TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No.
65/13
Date:
5/4/13
C
O N T E N T S
1. Ozgurgun stated
that a “two state solution” is inevitable if the Greek Cypriot
side does not come to the negotiation table
2. Davutoglu will meet
with five counterparts from different countries in April
3. Irish MFA talks to
AA prior his visit to Turkey
4. Bagis suggests to
Lithuanian MFA to hold a conference on Cyprus during their EU
Presidency
5.
Self-styled MPs to visit Brussels and Strasbourg for meetings of the
European Parliament
6.
MUSIAD to open a representation office in Germany
7.
Kucuk presents the 2013-2015 economic program
8.
The so-called by-elections will be held on Sunday
9.
Gul asks from Lithuania to create a lobbying during the meetings with
the EU
10.
First meeting of Erdogan with “Wise People”
11.
Turkey’s opposition parties stay out of parliamentary settlement
commission
12.
Turkey wants to be part of the EU’s free trade deals with third
countries
1.
Ozgurgun
stated that a “two state solution” is inevitable if the Greek
Cypriot side does not come to the negotiation table
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (05.04.13) reports that the so-called
foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun speaking to a group of diplomatic
correspondents in Turkey yesterday, about the Cyprus problem said:
“We’d like to resume reunification talks from where we left off.
However, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades does not seem to
have that intention”.
“Downer
has tested the waters with both sides and Turkish Cypriots expressed
their will to restart negotiations, but Greek Cypriots have not
responded yet”, Ozgurgun said.
A
delegation of Turkish Cypriots held talks with Turkish Foreign
Ministry officials on April 3 and yesterday in order to build roadmap
on the Cyprus problem.
“The
roadmap could include working on a two-state solution if the Greek
Cypriot side does not come closer to the negotiation table”,
Ozgurgun said, reiterating a recent statement from Ankara that
underlined the possibility of a “two-state solution.”
“There
are already two states on the island, and ‘they cannot meet under
the same roof’”, he said, adding that “a two-state solution is
inevitable” at the end of the day if one of the parties avoids
reunification.
“Anastasiades
uses the economic crisis as a reason to avoid reunification talks”,
Ozgurgun said, adding that the economic crisis has increased
fanaticism among Greek Cypriots. “The burning of the Turkish flag
is an outcome of that”, he added.
Ozgurgun
said also that reunification could boost the prosperity of the island
and bring the number of tourists to more than 5 million. He noted the
electricity trade between the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek
Cypriot side and added that the water to be transferred from Turkey
to the “north” of Cyprus, as he called the occupation regime,
could be “the water of peace”. He said that the economic
profitability of Cyprus would be enhanced by the cooperation of both
sides.
Also,
according to Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.04.13), the so-called
foreign minister Huseyin Ozgurgun met on Thursday with members of the
Diplomacy Correspondents Association in Ankara.
Speaking
at the meeting, Ozgurgun stressed that “an optimistic development
in Cyprus seemed not possible due to the Greek Cypriot perspective”.
“Greek Cypriots argue that they must firstly end the economic
crisis and deal with the Cyprus problem later. When such approach is
the case and also represents the views of the new Greek Cypriot
leader Anastasiades, an optimistic development seems far in Cyprus,”
Ozgurgun indicated.
The
economic crisis gives Anastasiadis a chance to not deal with the
Cyprus problem, Ozgurgun also said.
2.
Davutoglu
will meet with five counterparts from different countries in April
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.04.13), Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu will meet five counterparts from different countries
in the first half of April.
Davutoglu
will meet Foreign Minister of Guinea Lonseny Fall first. He’ll then
meet Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore and Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey
Lavrov.
During
his second visit in Turkey, Kerry and Davutoglu will discuss the
peace process in the Middle-East, relations between Turkey and
Israel, Syrian crisis, the developments in Iraq and “Greek Cypriot
Administration” this weekend.
Russia’s
Foreign Minister Lavrov will also visit Turkey in April. Lavrov will
attend the 3rd
Turkey-Russia Joint Strategic Planning Group (OSPG) meeting on April
17.
