TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.169/13 6/9/2013
1. Nami: we are not at the point of discussing the
territory which is a sensitive issue that directly concerns people’s lives
2. Eroglu continues trying to give the impression that
he wants a solution in Cyprus
3. Denktas: “We will have a national airline at all
events; Turkish teams should come to Cyprus through Tymvou”
4. Turkish
Cypriot businessmen will hold contacts in the Netherlands, Belgium and France
5. MUSIAD calls on Turkish Cypriot businessmen to
visit Bosnia and Herzegovina
6. Association of Turkish Confederations asked
from Nigeria
to recognize the breakaway regime
7. Illegal GAU will host an international symposium on
architecture in 2014
8. Kasif participated in the 2nd International
Maritime and Communication Council in Turkey
9. More than 2.300 persons were granted the “TRNC
citizenship” in the period 2009-2013
10. Erdogan’s contacts on the sidelines of the G-20
meeting; controversial reports whatever he met or not with Obama
11. Turkish FM meets his German, French and South
Korean counterparts
12. PKK's military leader announces suspension of withdrawal
12. PKK's military leader announces suspension of withdrawal
13. Turkish-Israeli normalization talks could be
completed at any time
14. Prosecutor seeks life for alleged murderers of
Gezi protester
15. Lira hits record low
1. Nami: we are not at the point of discussing the
territory which is a sensitive issue that directly concerns people’s lives
Illegal Bayrak
television (05.09.13, online) broadcast that Ozdil Nami, newly appointed
self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus, has commented on the information that the Greek Cypriot
side wanted to resume the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus
problem from the chapter of territory and said that first the direct talks
should start. Noting that both sides needed a federal solution, Nami argued
that both sides should return to the negotiating table having this in mind.
“The Greek Cypriot side was avoiding this for a long time. The fact that they
started referring to negotiations is pleasing”, he alleged.
Arguing that
putting preconditions before the commencement of the talks at the level of the
leaders, was not in harmony with the spirit of the negotiations.
Nami claimed
that everybody should know that the negotiations are not at the point they had
started and expressed the hope that they will continue from the point they were
left.
He argued that
the territory is a sensitive issue which directly concerns the lives of the
people and added that “it would not be a realistic stance to allege that we
have come to the point of discussing the territory”. Nami alleged that we are
not at the point of discussing the map in the chapter of the territory and
claimed that “there are procedures which we should overcome in order to be able
to come to that point”. He added: “The chapter we call ‘the territory’ consists
of many subchapters. The map is its very last stage. We understand the
sensitivities of the Greek Cypriot side on this issue, but we are not obliged
to share all their assessments”.
Replying to a
question on the island’s hydrocarbon resources, Nami said that the point to
which this issue has reached proves the necessity for finding a solution in Cyprus and
wished for the island’s natural resources to speed up the peace process. Noting
that he was not surprised by the steps taken by the Greek Cypriot side on this
issue, he said he wanted to warn that putting forward issues to which the other
side could highly react would not affect positively the negotiating process
which is expected to start in October.
He recalled that the natural resources belong to the whole of Cyprus and
called on the Greek Cypriot side to respect this.
(I/Ts.)
2. Eroglu continues trying to give the impression
that he wants a solution in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader,
Dervis Eroglu has alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to achieve
progress in the Cyprus talks though a give and take process, but it would never
agree to enforcement of ideas saying “first you should give this, then we want
that and if these happen, we will sit at the table”.
In statements
yesterday during the celebrations on the occasion of the occupation of Limnitis
area, Eroglu allegedly made a call on the Greek Cypriot side saying: “Let them
come and let us agree on a timetable and, by putting an end now to the Cyprus
issue, let us become an example for our region in which conflicts never stop”.
Eroglu claimed that if delaying tactics are not used and the intention is to
find a solution to the Cyprus
problem, the solution would gain acceleration.
He added: “We are
ready for this as well. Let us sit at the table as guarantor powers, Turkey, Greece and Britain and as
Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides and let us head towards a solution. We
are ready for securing progress in the negotiations through give and take, but
we will never agree to enforcements made beforehand saying ‘first you should
give this, then we want that and if these happen, we will sit at the table’”.
Eroglu
reiterated the allegation that he is ready to resume the negotiations with
President Anastasiades from the point they were left with former President
Christofias, reach a result soon and sign an agreement in 2014. “Not accepting
to start from the point we were left, and giving messages saying that ‘first
the Turks should give territory’ is tantamount to not wanting a solution, and
running away from the table”, he alleged.
(I/Ts.)
