TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 74/13 18/4/13
C O N T E N T S
1. Statements by Lavrov and
Davutoglu on the Cyprus problem
2. Russia and Turkey
disagree on Syria and on Cyprus
3. Parents’ try to save
Cyprus ‘marriage’: Bagis
4. The breakaway regime
seeks seat in regional economic organization
5. The assistant secretary
general of EIT Organization carried out several contacts in the occupied area
of Cyprus
6. Elcil criticized Turkish
Cypriot “officials’” using double standards on gold and health
7. Turkish Cypriot
columnists criticize the regime’s stance on the issues of oil, gas and gold
8. Israeli firm which
invested in occupied Cyprus says it does not recommend to other foreign firms
to invest there
9. Another example of
Turkish Cypriots’ separatist policy
10. The EU Information
Centre in the occupied area of Cyprus suspended its activities
11. Turkish Minister of
Education paid an illegal visit to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
12. Controversial statements
about the destruction of antiquities at the ancient city of Gastria
13. Yildiz: Turkey to hold
on to TANAP, Nabucco pipeline shares
14. CHP deputy chairman
resigns following intra-party row
15. Turkey plans to lure
back capital deposited abroad
16. THY makes deal with
Airbus
1. Statements by Lavrov and Davutoglu on the Cyprus
problem
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (18.04.13) reports that the Turkish Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu has argued that Cyprus’s natural resources belong to
all Cypriots and added that finding or developing these natural resources
constitutes a framework that offers an opportunity for a “new solution”. In
statements yesterday during a joint press conference with his Russian
counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, Davutoglu claimed that peace is encouraged in such
situations when the sides concerned come together and show will to effectively
use these resources.
Responding to
questions, the Russian Foreign Minister said that, as in the past, his country
is committed to the principles determined by the UN Security Council on the
Cyprus problem within the framework of the UN Secretary-General’s good offices
mission. Noting that there is a serious financial crisis now in Cyprus, the
Russian Minister said that his country is ready to contribute in the
preparations for the quick resumption of the negotiations within the framework
of the UN.
He added: “On
the issue of the hydrocarbon resources we say that the rules of the international
law should be respected not only in the Mediterranean, but in the entire globe
and that this should be based on principles within the framework of the
Convention [on the Law] of the Sea of 1982. On the Cyprus issue, we support
every kind of explorations for natural resources, provided that this is for the
benefit of all Cypriots. The opposite could not be conceived”.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Russia and Turkey disagree on Syria and on Cyprus
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 18.04.13), under the title “Russia, Turkey split on eve of Syria rebel
meet”, reports, inter alia, the following:
“Moscow and Ankara are still split on
ending the two-year long Syrian crisis ahead of a meeting of the core group of
the Friends of Syrian People on April 20 in Istanbul.
Meanwhile, the Turkish side has urged
Russia to put pressure on Greek Cyprus [Trans. Note: Republic of Cyprus] to
resume negotiations with Turkish Cyprus [Trans. Note: the breakaway regime in
the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus] to find a solution to the island’s
division and act more carefully in its offshore oil and gas exploration
activities, diplomatic sources told the Hurriyet Daily News.
Speaking after a meeting with his
Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
said yesterday the Friends of Syria grouping of Western and Arab countries,
opposed to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad undermined dialogue.
‘Right now we see this process is making
a negative contribution to the (Geneva) decisions,’ Lavrov told reporters in
Istanbul, along with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, referring to a
2012 accord among world powers in Geneva aimed at solving the Syria conflict
through talks involving all parties. Lavrov came to Istanbul to attend the third
meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, a sub-organ of the
Turkish-Russian High Level Cooperation Council. Lavrov’s comments came ahead of
a Friends of Syrian People meeting in Istanbul to be attended by U.S. Secretary
of State John Kerry as well as several of his Western and Arab counterparts.
Russia is not a member of Friends of Syria mechanism.
(…)
For his part, Ahmet Davutoglu said that
Turkey have been doing its best by using any methods to prevent humanitarian
tragedy in Syria. ‘Stopping the humanitarian crisis as soon as possible is
important for us. We tried to convince [Syrian regime] with bilateral talks,
with Arab League and also we carried out negotiations with Russia and Iran.