Ireland’s
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Gilmore will visit Turkey between April 7-10 and come together with
Davutoglu on April 7 in Istanbul.
Guinea's
Minister for Foreign Affairs Fall and Davutoglu will discuss African
and international issues during their meeting on April 5.
Minister
of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali Coulibaly
will be in Ankara on April 6-7 and discuss with the Turkish Foreign
Minister the latest developments in Mali.
3.
Irish
MFA talks to AA prior his visit to Turkey
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.04.13), Ireland’s
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Relations and Trade,
Eamon Gilmore, talking to AA in London prior his upcoming Turkey
visit on April 7-10, has said enlargement was a priority for the
Irish Presidency, and they welcomed the fact that the December 2012
EU Council Conclusions recognised was in the interest of both the EU
and Turkey that accession negotiations regain momentum. He said they
were pleased there has been an opportunity to move forward on
Turkey’s accession process during the Irish Presidency, and work
was continuing at present on Chapter 22 (Regional Policy). He added
they would continue to encourage all parties to facilitate further
progress on the negotiations.
“Further
progress would depend on the efforts of all parties, both the EU and
Turkey and enlargement was a conditional process, and Turkey could
accelerate the pace of accession by advancing in the fulfilment of
benchmarks, meeting the requirements of the Negotiating Framework and
by respecting its contractual obligations towards the EU”, said
Gilmore.
On
a question whether he would like to see Turkey in the EU, Gilmore
said: “Ireland was supportive of Turkish EU accession, provided of
course that the conditions of membership are met.”
Gilmore
said membership of the EU was not a question of religion; rather it
was a question of satisfying the conditions of membership, and of
respecting and promoting the values of the Union adding that “any
country in Europe which can satisfy the economic and political
conditions of membership, and which respects and promotes the
fundamental values of the EU, including human dignity, freedom,
democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights,
including the rights minorities, may apply to join the European
Union.”
“These
reforms continue, and the EU that Turkey may join in the future will
be very different from that operating now, just as I expect that the
Turkey that joins the EU in the future will be different from the
country today”, noted Gilmore. He said accession was a long, slow
process; but it was one that requires continual forward momentum. It
was far better to stay on the path, leaving the final decision about
membership to the point when the full package was finalised and its
benefits could be properly considered.
Responding
to a question on if Cyprus problem was an obstacle in front of
Turkey’s EU membership, Gilmore said it was true to say that the
Cyprus problem was affecting Turkey’s EU membership prospects. He
said the EU was pleased to welcome the Republic of Cyprus as a member
state in 2004 but of course the EU wishes to see a resolution to the
Cyprus problem, which would be for the benefit of all the peoples of
Cyprus, for Turkey, and for the whole region. As outlined in the
December 2012 Council Conclusions, in order to progress on its EU
path Turkey must commit itself unequivocally to good neighbourly
relations, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to normalising
its relations with the Republic of Cyprus. Implementation of the
Ankara Protocol could also provide a significant boost to Turkey’s
accession process, said Gilmore.
Reminding
that 2013 marks the 40th
anniversary of Ireland’s EU accession, Gilmore said membership of
the EU had been a driving force for social and political change in
Ireland, one of the first three “accession” states of the
European Union. He expressed that they worked hard to resolve recent
difficulties through reforms such as in the area of economic
governance and have seen a certain stability return to the region
over the past two years as a result. He said Ireland’s strong
export performance was playing a crucial role in supporting their
economic recovery and Turkey remains a key trading partner for
Ireland. This trade mission reflects their commitment to further
expand trade and economic links between Ireland and the Republic of
Turkey, he added.
Gilmore’s
4-day Turkey visit has several aspects. He will lead a high-level
trade mission to Ankara and Istanbul, with the aim of expanding trade
and economic links between Ireland and Turkey. Secondly, he will meet
with Foreign Minister Davutoglu and EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis
to discuss political matters, including Turkey's EU accession
process, Irish-Turkish bilateral relations, and current regional and
international issues. He will also be paying a courtesy call on
President Gul.