3. Denktas: “We will have a national airline at all
events; Turkish teams should come to Cyprus through Tymvou”
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (06.09.13) reports that Serdar Denktas, self-styled
deputy prime minister and “minister” of economy, tourism, culture and sports of
the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said
that they are determined to revise the “protocol” for so-called economic and
financial cooperation signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime, adding
that during his visit to the occupied area of Cyprus the Turkish Deputy Prime
Minister Besir Atalay had said that they were open to revision [of the
protocol], and “therefore they do not insist that it should remain as it is”.
In statements to
Turkish Cypriot Genc TV the night before yesterday, Denktas reiterated also the
view that the tender for illegal Tymvou airport should be rejected and added: “We
have held a preparatory contact for now and I asked for a meeting. The only
thing I want is for the sole airport of the state to remain to the state”.
Denktas said
that a new Turkish Cypriot airline will be established and noted: “The Turkish
Cypriot airline (KTHY) will be established again. Its name might not be KTHY.
Our target is a company named ‘Cyprus Turkish Airlines International’. But
could it be another name? Yes, it could, but at all events we will have a
national airline”.
Asked about the policy
they will follow on the issue of the so-called embargoes in the field of sports
allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots, Denktas responded that they do
not have infrastructure and motivation, adding that they will try to attract
“sports tourism” to the occupied area of the island and activities such as
training matches and training seminars.
Noting that the
way of the Turkish Cypriots in individual sports is open, Denktas said: “We
have to demand the following from Turkey: Will you participate in
sports activities in the south [Translator’s note: this is how he describes the
government-controlled area of the Republic
of Cyprus]? Come from
Tymvou airport. Let us enforce this door. When the Greek Cypriots do not give
permission, let us show to the world how the Greek Cypriots cause pain to our
youth. We can multiply these examples”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Turkish Cypriot businessmen will hold contacts
in the Netherlands, Belgium
and France
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.13) reports that a delegation from the Turkish
Cypriot Businessmen Council (KTIAK) will depart for a tour in Europe
that includes the Netherlands,
Belgium
and France.
The 25-member delegation will depart on 9 September and meet with the
Netherland’s Young Businessmen federation (HOGIAF). It will also visit the
Turkish ambassador to The Hague,
Ugur Dundar, whom it will brief on the breakaway regime’s economic, trade and
political situation. The delegation will also visit the Dutch Parliament and
meet with the MP with the Dutch Labor Party, Emine Bozkurt. It will also tour
factories which produce milk.
The delegation
will visit Belgium
on 11 September and meet with the Belgian Federation of Active Entrepreneurs
(BETIAD). It will visit the European Parliament and firms that produce and
export goods.
KTIAK delegation
will depart for France
on 13 September in order to have a meeting with France’s Association of Active
Turkish Businessmen (FATIAD).
The chairman of
KTIAK, Ilker Zugurt told Kibris that it is the first time that a civilian
organization will hold a visit to Europe at
that level and expressed the belief that the benefits of this visit will be
seen in the future.
(I/Ts.)
5. MUSIAD calls on Turkish Cypriot businessmen to
visit Bosnia and Herzegovina
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the Turkish Independent Industrialists’
and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) has called Turkish Cypriot businessmen
to participate in a business trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. According
to a statement issued by MUSIAD’s representative in Cyprus, Okyay Sadikoglu, during the
trip that will take place on 23 and 24 of September, the businessmen could hold
bilateral meetings and have important business opportunities. Many businessmen
from Turkey
are expected to participate in the trip.
(I/Ts.)
6. Association of Turkish Confederations
asked from Nigeria
to recognize the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot
daily Bakis newspaper (06.09.13) reports that Nezaket Emine Atasoy, chairwoman
of the Association of Turkish Confederations (TKT) and of the Turkish Industry
Businesswomen and Businessmen Confederation, met in Izmir with the chairman of
the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nigeria Alma Oumarau.
In a joint press
conference following the meeting, Atasoy stated that Nigeria must recognize the
breakaway regime alleging that two states and two peoples exist in Cyprus. She
also asked from the Nigerian people to support the “independence struggle” of
the “TRNC”.
On his part
Oumarau stated that Cyprus
problem is an important problem and said that on his return to Nigeria he will
inform the government on his meeting with Atasoy, adding that they will visit
the breakaway regime in order to establish a dialogue.
7. Illegal GAU will host an international symposium
on architecture in 2014
Under the title
“Important names will come to the TRNC”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris
newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the illegal American University of Keryneia
(“GAU”) is getting ready to host the biggest academic activity in the Middle
East and the Mediterranean in the field of architecture. “GAU’s” faculty of
architecture, design and fine arts will host the Second Contemporary
Architecture and Urbanism in the Mediterranean
and the Middle East (CAUMME) International Symposium that will have the title
“Architecture and Urban Research, Education and Practice in the Era of
Post-Professionalism”.
The symposium
will be jointly organized by “GAU”, Istanbul’s Yildiz Technical
University and Qatar University
between 23 and 25 October,
2014.
(I/Ts.)
