TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 185/13 28-30.09.13
1.
Eroglu: Cyprus problem may be resolved by March 2014
2. Nami meets with officials of international organizations; He
addressed a meeting of the OIC; Reference to Cyprus in OIC’s decision
3. Atalay: “different options” may come onto the agenda if an
agreement is not reached in Cyprus
4. Turkish Cypriot columnist: the Turkish side forgets that in 1979
High Level Agreement it promised to return Varosha
5. Agreements with two lobby firms in Washington for promoting the
breakaway regime
6. Self-styled minister of environment compared the “water transfer
project” to the Turkish invasion
7. More signs of the islamization of Turkish Cypriot community: The
first Islamic hotel to be built in occupied Cyprus
8.
Erdogan announced details of “democratization package”
9.
Davutoglu met with Fule; Cyprus problem was also discussed
10.
Gul: Turkey’s China deal on missile system not finalized
11.
Kilicdaroglu claimed that Gadhafi reportedly helped Turkey during Turkish
military invasion to Cyprus in 1974
12.
Bahceli claimed that the AKP had assisted al-Qaeda in its efforts to gain
influence in the region.
1. Eroglu:
Cyprus problem may be resolved by March 2014
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(29.09.13), Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu said on Saturday that Turkish
Cypriot side wanted to start negotiations in October 2013 and he argued that
the problem could have been resolved by March 2014 if the Greek Cypriot side
came to the table.
"We are planning to start negotiations
intensively in October and get result from it." Eroglu told press members
after meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, "As a
Turkish side, we've stressed that we are ready to make result oriented
negotiations immediately for a comprehensive solution."
Eroglu alleged: "Turkish Cypriot side
wants to solve the problem and has proved this with the referendum, but Greek
Cypriot side have shown they don't want to solve the problem by rejecting all
the plans proposed so far."
"If Greek Cypriot side comes to the
table in order to solve the problem, we will reach an agreement on the
fundamental issues by the end of the year and on the details by January or
February in 2014. Thus, we could resolve the problem completely in March with a
referendum to be held in both sides," he told press members.
Claiming that Cyprus President Anastasiades
was wasting people's time by bringing up the opening of the fenced off town of
occupied Varosha, Eroglu emphasized that Turkey and the breakaway regime do not
have an agenda like Varosha.
Replying to a question if they couldn't
find a solution to the Cyprus problem, Eroglu noted that they would increase
their investment in sectors like tourism and education, which bring in money to
the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus.
Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(28.09.13) reported that Eroglu, during his visit to NY, met also with Finnish
Foreign Minister ErkkiTuomioja at the office of the permanent representation of
Finland to UN. No statement was issued prior or after the meeting. During the
meeting, self-styled minister of foreign affairs OzdilNami and Eroglu’s special
representative Osman Ertug were also present.
Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak
television (online, 29.09.13), after completing his contacts in New York, Eroglu
flew to Istanbul. On Monday, Eroglu will deliver a speech on “Cyprus of
yesterday, today and tomorrow” at the Kemerburgaz University. When he completes
his contacts in Istanbul, Eroglu will return to the occupied part of Cyprus on
Monday night.
2. Nami meets with officials of international organizations; He
addressed a meeting of the OIC; Reference to Cyprus in OIC’s decision
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(30.09.13) reports that OzdilNami, self-styled minister of foreign affairs of
the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, has met in New York with
ShamilSlekserov, general secretary of the Organization of the Economic
Cooperation (OEC), in which the regime participates as an observer member.
During the meeting, Nami said that they
want to work actively in the OEC and strengthen their relations with the
secretariat and the member-states of the organization. The paper recalls that
the “TRNC” had participated last year as observer in OEC’s meeting in
Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Kibris (29.09.13) reported that
Nami addressed the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation’s Annual Coordination Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs in New York. Nami said they hoped that the negotiations for
finding a solution to the Cyprus problem would resume in October and added that
they expected from the member-states of the OIC, which are among the most
important actors of the world, to allegedly “encourage” the Greek Cypriots to
abandon what he called as “unacceptable demands” and “be more willing in the
solution process”.
Nami asked also all the OIC
member-countries to “take more concrete steps” in the direction of lifting the
so-called isolation allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots.
Nami expressed his gratitude to the members
of the organization because of their decisions and declarations that support
“Turkish Cypriot people’s just cause” and noted that the OIC’s decisions and
declarations call on the member-states to take concrete steps for ending the
“unjust and inhuman isolation on the Turkish Cypriots” and for strengthening
their solidarity with the Turkish Cypriots.
