TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 109/13 12/6/13
1. Erdogan: “We will continue listening to democratic
demands”
2. Opposition party leaders in Turkey
expressed strong criticism to Erdogan
3. International calls to Turkey for restrain and end of
violence; UN’s Ban and US
White House call Turkey
to respect the right of protest and expression
4. Bagis’ responded to Swoboda remarks: “Protests no
reason to suspend EU negotiations”
5. Turkey’s
Taksim square is calm in the 16th day of the protests; Clashes
occurred last night after police entered the square
6. AK Party to hold rallies in Ankara and Istanbul over the weekend
7.
Siber is the first woman “prime minister”
8.
Kucuk visited Erdogan thanking AKP for its aids to the “TRNC”
9. Turkish Vice Admiral visited the breakaway regime
over the “2013 Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli exercises”
10.
Support by KTOS for the protests in Turkey
11. More information about the uncontrolled granting
of “citizenships” by the breakaway regime
12.
The Turkish Cypriot Journalists’ Association calls on Tumerkan to resign
13. Number one suspect in Reyhanlı attack was captured
14. Davutoglu continues diplomatic efforts on Syria crisis
15. Turkey
and Egypt
signed transportation agreements
16. Turkey’s Simsek: “Turkey grows 3% in 2013's first
quarter”
1. Erdogan: “We will continue listening to
democratic demands”
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.06.13) reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
addressed the Taksim
Gezi Park
protests during a speech he gave at the Justice and Development (AK) Party
meeting.
In his speech
Erdogan said: "We, as the government, have to ensure the security of
lives, property, mind, generation and belief. These are our primary
duties."
Emphasizing the
government’s continued commitment to listening to democratic voices, he
stressed: "We will not push anyone aside by ignoring their sensitivity as
we have never done beforehand. We will continue empathizing with them and
listening to their democratic demands, as we have done until now."
Regarding the
damage afflicted on the economy, he noted: "the Turkish economy was
directly aimed at with these incidents."
Condemning forms
of coercion and provocation, he asserted that "we will continue protecting
our nation as we did in the past 10 and half years against provocation and we
neither impose anyone nor accept anyone's imposition".
Referring to the
hijacking of environmental concerns, the Prime Minister warned that "Environment
sensitivity has turned into different protests and aims at camouflaging the
illegal rebellion against a democratic regime."
"Gezi Park,
as befits the name, is a park for walking, not a field of occupation."
“Gezi” in English means travel.
Erdogan
cautioned the Taksim
Gezi Park
protesters of the exploitation of the protests, saying: "I invite all the
demonstrators to see the big picture, understand the games that are being
played and I urge those who are sincere to leave the park and end protests."
Emphasizing Turkey’s
commitment to rights, he noted: "You could not have seen the rights 10
years ago, which are fully enjoyed today."
Erdogan referred
to the police intervention on Tuesday morning in Gezi Park
when forces entered to remove illegal banners and posters, resulting in clashes
with protestors again and said: "Security forces should not have let this
happen in the first place. How could you allow these people in a public office,
how could you let them get to the top of the roof? How could you have them hang
posters and banners featuring leaders of illegal organizations?"
Addressing the
hateful behaviors of individuals seeking to disrespect a place of worship, he
said, "You went into the Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan Mosque with shoes on,
and drank there. You committed this act of disrespect against the worship
places of this country…Then you threatened the mosque official to speak
misleadingly, and made him say nothing of this sort happened. What are you
talking about? We have the video recordings. We will submit all of them to the
public on Friday."
Erdogan stated:
"During the incidents, the wife of one of my relatives with her 6
month-old child was dragged onto the ground and harassed near the Prime
Ministry building. It has nothing to with the fight for freedom. Is it a
freedom or environmentalism? However we always said 'patience, patience,
patience'."
While
emphasizing willingness to listen to democratic demands, he stressed that
illegal measures would not be tolerated. He said: "No one should feel
intimated in the face of those who wreak havoc, the marginals, the extremists
and those who act illegally... We will bring to account those who unjustly
criticize, harm, attack or even kill our police officers."
2. Opposition party leaders in Turkey
expressed strong criticism to Erdogan
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (11.06.13) reported that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu stated that Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the “main provocateur” of the Gezi Park
protests.
Addressing his
parliamentary group meeting, Kilicdaroglu said: “What is your benefit from
dividing this country. You provoke [people]. You are the number-one
provocateur”.
Kilicdaroglu accused
Erdogan of being a “liar,” referring to the Erdogan’s accusations that
protestors had drunk alcohol in a mosque.