8. Kasif participated in the 2nd International
Maritime and Communication Council in Turkey
Turkish Cypriot
daily Bakis newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the so-called minister of public
works and transportation, Ahmet Kasif is visiting Turkey as a quest of the
Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication Binali Yildirim and
he is participating in the 2nd International Maritime and
Communication Council which is taking place in Turkey between 5 and 7 of
September.
The paper writes
that 25 ministers are participating in the conference and adds that Kasif
delivered a speech during the meeting. Kasif expressed the belief that a strong
basis will be put for the development of communications in the breakaway regime,
with the support that the countries which participated in the meeting will
offer to “TRNC”.
9. More than 2.300 persons were granted the “TRNC
citizenship” in the period 2009-2013
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the former self-styled
minister of interior Gulsun Yucel made statements about the “citizenship” issue
in in the paper.
Yucel said that
in the period 2004-2009, 97 persons were granted the “TRNC citizenship” while
in the period 2009-2013, 2.377 persons were granted the “citizenship”.
10. Erdogan’s contacts on the sidelines of the G-20
meeting; controversial reports whatever he met or not with Obama
The Turkish
press reports today (06.09.13) on the contacts the Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan held on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting which is taking place
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Turkish daily Sabah reports on the issue and writes that Erdogan held a
45 meeting with the French President Francois Hollande prior to the meeting’s
launching. The main issue of the meeting was Syria, writes the paper and adds
that the two men agreed that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's recent chemical
weapons attack in Damascus
suburb “should not go unpunished” and that a military intervention in Syria is
necessary.
According to Sabah, Erdogan presented Hollande with evidence about the
use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. On his part, Hollande said France attaches
great importance to bilateral relations with Turkey and that he wanted to pay a
visit to Turkey as soon as possible.
Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Economy Minister Mehmet Simsek,
Prime Ministry Undersecretary Efkan Ala
and the Prime Minister's advisor, Ibrahim Kalin, were also present at the
meeting.
Erdogan also held
talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on the sidelines of the
summit.
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News reported that Erdogan discussed the Syrian crisis with U.S.
President Barack Obama on the sidelines of a G-20 Summit.
The short
meeting came after a working dinner on the latest developments in Syria between
the leaders attending the summit. The
talks were in haste and both leaders agreed to hold another tête-à-tête meeting
on Sept. 6, according to the paper.
Reporting on the
same issue, Turkish daily Cumhuriyet writes that Obama did not make an
appointment for a meeting with Erdogan. The paper writes that neither the
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to see Erdogan.
11. Turkish FM meets his German, French and South
Korean counterparts
Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.09.13) reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday met with his German, French and South Korean counterparts during the G-20 Summit in Strelna.
Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.09.13) reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday met with his German, French and South Korean counterparts during the G-20 Summit in Strelna.
According to
diplomatic sources, Davutoglu met with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius
during G-20 Summit which has been held in Strelna town of Russia's St. Petersburg as a follow-up meeting between
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French President Francois
Hollande.
Bilateral ties
and regional issues were discussed between two foreign ministers within the
framework of latest and upcoming developments in Syria.
At the meeting,
Fabius said, the use of chemical weapon as a crime against humanity must not be
left as unanswered. Davutoglu also met with his German counterpart Guido
Westerwelle and besides bilateral ties, the ministers discussed the report
which was prepared by a committee of German Parliament regarding National Socialist
Underground (NSU) murders.
Davutoglu and Westerwelle
also talked about the latest developments in Syria and democratic transition in Egypt.
Later on,
Davutoglu met with his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se to evaluate all
aspects of Turkey-South Korea relations. Davutoglu is expected to meet with his
Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov today.
12. PKK's military leader announces suspension of
withdrawal
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (06.09.13) reports that leader of the military wing of
the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Cemil Bayik stated on Thursday that the
organization has halted the withdrawal of its members from Turkish soil to
northern Iraq and it will retaliate if the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) attacks.
Bayik recently
called on the Turkish government to take the steps negotiated during the
settlement process, saying Sept. 1 was the deadline. Speaking to a pro-Kurdish
news agency on Thursday, Bayik claimed the Turkish government had not taken the
agreed-upon steps and the terrorist organization has been “betrayed.”
“The Turkish
government has not yet acted. This shows that they are not after a solution. We
will defend ourselves. We're stopping the withdrawal. If they attack, we'll
defend ourselves. If they intensify their attacks, we'll send back the groups
which were withdrawn to South Kurdistan
[northern Iraq],” Bayik said.
Speaking to
Rohani TV last week, Bayik said the cease-fire between Turkey and the
PKK would be broken if the government failed to take action before Sept. 1.
“Kurdish people will defend themselves against any danger,” Bayik stated,
noting that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned on an island since his
capture in 1999, is calling for democratization efforts for the second phase of
the settlement process.
