TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 233/13 10.12.13
1. Nami holds contacts in Guinea
2. The breakaway regime is represented at another
institution of OIC
3. Bagis: Solution in Cyprus will open Turkey’s way
towards the EU
4. Swoboda will try to get all Cypriot citizens
represented in the EP
5. Yorgancioglu’s “opponents” are reportedly the
majority at CTP’s newly elected council
6. The occupation regime builds hydraulic road
barriers at the crossing points
7. The 2nd section of pipe in water supply
project is placed
8. Deputy and journalist Balbay released after 4
years, 277 days in jail
9. Readmission agreement with EU raises concerns
1. Nami holds contacts in Guinea
Turkish Cypriot
daily KibrisPostasi newspaper (10.12.13) reports that OzdilNami, self-styled
foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus, started yesterday his contacts at the side-lines of the 40th
Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
According to a
statement issued by his “ministry”, Nami held a short meeting with the General
Secretary of OIC, EkmeleddinIhsanoglu and afterwards met with Ihsanoglu’s
successor to the post, former Saudi Arabian Minister, Dr.IyadMedeni. The
meeting has reportedly taken place upon Medini’s request. Medeni asked Nami to
inform him on what the Turkish Cypriots want from OIC’s member-states and on
the “difficulties experienced by the TRNC”.
According to the
self-styled ministry’s statement, Medeni said that that he would continue the
way opened by Ihsanoglu and do whatever he can. He noted that they support the
initiatives for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and appreciate the “active
efforts” allegedly exerted by the Turkish Cypriots in the direction of finding
a solution.
Meanwhile, Nami
met also with Iran’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir AbdollaHian, who
asked Nami about his impressions from his recent visit to Tehran. Nami thanked
him once more for their hospitality and expressed the wish to meet again with
him during their stay in Guinea.
Finally, Nami
met also with the Turkish Minister of Development, CevdetYilmaz.
(I/Ts.)
2. The breakaway regime is represented at another
institution of OIC
Turkish Cypriot
daily KibrisPostasi newspaper (10.12.13) reports that the breakaway regime’s
“Department of Trade”, which is bound to the self-styled deputy prime minister’s
office and the “ministry” of economy, tourism, culture and sports, has been
accepted as “observer member” at the Standards and Meteorology Institute of the
Organization for Islamic Cooperation (SMIIC).
According to a
statement issued by the “ministry”, the application of the regime was accepted
at SMIIC’s 7th Directors’ Council Meeting in Istanbul. The regime
was represented at the meeting by the “Department of Trade’s’ director,
NalanNazli.
(I/Ts.)
3. Bagis: Solution in Cyprus will open Turkey’s way
towards the EU
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (10.12.13) reports that EgemenBagis, Turkish EU Minister
and Chief Negotiator, has said that in case a solution to the Cyprus problem is
reached, the existing obstacles for the opening of 14 chapters in Turkey’s
accession negotiations into the EU will be lifted. Replying to questions during
a TV program, Bagis argued: “Turkey opened 14 chapters and is at the position
of being able to close 12 chapters if they were no political obstacles. A decision
of the Council that was taken as a result of an application by the Greek
Cypriot sector [Translator’s note: this is how he described the Republic of
Cyprus] prevents the [chapters’] closing even if Turkey fulfils all the
criteria for closure. However, these days the process for a solution to the
Cyprus problem is starting. In case a solution based on political equality is
found in Cyprus, the obstacles on 14 out of the 16 prevented chapters will be
lifted and the obstacles for their closure will also be lifted. I believe that
2014 will be an important transformation year in the sense of Turkey’s EU
process”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Swoboda will try to get all Cypriot citizens
represented in the EP
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris (10.12.13), under the title “Right of representation is
important”, reports that HannesSwoboda, President of the Socialists and
Democrats Group in the European Parliament (EP), said that European Parliament
President Martin Schulz discussed the possibility of Turkish Cypriot
representation in the European Parliament with officials from the Republic of
Cyprus and that he is making an effort on the issue.
Replying to the
questions of Kibris journalist Osman Kalfaoglu through his political advisor
and spokesperson Celine Bayer, Swoboda said that he pressed the issue with
Schulz to find a workable agreement, adding that Schulz exerted efforts so that
Cyprus Parliamentary Speaker YiannakisOmirou, who is his Cyprus interlocutor,
takes action.
The paper
reports that Swoboda called on Schulz last April to start negotiations with the
authorities of the Republic of Cyprus to find a sustainable solution that would
allow Turkish Cypriot politicians to participate in the work of the European
Parliament.
“It is no longer
acceptable that a group of European citizens is not represented in the European
Parliament,” Swoboda said and asked from the Cyprus government to propose
viable and practical solutions on how the representation of the Turkish
Cypriots could be addressed at the next European Parliament elections.
Swoboda noted
that the right of representation of all EU citizens is a necessity. He also
said that although only six months are left until the European Parliament
elections in May 2014, the Social Democrat Group will try to secure the
representation of all citizens in Cyprus by utilizing every possible means with
other groups.
5. Yorgancioglu’s “opponents” are reportedly the
majority at CTP’s newly elected council
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (10.12.13) reports that the majority of the newly
elected members of the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) council are persons
known as “opponents” of the re-elected chairman of the party,
OzkanYorgancioglu. The paper refers to a “shock” for the chairman [from the
results] and writes that many persons who had strongly supported Yorgancioglu
remained outside the 40-member Council. The candidate, who was elected securing
more votes than anyone else, is KutlayErk, who had run for the presidency of the
party during the previous congress, but failed to be elected.
The second place
was taken by AlevSensoy and the third by former so-called MP, Erginilktac.
