TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 105/13 5/6/13
1. Turkish Cypriot columnist says solution process in
Cyprus is starting
2. Turkish Deputy PM Arinc apologizes for excessive force used against
peaceful protesters
3. Gul: “Gezi Park protests no 'Turkish Spring'”; Gul
said he would examine the alcohol draft law
4. Tensions decrease in Istanbul, continues in other
major cities
5. Turkish interior Minister: Total damage caused by
Taksim Gezi Park protests over 70 million Turkish Lira
6. Arinc to meet with Taksim Gezi Park Platform today
7. Strong criticism by opposition party leaders in
Turkey against Erdogan
8. Pro-Kurdish BDP deputy: Protests should now turn
into festival
9. Swoboda criticized Erdogan's way of handling Taksim
events; He says European right wing wants to end accession talks
10. Turkish police arrest suspected Iranian agent in
Ankara protests-twenty-five persons were arrested for provoking protest via
social media
11. Protests hit tourism in Turkey
12. “Taksim protest to change Ankara balances”
13. “It is all about Erdogan”
14. Turkish PM Erdogan did not meet King Mohammad VI
during Morocco visit
15. Demirtas denies that there was a clash between PKK
and Turkish armed forces
16. Eroglu reiterated that if no solution is found to the Cyprus problem, the occupation regime will continue with its own way
16. Eroglu reiterated that if no solution is found to the Cyprus problem, the occupation regime will continue with its own way
17. The “Famagusta Initiative” stated that the opening
of illegal Tymbou airport and occupied Varoshia will contribute to the solution
18. The occupation regime continues the illegal
granting of “citizenships” and the distribution of plots of land
19. The Slovakian Ambassador met with Kucuk
20. Motion of census approved: Kucuk’s “government” was overthrown
1. Turkish Cypriot columnist says solution
process in Cyprus is starting
Writing in his column in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (05.06.13), columnist Ata Atun publishes the following allegations,
under the title “The solution process in Cyprus is starting (2)”:
“As soon as Turkey saw the focus point in the process
to which the issue of Exclusive Economic Zone in Eastern Mediterranean and the
Cyprus issue have come, she opened the door part away for George Soros’
interfering in the events. Because George Soros, who met with Prime Minister
Erdogan at Davos in 2009, suggested to him to make a three-party agreement with
Greece, Israel and the Greek Cypriot Administration in order for being able to
claim rights over the hydrocarbon reserves in Eastern Mediterranean and
participate in the game, his first job was to put him in the game. The first
thing that Soros did after getting
into action was to secure a meeting far from publicity and the press between
Prime Minister Erdogan, Papandreou and Merkel. When Merkel and Papandreou approved
all the views of Soros, in a next meeting of the three leaders away from
publicity, the then President of DISY, Nikos Anastasiades was invited, as he
was considered the ideal candidate for the Greek Cypriot Presidency of the
Republic in the place of Christofias, who was following the way of Libermann.
During the meeting which the leaders held away from publicity, it was decided
that Germany would behave in a manner that would not leave Greece to go
bankrupt and if necessary Turkey would also help Greece, and that the Greek
Cypriot economy would be lead to bankruptcy with the necessary sanctions and
initiatives, because of the negative stance of Christofias on the issue of the
Exclusive Economic Zone and because he did not do what he was told, and with
the aim of Anastasiades winning the elections.
George Soros secured the economic collapse of the
Greek Cypriot side by preventing any investment to be made in the Greek Cypriot
side and by influencing International Rating Organizations such as Moody’s and
Fitch.
Anastasiades would increase his opposition against
Christofias, win the elections by destroying the initiative he would undertake
for fixing the economy and create such a psychological climate and environment
within the Greek Cypriot people that the Greek Cypriots would think of
accepting the practice or the plan which would be put in front of them after
some time.
In December 2012 Soros, Prime Minister Erdogan,
Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Samaras held a meeting in Berlin and accepted
a plan that would reach a result. To secure the collapse of the Greek Cypriot
economy with a planned manner and the election of Anastasiades no matter what
it take, securing the acceptance of very tough measures without giving the
opportunity for a riot of the Greek Cypriot people similar to the Arab Spring.
