TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 108/13 8-10/6/13
1. Erdogan threatened the Taksim Gezi Park
demonstrators: “Patience has its limits”; Erdogan to his supporters: “ Teach
protestors a lesson in polls
2. New York Times responded to Erdogan’s criticism
over Gezi Park ad
3. 13th day of demonstration in Turkey
continue; Ruling AKP to hold two mass rallies in Istanbul and Ankara next week
4. Imrali talks continue without the participation of
Deputy Sirri Surreya Onder; Ocalan applauded the Gezi park protests
5. Eroglu on the political ties between Turkey and the
occupation regime; He predicted that in ten years there would be two “states”
in Cyprus
6. Eroglu: “The only thing missing for the two people
in Cyprus
to live side-to-side is an agreement”
7. Eroglu briefs the political parties on the 77-page
Downer document
8. Izcan says Cypriot property is
given away to AKP supporters
9.
Turkey’s MFA reacted against Pope
Francis plans to attend 2015 anniversary, in Yerevan; Turkey summoned the Vatican Ambassador to Ankara expressing displeasure
10. The breakaway regime has no idea about the number
of “citizenships” it granted
11. Turkish settlers living at occupied Gaidouras village want a mosque
11. Turkish settlers living at occupied Gaidouras village want a mosque
12. Three opposition parties in occupied Cyprus agreed
on principles for the establishment of “interim government” until the so-called
elections
13. “Karpaz Gate Marina”
opens in occupied Gialousa
14. Two Turkish energy firms to export electricity to
northern Iraq
15. Unemployment in occupied Cyprus
increased 18,5% during the first three months of 2013
1.Erdogan threatened the Taksim Gezi Park
demonstrators: “Patience has its limits”; Erdogan to his supporters: “ Teach
protestors a lesson in polls”
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Dialy News (09.06.13) reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said in an inflexible speech during a rally at Ankara's Esenboga
Airport on his return to the Turkish capital, that “Patience has its limits”.
"Don't you
see this? How can you attack my police? There are those who side with those
swearing against the prime minister of this country. We are going to show
patience, but patience has a limit as well. Those who hide behind the
protestors should first learn what politics is," Erdoğan said, without
giving any sign of concession on his plans to redevelop Taksim Square after the demolition of Gezi Park.
During a later
speech, Erdogan asked the protesters once again to stop the demonstrations,
adding that the government’s patience was running out. "If you have a
problem you can choose your representatives and convey them to my mayor, my
governor or myself. But if you continue like this, I will be obliged to speak
in a language that you understand. We will respond accordingly."
Erdogan held
other two rallies earlier in the day, in Adana
and Mersin, on
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. After
holding a rally at the Esenboga airport on his arrival to Ankara, he also spoke at several rally points
where hundreds were gathered to greet him.
"Are the
people only those at Gezi
Park? Aren't those who
came to meet us at the Istanbul
airport the people too? Those who are gathered now in Ankara; aren't they the people, too? Let the
country see the real picture of Ankara
and not of those who terrorized Ankara,"
Erdogan said during his speech at the airport, calling on the protesters to
face off in local elections next year. "Instead of [occupying] Gezi Park
or Kugulu Park [in Ankara],
there are seven months [until the elections]. Be patient and let's face off at
the ballot box," Erdogan said.
Erdogan also
continued to claim that protesters were engaged in vandalism. “Rights and
freedoms are not achieved with violence but within the law,” he said.
He said that
freedoms had been widened under the AKP government as under no party before.
"Those [protesters] fear freedom of thought. Why? Because they have no
thought. We don't fear it. In all of the Republic's history in terms of
freedoms of thought and belief no other government has brought what our
government has," he said, adding that he would not allow another coup to
take place. "Everybody should know that today is not May 27, 1960. Today is not September 12, 1980. It is
not February 28, 1997,"
he said, listing the dates of military interventions that had led to the fall
of the government.