Friends of Syrian People meeting, which brings together almost 100 countries
across the world, is one of these mechanisms,’ he said. Davutoglu underlined
that developments in Syria have carried out safety risks for Turkey. ‘Turkey
became the most affected country from the two-year Syrian crisis and the
slaughter that al-Assad conducts against its people,’ he said.
‘Both Scud attack against cities on
border and Syrian operations that violate our border and possible chaotic
situation which will likely to happen after Syrian regime collapse produce
security risk for Turkey,’ he added.
Top diplomats also discussed the mutual
commercial and economic cooperation between Russia and Turkey and future steps
to taken toward the goal of increasing the volume of bilateral trade to $100
billion as agreed. (…)”
Columnist Murat Yetkin, writing in
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.04.13), under the title “Russia
and Turkey agree to disagree on Syria”, reports the following:
“It is business as usual in the
improving field of economy, but there is a lot to be ironed out in regional
politics; that could be the best way to describe the current level of relations
between Russia and Turkey.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
had extensive talks with his Turkish host, Ahmet Davutoglu, in Istanbul
yesterday, April 17, in the framework of the third Joint Strategic Planning
group meetings.
Russia is one of Turkey’s leading
trading partners with a volume of $26 billion last year. The mutual trade
contributes much to Turkey’s trade deficit, in the first rank, since Russia is
Turkey’s number-one gas exporter. The Turkish energy minister recently said
more than a quarter of Turkey’s electricity production is dependent on Russian
natural gas.
Davutoglu and Lavrov reiterated the
target pronounced before by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, to have a
volume of $100 billion in the next two years, an ambitious target actually. But
Russia is going to build Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, an
important $20 billion investment on Turkey’s East Mediterranean coast, right
across from the island of Cyprus actually.
Cyprus is one of the issues where Turkey
and Russia fall apart. As Turkey’s European Union Minister Egemen Bagis joked
yesterday, the ‘parents’, in this case Turkey, Greece and the U.K., have been
trying to save the ‘marriage’ between Turkish and Greek Cypriots, who have
actually had separate beds for decades. Russian investors have enjoyed
financial benefits from the EU member Greek Cypriot government for decades as
well. But as the dolce vita is over with the eurozone economic crisis, Russian
money there is looking for other destinations to park.
Another political problem, a much bigger
one, between Turkey and Russia is Syria. Russia has strong nerves to stand by
its major ally in the region (providing the only naval base to Moscow) as
Bashar al-Assad jets have started to bomb even the suburbs of its capital,
Damascus, now. Lavrov and Davutoglu apparently agree on yearning about the
human loss that the Syrian people are suffering, but that is the least common denominator
and without much meaning other than lip service. The two countries part deeply
on Syria and remained so right before a major meeting on Syria that is the
Friends of Syrian People meeting on April 20 in Istanbul. As if to underline
their agreement to disagree, Davutoglu met with Moaz al-Hatib, the leader of
the Syrian National Coalition yesterday, in the same Ciragan Palace by the
Bosporus where he had the meeting with the Russian delegation.
U.N. Security Council permanent member
Russia knows that without the U.S. putting its weight into the Syrian civil
war, because of concerns about the radical group al-Nusra, with its declared
links with al-Qaeda, seizing power, al-Assad would like to keep his post.
Ironically the interests of Iran and Israel converge with Russian and American
ones there enabling al-Assad to keep his post no matter the human cost in the
country is. Turkey, having a 910-kilometer border in between and a painful
Kurdish problem on both sides of the border, has been trying to cope with the
situation – including a refugee problem – almost alone for nearly two years
now.”
3.
Parents’ try to save Cyprus ‘marriage’: Bagis
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 18.04.13), under the above title, reports the following:
“Turkish [Trans. Note: breakaway regime]
and Greek Cyprus [Trans. Note: Republic of Cyprus] are a couple whose troubled
marriage requires the intervention of their ‘parents’ – Turkey, Greece and
Britain – if the bond is going to be saved, Turkish EU Minister Egemen Bagis
has said.