4.
Bagis
suggests to Lithuanian MFA to hold a conference on Cyprus during
their EU Presidency
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency ((05.04.13), Turkish Minister for EU
Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, in an interview to Baltic
News Agency (BNS), said that Turkey’s ability to have Islam and
democracy coexisting together can help fight extremism in Europe
where the Muslim population will continue to rise.
Bagis
also said that he expects a new impetus in Turkey’s EU accession
talks during Lithuania's term as the presiding member over the
Council of the European Union in the second half of this year and he
also sees an opportunity to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Noting
that 11% of the French society is Muslim, 9% of the German society is
Muslim and that by 2025 more than 10% of Europe would be of the
Islamic faith, Bagis said: “I am sure there are some people within
some parts of Europe who reject Turkey based on the predominant
religion of Turkey. But I don’t think it is a relevant issue
because Islam is also a European reality”.
“So
a European country like Turkey, which has a predominant Islamic faith
but has a great example of free market economy, supremacy of law,
co-existence of democracy, can give a very strong message which would
be the antidote of the sick messages that is poisoning some Muslim
minds in Europe,” Bagis said.
In
his words, Ankara hopes the forthcoming Lithuanian EU Presidency will
provide a new impetus to Turkey’s stalled EU accession talks.
“We
are hoping to open one chapter in June during the Irish Presidency, a
chapter on regional policy, but we are hoping for a new momentum in
the relationship during the Lithuanian Presidency,” Bagis said.
Commenting
on the Cyprus problem, Bagis said: “I even told your Foreign
Minister that if during the Lithuanian Presidency you would like to
organize a conference between Turkey, Greece, Turkish Cypriots and
Greek Cypriots, I assure you, Turkey and Turkish Cypriots would be
there,”.
Moreover,
according to news portal Lithuania Tribune (04.04.13), in the same
interview to BSN, Bagis also said on the Cyprus problem the
following: “I had even proposed earlier an idea of dealing with the
Cyprus problem like the election process of the Pope. Let’s lock
ourselves in a room and not leave until we resolve the Cyprus
problem. Turkey is as self-confident as to make this kind of the
proposal.”
5.
Self-styled
MPs to visit Brussels and Strasbourg for meetings of the European
Parliament Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.04.13) reports that delegations of
the self-styled assembly of the breakaway regime will participate in
two meetings of the European Parliament which will take place in
Brussels and Strasbourg.
According
to the paper, Hasan Tacoy “MP” with the National Unity Party
(UBP) and Ozdil Nami “MP” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP)
will “participate” in the General Assembly Works of the European
Parliament between 9-11 of April,
in Brussels.
In addition Tacoy and
Teberruken Ulucay “MP” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP)
will “participate” in the General Assembly Works of the European
Parliament between 16-19 of April in Strasbourg.
The paper also writes
members of the “Economy, finance, treasury and plan committee” of
the breakaway regime will go to Ankara in order to participate in a
meeting of the Great National Assembly of Turkey, between 9-12 of
April.
6.
MUSIAD
to open a representation office in Germany
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris (05.04.13) reports that the Independent
Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) will open a
representation office in Dordmund town, in Germany.
According
to a statement issued by the association, all Turkish Cypriot
businessmen are invited to participate to the inauguration ceremony
and business meetings which will take place between March 12-14.
(AK)
7.
Kucuk
presents the 2013-2015 economic program
According
to illegal Bayrak television (04.04.13), the so-called prime minister
Irsen Kucuk, speaking at a reception of businessmen, stressed that
his “government” was working hard to further strengthen the
“TRNC” economy.
Kucuk
said that the 2013-2015 economic program will boost the economy and
that infrastructural investments envisaged as part of the package,
will help to complete the infrastructure of the occupied area of
Cyprus by 90 %.
Kucuk
also said that the economic program will make contributions to the
real sector as well as to the sectors of tourism, agriculture and
animal husbandry in the occupied area of Cyprus. He added that the
goal was to increase the income per capita from 15 thousand dollars
to 17 thousand dollars by the year 2015.
