TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 115/13 20/06/13
1.
US Ambassador to Ankara paid a surprise visit to AKP headquarters and discussed
with Erdogan’s main advisor Gezi Park protests
2.
Bagis: “If necessary, Turkey will tell EU to ‘Get lost, kid!'”
3.
A call by Swoboda to Merkel not to block EU talks with Turkey; Ankara may
recall Ambassador
4.
Third week of demonstrations continue in Turkey
5.
Gulen: Let’s not destroy several bridges with a single bridge
6.
Davutoglu: Turkey to take action if border threat identified
7.
Seventeen decisions by Siber’s “government” in a week; “EU Support Office” is
given the status of “diplomatic mission”
8.
Problems are created in almost all Turkish Cypriot parties in the process of
determining their “candidates” for the early “elections”
9.
Ertugruloglu: “Eroglu is working for the DP”
10.
The college of theology in occupied Mia Milia will be ready for the new school
year; Only the mosque costs 23 million US dollars
11.
The regime invites tenders for repainting the flag on occupied Pentadaktylos
Mountains
12.
Iraqi Kurds announce new oil pipeline to Turkish border
13.
PKK accuses Turkish government of sabotage peace process
1. US Ambassador to Ankara paid a surprise
visit to AKP headquarters and discussed with Erdogan’s main advisor Gezi Park protests
Under
the title “Gezi visit from the US Ambassador”, Turkish Milliyet newspaper
(20.06.13) reports that the US Ambassador to Ankara Francis J. Ricciardone paid
a surprise visit yesterday to the headquarters of the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP).
According
to the paper, Ricciardone met with Yalcin Akdogan, the main adviser of the
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the meeting which lasted
for about an hour, Ricciardone and Akdogan talked about the recent political
developments regarding the Gezi Park protests.
Making a
statement after completing the meeting, Ricciardone said that the US Government
considers Turkey and its democracy important and that the countries share
common interests. “We trust Turkey's power as a democracy. Our relations are
still strong and healthy” he said, adding that freedom of expression and
assembly are important and that both the US and Turkish government are on the
same page in protecting these principles.
He also
stated that Washington attaches special significance to Turkey and will
continue to stand by its ally and added that they two countries have shared
interests ranging from cooperation in business to tourism.
2. Bagis: “If necessary, Turkey will tell
EU to ‘Get lost, kid!'”
Under
the above title, Turkish Milliyet newspaper (20.06.13) reports that Turkish EU
Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, criticized some European countries,
which according to him, oppose moving forward with Turkey's bid to join the EU.
“If we have to, we could tell to these countries ‘Get lost, kid!'”, Bagis
stated who also said that it is not Turkey that needs EU, but it is the EU that
needs Turkey.
“In the
last three years, Turkey has not stepped back from its intention to join the
EU” he said and added the following: “Even if they open a chapter or not,
Turkey will continue growing, keep thriving, becoming transparent, and
developing. However not opening a chapter will also cost Europe,” in regards to
chapters which are expected to be opened at the EU negotiations.
Bagis
made these statements during a meeting he held with the Governor of Kayseri
Orhan Duzgun and he was commenting on the possible veto by Germany and the
Netherlands over the opening of the “Regional Policies Chapter” by Turkey.
In
addition, writing in Hurriyet Daily News (20.06.13) on the issue, Serkan
Demirtas writes that Turkey-EU relations could hit a new nadir if the opening
of the ‘regional policies’ chapter is suspended. Citing statements by a senior
Turkish diplomat Demirtas writes that if Germany and the Netherlands reject the
opening of the chapter, Turkey’s relations with the EU will return to their
1997 level.
“Turkey
suspended political dialogue with the EU in December 1997 after its candidacy
for full membership was rejected at the Luxembourg Summit of the union.
Turkey-EU ties hit a nadir from 1998 to 1999, where the two had almost no
exchange of views on numerous political issues, including Cyprus and other
foreign policy issues”, writes the paper.
“Our
agenda with the EU should be limited to economic issues, and implementation of
the Customs Union. They should forget about foreign policy consultations with
Turkey,” the diplomat stated. “But we still hope common sense will prevail and
the [regional policies] chapter will not be blocked.”
