TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 240/13 19.12.13
1. Eroglu briefed the political parties on the joint
statement
2. Erdogan on bribery raids: It's a dirty operation,
Turkish PM says
3. Arinc: Ministers may resign if involved in bribery
4. New details revealed about Turkey’s on-going graft
probe
5. Turkish journalist Ilicak fired after calling on
ministers to resign
6. Turkish Islamic scholar Gulen rejects any link to
graft probe
7. Senior US diplomat to visit Turkey amid corruption
probe; Washington Don't draw us into your family fight
8. CPJ report:
Turkey listed again as leading jailer of journalists
9. Price hikes at the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus
10. Turkish firm which
won the tender for illegal Tymvou airport involved in Turkey’s fraud operation
11. Breakaway regime
participate as observer in the workshop of the Competition Authority of the OIC
12. Mayor of Hatay on Syrian border leaves ruling AKP
for main opposition CHP
1. Eroglu briefed the political parties on the
joint statement
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris (19.12.13), under the title “ Full support from the political
parties to the Turkish Cypriot proposal”, reports in its front page that
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu briefed yesterday at his “office” the four
political parties represented at the “assembly”. The four parties have fully
supported the latest proposal that the Turkish Cypriot side submitted to the
Greek Cypriot side on the text of the joint statement.
Meanwhile, Greek
Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, replying to the paper’s questions,
said that Anastasiades did not accept the Turkish Cypriot proposal and that he
will prepare a counter-proposal. Eroglu’s special representative Osman Ertug,
in statements to the paper, said that they haven’t any official reply from the
Greek Cypriot side, however, he added, if it’s correct what has been said, they
had expected a reply to their proposal and not a counter-proposal from
Anastasiades.
Ozkan
Yorgancioglu, leader of the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) and
self-styled prime minister, said, after the briefing, that a reply has not come
yet from the Greek Cypriot side, adding that he Greek Cypriot side should give
a reply as soon as possible, so the negotiations can start.
Replying to a
question whether the expression “single sovereignty” exists or not in the
latest Turkish Cypriot proposal, Yorgancioglu said that if there is the
expression, it was also at the Annan plan, and Talat and Christofias had
already agreed on this, so there is nothing odd to this. He noted that it is
not correct to say many details regarding the context of the text, however, he
added, it is a reality that all these facts have already been agreed in the
past.
Leader of the
National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun, commenting
on the briefing, said that he doesn’t think that they are in the correct path,
adding that the negotiations should start without restrictions and conditions.
Serdar Denktas,
leader of the Democrat Party - National Forces (DP-UG), said that all parties
proved their support for both the proposal and the Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu. He said that he hopes that the joint statement would be approved
by the Greek Cypriot side and the negotiations would start. In case of
rejection the proposal, Denktas said that nothing has remained for the Turkish
Cypriot side to do.
The Leader of
Communal Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Ozyigit noted that the draft statement is
parallel to TDP’s views and the Turkish Cypriot side should not take any step
back on the joint statement.
Meanwhile,
Serdar Denktas, commenting on the negotiation process to the paper, said that
the issue of sovereignty, which is included in the joint statement, contains
risks. He also thinks that the joint statement should not be a condition for
the resumption of the negotiations.
Referring to the
occupied port of Famagusta, Serdar Denktas said the “port of Famagusta is an
open port and not a closed one”, adding that ships from all over the world come
and go.
Moreover, New
Cyprus Party (YKP), in a written statement evaluating the latest developments
on the Cyprus problem, said that both sides play a “game” of accusations each
other.
2. Erdogan on bribery raids: It's a dirty operation
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (18.12.13) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has said a "dirty operation" against the government is being
carried out, commenting on a bribery and fraud operation that has targeted the
sons of three Cabinet members along with some 80 business people and
bureaucrats.
"There is a
very dirty operation here," Erdogan said in Ankara during a press meeting.
He said there were "some circles inside and outside of Turkey" that
are seeking to hinder Turkey from its rapid growth, adding that his government
would not allow "political plotting."
Erdogan said that
the domestic extensions of the "dirty operation" were partly nestled
in the government. "They are also
seeking to harm the banks. It is most remarkable. This [organization] has
extensions in Turkey, and has an international arm," he said and added
that the ministers whose sons are suspected of involvement remain
"sensitive" to the issue. Erdogan said the officers had been removed
for abuse of office and similar changes could continue if necessary in other
provinces too.
3. Arinc: Ministers may resign if involved in
bribery-Bagis
is also said to be a suspect involved in corruption scandal
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (18.12.13) reports that Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc
said that ministers who have been involved in a corruption investigation may
leave their posts "if they are involved in a crime,", commenting on
one of the biggest scandals to ever hit Turkey.