To secure the signing of a suffocative agreement with Troika by announcing such
a bad financial situation that would cause fear and doubts for the future
within the Greek Cypriot people. To launch negotiations for reaching a solution
to the Cyprus issue the soonest and to find an agreement by which Turkey and
Greece would indirectly have a say. Within this context, to make a new
arrangement on the property issue and to pay compensations and establish a
federal state which will be bi-communal and bi-zonal and will have a weak
central government and its sovereignty will derive from the EU. The Turkish and
Greek troops to go away from the island, the Greek Cypriot National Guard to be
abolished and a European unit to be established in which Turkish, Greek and EU
forces will be participating.
After the signing of the solution agreement and
Turkey’s accession in the EU, Turkey, Greece and Federal Cyprus will sign a
“Friendship Agreement” and will share the natural and mineral wealth to be
obtained from the Exclusive Economic Zone by Turkey taking 40%, Greece 30%,
Cyprus 20% and EU 10%.
After these agreements are approved by the
international community, Turkey, as a step of good will, will pay 50% of the financial
debt of the Greek Cypriot Administration and the other 50% will be paid by the
EU as aid to the new federal state.
Lastly, Turkey, Federal Cyprus, Greece and the EU will
share the cost of the pipeline which will be built over Turkey in order for
carrying to Europe the oil and natural gas which will be taken out from the
area.
It is for this reason that the EU Commissioner
Responsible for the Enlargement, Stefan Fule has launched an initiative for the
opening of Ercan airport to international flights as a respond to the return of
Varosha to its former owners, and established a committee on this issue.
Opening Ercan to international flights is tantamount to Turkey’s opening its
ports and airspace to the ships and airplanes under Greek Cypriot flag. And
this means that would bring along the opening of the chapters which are frozen
by the Greek Cypriot side in Turkey’s Accession negotiations and the acceptance
of Turkey into the EU.
This
information’s source is a diplomat friend of mine in Brussels who is in the
boiling cauldron on the Cyprus issue. There is no responsibility for the
Ambassador”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Turkish Deputy PM Arinc apologizes for excessive force used against
peaceful protesters
Turkish daily Zaman newspaper (05.06.13) reports that the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc has apologized for the undue and disproportionate force used by police against the protesters in Taksim's Gezi Park in recent days.
Turkish daily Zaman newspaper (05.06.13) reports that the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc has apologized for the undue and disproportionate force used by police against the protesters in Taksim's Gezi Park in recent days.
Arınc held a
press conference as the acting prime minister of the country on Tuesday during
which he apologized to peaceful protestors who were exposed to excessive force
applied by police. Arınc made a distinction between the peaceful demonstrations
held by environmentalists and the ensuing violent protests.
Arınc also said
that he would meet with some of the original organizers of the protest and
raised the possibility of a referendum on the Taksim project. He said he wanted
environmentalists and animal rights activists to know that the government was
ready to listen to them.
"There is a
need to communicate clearly, to remove the confusion in people's minds. In line
with this, today we will meet with the associations and representatives of
those who initiated the lawsuit ... to learn their views," the deputy
prime minister told the press.
He further
stated that the government will inform the public in detail when drafting
future legislation, including plans related to Taksim Square, and will pay heed
to people's opinions.
Gul met on
Tuesday with Arınc to discuss nation-wide protests which began last week in
İstanbul against policies of the government. Arınc is acting prime minister
while Recep Tayyip Erdogan is on an official visit to Morocco. The two met for
45 minutes and discussed the recent protests in a meeting that was closed to
the press.
3. Gul: “Gezi Park protests no 'Turkish Spring'”;
Gul said he would examine the alcohol draft law
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (05.06.13) reported that the Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on
Tuesday that Gezi Park protests against a development project at Gezi Park of
Taksim Square in Istanbul were different from the protests that broke out in
the Middle East.
"Gezi Park
protests are not a Turkish Spring. Turkey's Gezi Park incidents are far more
different than the incidents in the Middle East. You can see in the Middle
Eastern countries that there are debates related to fundamental rights and
freedoms. In these countries there are no free elections, public will is not
reflected and the courts are not in the standard of the Western
countries," Gul said in a statement posted on his official website.
Pointing out
that Turkey was a country in the process of negotiations with the European
Union (EU), Gul said that the country would never regress from its present
situation, adding: "Turkey is a country that believes in democracy, and
the rule of law and court rulings work. There can be environmental concerns.
There can be people who stand for environmental protection or for the rights of
animals. Different beliefs should be respected. All of these issues are common
problems seen in developed countries. Cars were torched, shops were plundered
and people were injured because of similar the problems in London two years
ago. Different beliefs should be respected. No one should have doubts over
Turkey's future."