‘They are like married couples. Turkey,
Greece and Britain are like parents who want to save their marriage. Both sides
in Cyprus should decide if their marriage will continue or not, just like
adults. Whatever their decision is, we will respect this,’ he said in an
interview with Luxembourg’s Wort newspaper.
Bagis also denied the Cyprus issue would
be an obstacle preventing Turkey’s EU accession, given that it had not hampered
Greece’s EU membership in the past.
‘We should encourage both sides in
Cyprus to find a solution together,’ Bagis said in an interview with Luxemburg
Wort newspaper.
Bagis also criticized the EU’s visa
procedure toward Turkey. ‘It has not been possible to solve the visa issue due
to prejudices against our citizens. The only member country of which its
citizens need a visa to enter the Schengen zone is Turkey. This issue can only
be solved if prejudges are left aside,’ he said.
The EU minister, however, also
emphasized Ankara’s desire to join the bloc. ‘Turkey’s interest in the EU
continues strongly. For us, the European Union is the biggest peace project of
humanity. If states that fought each other for hundreds of years, such as
Germany and France, could come together under the EU, then Turkey should also
join this Union,’ Bagis said, adding that Turkey had been waiting for 45 years
to start negotiations to join the 27-member bloc.”
4.
The breakaway regime seeks seat in regional economic organization
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online,
17.04.13) reports, inter alia, the following:
“TRNC [Trans. Note: the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] is seeking full membership in
the regional Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), of which it has been an
observer member since October 2012, in an effort to break the ‘embargo’ and
‘isolation’ it has been made to suffer for years.
‘We are pleased with the observer
status, but our aim is to achieve full membership [in the ECO], KKTC President
[Trans. Note: Turkish Cypriot leader] Dervis Eroglu said on Tuesday evening at
the opening ceremony of the 1st ECO University Sports Games.
Eroglu called on the international
community to stop the ‘unjust isolation’ imposed on the ‘TRNC’, which is not
recognized by any country other than Turkey. ‘We don't want sports to be part
of politics,’ he said at the ceremony held in the occupied part of Lefkosia.
The fact that the ECO University Sports
Games are being held in the ‘TRNC’ represents a major achievement for the
‘TRNC’, with the games being the first international sports event to be held in
the ‘country’. ‘Northern Cyprus’ is unable to participate in any international
sports competitions or similar events.
(…) Irsen Kucuk, ‘prime minister of the
TRNC’, described ECO's decision to hold the event in Lefkosia both meaningful
and courageous. ‘It's a big step for the national teams -- even at the
university level -- of five countries, all United Nations members, to be in the
TRNC for the first time’, Kucuk said.
(…) The University Sports Games may be
taken as a clear message to Greek Cypriots that a two-state solution is also on
the table for the Turkish side. Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kilic
also noted that the event is an important step for ending the isolation of the
‘TRNC’, a condition the Minister said was not at all in compliance with the
values sports represent.
Students from six of the member states
of the ECO, namely Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and
Afghanistan, in addition to the ‘TRNC’ will compete in the four-day event,
which will conclude on April 19. A total of 279 competitors from eight
countries will participate in sporting events including athletics, swimming,
gym-soccer (soccer played in a gymnasium), table tennis, badminton, tennis,
chess and wrestling. (…)”
5.
The assistant secretary general of EIT Organization carried out several
contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar
(18.04.13) reports that the assistant secretary general of the Economic
Cooperation Organization ((ECO)
(EIT), Hayri Maraslioglu who is illegally visiting the
occupied area of Cyprus within the framework of the 1st
International University Olympic Games, carried out yesterday several contacts
in the occupied area of Cyprus.
Maraslioglu and a delegation from the
Republic of Turkey met first with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu.
Speaking during the meeting, Eroglu said
that Turkey is a strong country in the region and expressed the belief that the
Turkish Cypriot’s position at the EIT Organization will be improved.
Referring to the 1st
International University Olympic Games, Eroglu said that it is an honour for
the occupation regime to organize them, especially taking into consideration
that the “TRNC” a “country” which is not recognized and it is under
“embargoes”.