He read out a
column of Suleyman Gunduz from daily Yeni Safak, in which Gunduz said that he
had witnessed the muezzin of the mosque informing EU Minister Egemen Bagis
about the incident. The muezzin told Bagis that nobody was holding or drinking
alcoholic beverages, Kılıcdaroglu read out.
“Saying that
alcohol was brought into a mosque is irresponsibility, more than
irresponsibility, it is immorality. Why did you remain silent when they harmed
the Quran at İncirlik Air Base? Why did you remain silent when thousands of
Muslim women were raped in Iraq?
What did you do? You congratulated those rapists,” said Kılıcdaroglu.
Kılıcdaroglu
criticized Erdogan for delivering tough remarks and harming the Turkish
financial markets. CHP leader
categorized the police into two groups: the government’s police and the
people’s police.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet
Bahceli speaking in his parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, urged Erdogan
not to further polarize the society with his rhetoric and the recent rally
decision the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has made.
“Prime minister,
I am warning you: You must immediately give up your rhetoric by being raised to
the bait by the crowds, on spreading the seeds of hostility to motivate and
consolidate your electorate,” Bahceli said.
“We wonder how
much more the Prime Minister will provoke the hostilities, will deepen this
polarization,” Bahceli said regarding the government’s planned rallies.
Bahceli also
argued that Erdogan was once again exploiting the issue of headscarves, while
antagonizing the sensitivities on mosques by alleging that protesters drank
alcohol in Dolmabahce Mosque in Istanbul
during protests, despite rejection of this claim by the mosque’s muezzin.
“He acts as the
wildest provocateur of all times. He seems ready to create discord among the
people like a bomb whose pin has been pulled,” Bahceli said. While urging for
the infamous “interest rate lobby” to be investigated, he also said: “Those who
you said you will suffocate, have they been suffocating you for 10 years?” He
announced that the MHP would be
submitting a proposal of a parliamentary inquiry into this “lobby.”
Alsom Sırrı Sureyya
Önder, a critical figure in the Gezi
Park protests who has
been present from the beginning of the demonstrations, has slammed June 11's
ferocious police assault on Taksim, notably criticizing Istanbul Governor Huseyin
Avni Mutlu for insulting him.
“This is not the
way to end even a fight in the neighborhood. These are the mayors of wartime.
No peace can come out of these,” Onder, who is also a Deputy of the Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP), said June 11.
Onder criticized
the government’s approach in handling the protests. “This is not the language
of negotiation. When there is no consciousness of democracy in it, this issue
cannot be settled with romantic tweets,” he said, referring to Mutlu’s recent
tweets on the beauty of Gezi
Park and how he wishes he
was there, too.
In the meantime,
Selahattin Demirtas, the co-chair of the BDP, urged the government to take a
more positive stance toward the protests and to try to understand the youth.
(…)
3. International calls to Turkey for
restrain and end of violence; UN’s Ban and US White House call Turkey to
respect the right of protest and expression
According to Anatolia
News Agency (11.06.13) the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has
called for calm and respect for the right of assembly in protests that have
been continuing for two weeks in Turkey.
“The Secretary-General
appeals for calm and stresses the importance of addressing differences through
dialogue,” said U.N. Secretary-General Spokesperson Martin Nesirsky June 11.
“Protests should
be peaceful and the right to assembly and the freedom of expression should be
respected, as these are fundamental principles of a democratic state,” Nesirsky
added.
Ban’s statement
came as police intervened once again against protesters in Taksim Square in an attempt to clear the
site of “banners and flags.”
"We
continue to follow events in Turkey with concern, and our interest remains
supporting freedom of expression and assembly, including the right to peaceful
protest," White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.
Meanwhile,
Turkish worldbulletin.com website (12.06.13) reports that the White House said
on Tuesday that it was concerned by attempts in Turkey and called for dialogue to
resolve differences between the government and protesters.
"We continue to follow events in Turkey
with concern, and our interest remains supporting freedom of expression and
assembly, including the right to peaceful protest," White House
spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.
"We believe that Turkey's long-term
stability, security, and prosperity is best guaranteed by upholding the
fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, association, and a free and
independent media. Turkey
is a close friend and ally of the United States, and we expect the
Turkish authorities to uphold these fundamental freedoms," she said.
4. Bagis’ responded to Swoboda remarks: “Protests
no reason to suspend EU negotiations”
According to
Turkish website worldbulletin.com (11.06.13) Turkey’s European Union (EU)
Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, commenting on the European
Parliament (EP) Socialist Group Leader Hannes Swoboda’s statement that
“negotiations for Turkey’s accession might be postponed due to the Gezi Park
events,” said the following: “EU member countries also witness such events
during which police use excessive force, however the EU Commission has not even
once criticized it.”