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.
One person was killed, dozens more were wounded during clashes with police,
while hundreds were arrested.
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (05.06.13) under the title: “I will examine the
alcohol law”, reports that Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul after he stated that
he had “received messages” from the Gezi Park protests, he stated that he will
examine together with lawmakers the alcohol draft law, before this to be
approved, as he said.
(AK)
4. Tensions decrease in Istanbul, continues in
other major cities
Turkish daily
Hurriyet (05.06.13) reports that tension seemed to diminish on June 4, as the
protests over the demolition of Taksim Gezi Park entered their second week,
after spreading to nearly every province in Turkey.
The heart of the
protests in Istanbul's Gezi Park continued in a more festive mood, a stark
contrast to last week's brutal police raids on the area. The protesters who
took back the park on June 1, were more organized as medical and legal
assistance teams were set up in the square and park.
However, tension
was still palpable a few hundred meters further away in the Beşiktaş district,
where violent clashes had also broken out over the weekend. Small scuffles took
place between protesters and police near the road leading to Taksim.
Ankara, another
hot spot of the protests where police had led a brutal crackdown against
protesters over the weekend, also saw fewer incidents. Police forces, who had
been instructed not to use tear gas unless they were attacked, held back from
intervening, while protesters offered them cloves and took pictures in front of
police tanks. However, some clashes were reported near the central Kızılay
district around midnight.
Meanwhile,
violent clashes took place in the eastern town of Tunceli. Protesters threw
stones at police stations, with police responding by firing tear gas and water
cannons. Many patients in a nearby hospital were affected by the tear gas fired
by the police, Doğan News Agency reported.
Tunceli is home
to a large number of Alevis, who were highly disturbed that Istanbul's third
bridge over the Bosphorus was officially named "Yavuz Sultan Selim"
last week. Known in English as "Selim the Grim," Selim was an Ottoman
sultan historically known for slaughtering Alevis.
5. Turkish interior Minister: Total damage caused
by Taksim Gezi Park protests over 70 million Turkish Lira
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (05.06.13) reports that Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler
said that four civil and police inspectors would examine "every single
detail" related to Taksim Gezi Park incidents.
"280
workplaces, 6 public buildings, 103 police vehicles, 207 private cars, a police
station and 11 service buildings of the (ruling) Justice and Development Party
were damaged due to the protests" Guler told lawmakers. Guler said the
damage caused by Taksim Gezi Park protests was over 70 million Turkish liras.
6. Arinc to meet with Taksim Gezi Park Platform
today
Turkish daily
Milliyet newspaper (05.06.13) reports that Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister
Bulent Arinc is set to meet today representatives from the Taksim Gezi Park
Platform, which was established after the latest incidents in Gezi Part, in
order to exchange views over the recent incidents.
Daily Milliyet
covers the issue under the title: “Taksim Platform’s demand is the
establishment of a new model” and reports on statements by Korkhan Gumus,
representative of the Platform who has said that the platform will demand
during its meeting with Arinc for a new model to be establish so that a
cooperation to be made between the state and the civil society in order for
similar incidents not to be occurred again in the past.
7. Strong criticism by opposition party leaders in
Turkey against Erdogan
Under the front
page title: “The country cannot be administrated obstinately”, Turkish daily
Milliyet newspaper (05.06.13) reports on statements by the leader of the main
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Turkey, Kemal Kilicdaroglu who in
a speech at the Turkish National Assembly yesterday, expressed strong criticism
to the AKP ruling government in Turkey, saying the following: “The Prime
Minister must know what is democracy. It is not possible to administrate the
country with impositions and obstinacy. No close regime can remain standing and
no any politician can humiliate the society. And no one can use expressions
such as plunderers and drunkards (…). Youth wants democracy and freedom and you
must offer these to them”, Kilicdaroglu said.
Also, delivering
a speech at the meeting of the Turkish National Assembly, the chairman of the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli commented on the latest incidents
at Gezi Part and pointed out that his party did not participated to any of the
protests which were launched in the country for Gezi Park.
Expressing
strong criticism to Erdogan for his stance over the latest developments,
Bahceli said: “The truth is that the Prime Minister slides to dictatorship. It
is also true that the resort to the police to use disproportionate
violence. It is true that the AKP uses
gaz like the Nazi did. Still, the remedy is the democracy (…)” Bahceli said.
