TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.158/13 22/08/2013
1.
Erk asks the annulment of Cyprus’ joint manoeuvre with Greece and Israel in
Eastern Mediterranean
2.
BKP: The agreed issues and the basis for a federal solution must be respected
in the negotiations for solving the Cyprus problem
3.
CTP-BG and DP-UG could not agree on establishing a “government”
4.
The foreign students in the occupied area of Cyprus increase fivefold compared
to 3 years ago
5.
First reaction from AKP to US condemnation of Erdogan’s Egypt remarks
6.
Davutoglu said that they carry out secret diplomacy to meet with Morsi
7.
Davutoglu says Syria chemical attack images “intolerable”
8.
Columnist evaluates Obama’s reaction to Erdogan
9.
Three kids not enough, make it five: Turkey's social security head
1.
Erk asks the annulment of Cyprus joint maneuver with Greece and Israel in
Eastern Mediterranean
Under the title “Annul the manoeuvre”,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.08.13) reports that Kutlay Erk,
self-styled minister of foreign affairs of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus, has called on the Republic of Cyprus, Greece
and Israel to annul the joint air manoeuvre which they are planning for
September in Eastern Mediterranean. In a written statement issued yesterday,
Erk argued that the Turkish Cypriot side encounters with “astonishment and
worry” such a military manoeuvre and asks from “all the countries and
international actors”, which are “sensitive on the issue, the area and the
island of Cyprus”, to exert efforts in the direction of the annulment of this
“unfortunate manoeuvre”.
Erk alleged, inter alia, the following:
“As it is known, during the past few years, Toros manoeuvre has been annulled
by the Turkish Cypriot side and in return for this Nikiforos manoeuvre [was
annulled] by the Greek Cypriot side, as a sign of good will and of the target
of achieving peace and stability both on the island and in the area. However,
the joint manoeuvre element, which has been added to the unilateral and illegal
exploration and extradition activities for natural gas and includes war
scenarios, is totally contrary to the approach that targets peace both on the
island and in the region…”
Erk claimed that the peaceful future is
allegedly threatened by the so-called revival of the plans of the Greek Cypriot
side to let the Russian Federation use an airbase in Pafos and by the “fact”
that it does not hesitate to allegedly “bring into the island a militarist
structure” that includes elements which threaten peace and stability not only
in Cyprus but in the entire region as well.
(I/Ts.)
2.
BKP: The agreed issues and the basis for a federal solution must be respected
in the negotiations for solving the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(22.08.13) reports that Salih Rustu Sonustun, foreign affairs secretary of the
United Cyprus Party (BKP), has said that the negotiations for finding a
comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem must resume in October from the
point they had been left and that respect must be shown to the issues on which
agreement had been reached and to the “basis of the federal solution”.
In a written statement issued yesterday,
Sonustun argued that both sides should abandon their “negative stance” and be
sincere and added that “zeroing the progress achieved in the negotiations until
today” and exerting efforts to abandon the basis for a federal solution will be
“an adventure without a result”.
Sonustun alleged that President
Anastasiades behaves “as if he is the owner of Cyprus” and “attaches no
importance to the Turkish Cypriots”. He went on and claimed: “Mr Anastasiades
must stop behaving as if he is the owner of Cyprus. Cyprus belongs to all Cypriots.
Turkish Cypriots have as many rights as the Greek Cypriots in the oil, natural
gas and all the other natural resources. Ignoring the issues on which the
negotiator before him had agreed and putting the condition of discussing only
the issues which he wants is not a sincere approach. All issues and chapters
are on the table”.
Moreover, Sonustun said that the occupied
fenced city of Varosha must be returned to its legal owners in parallel to the
solution process, the port of Famagusta must be opened for direct trade and the
Turkish Cypriot community must be rescued from the so-called embargoes which it
allegedly faces.
(I/Ts.)
3.
CTP-BG and DP-UG could not agree on establishing a “government”
Under the title “They could not agree”,
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (22.08.13) reports that the discussions
between the Republican Turkish Party – United Forces (CTP-BG) and the
Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) within the framework of their
efforts for establishing a “coalition government” in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus were interrupted in spite of the positive climate that
existed between the two parties and the statements that things were going well.
Delegations under the chairmen of the two parties held a 15-minute meeting last
night at CTP-BG’s headquarters in the occupied part of Nicosia.
In statements after the meeting, Serdar
Denktas, chairman of the DP-UG, said that they could reach no convergence or
agreement on the sensitivities of the two parties and added that they decided
to stop meeting. Denktas noted that after the meeting of the CTP-BG’s council,
they would know whether the process has ended.
