TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 87/13 10/05/13
C O N T E N T S
1. Eroglu reiterated his position for a timetable on the Cyprus negotiations
2. Cicek stated that Iran in recent times changed its stance on the breakaway regime
3. Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce organizes an event on the EU Day
4. Kucuk wants the EU to negotiate with the breakaway regime
5. Turkish Cypriot side decided to contribute €2.5 million for the restoration of Apostolos Andreas monastery
6. Self-styled “deputies” will visit Strasbourg and Brussels
7. More than two thousand Turks are members of Al-Kaide terrorist organization
8. Official says Israel, Turkey to exchange ambassadors after talks
9. Cavusolglu in Ankara for discussions over the contraction of a prison in the breakaway regime
10. TURIYAD visited the KTTO
11. Baghdad government says PKK not welcome in Iraq
12. Ustel: “We expect 700 thousands tourists for 2013”
13. “Babacan: Turkey's 'crazy project' has begun”
14. A new website is expected to promote Peace Journalism in Cyprus
15. Three Greek citizens were taken under custody by the occupation regime
16. Turkish Airlines: Lipstick ban 'misinterpreted
17. Assassination plot against Patriarch Bartholomeos uncovered
1. Eroglu reiterated his position for a timetable on the Cyprus negotiations
Illegal Bayrak television (09.05.13) broadcast that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots do not have the patience to wait for another 45 years for a solution to the Cyprus Problem and that it is time deadlines and a timetable was introduced to the negotiations process.
He said that a settlement based on the “realities on the island” must be reached soon.
Speaking during a visit of the “Turkish Municipality and Private Administration Employees Trade Union” (BEM-BİR-SEN), Eroglu said that he will meet with President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiadis at the negotiating table soon and that he hopes to reach a speedy solution to the Cyprus Problem.
“If a negotiations process has been continuing for 45 years it means the time to introduce deadlines and a timetable has come. This is what we want. We know the Greek Cypriot side is experiencing economic problems but these problems cannot be solved in three days. We can’t sit and wait around for the South to solve its economic problems before we can start the talks” he said.
He also alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side has never distanced itself from the negotiations process, even during times it experienced economic problems, and said that the “Greek Cypriot side could not use its economic woes forever as an excuse not to re-launch talks”.
He also said that the Turkish Cypriots have other alternatives and that they have the Turkish Republic by their sides.
In addition, Eroglu also met with the head of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous. No statement was issued to the press before or after the meeting.
2. Cicek stated that Iran in recent times changed its stance on the breakaway regime
Ankara Anatolia news agency (09.05.13) reports that Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek met with Iranian Vice-President for Parliamentary Affairs Lotfollah Foruzandeh Dehkardi in Ankara.
Speaking to reporters while meeting Dehkardi, Cemil Cicek said that Iran would hold elections on June 12. "I do wish that the elections on June 12 would be a healthy one. We would like to hear good news from our neighbor. The nicer the news from our neighbor, the happier we get," Cicek said.
As politicians, it is our responsibility to deepen relations between Turkey and Iran, Cicek said.
Touching on the breakaway regime in occupied Cyprus and its “relations” with Iran, Cicek stated that Iran in recent times changed its stance on occupied Cyprus. “TRNC, as a country whose population is almost completely Muslim, is one we need to be in solidarity with”, Cicek alleged.
In a meeting held in Baku, Iran questioned the observer status of the breakaway regime at the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Cicek also said. Dehkardi, in his part, said that their official stance was never against Turkey. He thanked Turkey for its support to Iran's nuclear program. "It is the Iranian politicians who must respond about the Cypriot problem. I will convey Cicek's concerns to our politicians," Dehkardi also said.
3. Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce organizes an event on the EU Day
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (10.05.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce organized an event yesterday on the occasion of the EU Day with the aim of reminding that the EU is a “peace project”. During the event representatives from various parts of the society expressed their views on the EU, which has allegedly not kept the promises it had given to the Turkish Cypriots.
Representatives from various parts of the Turkish Cypriot society, who addressed the event, referred to the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, the bureaucratic problems in granting EU’s financial aid to the Turkish Cypriot community and some other “unacceptable”, as they described them, practices implemented by EU institutions for the Turkish Cypriots.
The Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Ozkan Yorgancioglu, heads of missions of EU member countries in Cyprus and representatives of the European Commission attended the event.
