentioned commission, which has 75
members. The proposal for the Turkish Cypriots taking the observer status at
the EP was rejected with 39 votes against 26 in favor and 2 abstentions. The
provisions regarding the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from Cyprus
and the return of occupied Varosha to its legal owners were accepted, writes
the paper, but the word “in parallel” was taken out of the text and thus the
connection of this issue with the opening of the occupied port of Famagusta for
free trade was abolished.
According to the paper, the proposal for the
representation of the Turkish Cypriots at the EP was rejected with the votes of
the Christian Democrats, the Socialists and the Leftists.
(I/Ts.)
7. European Parliament committee approves Turkey’s report
Under
the above title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 21.03.13) reports, inter
alia, the following:
“The
Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on Thursday approved a
draft report on EU candidate Turkey, welcoming talks with Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan for an end to Turkey’s decades-old Kurdish
problem.
The
draft report, approved by a 54-4 vote, says the talks with Ocalan, serving a
life sentence on an island off Istanbul, should result in a historic agreement
that would bring a peaceful and democratic solution to Turkey's Kurdish
problem.
The
vote came on the same day as Ocalan ordered the PKK to a ceasefire and withdraw
from Turkish soil as a step for ending a conflict that has killed 40,000
people. (…)
The
reference to the talks was made after the Foreign Affairs Committee approved on
Thursday an amendment proposal to that effect prior to the vote. The report
said it was important that media and non-governmental organizations play a
constructive role in the solution process and praised support expressed by
Turkey’s political parties and NGOs to the initiative.
Speaking
after the vote, European Union Turkey reporter Ria Oomen-Ruijten commented on
Turkey’s stalled EU accession process and said both Ankara and Brussels should
spend more effort to improve relations throughout 2013, a year she
said is of critical importance.
(…)
Oomen-Ruijten
also said that reforms should be carried out in Turkey to secure a modern,
effective, independent and impartial judiciary. She said Turkey should also
tackle problems stemming from what she called a wide definition of terrorism in
criminal and anti-terrorism laws.
The
Dutch parliamentarian's report is due to be voted on by the European Parliament
in mid-April.”
8. Erdogan: “We wish to raise our trade volume with
the Netherlands to 15 billion USD by 2015”
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.03.12), Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, speaking at a joint press conference with his Dutch counterpart Mark
Rutte on Thursday, said that they wished to raise Turkish-Dutch trade volume to
15 billion USD by the year 2015.
Erdogan
said that “Turkey and the Netherlands had a balanced trade. Our trade volume
with the Netherlands is 7 billion USD.”
“The
Netherlands have around 2,100 entrepreneurs and companies working in Turkey.
Dutch investments in Turkey are worth 17 billion USD. Likewise, Turkish
investors in the Netherlands have investments worth 6 billion USD. Such figures
show how good our relations are,” Erdogan also stated.
Rutte,
on his part, said that Turkey was one of the world’s fastest growing economies.
“The Netherlands happens to be the second biggest investor in Turkey.
We held
talks with Prime Minister Erdogan to boost our economic relations, Rutte concluded.
9. Davutoglu discussed the Cyprus problem in Poland
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.03.13), Turkey and Poland have signed a
“Declaration of Will” for activities to mark the 600th year of
diplomatic relations in 2014.
Speaking
at the ceremony in the Polish capital of Warsaw on Thursday, Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the two countries shared historic relations.
His
Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski, on his part, said that various activities
would be held in Turkey and Poland next year.
Davutoglu’s
working visit to Poland was a preparatory one ahead of events which would be
organized in both countries to mark the 600th anniversary of the
relations, Turkey’s MFA said.
Bilateral
relations, Turkey’s EU membership process, the Cyprus problem as well as recent
regional and international matters were also discussed during the meeting, the
Ministry added.
10. Poultry from the occupied
area not allowed to enter into Saudi Arabia
Under the title “They do not eat them, we do”, Turkish
Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (22.03.13) reports that four TIRs full of
poultry belonging to Turkish Cypriot Haci Ali Enterprises were not allowed to
enter into Saudi Arabia, which refused to issue “health report” for them
because of the results of the analyses conducted by that state.
According to the paper, the four TIRs returned
yesterday to the occupied port of Keryneia and from there to the Haci Ali farm.
The reason why the poultry was found unhealthy has not been announced, writes
Afrika wondering whether new analyses will be conducted in the occupied area of
Cyprus for these chickens.
(I/Ts.)
11. The occupation regime at the MIIT fair in Moscow
Under
the front-page title: “The TRNC at the Moscow Tourism Fair”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan (22.03.13) reports that the so-called ministry of tourism,
environment and culture is represented at the 20th Moscow International
Exhibition Travel & Tourism (MIIT), which was opened the day before yesterday
and will close on March 23.
According
to information acquired from the “ministry”, the occupation regime is
represented in the fair by tourism agents, hoteliers, airline companies, the
director of the “department of tourism and marketing” of the so-called
ministry, Turgut Muslu, and Pervin Guran and Tugrul Aktigin, also from the same
“department”.
The
occupation regime participates in the fair with its own stand.
(AK)
12. KADEM’s opinion poll shows CTP to rank first if
“parliamentary elections” were to take place today in the occupied area of
Cyprus
Under
the front-page title: “CTP ranks first”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (22.03.13)
reports on the results of the second part of
a survey conducted by Public Opinion Research Consulting Centre (KADEM)
on the “parliamentary elections”.
According
to the paper, replying to the question: “If parliamentary elections were to
take place next week, which party will you vote?”, the opinion poll revealed
that 21.5% said that will not go to the ballot box, 16.1% said that are
undecided, while 34% said they would vote the Republican Turkish Party (CTP),
30.8% the National Unity Party (UBP), 19.7% the Democratic Party (DP), 13.9%
the Social Democratic Party (TDP) and 1.6% the United Cyprus party (BKP).
According
to the survey, during the “parliamentary elections” which took place in 2009,
the parties received the following percentages:
CTP:
27.2%
UBP:
43.3%
DP:
12%
TDP:
9.5%
Other:
4.2%
According
to the paper, the opinion poll was carried out with a sample group of 813
persons, who are living inside the boundaries of the occupied part of Lefkosia.
(AK)
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
/EI