Reference to Cyprus is made in the decision
adopted in the end of the meeting, writes Kibris adding that the decision said
that the organization is in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriots. It also noted
that it appreciates the “constructive efforts” of the Turkish Cypriot side for
an agreement acceptable by both sides and expressed its disappointment because
the last solution process launched in 2008, within the framework of the good
offices mission of the UN Secretary-General, gave no results. It also expressed
its support to a just, comprehensive and lasting solution on the basis of the
founding power that is derived from “the two peoples”, the political equality
of the “two peoples” and the joint ownership of the island. Finally, the
decision called on the member-states to strengthen their “active solidarity”
with the so-called “Turkish Cypriot State”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Atalay: “different options” may come onto the agenda if an agreement
is not reached in Cyprus
Under the title “Different options my come
onto the agenda”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.09.13) reported
that BesirAtalay, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot
Affairs, said on Friday that the target of the UN is to find a solution in
Cyprus during the next few months. Addressing the opening ceremony of Hala
Sultan Theological College in occupied Mia Milia and the ground-breaking
ceremony of Hala Sultan Mosque and the second phase of the college’s buildings
in the same area, Atalay alleged that Turkey, as guarantor power, fully
supports all efforts in the direction of finding a solution in Cyprus.
He went on and said: “However, if these
efforts find no response and a solution based on partnership is not achieved,
we cannot tolerate this matter to continue forever”. Noting that “different
negotiated solution options” could come onto the agenda in that case, Atalay
argued: “Turkey will never allow for the Turkish Cypriots to be turned into a
minority in a Greek Cypriot state. This should be well known”.
Referring to the importance of the complex
of buildings they constructed in occupied Mia Milia, Atalay claimed that this
would be “one of the seals” of the Turkish Cypriots on the island, one of the
“important signs” of their existence and one of the “facts which defend their
land”.
Moreover, Kibris reports that Atalay
participated also in the ground-breaking ceremony of a mosque at illegal Near
East University and the “University of Keryneia”, and visited the self-styled
prime ministerOzkanYorgancioglu and the self-styled speaker of the “assembly”
SibelSiber.
(I/Ts.)
4. Turkish Cypriot columnist: the Turkish side forgets that in
1979 High Level Agreement it promised to return Varosha
Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis
newspaper (29.09.13), Turkish Cypriot columnist, BekirAzgin notes that the
Turkish side forgets that in the 1979 High Level Agreement between late
President Kyprianou and the then Turkish Cypriot leader RaufDenktas it had
promised the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha. Under the title
“From Merkel to Varosha”, Azgin comments on various issues and refers to the
issue of the occupied closed city of Varosha under the subtitle “Since Varosha
became Varosha it had never seen such cruelty”. Under the above subtitle, he
points out the following:
“…Varosha is a part of the comprehensive
solution. Agreed. However, in 1979 Denktas - Kyprianou summit, we had promised
that we would open Varosha. For some reason no one remembers this today. This
should be because it does not suit us.
Let this aside, would it be bad if the
strong side made such a gesture during these days when the negotiations will be
liven up again?
If we should start from somewhere, Varosha
is the most appropriate place.
Furthermore, both sides will benefit from
the investments that will be made in Varosha this period during which both
sides’ economy is in pitiful situation.
Does it make sense to maintain a dead
city?”
(I/Ts.)
5. Agreements with two lobby firms in Washington for promoting
the breakaway regime
Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper
(29.09.13) reports that the breakaway regime is spending 280 thousand dollars
for lobbying activities in favour of the “TRNC”, in the United States of
America.
The paper writes that the regimes signed
with two lobby firms in Washington, for promoting the “TRNC” in the USA for 12
months. The agreements took place with the initiative of the so-called
representative of the breakaway regime in USA AhmetErdengiz. The name of the
first firm is Herrick Feinstein Law Firm, in which ex-US Congressman, Mike
McMahon is a partner. The other is Southfive the owner of which is Jason Epstein.
The regime will pay Herrick Feinstein Law Firm,200 thousand dollars and the
Southfive firm 80 thousand dollar.
The paper also notes that the breakaway
regime spends 280 thousand dollars, while the Republic of Cyprus spends 1.08
million for lobbying activities per year.
6. Self-styled minister of environment compared the “water
transfer project” to the Turkish invasion
Turkish daily Haberdar newspaper
(30.09.13) reports that the self-styled minister of environment and natural
resources HamitBakirciı went to Mardin, Turkey, invited by the Turkish Minister of Forest and Water
Affairs VeyselEroglu in order to
participate in the World Irrigation Forum.
