TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
1. Nami: the powers of the federal government in case
of a solution in Cyprus should be kept at the minimum level
2. Cavusoglu: it is not correct to talk about a ‘Plan
B’ for Cyprus for now
3. KTOEOS
called on AKP to get their army and abandon Cyprus
4. Ihsanoglu: For
a country to become a full member to the
OIC, full membership to the UN is required
5. Sibel calls
international community to see the “realities” on the island
6. Cyprus Turkish
Football Association - Turkish Cypriot Football Federation agreement approved
unanimously
7. Eroglu: football unification deal is a ‘wrong step'
8. Serdar Denktas: We have warned the CTFA
9. Non solution
continues encouraging migration for the Turkish Cypriots
10. Fellahoglu: 1200 people
cross from the Ledra Street crossing point
11. Turkish energy minister meets Iraqi Deputy PM
12. Erdogan sues Taraf newspaper
11. Turkish energy minister meets Iraqi Deputy PM
12. Erdogan sues Taraf newspaper
13. Deputy who opposed
closure of prep schools resigns from AK Party
1. Nami: the powers of the federal government in
case of a solution in Cyprus should be kept at the minimum level
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (01.12.13) reported that Ozdil Nami, self-styled
minister of foreign affairs of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus, has alleged that the problem with issuing the joint
statement in the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem is the Greek Cypriot side’s wishing for some
expressions to be clearly included in the statement, but at the same time not
seeing positively the inclusion of some other issues to which the Turkish side
attaches importance.
In an interview
with Havadis which is published in two parts (on 01 and 02.12.13), Nami said
that the Greek Cypriot side wants the “concepts of single sovereignty, single
citizenship and single international identity” to be included in the statement,
but it does not want to be said that “the founding states will have their own
internal citizenship”, an element which he described as “supplementary” of the
“single citizenship”. He added that another very important issue for the
Turkish Cypriot side is what he called as “residual powers”, which will remain
outside the area of jurisdiction of the federal government and the view that
these “residual powers” should remain in the full jurisdiction of the “founding
states”.
Asked whether
there is a problem on the issue of the sovereignty as well, Nami replied that
this issue also seems to have come forward as a problematic issue between the
leaders, because “even though the UN Security Council’s relevant resolutions
say that the structure which will be established in Cyprus will have a single
sovereignty, for us it is very important that this sovereignty in Cyprus
derives from the two peoples”. Noting that the Turkish side definitely wants
this expression to be included in the joint statement, Nami argued: “If you say
that ‘there is a single sovereignty and put a full stop, there are people in
the Turkish side who worry that this will be an expression that reminds of the
structure of the 1960”.
Asked whether it is not clear that the structure to be established
will be a federation, Nami said: “Yes, in any case there could not be more than
one sovereignty within a state. However, sharing this sovereignty could be in
the question… It is important to be clearly known and stated that the one side
could not dominate over the other. It is important to be clearly stated that
there could not be any inferior-superior relationship between the federal state
and the founding states. We want to include these in the joint statement, while
the Greek Cypriot side does not want to include these”.
Nami alleged that actually the Greek Cypriot side knows that these
will be included in an agreement for a comprehensive solution, that they should
be included in such an agreement and that if they are not included there will
not be an agreement.
Replying to another question, Nami said he sees “light in the end of
the tunnel” as regards the joint statement and added: “The leaders and their
representatives are definitely not at the point from where we have started. A
really important work has been done. And I know and see that the sides are much
closer today comparing to the point they had been in the past”.
Nami was asked the following: “It is noted that unlike what was
happening in the past negotiations, this time both the Greek and the Turkish
side want a loose federation. Is it true?”
Nami replied: “I am not sure whether ‘loose federation’ is the
correct expression here. The issue is for the powers of the federal government
to be kept at the minimum possible level and more powers to be left to the
founding states as ‘residual powers’. This is perhaps the most distinctive difference
between Mr Anastasiades and Mr Christofias. Mr Christofias supported that more
powers should be given to the federal government. In the contrary, Mr
Anastasiades thinks that the fewer the powers left to the federal government
the lower the possibility of dispute between the two sides. This is a view
shared by the Turkish side also. Actually, this is a very important issue,
because the Cyprus problem’s backbone is the issue of power sharing and
governance. One of the most core issues under this chapter is the list of
powers to be left to the federal state. It is understood that a convergence, an
agreement will be reached more easily between the two sides on this issue. And
this creates a light of hope in us that progress will be fast after the joint statement
comes up”.
