TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.179/13 20/9/2013
1.
Turkish Cypriot delegation headed by Eroglu is flying to New York
2.
Eroglu says Varosha will definitely come onto the agenda of his meeting with
the UN Secretary-General
3.
Turkish Cypriot daily argues that the regime banned discussion of the issue of
occupied fenced Varosha on illegal Bayrak
4.
Comments by the Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport on
Trabzonspor’s direct flight to Cyprus
5.
Trabzonspor officials visit Eroglu; They want to see Eroglu in Trabzon for the
return match
6.
Reactions by Turkish Cypriots to Trabzonspor’s direct flight to Larnaca
7.
Atalay greeted Achbishop’s gesture to subsidise the restoration of the occupied
monastery of Apostolos Andreas
8.
Caglar and Ertugruloglu will participate in PACE’s meeting
9.
Ocalan reportedly wants “new role” in peace talks
10.
Turkish pianist Fazıl Say sentenced to 10 months in prison for blasphemy in
retrial
11.
TUSIAD urges EU to revive talks with Turkey
1.
Turkish Cypriot delegation headed by Eroglu is flying to New York
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(20.09.13) reports that a Turkish Cypriot delegation headed by the Turkish
Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu is departing for New York on Sunday 22 September,
2013 for the UN General Assembly. The self-styled foreign minister of the
breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, Ozdil Nami
will be participating in the delegation. Eroglu and Nami are expected to hold
contacts with officials from various countries and international organizations.
Meanwhile, Eroglu met yesterday with the
Russian Ambassador to Nicosia, Stanislav Osadchiy. No statement was issued
after the meeting.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Eroglu says Varosha will definitely come onto the agenda of his meeting with
the UN Secretary-General
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(20.09.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has said that
the issue of the occupied fenced city of Varosha will definitely come onto the
agenda of his meeting with the UN Secretary-General in New York.
At the side-lines of one of his
meetings, Eroglu was recalled yesterday of the support expressed by Russia and
Britain to President Anastasiades’ proposal regarding the return of Varosha to
its legal owners and was asked whether this issue will come onto the agenda of
the meetings, which he will be holding in New York.
Eroglu said that the views of the
Turkish Cypriot side on the issue of Varosha are known. He noted that he will
meet with the UN Secretary-General in New York and that the issue of Varosha
will definitely come onto the table. He claimed the following:
“We have made statements on this issue
in the past. Varosha is territory and the territory issue is one of the
chapters of the negotiations. If the negotiations proceed positively, at the
last stage we will discuss the territory issue. Anastasiades might have brought
Varosha onto the agenda thinking to give good messages to his own public
opinion and make it forget the economic problems, but our policy on this issue
is open and clear”.
Eroglu was also asked to comment on the
issue of brining to the occupied area of Cyprus vehicles for interfering in
social incidents, known as TOMA. Recalling that political parties and
organizations reacted against brining these vehicles to the occupied area of
Cyprus, Eroglu said that the so-called security forces command should re-examine
the issue, because of these reactions.
(I/Ts.)
3.
Turkish Cypriot daily argues that the regime banned discussion of the issue of
occupied fenced Varosha on illegal Bayrak
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(20.09.13) reports that the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus has forbidden the discussion of the issue of the occupied
fenced city of Varosha on illegal Bayrak television. The paper argues that the
instructions were given by the self-styled foreign minister of the regime,
Ozdil Nami. According to allegations, the ban especially concerns Kudret
Ozersay, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu’s former special representative
and current leader of the “Toparlaniyoruz” (We are Gathering Strength)
Movement.
(I/Ts.)
4.
Comments by the Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport on
Trabzonspor’s direct flight to Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi
newspaper (20.09.13) reports that the Turkish Minister of Transport, Binali
Yildirim said yesterday that the change of route of the airplane, which was
carrying Trabzonspor football club’s team to the government-controlled area of
the Republic of Cyprus in order to play with Apollon Limassol football club’s
team within the framework of UEFA Europa League, was not a problem for Turkey.
He noted that according to information he obtained, the airplane changed its
route after leaving the Turkish airspace, skipped the Trabzon-Rhodes part of
the journey and landed directly in Larnaka. “Our General Directorate of Civil
Aviation asked to be briefed on this issue by Greece’s Civil Aviation, which is
our interlocutor”, he added. Yildirim said that probably the plane changed its
route after holding a contact with the Greek Civil Aviation.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Turkish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Levent Gumrukcu said that it was not possible for
any plane to take off from Turkey and directly land in “south Cyprus”, as he
described the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus. He noted
that the Turkish Civil Aviation does not give permission to such direct
flights. “The incident was realized upon the pilot’s initiative”, he argued. He
noted that the permit given to the Greek plane carrying Trabzonspor team to
Cyprus was for going from Trabzon to Rhodes. He argued that “no new situation
is created” in Turkey’s relations with the Republic of Cyprus by the fact that
the plane changed its route and landed in Larnaka, instead of Rhodes.