Speaking during the meeting Bakirci
referred to the “water transfer project”, and stated that the water that will
be transferred from Turkey to the breakaway regime will be a new freedom, for
them, following the “Peace Operation of 1974” as he called the Turkish invasion
to Cyprus.
7. More signs of theislamization of Turkish Cypriot community:
The first Islamic hotel to be built in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi
newspaper (30.09.13) reports that a conservative hotel specialized for women
who cover or veil themselves due to their Islamic believes is going to be built
in occupied Cyprus.
The news on the issue was published in the
weekly Economist magazine in Turkey. According to the publication, the hotel
which will have a 1.700-person bed capacity will be constructed by the Turkish
Bulut Constructions firm which is known for undertaking various projects both
in Turkey and in occupied Cyprus.
In statements to Economist magazine, Bulut
Constructions chairman TemelBult said that the project will cost around 250
million dollars and added that the hotel will be built in a 40 donum plot which
“belongs” to the firm in occupied AgioEpiktitos village, in Keryneia. It is planned
to be completed in two years, he said.
Bulut also said that a conservative hotel
does not exists in Cyprus and claimed that there was a serious demand on the
issue which their firm will meet, noting that there are great potentials in
occupied Cyprus.
8. Erdogan
announced details of “democratization package”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
30.09.13), under the title “Turkey lifts ban on headscarf, to introduce Kurdish
education with democracy package”, reports that Turkey will lift the ban on the
wearing of headscarves in public institutions and will introduce education in
Kurdish in private schools as part of a series of democratic reforms revealed
by Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan today.
Erdogan revealed the details of the
much-anticipated democratization package at a press conference in Ankara.
The Prime Minister said they would remove a
headscarf ban in public institutions, except for judges, prosecutors, police
officers and army members, as part of an amendment to the law’s fifth article.
Rights for Turkey’s ethnic minorities were
also a big part of the package. Education in different languages and dialects
will be permitted in private schools, although the Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP) has long pushed for guaranteed mother-tongue education in public schools,
according to reforms.
Erdogan promised to end penalties for the
use of certain letters, such as “q,” “w” and “x,” which are used in Kurdish.
The legal obstacle against the names of
villages, particularly ones whose appellations were originally non-Turkish,
names will be eliminated, he said.
The student oath, which starts with the
words “I’m Turkish, right, and hardworking,” will no longer be read in primary
schools, he said.
9. Davutoglu
met with Fule; Cyprus problem was also discussed
According to Cihan news agency (28.09.13),
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule within the side-lines
of UN 68th General Assembly. Reportedly in the meeting, Davutoglu and Fule
discussed Turkish-European relations and issues about visa- free entry of
Turkish citizens to the European countries.
Some sources report that in the recent
period Turkey and Europe made significant progresses on visa cancellation
subjects and probably the negotiations will start in a short time.
Preparations for EU's Development Report
about Turkey which will be released in October also discussed in the meeting.
Davutoglu one more time stressed strategically importance of Turkey's
membership for EU and said that Turkey is expecting the report to be balanced
and to reflect progresses which made in many fields in Turkey.
Davutoglu and Fule also discussed Cyprus
problem as well.
10. Gul:
Turkey’s China deal on missile system not finalized
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
30.09.13) reports that Turkey’s deal with China over the construction of a
long-range air and anti-missile system is not the final decision, President
Abdullah Gul said yesterday.
That purchase is not definite. There is a
shortlist, and China is at the top of it. We should look at the conditions, but
there is no doubt that Turkey is primarily in NATO. These are multi-dimensional
issues, there are technical and economic dimensions and on the other hand there
is an alliance dimension. These are being evaluated. Turkey needs a defence
system,” Gul said while on board a plane that was en route to Turkey.
Earlier, the United States said on Sept. 28
that it had expressed serious concerns to Turkey over its decision to
co-produce a long-range air and missile defence system with a Chinese firm
under U.S. sanctions, Reuters reported yesterday.
Turkey, a member of the NATO military
alliance, announced on Sept. 26 that that it had chosen the FD-2000 missile
defence system from China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp, or
CPMIEC, over rival systems from Russian, U.S. and European firms.
CPMIEC is under U.S. sanctions for
violations of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Non-proliferation Act.
“We have conveyed our serious concerns
about the Turkish government’s contract discussions with a U.S.-sanctioned
company for a missile defence system that will not be inter-operable with NATO
systems or collective defence capabilities,” a State Department spokeswoman
said on Sept. 28. “Our discussions on
this issue will continue,” she said.