Persons known as Yorgancioglu’s “opponents”, such as IlkeSabitSoyer and
SonayAdem are also on the top places of the list of those who secured the most
votes.
The Council is
now expected to elect the general secretary and the administrative committee of
the party.
(I/Ts.)
6. The occupation regime builds hydraulic road
barriers at the crossing points
Under the front
page banner headline “Steel doors for the pen”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika
(10.12.13) reports that the authorities of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus have decided to install hydraulic road barriers at
all crossing points.
The paper
stresses that it is one more step in reinforcing bi-zonality and division. It
is unknown whether this decision has been taken by the self-styled government
or the occupation army, the paper notes, adding that the Turkish Cypriots
expect an announcement by the “government”.
The paper
publishes photos of the Ledra Palace crossing point, where work to install the
hydraulic road barrier has already started.
7. The 2nd section of pipe in water
supply project is placed
Under the title
“Second pipe laid in Turkish Cyprus water supply project”, Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (online, 09.12.13) reported that the second section of pipe in a
water supply project that will allow the transport of 75 million cubic meters
of water annually from Turkey to the “TRNC” [editor’s note: the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] has been submerged in
the waters of the Mediterranean.
Three kilometres
of pipe in total will be laid under the water by the end of this year, said
HakanUgur, the project manager of DetekDenizTeknolojileri, the firm that is
laying and fixing the pipe in place for the project, on Monday.
The water will
be transported to the Panagra dam near occupied Kyrenia. The project, which is
envisaged to be completed by March of next year, will be funded by Turkey.
Stressing that so far a 500-meter-long second pipe has been laid and the
construction of the water pipeline has been carried out by an expert team
including divers, Ugur said they are planning to finish the
three-kilometre-long stage by the end of the year.
The $4 billion
economy of the breakaway regime relies on some $600 million of financial aid
Ankara provides annually. Ankara wants the breakaway regime, currently
recognized only by Turkey, “to cut its budget deficit and rein in public
finances, reducing the vast public sector, slashing salaries and selling
loss-making state companies”.
8. Deputy and journalist Balbay released after 4
years, 277 days in jail
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 09.12.13) with the above title reported that an
Istanbul court ruled on Dec. 9 for the release of jailed deputy and journalist
Mustafa Balbay, following a Constitutional Court ruling that his lengthy
imprisonment amounted to a “violation of the law” and a “violation of his right
to be elected.”
“I sincerely
hope that this process will be a fresh start,” the journalist and Republican
People’s Party (CHP) deputy Balbay said immediately after leaving Ankara's
Sincan Prison.
Balbay, 53, who
was elected to Parliament in the 2011 general elections for the CHP, said he
would probably take his parliamentary oath Dec. 10, but wanted more than
anything else to take the pledge in front of the public.
Vowing to fight
against every kind of unlawfulness and injustice, Balbay particularly asserted
that he would take on the duty of supporting the freedom of prisoners subject
to unjust treatment and lengthy detentions.
“I feel
responsible for the tens, even hundreds of detainees seeking justice, as I am
the one who have now closed the doors on them,” he said. “Even though it isn’t
forgettable, this is not the time to bear grudges,” Balbay said, ending his
remarks by declaring “hello to freedom and hello to Turkey.”
At present six
jailed lawmakers, several mayors, and tens of Gezi Park protesters,
journalists, lawyers and soldiers are in prison, Balbay recalled, adding that
he hopes his release “will be a fresh start to remove such rights violations.”
The prosecutor
in the Ergenekon coup plot case, in which he was sentenced to 34 years and
eight months in prison pending appeal, demanded the court release him in the
wake of the top court ruling.
There are
currently six lawmakers in jail apart from Balbay; five from the Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP) and one from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The
BDP deputies are detained under arrest, while the MHP deputy has been
convicted.
9. Readmission agreement with EU raises concerns
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (online, 09.12.13) reported that the readmission agreement Turkey
will sign in mid-December with the European Union in exchange for the start of
visa exemption talks has raised some concerns about the burden the agreement
will cause Turkey, while Turkey's EU Affairs Minister EgemenBagis said on
Monday that Turkey maintains its right to cancel the agreement if the visa
exemption talks do not produce a result within a “reasonable time.”
Speaking on the
NTV channel, Bagis tried to soothe concerns over the readmission agreement,
saying that Turkey has started visa liberalization talks with the EU “on its
own terms,” and that both the visa exemption and the readmission agreement will
be implemented in about three years' time.
Though the deal
is being presented “like it's a big victory,” main opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman FarukLogoglu said on Monday, “Turkey seems
to have made many serious compromises with the EU for visa exemption, which was
hoped to be implemented in 3 to 3.5 years.”
Logoglu said
that the visa exemption may not even come through in the end, while Turkey will
have to shoulder the many burdens that come with the readmission agreement.
Turkey has to increase security along its border, which will be expensive, he
said. According to Bagis, however, funding from the EU will offset the cost of
the security upgrades.
“I don't see why
it's alright to sign the readmission agreement now. I don't think anything
changed regarding Turkey's concerns,” Ankara Strategy Institute President
Mehmet Ozcan told Today's Zaman on Monday.
An expert on EU
law, Ozcan stressed that the visa exemption agreement is an international
agreement and needs to be ratified in each member country's parliament. “You
have an agreement both with the EU and the member countries. What will happen
when the government of Cyprus or Germany says no in the end?” Ozcan said.
Turkish Foreign
Ministry spokesman LeventGumrukcu told Today's Zaman that the readmission
agreement has many benefits for Turkey when compared with similar deals other
countries have signed with the EU.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