Earlier last
month, one of the chiefs of the PKK had said that if the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) continues to behave the same way it has been in
the past few months, the ongoing settlement process might be irrevocably
damaged.
13. Turkish-Israeli normalization talks could be
completed at any time
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (06.09.13) reports that Turkish-Israeli talks to end a
diplomatic crisis between the two countries, are on track and can be concluded
at any time, a Turkish official has said.
“This should not
surprise anyone,” the official, who spoke this week on condition of anonymity,
said of a possible breakthrough in the normalization process. “I do not see any
political obstacle standing in the way of normalization,” the official said.
Turkish and Israeli
officials began talks in April on compensation for families of victims of an Israeli
raid on the Gaza-bound aid ship the Mavi Marmara in May 2010, one of the
Turkish conditions for restoring relations with Israel. The talks followed a
US-brokered telephone conversation between the Turkish and Israeli Prime Ministers
in March, during which Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accepted an Israeli
apology for mistakes during the Mavi Marmara raid.
Turkey withdrew
its ambassador from Israel and expelled the Israeli ambassador in Ankara after the Mavi
Marmara raid, demanding a formal apology, compensation for families of the
victims and the lifting of the Israeli blockade of Gaza to restore ties.
14. Prosecutor seeks life for alleged murderers of
Gezi protester
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (06.09.13) reports that An Eskişehir prosecutor has completed an
indictment against five suspects, including a policeman, who allegedly brutally
beat and caused the death of 19-year-old university student Ali İsmail Korkmaz
after his participation in Gezi Park protests, seeking life imprisonment on
charges of premeditated murder, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
The indictment
regarding the killing of Korkmaz was finalized 94 days after his death.
Eskişehir Chief Prosecutor Orhan CetinGul is expected to present the indictment
to the court in the days to come.
Korkmaz suffered
a brain hemorrhage after reportedly being beaten with batons and baseball bats
by men in civilian clothing as he fled from police during a demonstration in Eskişehir held in support
of the Istanbul Gezi Park protests.
He fought for
his life for 38 days in the hospital before finally succumbing to his injuries
on July 10. The attack on Korkmaz stoked the tension that had erupted in late
May over a government plan to demolish Istanbul's Gezi Park
in Taksim Square
and replace it with a replica of an Ottoman-era barracks.
Four suspects,
including a policeman, were arrested on Aug. 7 in connection with Korkmaz's
death. Mevlut Saldogan, serving in the counterterrorism unit of the Eskişehir
Police Department, İsmail Koyuncu, the owner of a local bakery in Eskişehir and two of
Koyuncu's relatives were those arrested. The missing part of the footage turned
out to have been erased on June 6 by Koyuncu, who owns the Harman bakery, and
his employees.
A fifth suspect,
20-year-old bakery worker Efraim F., was arrested on Aug 15. The suspects claim
they were "helping the police” and that the person they assaulted was not
Korkmaz.
Another
policeman, Y.A., who is believed to appear in the camera footage, was
previously released by the Eskişehir Public Prosecutor's Office after giving
his statement.
15. Lira hits record low
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (06.09.13) reports that the lira weakened to record
lows on Thursday, falling beyond 2.08 to the dollar for the first time. The
lira was at 2.084 against the dollar by Thursday morning after recovering to as
high as 2.05 late on Wednesday.
The lira's
downward movement comes as the result of a number of market dynamics such as an
anticipated tapering of a US Federal Reserve stimulus package, with central
bank inaction and a looming US
strike in Syria
also being the leading factors.
The US dollar
continued its rally hours after a Fed official's statements on cutting bond
buys this month. Turkey,
along with Indonesia, led emerging markets whose currencies lost the most
today. The Turkish Central Bank has burnt $6 billion so far this year defending
the lira. The bank last week ruled out a big interest rate rise to support the
lira. This strategy, however, failed to reassure investors. The bank is
applying only sporadic policy tightening to defend the currency.
The European
Central Bank left interest rates unchanged on Thursday and markets turned their
attention to ECB chief Mario Draghi's news conference for any signs that a
eurozone recovery will affect the bank's policy stance. Investors' eyes will
then be on the US
August jobless data to come on Friday. Any positive figure should strengthen
the Fed's hand in withdrawing its multi-billion monthly cash injection. On
Thursday, US
President Barack Obama's advisors were pressing Congress, this time in
closed-door meetings, for its authorization of a military strike on Syria. Obama
said in Russia
that Japan
also agreed that Syria
had used poison gas on its own people.
Turkey has long enjoyed cheap loans in US dollars but a Fed
decision to cut stimulus will hurt this trend. Observers argue that further
money outflow from the country will also deteriorate growth prospects for this
year. The Turkish economy expanded by 2.2 percent last year over 2011; 3
percent is what the government anticipates for this year.
