TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.
198/13 18.10.13
1. Ertug calls on
Mavroyiannis to meet him on Monday
2. Fule: EU is determined to
undertake a more active role in Cyprus
3. BKP: The Turkish Cypriot side exhibits negative stance
on issuing a joint statement; the principles of single sovereignty, citizenship
and international identity were agreed in the past
4. Turkish Minister describes
the water project as their umbilical cord with occupied Cyprus
5. KTOS: we do not want to be
nourished through an umbilical cord
6. Villagers worry about the
dam of the water which will be brought from Turkey
7. Record services by illegal
Tymvou during Bayram holidays
8. Turkey denies claims on
disclosure of Israeli spies, intelligence chief
9. Erdogan to meet with Putin
in Moscow
10. Yildiz: Turkey should
build its own nuclear plants
11. BDP deputy rejects talks
of election alliance with CHP
1. Ertug calls on Mavroyiannis to meet him on Monday
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.10.13) reports that Osman Ertug, Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu’s spokesman
and special representative, has said that the date of the reciprocal visits of
the Turkish and Greek Cypriot representatives to Athens and Ankara respectively
should be determined and called on Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas
Mavroyiannis to meet him on Monday. “We should determine the date”, noted Ertug
in statements to illegal Bayrak television yesterday.
Noting that he had sent an invitation to
the Greek Cypriot negotiator through the UN for meeting him on 21 October the
latest in order to determine the date and the details of their visits to Athens
and Ankara, Ertug argued that these meetings “bear psychological and political
importance”. “They will help the sides in knowing each other. However, the
actual place of the negotiations is here, Cyprus”, he said and added: “Turkey
and Greece decided this. The rest are details. We should discuss the date, the
place of the meeting and which places will be visited. We will discuss them
having good will. I hope there is no turn back from this point on. If this
happens, it will not happen because of us”.
Responding to a question, Ertug said that
some dates are mentioned as regards the visits of the representatives to Athens
and Ankara, but “they have to be confirmed”.
Referring to the meeting between the
leaders of the communities, Ertug noted that the Turkish side has replied
positively to [a proposal for] holding this meeting on 4 November and pointed
out to the insistence of the Greek Cypriot side on a joint statement. Ertug
claimed that the leaders should continue the negotiations even without a joint
statement and alleged: “Eight months have passed. This job should start at
last. Preconditions were asked. Meeting with Turkey was asked. However, it
should be seen who the unwilling side is”.
Ertug alleged that they are working with a
good spirit and good will on preparing a joint statement and added that three
texts were prepared by the Turkish side and one by the UN. He argued that the
Turkish side’s approach to the UN’s text was positive, but the Greek side
“experiences serious difficulties”. He alleged: “They do not have a problem
with the substance of the joint statement. We hear through mediators that they
experience a difficulty from the point of view of [their] internal politics”.
Ertug claimed that the deadlock is not
derived from the Turkish Cypriot side and reiterated that the convergences
could not be ignored and that a “new Cyprus” will be constructed on these
convergences. “If you do not accept this and say that ‘we want to negotiate again’,
this is tantamount to wasting of time”, he argued.
Ertug said that the Turkish side is
sensitive on the principle of the two founding states, the powers of these
founding states and the issue of the citizenship.
Ertug noted that the preparation could not
last forever and that we should enter into productive processes, not processes
that will be wasting our time. He reiterated the view that the negotiations
could not be open-ended.
He said that the joint statement should be
short, that it is difficult to fit all issues into a paper and that the thorny
issues will be discussed at the table.
Asked what he will discuss in Greece, Ertug
recalled that Greece is a guarantor power in Cyprus and emphasized the issue of
“equality and symmetry” for the visits. “The equality which we will secure in
the meetings will lead us only to an equal basis”, he argued.
(I/Ts.)
2. Fule: EU is determined to undertake a more active role in
Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.10.13) reports that Stefan Fule, EU Commissioner on the Enlargement, has
said that the Union wants concrete results to be produced from the negotiations
in Cyprus and added that if the UN and the sides accepted, the EU is determined
to undertake a more active role in the process.
In statements to Turkish NTV television,
Fule assessed Turkey’s progress report for 2013 prepared by the Commission,
which he described as “generally balanced and positive in a way”.
Referring to Cyprus, Fule said: “We want
concrete results to be produced by the negotiations in Cyprus. At the same
time, we are determined to play a more active role. If the UN and the sides
accept this, we want to state clearly that we are ready to help in this
process. Within the framework of this process, we are ready to help the sides
on the issue of building confidence”.