3. A call by Swoboda to Merkel not to block EU talks with
Turkey; Ankara may recall Ambassador
Turkish daily Zaman (20.06.13),
in its front page, reports that Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the Socialist
Group in the European Parliament, known for his latest harsh criticism again
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) made a call to German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and asked her not to block the opening of Turkey-EU talks on a
negotiating chapter, which was scheduled for June 26.
The paper also reports that
during the last 48 hours, in addition to Germany, Bulgaria and Netherlands have
been added to the countries that are opposed to the opening of the Chapter 22.
Germany is reportedly trying to block the opening of the talks on Chapter 22 in
response to the police crackdown on protests across Turkey. However, both
Turkish and European sides see now as “very low” the possibility of opening the
Chapter.
According to the paper, in case
the today’s decision of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) is
negative, then Ankara is expected to give a harsh response and to recall
Ambassador Selim Yenel, head of the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the EU,
in Ankara for consultation.
Swoboda noted blocking talks on
the new chapter would be a mistake if Merkel insists on it. "This is not a
well-considered, well-advised attitude to block opening a chapter after a
three-year pause in talks," said Swoboda, stressing that it would need
some courage to open the chapter before the upcoming elections in Germany in
September and he did not see that courage in Merkel. However, he added that he
wanted to be proven wrong, hoping Merkel could change her mind on talks on
Chapter 22, which regulates "regional policy and coordination of
structural instruments."
Criticizing the German
position, Swoboda said accelerating the accession process was about the Turkish
people, not the government. "One should not punish the Turkish people for
the failure of the government. Also we should put the government to test on
human rights, judicial reform, and the deepening of democratization by opening
new chapters," he said.
4. Third week of demonstrations continue in
Turkey
Turkish
press continues to report today (20.06.13) on the protests in Turkey.
Hurriyet reports in its first page that the first
decision was taken regarding the police actions on the Gezi Park protests and
notes that an investigation was launched against four members of Istanbul
municipal police and one operator who according to a report of Hurriyet dated
31 of May, set fire to the tents of the protestors in Gezi Park.
The
paper also writes that the so-called “standing man” protest which started on
June 17, when performance artist Erdem Gündüz stood in front of the Atatürk
Culture Center in Taksim Square without speaking or moving for more than five
hours, continues and notes that many men and women inspired by Gündüz’s protest
have held similar protests in several cities including Istanbul, Ankara and
İzmir since then. In İzmir one demonstrator named Erdal Çoban held a “standing”
protest for 24 hours, wearing the costume of an efe, local bandits from Ottoman
times, and had dyeing his body silver.
As the
tension of the protests started to calm down in big cities, the Central
Anatolian province of Eskişehir staged a police intervention with gas bombs and
water cannons against nearly 5,000 protesters’ all-night action late on June
18.
Three
protesters, a journalist and a police officer were injured in the police
intervention, Doğan news agency reported. Slogans like “everywhere Taksim,
everywhere resistance” and “government resign” were chanted by the crowd in
front of a mall called Espark in the city’s Eskibaglar neighbourhood.
The
police’s heavy crackdown managed to disperse the group; however a group of 500
people stayed in the mall and blocked the way in front of it.
Milliyet writes that some people held a
counter-protest in Taksim Square against the anti-government demonstrators’
“standing man” protest.
Under
the title “An assembly in every park”, Cumhuriyet
writes that after Gezi Park was sealed off from protesters, many people started
to gather at other parks in Istanbul to hold discussions.
In
addition, Sabah writes that the cost
of the demonstration in Turkley so far is 135 million Turkish Lira.
Finally,
Hurriyet Daily News wrote that
hacker group Redhack has claimed responsibility for all tweets that were posted
about the Taksim Gezi Park protests after the government announced that an
investigation into the matter had been launched.
5. Gulen: Let’s not destroy several bridges with a single
bridge
Turkish daily Zaman (20.06.13),
in its front page with the above title, reports that Turkish Islamic scholar
Fethullah Gülen, in a speech broadcast in herkul.org on Wednesday, made
important evaluations regarding the name of the 3rd bridge to be
built over the Bosporus and the Alevi-Sunni brotherhood. He said that those who
proposed the name Selim did not make any calculations on the negative impact
that will carry and he made a call on both sides: “Let us not destroy several
bridges with a single bridge”. Furthermore, he said the issue should be
regarded as a “detail” and should not overshadow the “many other bridges
between the Sunnis and Alevis” of Turkey.