Speaking at the Premier’s
dinner at Topkapi
Palace garden given for IHT Sports Business Summit convening in Istanbul on June 11 and
12, Bagis said: “If Swoboda had suspended Austria’s relations with EU when
police used excessive force against such protests, then we could have
considered his comments.”
Bagis added that
Swoboda canceled main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s meeting recently,
suggested that he had thought to make such comment in order to show his
impartiality by leaving the government during a difficult time. “I was shocked
by his behavior, because he is one of the politicians that I respect.”
Bagis announced
that within the scope of his trip to Brussels
on June 25 and 26, he requested an appointment with Swoboda on June 26 in order
“to understand what he wanted to say”.
"If the EU
is really sensitive on Turkey’s democratization, transparency, human rights, freedom
of expression and gathering, it should determine the criteria for 23rd and 24th
chapters, save itself from the dominance of Greek Cypriots, and tell Turkey the
lacking points that it identifies,” said Bagis. He added that Turkey is ready
to take necessary steps after hearing the lacking points and comparing them to
the freedoms in other EU countries.
Meanwhile, in
statements at the opening of International Herald Tribune Sport Business Summit
held at Istanbul's
Conrad Hotel, Bagis said that Istanbul
has the capacity to host the 2020 Olympics as a distinct city, confirming the
trust displayed by Herald Tribune.
"There may
be different opinions among us as Turkey is a democratic country. We
tell on every occasion that we respect all opinions as long as they are
peaceful and non-violent," noted Bagis.
(…)Bagis also
stressed that there are similar demonstrations, protests and following
incidents in major cities in today's world, saying: "There are instances
of security forces excessing their authority."
"Nobody
should dare to use these protests against Turkey," said Bagis, warning
protesters of provocateurs.
Defining the
youth involving in Taksim
Gezi Park
protests as "our youth," Bagis added: "We may have differences
in our language, style, age and generation. However, we love them all and have
the self-confidence to settle the issue and related problems via dialogue".
5. Turkey’s
Taksim square is calm in the 16th day of the protests; Clashes
occurred last night after police entered the square
According to
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (12.06.13) Istanbul’s Taksim Square and Gezi Park
started a calm rainy day after last night’s fierce clashes between police and
protesters on the 16th day of unrest shaking Turkey.
Istanbul
Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu and Istanbul Police Chief Huseyin Capkın visited
the square last night after the police took partial control following a harsh
crackdown on protesters two times that day.
The police
officers “played football” in the square as protestors built new barricades to
protect the remaining occupation area in Gezi Park,
Anatolia news agency reported.
(…)
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (11.06.13) reported that riot police have
taken partial control of Taksim
Square after entering the site around 7.30 a.m. and surrounded the Ataturk
Statue following use of tear gas and pressurized water on the protesters.
As of 11:30, a human chain had been formed
to prevent the police from intervening, but was immediately dispersed by the
officers. Crowds at the park do not come down to the square, but try to support
the clashing groups by chanting slogans.
The police also
intervened with a gathering at the Gezi
Park scheduled for 1 p.m. with tear gas and pressurized
water. The Taksim Square
was under a thick cloud of tear gas as of 1:30 p.m., while more people were reportedly injured
during the ongoing crackdown.
Istanbul
Governor HUseyin Avni Mutlu said there had been only minor injuries and no one
had been hospitalized.
It was the first
time the police entered the square since they retreated from the iconic venue
on June 1.
(…)
6. AK Party to hold rallies in Ankara and Istanbul over the weekend
According to
Ankara Anatolia news agency (11.06.13) Turkey's Justice and Development
(AK) Party is to hold rallies under the name of "Respect to National
Will" this weekend.
The first rally
will begin at 5 pm on
Saturday in Ankara
and there will not be verbal announcements due to the university entrance exam
(LYS).
The sub-theme of
the rallies is to be "Let's Spoil the Big Game and Write History!"
The second rally
will take place in Istanbul
on Sunday at 5 pm.
The rallies
would be held as a counterattack to the Gezi Park
protests that began as a sit-in protest at Taksim Gezi
Park against the plans to
redevelop the park, but then turned into clashes after the police intervention.
7.
Siber is the first woman “prime minister”
Today’s Turkish Cypriot press (12.06.13)
reports that Sibel Siber, so-called deputy with Republican Turkish Party (CTP),
received yesterday afternoon the mandate to form a “government” from the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.
