TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.154/13 15-16/08/2013
1. Eroglu assigns CTP-BG with the duty of establishing a
“coalition government”
2. Kucuk resigns “orally” from UBP’s leadership; Ozgurgun
the only candidate for the post; Extraordinary congress on 31 August
3. Serdar is in favour of unifying DP and the UBP into a
single centre right party
4. Eroglu: the Turkish Cypriots will not abandon
bi-zonality, self-administration and Turkey’s guarantees
5. Eroglu meets with Turkey’s Confederations’ Society
within efforts of strengthening their international lobbying activities
6. Talat: with the opening of the barricades the
anomalous status quo in Cyprus started to seem as normal
7. Two activities against occupation are organized by
Turkish Cypriots
8. New commanders of the Turkish occupation forces in
occupied Cyprus
9. Tom Jones to visit occupied Cyprus in September
10. Erdogan criticizes West over Egypt massacre
11. Turkey recalls ambassador in Cairo for consultations,
Egypt reciprocates
12. Turkey not categorically against formation of
autonomous Kurdish entity inside Syria
13. Turkey contacts Hezbollah for talks on kidnapped
pilots
14. Promotion exposes journalist, academic as MİT
personnel
15. Surveys show that urban Turks’ faith in Turkey’s main
institutions has dropped
1. Eroglu assigns
CTP-BG with the duty of establishing a “coalition government”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.08.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot
leader, Dervis Eroglu met yesterday with the leader of the Republican Turkish
Party – United Forces (CTP-BG), Ozkan Yorgancioglu and assigned him with the
duty of establishing a “coalition government”.
As soon
as he was assigned with this duty, Yorgancioglu headed delegation which visited
the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Social Democracy Party (TDP). Today the
CTP-BG delegation is expected to meet with officials from the Democratic Party
– National Forces (DP-UG).
Yorgancioglu
said they could meet with the UBP on Monday again and added that no give and
take was held with this party. He said that their meeting was “positive”.
Referring to their meeting with the TDP, he described it as “friendly” and
added that they could hold another meeting with this party.
Yorgancioglu
should form a “coalition government” until 29 August. Otherwise he should
return this duty to Eroglu.
Meanwhile,
in statements to Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (16.08.13), Asim
Akansoy, CTP-BG’s general secretary, described as “preparatory” their meetings
with UBP and TDP, adding that during the meetings, they put CTP-BG’s program
onto the table and exchanged views. “They saw our basic approaches. The sides
will evaluate the situation after this”, he noted. Reiterating that they keep
equal distance from all parties, Akansoy said that this process will not take
long and expressed the hope to have a result in the beginning of next week the
latest.
(I/Ts.)
2. Kucuk resigns “orally”
from UBP’s leadership; Ozgurgun the only candidate for the post; Extraordinary
congress on 31 August
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (15.08.13) reports that National Unity Party’s
(UBP) council and “parliamentary” group met on Wednesday and decided that
Huseyin Ozgurgun will be the only candidate for the post of the chairman of the
party during an extraordinary congress which should be held within 45 days.
The
current chairman of the party, Irsen Kucuk said that he had submitted orally
his resignation and that he had not yet resigned in writing.
Ozgurgun
had been elected to the leadership of UBP in 2006 after Eroglu’s leaving the
post. During the same year Ozgrugun resigned and handed over this duty to
Tahsin Ertugruloglu.
According
to the paper, except for Ozgurgun, Nazim Cavusoglu and Sunat Atun were also
candidates for the post of the chairman of the UBP at Wednesday’s meeting. Two
rounds of voting were held with the participation of the 14 “MPs” of the UBP.
During the first round Ozgurgun received 6 votes, Cavusoglu 5 and Atun 3.
Ozgurgun won the second round with 9 votes to 6, after receiving the support of
Atun.
In
statements after the voting, Ozgurgun said that he would be the only candidate
among the “MPs”, but anyone who is not “MP” could ran for candidate for the
post of the UBP’s chairman. He said he did not know when Irsen Kucuk will
resign, but added that they agreed that Kucuk should do this the soonest.