Stressing that they should
reinforce the institution of living together, Gulen gave the following advice:
“There are bridges that we try to establish in our days. The bridges that are
being built with the idea that we should spend time together in the same parks
built for mosques and cemevis [Alevi place of worship] and that we should not
create new reasons for enmity by reviving past problems. We should not destroy
these bridges, which can lead to cohesion, with a bridge's name. Yes, we should
not destroy several bridges with a single one. So, we should not sacrifice the
essence to a detail, I mean a bridge, in an environment where we are coming
together in Ramadan and Muharrem [sacred for Alevis], breaking fast, seeing
sema [Sufi whirling ceremony] and semah [Alevi religious dance],”
Gülen also said that everyone
should respect others' sensitivities, adding that the best way to understand
each other's feelings is to come together and get to know one another better.
6. Davutoglu: Turkey to take action if border threat
identified
According to Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 19.06.13), Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has
said that Turkey will take action if it sees any new threat of an attack on its
porous Syrian border like the twin blasts in Reyhanlı that killed 52 people
last month. “If there was any violation
of the border as a real threat to national security again, of course we would
act and respond,” Davutoğlu told Al Jazeera in an interview aired today
(Wednesday).
He added that the Turkish
authorities in their probe into the Reyhanlı attacks had established certain
linkages with the regime and now were gathering the evidence.
Commenting on the U.S.
government’s statement that they held evidence that showed Syria had used
chemical weapons, Davutoğlu said that it was not “something surprising” for
Ankara. “As Turkey, as a neighbouring country we had our own investigation, we
had several cases, incidents where we suspected that chemical weapons were
being used and there was special research regarding injured people and we also
found strong evidences regarding the use of chemical weapons,” Davutoğlu said.
Davutoğlu also said during the
interview that he was hopeful the new Iranian administration under the
leadership of Hassan Rowhani, elected this week-end, would be more cooperative
on Syria. “We hope that the new Iranian administration will understand the
situation in Syria better than before, they will listen to the Syrian people
more,” he said, adding that they expected Iran to “understand Syria” and
contribute for a solution.
Davutoğlu also touched upon the
ongoing Gezi Park protests that have entered their fourth week. He repeated his
criticism of foreign media coverage and especially of CNN’s reporting of the
protests. "I was shocked when I saw CNN International or some other
international reporters, they used gas masks during the day when there was no
tear gas being used, they broadcast as if there was a war. While, on the same
days, thousands of people were being killed in Quasar, Syria, there was no
coverage at all,” Davutoğlu said.
7. Seventeen decisions by Siber’s
“government” in a week; “EU Support Office” is given the status of “diplomatic
mission”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (20.06.13) reports that the self-styled finance
minister and “spokesman” of the so-called council of ministers, Zerren Mungan
has said that the National Unity Party (UBP) former “government” had taken 552
decisions in one week before transferring “power’ to the newly established
“government”. In statements after the three-hour meeting of the “cabinet”
yesterday, Mungan noted that the UBP “government” had taken 340 decisions
during its meeting on 22 May, 63 decisions on 27 May and 144 decisions on 29
May. “We leave the people to comment this”, he added.
According
to Mungan, 17 decisions were taken by the current “council of ministers” during
its second meeting held yesterday. Some of the most important decisions are: to
give the “status of diplomatic mission” to the EU Support Office”, to determine
criteria on the issue of who will be appointed to the post of the “cultural
attaché” of the breakaway regime, the annulment of the allocation of a plot of
land [Translator’s note: this plot is known as ‘Zeyko land’] to two companies
on the grounds that this is contrary to the “law” and to express a negative
view on the issue of the construction of oil storage installations after the
“ministry” of tourism and environment carried out a risk analysis.
On the
issue of the “EU Support office”, Mungan said that a “Diplomatic Mission
Regulation” was adopted describing the conditions under which the status of
“diplomatic mission” could be given in the “country”.