In his turn, Maraslioglu said that the
organization of the Olympic Games in the “TRNC” constitutes only the beginning
of the cultural and economic cooperation between the “TRNC” and EIT. Stating
that the occupation regime participates to the EIT meeting long times,
Maraslioglu pointed out that with their participation as an “observer member”,
they achieved to have a more official representation.
Maraslioglu met also with the so-called
prime minister Irsen Kucuk.
Kucuk referred during the meeting to the
strong ties between Turkey and the occupation regime and said that they were
benefited a lot from Turkey’s experiences on the economy, while Maraslioglu
assured that they will give any kind of support to the “TRNC” against their
struggle for the lifting of the “embargoes”.
Maraslioglu later met also with the
so-called foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun. The latest informed him about the
efforts the occupation regime exerts towards the lifting of the embargoes”.
Maraslioglu stated during the meeting that he felt pleasure over his visit to
the “TRNC”, adding that they will work in near future in order to boost their
cooperation with the “TRNC”.
Maraslioglu met further with the
so-called minister of finance Ersin
Tatar.
Tatar pointed out during the meeting
that the “TRNC”, as he called the occupation regime is an observer status at
the EIT Organization and added that the organization of the sport games in the
“TRNC” by this organization is extremely important as he said.
Maraslioglu said during the meeting that
the member countries of the EIT Organization will strengthen their ties with
the occupation regime in the future.
Lastly, Maraslioglu met with the
so-called minister of economy and energy, Sunat Atun.
Atun pointed out during the meeting that
the occupation regime cannot export to the global markets its products because
of the “embargoes”, as he said, and stressed the need for the “embargoes” to be
lifted.
Stating that “motherland Turkey”, as he
called Turkey, is a leader country in the region, Atun said that the political
influence of Turkey could benefit a lot for the solution of the Cyprus problem,
as well as to the strengthening of the economic and political status of the
“TRNC”.
***Translators
Note: [EIT that is the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Economic
Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental regional organization,
established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting
economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States.
ECO is the successor organization of
Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) which remained in existence since
1964 up to 1979.
In 1992, the Organization was expanded
to include seven new members, namely: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic
of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.
More information about the ECO
Organization can be found at the website: http://www.ecosecretariat.org/]
(AK)
6. Elcil criticized Turkish Cypriot “officials’”
using double standards on gold and health
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (18.04.13) reports that the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) Senel Elcil, criticized the self-styled officials in the breakaway regime who reacted to the information that because of the economic crisis, the Republic of Cyprus plans on selling gold reserves that exist in the Central Bank of Cyprus, but did not say anything when the free health services towards the Turkish Cypriots were ended.
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (18.04.13) reports that the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) Senel Elcil, criticized the self-styled officials in the breakaway regime who reacted to the information that because of the economic crisis, the Republic of Cyprus plans on selling gold reserves that exist in the Central Bank of Cyprus, but did not say anything when the free health services towards the Turkish Cypriots were ended.
Elcil, said that
no one reacted on the health issue, but when rumors were circulated about the
gold selling, everyone remembered that the Republic of Cyprus is a common state.
He said that when the Republic of Cyprus announced that the Turkish Cypriot
must pay fees in hospitals, the “officials” said that “our hospitals are enough
to offer health services”. However, when the issue came to gold they said that
“we have also rights to the gold of the Republic”.
Elcil, however,
also criticized the decision for charging the Turkish Cypriots for the health
services they receive, noting that free education and free health services are
a state’s obligations.
7. Turkish Cypriot columnists criticize the
regime’s stance on the issues of oil, gas and gold
Under the title
“The ‘rights are ours’, whose are the usurpations?” Turkish Cypriot columnist
Cenk Mutluyakali reports the following in daily Yeni Duzen newspaper
(18.04.13):
“We do not
forget at all our rights in the ‘Republic of Cyprus’. Very well, what about our
‘duties’? That is, the ‘properties’ in the south for example are ours and the
properties in the north are also ours? Is that so?