AK
8. Pro-Kurdish BDP deputy: Protests should now turn
into festival
Turkish Zaman
newspaper 905.06.13) reports that a senior pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy
Party (BDP) deputy said on Tuesday that the protests will leave a mark in
Turkish political history, adding that the protests should now turn to a
festival.
Speaking to the
press after meeting with President Abdull Gul, BDP Deputy Sırrı Sureyya Onder
said police’s brutal response and use of excessive force turned a small sit-in
protest to nationwide protests across the country.
According to Onder,
the protests reflect a growing feeling of disenfranchisement in some segments
of society as the government excludes people from decision-making process in
run-up to some critical public projects. He said protests came as a response to
the top-down, one-sided policymaking of the government, which remains
indifferent to criticism of others.
Onder said he
has noticed a change in government and state’s approach regarding handling the
protests, adding that a democratic procedure is now taking place.
Onder, who also
took part in the protests, said he shared his observations over the
government’s mistakes with the president during the meeting in Cankaya
Presidential Palace in Ankara on Tuesday.
9. Swoboda criticized Erdogan's way of handling
Taksim events; He says European right wing wants to end accession talks
Turkish Zaman
newspaper (05.06.13) reports that Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the Socialist
group in the European Parliament, who has strongly criticized Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's way of handling Taksim events, announced on
Tuesday that European right and extreme right-wing parties want to end EU
accession talks with Ankara citing the “recent events” across the country.
Swoboda, told
Zaman that the European right and far-right want to end EU accession talks with
Turkey, adding that his political group is strongly against it.
Stressing that
he confronted some members of the European Parliament who openly started to
advocate the idea of stopping accession talks with Turkey using “recent events”
as an excuse, the Socialist leader said, “I am totally and absolutely against
it. That is why I tweeted about it and wanted my position and my group's
position to be known.”
He said he
appreciates President Abdullah Gul for his reconciliatory remarks on the Taksim
incidents, but also called on him to convene an emergency meeting with all
political actors to end the disturbances.
10. Turkish police arrest suspected Iranian agent
in Ankara protests-twenty-five persons were arrested for provoking protest via
social media
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (05.06.13) reports that the Turkish police have
arrested, among others, an Iranian national named Shayan Shamloo in connection
with violent demonstrations in Ankara that followed the protest at Gezi Park in Istanbul.
According to a
source in the government who wanted to remain anonymous because of the pending
investigation into violent events held in a couple of locations in Ankara, the
Iranian national was suspected to have played a provocateur role. The same
source also told Today's Zaman that authorities suspect Shamloo has connections
with the Iranian intelligence. Police have reportedly arrested some 15 foreign
nationals across the country in connection with events and most of them have
turned out to be Iranian nationals.
The
pro-government Star daily reported on Tuesday that another Iranian national named
Ramin Sarabi (AKA Rıza) was arrested in Erzurum on charges of leading a plot to
attack a delegation of the wise man group, which has been tasked with
canvassing the province of Erzurum province to feel the pulse of the people
regarding the resolution process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
In addition
Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.06.13) reports that twenty five persons were
arrested accused of provoking protest via social media.
11. Protests hit tourism in Turkey
Turkish daily
Hurriyet (05.06.13) reports that Turkey’s tourism has started to face blows by
the protests and the harsh police response. There are many trip cancellations
in Istanbul, but not yet in other cities. In the meantime, a new type of
tourist has also arrived: Security tourists, or in other words - police forces.
More than 40
percent of hotel reservations have been postponed or cancelled amid the latest
social unrest and police reactions, mainly in Istanbul, according to sector
representatives.
There are no
cancellations in other cities, which have even seen the arrival of a new kind
of tourist: Security tourists, namely police forces. “We have not seen any
negative effects of the latest protests on the tourism sector in Anatolia,
including the coastline cities, such as Antalya. We are even seeing an extra
fullness at the hotels in Turkey’s capital city Ankara, due to the on-duty
police forces, which have moved into Ankara from other cities for the
protests,” Seçim Aydın, president of the Anatolia Tourism Operators Association
(ATİD) told the Daily News.
12. “Taksim protest to change Ankara balances”
Under the above
title, Turkish daily Hurriyet daily News (06.05.13) publishes the following
article by Murat Yetkin:
“There are two
aspects of possible changes in the political balances that are likely to be
triggered by the Taksim wave of protests: The administration front and the
opposition front.