Meanwhile,
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (16.08.13) reports that Kucuk and
Ozgurgun agreed that UBP’s extraordinary congress will be held on Saturday 31
August.
According
to Gunes, in statements to illegal Bayrak television, Ozgrugun said that the
UBP was open to any proposal for a “coalition government” and added that during
the “elections” the “people” pointed out to three possibilities for a
“coalition”. Ozgrugun noted that his party will not say “no” to any proposal
except for a “four-party coalition”, as proposed by the Democratic Party (DP),
because in this case no opposition would exist in the “parliament”.
Ozgurgun
said that the congress of the party will be held within the framework of “UBP
gathering its strength again”.
When
asked whether the UBP’s door was open for those who had abandoned the party and
joined the DP, Ozgrugun said that UBP’s door was open for everybody, but “if
conditions are put for coming to the UBP, this will not be accepted by the
party”.
Moreover,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.08.13) reports that some UBP
officials said that Kucuk might not resign until the congress. They recalled
that any party member could announce his/her candidature until 48 hours before
the congress and added that Kucuk might use this provision in their regulations
and not resign if a second candidate comes up.
(I/Ts.)
3. Serdar is in favour of unifying DP and the UBP into a
single centre right party
According to illegal Bayrak
television (online, 15.08.13), the leader of the Democrat Party-National Forces
(DP-UG) Serdar Denktaş has made interesting statements regarding the formation
of a “broad coalition” made up of the 4 political parties in “parliament” and
the creation of a single party in the centre right. Denktaş said that he was in
favour of unifying the DP and the UBP (National Unity Party) into a single
centre right party.
He said that the National
Forces umbrella had created such a demand.
Speaking on a program on “BRT”
on Wednesday night, the DP-UG leader said that they had come together with the
other parties in “parliament” to see whether or not a “broad coalition” made up
of all the parties could be possible.
“With the creation of the National
Forces, a process that is pushing the Democrat and the National Unity Parties
to merge into a single centre right party has begun. I’ve said this before that
it will not be possible to stand in front of this wind of change” he said,
adding that the process will show whether this will be possible.
Denktaş also said that the
majority of the people expected the “new government” to be formed to question
and investigate “government and state practices” over the past few years. He
added that their ultimate goal was to establish a stable “government” for the
next 5 years.
Asked what could prevent a
CTP-DP coalition from forming, the DP leader said that this could happen if the
CTP undervalued the DP as a coalition partner.
On the Cyprus problem, Denktaş
said that his party did not have the slightest belief or hope that a bi-zonal,
bi-communal solution could be reached in Cyprus, reportedly mainly because of
the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising attitude towards the issue of power
sharing with Turkish Cypriots.
4. Eroglu: the Turkish
Cypriots will not abandon bi-zonality, self-administration and Turkey’s
guarantees
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.08.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot
leader, Dervis Eroglu has reiterated that the Turkish Cypriots are not
considering of abandoning their “self-administration”, bi-zonality and Turkey’s
active and effective guarantees. In statements during the celebrations on the
occasion of the 39th anniversary from the occupation of Famagusta,
Eroglu alleged that “we believe that by asking these, no harm is done to the
Greek Cypriot people”.
Noting
that the ground on which the negotiations are held and the distance covered in
the discussions are known, Eroglu called on the Greek Cypriot side to continue
the negotiations from the point they were left and argued that reaching an
agreement would not be difficult, if the Turkish Cypriots’ having equal rights
with the Greek Cypriots on the island was accepted.
“Come
and let us sit at the table in the beginning of October and sign an agreement
within 2014”, he said.
Meanwhile,
Kibris (16.08.13) reports also that in statements during the celebrations on
the occasion of the occupation of Chatoz village, Eroglu argued that reaching
an agreement would be easy if all concessions demanded by the Greek Cypriots
are given. He alleged that if the Greek Cypriots came to “the path of reason
and peace”, an agreement would be possible.
