TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 141/13 27-29/07/2013
1. CTP-BG wins early “parliamentary elections”;
coalition “government” should be established; Kucuk could not be “elected”
2. Reactions by Turkish Cypriot political party
leaders to the “election” result
3. How the Turkish Cypriot covers the results of the
early “elections”
4. Ertug: if the Islamic and Turkic countries
recognize “TRNC”, we will not
refuse it
5.
Eroglu said that the cooperation with Azerbaijan is important
6.
The oil spill reached the Palm Beach
in occupied Famagusta
7. More on the wiretapping scandal; Talat reportedly
recorded the conversation in his office
8. PKK threatens to break cease-fire if no government
action takes place by October 15
9. Suicide attack on Turkish mission in Somalia said
possible Al-Qa'ida 'Message' to Turkey
10. Article in Turkish daily suggests that Turkey has
legal justification to intervene in Syria
11. Police seal off Gezi Park
ahead of alternative iftar event
12.
AKP’s survey: the aim of Gezi was to create chaos
1. CTP-BG wins early “parliamentary elections”;
coalition “government” should be established; Kucuk could not be “elected”
Under the title
“A coalition period”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.07.13) reports
that the results of the early “elections” held yesterday were a surprise and
that a “coalition period” is starting as no party could establish a
“government” alone. The Republican Turkish Party- United Forces (CTP-BG) won
the “elections” coming first by far, while the National Unity Party (UBP) suffered a great defeat.
According to the
paper, the information that the chairman of the UBP,
Irsen Kucuk could not be “elected” as “MP” marked the “elections”. This
information was coming until 03.30
a.m., when Kibris was about to be printed.
According to the
“official” but not final results announced by the “high election council” last
night, the turnout in the “elections” was 69.61%, as 120.287 persons out of the
172.803 registered “voters” went to the ballot. Four parties could enter into
the “assembly”. The United Cyprus
Party – Communal Existence Forces (BKP-TVG) could not take the threshold of 5%
as it received only 3.21%.
The general
results of the “elections” were the following:
|
Party
|
Percentage
%
|
“MPs”
|
|
CTP-BG
|
38.37
|
21
|
|
UBP
|
27.30
|
14
|
|
Democratic
Party – National Forces (DP-UG)
|
23.11
|
12
|
|
Social
Democracy Party (TDP)
|
7.43
|
3
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
3.21
|
-
|
|
Independent
candidates
|
0.56
|
-
|
|
Nicosia
|
Number of ballots
|
Registered “voters”
|
Voted
|
Turnout %
|
Percentage received by the parties
|
Distribution of “seats”
|
|
|
207
|
54.487
|
36.322
|
66.66
|
|
|
|
CTP-BG
|
|
|
|
|
41.34
|
7
|
|
UBP
|
|
|
|
|
24.41
|
4
|
|
DP-UG
|
|
|
|
|
21.72
|
4
|
|
TDP
|
|
|
|
|
7.00
|
1
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
|
|
|
|
4.39
|
-
|
|
Famagusta
|
Number of ballots
|
Registered “voters”
|
Voted
|
Turnout %
|
Percentage received by the parties
|
Distribution of “seats”
|
|
|
172
|
45. 184
|
31.267
|
69.20
|
|
|
|
CTP-BG
|
|
|
|
|
35.97
|
5
|
|
UBP
|
|
|
|
|
27.66
|
4
|
|
DP-UG
|
|
|
|
|
26.10
|
3
|
|
TDP
|
|
|
|
|
7.72
|
1
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
|
|
|
|
2.31
|
-
|
|
Keryneia
|
Number of ballots
|
Registered “voters”
|
Voted
|
Turnout %
|
Percentage received by the parties
|
Distribution of “seats”
|
|
|
132
|
33. 703
|
22.621
|
67.12
|
|
|