There are three
main actors on the administration front: President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan, and his deputy, Bulent Arınc. Arınc is on the stage because
Erdogan left him as acting prime minister for the duration of his ongoing North
Africa tour. However, he is not just a “supporting role” actor, as he is among
the triumvirate who laid the foundations of the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AK Parti) back in 2001, together with Gul and Erdogan.
Gul intervened
in the Taksim protests at two critical points - on June 1 and June 3 - when
many people were afraid that an escalation could result in more bloodshed. Gul’s
sensitive interventions versus Erdogan’s uncompromising line toned down the
police’s roughness against demonstrators. In both cases, Gul made clear that
his position was different, quite moderate and less emphatic than Erdogan’s.
As Erdogan left
for Morocco on June 3, Gul made his second statement and immediately invited
Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) to the Presidential Palace on top of the Cankaya Hill in Ankara. Such a
meeting would have been almost impossible given the current tension between
Kılıcdaroglu and Erdogan; one calling the other a “dictator,” and the other
calling the opposition leader “subversive.” On June 4, Gul invited Arınc to Cankaya,
after which Arınc made a statement to calm the atmosphere, with self-criticism
that it was the “excessive use of force” and “gas” used by the police that had
caused everything to “go crazy” on the first day of the protest.
Arınc had also
arranged a meeting with Sırrı Sureyya Onder, the leftist Turkish-origin deputy
for the Kurdish problem focused Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), who after
meeting with Arınc went up to Cankaya Hill to meet with Gul.
Onder is a key
figure here, as a three span bridge between the administration, the opposition
and the street. He was there on the first day of the protests (Taksim is his
constituency), preventing an excavator uprooting a tree. He is also a messenger
between the BDP, the government and Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as a part of Erdogan’s efforts to
find a political solution to the Kurdish problem.
All the efforts
carried out by Gul have caused his star to become brighter, as Turkey
approaches the presidential elections in August 2014. Gul has the right to be a
candidate again, but Erdogan wants Cankaya too, but with more powers and less
checks-and-balances. Gul is openly against increased powers for the presidency,
emphasizing that many in the country have fears that it could lead to
one-man-rule through the ballot box. That’s why he underlined in his second
intervention in the Taksim protests that although elections are a must in
democracies, they are not the whole story. Gul might find more support within
the AK Parti following the Taksim theatre.
On the
opposition side, besides the very personal role of Onder from the BDP, is the
CHP head Kılıcdaroglu.
Most of the
masses who took the streets across the country are actually the natural
potential of the CHP, especially the modernist and secular women who think
their lifestyle is threatened by the conservative AK Parti. However, very few
of them are actually led by or organized under the CHP.
There is
actually a chance for Kılıcdaroglu to turn that potential into kinetic energy
for his party, but given the current fragmented structure of the CHP – which is
more under the influence of the nationalist wing in the party echelons, despite
the majority social democratic grassroots - Kılıcdaroglu has his own problems
to deal with. Whatever happens, the Taksim wave of protests is likely to move
and shake the political balances in the Turkish capital, both on the government
and the opposition fronts.”
13. “It is all about Erdogan”
Under the above
title, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (05.06.13) publishes the following
article by Mustafa Akyol:
“Last Sunday,
while Istanbul was being shaken by clashes between unarmed protestors and
tear-gas-trigger-happy police, I had to join a pre-planned dinner which
included a senior politician from the governing AKP. When I asked him about
what he thought about the turmoil in the city, he shrugged his shoulders and
said: “Well, even my daughters wanted to join the initial protests against the
uprooting of trees in Gezi Park; I had to convince them not to go.”
“We should have
understood the reaction better,” he added, “and have responded to it in a more
calming manner.”
Then I asked him
why this “calming manner” did not take place. He reminded that Bulent Arınc,
the second man of the AKP after Erdogan, had indeed tried to do that by his
remarks on the second day. “But you know,” he said, “the style of our prime minister
is a little different.”
This reticent
confession by the AKP politician was the summary of the problem; lots of people
in the governing party see that they have made a grave mistake by imposing a
controversial reconstruction plan on Taksim Square, the heart of Istanbul, and
unleashing police violence against peaceful protestors. The statements from
Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbaş or even some close advisors to Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan prove that. Meanwhile President Gul, as usual, acts as the voice
of reason and reconciliation.