Denktas underlined that their
indispensable conditions do not coincide with those of the CTP-BG and added
that they have taken this decision in order not to waste more time. Denktas
said that deadlock was experienced on the issue of the self-styled ministries
of finance and internal affairs and added that the DP-UG wanted one of these
“ministries”, but received negative answer.
On his part, Ozkan Yorgancioglu said
that both parties had sensitivities during these discussions that lasted for
two days and that efforts have been exerted by the delegations and the
presidents of the parties for overcoming these sensitivities. He noted that
their sensitivities were on the agenda of their discussions and added that they
could not agree on these issues and that is why they were forced to interrupt
the meetings.
He said that the CTP-BG’s council will
assess the negative result of the discussions with the DP-UG tonight and decide
whether the party should stop negotiating with the DP-UG and start meeting with
the National Unity Party (UBP).
(I/Ts.)
4.
The foreign students in the occupied area of Cyprus increase fivefold compared
to 3 years ago
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (22.08.13)
reports that Dr. Hasan Ali Bicak, chairman of the so-called Higher Education
Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YODAK), in a
written statement yesterday, announced that the number of students from Turkey,
who study in the illegal universities in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus, has increased in 2013 by 20% reaching 6.929 students.
He noted that the number of the foreign
students in the occupied Cyprus has reached to 12 thousands an increase of 5
times compared to 2.500 students in 2010. He also argued that the
“universities” have taken important steps by taking into consideration the
inspections by esteemed accreditation institutions regarding their structure
and by increasing the quality education of their education programmes.
5.
First reaction from AKP to US condemnation of Erdogan’s Egypt remarks
Under the title “First reaction from AKP
to US scold of Erdogan's claims on Israel role in Morsi ouster”, Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 21.08.13) reported that the White House’s
condemnation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks claiming
that Israel was behind the military takeover in Egypt received a first reaction
from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) ranks on Aug. 21 by its
deputy head Salih Kapusuz.
“The United States has played Israel’s
advocate and condemned the prime minister’s statements. The statements of the
U.S., which have not condemned the coup [in Egypt], do not carry a lot of
weight with us,” Kapusuz said via Twitter, slamming Washington for reacting
before Israel.
“Besides, the fact that the U.S. has
hurried to respond to us before Israel should be due to a complicity
psychology. Turkey will endeavour to end the massacre in Egypt even if it is
alone. Turkey is a strong country that won’t submit to the impositions of any
country,” he added.
On Aug. 20, Erdogan had claimed to have
evidence that Israel orchestrated the July 3 military takeover that toppled the
elected President Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, triggering a strong response from
Washington. The White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said that the comments were
“offensive and unsubstantiated and wrong,” and damaging for regional
cooperation.
Kapusuz was the first to react on social
media; however government officials have not made comments yet on Earnest’s
statements.
6.
Davutoglu said that they carry out secret diplomacy to meet with Morsi
Under the title “Turkish intelligence
chief met Egypt’s Morsi shortly before military coup: Foreign Minister”,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 21.08.13) reported that the head of
the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) met with Egypt’s toppled President
Mohamed Morsi around 10 days before the military takeover, Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu said Aug. 21.
He said that intelligence chief Hakan
Fidan had been tasked by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and also met with
security officials as Ankara considered the developments in Egypt as "critical."
“I’m making it public for the first
time: We are carrying out secret diplomacy even at this moment [to meet with
Morsi],” Davutoglu told to the private broadcaster Kanal 24.
Davutoglu also criticized the court
ruling on former strongman Hosni Mubarak’s release.
“The release of Mubarak while Morsi is
still detained will reverse the whole process,” he said, adding that Turkey
would not meet the current administration without being authorized to hold
talks with Morsi.
7.
Davutoglu says Syria chemical attack images “intolerable”
Under the title “Syria chemical attack
images ‘intolerable,’ FM Davutoglu says urging international action”, Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 21.08.13), reported that the footages of a
chemical attack executed by regime forces near Damascus on Aug. 21 that killed
over 1,300 are “intolerable for any human being,” Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said, displaying little doubt as to their authenticity. He added that
the Turkish intelligence had provided officials with some additional videos of
the attack, and urged the international community to react.
“During the meeting of the National
Security Council, the number of dead had reached 1,187. We all had tears in our
eyes, because we have been shown some footage found by our national
intelligence service,” Davutoglu said, during an interview with private
broadcaster Kanal 24.
“These are images that are not tolerable
by any human being. It is impossible to accept that those who are [physically
and morally] blind to what’s happening in Syria remain idle after this crime
against humanity,” he said.
“No one says that the chemical attack
did not take place. The Syrian regime also condemns it but says that it is not
responsible.”
Davutoglu also revealed that he
personally asked the General-Secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon for a
Security Council meeting and the
immediate clarification of the claims by a U.N. fact-finding mission set up to
investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict.