According to the Turkish Cypriot press,
Mrs Sibel Siber is the first woman in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus, who will become “prime minister” – temporarily – after CTP, DP
(Democratic Party) and TDP (Social
Democracy Party) agreed on her to be in charge of forming a technocrat
“government” in the run-up to next “general election” of 28th of
July.
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi
(12.06.13) reports that CTP will control the following four “ministries”:
finance, foreign affairs, interior and local administration, and labour and
social security.
DP will take the so-called ministries of
public works and transportation, of health, as well as of economy and energy.
According to the paper, TDP will take the so-called ministries of
agriculture and natural sources, of national education, youth and sport, and
finally, the tourism, environment and culture.
It is also reported that the names of
the self-styled ministers are expected to be presented to Eroglu for his
approval the latest on Friday.
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (12.06.13)
reports that the meeting between Siber and Eroglu was closed to the press.
Siber, speaking to the press after the
meeting, said that she took the duty to form a “government” with the mutual
agreement of the three opposition parties, adding that the soonest possible
will convey to Eroglu the list of the “council of ministers”.
Eroglu, for his part, said that a
temporary “government” will be formed until the upcoming “early election” and
the “legal procedure” will be followed.
Asked to comment on the reason for
Kucuk’s visit to Ankara,
Eroglu said that he can’t give an answer, adding that Kucuk is the accountable
of this question.
8.
Kucuk visited Erdogan thanking AKP for its aids to the “TRNC”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (12.06.13)
reports that so-called prime minister Irsen Kucuk flied yesterday to Ankara and met with
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as Turkey’s deputy
Prime Minister Besir Atalay.
The paper reports that according to
information from “prime minister’s office”, Kucuk went to Ankara upon an invitation of Erdogan. The
meeting between Kucuk and Erdogan lasted 1.5 hours and no statements were
issued before or after the meeting.
Meanwhile, Kucuk, evaluating his
contacts in Ankara
to illegal BRT’s office in Ankara, said that he went
to Ankara in
order to thank the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) government for its
support and aids to the projects of roads, water and electricity. He also said
that he had a close cooperation with Erdogan during his 3-year duties as a
“prime minister”.
9. Turkish Vice Admiral visited the breakaway
regime over the “2013 Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli exercises”
llegal Bayrak
television (11.06.13) reported about the
“2013 Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli Search and Rescue exercises” which is
taking place in the breakaway regime and broadcast that the Commander of the
Turkish Coast Guard Vice Admiral Atilla Kezek who is in occupied Cyprus to
attend the exercises, paid visits to so-called state and government officials.
Kezek met with
the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the self-styled parliamentary speaker
Hasan Bozer and İrsen Küçük.
Speaking during
the visits, Kezek alleged that “the search and rescue exercises were being
carried out within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the two
countries and said the main purpose behind the exercise was purely
humanitarian”.
On his part,
Eroglu said the exercises were taking place due to an agreement between the two
“countries” and alleged that the Turkish Cypriots were living in peace and
harmony thanks to “Motherland Turkey
being an active and effective guarantor on the island”.
In addition,
under the title: “Zero replies from the neighbors: The TRNC was left alone”,
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet (12.06.13) reports that due to the crisis faced by the
Turkish government, the breakaway regime was left alone to conduct the 2013
Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli Search and Rescue exercises”.
The paper writes
that the breakaway regime issued invitation to more than fifty countries to
observe the exercise, however only two countries replied, Afghanistan and
Pakistan
which sent observers for the exercise. “It was noted that no neighbors of Turkey and the
TRNC attended the exercise”, the paper stated. The paper writes that the
previous years the following countries sent observers for the exercise: Gambia, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates,
Iraq,
Kuwait,
Iran,
Bahrain,
Qatar
and Turkmenistan.
10.
Support by KTOS for the protests in Turkey
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (12.06.13)
reports that Sener Elcil, general secretary of Turkish Cypriot Primary School
Teachers' Trade Union, in a press release, said that they support and embrace
the protests in Turkey
for rights and freedoms.
Elcil stressed that Kucuk has shown one
more time that he takes instructions from Ankara
and he obeys to Erdogan’s orders, adding that it is a great shame for the
Turkish Cypriot community that he was asking support for the “elections”
showing that he serves Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Elcil noted that it is impossible for
the Turkish Cypriots to have any more joint ideas with AKP, which attacks to
peaceful resisters with pepper gas. Furthermore, Elcil said that they are
astonished that some political parties, politicians or persons desire
cooperation with AKP.