Erdogan has
slammed once again the interest lobby, holding it as one of the parties
responsible for the current demonstrations. "The interest lobby should
better behave itself. This lobby exploited my people for years. We have shown
patience for a long time. I am not saying this only for one bank or two but for
all whoever making this lobby. Those who have started this fight against us,
you will pay the price heavily."
“Those who tried
to let the stock exchange collapse: Tayyip Erdogan has no money there, if it
collapses you will also collapse with it. The moment we discover stock exchange
speculation, we will ram it down your throat," he also said.
Erdogan also did
not back down from his negative portrait of protesters, saying they had entered
a mosque with beer bottles in their hands and attacked women wearing veils, as
had been reported especially on social media over the last week. "They
have entered the Dolmabahce Mosque with their beer bottles and their shoes on.
They have insulted my headscarf-wearing daughters and sisters. And they haven't
stopped at that," he said.
"They were
upset when I used the term 'marauder' [capulcu in Turkish, in English means
plunderer]. If they are so upset they should look in the dictionary and see who
is called a marauder. If they look at it, they will see how accurate the term
the Prime Minister has used is. And those who support them also belong to this
type", he said.
Meanwhile,
according to Ankara Anatolia news agency (09.06.13), speaking at a crowd of
cheering loyalists at Adana
airport, Erdogan said: “There are just seven months left until the local
elections. I want you to teach them a first lesson through democratic means at
the ballot box”.
Recep Tayyip
Erdogan urged his supporters to “teach a lesson” to the anti-gov't
demonstrators.
Erdogan also
stated that youth should be given a chance to make politics, and added that
they were working on reducing the age of being elected to 18. "We brought
three periods rule because we trust the youth. We reduced the age of being
elected to 25. Besides, let me say that we were working on reducing the age of
getting elected to 18," Erdogan said.
"Now, in
several European countries, the age to elect and to be elected is 18. You give
the 18-year-old the right to vote but not the right to be elected. We say
electing is difficult and can reduce the age to 18 for candidacy. We are
working on it".
AK Party on
Saturday ruled out early elections. Huseyin Celik, Deputy chairman of the AKP
founded by Erdogan just over a decade ago, said that local and presidential
elections would be held next year as planned, and a general election in 2015.
“The government
is running like clockwork. There is nothing that necessitates early elections,”
he told reporters after a meeting of the party’s executive committee in Istanbul.
(…)
2. New York Times responded to Erdogan’s criticism
over Gezi Park ad
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (09.06.13) reported that the New York Times in response to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s criticism over a full-page ad
placed in the newspaper by Gezi
Park supporters, has said
that it accepts advertisements “from all advocacy groups who wish to share
their opinions”.
“We publish this
type of advertising because we believe in the First Amendment, which affords us
the right to publish news and editorials, but just as important, guarantees the
public’s right to be heard,” the New York Times said in a written statement to
daily Hurriyet published on June 8.
“Our advertising
department and our newsroom are completely distinct operations and the newsroom
has nothing to do with the placement or acceptance of advertising messages,” it
also added.
The Prime Minister
targeted the foreign media during a speech June 7, accusing foreign outlets of
“running stories based on orders with ideological approaches.”
The ad run under
the title “What’s happening in Turkey”
supported the popular resistance following the protests in Gezi Park,
while issuing several demands, such as the end of police brutality, the start
of democratic dialogue and a freer media.
Commenting on
the issue, EU Minister Egemen Bagis, chided the New York Times over its
decision to publish the ad, saying: “When
I read the New York Times answer with a mention to the First Amendment, I had
tears in my eyes, I was really touched,” Bagis told daily Hurriyet, adding that
when he was lobbying in the United States, the broadsheet had refused to print
an ad that said: “A systematic Armenian Genocide did not take place.”
“They have made
an incomplete statement. They should have said: “We only support the ads of
advocacy groups that we want, on subjects that we want”. “I experienced this personally when I lived in
the United States.
I saw how libertarian the American media was with concrete experiences,” he
said, adding that they never managed to print their ads on the Armenian or
other issues.
