TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
1.
CTP-BG feminist “MP” causes tension at the oath taking ceremony
in the “assembly”; Talat, Eroglu and Akca left the hall
2.
Works for the establishment of a “coalition government” are
launching today
3.
UBP established a committee to deal with leadership problem and to
hold talks on “government” establishment
4.
Turkish Cypriot columnist refers to annoyance in occupied Cyprus by
Turkey’s meddling
5.
Top brass reshuffle indicates full government control over Turkey's
arms purchases
6.
Ergenekon suspect Gen. Kılınç arrested
1.
CTP-BG
feminist “MP” causes tension at the oath taking ceremony in the
“assembly”; Talat, Eroglu and Akca left the hall
Under
the title “She disturbed peace”, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin
Sesi newspaper (13.08.13) reports that a “shock” was experienced
yesterday during the oath taking ceremony of the newly “elected
MPs” at the “assembly” of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus. According to the paper, “the
assembly” convened yesterday for the first time after the
“elections” and the “MPs” took their oath, but “peace was
disturbed” when Dogus Derya, “MP” with the Republican Turkish
Party – United Forces (CTP-BG), took a different oath than the
“oath of the members of the parliament”.
Derya
is a well-known feminist and chairwoman of the “North Cyprus
Feminist Atelier” (FEMA). She preferred to read an oath which she
prepared giving emphasis to human rights and the equality of women.
The
“MPs” of the National Unity Party (UBP) started protesting and
shouting at Derya and abandoned the hall. The Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu, the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat
and the Turkish self-styled ambassador to Nicosia, Halil Ibrahim Akca
also left the room. According to the paper, “MPs” of the
Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) also reacted against
Derya.
After
five minute break, Derya took the “normal oath”, but the “MPs”
of the UBP protested against her and left the room when she was
taking her oath.
The
paper reports that the chairman of the CTP-BG, Ozkan Yorgancioglu
said that they knew nothing about Derya’s move. He noted that their
party has sensitivities on issues of human rights and freedoms and
added that Derya expressed her sensitivities in this direction. He
said that he met with Derya after the incident and warned her, adding
that her action was not right.
In
her statements, Derya said that the text which he read out does not
mean that she rejects the existing “oath of the MPs”, the scope
of which she described as “narrow”. She noted that her action was
not a protest against the existing “oath”. She added that
different social groups are living in the “country” and that she
gave this “oath” in order for these groups to “become visible”.
She argued that the “oath of the “MPs” prepared in 1983 was
written in the “sovereign language of the men”. She noted that
she wanted to share the “voice of her conscience” by reading her
own oath first.
According
to Halkin Sesi, Derya’s action was covered also by the Turkish
media and the Greek Cypriot press. Turkish NTV broadcast the news
under the title “Federal Cyprus caused crisis” and argued that
the crisis at the breakaway regime’s “assembly” started when
Derya took an oath that she will not abandon the ideal of
establishing a federal Cyprus. Turkish Oda Tv broadcast the news
under the title “This is TRNC’s Leyla Zana”.
Dogus
Derya’s oath was the following: “I vow on my human honour that I
will work so that every individual living in the country of Cyprus
does not face discriminations because of his/her language, religion,
race, place of birth, class, age, physical situation, sex or sexual
orientation, that I will try to create a just and equal system in
which labour will not be exploited, that I will exert efforts for the
establishment of the values of peace and reconciliation instead of
the culture of conflict and violence, that I will remain committed to
the principles of democracy and the social rule of law and to the
human rights and freedoms, and that I will not abandon the ideal of
establishing a federal Cyprus”.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (13.08.13) refers to the issue
under the front-page title “oath of conscience”, while Turkish
Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (13.08.13) covers the
developments under the title “A feminist revolution!”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (13.08.13) refers to “Birth in the
dead assembly” [Translator’s note: Dogus in the Turkish language
means birth]. The paper writes that Derya dared to do something that
no one could do in the “assembly” for the last 30 years and
“carried her conscience to the parliament”.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (13.08.13) refers to “Lack of
respect” to the “assembly” by Derya, while Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan newspaper (13.08.13) covers the issue under the title
“Childish ‘show’!!” Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper
(13.08.13) argues that a “scandal” took place yesterday at the
“assembly” and accuses the CTP-BG of creating tension from the
very first day.