Nami alleged that it is very clear that the UN is trying for the
last time to solve the Cyprus problem and “this is a serious danger for the
Cypriots”. He argued that in case the UN announces that the efforts for
establishing a federation in Cyprus are exhausted, a “painful, troublesome
process awaits ahead for us”. “If they come to this point, we have to seriously
evaluate what our situation will be”, he said and added that this does not mean
that the breakaway regime will be recognized by the world.
Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu is sincere when he
refers to the solution of the Cyprus problem, Nami recalled that his party
disagrees with Eroglu and this was shown, for example, during the referendum
for the Annan Plan, but added that after his “election” Eroglu stated in
writing that he was committed to all convergences reached during former Turkish
Cypriot Talat’s period.
In the second part of the interview, Havadis (02.12.13) reports that
Nami reiterated the Turkish view that the return of the occupied closed city of
Varosha is a part of the comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem and
alleged that “Varosha could not be a project for people who have set the target
of reaching a comprehensive solution in the following spring”, but “a the
project of those who have not the target of a comprehensive solution”.
Replying to a question on the visits of the representatives of the
leaders to Athens and Ankara respectively, Nami argued that even though it is
not clearly stated, Greece waits for an agreement on a joint statement before
accepting Eroglu’s representative.
(I/Ts.)
2. Cavusoglu: it is not correct to talk about a
‘Plan B’ for Cyprus for now
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (01.12.13) reported that Mevlut Cavusoglu, Justice
and Development Party’s (AKP) vice president and responsible for AKP’s foreign
policy, has said that it is not correct to talk about a “Plan B’ for Cyprus for
now and alleged that “now we want peace, we want solution and we should exert
efforts until the end”.
In statements to illegal Bayrak television, Cavusoglu argued that
they have launched an effort to solve all the problems which Turkey faces and
added that the issues of Cyprus, is an issue that directly concerns Turkey. He
alleged that the biggest opportunity for peace in Cyprus is the existence of a
government in Turkey which supports this process and wondered: “If we do not
solve the existing problem in Cyprus today, when we will solve it? For how long
we will wait?”
He noted that except for Cyprus, the AKP government tried to carry
to all international platforms the issue of Karabag and Azerbaijan. He went on
and reiterated the Turkish allegation that the Turkish side continues being
“one step forward” in the Cyprus problem and claimed that “within the framework
of a peace project we are bringing water to the island”.
Arguing that peace could be reached with a “comprehensive plan”,
Cavusoglu added: “The Greek Cypriots say ‘give us Varosha and we shall open your
way to the EU. We have never made the issue of EU a bargain for Cyprus. Our
point of view for Cyprus could not be only the EU. We are face to face with
such bargaining…”
Cavusoglu said that the AKP has increased the financial aid to the
breakaway regime to an extent that could not be compared with the aid granted
by the former Turkish governments and in parallel to this, it strengthened the
political support it offers to the regime. He said that they wanted to carry
out in the occupied area of Cyprus all the reforms they have carried out in
Turkey. He added that in spite of the fact that they agreed on this issue with
the “governments” of the breakaway regime, it was not easy to carry out some
reforms.
“It is not easy to demolish some understandings. The views of some
trade unions and some ideological groups in the TRNC do not exist anymore even
in communist states in the world”, he alleged and argued that when the “level
of the debates is low”, the criticism coming from the occupied area reaches the
level of being swear” [at Turkey]. He went on and said: “These are not good
things. Who you are swearing at? You are swearing at a government which helped
you the most and Turkey. Could such things be accepted?...We will increase any
kind of help, but the time has come now to start catching fish. We should learn
this together. We are trying to achieve this.”
(I/Ts.)