Replying to questions of GuldenerSonumut,
NTV’s correspondent in Brussels, Fule said that the Gezi Park incidents will
develop in Turkey’s favour during its accession process to the EU. He argued
that Chapter 22 should soon open in Turkey’s accession talks, expressing the
view that this issue will come onto the agenda on 22 October in Luxembourg
during the meeting of the General Affairs Council.
“We are ready to receive an invitation for
going to Ankara in order to launch the dialogue for visa”, he further noted.
Responding to the reactions of Turkish
officials because the report has been announced during the Muslim Feast of the
Sacrifices, Fule said that the EU has also a timetable and should follow it.
(I/Ts.)
3. BKP: The Turkish Cypriot side exhibits negative stance on
issuing a joint statement; the principles of single sovereignty, citizenship
and international identity were agreed in the past
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.10.13) reports that Abdullah Korkmazhan, organizational secretary of the
United Cyprus Party (BKP), has said that an early federal solution is
absolutely necessary for all Cypriots and called on the sides to stop playing
the “game of being the side that wants an early solution” and start negotiating
the soonest.
In a written statement issued yesterday,
Korkmazhan noted that the Turkish Cypriot side exhibits a negative stance on
the issue of making a joint statement and rejects the inclusion in the
statement of the principles of single sovereignty, single citizenship and
single international identity, which had been accepted by the two sides in the
past.
Korkmazhan pointed out that the single
citizenship and sovereignty are points on which ex-President Christofias and
former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat agreed on principle. He added: “Therefore,
the issues agreed in the past and the ground of the negotiations must be
respected and the negotiations must be continued from the point they have been
left”.
Furthermore, Korkmazhan accused President
Anastasiades of trying to start negotiations from the scratch.
(I/Ts.)
4. Turkish Minister describes the water
project as their umbilical cord with occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (18.10.13), in its front page under
the title “tie us up, mom”, reports that Turkey’s Minister of Forestry and
Water Works VeyselEroglu said that the water pipeline project will connect the
“TRNC” (trans. Note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus) from its motherland’s belly, adding that the water project is their
umbilical cord.
Speaking at a ceremony of his party, Eroglu said that Turkey is
undertaking amazing grand projects that could not even be imagined, like the
project that will transfer water from Turkey to the “TRNC”.
Noting that the pipeline project to be constructed over 80km of sea
is the first of its kind, Eroglu added: “The whole world is waiting to see how
we are going to succeed. It’s the first time a pipeline at this length has been
suspended through the sea. We shall be suspending the pipeline 250 meters under
the sea with anchors on the sea floor. We will tie TRNC through our belly to
the motherland.”
5. KTOS: we do not want to be nourished through an umbilical cord
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.10.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers’ Trade
Union (KTOS) has said that the Turkish Cypriots want to stand on their own feet
in their country, having their own sociocultural values in a united Cyprus and
that they do not want to be nourished through an “umbilical cord”.
KTOS’ chairman, GuvenVaroglu issued a
written statement yesterday strongly reacting to a reference by the Turkish
Minister of Forestry and Energy, VeyselEroglu, who described the project of
transferring water from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus through
underwater pipelines as “binding” the occupied area of Cyprus to its
“motherland” through an umbilical cord.
Varoglu accused Turkey of acting contrary
to the Zurich-London Agreements and changing the island’s demographic structure
by transferring population to the northern part of Cyprus.
Varoglu said: “As a result of the
integration and assimilation policies implemented by Ankara governments and
their local collaborators the TRNC government, the Turkish Cypriots, who have
become minority in their own country, have come to the point of experiencing
serious difficulties in their struggle of protecting their identity, keeping
alive their social and cultural values and protecting their secular and modern
structure.”
Noting that the statements by VeyselEroglu
show that the officials from Turkey continue using the “Motherland-Daughterland
rhetoric”, Varoglu said that the Turkish officials should know that the Turkish
Cypriots are giving a struggle for communal existence. “Even if we are betrayed
from time to time, this struggle will continue”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
6. Villagers worry about the dam of the water which will be
brought from Turkey
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen
newspaper (18.10.13) reports that the inhabitants of the occupied Panagra
village expressed their worries as regards the dam built in their village in
the framework of the water transfer project from Anamur village in Turkey to
the breakaway regime.
According to the paper, the works for the
dam’s construction have been completed; however the persons living in the area
are anxious because they are afraid that the dam may collapse.
7. Record services by
illegal Tymvou during Bayram holidays
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (18.10.13) reports that the illegal Tymvou airport will offer record services as regards the
number of flights and the number of passengers during the period of KurbanBayram
(Feast of Sacrifice), based on the data for the first days of Bayram holidays.
KurbanBayram is celebrated from
11 of October until 21 of October this year.
The paper writes that it is
estimated that 815 planes and 110 thousand passengers will be offered services
at illegal Tymvou airport during the Bayram holidays.