“However, it could not be said that we are hopeful, when we see their
demands and the steps they take that became more intensive during the past few
days”, he claimed.
Eroglu
argued that UN Secretary-General’s special adviser, Alexander Downer has
submitted a 77-page document with the issues on which the sides had agreed in
the negotiations, and alleged that President Anastasiades has not given a
positive answer to this document.
Meanwhile,
addressing another ceremony at occupied Maratha, Aloa and Sandalaris villages,
Eroglu reiterated the allegation that there are “two different peoples and two
states” in Cyprus, which have different languages, religions and “geographies
on which they are sovereign”.
Referring
to the information that Greek Prime Minister Samaras had discussed the issue of
the occupied closed city of Varosha with the President of the United States of
America, Barack Obama, Eroglu alleged that “instead of Samaras asking for
Varosha to be given to them in advance, let him come and meet with us at the
negotiating table and listen to us”. He alleged that what Greece should do is
to “encourage the Greek Cypriot side to come to reason”. He reiterated that the
proposal of the Turkish side for a five-party meeting with the participation of
the Turkish Cypriot side, the Greek Cypriot side and the three guarantor powers
of the Republic of Cyprus is still valid.
(I/Ts.)
5. Eroglu meets with
Turkey’s Confederations’ Society within efforts of strengthening their
international lobbying activities
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (15.08.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader,
Dervis Eroglu has met with a delegation from Turkey’s Confederations’ Society
headed by the chairperson of the society, Nezaket Emine Atasoy.
In
statements during the meeting, Eroglu expressed his satisfaction with the fact
that this organization voluntarily carries out lobbying activities in the world
in favour of the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus. Alleging that the “TRNC” is facing problems on the issue of being
opened to the world, Eroglu claimed that because of the so-called embargoes,
foreign investors are prevented from coming to the occupied area of Cyprus.
In her
statements, Atasoy said that their society is “Turkey’s most powerful lobby” as
it includes 15 confederations, more than ten million members and four thousand
organizations. She said that at every activity they organize they bring the
problems of the “Turkish Cypriot people” onto the agenda. She added that they
call on the UN and the world to lift the so-called embargoes allegedly implemented
on the Turkish Cypriots.
(I/Ts.)
6. Talat: with the
opening of the barricades the anomalous status quo in Cyprus started to seem as
normal
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.08.13) reports that the former Turkish
Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat has said that the Turkish government and the
breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus should get into action on the
Cyprus problem, which “becomes chronic as long as it continues”.
In
statements to Kibris TV, Talat said yesterday that the visits between the
occupied and the government controlled area, were eased in 2003 with the
opening of the barricades and added: “The cold war climate became milder and
the status quo, which is anomalous, started to seem normal. And this created a
serious danger”.
Referring
to the appointment of a negotiator by President Anastasiades, Talat alleged
that this includes the danger of “leaving the problem hanging in the air”.
Noting that the Greek Cypriot negotiator has been appointed by the National Council,
Talat claimed that this could create “sterile debates” and a “chaotic
situation”.
Replying
to a question, Talat said that the community leaders will meet in October and
added that the Turkish side should prepare well. He argued that it is absolutely
necessary for the Turkish side to exert pressures so that this meeting in
October to be held at the level of community leaders.
Referring
to the issue of the occupied closed city of Varosha, Talat alleged that the
issue in the manner it had been brought onto the agenda by the Greek Cypriot
side was “delaying tactics” and argued that solving this matter is difficult.
He noted that in principle, he is not against the discussion of the issue of
Varosha, but added that “solving the issue of Varosha is more difficult than
solving the Cyprus problem”. Talat went on and wondered the following: “Given
that the Greek Cypriot side rejects the opening of Tymvou airport in return for
Varosha and wants in advance a gain which it will acquire in the solution, with
what conditions it will accept the sharing of the state when this day comes?”