Some Western defence analysts have said
they were surprised by Turkey’s decision, having expected the contract to go to
Raytheon Co, a U.S. company that builds the Patriot missile, or the
Franco/Italian Eurosam SAMP/T.
The initial estimated contract price was $4
billion, but the Chinese offer stood at anywhere between $3 billion to $3.5
billion, although officials did not confirm any figure.
Turkey presently has no long-range
air-defence systems. The $4 billion program, dubbed the T-LORAMIDS, is being
designed to counter both enemy aircraft and missiles.
About half of Turkey’s network-based air
defence radars have been paid for by NATO, and are part of the NATO Air Defence
Ground Environment. “Turkey can always decide to build a standalone system. But
in that case, abstracting the air defence system from NATO assets would mean
that Turkey will lose half of its radar capabilities,” one defence analyst said
earlier.
Turkey would need interface data to make
its own air defence architecture interoperable with NATO assets, primarily data
on the Identify Friend and Foe system. This is top secret and cannot be
installed into any Chinese system.
11. Kilicdaroglu
claimed that Gadhafi reportedly helped Turkey during Turkish military invasion
to Cyprus in 1974
Under the title “PM Erdogan loves green,
especially when it comes to dollars: Main opposition leader”, Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 28.09.13) published the following report:
“Main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu
has once again slammed the government’s policies, mocking Prime Minister
RecepTayyipErdogan’s repeated statements about his love for the green.
In a speech at an agricultural forum in the
Thracian town of Luleburgaz today, Kilicdaroglu argued that Erdogan had
‘betrayed’ slain Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, saying the Turkish leader
turned on his erstwhile Libyan ally just a few months after receiving a human
rights award from the North African government.
‘[Erdogan] received a $120,000 prize. He
said he would distribute the money to relatives of slain soldiers. We asked
him, to whom did you give the money? [There was no response],’ the Republican
People’s Party (CHP) head told the crowd.
‘Especially when it comes to dollars, he
loves green,’ Kilicdaroglu said.
Stressing that Gadhafi helped Turkey during
the Turkish military’s 1974 operation in Cyprus, Kilicdaroglu said Erdogan
would not be able to export democracy if there was none at home.
‘Don’t trust those who have a culture of
betrayal in their past. [Erdogan] has sold the worker, the villager, the
shopkeeper. He declared himself the master. He is the master of the culture of
betrayal, without a doubt,’ he said.
Kilicdaroglu also slammed Erdogan for
crying over the daughter of a Muslim Brotherhood politician shot during a
crackdown in Cairo, but not doing the same for a Dutch citizen of Turkish
origin who died during al-Shaabab’s attack on a mall in Kenya.
‘You
should learn their acting. Are you solving the problems of the farmer? No, [you
are telling stories about] religion. Turkey should get off that track,’ he
said, adding that the CHP would not use death for politics.
‘I want every citizen who cares about the
future of my country to do something: Convince someone who hasn’t voted CHP
during the last elections to vote CHP. Turkey needs to be repaired, to have a
new face, a new government. A government that would lift it up to [the level
of] modern civilization,’ Kilicdaroglu said.”
12. Bahceli
claimed that the AKP had assisted al-Qaeda in its efforts to gain influence in
the region.
Under the title “Democracy package a
betrayal of Turkey’s unity, nationalist party leader says”, Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 30.09.13) reports that the democratization package
to be announced by the government aims to divide Turkey and is evidence of
betrayal of the country’s unity, the leader of the opposition Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) has said, claiming that the ongoing peace process is
proceeding at the bidding of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“Preparing a democratization package upon
the consultations of Imralı [the island where Ocalan is serving a life
sentence] and Kandil [the headquarters of the PKK] is an indication of the
rotten political understanding of the Prime Minister. I wonder how many ruling
party lawmakers know about the content of this package,” MHP head DevletBahceli
said during his party’s meeting yesterday. “The one who divides Turkey in his
mind is the Prime Minister.”
Bahceli also announced the majority of his
party’s candidates for the upcoming local elections, launching its pre-election
campaign under the headline, “Enough is enough.”
In a long speech to party members, he
strongly criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the
pro-government media. Putting the much-anticipated democracy package at the
core of his criticism of Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan, Bahceli said
Erdogan would have to “pay the cost of his sins.”
The MHP head also said the government’s
foreign policy was bringing about considerable security problems, suggesting
that al-Qaeda had become established on Turkey’s border with Syria as a result
of the government’s policies. He claimed that the AKP had assisted al-Qaeda in
its efforts to gain influence in the region.
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