8.
The
so-called by-elections will be held on Sunday
According
to illegal Bayrak television (04.04.13), the citizens of the occupied
part of Lefkosia will be heading to the ballots this Sunday to elect
a new “mayor” as well as replacements for the 15 “municipal
council members” who had resigned earlier.
A
total of 9 candidates are racing for the position of the mayor in the
occupied part of Lefkosia.
A
total of 35, 531 thousand citizens will be voting at 113 ballot boxes
during Sunday’s so-called by-elections at the municipality of the
occupied part of Lefkosia.
3
of the 9 “mayoral candidates” contesting are independents while
the remaining 6 are candidates of the National Unity Party (UBP),
Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Democratic Party (DP), Social
Democracy Party (TDP), New Cyprus Party (YKP) and the Cyprus
Socialist Party (KSP).
A
total of 77 candidates are contesting for the 15 seats at the
so-called municipal assembly. Two of the candidates are independents.
The
new “mayor and municipal council members” will be serving for the
next 14 months until the next so-called local elections in 2014.
9.
Gul
asks from Lithuania to create a lobbying during the meetings with the
EU
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.04.13), Turkish President Abdullah
Gul on Thursday received Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas
Butkevicius, attended the opening ceremony of Turkish-Lithuanian
Business forum and the Islamic Culture and Education Centre and
finally held a press conference in capital Vilnius.
Gul
said that the visits to Latvia and Lithuania were very beneficial.
Referring
to Lithuania’s EU Term Presidency beginning in three months’ time
he said: “An extraordinary development. I am very pleased that both
Latvia and Lithuania have shared their strong support to Turkey’s
EU membership with the public. They told us some chapters would be
opened during the EU Term Presidency of Lithuania. We are on the
wait. However, what is more important is the opportunity to speak
about Turkey’s thesis in meetings Turkey isn’t present. I believe
president of Lithuania will fulfil this duty with his broad
experience.”
Moreover,
A.A. (04.04.13) reports that Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul,
delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the Turkish-Lithuanian
Business Forum in Vilnius, said on Thursday that EU had not signed a
visa lifting agreement with Turkey yet was a big deficiency.
Gul
said Turkish Airlines will start Istanbul-Vilnius flights in June and
“Viking Project” that would enable trains to carry goods from
Lithuania to Turkey and to the Middle East via Turkey were important
steps to enhance bilateral economic relations.
Gul
also called on the Turkish businessman to invest in Lithuania, which
was not affected from the economic crisis like Turkey; and invited
Lithuanian businessman to invest in Turkey and to the Middle East,
Africa, and Central Asia via Turkey.
10.
First
meeting of Erdogan with “Wise People”
Under
the title “Wise Persons’ panel to help shape resolution process:
PM Erdogan”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 04.04.13)
reports that the work of the “Wise People” commissions will
determine the path and method that the government follows during the
resolution process, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during
the first meeting of the 63 prominent names in Istanbul on April 4.
“We
have some thoughts about the path that we will embark upon. However
the consultations that this delegation will hold are also going to be
decisive for the path and the method that we will follow,” Erdogan
said, describing the Wise People as a “snapshot of the 76 million”.
“The
delegation gathered here represents very different opinions,
ethnicities and beliefs. But they all have a common point: They all
want to resolve a rotten problem. This is our approach as well,” he
added.
Erdogan praised the
participants for their eagerness to contribute the talks that have
been launched between the government and the jailed leader of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“The
people here are not only wise, they are also brave, idealistic,
patriotic and pacifistic. The fact that so many people from different
backgrounds stand in the same picture has revived hopes for a
solution,” he said, emphasizing the psychological mission that the
commission is intended to play for obtaining the public support.
“What politicians can do is limited. Everyone should take their
responsibility for dissipating terrorism on the psychological
dimension.”
Erdogan
also added that he was open to any contribution from outside the 63
members of the commission.
Meanwhile,
the Prime Minister criticized the opposition for not openly
supporting the ongoing peace process. “The proposal of those who
oppose a solution is the continuation of deaths. This mind-set is
neither human nor ethical,” he said, adding that the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) had “always been alone on the path.”