Meanwhile,
self-styled prime minister, Sibel Siber stated that they would determine
criteria on the issue of who can become their “cultural attaché”. She referred to the issue of Turkish actor
Necati Sasmaz and said that being a very successful actor is not enough. The
important thing, she added, is the “institutions of the state and the state
institution”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Problems are created in almost all
Turkish Cypriot parties in the process of determining their “candidates” for
the early “elections”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (20.06.13) reports that problems have been
created in almost all Turkish Cypriot political parties in the process of
determining their candidates in the early so-called “elections” which will be
held on 28 July.
The
paper writes that Aslan Bicakli, chairman of Turk-Sen trade union and former
candidate in the “parliamentary elections” with the Democratic Party (DP), and
Nazim Beratli, former “MP” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), have
announced that they will run in these “elections” as candidates of the Social
Democracy Party (TDP). After this information was known, news in the political
backstage yesterday said that two prominent members of the TDP, Baris Mamali
and Dr. Suphi Hudaoglu resigned from the party. According to the same
information, efforts have been exerted until late night hours to persuade both
of them change their mind. The paper
recalls that another important member of the party, Mehmet Barissever had
resigned recently accusing Mehmet Cakici of acting contrary to the rules of the
TDP.
Moreover,
the chairperson of National Unity Party’s (UBP) women’s organization in
occupied Lefkosia, Sureyya Gurses has resigned from her party and joined the
Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) yesterday, stating that she would be
honored to work in a party which followed the tracks of late Turkish Cypriot
leader, Rauf Denktas.
The
DP-UG, however, is not without problems, as it is said that the “government’s”
taking “vote of confidence” at the “assembly” is at risk in case Ejder
Aslanbaba is not nominated as candidate in occupied Trikomo area of the
above-mentioned party [Translator’s note: see Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media
Review of 18 and 19 June, 2013].
Meanwhile,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.06.13) publishes statements by
Serdar Denktas, chairman of the DP-UG, who says that there is no change on the
issue and that Aslanbaba will not be candidate with their party. He accused the
media that supports Irsen Kucuk, chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP), of
presenting the issue as a problem in DP-UG and added that there is no problem
in his party. Referring to the other seven former “MPs” of the UBP who joined
the DP, Denktas said that they will all be nominated for candidates.
(I/Ts.)
9. Ertugruloglu: “Eroglu is working for the
DP”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (20.06.13) reports that Tahsin Ertugruloglu,
“MP” with the National Unity Party (UBP) in occupied Lefkosia, has said that
the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu is behind the eight “MPs” of the UBP
who have resigned from the party and joined the Democratic Party (DP).
In
statements yesterday to Radio Havadis, Ertugruloglu argued that Eroglu is going
around the local organizations of the UBP and invites members of the UBP to his
office calling them not to vote the party. According to Ertugruloglu, Eroglu
says to the UBP members that the UBP should fail in the “elections” so that “we
take back our party”. Ertugruloglu wondered whether Eroglu’s daughter, Resmiye
Canaltay, who is chairperson of UBP women’s organization in occupied Famagusta,
works for the UBP in the “election campaign” or for the DP-UG.
(I/Ts.)
10. The college of theology in occupied Mia
Milia will be ready for the new school year; Only the mosque costs 23 million
US dollars
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.06.13) reports that the first stage of the
Hala Sultan College of Theology, which is being constructed in occupied Mia
Milia area upon an initiative by the Cyprus Foundation of Science Morals and
Social Mutual Aid (KISAV), is about to be completed.
Hikmet
Kaynarca, chairman of KISAV’s board of trustees told Kibris that the school
will have the capacity of providing education to 1250 students, but during the
first stage, it will host 625 students. Noting that the first stage will be
ready for the next academic year, Kaynarca said that they will start accepting
students. He added that 90% of the building has been completed and pointed out
that they plan to accept around 430 students for the next year in the college
and lyceum departments.
Kaynarca
said that the campus of the college will have the capacity to host 700 students
and the groundbreaking ceremony will be held soon. Sports installations and a
mosque will be included in the complex of the buildings. According to Kaynarca,
only the mosque will cost 23 million US dollars. He noted that the cost of this
mosque will be covered by Turkey’s Religious Affairs Department. The school
will cost eight million Turkish liras (TL) and the campus 17 million TL.
(I/Ts.)