|
CTP-BG
|
|
|
|
|
37.33
|
4
|
|
UBP
|
|
|
|
|
31.17
|
3
|
|
DP-UG
|
|
|
|
|
20.37
|
2
|
|
TDP
|
|
|
|
|
8.28
|
1
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
|
|
|
|
2.69
|
-
|
|
Morfou
|
Number of ballots
|
Registered “voters”
|
Voted
|
Turnout %
|
Percentage received by the parties
|
Distribution of “seats”
|
|
|
83
|
21. 130
|
16.300
|
77.14
|
|
|
|
CTP-BG
|
|
|
|
|
37.61
|
3
|
|
UBP
|
|
|
|
|
32.82
|
2
|
|
DP-UG
|
|
|
|
|
20.00
|
1
|
|
TDP
|
|
|
|
|
6.80
|
-
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
|
|
|
|
2.76
|
-
|
|
Trikomo
|
Number of ballots
|
Registered “voters”
|
Voted
|
Turnout %
|
Percentage received by the parties
|
Distribution of “seats”
|
|
|
76
|
18. 299
|
13.777
|
75.29
|
|
|
|
CTP-BG
|
|
|
|
|
32.17
|
2
|
|
UBP
|
|
|
|
|
28.91
|
2
|
|
DP-UG
|
|
|
|
|
30.35
|
1
|
|
TDP
|
|
|
|
|
7.50
|
-
|
|
BKP-TVG
|
|
|
|
|
1.07
|
-
|
In spite of the
fact that the final announcement of the names of the newly “elected MPs” is
expected today, Kibris writes except for Irsen Kucuk, the following important
names of the UBP could not be
“elected”: UBP’s general secretary
Necdet Numan, the “speaker” of the “assembly”, Hasan Bozer, UBP’s chairman in occupied Morfou, Ahmet Caluda,
former “ministers” Ali Cetin Amcaoglu, Serife Unverdi, Mutlu Atasayan and
Ertugrul Hasipoglu as well as former “MPs” Turgay Avci, Ali Riza Usluer,
Mustafa Gokmen and Mehmet Tancer.
Moreover, Turgay
Tokel, Ilkay Kamil and Afet Ozcafer could not be “elected” with the DP-UG
[Translator’s note: they were participating in the group of the eight “MPs” of
the UBP who had joined DP-UG just
before the “elections”].
Αlso, the former “deputy speaker” of the “assembly”,
Mustafa Yektaoglu and the former “speaker” of the “body” Fatma Ekenoglu could
not be “elected’ with the CTP-BG, while Mustafa Emiroglulari, former “MP” with TDP could not be “re-elected”.
Comparing the
results of the 2013 “elections” with the results of the “parliamentary
elections” held in 2009, Kibris reports that the CTP-BG increased its
percentages by 9.11% and its “MPs” by 6, as it had received 29.26% in 2009 when
it had “elected” 15 “MPs”. The DP-UG, which had received 10.65% in 2009 and had
“elected” five “MPs”, increased its percentages by 12.46% and “elected 12 “MPs”
in 2013, as a result of the fact that eight “MPs” of the UBP have joined the DP. UBP,
on the other hand, suffered a serious loss of 16.74% as it has fallen from
44.04% in 2009 to 27.30% in 2013 and the number of its “MPs” decreased from 26
to 14.
(I/Ts.)
2. Reactions by Turkish Cypriot political party
leaders to the “election” result
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (29.07.13) reports that Ozkan Yorgancioglu, chairman of
the Republican Turkish Party – United Forces (CTP-BG), has stated that the
people showed that they did not approve of the policies implemented by the
former National Unity Party (UBP)
“government” and that they adopted the CTP-BG’s “election program” under the
name of “The book of reason”. Speaking after the results of the “elections” had
become evident to a great extent, Yorgancioglu said that the people adopted the
views of his party and gave to them the duty of establishing a “government”. He
noted that they would evaluate this issue within the forthcoming days. He said
he did not agree with those who say that the turnout in the “elections” was low
and added that in many countries of the world the turnout is at the same level
or even lower.