Following
a meeting that lasted around four and a half hours, prominent
academic Dogu Ergil, a member of the Central Anatolia group within
the “Wise People Commission”, described their task as being to
“ferment peace”.
“[The
decision about] the conditions of peace are at the government’s
discretion. What they expect from us is to understand whether there
is resistance in society [for the process] and, accordingly, to try
to persuade such resistance to the path of peace,” Ergil said,
adding that the commission did not have any specific program. “This
is entirely a civil society movement”.
It
was decided during the meeting that Erdogan will regularly meet with
the heads of the seven groups, and the Prime Minister also agreed to
extend the work of the commission to two months, from the one month
that was initially declared.
11.
Turkey’s
opposition parties stay out of parliamentary settlement commission
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 04.04.13), under the title
“Turkish ruling party’s Kurdish bid panel offer hits opposition
wall”, reports, inter alia, the following:
“The
main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced that
it will not take part in a parliamentary assessment commission
concerning a resolution process to the Kurdish issue.
The
Justice and Development Party (AKP) proposal for the establishment of
a Resolution Process Assessment Commission is against Parliament’s
internal regulations, as well as the Constitution, CHP deputy
parliamentary group chair Akif Hamzacebi said at a press conference
in Parliament today.
Parliamentary
investigatory commissions are supposed to deal with past events,
while the prospective commission is slated to deal with the future of
an ongoing process, the CHP said, insisting on its earlier proposal
for the establishment of such a ‘Societal Reconciliation
Commission’ in Parliament to work on the resolution of the Kurdish
issue along with a group of ‘wise people’ linked to the
parliamentary commission.
The
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also announced that it would not
take part in the commission, as it also argued that the proposal was
against the internal regulations of Parliament.
(…)
Wise-people
commissions work under Parliament elsewhere in the world, but such
panels are brought into being by government decree in Turkey,
Hamzaçebi said.
The
investigation commissions are composed of 17 members, and the AKP has
10 seats, more than the number of the seats required to form a
commission with an absolute majority, which is nine.
‘It
is a requirement for all parties to name deputies for the commission.
Yet, even if they don’t, we will be working with whoever names
deputies,’ AKP deputy parliamentary group chair Nurettin Canikli
told the Hurriyet Daily News today.
When
asked whether this was meant to say that they are ready to work
solely along with the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Canikli
replied in the affirmative.
The
government responded favourably yesterday to requests to submit the
country’s fledgling peace process to greater parliamentary
oversight, submitting a motion to establish a legislative panel.
The
BDP introduced two separate proposals for parliamentary
investigations which call for the formation of a truth and
reconciliation commission and a commission dealing with the history
of the Kurdish issue since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.
Since
these proposals could be united with the AKP’s proposal, the name
of the prospective commission could change in a way that would be
satisfactory to both the AKP and the BDP.”
12.
Turkey
wants to be part of the EU’s free trade deals with third countries
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 05.04.13), under the title “Tender
process starts for US-eyed project”, reports that Turkey’s
Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, during his three-day visit to Texas,
in the United States, said that Turkey should be at least an observer
during the European Union’s trade deal negotiations with third
countries.
Caglayan
stated that the EU’s free trade deals with third countries blocked
Turkey’s right to the free movement of goods because it faced
quotas, during his visit between April 1 and 3.
He
criticized the fact that the Customs Union Agreement between the EU
and Turkey created unfair competition. In addition, the Transatlantic
Free Trade Agreement between the EU and the U.S. would seriously
affect Turkey’s economy under current conditions.
“Turkey
should simultaneously start negotiations with the U.S. when the EU
does. Turkey should be given a place as observer at least during the
negotiations [of the EU] with third countries,” Caglayan said.
However,
Caglayan said during the Turkish-American Business Forum that the
economic relations between the US and Turkey were “like a platonic
love,” as Turkey’s exports to the US were worth $5.6 billion
while its imports from US were worth $14.1 billion last year.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
/EI
