TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No. 239/13 18.12.13
1. Eroglu sent a draft proposal on the joint
declaration to the Greek Cypriot side
2. Nami: No
one can reduce Turkish Cypriots to the status of minority
3. US and UK
ambassadors reportedly were presented during Davutoglu’s meeting with Downer in
“Turkish embassy”
4. Talat: Turkey’s support at the solution carries a
critical weight
5. Izcan: Davutoglu’s statements indicate
confederation
6. Ozyigit: A joint
statement is important
7. CHP deputy says
that the breakaway regime is the red line for his party
8. Turkish Democratic
Left Party: “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain Turkish”
9.
Akinci: “Too soon to declare if I would be a candidate in the 2015 presidential
election”
10. Ihsanoglu
evaluated how much he helped the breakaway regime during the nine years he
served as secretary-general of OIC
11. Former general
secretary of FIFA Champagne: Agreement for football in Cyprus not for
re-negotiation but for clarification
12. Fifty two persons including sons of Turkish
ministers, detained in fraud and bribery probe
13. AK Party deputy criticizes Bulgaria's changing of
Turkish place names
1. Eroglu sent a draft proposal on the joint
declaration to the Greek Cypriot side
Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan (18.12.13), under the title “Erolgu: We are waiting Anastasiades’
reply”, reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu said that the Turkish
Cypriot side had sent its latest draft proposal on the joint declaration to the
Greek Cypriot side via the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus
Alexander Downer and is still waiting for their reply.
Noting that the
draft had been the result of long-term works, Eroglu repeated that from the
very beginning he had declared that there was no need for such a declaration to
re-launch the Cyprus negotiations process. Claiming that an agreement was
reached at the first dinner meeting held between the two leaders to start the
negotiations during the first half of October, he said, despite of this, three
months had been lost until now.
Claiming that
the draft proposal put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side had been welcomed by
the UN, Eroglu argued that according to the leaked reports in the Greek Cypriot
press the Cyprus government was not too pleased with this.
He concluded
that the joint declaration should include the views of both sides.
Asked to comment
on the fact that the Cyprus government has made complaints to the United
Nations over a meeting the UNSG Special Adviser Alexander Downer had with the
Turkish FM in the so called “Turkish embassy” in the Turkish-occupied areas of
Cyprus, on Saturday, Eroglu argued that the Republic of Turkey is a recognized
state by the world and a UN member, for this reason, the “embassy” located in
the “TRNC” is an “embassy” accepted by other world states.
Eroglu alleged
that Greek Cypriots’ reference to the “embassy” as the embassy at the occupied
region is extremely wrong, adding that “TRNC” [trans. Note: the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] is a “state” recognized
by Turkey, and “Turkish ambassador is an ambassador living in the TRNC.”
Claiming that
there was nothing more natural than Downer’s visit of the “Ambassador of
Republic of Turkey”, which is a member of the UN, Eroglu argued: “Therefore I
wonder how those who cannot even put up with this will act or what kind of
attitude they will show when the negotiations launch.”
2. Nami:
No one can reduce Turkish Cypriots to the status of minority
Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan (18.12.13) reports that self-styled minister of foreign affairs
Ozdil Nami, speaking in the so-called assembly during the debate for the “2014
budget”, commented on the Cyprus problem.
Referring to the
joint declaration that will pave the way for the resumption of Cyprus
reunification talks with the aim of reaching a bi-zonal federal solution, Nami
claimed: “The ball is in the Greek Cypriots’ court. We expect them to
eventually respond to our positives steps with positive steps of their own.
Different circles, especially the UN, are working on this issue. The debate
whether a joint statement is necessary or not is irrelevant. This work exists
and eventually a process will emerge. I hope that we are close and both leaders
will announce it to their people.
Nami said that
some “deputies” create confusion with statements to the effect that a “single
sovereignty is not accepted”. He explained that all UN member countries have
single sovereignty, adding that the expression used in the Cyprus talks has the
same meaning. Adding that expressions regarding removal of the “assembly” with
the single sovereignty are not true, Nami noted that there is federation in the
countries like Switzerland and Belgium but they have been taken into
consideration by the UN as single sovereignty.
Referring to the
issue of “Residual powers”, Nami explained that the constituent states will not
interfere in the federal state’s administrative authority; the Turkish and
Greek Cypriot states will have their own assembly buildings, deputies and state
ministers and sovereignty will be shared.
Nami noted that
the new comprehensive solution plan will be given to the people for approval
and the final verdict will be issued by the people. He also said that no one
can reduce Turkish Cypriots to the status of minority, adding that
comprehensive solution plan will be submitted to the people for approval. He
noted that they wouldn’t bring before their people a plan that will make them a
minority.