11. More information about the uncontrolled
granting of “citizenships” by the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (12.06.13) reports that interesting details are
coming into surface regarding the citizenships that the “government” of Irsen
Kucuk granted in the breakaway regime during the last six months.
The paper reports
about the information in the residence certificate of a person named Idil E.
who was granted the “TRNC citizenship” and writes that the address of a hotel
in occupied Lefkosia is given as this person’s home address.
12.
The Turkish Cypriot Journalists’ Association calls on Tumerkan to resign
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli
(12.06.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Journalists’ Association, in an
announcement, argued that Mete Turmekan, who was appointed as director of the
illegal BRT last April, started to
exhibit a hostile behaviour against the members of their Association.
The Association also claimed that
Turmerkan is not objective and exerts pressure and threatens the personnel, the
paper reports.
According to the paper, the Association
also argued in the announcement that Tumerkan favours more the members of the
Turkish Cypriot Journalists’ Union and the members of the Turkish Cypriot press
workers trade union (Basin-Sen) than the members of the Association.
Finally, the Association called on
Tumerkan to resign from his post.
13. Number one suspect in Reyhanlı attack was
captured
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (11.06.13) reported that the police captured the number one
suspect in connection with a fatal attack in the southern town of Reyhanlı in
early May, while the suspect was crossing into Syria in the late hours of
Monday.
(…)
On Tuesday,
Hatay Governor's Office said in a written statement that the city's police
force captured Nasır Eskiocak in Hatay's Yayladag district as he was crossing
the border into Syria
at about 11 p.m. on Monday.
Eskiocak is believed to have been engaged with various leftist terrorist
organizations. He is also claimed to have connection to a terrorist
organization called “Acilciler,” (Urgent Ones), a splinter faction of the
Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). He was found to have
made many visits to the western Syrian city of Latakia from Yayladagı.
Eskiocak was
caught with three other people who are suspected of aiding and abetting him.
(…)
14. Davutoglu continues diplomatic efforts on Syria crisis
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (12.06.13) reports that the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu spoke to several counterparts regarding the Syrian crisis.
Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has continued diplomatic efforts to find a settlement
to the Syrian crisis.
According to
diplomatic sources, Davutoglu spoke to several foreign ministers over the last
three days including those of the United States, Qatar, Britain, France and Jordan.
Davutoglu spoke
to US Secretary of State John Kerry and Qatar's Foreign Minister Hamad bin
Jassim bin Jaber bin Muhammad Al Thani on the telephone over the weekend.
Davutoglu also
had separate phone calls with his British counterpart William Hague, French
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser
Judeh on Tuesday, as well as with EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
Davutoglu also
met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr during his visit in Azerbaijan's
capital Baku,
where he participated in the conference of the Foreign Ministers of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The Turkish Foreign
Minister discussed all dimensions of the Syrian issue and the latest developments,
evaluating a planned international peace conference in Geneva.
15. Turkey
and Egypt
signed transportation agreements
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.06.13) reported that Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime
Affairs, and Communications Binali Yildirim and Egyptian Minister of Transport
Hatem Abdel Latif signed railroad, maritime line and highway agreements in Ankara.
Yildirim and
Egyptian counterpart Latif and his delegation held a press conference at the
Transport Ministry in Ankara.
Yildirim said
that transit transportation between Turkey and Egypt will be
free, requires no documents and has no restriction.
Latif noted that
today is the third day of his visit in Turkey and added: "l did not
feel like an outsider at all".
Stating that the
trade volume between two nations sharply increased, Latif said that the
bilateral trade volume between Turkey
and Egypt
reached to 5 billion USD and that Turkish investments in Egypt have been
above 1.5 billion USD.
(…)
16. Turkey’s Simsek: “Turkey grows 3% in 2013's first
quarter”
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.06.13) reported that Turkish Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek
announced on Tuesday that Turkish economy has grown 3% in the first quarter of
2013 with the recovery in the domestic demand and added that they expected the
growth to reach 4% in the second quarter.
Simsek said in a
written statement that it was the domestic demand not the exports which
contributed to the present growth.
(…)
Simsek pointed
out there was a limited rise in current deficit, increasing 3.6 billion dollars
in April when compared to March, to level of 51.3 billion dollars.
Turkish Minister
of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications Binali Yildirim evaluated on
the growth numbers in 2013's first quarter following his meeting with Egyptian
Minister of Transport Hatem Abdel Latif.
Yildirim pointed
to the 3% growth in Turkish economy and said the percentage meant 100% increase
in growth when compared to the 1.4% growth in 2012's last quarter.
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