“We were also a
nongovernmental organization. We also wanted to express our freedom of thought.
But, when it came to hear our voices, their ears went deaf. All the doors were
closed. How come they have become so sensitive to a problem inside Turkey?”, he
added.
3. 13th day of demonstration in Turkey
continue; Ruling AKP to hold two mass rallies in Istanbul and Ankara next week
According to
Ankara Anatolia news agency (09.06.13) the Turkish police have used tear gas
and water cannon to disperse demonstrators in Ankara on Saturday night.
On the
thirteenth day of anti-government demonstrations that have swept across scores
of Turkish cities, police intervened to protesters who had gathered in the
downtown Kizilay Square
on last night.
Also, there were
similar scenes overnight in Istanbul's
working-class Gazi neighborhood, which saw heavy clashes with police in the
1990s.
The Gezi Park
protests which started in reaction to a construction project in Taksim's Gezi Park
in Istanbul
turned into nation-wide demonstrations against the government. Three persons
was killed, dozens more were wounded during clashes with police, while hundreds
were arrested.
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (10.06.13) reports that the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) has decided on June 8 to hold two mass rallies as a
response to the protests that spread all across the country over the demolition
of Gezi Park at the heart of Istanbul.
Following a
meeting of the party’s Central Decision and Executive Council (MKYK) in Istanbul on June 8, two
“unity and solidarity” rallies have been scheduled next week.
A rally in Ankara will be held on
June 15, and another one in Istanbul
will take place on June 16. The party executives, including Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan who have reportedly discussed extensively about the events
that led the protests to grow, aim to call for unity and also shown their
strength during the rallies.
Also, according
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (10.06.13) thirteen suspects in Turkey’s Adana have been sent to
court over accusations of provoking riots through their social media posts,
according to Doğan news agency.
The suspects
were accused of provoking protesters through posts on Twitter and Facebook
during the Gezi Park protests in Ankara, and of organizing crowds to cause
damage to their surroundings and throw stones at the police forces.
The suspects
were detained on June 10 and were sent to court following medical examinations.
Adana locals witnessed police intervention overnight as
protesters attempted to march towards the Akkapu district, but faced police
opposition on the way. Forces used TOMA vehicles and tear gas to disperse the
crowds.
4. Imrali talks continue without the participation
of Deputy Sirri Surreya Onder; Ocalan applauded the Gezi park protests
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (09.06.13) reported that the imprisoned Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan said in a message on Friday that he has been doing
his best to resolve the decades-old Kurdish conflict and added that the ball is
in the government's court.
Two deputies
from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) traveled to the island of
İmralı on Friday to meet with the PKK leader as part of ongoing talks aimed at
resolving Turkey's
long-standing conflict in the southeast. BDP Co-Chairman Selahattin Demirtas
and the Deputy Chairwoman of the BDP parliamentary group, Pervin Buldan, set
off for İmralı from İstanbul.
In the message,
read out by Demirtas at a press conference following the delegation's return to
İstanbul, Ocalan also applauded the protests, against the government's
reconstruction plan for Gezi
Park in İstanbul but
warned against attempts by ultranationalists and Ergenekon supporters among the
protesters to hijack the demonstrations. Ocalan said he views the Gezi Park
protests as meaningful and important. However, he said, democrats,
revolutionaries, compatriots and progressive circles should not allow Ergenekon
supporters and ultranationalists to dominate or lead the protests.
Speaking to
reporters at the press conference, the two BDP members expressed their concerns
over the government's possible interference in deciding who will be included in
future delegations to İmralı
Island.
In response to a
question on whether or not BDP Deputy Sırrı Sureyya Onder was prevented from
joining the delegation by the government because of his leading role in the
Taksim protests, Demirtas said in an evasive remark that the government should
not interfere in the selection of the party's delegation.
Onder took part
in many visits to the island as part of past BDP delegations, but his absence
from the latest visit was interpreted by the media as government interference.
Justice Minister
Sadullah Ergin and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have the final say over
who can join the BDP delegation on visits to İmralı Island.