Moreover, the
paper notes that the UBP was
disappointed when the results of the “elections” were announced. UBP chairman, Irsen Kucuk, who has been waiting for
the results at the headquarters of the party together with other UBP officials, made no statements on the issue. The
officials only expressed their sorrow and noted that “people” pointed out that
they want a coalition, adding that this coalition could be established between UBP and the Democratic Party – National Forces
(DP-UG), contrary to what is expected.
Furthermore,
Kibris reports that Serdar Denktas, chairman of the DP-UG, has stated that the
CTP has come first, but the winner of the “elections” is DP-UG. Pointing out
that they increased their votes by 125%, Denktas argued that they achieved a
“miracle”. He noted that when the mixed votes are counted, the number of the
“MPs” of his party is expected to increase and added that as of today, the
party organs will discuss alternatives of various models for establishing a
“government” as well as the percentages of the leftwing and the rightwing
parties. He said that they will give a press conference tomorrow or on
Wednesday.
Meanwhile,
Mehmet Cakici, leader of the Social Democracy Party (TDP),
has said that, with the 7.4% which they received yesterday, they achieved a
small increase in their percentages comparing to 2009, when they had received
6.8%. He pointed out that this small increase did not satisfy him and added
that this number was below their expectations. Noting that they did not deserve
this result, Cakici recalled that he had stated that he would resign even in
case the percentages of the party remained the same. He said that he is still
behind this statement and added that they will discuss the issue at the organs
of the party.
Finally,
evaluating the results of the 2013 “elections”, Izzet Izcan, chairman of the
United Cyprus Party – Communal Existence Forces (BKP-TVG), said BKP almost
doubled its percentages comparing to the 2009 “elections” and adding that their
duty is to continue their struggle. Izcan said that the “election” system was
wrong and pointed out that the threshold of 5% prevents BKP from being
represented at the “assembly”, in spite of the fact that it doubled its
percentages reaching almost 4%.
(I/Ts.)
3. How the Turkish Cypriot covers the results of
the early “elections”
The results of
the early “parliamentary elections” are the main issue in the Turkish Cypriot
newspapers today (29.07.13). The press covers the issue under the following
titles:
Vatan: “CTP is the first party”. The paper writes that more than half of the
members of the regime’s “assembly” changed and notes that the “enigma” of “what
kind of a government” will be established with these results is on the agenda
once more.
Afrika: “The UBP collapsed”. The
paper writes that the UBP under
Irsen Kucuk suffered the biggest defeat in its history. It says that it
received the information that Kucuk could not even be “elected” in the
“assembly”, but this information could not be verified until 02.00 a.m. when the paper would be printed.
Yeni Duzen: “The duty to CTP, the anger to UBP”
Kibrisli: “No one celebrated”
Volkan: “DP-UG and UBP are
50.26%”. The paper argues that these were the “elections” with the lowest
turnout in occupied Cyprus
and notes that the will of the “people”, which was reflected to the ballot, is
to give to the rightwing parties more than 50%.
Gunes: “Turnout was low”
Ortam: “Coalition”
(I/Ts.)
4. Ertug: if the Islamic and Turkic countries
recognize “TRNC”, we will not refuse it
Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan newspaper (29.07.13) reports that Osman Ertug, spokesman of the
Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu, has said that the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in
the occupied area of Cyprus,
expected more support from the Islamic countries and the Turkic republics. In
statements to Anatolia news agency, Ertug
noted that if these countries recognized the “TRNC”, “we will not refuse it”
and added that this would be a very important step.
Ertug reiterated
the Turkish view that a road map should be drawn in the Cyprus talks and added
that the negotiations should resume from the point they were left, a time table
should be determined, a give and take process should be held and after the
process is advanced a five-party conference should be held with the
participation of the tree guarantor powers.
Ertug said that
during the recent meetings they held in Brussels, they often heard that
“isolations are a shame for humanity” and claimed that if the EU wants to “allegedly”
encourage the Greek Cypriots, it should
fulfill the promises it had given to the Turkish Cypriots in 2004 and lift the
so-called isolations. Noting that they are saying to the EU to exert pressure
on the Greek Cypriots, he argued: “After they accepted them as members, the
pressures will not have results. Instead of this, we give messages to the EU on
how it could advance its relations with us”.