3. KTOEOS
called on AKP to get their army and abandon Cyprus
Under the title “Cut the money and get
out”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (02.12.13) in its front page, reports that
Tahir Gokcebel, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot secondary school teachers’
trade union (KTOEOS), replying very hurtful to Mevlut Cavusoglu, deputy
chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who said that it is
too difficult to break the mentalities and ideologies of some trade unions at
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
The paper reports that Gokcebel gave to Cavusoglu
the answer he deserved by saying: “If you are courageous, announce tomorrow
that you will take out from Cyprus your army, your bureaucrats, your
administration, your casinos, your universities, your banks and your mosque
buildings and stop giving financial aid to the Turkish Cypriot community…If you
are courageous, stop insulting our community, which is friendly to the
oppressed people of Turkey… I dare you!”
Gokcebel, in a written statement, noted also
that the mentality of the AKP officials to attack continuously the trade unions
is far from the pursuit of Cyprus settlement, adding that this mentality is in
a pursuit to make only profits from the Turkish Cypriot community. They have
confessed that they desire the oil and natural gas reserves of Cyprus, Gokcebel
said.
4. Ihsanoglu: For
a country to become a full member to the
OIC, full membership to the UN is required
Illegal Bayrak television (29.11.13) reports
that the outgoing Secretary General of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation
Ekmelledin İhsanoglu has said that relations between the OIC and the breakaway
regime were always high. İhsanoglu who was in occupied Cyprus last week to
attend a water and food security conference for OIC member countries, expressed
hope that relations between the organization and the breakaway regime will be
further expanded in the near future.
In an exclusive interview to BRT, he said that “the
water transfer project had revealed North Cyprus’s potential to cooperate with
the OIC member countries”.
Also touching upon the protocol signed with the
breakaway regime, İhsanoglu said that the aim was to expand cooperation in
various fields ranging from development, trade, export, import, tourism,
transportation, vocational and higher education, water and food security as
well as culture, arts, technology and environment.
Responding to a question as to whether or not
the breakaway regime’s status within the OIC will be upgraded from observer to
full member in the near future, the OIC Secretary General reminded that for a
country to become a full member to the OIC, full membership to the UN was
required. “However I hope that this relationship will be rearranged as and when
the Cyprus Problem is solved” he said.
Asked about the OIC’s perspective regarding the
Cyprus negotiations process, İhsanoglu said that the organization supported the
UN Secretary General’s efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement. “It is our
aim to help ease or remove the unjust isolation and embargoes imposed on the
Turkish Cypriot people” he alleged.
5. Sibel calls
international community to see the “realities” on the island
Illegal Bayrak television (29.11.13) reports
that the self-styled speaker Sibel Siber has stated that the Greek Cypriot side
would be more eager towards a solution of the Cyprus Problem if the European
Union has taken a step towards the removal of the “isolations” on the Turkish
Cypriots.
Speaking at a program broadcast live on TRT
Turk, Siber claimed that the Turkish Cypriots was forced to live under
embargoes although the Greek Cypriot side rejected the solution of the Cyprus
problem.
Calling on the international community to see
the “realities” on the island, Siber said it is important for the breakaway
regime to take part in international organizations even with an observer
status. Expressing the need for the two communities to find their own solution,
Siber alleged the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigent attitude is the biggest obstacle
in the way of a solution. Siber also pointed to the need for the restart of the
negotiations process and for the implementation of a timetable.
6. Cyprus Turkish
Football Association - Turkish Cypriot Football Federation agreement approved
unanimously
Illegal Bayrak television (30.11.13) reports
that the provisional agreement reached between the “Cyprus Turkish Football
Association” and the Turkish Cypriot Football Federation in Zurich on the 5th
of November was put to the vote at clubs that are in the “Super League and the
1st League” in the breakaway regime.
Representatives of the 42 clubs also approved
the provisional agreement and therefore the agreement was approved unanimously.
Making a statement the President of the Cyprus Turkish Football Association
Hasan Sertoglu said that unbelievable workings had been carried out for the
future of football on the island and added that Turkish Cypriot teams will
unite with the world through these workings.
He said that“Cyprus Turkish Football Association”
was on the agenda and being discussed throughout the entire world and
added: “In the past this was only a
dream for us. We will continue our efforts until the TRNC football is united
with the world”, he stated.