11. The regime invites tenders for
repainting the flag on occupied Pentadaktylos Mountains
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.06.13) reports that tenders for repainting
the flag of the breakaway regime on occupied Pentadantylos Mountains will be
invited within a couple of days. In statements to Kibris, Tanju Muezzinoglu,
chairman of the association for illuminating the above-mentioned flag, said
that the materials which will be used for painting the flag will be friendly to
the environment and added that after the painting is completed they aim at
planting 10 thousand trees in the area. He said that the project will cost
around 450 thousand Turkish liras (TL).
Meanwhile,
in statements to Kibris, Caglayan Cesurer, chairman of the trade union of the
employees at the so-called electricity authority (El-Sen), said that 2.700
kilowatts per hour are needed for the illumination of the flag in one month. He
noted that the cost for this varies between 1300 and 1600 TL and added that the
bill is paid by the “prime minister’s office”.
(I/Ts.)
12. Iraqi Kurds announce new oil pipeline to Turkish
border
Turkish daily Hürriyet Daily
News (online, 20.06.13) reported that Iraqi Kurdistan appears ready to start a
new oil pipeline to Turkey soon. The planned pipeline would not cross the
border, a Turkish source said.
Iraqi Kurdistan will start a
new oil pipeline to Turkey within months, its Energy Minister, Ashti Hawrami,
told a conference in London yesterday, increasing the autonomous region’s
control over its resources in a dispute with Baghdad, as reported by Reuters.
A Turkish source, however, told
the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday that the planned pipeline would not cross the
border. Some companies were about to finalize an agreement to carry the KRG oil
near the south-eastern Turkish border, the Turkish source said, adding that any
company could ask authorization to build a pipeline from inside a country to
the borderline.
Such a move, which was
announced by Hawrami, will provoke Baghdad, energy sources said. Hawrami noted
that the KRG would complete the pipeline by the end of September with an
initial capacity of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd). With the further construction
of new pumping stations, the pipeline would be able to export more than 1
million bpd by the end of 2015 and 2 million bpd by 2019, Hawrami said, Reuters
reported.
Baghdad has recently announced
it aims to ramp up oil production by nearly 45% by the end of 2014 - without
any input from its autonomous Kurdistan region - which suggests a lasting
compromise in their long-running oil feud may be a way off.
The KRG has stopped exporting
through the central government-controlled pipeline, which has stranded its oil
output. It has been able to truck only small amounts to Turkey on road tankers.
“Nowhere in the world does 1
million barrels per day remain stranded, so I’m confident that the KRG’s
exports via pipeline will be a reality very soon,” Hawrami said. The KRG’s oil
production capacity is now at 300,000 bpd and is rising rapidly to 400,000 bpd
by the end of this year, most of it destined for export, he added.
No agreement between KRG and Baghdad
Sales of the Kurdish oil via
the central government through Iraq’s federal pipeline system also could resume
but that will depend on a permanent resolution of the political and
constitutional issues between Arbil and Baghdad, Hawrami said.
No agreement has been reached
so far between Iraq and the KRG on payments to oil companies working in the
region, despite a meeting earlier in June between leaders on both sides.
Hawrami stressed the benefits of having a direct pipeline.
“The new export infrastructure
will be a cost-effective and secure solution that will enable more of Iraq’s
oil and gas to reach the international market, which will allow all the
citizens of Iraq to benefit from increased revenue,” he said.
13. PKK accuses Turkish government of sabotage peace
process
According to news portal World
Bulleting (online, 19.06.13), a top Kurdish militant commander warned on
Wednesday a fragile peace process had been reportedly jeopardised by increased
military activity and a lack of concrete steps by the government, including the
continued detention of Kurdish politicians.
"The state is doing what
it can to sabotage this process. It is preparing for war. This is creating
serious problems for us," Murat Karayilan, the PKK commander based in
northern Iraq, told the Firat news agency, which is close to the rebels.
He pointed to increased
military surveillance and the construction of new army posts in the mainly
Kurdish southeast as undermining the rebels' withdrawal, which is expected to
take months.
Karayilan said the peace
process had now reached a "critical stage" at which the government
must take its own steps as the PKK withdrew. He added his comments could be
taken as a "warning".
------------------------------------------------