The ‘gold’ is
ours, it is our ‘right’ from the Republic of Cyprus (!) Then, why we have ‘left
it and went away’? And actually, there is the ‘Treaty of Guarantee’ from which
we give no concessions. Whose is its ‘content’?
Article one of
the Republic of Cyprus’s Treaty of Guarantee says: ‘…The Republic of Cyprus is
committed not to join fully or partially any state or any political or
financial union. Therefore, it forbids any kind of act which would encourage
directly or indirectly the union with any other state or the division of the
island…’
‘Whatever suits
us’ are our rights in the ‘Republic of Cyprus’. We could ignore whatever does
not suit us, in the end!
The passport is
ours, the identity card is ours. The health service is ours! Really, what will
happen with the ‘properties’ on which we have ‘settled’ and distribute them as
if they belonged to our father? Are they also our rights from the ‘Republic of
Cyprus’ or they are our usurpations? The oil is ours! The gas is ours! The gold
is ours! Very well, whose is the ‘division’?
We started
referring more and more to our rights deriving from the ‘Republic of Cyprus’.
Very well. What have we done with our duties? What have we done with our
struggle to enter into ‘the international law’, which the entire world would
accept? I wonder, has the target for a ‘United Cyprus’ been abandoned? Let them
give us our gold, our natural gas, our oil. Let them give us our identity card,
our passport. And let us remain alone with our ‘division’! Let the best
university, lyceum teams and clubs from Turkey go and play their matches in the
south, within the framework of our rights in the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ actually
(!) And let second class [teams] come to us and let us rejoice that ‘we have
broken the embargoes’!”
Meanwhile, in
its main editorial today (18.04.13) Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper
also refers to the reactions of the Turkish Cypriot side on the same issues.
Under the title “Who are we?” the paper reports, inter alia, the following:
“The Greek
Cypriot side has found the solution for overcoming a serious bend in the
economic crisis by selling 14 tons of gold purchased in 1960 and kept in the
Central Bank. As soon as a statement was issued on this matter, our side became
a ‘Superman’! …
Since our
negotiator, the president of the Republic wants a share from the gold, he
should bring up the issue on the agenda when he goes to the negotiating table.
Let us see, what reply he will get? Will Anastasiades tell him, perhaps by
wringing his hands, that ‘then come and fill your places in the parliament?
What will happen, if he tells him this? Or what will happen, if he asks about
the situation we have turned Varosha into?
Let jokes aside,
it is possible for us to say that we struggle desperately within a complete
lack of policy. On the one hand you will say that the TRNC is an independent
state and on the other you will participate in the negotiations and say that
‘not agreeing is also an agreement’ and above all as soon as you see a ‘pie
with honey’ you will say ‘we also have a share’.
It is as if in
this side we live within a rule of law deriving from the constitution of the
Republic of Cyprus and we abide by this and we want a share from the gold as
well! It is as if we are not the side which exploited the Greek Cypriot
properties to the bone! …”
(I/Ts.)
8. Israeli firm which invested in occupied Cyprus
says it does not recommend to other foreign firms to invest there
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (18.04.13) reports that Itai Stadler the deputy chairman
of the engineering body of the TAHAL Israeli desalination firm which is located
in occupied Voukolida village confirmed that due to malfunctions the factory
does not give water to the regions, however he made strong accusations against
the self-styled government accusing it for not paying the firm for two years
now for the services the company offers.
Stadler who said
that the company spent millions of dollars to build the desalination company
said that the negligence and the behavior of the “government” astonishes the
company which chose the breakaway regime to invest and said that they will not
recommend to other countries to invest to occupied Cyprus.
9.
Another example of Turkish Cypriots’ separatist policy
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (18.04.13)
reports that the representatives of the Turkish Cypriots, who participate in
meetings in Brussels, have reacted to the decision of the European Commission
Representation in Cyprus that they should fly to Brussels through legal ports
of the Republic of Cyprus as it is Larnaca airport.
Reacting to this decision, the Turkish
Cypriot NGOs have decided to fly with their own means to Brussels in order to
participate in the meetings in Brussels from the illegal airport of Tymbou.