The
Turkish press (13.08.13) also reports about Derya.
Under
the title: “Oath crisis in TRNC”, Hurriyet reports that CTP “MP”
Dogus Derya created a crisis when she read a statement that was
different from the official text of the oath, noting that she will
not abandon the principle of establishing a federal Cyprus with the
Greek Cypriots. According to the paper, following the crisis
occurred, Derya returned and took the normal oath.
Sabah
reports on the issue under the title “Feminist oath crisis in the
assembly” and writes that Derya refused to take the oath saying
that has a male-dominated tone that does not reflect pluralism.
2.
Works
for the establishment of a “coalition government” are launching
today
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.08.13) reports that the works for
establishing a “coalition government” in the breakaway regime are
launching today and notes that after yesterday’s “oath”
ceremony, which took place at the “assembly”, the turn of forming
a “government” has arrived, as a result of the 28 July
“elections”.
Kibris
writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu will hold
separate meetings today with the leaders of the political parties
that are represented in the “assembly” and will assign one of the
parties with the duty of establishing a “government” within a
period of fifteen days.
In
statements on the issue, Eroglu said that if the party, which will be
assigned to establish a “government”, manage it, this will be
good; if it fails then the duty will be assigned to another party. He
stated that his will is, a new “government” to be established the
sooner.
3.
UBP
established a committee to deal with leadership problem and to hold
talks on “government” establishment
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.08.13) reports that the National
Unity Party (UBP) formed a four-person committee to carry out the
talks for the establishment of a “coalition government”,
following the 28 parliamentarian “elections” in the breakaway
regime.
The
committee, who will hold a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu today on the issue, consists of UBP chairman Irsen
Kucuk, UBP general Secretary Necdet Numan, UBP Lefkosia “MP”,
Huseyin Ozgurgun and UBP Trikomo “MP” Nazim Cavusoglu.
Another
meeting today will deal on the issue of UBP new leader, after current
chairman Kucuk’s statements that he is going to resign, following
his failure to be elected as “deputy” with the party. According
to the paper, the committee will try to find a way so that only one
candidate will run for the position.
Kibris
also writes that Ozgurgun, who served in the past as UBP chairman,
asked yesterday if he is thinking of running again for the position.
Ozgurgun replied that he is ready to take any duty.
4.
Turkish
Cypriot columnist: annoyance in occupied Cyprus by Turkey’s
meddling
Writing
in his column in daily Kibrisli newspaper (13.08.13), Turkish Cypriot
columnist Kartal Harman refers to the developments for establishing a
“government” after the “parliamentary elections” of the 28th
of July, and the forthcoming “presidential elections”. Under the
title “Eroglu or Talat?” Harman reports that former Turkish
Cypriot leader Talat has been seriously working on the issue of the
establishment of a “government”, while Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu “implements the policy of keeping quiet”.
According
to Harman, it seems that the “government” will be established not
according to the wishes of the political parties, but in the
direction of the interests of the possible “candidates” in the
2015 “presidential elections”.
Wondering
who will benefit from the climate which has been created and whether
Ankara will want the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) in
the “government”, Harman points out that if we take into
consideration that whomever Ankara indicated could not be “elected”,
it seems that DP-UG will participate in the “government” with the
Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG), if Ankara’s stance
is not in DP-UG’s favour.
“Eroglu
has never lost until today against Ankara. Neither during the process
of [UBP’s] congress, nor in the battle for establishing sovereignty
over the UBP nor in the early elections of the 28th
of July”, says Harman adding:
“My
prediction is that Eroglu will win against Talat, that is, against
the candidate that Ankara seems to support, because the Turkish
Cypriots and the reasonable citizens from Turkey who settled in
Cyprus, are very annoyed by Ankara’s meddling, in the one or the
other way, in the internal politics or the internal dynamics. Even
though before the elections they say ‘ok brother’, when they go
to the ballot box, they do whatever they want or what their conscious
says”.
(I/Ts.)
5.
Top
brass reshuffle indicates full government control over Turkey’s
arms purchases
Columnist
Burak Bekdil, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
13.08.13), under the above title, reports that this year’s annual
reshuffle of the military top brass underlines full government
control over defence procurement decisions in the future, officials
and analysts said.