Ertug claimed
that if the Greek Cypriot side does not want to share the sovereignty on the
island and to reach a solution, then “it says to us ‘come and let us discuss
the two-state solution’”.
Referring to the
Islamic countries and the Turkic world, Ertug alleged; “We will not refuse it
if they recognize us, it would be a very important step. Because we are
carrying out negotiations for finding a comprehensive solution, we have not
launched an intensive campaign on the issue [of recognition]. We know that
launching a campaign in this direction will be exploited by the other side, but
this situation cannot continue. Recognition is our right. Every country wants
to be recognized”.
(I/Ts.)
5.
Eroglu said that the cooperation with Azerbaijan is important
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (28.07.13)
reported that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met with a delegation of
“Azerbaijan Cyprus friendship society”, headed by Orhan Hasanoglu.
During the meeting, Eroglu said that
Nagorno Karabakh is like the Cyprus
problem, which has not been solved yet, adding that their cooperation is
important to surpass these kind of problems.
Hasanoglu, for his part, said that the
“Azerbaijan Cyprus friendship society” does whatever it can in order to promote
the breakaway regime “TRNC” in the fields of education, tourism and others.
6.
The oil spill reached the Palm
Beach in occupied Famagusta
According to Turkish Cypriot Kibris
(28.07.13), the self-styled minister of tourism, environment and culture Mehmet
Harmanci said, that the small amounts of oil residue which were spotted off the
Palm Beach
coast of occupied Famagusta
may be oil waste of the ships, which pass from the area. He stressed that tight measures have been
taken in order to prevent the oil spill from spreading.
However, the paper reported that
citizens spotted oil and tar in the beach. The paper also published photos with
tar on the sole of a man.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis
(28.07.13), in its front page, under the title “Like a nightmare!” reported
that the inhabitants of the occupied village Gastria have been living a
nightmare for years now. Apart from the latest destruction caused by the oil
spill, they have to breathe also the poison coming out from the chimneys of
AKSA electrical power station. For this reason, almost all the inhabitants
suffer from health problems like terrible cough, nausea, exhaustion and
headaches. In addition to this, for 10 days now, the village has not have water.
7. More on the wiretapping scandal; Talat reportedly
recorded the conversation in his office
Under the title
“Shocking allegations”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (27.09.13), sites
information regarding the wiretapping of the former Turkish Cypriot leader
Mehmet Ali Talat’s office in 2009 and writes that it was Talat who reportedly
recorded the conversation in his office.
The paper writes
that as Rauf Denktas used to do, Talat used to record the conversations taking
place in his office. Therefore, the conversation that surfaced and was made
public by Turkish Cypriot media, was a product of a tape stolen from Talat’s
office.
The tape
included a conversation between Talat, his then spokesman, Hasan Ercakica and
the former “undersecretary” at the so-called ministry of finance, Zeren Mungan.
8. PKK threatens to break cease-fire if no
government action takes place by October 15
Istanbul T24
radio station (26.07.13) broadcast that Sabri Ok, one of the top-level leaders
of the PKK has announced that [imprisoned PKK leader] Abdullah Ocalan has said
that “if the (Turkish) government does not take steps by 15 October, the
cease-fire will be broken.”
Sabri Ok, one of
the top-level leaders of the KCK [Assembly of Communities of Kurdistan], has
stated that while the solution process currently ought to be in its second
phase, they have not seen any palpable action in this direction. Regarding the PKK members withdrawing from Turkey, Ok said
the following: “The latest group, after
marching for 56 days, came from Dersim [Tunceli] a few days ago. Every battalion, until arriving in these
mountains, has been followed continually by unmanned aerial vehicles.” Ok claimed that they have not seen any
palpable action such as ought to pertain to the second phase.