In addition, reporting on the same issue,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.12.13) reports that Sertoglu said
that with the agreement signed will prevent foreign teams which want to play
football matches in occupied Cyprus from getting into various distresses and
will also help the Turkish Cypriot football clubs to take their place on UEFA
Champion leagues.
He went on and added that the clubs voted in
favor of everything the Association has done until now on the issues and that
they safeguarded their supports on the future steps it will take.
7. Eroglu:
football unification deal is a ‘wrong step'
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online,
29.11.13), under the title “Progress as unlikely as ever in Cyprus
reunification efforts”, reported that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu,
speaking to a group of Turkish journalists in occupied part of Lefkosia on
Friday, expressed concern over a recent agreement to unify the administration
of football on the island of Cyprus, claiming that it brings the Turkish
Cypriot football association (CTFA) under the control of the Cyprus Football
Association (CFA) while offering Turkish Cypriot football little in return.
Eroglu said: “This is the wrong step,”
adding: “If the purpose was to be under the Greek Cypriot federation, this
could have been easily done years ago.”
Eroglu warned that the deal could be
interpreted as supporting the Greek Cypriot administration's, as he refers to
the Cyprus government, claim of sovereignty over the entire island and
questioned the benefits of the deal for Turkish Cypriot football. “If the hope
is for UEFA support, it is again wrong. The support will go to CFA, not to the
CTFA,” he claimed.
-------------------------
Commenting on the Cyprus talks, Eroglu
claimed that the Greek Cypriot insistence on a joint statement outlining the
basic principles for the new talks is tantamount to setting out preconditions,
something that runs counter to past UN decisions on resolving the decades-long
dispute.
Eroglu reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot
side has initially accepted a draft joint statement prepared by the UN's Cyprus
envoy, Alexander Downer, however, the UN text, failed to impress the Greek
Cypriot side, which insists on the inclusion of substantive principles, such as
single sovereignty for a reunified Cyprus, in the document. The Turkish side,
on the other hand, insists that these matters are part of the negotiations and
should be discussed when the new round of talks begins. “As it stands, the
Greek Cypriot stance amounts to presenting preconditions for the start of
talks,” Eroglu noted.
The paper also reported that the request
for Monday's meeting came from Anastasiades, who also wanted the meeting to
exclude the UN envoy. Turkish Cypriot officials said that the Greek Cypriot
side was quite “aggressive” during the Monday meeting -- which is perhaps why
Anastasiades did not want the UN envoy to be present. Turkish Cypriot officials
believe that the Monday meeting was an act of “diplomatic manoeuvring” ahead of
a visit to Brussels, designed to show Europeans that the Greek Cypriot side is
committed to reunification efforts. Anastasiades departed for Brussels the next
day for talks with EU officials in the Belgian capital.
Moreover, Eroglu, in statements to Omer
Bilge, correspondent of Turkish daily Hurriyet (02.12.13), said that he opposes
the CTFA to become a member of the CFA. He accused the Greek Cypriots of not
being sincere and that their only aim is to bring the Turkish Cypriots under
their dominance, claiming also that the Greek Cypriot side wants to use it also
in politics. He also said that although the CTFA is autonomous, this decision
interests all the Turkish Cypriots.
8. Serdar
Denktas: We have warned the CTFA
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
(01.12.13) reported that self-styled deputy prime minister and minister of
foreign affairs Serdar Denktas, commenting on the unanimous approval by the Turkish
Cypriot football federation (CTFA) for FIFA’s proposal to unify football in
Cyprus, said that he has already warned the general assembly of CTFA.
Making statements to the paper, Serdar
Denktas said that he will follow the process without making more statements.
9. Non solution continues
encouraging migration for the Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(02.12.13) reports that Ahmet Karahasan member of the Municipality Council of
Enfield, UK and chairman of the Enfield Turkish Cypriot association stated that
as long as a solution in the Cyprus problem is not reached the migration of
Turkish Cypriots will continue as well.
Karahasan also said that the number of Turkish
Cypriots who immigrate to the UK has been increased in the last few years and
that every year the number is more increased that previously.