(I/Ts.)
7. Two activities
against occupation are organized by Turkish Cypriots
Under
the title “One target two separate activities”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika
newspaper (15.08.13) reports that two activities were held on 14 August in the
occupied part of Nicosia on the occasion of the second stage of the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
The one
was the “Anti-militarist Peace Operation” organized for the fourth time by the
New Cyprus Party (YKP). By using the slogan “Ayse go home”, the participants in
the activity made a call to the Turkish army to withdraw from Cyprus
[Translator’s note: “Ayse” is the code name used in 1974 by the then Turkish
Foreign Minister Gunes, who signaled the beginning of the second stage of the
Turkish invasion by saying that “Ayse could go for vacation”]. Turkey’s Freedom
and Solidarity Party (ODP) and the Reconstruction Party (YKP) sent messages of
support to the activity, asking for all armies to withdraw from Cyprus.
The
other activity was organized by the United Cyprus Party (BKP) under the title
“Resist Cyprus”. Messages of support by Greek Cypriot AKEL party, the Turkish
Communist Party (TKP), Turkey’s Peace Association and Turkey’s People’s Houses
were sent to the activity. The messages saluted the resistance of the Turkish
Cypriots against Turkey which occupies the northern part of Cyprus for 39 years
“in the direction if the interests of imperialism” and against the attacks of
the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
(I/Ts.)
8. New commanders of the Turkish occupation forces in
occupied Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak
television (online, 14.08.13), new commanders
have taken their oaths at the Turkish occupation forces in the occupied part of
the Republic of Cyprus.
The commander of the 28th
Mechanized Infantry Division Major General İlhan Talu and the commander of the
14th Armoured Brigade Brigadier General Avnı Angun completed their duties in
the occupied Cyprus.
The commander of the 28th
Mechanized Infantry Division Major General İlhan Talu handed over his command
of the Turkish occupation forces in Cyprus to his successor Major General
Tayyar Süngü with a ceremony on Wednesday morning.
The commander of the 14th
Armoured Brigade Brigadier General Avni Angun handed over his command with a
ceremony at the headquarters of the Brigade to his successor Brigadier General
Özkan
Meanwhile both outgoing
commanders met with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu yesterday. Speaking
during the meeting, Eroglu said he was pleased to hear that both had received
promotions before leaving the occupied Cyprus and wished them success at their
new duties in Ankara.
9. Tom Jones to visit
occupied Cyprus in September
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (15.08.13) reports that the well-known singer
Tom Jones is preparing to visit the occupied area of Cyprus again in September.
According to the paper, Tom Jones will sing in occupied Keryneia and will arrive
to the island through illegal Tymvou airport.
(I/Ts.)
10. Erdogan criticizes West over Egypt massacre
Under the title “Egypt is
democracy test for West, Turkish PM says”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 15.08.13) reported that Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
slammed the West for failing to stop the bloodshed in Egypt, while reiterating
Ankara’s earlier call for the U.N. Security Council to convene quickly as the
death toll from Aug. 14’s crackdown rose over 500.
“If the West wants to pass the
democracy test, it has to understand this. But if it is on the point of losing
the democracy test or if it has decided on a process such as questioning
democracy, then that is another matter. As a matter of fact, if Western
countries do not act sincerely on this issue … I believe that democracy will
start to be questioned throughout the world,” Erdoğan told reporters on August
15 ahead of his departure for a working visit to Turkmenistan.
Erdoğan said he had talked to
world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President
Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David
Cameron and French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, as well as United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, about the situation in Egypt.
Erdoğan also called for an
urgent U.N. Security Council meeting. “The Security Council of the United
Nations should convene quickly to discuss the situation in Egypt,” Erdoğan
said. “This is a very serious massacre ... against the Egyptian people who were
only protesting peacefully,” he said, criticizing “the silence” of the global
community in the face of the bloodshed.