Sabri Ok, in an
interview broadcast on the English-language service of Deutsche Welle, in which
he also said that Ankara “has increased its military presence in the Kurdish
territories, and is continuing the construction of dams,” responded to the
question “how long is the KCK prepared to wait?” by saying: “There is a limit to our patience, and there
is little time left. We have taken every
step that was agreed to. But if the
process does not proceed to its end, this will not derive from us.”
Noting that “our
leader has said that if Ankara
does not take steps by 15 October, the cease-fire will be broken,” Ok explained
why time is short, saying: “Because our
leader’s health is fragile, and he has on numerous occasions asked for an
independent medical commission to visit him.”
He added that they are “very sensitive on this issue.”
Answering the
question of “how many fighters have withdrawn to date?”, Ok said: “We do not look at the issue as being one of
numbers.” Stating that they had made a
decision and have been implementing this decision, he said: “The latest group, after marching for 56
days, came from Dersim a few days ago.
Every battalion, until arriving in these mountains, has been followed
continually by unmanned aerial vehicles.”
When Ok was reminded of the allegations that PKK members withdrawing
from Turkey
have crossed into Syria,
he said: “All the fighters are in the Qandil Mountains.”
When it was
pointed out that the Kurds in Syria
“are neither included in the opposition nor on the side of the regime” and he
was asked whether or not this “third way is really realistic,” he said: “We see this third line not as being utopian,
but rather as a reality. And there are
visible results of this line of struggle.”
In addition,
Ankara Anatolia news agency (26.07.13) reports that Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave assurances that his government will not backtrack in what
is publicly known as "solution process," efforts to solve the
country's more than three-decade old Kurdish issue that has claimed over 40,000
lives.
"We will not be the party that abandons
or sabotages the solution process. Whoever fails the solution process,
sabotages it or blocks it will take a huge responsibility," Erdogan told
in a rally at the southeastern province
of Sirnak, where he
inaugurated the province's first airport.
Erdogan said
"We will hopefully live together as brothers for ever in the region where
we have been living as brothers for a thousand year, by solving the problems,
putting all sad events behind, we will build our joint future all
together."
9. Suicide attack on Turkish mission in Somalia said possible
Al-Qa'ida 'Message' to Turkey
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (27.07.13) reported that one Turkish security guard was killed and
three others were injured on Saturday while two suicide bombers were killed as
another suicide bomber blew himself up in front of staff building of Turkey's embassy
in Somali capital Mogadishu.
Turkish Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Levent Gumrukcu confirmed the news to AA. Gumrukcu said that Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu called the Turkish envoy to Somalia Kani Torun after the
attack. Davutoglu also informed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
about the incident, Gumrukcu added.
Reporting on the
issue, Turkish daily Sunday's Zaman newspaper (28.07.13) writes that the bombing
attack is believed by experts, to be a response to Turkey as Ankara breaks the ice with Syria's
Democratic Union Party (PYD), which has been in fierce fights with
al-Qaeda-linked radical groups over control of towns in northern Syria.
While armed
fighting has escalated between the PYD, an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), and al-Qaeda-linked radical groups over control of towns in
northern Syria, Saleh Muslim, the leader of the PYD, paid a surprise visit to
Turkey at the end of last week, saying that he had very positive talks with
officials from Turkey, which until some time ago, tended to see the PYD as a
terrorist organization.
"The PYD
and al-Qaeda are fighting against each other in Syria. Attacking the Turkish
embassy may be a message by al-Qaeda to Turkey over its relations with the
PYD. Positive talks between the Kurdish group and Ankara have indeed made al-Qaeda
uncomfortable," Mehmet Sahin, who teaches international relations at Gazi University
in Ankara, told
Today's Zaman.
Turkey, which has been a staunch supporter of the Syrian
opposition fighting to topple Assad, is accused of providing logistical support
to the al-Qaeda-linked groups -- the al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) -- in their battle against Kurds.
However, Ankara has made its
position clear, saying it will not take any part in the ongoing fighting
between Kurdish groups and al-Qaeda-linked radical groups for control of the
northern towns bordering Turkey.