The delegation
was the sixth from the BDP to have gone to İmralı to meet with Ocalan as part
of the government-sponsored settlement process.
On Saturday,
Demirtas said while in the province
of Tunceli that Ocalan
sends his best wishes to the people of Dersim and that there is a great
opportunity for the people's movement in the Middle East,
including Kurdish people and all those oppressed in Turkey. Demirtas said that thanks
to long years of efforts, the Kurds are now a strong and organized people.
5. Eroglu on the political ties between Turkey and the
occupation regime; He predicted that in ten years there would be two “states”
in Cyprus
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (09.06.13) reported that
the political crisis in the occupied area of Cyprus has also taken its toll on
ties between Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leadership as the Turkish Cypriot
leader Dervis Eroglu has said that the Turkish government openly threw its support
behind “prime minister” Irsen Kuck in an intra-party row that resulted in the
collapse of his “government”.
(…)
Many in the “TRNC” have accused Ankara of meddling in favor of Kucuk, but Eroglu
has refrained from any criticism of the Turkish government. This time, however,
he openly talked of the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) open support
for Kucuk and of “coldness” between him and the AK Party government, which he
said was not of his making.
Asked during a meeting with a small group of journalists
in his office in occupied Lefkosia at the weekend whether he had the impression
that Ankara is behind Kucuk, he said, jokingly: “I have it if you have it,”
adding: “Yes, it exists. And it was not done secretly anyway.”
On tensions between his “presidency” and the AK Party
government, he said that official “reports sent to Ankara” appear to contain what his political
rivals are saying about him, without elaborating on what these reports may
contain.
He has not visited Ankara lately and has not been invited for
such a visit in the near future, either. Further indicating tensions, Deputy
Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is in charge of “TRNC affairs”, did not visit
Eroglu during his last visit about two months ago to the “TRNC” and left the
island after talks at the “prime ministry”.
“Maybe it was a manifestation of his anger,” Eroglu
said of Atalay's decision not to meet him. “Maybe he was angry because I
supported Ahmet Kasif [Kucuk's rival at the UBP
convention]. I hope he is no longer angry now.”
Eroglu, who was elected “president” in 2010 by
defeating Mehmet Ali Talat, said Ankara's
discontent with him may stem from his election win or his opposition against Kucuk.
He said a publicist in charge of AK Party's election campaigns has worked with
Talat, who worked in harmony with the Turkish government during his term, in
his election campaign for the 2010 election. That same publicist also worked
together with Kucuk during the “UBP
convention” and called his cooperation with Kucuk a “revenge” on the “presidential
election”, according to Eroglu.
The political situation is so delicate that Eroglu
avoids accepting invitations to visit from universities in Ankara because he expects political attacks
at home if he goes to Ankara
and does not meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President
Abdullah Gul.
Underlining his resentment, Eroglu said perhaps he is
making a mistake by not traveling to Ankara
and lobbying for himself but, being in politics for four decades, he thinks
trying to prove his loyalty to Turkey
should not have been necessary. “I have been in politics for 40 years,
everything I have said and I have done is out here. If Turkey has not
understood me by now, it cannot do so from now on. … Given my age and political
standing, I find it inappropriate to fly to Ankara and tell people Eroglu is this and
that,” he said.
“I have no fight [with the Turkish government] and I
do not see a reason to blame myself [for the tension], either,” he said. “I was
the president of UBP for 19 years.
The UBP has raised a youth loyal
to Turkey
throughout this time.”
Referring to the Cyprus problem and the negotiation
talks, Eroglu, inter alia said that solution would mean more talks for another
45 years, referring to futile efforts over the past decades to find a
compromise formula for Turkish-Greek Cypriot co-existence in the island.
Asked about his projections on Cyprus for 10
years from now, Eroglu predicted that the negotiation process would have been
called off and that there would be two states in Cyprus, one recognized
internationally and the other recognized only by some states.