"We believe
that our ministers are innocent. But that does not mean that we will protect
them if they are involved in a crime concerning their sons. They may seek
[permission] to leave or our prime minister may demand [their resignation]. We
are going to see what they will do soon," Arinc told reporters at a press
conference in Ankara.
The paper writes
that EU Minister Egemen Bagis is also said to be a suspect involved in
corruption and bribery.
Arinc described
the latest operation as "a well-planned operation which includes methods
of psychological warfare to tarnish the government," adding that they
would disclose those who are responsible for attempting to discredit the
administration. "If there's an illegal organization within the state, we
will detect it. If there's an organization whose members use their authority
for their own interests, we will reveal it within the shortest time
possible," he said.
Arinc was asked
whether he was referring to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen's movement with the
term "illegal organization" amid widespread speculation that the
government is planning to launch an operation against followers of Gulen who
are influential in the police and judiciary. "It is incorrect to associate
a meaning to my comments that would create a confrontation with the [Gulen]
community," Arinc said.
4. New details revealed about Turkey’s on-going
graft probe
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (18.12.13) reports that the details are gradually being
revealed regarding the on-going corruption investigations, which first shocked
the country on Dec. 17 when the sons of three ministers, a mayor, and several
businessmen were detained on bribery charges.
The operations
were made up of three separate investigations.
The first raid
was launched against Azeri businessman Reza Zarrab on allegations that he was
running a crime ring. The Azeri businessman is accused of paying bribes to
Cabinet members to cover his suspicious money transactions and get Turkish
citizenship for his relatives and his men in the alleged crime gang.
Zarrab allegedly
gave bribes to Interior Minister Muammer Guler’s son Baris Guler, Economy
Minister Zafer Caglayan’s son Salih Kaan Caglayan, and Halkbank General Manager
Suleyman Aslan, in order to enable the transactions of money and gold between
Turkey, Iran and Russia, daily Hurriyet reported on Dec. 18.
The second probe
was for illegal construction permits
given to several firms in exchange for bribes. Environment and Urbanization
Minister Erdogan Bayraktar’s son Abdullah Oguz Bayraktar, construction tycoons
Ali Agaoglu, Osman Agca and Emrullah Turanli, Environment Ministry General
Manager Mehmet Ali Kahraman, Environment Minister Adviser Sadik Soylu, Emlak
Konut GYO General Manager Murat Kurum, TOKİ Istanbul estate department head Ali
Seydi Karaoglu, Environment Ministry planning official Turgay Albayrak, TOKİ
city planning branch head Yavuz Celik and 14 others are detained as part of
this second probe.
The third probe
is into allegations of construction permits given to a firm by Istanbul’s Fatih
Municipality, despite reports ruling that this construction would threaten the
safety of the newly built Marmaray tunnel.
Fatih Mayor
Mustafa Demir and Sevinc Dogan, the owner of the RCİ architecture and design
firm, are among the 32 people in custody as part of the probe. It is also
alleged that a gang worked with the municipality to get permission to construct
buildings on protected natural sites within the municipality’s borders.
The Istanbul
Public Prosecutor’s Office has said that two of a total of three probes
currently underway concern violations of the construction law and the coast
law.
Istanbul police
chief dismissed amid bribery probe into high-profile names
In addition, CNN
Turk (19.12.13) reported that Istanbul Police Chief Huseyin Capkin has been
dismissed from his post over the issue.
5. Turkish journalist Ilicak fired after calling on
ministers to resign
According to
Hurriyet (19.12.13) well-known Turkish journalist NazliIlicak was fired from
the daily Sabah onDecember18 after criticizing ministers whose sons are
involved in a bribery investigation.
Ilicak, in
speaking to the daily Hurriyet, said the daily’s administration cited a “clash
of ideas” as an excuse for the move. While on a CNN Turk news program Ilicak
said the ministers whose sons had been detained as part of the fraud and
bribery operation should resign.
6. Turkish Islamic scholar Gulen rejects any link
to graft probe
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (19.12.13) reports that
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen has rejected any link to an on-going
corruption probe in which 52 people, including well-known businessmen, the sons
of three ministers, and a number of advisors, have been detained as part of a
major investigation into alleged bribery linked to public tenders.
Gulen strongly
denied allegations that the probe was launched as part of a row between the
government and the Hizmet movement. He dismissed claims circulating in national
media, and deemed news reports suggesting that the faith-based Hizmet movement
has “launched a war” against the government as ill-intentioned and a figment of
the media’s imagination.
7. Senior US diplomat to visit Turkey amid corruption
probe; Washington: Don't draw us into your family fight
According to
Hurriyet (19.12.13) a senior U.S. terrorism and financial intelligence diplomat
is expected to visit to Turkey tomorrow, amid the on-going corruption operation
targeting high-profile figures.