Gokhan Bacik, an
academic teaching international relations at Gaziantep's Zirve University,
stated that it was not totally out of the question to describe the attack as a
message about Turkey-PYD ties, adding however that it was still early to make
such comments. "Al-Qaeda has committed the bloodiest attacks of its
history in Turkey
in the past," said Bacik.
Al-Shabaab,
which said earlier this month that it would increase attacks during the Ramadan
fasting period, had previously condemned Turkey's involvement in Somalia, as Turkey is among
the few countries that reopened their embassies in war-ravaged Mogadishu.
However, a
senior Turkish diplomat, who spoke to Today's Zaman on the condition of
anonymity, denied the link between the PYD visit and the embassy attack, saying
Turkey
was harmed because of its humanitarian position in Somalia.
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (29.07.13) publishes the following article by Sinem
Gendiz under the title “Turkey has legal justification to intervene in Syria”:
“Because the instability on the Turkish-Syrian border poses a security threat for Turkey, Ankara has the legal right to militarily intervene in war-torn Syria based on a mandate that allows the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to carry out military operations beyond the country's borders.
“Because the instability on the Turkish-Syrian border poses a security threat for Turkey, Ankara has the legal right to militarily intervene in war-torn Syria based on a mandate that allows the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to carry out military operations beyond the country's borders.
The security
situation deteriorated in Turkish border towns after Ceylanpınar, a town on the
Turkish-Syrian border in Turkey's Şanlıurfa province, was hit by three mortar
shells fired from the Syrian side on Wednesday.
Wednesday's
incident is the latest in a series involving stray bullets and shells hitting
Turkish territory in the past few weeks after the Democratic Union Party (PYD),
a political offshoot of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), forces
captured Tal Abyad, a Syrian town very close to Akçakale, and Ras al-Ain,
another town just a few hundred meters from Ceylanpınar, last week.
Following days
of fierce clashes between Kurdish militants and several radical groups fighting
to oust embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Ras al-Ain was largely left
under the control of the PYD and Kurdish militants are expected to declare an
autonomous region in northern Syria
in the coming days -- a situation that has alarmed Turkish opposition parties.
As the PYD
intensifies its presence in the northern part of the war-torn country, the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
called on the government to use the mandate that was passed by Parliament last
October after mortar shells from Syria killed five civilians in a
border town.
According to the
mandate, Turkey
has the right to carry out military operations in foreign countries. Although
the government promises that it does not have any intention to declare war on Syria, the
parliamentary measure authorizing the government for military operations beyond
Turkey's
borders opens the way for military measures in addition to retaliatory strikes.
[…]
In recent years,
Turkey
passed several resolutions in Parliament to be able to carry out incursions
into northern Iraq,
to stage air strikes against PKK terrorists based in northern Iraqi territory.
Turkish army units in countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Lebanon were
also deployed after a relevant resolution was obtained from Parliament.
Devlet Bahçeli,
the leader of the MHP, has also
argued that the capture of the Syrian border town Ras al-Ain by the military
wing of the PYD presents a clear risk of separatism to Turkey and urged the
government to declare a military intervention should PYD rule become official.
“Without a
doubt, the events taking place in the north of Syria are a great risk for Turkey. I warn
the government from here: The PKK declaring autonomy right beside our borders
and gaining a position is a new move against Turkey's indivisible unity,”
Bahçeli said.
[…] Meanwhile,
Saleh Muslim, the leader of the PYD, made a surprise two-day visit to Turkey on Thursday
for talks over escalating clashes near the Turkish-Syrian border.
While the
opposition has called on the government to launch a war against Syria, experts
believe that it would be Turkey's
loss to go to war with Syria.