Addressing the meeting, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots see the EU as their target not because of their economic problems or the difficulties deriving from the Cyprus problem, but they adopted the European way of life due to the fact that they see themselves as Europeans.
The chairman of the Chamber, Gunay Cerkez said that the belief of the Turkish Cypriots in the EU is continuously decreasing. He added that they decided to “implement a different method” this year instead of celebrating the EU Day, because the EU did, allegedly not keep and respect the promises it had given to the Turkish Cypriots.
CTP’s “deputy”, Ozdil Nami said that the harmonization of the candidate countries with the EU is carried out through an official document signed with Union, but the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, carries out its harmonization efforts without signing this official document.
National Unity Party’s (UBP) “deputy”, Hasan Tacoy said that the issue of the representation of the Turkish Cypriots at the European Parliament (EP) should be solved before the European elections in 2014. Otherwise, he added, the Turkish Cypriots would have to start their lobbying activities from the very beginning. He said that the Turkish Cypriots are waiting from the EU to be granted the right of holding direct trade and direct flights as well as for their representation “right” at the EP.
(I/Ts.)
4. Kucuk wants the EU to negotiate with the breakaway regime
Ankara Anatolia news agency (10.05.13) reports that the self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime Irsen Kucuk issue a statement on the occasion of the May 9 'Europe Day' and said that “it was necessary for the EU to engage both TRNC and Turkey in membership negotiations”.
"The common goal of Turkish Cypriots is to be a part of the European Union family," Kucuk said. "I'd like to underline the fact that the EU would not be able to complete its integration process without the Turkish Cypriots and the homeland Turkey." He also stated that the self-styled government would keep reforms going in order to achieve harmonization with European Union legislation and claimed that the Republic of Cyprus as continues to put obstacles in the way to EU membership for both Turkey and the breakaway regime.
5. Turkish Cypriot side decided to contribute €2.5 million for the restoration of Apostolos Andreas monastery
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (10.05.13) reports that the office of the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, in a written statement, said that the Turkish Cypriot side gives great importance to the protection of cultural heritage monuments, reminding that the works of restoration the Apostolos Andreas monastery in the occupied Karpas peninsula are being continued.
According to the written statement, the Turkish Cypriot side continues to support the restoration work. Within the framework of the protocol signed between the United Nations Development Programme Partnership for the Future (UNDP-PFF) and respectively the Church of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot EVKAF Administration on 31 January 2013, the Turkish Cypriot side has decided to contribute €2.5 million for the restoration process of Apostolos Andreas monastery.
6. Self-styled “deputies” will visit Strasbourg and Brussels
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (10.05.13) reports that the self-styled assembly of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus approved yesterday the participation of Hasan Tacoy, “deputy” with the National Unity Party (UBP), and Teberruken Ulucay, “deputy” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), in the meetings of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and Brussels. Tacoy and Ulucay will visit Strasbourg between 21 and 24 May and Brussels between 28 and 31 May.
(I/Ts.)
7. More than two thousand Turks are members of Al-Kaide terrorist organization
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet newspaper (10.05.13) under the front-page title: “Two thousand members of Al-Kaide are surrounding us”, reports that the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Turkey as well as the Security Intelligence have announced that more than two thousand Turkish citizens in Turkey are members of Al-Kaide terrorist organization.
According to a statement of MIT, those people received training to countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Chechnya in particular regions called “cihat-Jihat regions” and after receiving their training, they gain the title of “mucahit”: [Translator’s note: mucahit or mujahedeen- Fighter for the Islamic faith] and then they returned back to Turkey. Those people are organized in cell manner and their actions are being closely watched.
(...)
8. Official says Israel, Turkey to exchange ambassadors after talks
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (10.05.13) reports that Israeli National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror has said that Turkey and Israel will exchange ambassadors shortly after the ongoing compensation talks over the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid reach a conclusion, one of two unsatisfied demands by Ankara to fully mend ties with its former ally in the region.
Joining the delegation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on an official visit to China, two days after meeting a Turkish delegation for the second round of talks over the compensation package in Tel Aviv, Amidror said a number of issues were agreed upon, refusing to elaborate.
“Until everything is agreed upon, nothing is agreed upon,” he was quoted as saying, adding that he expected the agreement to be completed shortly.