6. Eroglu: “The only thing missing for the two
people in Cyprus
to live side-to-side is an agreement”
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (09.06.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu stated that the only thing missing for the two “people” in Cyprus to live
side-to-side is an agreement.
He stated that
it could be the last chance that there are two leaders who are seeking a
solution for the Cyprus problem and added that generations in Cyprus have
changed and therefore and the future generations may not be as patience as us
to hold talks for 45 years for the solution of the problem.
He went on and
alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side is the side that has continued the
negotiations for 45 years, always wanted solution and said yet to the (various)
proposals. He also claimed that despite the Turkish Cypriots’ good intentions,
it was the Greek Cypriot side which became member of the European Union and the
Turkish Cypriot side that faces the “embargoes”.
“If there is no
agreement, by all means we will advocate our stated”, he stated.
7. Eroglu briefs the political parties on the
77-page Downer document
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (08.06.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu briefed on Friday the four political parties, which are
represented in the breakaway regime’s assembly, on the 77-page document
submitted to the two community leaders by the UN Secretary-General’s special
adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer. The paper writes that Eroglu discussed
with the parties the latest developments as regards the Cyprus problem.
In statements
after the meeting, Eroglu said that he briefed the parties on the dinner he had
had with President Anastasiades last week as well as on his meetings with
Downer and the undersecretary of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Eroglu described their meeting yesterday as “a good meeting during which
meaningful views and proposals came to surface” and added that they would meet
again when developments would exist.
The leader of
the National Unity Party (UBP), Irsen Kucuk said that the issue which
interested them the most was when the negotiations would commence and added
that they found out from Eroglu that this could be left for October. He noted
that they should discuss whether this 77-page document was the results of the
inter-communal talks held in the past or the summary of the events with their
positive and negative aspects.
The chairman of
the Republican Turkish Party – United
Forces (CTP-BG), Ozkan Yorgancioglu said that they have been briefed on the
process both by Eroglu and by diplomats whom they met recently and that they
shared their views with Eroglu. He noted that the first contact as regards the
negotiations seems that could be held in September and added that all sides
should prepare well until then. He expressed the view that when the
negotiations start the Turkish side should submit proposals and develop
initiatives.
Atay Ahmet
Rasit, responsible for the Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG), alleged that President
Anastasiades was exerting efforts to change the ground and the method of the
negotiations and claimed that this was an effort to delay the solution. He
reiterated the view of his party that the “sovereign political equality” of the
Turkish Cypriots and Turkey’s
guarantees is a prerequisite for them. He said that they oppose to every effort
“to carry the Turkish Cypriot people back to the pre-1974 period” and within
this framework they believe that the issue of occupied fenced Varosha and
matters under the chapter of confidence building measures aim at “delaying and
deflecting” the process.
The self-styled
MP from the same party, Hasan Tacoy argued that instead of proposing the
opening of illegal Tymvou airport in return for occupied Varosha, President
Anastasiades should appoint a special representative for the negotiations. He
alleged that many promises given by the world [to the Turkish Cypriots] had not
been fulfilled and reiterated their support to Eroglu in the negotiations.
Finally, Cemal
Ozyigit, general secretary of the Social
Democracy Party (TDP), said
that the Greek Cypriot side had convinced the UN on the issue of the commencement
of the negotiations in September-October and criticized the fact that President
Anastasiades has not appointed a special representative yet. He added that if
there was a special representative some preparations could have been made at
the level of special representatives. “On the one hand reference is made to a
framework agreement until the end of the year, but we see no serious
preparation for this”, he argued. Referring to the opening of the port of
Famagusta to international trade as a return for the transfer of occupied
Varosha to its legal Greek Cypriot owners and afterwards the opening of illegal
Tymvou airport for direct flights and the opening of Turkey’s ports to Cypriot
vessels, Ozyigit described all these developments as “one of the most important
touchstones in the solution process”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Izcan says Cypriot property is given away to AKP
supporters
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (08.06.13) reports that Izzet Izcan, general secretary
of the United Cyprus Party (BKP), has said that his party would participate in
the “elections”, which will be held in the occupied area of Cyprus, supporting
a policy that is against privatizations and in favor of the workers. In
statements during a meeting with some trade unions, Izcan noted that they have
to change the status quo and that the status quo is annihilating the Turkish
Cypriots.