Although Sinan Ülgen, chairman of the İstanbul-based Center for Economic and
Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), underlines that Turkey has the legal right to send
armed forces to Syria
based on the mandate, he maintains that such a move would not be to Ankara's benefit. “The
issue is not sending troops, but rather how to withdraw them after sending
them. Turkey
should not repeat the mistake the US made in Iraq,” said
Ülgen, adding: “In addition, sending troops to Syria would not solve the crisis,
there in the short run. On the contrary, in the long run it would create
trouble for Turkey.”
Agreeing with
Ülgen, Yaşar Yakış, a former Turkish foreign minister and president of the
Ankara-based Center for Strategic Communication (STRATİM), warns that Ankara will take a wrong
step if it sends troops to Syria.
“The presence of the PYD in northern Syria doesn't give Turkey the
right to intervene in Syria.
The PYD is Syria's
internal issue. Such an intervention would lack legitimacy,” said Yakış in
remarks to Sunday's Zaman.
According to
experts, it was not something new that the once close neighbors, Turkey and Syria, have
come to the brink of war.
Before 1998, the
two countries were on the brink of war when Turkey threatened military action
if Syria
continued to shelter Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the terrorist PKK, in Damascus, his longtime
safe haven. The signing of the Adana
agreement in 1998 marked a turning point in relations between the two
countries.
But the Syrian
regime -- which allowed Öcalan to take shelter and direct the terrorist
organization from within its borders for several years until 1998, the year
when Syria had to deport Öcalan because of pressure from Turkey -- seems
inclined to play the PKK card against Turkey being silent to the presence of
the PYD in northern Syria, in which case Turkey reserves the right to take
necessary measures for self-defense, including armed interference into Syrian territory
to contain the threat.
The agreement
squarely puts all the responsibility on the Syrian regime in this matter. For
example, Article 1 of the agreement states that Syria will not permit any activity
on its territory aimed at jeopardizing the “security and stability of Turkey.” The
two states also inked a significant agreement on cooperation against terrorism
in 2010.
In brief, the
mandate, the Adana
agreement and the 2010 deal pave the legal path for Ankara to carry out a military intervention
in Syria.”
11. Police seal off Gezi Park
ahead of alternative iftar event
Turkish daily
Hurriyet newspaper (29.07.13) reports that Police forces once again blocked
entry to Istanbul's Gezi Park on July 28, hours before an alternative iftar (Tr.
Note: "breakfast" refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their
fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan) event planned by the Anti-Capitalist
Muslims, a small religious group that has supported the Gezi protests from the
beginning.
Peace and
Democracy Party's (BDP) Istanbul
deputies Sabahat Tuncel and Sırrı Süreyya Önder had also been expected to
attend the event, part of the "traveling" iftar meals that are being
organized in a different public space every day.
After evacuating
the park, police started to cordon off Taksim Square in an attempt to restrict a
group that had gathered at the entry of the park. At least three people have
been detained, while some of the security officers sprayed tear gas at
individuals who refused to leave the square, daily Hürriyet reported.
12.
AKP’s survey: the aim of Gezi was to create chaos
The ruling Justice and Development
Party’s (AKP) would have 51.9% of votes, if elections were held today,
according to Pollmark’s recent survey, which was carried out on behalf of AKP,
Turkish daily Sabah (29.07.13) reports.
The main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) would get 23.5% of
votes, while the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
would receive 13.6% votes if elections were held today, according to Pollmark’s
survey, conducted between July 9 and 18 with 5.135 respondents across the
country with the method of face-to-face interview. While, the Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP) would come fourth with 7.4% of votes
The poll was conducted to determine the
Turkish public's attitudes on certain domestic issues, as the Gezi Park
protests and the ongoing settlement process that have topped the nation's
agenda over the last few months.
In response to question on whether the
aim of the protestors was to push the government in the wall on the Gezi Park
incidents by creating a chaos, 51.2% said that they support it, while 33.3%
said the protesters used their democratic rights, and the remaining of 12.8%
did not express an opinion.
The participants were also asked to
evaluate the settlement process started by the AKP government. On this
question, 59.5% said they support the process, 29.3% said they are against it
and the remaining 11.2% did not express an opinion.
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
YH