However Erdogan
himself, the person who is the target of all the anger in the streets, remains
defiant, provocative and insensitive. When he was asked by a Turkish journalist
on his way to North Africa whether he could not use “a softer tone” against the
protestors, he replied: “I don’t know what a softer tone is.” Yes, he really
doesn’t.
That is really
the core of the problem: Erdogan’s intimidating style. In fact, he has done
great things for Turkey in the past decade, and had accomplishments that I have
enthusiastically supported. But the way he understands democracy (“I win the
ballots, I call all the shots”), and the way he degrades his opponents, has
been breeding a widespread tension in the country, which exploded in a way that
he could not ever foresee. People say that had Erdogan showed up in front of
the cameras the first night, apologized for police violence and promised
dialogue with opposition and civil society on his Taksim Square plans, things
would have calmed down. I think so too.
Some people will
tell you this is all about the “Islamism,” or outright Islam, of Erdogan. Not
really. Gul is just as Islamic in his worldview, but he is way more moderate
and liberal. It is really the combination of an overbearing personality and a
political culture which venerates such personalities.
Where we go from
here really depends of the course of action Erdogan will take. He has proven in
the past decade that he can well be pragmatic when he wants. If he tries, he
can change his tone and style, and take a new route which will calm down the
fears and frustrations of the discontented groups. He can win the next
elections and continue his successful political career. Otherwise, these
protests will reemerge and deepen the political crisis in Turkey.
The good
scenario is possible: Bulent Arınc made a very good speech yesterday, after his
meeting with Gul, promising restraint on police, “self-criticism,” and
dialogue. I am just hoping, and praying, that on his return back to Turkey,
Erdogan will not turn this better mood upside down.”
14. Turkish PM Erdogan did not meet King Mohammad
VI during Morocco visit
Turkish daily
Hurriyet (05.06.13) reports that Moroccan King Mohammad VI did not receive
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who faces intense pressure due to
popular protests across Turkey, during the latter's official visit to Morocco,
the country's media reported June 4.
The
"cold" welcome for Erdogan may be due to the fact that Erdogan
dismissed Morocco during his visit to "Arab Spring countries" in
2011, according to Moroccan radio station Yabiladi.
Sources from the
Prime Ministry have confirmed that Erdogan did not meet with the Moroccan
monarch during his visit to Rabat. However, they claimed that the meeting did
not take place because of the fact that King Mohammad VI had been out of his
country for 20 days.
15. Demirtas denies that there was a clash between
PKK and Turkish armed forces
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (05.06.13) reports the following:
“Despite downplaying the gravity of a skirmish between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtas still described the skirmish as a “scary case,” which he hopes will not be repeated.
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (05.06.13) reports the following:
“Despite downplaying the gravity of a skirmish between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtas still described the skirmish as a “scary case,” which he hopes will not be repeated.
“An incident
like a clash did not take place. Brief tension was experienced between groups
crossing [the border] and the military base,” Demirtas said, in response to reporters’
questions on June 4.
He said a
written statement about the incident, released by the TSK on June 3, did not
suggest that the incident could negatively affect the ongoing withdrawal of PKK
militants from Turkish territory. The withdrawal is a critical stage of a
resolution process aimed at ending the three-decade long conflict between the
Turkish security forces and the PKK.
A group of PKK
militants fired at the Turkish Karacalı military base on June 3, between 12:05
and 12:30 a.m., in the southeastern province of Sırnak near the Turkish-Iraqi
border, the TSK had announced. A gendarmerie specialist sergeant was slightly
injured, after fire ricocheted off stones on the ground. The statement added
that air reconnaissance operations had been conducted in the area in
self-defense.
Demirtas said it
was understood that the PKK militants did not aim to give harm to the
withdrawal process.”
16. Eroglu
reiterated that if no solution is found to the Cyprus problem, the occupation
regime will continue with its own way
Under the title:
“We are sincere towards the solution of the Cyprus problem”, Turkish daily
Gunes newspaper (05.06.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis
Eroglu, in statements yesterday while delivering a speech at the opening
ceremony of a workshop in occupied Famagusta, referred to the Cyprus problem
and reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side is sincere towards the solution of
the Cyprus problem, adding that if the Greek Cypriot side shows the same
sincerity, the Cyprus problem will be solved in a very short period of time, as
he said.
Eroglu said also
that if no solution is found to the Cyprus problem, then the “TRNC”, as he
called the occupation regime, will continue with his own way.