Izcan argued
that the four parties which are represented in the “assembly”, in spite of
their minor differences, are the same in their substantial and fundamental
policies.
Izcan noted that
“public properties” in the occupied area of Cyprus have been given away to
supporters of Turkey’s
Justice and Development Party (AKP), as a result of pressure exerted by the
AKP.
(I/Ts.)
9.
Turkey’s MFA reacted against Pope
Francis plans to attend 2015 anniversary, in Yerevan; Turkey summoned the Vatican Ambassador to Ankara expressing displeasure
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (09.06.13)
reported that the leader of the world's Roman Catholics Pope Francis has stated
that he wants to make a visit to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to mark the
100th anniversary of the 1915 events, despite criticisms from Turkey after the Pope
had earlier labelled the events as “genocide” last week.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry released a
statement on Saturday reacting to the statement by the Pope calling the
Armenian claims of genocide for the 1915 events at the hands of the Ottoman Empire the “first genocide of the 20th century.”
“What is required from the papacy is to
contribute to world peace under the responsibility of the spiritual post it
assumes instead of picking out hostilities from history,” the statement said,
expressing disappointment over the “one-sided” comments by the pope about an
event in the past.
The statement also mentioned that
Antonio Lucibello, the Vatican ambassador in Ankara, had been summoned to the Foreign
Ministry on Friday, during which the Turkish side expressed its displeasure
over the statement, calling the pope's remarks last week “unacceptable.” “The
importance of the Vatican
avoiding taking steps that could irreparably affect our bilateral relations was
emphasized,” the statement also said, mentioning the foreign ministry's message
to Lucibello.
“The first genocide of the 20th century
was that of the Armenians,” Pope Francis was quoted as saying during his
meeting with three Armenian religious functionaries who visited him at Vatican on June
3.
Meanwhile, during an official opening
ceremony of the Armenian embassy in the Vatican last week, Pope Francis also
stated that he wants to hold a religious ceremony in Yerevan during the 2015
ceremony, which would mark the 100th anniversary of the so-called “genocide.”
The Pope's view on the 1915 events was
already known before as he had said the killings of Armenians at the hands of
the Ottoman Empire as the “gravest crime of
Ottoman Turkey” in 2006 while he was a cardinal in Argentina.
“The pope's statements are one-sided,”
said a Turkish official, who declined to be named, speaking to Today's Zaman.
“It is not the papacy's authority to state an opinion on the Armenian claims of
genocide, which should actually be commented on by historians and lawyers after
examining the historic facts,” the official said.
The official stated that no discussion
has yet been made on whether the Pope's expected visit to the Fener Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul
would be rejected after his remarks. Pope Francis, who assumed his post in
March this year, is expected to meet with the Fener Patriarch as part of a
traditional visit, just as his predecessors have done in the past.
10. The breakaway regime has no idea about the
number of “citizenships” it granted
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (08.06.13) reports that the self-styled minister of interior Nazim Cavusoglu stated that they do not know to how many persons, the “TRNC citizenship” was granted.
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (08.06.13) reports that the self-styled minister of interior Nazim Cavusoglu stated that they do not know to how many persons, the “TRNC citizenship” was granted.
The paper citing
information writes that the “government” of Irsen Kucuk has granted the “TRNC
citizenship” to 7.500 persons since it came to power on May 2010. The paper
also notes that Kucuk granted the “TRNC citizenship” to 520 persons last May.
Commenting on
the issue, Cavusoglu said that the citizenship was granted to those who applied
and met the criteria. “I do not know to how many persons citizenship was
distributed”, he said.
11. Turkish settlers living at occupied Gaidouras
village want a mosque
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (08.06.13) reports that the Turkish settlers who live at
occupied Gaidouras village want the construction of a mosque in the village.