Meanwhile, Erdoğan maintained
that there was a constant attempt to entrap the Islamic world, including his
own country. “These traps exist for us, too … Therefore, let us not forget that
nobody wants a strong Turkey. Therefore, we have to be strong. First, we have
to love each other. We have to be in solidarity. Therefore, we will keep our
nose to the grindstone, work and God willing build a strong Turkey in this
way,” Erdoğan said.
11. Turkey recalls ambassador in Cairo for consultations,
Egypt reciprocates
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (15.08.13) reported that Turkey's ambassador in Egypt has been recalled to
Ankara for consultations following the bloody crackdown in the country on
supporters of the toppled President Mohamed Morsi, Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan said Aug. 15.
Mirroring Ankara's step, Cairo
reciprocated by recalling its own ambassador in Turkey for consultations,
Egypt's State Agency reported a few hours later.
"Nabil Fahmy, the Foreign
Minister, decided to recall Egypt's ambassador in Ankara, Abdel Rahman Salah,
for consultations," the state news agency reported a few hours later,
giving no further details.
Erdoğan, who was returning from
Turkmenistan, told reporters on the plane that Ambassador Hüseyin Avni Botsalı
would come to Ankara to discuss the latest developments in Egypt.
Moreover, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry said in a statement that Botsalı was expected to return from Cairo on
Aug. 16.
12. Turkey not categorically against formation of
autonomous Kurdish entity inside Syria
Turkey daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 16.08.13) reports that Turkey is not categorically against the
formation of an autonomous Kurdish entity inside Syria as long as this decision
is made at a Parliament representing the nation’s will, Turkish officials have
said. For the moment, Turkey is against any kind of fait accompli regarding
such a formation in an environment of chaos inside the neighbouring country,
the officials said after talks with Salih Muslim, the co-leader of the main
Kurdish group in northern Syria, the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
During the same meeting,
Turkish officials responded positively to the PYD side’s requests for
humanitarian aid to reach Rojava (the Kurdish name for the Syrian Kurdish
enclaves in the northern part of the country), but no tangible result has been
reported.
Muslim held a meeting with
officials from the Foreign Ministry and the National Intelligence Service (MİT)
Aug. 14, marking the second such meeting openly hosted in Turkey after the
first one in late July. Particularly taking into consideration the once harsh
rhetoric against the PYD by Ankara, a considerable number of analysts
interpreted these meetings and the lack of secrecy of the past few meetings, as
a policy change rather than fine-tuning.
No autonomy sought
During talks with Turkish
officials, Muslim reiterated that they are not seeking autonomy or
independence, as he maintained that “their requests concerning the future will
be pursued inside Syria and the decision concerning Syria’s future will be made
together by all Syrians,” Turkish diplomatic sources told the semi-official
Anadolu Agency late Aug. 14.
Yet, according to news reports
posted from Qamishli in northern Syria only a few hours earlier on Aug. 14, the
PYD’s other co-leader, Asia Abdulla, said they were in the second stage of
declaring self-autonomy. Elections will be held once all parties involved are
approved, Abdulla said.
“Her statements are not binding
for me. Our counterpart is Muslim and likewise at the previous meeting, Muslim
told us that what they have been demanding right now is not a demand for
autonomy. They have been forming a local and non-permanent committee in order
to provide for the needs of their people. This is something acceptable as long
as they do not attempt to turn this non-permanent structure into a different
body as a fait accompli,” a senior Turkish diplomat told the Hürriyet Daily
News Aug. 15 when reminded of the contradiction between Muslim’s reported
remarks and Abdulla’s reported prospects.
“Autonomy is a decision that
shall be made by the free will of the people of Syria and when it is eventually
made in a free Syria, then Turkey will have no problem with it,” the same
diplomat, speaking under customary condition of anonymity, said, echoing
remarks recently delivered by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.
Meanwhile, although the Turkish
side pledged to continue humanitarian aid to Syrians without any sectarian or
ethnic discrimination, there had been no concrete decision made to reopen the
border gates so that aid collected by civilians could be transferred to Rojava,
officials said.