For its part, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry issued a strongly-worded statement describing as “barbarity” and
“atrocity” the reports on the chemical attack, stressing that the international
community was facing a “moral test.”
“The International community and the
United Nations are confronted with a serious test in front of human morality
and history. We are inviting the UN Security Council to take its responsibility
over this massacre which is a crime against humanity,” the statement said.
“Those responsible for this atrocity are
the leaders of a regime that wants to keep its power regardless of any cost and
a group out of its senses. This group that kills its own people will sooner or
later render account on what it has done,” the statement also said.
8.
Columnist evaluates Obama’s reaction to Erdoğan
Columnist Murat Yetkin, writing in
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 22.08.13), under the title “Obama’s
strong reaction to Erdogan”, evaluates Obama’s reaction to Erdogan as follows:
“The White House statement against
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s Aug. 20 remarks about Israel being
behind the military coup in Egypt is the strongest ever reaction by the U.S.
against a Turkish leader so far. U.S. President Barack Obama’s spokesman did not
only ‘strongly condemn’ Erdogan’s remarks, but also used words like ‘offensive,
unsubstantiated and wrong’ to describe the accusations.
There was no response on the Turkish
side as the Hurriyet Daily News went to press; a pre-planned National Security
Board meeting was ongoing anyway. However, this statement is likely to take its
place among other troublesome points in Turkish-U.S. relations, such as
President Johnson’s letter in 1964 over Cyprus, the arms embargo in 1974, again
over Cyprus, and the Suleymaniyah affair in 2003 over the U.S. invasion of Iraq
and the Kurds.
This bitter U.S. statement defending
Israel against the Turkish PM should be taken seriously by the Turkish
government regarding the current state and future of its foreign policy. Mainly
because of the following reasons:
1) ISOLATION
AND EXCLUSION: Erdogan, who
initiated his foreign policy with a positive motto, “zero problems with
neighbours,” is now at a point where he is at odds with and challenges not only
“the West,” but also now the Arab countries, because they are not on the same
page as him about the coup in Egypt, as an extension of his policies on Syria.
Turkey has withdrawn its ambassadors from Israel, Syria and now Egypt, but
Erdogan’s counterparts are seemingly not terribly impressed nor affected by
Erdogan’s remarks and moves. Turkey is no longer directly involved in, if not
excluded, from the ongoing diplomacy regarding Egypt and the
Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.
2) IDEOLOGY
BEFORE NATIONAL INTERESTS: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has decided to
go on a European tour covering Germany, the U.K. and Italy. But his priority is
not to promote Turkey’s strategically critical relations with the European
Union, which are in decline. Instead, his priority seems to be promoting democracy
in the Arab region. It is possible to see this move within Erdogan’s “what if
it happens in Turkey, too?” Egypt concerns in the same speech on Aug. 20 in
Ankara. The situation has already started to affect Turkey’s exports to Middle
Eastern countries, but this cannot be raised openly because business circles do
not choose to be outspoken nowadays. There is an impression that Turkish
foreign policy is becoming increasingly based on principles and ideology,
rather than national interests.
3) OBAMA’S
SUPPORT FOR ERDOGAN: There is a suggestion that has been whispered in
diplomatic circles for some time that the only world leader who Erdogan takes
seriously and really listen to is Obama. It is also the widespread belief that
it is Obama who is personally not stopping the U.S. system from further
statements or moves regarding Turkey because of its regional policies or human
rights implementations, both out of his personal sympathy to Erdogan and
Erdogan’s full cooperation with Obama when it comes to NATO and military
issues.
It is natural that Ankara cannot remain
silent regarding such a bitter statement from the U.S. However, the statement
could be a reason to start thinking about how to regain credit for Turkish
foreign policy for Erdogan, Davutoglu and President Abdullah Gul, who are the
ones shaping it.”
9.
Three kids not enough, make it five: Turkey's social security head
Under the above title, Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 21.08.13) reported that outdoing the Prime
Minister, the head of the Social Security Institution (SGK)
has recommended that Turkish families have five children instead of the three
that Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan has frequently advised.
“The three children that our Prime
Minister suggested is the minimum that is needed. Five kids are needed; we
should know the facts on that. Of course, economic conditions matter, and of
course those children will need a good education. But there are those who don’t
have children despite a strong economic status,” said Yadigar Gokalp Ilhan, the
first-ever female head of the SGK,
adding that the country’s social safety net depended on an increase in the
country’s birth rate.
“If those who love this country think of
the future of the country and of their kids, this is the truth,” she said.
Ilhan said that once the rate of new
births begins falling and the proportion of young people in the population
begins to decrease, the retirement system will start to face problems, which
could be avoided by having more than three children.
The social security head added that the
current “trend” was to have two children.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