Dr Erhan Ercin, “head of the EU
Coordination Centre”, commenting on this decision, said that it violates the EU
law. He added that the EU citizens cannot be compelled from where they will
fly. He also said that he supports the decision of the Turkish Cypriot NGOs to
travel to Brussels with their own money via the illegal airport of Tymbou.
10.
The EU Information Centre in the occupied area of Cyprus suspended its
activities
Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper
(18.04.13) reports that the EU Information Centre which has opened in the
occupied area of Cyprus in 2009 and provided services to the Turkish Cypriots
under the sponsorship of the EU Financial Aid Program, has suspended its
activities as of yesterday, writes the paper.
According to the paper, the EU
Information Centre chairman Kudret Akay whose contract expires, has given a
reception last night during which he expressed his sorrow over the fact that
the Center will suspend its activities after four years of functioning.
Speaking also during the reception,
Alessandra Viezzer, the Representative of the Office of the European Commission
in Cyprus thanked Akay for the successful services he provided to the Turkish
Cypriots and said that the Information Center will go into action again
although there will be a short suspension of its activities.
Also, Mrs. Beatrice Vecchionic, charge
d'affairs at the Embassy of Italy in Cyprus, has also attended the reception,
writes the paper.
(AK)
11.
Turkish Minister of Education paid an illegal visit to the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak television
(17.04.13), Turkey’s Minister for National Education Nabi Avci paid an illegal
visit on Wednesday to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, his first
overseas visit since coming to duty.
Turkish Minister Nabi Avci met with the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu yesterday morning. The so-called minister
for national education youth and sports Mutlu Atasayan, the so-called Turkish
ambassador to the occupied part of Lefkosia Halil Ibrahim Akca and ERoglu’s
undersecretary Hasan Gungor were also present during the meeting.
Making a short speech, Eroglu pointed to
the importance of dialogue between Turkey and the breakaway regime in the field
of education and added that they were always in sincere dialogue on the issue.
Avci, for his part, said that he was
aware of the importance the “TRNC” gave to the education sector and expressed
the belief that cooperation between the “TRNC” and Turkey will continue to
develop in this field.
Avci later met with the “TRNC assembly
speaker” Hasan Bozer, who pointed to the importance of education and added that
through education the “country” could reach to a better position.
Kucuk welcomed the Turkish Minister and
pointed to the importance of further developing relations between Turkey and
the breakaway regime.
He also added that Turkey’s support to
Turkish Cypriots’ national cause further strengthened the hand of Turkish
Cypriots at the negotiating table.
Avci then held a meeting with the
so-called minister of education Mutlu Atasayan.
Moreover, Ankara Anatolia news agency
(17.04.13) reports that Turkish Minister of National Education Nabi Avci came
together with students and teachers in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus and talked about the Fatih Project.
During a meeting with Kucuk, Avci said that
they want to share the experiences on, enhance and enrich the Fatih Project and
added: “The relationship between Turkey and the TRNC will increase. In this
relation education will constitute an important place.”
The Fatih Project is a “Movement to Increase
Opportunities and Technology” of the Turkish government which seeks to
integrate state-of-the-art computer technology into Turkey’s public education
system.
12.
Controversial statements about the destruction of antiquities at the ancient
city of Gastria
Under the title: “No ‘trust’ in
statements made”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (18.04.13) reports that the
journalist of the paper, Aysu Basri Akter has discussed the issue of the
destruction of antiquities at the ancient city of Gastria in her program
broadcast by Genc TV.
The paper writes that after the
superficial statement made by the so-called ministry of tourism the other day,
that no destruction was made to the antiquities at the ancient city of Gastria,
Tuncer Bagiskan, expert archeologist who participate to the program, has stated
that all kind of works that will take place at the region will pose a risk for
the region and he accused the “administration board” of the “immovable
antiquities and monuments department” for partisanship and lack of confidence.
Meanwhile, speaking during the program,
Dogan Sahir, chairman of the “Green Peace Movement”, said that Gastria region
is a valuable region and a protected area, adding that any kind of works in the
region poses the region under a great risk. Sahir added that the fact that
petrol installations are found there constitutes a threat for the whole region.