13. Turkey contacts Hezbollah for talks on kidnapped
pilots
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 15.08.16) reported that Turkey has contacted Hezbollah as part of
efforts to secure the release of two Turkish Airlines (THY) pilots kidnapped in
Beirut last week, an official said on Thursday. A group called Zuwwar Imam Ali
al-Reda has claimed responsibility for the abduction, demanding that Turkey
increase pressure on the Syrian opposition to release nine Lebanese Shiites who
were kidnapped by Syrian opposition fighters in the war-torn country in May,
last year.
The talks with Hezbollah came
as Turkey intensifies its efforts to secure the pilots' release. A delegation
headed by a senior National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official is in
Beirut for talks with Lebanese intelligence authorities. The delegation, headed
by MİT Deputy Undersecretary Abdurrahman Bilgiç, met with Lebanese Interior
Minister Marwan Charbel to discuss their efforts for the return of the Turkish
pilots.
Lebanese news reports said the
Turkish ambassador to Lebanon, İnan Özyıldız, met with the head of Hezbollah's
parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, at Raad's office on Wednesday. The
Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that talks were
being held with Hezbollah but rejected any characterization of the talks as
“seeking help from Hezbollah.”
14. Promotion exposes journalist, academic as MİT
personnel
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 15.08.13) with the above title reported that Turkish daily Star daily
foreign news desk editor and columnist Nuh Yılmaz and an academic at Artuklu
University, Murat Dilmen, have been promoted to top posts within the National
Intelligence Organization (MİT), surprising many of their colleagues, who had
not known they had been working for MİT.
Journalist Yılmaz was appointed
head of the communications unit of MİT, while academic Dİlmen was assigned as
the new MİT Counter-Terrorism Coordination Centre head.
Yılmaz's promotion has created
great confusion among his colleagues as they were not aware that Yılmaz had
been working for MİT.
Yılmaz is not the first
journalist to be a MİT agent. In an earlier incident, Hayri Birler, who was
deputy representative of Hürriyet daily's Ankara office, was fired from the
daily when his links with MİT were exposed. Birler continued to work as a MİT
official after this incident. He became MİT's Diyarbakır regional director at
that time. Bİrler also worked for Milliyet daily before the Hürriyet daily.
15. Surveys show that urban Turks’ faith in Turkey’s main
institutions has dropped
Under the title “Gallup: Urban
Turks' trust in gov't, military dropping sharply”, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 15.08.13) reported that Gallup surveys
conducted amid the recent protests in Turkey show that Turks living in large
cities are increasingly losing faith in the country's main institutions,
including the military.
According to Gallup surveys
conducted between May 19 and June 23, only 43% of Turks living in cities with
at least 100,000 inhabitants expressed confidence in the national government,
compared with 68% of residents of smaller cities and rural areas. In 2012, 50%
of large-city dwellers expressed confidence in the government, while this
percentage was 57 among rural residents.
Most of the surveys took place
after the raids on protesters' camps in İstanbul's Gezi Park on May 30 and 31.
The police action triggered protests in other major cities across the country.
Gallup's data, however, show that urban Turks' discontent with their country's
institutions was growing before the recent unrest.
In 2011, before Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a third term, urban and rural
Turks were equally likely to express confidence in several of the country's
public institutions. By 2012, these two groups' views of the national
government and the judicial system started to slowly drift apart, with more
urban Turks withdrawing support. This rift became larger in 2013 and included a
loss of support for the military among urbanites.
According to the survey, 49% of
Turks living in large cities expressed confidence in the judicial system,
compared with 66% of residents of smaller cities and rural areas. In 2012, 48%
of urban Turks expressed confidence in the judiciary compared with 53% of
residents of smaller cities.
The Gallup data also show that
Turks living in small cities and rural areas are now clearly more likely to say
they trust the military than large-city dwellers – 81% versus 59% respectively.
In previous years, the two groups exhibited similar levels of confidence in the
military.
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