He stated that those who immigrate are trade
union members and students who say that “we cannot live there any more”,
referring to the breakaway regime. We also said that the main reason that makes
these people to immigrate is the non-solution of the Cyprus problem and noted
that while the non-solution continues, the immigration will continues as well.
10. Fellahoglu: 1200
people cross from the Ledra Street crossing point daily
Illegal Bayrak television (30.11.13) reports that “Arasta and Asmaalti Pedestrianization Project” was completed in occupied Lefkosia.
Illegal Bayrak television (30.11.13) reports that “Arasta and Asmaalti Pedestrianization Project” was completed in occupied Lefkosia.
Making a statement to Illegal Bayrak self-styled mayor Kadri Fellahoglu
said that the implementation of the Project will yield good results of the
people living in the area and tradesmen. He said currently 1200 people cross
from the Ledra Street Crossing Point LokmaciDaily.
11. Turkish energy
minister meets Iraqi Deputy PM
Ankara Anatolia news agnecy (01.12.13) reports that Turkish Minister of
Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz met with Iraqi Dep. Prime Min. for
Energy Affairs Husayn Ibrahim Salih al-Shahristani on Sunday.
The meeting was closed to press. Relations of the two countries were
reportedly discussed during the meeting.
Shahristani and Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz held a joint press
conference after their meeting in Green Zone.
Iraqi deputy prime minister said the meeting with Yildiz was fruitful,
addingthatthey "brotherlyandtransparently"
discussedtherelationsbetweenthetwo countries during the meeting. Iraqi deputy
prime ministersaidtheyagreedthatapprovalbyBaghdadgovernmentwould be
requiredforanyoilexportfromIraq.
He alsosaidtheyagreed on an approvalbyBaghdadgovernmentregardinganyoilexportfromIraq.
Followingthemeeting, TurkishEnergyMinisterYildizproceededtoIrbil. MinisterYildizwillmeet primeminister of IraqiKurdishregionaladministrationNechirvan
Barzani andattendopening of a conference on oilandnaturalgastoday.
12. Erdogan sues Taraf
newspaper
Turkish Daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.12.13) reports that the Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdoganhas filed a caseagainst Taraf newspaperanditscolumnist,
Emre Uslu. Erdogan is claimingcompensationworth 50,000
TurkishLirasfornon-pecuniarydamages, arguingthat Uslu "attacked
[Erdogan's] personalrights" in a columnpublished on Nov. 21.
Inthepetition, lawyers for thePrime MinisteralsoquotedUslu'scolumn, titled
"Close ThemAll," statingthat he had usedtermssuch as "jackal,
dissolute, liar, traitor; different in frontanddifferentbehindthecurtain,"
"Thedefendantcouldwrite an effectivearticlewithoutusingthese severe
expressionsandcouldstillfulfill his goal of servingthe press. However, this is
not thegoal of thedefendant. His goal is toinsultourclient in
theharshestway," thepetitionread, arguingthatthepublication of
thecolumnconstituted "an openattack on thepersonalrightsand moral
character" of Erdogan.
A separatecomplaint has alsobeenfiledagainst Uslu on "insult"
charges, andtheopening of a publiccaseagainsthim has beensought, Anadolu
Agencyalsoreported.
13. Deputy who opposed
closure of prep schools resigns from AK Party
Turkish Daily Today's Zaman (30.11.13)
reportsthattheJusticeand Development Party's (AK Party) Kutahyadeputy, İdris
Bal, whowasreferredtotheparty'sdisciplinary board forexpulsionbecause he
opposedthegovernment'splannedclosure of prepschools, has announced on
Saturdaythat he has resignedfrom his party.
A statementreleasedbythe AK Partylastweeksaidthat Bal
wasreferredtothedisciplinary board on thegrounds of
"givingspeechesthatconflictwithpartypolitics," implyingthat it
mayhavebeenduetotweets Bal sent mid-November.
Kutahyadeputy Bal tweeted his opinionthatprepschoolsserve an
importantpurpose in levelingeducationaldisparities. Inanothertweet he added: “A
privatecompanycannot be openedorshutdownunderorders. As the market will not
work as perorders, thisstructurewillcontinue underground.”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
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