8. Turkey denies claims on disclosure of
Israeli spies, intelligence chief
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 17.10.13),
Turkish government officials were quick to deny claims reported by Washington
Post columnist David Ignatius that Ankara blew the cover on a group of Israeli
spies, disclosing their names to Iranian intelligence.
“Various campaigns both at international and national level are
recently underway,” Foreign Minister Davutoglu said from his hometown of Konya
on Oct. 17, blaming those campaigns as trying to discredit the government’s
“mission” and Ankara’s goal to raise Turkey’s global profile.
Ignatius had claimed in his Washington Post column that during a
bitter period in bilateral relations, Turkey gave up the identities of around
10 Israeli spies to Tehran, who had been working with Israeli intelligence, in
“an effort to slap the Israelis,” according to sources that Ignatius described
as “knowledgeable.”
Also referring to another article published in the Wall Street
Journal last week about the preponderance of Turkish Intelligence Chief
HakanFidan in Ankara’s Syria stance, Davutoglu argued that the timing of both
publications was “important.” Ignatius' article also mentions Fidan, claiming
that he was considered by Israeli authorities to be suspect due to his close
ties to Tehran.
“The claims on HakanFidan are not only unfounded but also an
example of a very poor black propaganda,” Davutoglu said.
Mustafa Varank, one of the Prime Minister’s advisers, also
responded to Ignatius’ article, describing the report as “incoherent” via
Twitter. Varank argued that Ignatius’ story clashed with the reality of
intelligence agencies.
“Ignatius’ article is so incoherent. The intelligence world
operates according to agreements,” he tweeted.
“The fall was going to get heated, wasn’t it?” he said in reference
to predictions that the Gezi protests would restart after the summer. “Their
predictions have not panned out, and for that reason, they have started a
campaign against the reputation of the [Turkish] government and intelligence.”
Varank also said it was inevitable that some powers would launch
psychological warfare against the government and its intelligence service with
the upcoming elections.
9. Erdogan to meet with Putin in Moscow
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper
(18.10.13) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will hold a
meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin at the High Level Cooperation
Council which will be held between the two countries in Moscow on 21-22 of
November. The Council was set up during Putin’s visit to Turkey last May.
Issues regarding trade and investment opportunities between the two countries
will be discussed during the meeting.
Erdogan will visit Russia heading
a large delegation, notes the paper, adding that Syria will be one of the main
issues of the Council’s agenda.
10. Yildiz: Turkey should build its own
nuclear plants
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (17.10.13), Turkish Energy
Minister TanerYildiz, speaking to journalists at the 22nd World Energy Cogress
in South Korea on Thursday, said Turkey had to own its nuclear plants.
Yildiz added that the complete process of constructing a nuclear plant
should be conducted in Turkey with the contribution of local partners,
entrepreneurs, public and private sector in regards to the third nuclear plant
to be built by a Turkish company.
Yildiz reminded that the International Energy Agency with 28 member
countries would gather under the presidency of Turkey in Paris next month.
Yildiz said Turkey's gas import from Iran was 10 billion cubic
meters and added, "Iran is one of the biggest suppliers of Turkey. We are
extremely satisfied with this deal. We are open to any proposal of supplying
more natural gas."
Asked about UN sanctions on Iran, Yildiz said "One should
understand Turkey's needs," emphasizing that Turkey has remarkably grown
in the last decade.
Regarding whether or not a Chinese company could be contracted for a
building nuclear plant in Turkey, Yildiz said, "Although we completed the
process for the second plant, Turkey' has broader nuclear aims. Negotiating
with China might be one of the options in the future."
Yildiz thanked South Korea for the Congress, which he defined as
the "energy olympics," and reminded that it would convene in Turkey
in 2016.
11. BDP deputy rejects talks of election
alliance with CHP
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.10.13) reported that
the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) lawmaker SirriSureyyaOnder has ruled out
the possibility of forming an alliance with the main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) in the upcoming local elections.
There were reports on the two opposition parties joining forces to
prevent the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) from keeping its seat in
Istanbul in the March 30 elections, but Onder ruled the claims out.
Earlier this week, journalist UtkuCakırozer reported in the daily
Cumhuriyet that the CHP was lining up Mustafa Sarigul, a three-time reigning
Mayor in Istanbul’s Sisli district, for the Metropolitan Municipality seat, and
was urging the BDP “not to have a strong candidate” that would poorly affect
the votes.
Onder said Cakırozer was “an honest journalist” but added he had
built the article on “the wishful thinking of the CHP.”
“There is no such alliance,” Onder said during a televised
interview at Haberturk. “If the CHP has such an expectation, then apparently I
have a big voter potential. And I like it.”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