(I/Ts.)
5.
Trabzonspor officials visit Eroglu; They want to see Eroglu in Trabzon for
the return match
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi
newspaper (20.09.13) reports that a delegation from Trabzonspor football club
which visited the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus in order
to play with Apollon Limassol football club’s team within the framework of UEFA
Europa League, met yesterday with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu in
the occupied part of Nicosia. Moreover, the delegation, headed by the club’s
president, Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, had lunch in the occupied part of the divided
Cypriot capital.
Asked to comment on the fact that
Trabzonspor’s delegation travelled to Larnaka directly from Trabzon, Eroglu
recalled that the Turkish Ministry of Transport had made a statement on the incident
and added that he did not want to make any comment before examining the issue
in detail. Eroglu referred to the so-called embargo implemented on the Turkish
Cypriots in the field of sports and transport and reiterated the allegation
that the Greek Cypriots had been accepted in the EU in spite of the fact that
they allegedly caused the problem in Cyprus.
In his statements Haciosmalioglu wished
for the “TRNC” to “come to the point it deserves” and said he hopes that the
“embargo” implemented on the Turkish Cypriots will end and they will be able to
play with Turkish Cypriot teams. He argued that they consider the struggle
given by the Turkish Cypriots as their own struggle and added that they want to
see Eroglu at their return match with Apollon Limassol in Trabzon. He said that
their airplane landed directly in Larnaca because it was a Greek plane. He
argued that a stronger Turkey could play an important role in the lifting of
the “embargoes’ allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots.
(I/Ts.)
6.
Reactions by Turkish Cypriots to Trabzonspor’s direct flight to Larnaca
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi
newspaper (20.09.13) reports that the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot so-called
football federation, Hasan Sertoglu has argued that after the direct flight of
Trabzonspor football club’s team to the government-controlled area of the
Republic of Cyprus, he decided not to go to Apollon Limassol- Trabzonspor match
in Nicosia and added that no Turkish Cypriot should go. In statements yesterday
he argued that “they are playing for years and we watch”, adding that this
should end and the Turkish Cypriots “should also be included in this game”. “If
the direct flight was held knowingly, as we think it happened, this is a very
bad incident. This leaves the Turkish Cypriots totally alone with their
destiny”, he argued.
Furthermore, the chairman of the Turkish
Cypriot Sport Writers’ Association, Ogun Kacmaz said that this incident could
constitute a precedent, adding that it has most probably happened within the
knowledge of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and after a dialogue
between Turkey and Greece. He described as “not convincing” the statement
issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry that it knew nothing about the issue.
Moreover, Ali Uzunyayla, so-called air
traffic department’s chief, said that “such change of route cannot happen
instantly”, adding that “the sides had agreed from before”. In statements
yesterday, Uzunyayla said that changing route is not contrary to the aviation
rules. He noted that the incident had no relation with them and that the
airplane had not entered into “TRNC’s” so-called airspace. He went on saying
that the flight plan completed in Trabzon provided for a route from Trabzon to
the island of Rhodes, but the Greek Civil Aviation Department agreed with the
Cypriot Civil Aviation Department and the plane landed directly in Larnaka.
(I/Ts.)
7.
Atalay greeted Achbishop’s gesture to subsidise the restoration of the
occupied monastery of Apostolos Andreas
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris
(20.09.13) reports that so-called department of religious affairs announced
that they are pleased that the EVKAF religious foundation signed yesterday a
protocol with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP-PFF) and the Church
of Cyprus on the issue of restoring the occupied monastery of Apostolos (Saint)
Andreas in occupied Karpasia peninsula.
Talip Atalay, head of the so-called
religious affairs department of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus, in a written statement, greeted the constructive
approach made by Archbishop Chrysostomos II to subsidise financially the
restoration of the occupied monastery of Apostolos Andreas, adding that he
wishes the continuation of this cooperation. He also said that this cooperation
is important to be carried also to the future and be adopted for all the
cultural heritage of the worship places in Cyprus.
8.
Caglar and Ertugruloglu will participate in PACE’s meeting
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Star
Kibris (20.09.13), the self-styled assembly approved yesterday the
participation of the so-called deputy Mehmet Caglar from the Republican Turkish
Party – United Forces (CTP-BG) and so-called deputy Tahsin Ertugruloglu from
the National Unity Party (UBP) to
the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
9.
Ocalan reportedly wants “new role” in peace talks
Under the title “BDP co-chair says PKK
leader wants 'new role' in peace talks”, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (online,
19.09.13), reported that Selahattin Demirtas - a co-chair of Turkey's
pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) - told reporters in Diyarbakir on
Thursday that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan wants to pave a new way for the
process, which is currently in a stalemate.