Regarding the
property issue, Nami said that it is not included yet in the joint statement.
He added that they will try to work as best they can when Cyprus talks resume.
He concluded by
saying that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu will meet today with the
political parties on the Cyprus problem.
3. US and UK
ambassadors reportedly were presented during Davutoglu’s meeting with Downer in
“Turkish embassy”
Turkish daily Kibris Postasi newspaper
(18.12.13) cites information according to which US ambassador to Lefkosia John
Koening and UK High Commissioner Matthew Kidd were presented during the meeting
of the UN special Adviser Alexander
Downer with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The meeting was held
at the offices of the so-called Turkish embassy to occupied Lefkosia.
The paper writes that this was stated by Hasan
Tacoy “MP” with the Democratic Party (DP). Tacoy claimed that this was hidden
from the press and it was made sure that it would not have leaked outside.
Tacoy also claimed that this gives a new dimension to the incident.
4. Talat: Turkey’s support at the solution carries
a critical weight
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris (18.12.13) reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali
Talat said that the illegal visit of Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
at the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus will have positive results.
According to a
press release issued by his office, Talat explained that Turkey’s clear support
for a Cyprus settlement is of crucial importance.
5. Izcan: Davutoglu’s statements indicate
confederation
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris (18.12.13) reports that leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP)
Izzet Izcan, commenting on the latest political developments in a radio
programme, evaluated the statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
during his illegal visit in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
In a written
statement issued by BKP press office, Izcan said that Davutoglu’s statements
indicate a confederation and not a federation, adding that the negotiations
cannot start on this basis and if they resume, they will not reach a result.
Noting that on
the one hand, messages for an early solution are being given and on the other
hand, the enhancement of “TRNC’s” status [transl. note: the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] and two sovereignties are being
mentioned, Izcan said: “We, as a United Cyprus Party, ask the resumption of the
negotiations from the point they were left off and to reach a comprehensive
solution. The Turkish Cypriot community has not patience to be crushed more
under this status and to live in isolation from the world.”
6. Ozyigit: A joint
statement is important
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(18.12.13), leader of the Social Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Ozyigit, speaking
to the paper, said that he shows a great importance to the joint statement in
order the negotiations process for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem to
resume. He added: “Actually when the joint statement is made, the main
parameters of the agreement will emerge in some place. After this, the details
will be discussed. For this reason, the joint statement is important. The
international community has several initiatives. We expect the sides to make
the joint statement in a more constructive and flexible way and to start the
necessary negotiation process”.
Izcan also
support the return of the fenced off town of occupied Varosha to its legal
owners under the supervision of the UN, as exchange of the opening of the
occupied port of Famagusta to trade and the occupied airport of Tymvou to
direct flights, adding that this development will revive the economy in both sides.
7. CHP deputy says
that the breakaway regime is the red line for his party
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.12.13) reports that the deputy chairman of the Republican People’s Party
(CHP) Gokhan Gunaydin, stated that “TRNC is the red line” for his party.
Gunaydin, who was participating in the Local
Administration Summit which took place in Ankara, Turkey, also said that they
support “the independence of TRNC”. He also expressed his party’s supports
towards Turkish Cypriots and that they follow closely the developments
regarding Cyprus negotiations.
8. Turkish
Democratic Left Party: “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain Turkish”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.12.13) reports that the general secretary of the Turkish Democratic Left
Party (DSP) Masum Turkelr stated that “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain
Turkish”.
He made these statements during the Turkey
Local Administration Summit which took
place in Ankara, Turkey.
Turkler said that since 1974 DSP is next to the
“Turkish Cypriot people” and they support their “struggle for independence”.
“Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey”, he stated.
9. Akinci: “Too
soon to declare if I would be a candidate in the 2015 presidential election”
According to Turkish Cypriot Cyprus Today
(18.12.13), retired Turkish Cypriot politician Mustafa Akinci said that it was
“too soon” to declare whether he would be a candidate in the 2015 “presidential
election”.
“It would be “futile” to talk now about the
presidential election the following year, he said. “The burning problems of our society are
awaiting solutions,” he said in a statement.
“We have
a Kib-Tek (electricity authority) that does not have any money to buy
fuel. We have a health sector that does
not have a system. We have children
shivering with cold in schools because of deficiencies in their infrastructure.
We have our environment, which we are losing on a daily basis, and we still have
mountains of rubbish waiting to be moved.
“I believe that as a society we need to be concentrating on these and
similar issues”, he said.
A former Lefkosia “mayor”, Akinci was a founder
of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BHD) and the leader of the Communal
Liberation Party (TKP) before quitting politics in 2009.