Meanwhile Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, who is responsible for coordinating the compensation talks, said that there is progress in the talks and that there would be another round of talks in Turkey if the two sides fail to determine how much Israel should pay.
9. Cavusolglu in Ankara for discussions over the contraction of a prison in the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (10.05.13) reports that the self-styled minister of interior and local administrations Nazım Cavusoglu is holding contacts in Ankara about a new prison to be constructed in the breakaway regime.
Officials from the “ministry of interior”, the self-styled head of the “Central Prison” Salahi Hoca and representatives from Kamu-Sen KTAMS and “Prison Guards’ Union” are accompanying Çavuşoğlu on his Ankara visit.
Cavusoglu met with the Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin who stated that Turkey will support this project.
10. TURIYAD visited the KTTO
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar newspaper (10.05.13) reports that the chairman of Turkey-Iraq International Investors Association (TURIYAD), Feridun Gunduz and a delegation accompanied him, visited the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Trade (KTTO) and met with its chairman Gunay Cerkez and the member of the administration board, Salih Celiker.
The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Trade and TURIYAD discussed cooperation opportunities.
According to information acquired by the Chamber, Gerkez underlined during the meeting, that the trade share to North Iraq increased, adding that poultry, citrus fruits, dairy products and cleaning materials have the most important place in the exports.
Cerkez also stated during the meeting that an increase has been observed at the number of students from Iraq at the “universities” of the occupation regime.
Asked to comment to Gunduz’s remarks about the hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cerkez described the hydrocarbon reserves as a great opportunity on the one hand for the economic crisis in the “south”, to use them as a catalyse to overcome the crisis, and on the other hand to be used for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Gunduz on his turn, said that they will visit the occupation regime again in the near future adding that if they exchange their own experiences together with the Turkish Cypriot businessmen’s experiences, a great opportunity for cooperation could appear, as he said.
AK
11. Baghdad government says PKK not welcome in Iraq
Turkish daily Zaman (10.05.13) reports that Iraq's central government said on Thursday it would not accept armed groups entering its territory as Kurdish militants began withdrawing from Turkey under a settlement deal, but Baghdad has no control over its northern border which is run by Iraqi Kurds.
Under the nascent settlement deal, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants should cross from Turkey into Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region where they have their bases.
“The withdrawal of PKK, ordered late last month by PKK commander Murat Karayılan, is the biggest step yet in a deal negotiated by the group's jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan and the Turkish government”, writes the paper.
The first group of militants are expected to arrive at PKK bases in Iraq's Qandil Mountains within a week, monitored on the Turkish side by Ankara's MİT intelligence agency and across the border in Iraq by Iraqi Kurdish authorities.
12. Ustel: “We expect 700 thousands tourists for 2013”
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan (10.05.13), so-called minister of tourism, environment and culture Unal Ustel, announced that the number of tourism fairs, which “TRNC” has participated increased from 9 to 31. Ustel said furthermore that the importance of participating to these tourism fairs is to promote the breakaway regime in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as to get into touch with tour operators.
Ustel also said that as results of his contacts the charter flights to the occupied area of Cyprus have increased to 17, adding that they expect 700 thousands tourists this year.
On the same issue, Ustel said that as a result of their participation in tourism fairs in the Scandinavia countries, there are 1-2 charter flights per week from these countries. Noting that there is almost one flight every day from Germany, Ustel added that there are also charter flights from France and Netherlands.
13. “Babacan: Turkey's 'crazy project' has begun”
Under the above title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (10.05.13) reports that official planning work on a new shipping canal to connect the Black Sea to the Aegean -- a project dubbed by critics and advocates alike as Turkey's “crazy project” -- is officially under way, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Babacan said that the construction and operating rights to 30-mile canal, which will be built on the western fringes of İstanbul, will be auctioned off in a government tender resembling last week's $22 billion state sale of the contract for İstanbul's third airport. “It's going to be a build-operate-transfer [BOT] contract and will be done in public-private partnership,” Babacan said in comments carried by the Anatolia news agency.
Those plans have so far remained remarkably hazy, even by Ankara's standards. The government confirmed in mid-April that it had “pressed the button” on the plan but has yet to publically attach a price tag to the project or announce the exact path of the future waterway.