The remarks by Demirtas came days after
his visit to Abdullah Ocalan on Imrali Island off the coast of Istanbul. In a
written statement, Ocalan asked for a “new format” and renewed his wish to
finalize the settlement process -- a nine-month-old project that has effectively
halted decades-long violence and raised hopes for an enduring solution to the
conflict.
Demirtas said an official from the
Turkish state was also present during the meeting with Ocalan. He added that he
and other BDP members are shuttling between Ocalan and “Kandil” (the Turkish
name for the mountains in northern Iraq on the Iranian border that are regarded
as the PKK's stronghold). Demirtas also said there are no direct talks between
Ankara and Kandil.
The BDP co-chairman said that a party
delegation is planning to go to Kandil next week to convey details of the
meeting with Ocalan and they may hold talks with Turkish officials in Ankara
when they return.
He added that they are doing their best
to play their role in this process, but complained that there are no
negotiations taking place despite conditions being ripe. He noted that the
necessary basis for negotiations has been prepared as a result of the dialogue
in the past year, and that they should not regard this period as a “loss.”
“Maybe there is a delay in the timeline,
but I can say that there is still ground for negotiations,” Demirtas said.
Speaking on a package of reforms the
government is planning to unveil by the end of this month, Demirtas said the
government is preparing this democratization package based on its “own
sensitivities” rather than the settlement process. He added that even a small
advancement in the settlement process could hasten the process of militants
returning home from the mountains. “We believe it is necessary that the war
totally come to an end,” the BDP leader said.
Demirtas criticized the democratization
initiative for being a “package of the Justice and Development Party [AKP]” and
downplayed the idea that an important outcome could come from it.
“The [reform] package has failed to
become the key for the process. The way it is prepared, uncertainty over its
content and its belated preparation, made it detached from the process,”
Demirtas concluded.
10. Turkish pianist Fazıl Say sentenced to 10 months in
prison for blasphemy in retrial
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 20.09.13) reports that world-renowned Turkish pianist Fazıl Say,
who was sentenced to 10 months in prison for blasphemy in April, was again
sentenced to 10 months by an Istanbul court today in a retrial.
Say had received a suspended
10-month prison sentence on charges of “insulting religious beliefs held by a
section of the society,” for re-tweeting several lines, which are attributed to
poet Omar Khayyam.
Say’s lawyers had demanded his
suspension be cancelled. His demand had been accepted by the court, and the
court had paved the way for Say to be re-tried.
The 19th Istanbul Peace Court
sentenced Say to 10 months in prison but since Say has no criminal record, the
court suspended the sentence and ordered supervised liberty. If Say does not
commit another crime within two years, the case will be dropped. The pianist
will be able to appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Say was convicted after
tweeting the following lines: “You say its rivers will flow in wine. Is the
Garden of Eden a drinking house? You say you will give two hours to each
Muslim. Is the Garden of Eden a whorehouse?”
11. TUSIAD urges EU to revive talks with Turkey
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 20.09.13) reports that president of the Turkish Industrialists and
Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) has urged the European Union to revive
stalled membership negotiations with Turkey to deepen relations with the EU as
well as improve democracy and rule of law in the candidate country.
Muharrem Yilmaz said during second High-Level
Consultation Council (YIK) on Friday that both Turkey and the EU should put the
accession negotiations on track again that will help both side benefit from
their improved ties.
TUSIAD president demanded
Brussels to open 22nd chapter on regional policy and coordination of structural
instruments immediately. He said they also insist opening the 23rd chapter on
judiciary and basic rights and 24th chapter on justice, freedom and security.
“I want to reach out to the EU
member states and officials,” Yilmaz said, “who could – and how – be hurt by
opening these negotiation chapters?”
“Who and how could one benefit
from keeping these chapters closed,” Yilmaz asked rhetorically. He added that
there is a need for construction and sincere position of the 28-nation bloc.
Chief of TUSIAD, one of the
leading driving engines of Turkish business world, said they also demand the EU
determine a fixed date for finalizing the membership negotiations.
Speaking about a package of
reforms the government is planning to unveil by the end of this month, Yilmaz
said they expect the package to bring tangible political steps that would make
the peaceful atmosphere in the country everlasting. He said the package also
should address recent concerns that the country is sliding back fundamental
rights and freedom. Another benefit of the package, Yilmaz said, should be to
accelerate works to write a new constitution that puts individual at the centre
and includes broad freedoms.
Branding the democratization
package as an important step, Yilmaz said the using the opportunity while
endorsing the reform package could significantly strengthen Turkey's hand in
terms of its bid to become the EU member.
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