10. Ihsanoglu
evaluated how much he helped the breakaway regime during the nine years he
served as secretary-general of OIC
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(18.12.13) reports that the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, stated that trade between the breakaway
regime and Islamic countries was doubled during the period he was the chief of
OIC. As he said trade was raised from 57 million in 2005 to 121 million in 2012.
He made these statements speaking to Turkish
journalists if the occasion of his leaving his position at the end of the month
after serving nine years.
Ihsanoglu said that since the day he was
elected as OIC secretary general, he visited occupied Cyprus several times and
every time he put a lot of efforts so that he would safeguard a new action or a
new support for the breakaway regime. He also said that they have invited the
“president of the TRNC” who visited the organization for the first time.
He went on and added that meetings were also
organized in occupied Cyprus with Islamic delegation for educational, economic
or tourism projects and they encouraged investments on these fields in the
breakaway regime.
11. Former general
secretary of FIFA Champagne: Agreement for football in Cyprus not for
re-negotiation but for clarification
Turkish Cypriot Cyprus Today (18.12.13),
reports that former general secretary of FIFA Jerome Champagne, who signed a
protocol for cooperation with the so-called football federation (KTFF) of the
breakaway regime, stated that the Provisional Agreement signed between the
Turkish Cypriot "football federation", Cyprus Football Association
(CFA or KOP), FIFA and UEFA would not be up for renegotiation but for
clarification.
He also said that the Turkish Cypriot
"football federation", should not look at the agreement as it is
submitting to KOP, but rather as coming back home to retake their position.
Champagne also praised the chairman of the
Turkish Cypriot "football federation", Hasan Sertoglu for his
“courageous steps”.
12. Fifty two persons including sons of Turkish
ministers, detained in fraud and bribery probe
Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (17.12.13) reports that Istanbul and Ankara police detained 52
people as part of a probe into tender fraud and bribery operation allegations.
Twenty-nine of
those detained, including two sons of ministers, were taken into custody by the
police's Financial Crimes Department, while another son of a minister and 22
others were detained by the police's Organized Crime Department. The detainees
were allowed to meet their lawyers, although the suspects had not yet begun
giving testimony as of late evening.
The sons of
three Cabinet members, Interior Minister Muammer Güler, Economy Minister Zafer
Çağlayan and Environment and Urbanization Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar, are among
the detained. Barış Güler, Salih Kaan Çağlayan and Abdullah Oğuz Bayraktar were
detained on accusations of bribery, the report said.
Other detainees
include Turkish construction tycoon Ali Ağaoğlu, Halkbank General Manager
Süleyman Aslan, Azerbaijani businessman Reza Zarrab, Fatih Mayor Mustafa Demir
and civil servants from the Environment Ministry and the Economy Ministry,
according to Hürriyet. Environment Ministry General Manager Mehmet Ali
Kahraman, Advisor to the Environment Minister Sadık Soylu, and Çağlayan's
executive assistants, Mustafa Behçet Kaynar and Onur Kaya, are among the
detained.
The operations
were launched in response to allegations of rigging state tenders and bribery,
Anadolu Agency reported. Hürriyet reported that the operations were the result
of one year of surveillance. The
suspects are accused of accepting and facilitating bribes for some projects and
getting construction permits for protected areas in exchange for money, the
daily said.
The three
prosecutors operating the three separate investigations did not inform the
Istanbul Public Prosecutor about the operation and also did not enter the
operation into the National Judiciary Network Information System (UYAP) system.
Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan avoided commenting on the morning's corruption operation
while answering reporters' questions after a mass opening ceremony in the Central
Anatolian province of Konya. "It would not be right for me to speak before
the legal process is finalized," he said. Erdoğan was not informed about
the operations and learnt about it when the detainments started, daily Hürriyet
reported, quoting an unnamed source from Ankara.
13. AK Party deputy criticizes Bulgaria's changing
of Turkish place names
Turkish daily
Today's Zaman (17.12.13) reports that a
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Bursa deputy and the head of
the Bulgaria Friendship Group in Parliament, Mustafa Öztürk, criticized Varna
Municipality's decision to change the Turkish names of some places in Bulgaria.
“Turks are a
fundamental part of Bulgaria. Despite this fact, the situation in Varna is
upsetting. Our expectation of Bulgaria, as a member of the European Union, is
that it will not change Turkish names or ignore their value, but rather accept
this value as [cultural] richness,” ÖzTurk stated on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the
council of Varna Municipality decided to change 215 Turkish place names to
Bulgarian names.
ÖzTurk also
urged its coalition partner in the Bulgarian government, the Movement for
Rights and Freedoms (HÖH), which is composed mainly of Turkish deputies, to
take action on the issue.
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