Stating that
turning the island of Cyprus to be an island of peace, Eroglu supported that
this would be for the benefit of the “TRNC”, of the Greek Cypriot side, of
Turkey and Greece, as well. “If we
cannot reach to an agreement, we will continue our efforts, our activities and
investments under the umbrella of the TRNC”.
(AK)
17. The “Famagusta Initiative” stated that the
opening of illegal Tymbou airport and occupied Varoshia will contribute to the
solution
Under the title:
“The opening will contribute to the solution”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (06.05.13) reports that the organization “Famagusta Initiative” in
the occupied area of Cyprus, in a written statement yesterday expressed the
belief that the opening of Maras [Translator’s note: fenced off city of Varoshia] for settling
down to its legal owner, as well as the opening of the illegal Tymbou airport
to international traffic, will contribute to the solution.
In statements on
the issue, the spokesman of the “Famagusta Initiative” organization Okan Dagli
said that if no importance is given to the issue of confidence building
measures, they believe as “Famagusta Initiative”, that this, will not contribute
to the solution. He went on and said that the solution process can be concluded
only with negotiations between the two leaders and added: “Except from the
negotiations, we pay importance to the preparation of the people for the
process. For this reason, besides the negotiations between the leaders, it is
our duty to point out once more our persistence to the need for efforts to be
exerted simultaneously for the establishment of an intercommunal dialogue and
the development of cooperation between the communities, as well as the need for
the confidence building measures”.
(…)
18. The occupation regime continues the illegal
granting of “citizenships” and the distribution of plots of land
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen (05.06.13) reports that the so-called council of ministers has
granted 51 “citizenship” before the 1st of June, which was the date
that the “election restrictions” were set into force.
Also the paper
adds that according to information acquired by the opposition, the so-called
government which has intensified the works for “granting” the occupation
regime’s citizenship right after the announcement of the “early elections”, has
granted 600 more “citizenships” in a period of two weeks.
Referring to a
news report published by Yeni Duzen on May 31, under the title: “26
citizenships in two days”, the paper points out that together with the 51
“citizenships” that the so-called government has granted four days after the
publishing of the report, the number of “citizenships” that were granted in one
week has reached to 77.
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Havadis newspaper (05.06.13) reports on the issue of the illegal
granting of “citizenships” by the occupation regime and writes that the
so-called UBP government has granted until today approximately 7000
“citizenship”.
Referring to
official figures, the paper writes that in 2012, 2520 “citizenships” were
granted while in 2011, 1140, in 2010, 650, in 2009, 650 and during the last
five months, 250 “citizenships”.
Also, the paper
writes that the occupation regimes besides the illegal granting of
“citizenships”, continues also the distribution of plots of land. The paper
refers particularly to a person which has taken two “state plots of land”
within the framework of “equal value” in the areas of occupied Engomi and
occupied Vasilia.
The paper
reports also that the “government” has granted plots of land to four other
persons whose names did not published to
the “official gazette”, in occupied Tuzla, Agios Epiktitos, Trikomo and
Vasilia.
Meanwhile, several
representatives of trade unions and political parties in the occupation regime
continue with statements their criticism over the issue of the illegal
distribution of plots of land and “citizenship”.
(AK)
19. The Slovakian Ambassador met with Kucuk
Illegal Bayrak
Television (05.06.13) broadcast that
the new Slovakian Ambassador to Lefkosia, Oksana Tomova is continuing to visit
political parties in the breakaway regime.
Tomova met with
the leader of the National Unity Party, Irsen Kucuk . The head of the “EU
Coordination Centre Erhan Ercin” was also present at the meeting which was held
at the UBP Headquarters . No statement was issued before or after the meeting.
20. Motion of census approved: Kucuk’s “government”
was overthrown
Turkish Cypriot
Kibris Postasi website (05.06.13) reports that during a meeting held by the
so-called assembly today, the census of motion against the “government” of
Irsen Kucuk was approved and the “government” was overthrown.
The “assembly”
conveyed especially in order to vote for the motion of census against the
National Unity Party’s (UBP) government.
A total of 27
votes, which included the “MPs: of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the
Democratic party (DP) and the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) voted in favor of the motion while 21 “MPs”
with UBP voted against it. One person chose not to participate in the voting
and another one was not presented.
Kucuk is
expected to submit his resignation to the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu
tomorrow.
-------------------------------------
/EI