Also, Yeni Duzen writes that after
visiting K-Pet Company installations at Gastria region, the chairman of the
“administration board” of K-Pet Company, Okan Haciali, has stated that no
destruction was made to the area because of the works which are taking place
there for the increase of the capacity of the storages. He went on and said
that after launching their works in the area, they first taken a preliminary
license for weed cleaning and added that if there will be any complaint, the
“governor” should ask them to suspend their works.
(AK)
13.
Yildiz: Turkey to hold on to TANAP, Nabucco pipeline shares
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online,
17.04.13), under the above title, reports, inter alia, the following:
“Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on
Wednesday stressed the importance of Ankara’s stake in two Caspian gas
pipelines, telling the press that it would ensure the country's role as an
energy corridor for Europe.
The Minister said that Turkey's state
oil firms, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and the Turkish Pipeline
Corporation (BOTAS), would maintain their existing 20% stake in the
Trans-Anatolian Pipeline project (TANAP), words which come amid a selloff of
some of the remaining 80% of shares by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan
Republic (SOCAR). Various international news outlets this month reported that
SOCAR would sell a 29% stake in the field to Norwegian oil firm Statoil, as
well as international oil giants BP and Total. ‘We plan to keep the second
largest stake in the TANAP project,’ Yildiz said during the press conference.
The shakeup in ownership in the TANAP
pipeline also comes as a major stakeholder dropped out of the parallel Nabucco
pipeline on Sunday. This week German utility company RWE sold its stake in
Nabucco, turning over its 17% share of the project to Austrian energy company
OMV. Yildiz said that Ankara's oil companies would also maintain their existing
stakes in that project, which is shared with firms in Hungary, Romania and
Bulgaria.
The two pipelines, which link Turkey and
Europe to large reserves of natural gas in the Caucasus, are considered
essential for reducing the dominance of Russia in Turkey and Europe's gas
trade. The Minister has also said the pipelines will make energy-poor Turkey
into an energy hub for greater Europe. ‘Turkey will be both the country
benefitting the most from this and the country helping other nations the most,’
he said.
TANAP, which is expected to be completed
in 2018, is projected to have a capacity of around 16 billion cubic meters a
year. Ankara says around 6 billion will be consumed by Turkey, while the rest
will be sent to Europe.
Yildiz also said more domestic energy
reserves might be tapped in Turkey's Southeast should Ankara successfully
conclude its three-decade-long conflict with Kurdish terrorists.
‘Energy investment will be one of the
things most radically changed by the settlement process [with the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK)],’ the Minister told a gathering of journalists on
Wednesday, highlighting the reserves of natural gas and shale gas revealed by
government-funded surveys of the country's far Southeast. ‘Hopefully these
reserves will be better explored if, God willing, the settlement process is
successful,’ he added, referring to talks aimed at a disarmament and withdrawal
of the terrorist PKK group.”
Moreover, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 18.04.13), under the title “KRG pipeline for international export
to be ‘finished’”, reports that tThe Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is on
track to finish the pipeline in the third quarter, linking Genel Energy’s Taq
Taq oilfield with an existing Iraq-Turkey crude pipeline, according to four
Turkey-based industry sources.
Turkey has given the green light to the
plan, under which oil from Taq Taq will enter the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline at
Fishkhabur pumping station near the Turkish border, from where it will flow
directly to Turkey’s southern port of Ceyhan for shipping to international
markets, the sources said.
The move will help Kurdistan
significantly increase its oil exports but could upset the Iraqi central
government, which sees independent exports from the north as illegal and says
growing trade between the KRG and Turkey threatens to split Iraq.
14.
CHP deputy chairman resigns following intra-party row
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (17.04.13)
with the above title reports that Gulseren Onanc, a deputy chairwoman of the
main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has resigned after mounting
criticism within the party against her pro-settlement statements concerning the
government’s ongoing peace efforts seeking a political and peaceful solution to
the decades-old Kurdish conflict that has claimed the lives of thousands.
Onanc recently said 65% of CHP
supporters endorse the ongoing settlement process, a statement that clearly
contradicts the official position of the main opposition party, whose chairman,
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, regularly criticizes the government over its policies
concerning the Kurdish issue.