14. A new website is expected to promote Peace Journalism in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (10.05.13) reports that a news website under the name of “lemonCY” has started its operation with the support and financing of the representation of the European Commission in Cyprus and the auspices of Yeni Duzen. The news will be published in three languages: Greek, Turkish and English. The website is operating as of yesterday at the address lemonCY.eu, but its official opening will be held tomorrow within the framework of the celebrations for the Day of Europe.
Yeni Duzen describes the initiative as “important step in peace journalism”.
Under the title “News and ideas from across the island”, the website explains the reason of its establishment as follows:
“There is a gap in the way news is reported, shared and read in Cyprus. Each community has its own separate media, its own separate debates. Life and politics continue in parallel as if the two sides don’t live on the same island. As if we are not dreaming of living in the same European country.
The checkpoints might be open, and people might be able to travel, even with restrictions, from one end of the island to the other. But the flow of people hasn’t been joined by a flow of ideas because of language differences and entrenched structures and attitudes. People in the south get limited information about what happens in the north, people in the north get limited information about what happens in the south. And there’s still no platform where ideas from across the island can mingle freely.
LemonCy is an attempt to close that gap, publishing stories simultaneously in Greek, Turkish and English. We will treat news from anywhere from this island as news from this island, irrespective of which side it comes from and focus on human stories, stories that influence ordinary people beyond their politics and beyond our ethnicity.
We will select opinions from the media of both sides that give a different perspective, opinions that the “other” side usually doesn’t know about and won’t see in the traditional media of their side.
It’s time to start treating life and politics on the island and the country as one if we are ever going to be one. This website is a step to that direction”.
15. Three Greek citizens were taken under custody by the occupation regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (10.05.13) reports that three Greek citizens were taken into custody yesterday by the occupation regime’s authorities and were taken to the occupied Lefkosia district court after the allegation that they illegally entered the occupation regime, violating a military zone area, which is found in the occupied Lefkosia-Trikomo road.
The three people under arrest will remain under custody for one day, writes the paper.
As the paper writes the “suspects” stated at the “court” that the crossed-over to the occupied area of Cyprus for a visit the day before yesterday and that after they got lost, they asked and got directions from UN military officials on how to way out. They also added that they by mistake entered to a military zone area.
AK
16. Turkish Airlines: Lipstick ban 'misinterpreted
Turkish daily Zaman (10.05.13) reports that Turkish Airlines is quashing a ban on female flight attendants wearing red lipstick and nail polish, its chief executive said on Thursday, after an outcry by secular groups.
The Turkish national carrier had said in a statement this month the use of red and dark pink lipstick and nail polish would impair the "visual integrity" of its staff. But Chief Executive Temel Kotil said the order was made by over-zealous junior managers who did not consult senior bosses about the initiative.
"As to the lipstick, we had no problems but somehow low-level managers put together a paper without asking us and that paper leaked to the media and became a big issue," Kotil told reporters in London. Asked whether there was a ban, he said "no", and confirmed female staff could wear lipstick and nail polish of any color.
"As you know, some in Turkey are a little bit keen about these issues," said Kotil, who has served as chief executive since 2005. "We are a great global carrier and we know what we are doing." Many Turks took to Twitter to complain about the ban and the president of the airline's Hava-İş union, Atılay Ayçin, called it a bid by the management "to shape the company to fit its own political and ideological stance". Turkey is 99 percent Muslim but the NATO member state and European Union candidate has a secular constitution. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party has relaxed the state's control over the expression of religion, such as once-strict limits imposed on wearing the Islamic headscarf.
17. Assassination plot against Patriarch Bartholomew uncovered
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (10.05.13) reports that an alleged plot against Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Bartholomeos is being investigated by an Ankara public prosecutor, private broadcaster NTV reported today.
The investigation was launched after a letter was sent from the Central Anatolia province of Kayseri, claiming that the Istanbul-based patriarch would be the target of an assassination attempt on May 29, the 560th anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest by Mehmed the Conqueror.
A man was detained and police forces are searching for two others. The suspects recently arrived in Istanbul from Kayseri, police sources said.
S.A., the detained suspect, refuted the claims and said he was in Istanbul to visit his relatives and he had no intention or plan of murdering Bartholomeos.
A file opened by a Kayseri prosecutor has been handed over to the Ankara public prosecutor.
The investigation revealed that another letter was sent to prosecutors in 2008 claiming that S.A. was planning to murder Bartholemeos.
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