They
said the new command structure featured generals who would work in
full respect to government’s authority in procurement, agreeing to
retreat to a minimal role in specifying requirements and choosing
bidders.
“In
the past the general shapes the procurement process even by solely
telling the government which equipment the military needed. I think
this role too would be minimized with the selection of a
government-friendly top brass,” said one London-based Turkey
specialist.
A
local agent for a Western major player in the Turkish market said:
“The days when we used to try to impress the generals are over. Now
the only sensible counterpart for all international bidders is the
government.”
The
Supreme Military Council, chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan, decides on promotions and retirement of top military
officers every year, and announced unexpectedly the retirement of the
paramilitary gendarmerie force commander, Gen. Bekir Kalyoncu, who
had been the leading candidate to take over the Land Forces.
Kalyoncu
was viewed as a government critic. Instead, Gen. Hulusi Akar was
given the job and, according to custom, would be expected to replace
Gen. Necdet Özel as overall head of the armed forces in 2015. The
General Staff also announced on its website the appointment of Vice
Adm. Bülent Bostanoğlu as commander of the Navy, Lt. Gen. Akin
Öztürk as head of the Air Force and Gen. Servet Yoruk as commander
of the gendarmerie.
Last
October, the government introduced a new set of rules to regulate the
procurement mechanism and broaden the jurisdiction and administrative
powers of the civilian procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for
Defence Industries (SSM).
Under
the new rules a program will take off when a military request for a
weapons system has been approved and proposed by the SSM and approved
also by the defense minister. The SSM will be solely responsible to
determine the ideal modality for every procurement. It also will have
powers to buy from a sole source when it deems it necessary due to
“national interest, confidentiality, monopoly of technological
capabilities and meeting urgent requirements.”
“The
new rules, coupled with the profile of the new top brass, mean that
we may see a one-man show in procurement in the powerful personality
of the prime minister,” said one Ankara-based analyst.
6.
Ergenekon
suspect Gen. Kılınç arrested
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman (online, 12.08.13) with the above title
reported that Gen. Tuncer Kılınç, a suspect in the Ergenekon trial
for whom an arrest warrant was issued one week ago, was arrested on
Monday.
Former
National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General Kılınç was
sentenced to 13 years, two months’ imprisonment by the İstanbul
13th
High Criminal Court last week. He surrendered at the İstanbul
Courthouse in the city’s Çağlayan neighbourhood early on Monday
morning. A court in İstanbul arrested him and he was expected to be
sent to Silivri prison.
The
trial on the Ergenekon terrorist organization, which had been ongoing
since the discovery of a weapons arsenal in a district of İstanbul
in 2008, ended on Monday of last week, when 19 individuals, mostly
retired army top brass, received life sentences for attempting to
stage a coup. The court sentenced a former chief of General Staff to
life without parole and handed down heavy sentences to nearly 300
defendants, including many former military commanders. As Gen. Kılınç
did not attend the hearing last week, the İstanbul 13th
High Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Discussing
the Ergenekon verdicts with the Hürriyet daily last week, Gen.
Kılınç described the court’s decisions as “extrajudicial.”
He stated: “The road that Turkey is following is unfortunately
clear. These [Ergenekon decisions] are unlawful decisions taken on
Turkey’s dark road. The decisions are designed to punish and
intimidate the enlightened and Kemalist individuals of Turkey. They
[presumably the government] crowned their seven-year operation
against the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] with these recent unlawful
decisions.”
Gen.
Kılınç also stated that he had immediately filed an appeal against
the prison sentence through his lawyer, Hasan Gürbüz.
Gen.
Kılınç is best known for his public remarks suggesting an alliance
between Turkey, Russia and Iran as an alternative to the EU. During a
conference at a military academy in March 2002, Kılınç’s exact
words were: “Turkey has not been getting any support from the EU on
our national priorities. The EU has a negative perspective on issues
related to Turkey’s national interests. Russia is also standing
alone. That is why it is necessary to enter a partnership that also
includes Iran, without ignoring the US.” His words were met with
harsh reactions and criticism from the public at that time.
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