The U.S.
Department of the Treasury announced that Undersecretary for Terrorism and
Financial Intelligence David Cohen was set to travel to Germany, the U.K.,
Turkey, and Israel this week, in order to continue the Treasury's engagement on
issues related to illicit finance, including the implementation of existing
international economic sanctions against Iran. Cohen is scheduled to visit
Turkey tomorrow, daily Hurriyet reported. Cohen had warned Turkey in 2011 about
trading with Iran, a country under international sanctions for its nuclear
program.
In addition, the
United States has told Ankara it has no any intention of getting involved into
what it calls "a family fight," denying conspiracy theories
suggesting Washington's role in the on-going struggle between the government
and the powerful Gulen community that has exploded with a new corruption probe.
"Please
don't draw us into your family fight here. We don't want one side or the other
to feed this conspiracy idea that we are against the prime minister or against
Fethullah Gulen Hocaefendi," U.S. officials told the Hurriyet Daily News
yesterday. The message was also delivered to the Turkish government through
diplomatic channels on the same day.
"We really don't interfere. Not only because it's inappropriate,
it's simply because we are unable to. As foreigners, what we do is respect
Turkish democracy," officials said.
8. CPJ report: Turkey listed again as leading
jailer of journalists
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (19.12.13) reports that
for the second year in a row, Turkey has been listed as having the
highest number of journalists in prison, according to a report issued on
Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which prepares annual
reports on victimized journalists across the world.
Turkey, which
has 40 journalists in jail, is followed closely by Iran with 35 and China with
32. The report states that the number of journalists in Turkish jails has
declined to 40 from the previous year's 49, as some were freed pending trial
and others benefited from new legislation that allowed defendants in lengthy
pre-trial detentions to be released for time served.
The CPJ
especially pointed to dozens of Kurdish journalists who were imprisoned on
terrorism-related charges and another group jailed for allegedly participating
in anti-government plots. Criticizing Turkey's highly controversial
Counterterrorism Law (TMK), the CPJ says, “Broadly worded anti-terror and penal
code statutes allow Turkish authorities to conflate the coverage of banned
groups with membership.”
9. Price hikes at the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus
According to
illegal Bayrak television (online, 18.12.13), self-styled prime minister Ozkan
Yorgancioglu, making an announcement regarding price hikes before entering the
so-called council of ministers meeting on Thursday morning, said that the price
hikes in petrol and cylinder gas was not the self-styled government’s policies
and that the hikes were due to world exchange rates and rises in foreign currency.
He also said
that the “government” did not determine the price rise in cylinder gas. The
increase was under the control of 3 firms that traded in cylinder gas. “The
price hike in petrol is tied to world markets and they are done periodically
every 15 days”, Yorgancioglu said.
He also said
that the price hikes were not as high that it should lead to reactions in the
public and in newspapers, giving examples of petrol prices in the government
controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey and noted that compared to
other countries petrol prices in the “TRNC” were low.
Meanwhile, “BRT”
also broadcast that the “Cyprus Turkish civil servants union” (KTAMS) will be
going on general strike on Friday in protest at the latest price hikes. Union leader
Ahmet Kaptan made a statement to the “BRT” announcing the union’s decision to
go on general strike.
Explaining that
the country was passing through difficult times, Kaptan claimed that the price
hikes had been tied to a routine and that workers buying power had been
diminished. “Both civil servants and private sector workers do not have the
strength to survive against such price hikes”, said Kaptan and slammed the
“government” for being insensible.
10. Turkish firm
which won the tender for illegal Tymvou airport involved in Turkey’s fraud
operation
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper
(19.12.13) reports that “deputy” with the Social Democratic Party (TDP) Mehmet
Cakici issued a question to the self-styled government yesterday noting that
the Turkish firm which won the tender for illegal Tymvou airport involved in
Turkey’s fraud operation. Cakici asked how this development will affect “Tymvou
airport” and the breakaway regime in general. Cakici was speaking at the
‘assembly”.
Replying to the question, so-called minister of
public works and transportation Ahmet Kasif said that Turkey’s issues do not
concern the breakaway regime.
11. Breakaway
regime participate as observer in the workshop of the Competition Authority of
the OIC
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(19.12.13) reports that the breakaway regime participate in the workshop of the
Competition Authority of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with
the observer status.
The meeting took place in Istanbul between 9-10
of December.
12. Mayor of Hatay on Syrian border leaves ruling
AKP for main opposition CHP
Hurriyet
(18.12.13) reports that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)
accepted Lutfu Savas, the incumbent mayor of the Hatay province on the Syrian
border, into its ranks.
Savas, who
recently resigned from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), is
expected to be nominated for the same post against the AKP's nominated
candidate, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin.
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