Gaidouras is located between Lefkosia and Famagusta.
The paper writes that are 150 households in the village the population of which
reaches 650 persons. Kibris notes that the Turkish settlers had moved to
Gaidouras after 1974 from Osmaniye and Ceyhan areas in Turkey.
According to
Kibris, the settlers complained that they pray in a church and demanded the
construction of a mosque in the village. They also expect the distribution of
around 100 plots of land in order to build houses outside the village.
(I/Ts.)
12. Three opposition parties in occupied Cyprus agreed
on principles for the establishment of “interim government” until the so-called
elections
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
Postasi web site (10.06.13) broadcast that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP),
the Democratic Party (DP) and the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) held a meeting today regarding the
establishment of an “interim government” in the breakaway regime for the period
until the 28 July “elections”.
The National Unity Party (UBP) did not participate in the meeting.
According to Kibris Postasi the
three parties gave a signal that they reached an agreement on the issue. The
chairman of CTP Ozkan Yorgancioglu said that they agreed on principles and that
they will meet again tomorrow to determine the name of the person who will act
as the interim prime minister.
The chairman of DP Serdar Denktas
said that they did not discuss any names today but they met with good
intentions.
The chairman of the TDP Mehmet Cakici criticized UBP for not participating in the meeting and added
that the three parties will meet again tomorrow morning.
13. “Karpaz Gate Marina” opens in occupied Gialousa
Turkish Cypriot
daily Haberdar newspaper (10.06.13) reports that the so-called “Karpaz Gate
Marina” has opened for the season with a cocktail party at occupied Galiousa
village area. The advisor of the administrative board of the marina, Erdil Nami
said that the cost for the port reached 60 million euros and added that they
plan to construct a rest area in order to contribute to tourism and the
promotion of the “country”, as he described the occupied area of Cyprus. Nami
noted that more than 70 yachts anchor now at the port.
The CEO of the
marina and representative of the partners, Liza Singer recalled that they had
started the construction of the marina eight years ago and that when they were
looking at the map then the “coast of the whole country”, as she described the
occupied Cypriot coasts, seemed like a military zone. She argued that after
long-lasting efforts they achieved to turn the coasts of the occupied northern
part of Cyprus
into a free zone for the yachts and to rearrange the maps.
(I/Ts.)
14. Two Turkish energy firms to export electricity
to northern Iraq
According to
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (09.06.13) the Energy Market Regulatory Agency
(EDPK) gave the final approval to a deal that will see Turkish energy firms
Kartet and Aksa export electricity to northern Iraq.
The deal, which
was signed between the companies and northern Iraq's semi-autonomous government
in Erbil, would see Kartet supply 200 megawatts (MW) a year to northern Iraq,
while Akas was given the right to export 1 billion kilowatt hours of power
(Kwh) annually to the region.
The export deal
is part of a broader energy partnership between Turkey and northern Iraq that has
increasingly angered Iraq's
central government in Baghdad.
This year, Erbil began exporting crude oil to Turkey by
truck, a deal which earned a harsh rebuke from Baghdad. Baghdad has also criticized Erbil
for signing an energy agreement with companies independently of the Iraqi
capital. Often those deals have been made for territories that are disputed between
Erbil and Baghdad.
Kartet supplied
electricity to border towns in Iraq
up until 2008 when payment issues and security concerns led the company to stop
its exports. The EDPK's decision is the first go-ahead from Ankara on energy exports and comes after Iraq's long
civil war left much of the country bereft of dependable power and woefully
under-invested. Kartet said last month that its electricity exports could help
about 1 million Iraqis obtain access to power.
15. Unemployment in occupied Cyprus increased 18,5%
during the first three months of 2013
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (09.06.13) cite information about the so-called
central bank of the breakaway regime and writes that unemployment in the
occupied Cyprus has been increased 18,5% during the three first months of year
2013 compared to the same period last years.
The paper writes
that the numbers of unemployed persons is 1.153.