How Onanc’s resignation will affect the
party in the days to come remains unknown.
15.
Turkey plans to lure back capital deposited abroad
Under the above title, Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (online, 18.04.13) reports the following:
“Finance Ministry is working on a new
cash repatriation law to bring Turkish citizens’ assets abroad to the country
as main opposition party, CHP, claims that it will facilitate money laundering.
Turkey’s Finance Ministry is working on
a new cash repatriation regulation to draw back $130 billion worth of citizens’
money abroad amid the country’s increasing lustre in the world, Deputy Prime
Minister Ali Babacan has said.
A cash repatriation law designed to
bring assets home came into force in 2008 during the beginnings of the global
economic crisis, Babacan said, but added that a similar could be considered
once more.
‘When we enacted the first one, there
was an economic crisis in the world. Turkey had not yet become prominent. Cash
repatriation will be more effective in this period [thanks to Turkey’s greater
prominence in world affairs],’ Babacan said during a visit to Atlanta on April
16.
Under the 2008 cash repatriation law, a
2% tax was applied on assets coming in from abroad, together with a 5% tax on
assets in the country, Babacan said, adding that they were now working on a new
tax rate. Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek confirmed yesterday that they had
started work on the cash repatriation law under the direction of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
But main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) General Vice President Faik Oztrak, who opposes the cash
repatriation, said in a written statement yesterday that the new law would facilitate
money laundering.
‘Will the AKP [ruling Justice and
Development Party] make peace with those who mix fair and unfair money?’ Oztrak
said, musing whether it was one of the conditions of the negotiations between
Erdogan and jailed outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah
Ocalan.
‘As Parliament made a law on preventing
money laundering in February, will it make a new law to launder money now?’ he
said, questioning whether it would be possible to determine which money came
from drug trafficking, bribery, the arms trade or terrorism.
The cash repatriation law came into
force in 2008 with the aim of ‘creating resources for investments that can
resolve production, employment and inflation issues, maintain economic revival,
provide financial resources to overcome the global economic crisis with minimum
damage and reinforce enterprises’ capital structures.
According to the law, real and corporate
person’s financial instruments (money, exchange, gold and other capital market
instruments) abroad and property abroad will be declared and registered and
repatriated to the national economy. Instruments in the country that are not
listed as equity capital by enterprises must also be declared and used as
capital in order to reinforce the capital structure.
More than $50 billion of the total
registered assets abroad worth $130 billion is traded on the Unites States
Treasury securities, said Babacan, who visited the U.S. with a delegation of
the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) for Turkey
Investment Week. Babacan said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had 3 million
members, adding that Turkey needed to draw the attention of U.S. business
leaders.
The deputy prime minister also said the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce planned to bring a procurement committee to Turkey.
‘U.S. investors that have $3 trillion are looking to make foreign investments.
We’d like to take a share of these investments.’”
16.
THY makes deal with Airbus
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(17.04.13), Turkish Airlines (THY) on Wednesday signed an agreement with Airbus
to add 117 more planes to its fleet.
Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet
Simsek, Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication
Binali Yildirim, THY Chairman of Board Hamdi Topcu, CEO of THY Temel Kotil and
President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Fabrice Bregier were present at
the signing ceremony held in Istanbul.
European-made 117 planes will be added
to the fleet of THY by the end of 2020, with the agreement signed. Number of
planes in the THY fleet will reach 375 by the end of 2020 and the average fleet
age which is currently 6.6 will be reduced to five with the
Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet
Simsek delivered a speech at the signing ceremony where he stated that the THY
Airbus cooperation was an important turning point. “THY is a success story not
only in Europe but also in the world despite the global economic crisis. I
believe, the cooperation of THY and Airbus will pave way for developing Turkish
civil aviation as well as aircraft industry,” Simsek said.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony,
President of Airbus Fabrice Bregier stressed that the THY would be among the
top 10 airlines of the world soon.
THY Chairman of Board, Hamdi Topcu
underlined that it was their aim to be one of the world's best 10 airlines.
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