TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 230/13 05.12.13
1. Talat: Single sovereignty should be included in a
joint statement
2. Ozyigit: Varosha should be returned to its legal owners
as confidence building measure; Eroglu: Varosha is part of
the “territory” chapter
3. Eroglu: Only an agreement
lacks in Cyprus
4. Reference to Cyprus in the EP’s draft report on
Turkey
5. Reception for the
breakaway regime’s 30th anniversary was held in Kuwait
6. Cost of living in the occupied area of Cyprus
increased by 8.28% since last November
7. Ayios Loucas church
in the occupied part of Lefkosia is collapsing
8. Diyalog The new
paper published in occupied Cyprus
9. Turkey, EU to sign
readmission agreement on 16 December, to negotiate visa exemption
10. Turkey, Qatar sign
energy cooperation agreement
1. Talat: Single sovereignty should be included in
a joint statement
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (05.12.13) reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader
Mehmet Ali Talat has said that the principles of single sovereignty and single
citizenship, which cause difficulties for issuing a joint statement that would
lead to the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations, must be included in the
joint statement.
Kibris writes
that Talat said that the single sovereignty and single citizenship were for a
long time among the main principles in the Cyprus negotiations and added that
this is reiterated in the UN Security Council’s Resolutions on Cyprus.
Referring to a statement made recently by Foreign Minister
Kasoulides that “if Talat was in the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot
community we would not feel the need for a joint statement”, Talat noted that
this statement might have been made because of the lack of trust towards Eroglu
and because he [Talat] had accepted the principles of single sovereignty and
single citizenship in the negotiations. Talat said that when it is said “let us
declare single sovereignty and single citizenship”, this should be accepted
instead of being rejected or watered down.
Noting, however, that he respects Eroglu’s stance, Talat said, inter
alia, the following: “The biggest responsibility for launching the negotiations
belongs to the Turkish Cypriot side. We should want more than anyone else the
solution of the Cyprus problem. This is at the same time a responsibility
towards the Turkish Cypriot people. Single sovereignty and single citizenship
should be included in the joint statement. If the negotiations will start, a
way should be found and reference should be made to this issue. We should in no
case create the impression that ‘we want two separate states or the partnership
of two states which have separate sovereignty’. This will present us negatively
in the world…”
Talat went on and said that no UN Security Council Resolution refers
to the principle of “residual powers”, which the Turkish side wants to be
included in the joint statement, but this ‘principle’ is included in the
Cuellar Document, the Ghali Set of Ideas and the Annan Plan, which said that
“the residual powers are given to the founding states”. He added: “However, the
equivalent of single sovereignty and single citizenship is not the residual
powers. Actually this is the issue. The equivalent of single sovereignty and
single citizenship could only be the two founding states, their equal status
and political equality…”
Talat argued that the reason for which Eroglu “openly refrains of
accepting single sovereignty and single citizenship” is because this issue had
been one of the main elements of Eroglu’s campaign in the so-called
presidential elections in 2010.Talat said that Eroglu made no concessions on
this issue and claimed that the Greek Cypriots used this opportunity as they
found Eroglu’s weakness.
Talat argued
that it would be dangerous not to launch the negotiations soon, adding that
this could offer to the Greek Cypriots the opportunity to “get rid of all the
agreements reached until now”. Reiterating the view that interrupting the
negotiations during the Republic of Cyprus’ EU term Presidency was wrong, Talat
recalled that if the negotiations do not start in six months, the election
period will begin [in Turkey] and no one will be saying “let us start from the
agreements that had been reached”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozyigit: Varosha should be returned to its legal
owners as confidence building measure; Eroglu:Varosha is part of the “territory” chapter
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (05.12.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader,
Dervis Eroglu met yesterday with a delegation from the Social Democracy Party
(TDP) headed by TDP’s newly elected chairman, Cemal Ozyigit.
In statements
during the meeting, Ozyigit said that the negotiating process for finding a
solution to the Cyprus problem should not be conducted through dinners anymore
and added that the occupied closed city of Varosha should open under the
supervision of the UN and be returned to its legal owners as a confidence
building measure.
On his part Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side had submitted
to former President Papadopoulos a proposal regarding the opening of illegal
Tymvou airport for international flights and the lifting of the “embargoes” on
the “TRNC” [Translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus] in return for the opening of Varosha. Noting that this
proposal had not been accepted, Eroglu argued that the proposal could not be at
the table for 40 years and claimed that Varosha could be discussed only at the
negotiating table under the chapter of “territory”.
Eroglu argued that the Turkish Cypriots had said “yes” to both Perez
de Quellar Plan and the Annan Plan and alleged that the Greek Cypriots are
trying to make these “yes” votes be forgotten.
Eroglu alleged that they want an agreement and simultaneous
referenda in the first quarter of 2014. He claimed that there is no need for a
joint statement and added that he is ready to sit at the negotiating table.
Ozyigit noted that because of the non-solution of the Cyprus
problem, migration increased and added that a positive result should be taken
from the peace process in order for the migration to Australia and Britain to
be reversed.
Ozyigit argued that the 77-page document prepared by the UN
Secretary-General on the Cyprus problem should be discussed and a joint
statement should be issued regarding the point to which the negotiations
reached since 1977.
Ozyigit went on
and criticized the statement made by the Turkish Minister Responsible for the
EU and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis, who had compared the Cypriots to mules,
and described this as “unacceptable”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Eroglu:Only an agreement
lacks in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (05.12.13) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis
Eroglu alleged yesterday that the “TRNC state” [Translator’s note: the
breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] has been
established in the occupied area of Cyprus and continues to exist having all
its “institutions and organisations”. The only thing that lacks in Cyprus is an
agreement, he claimed in statements during a meeting with war veterans from the
Turkish city of Kocaeli.
Claiming that
the negotiations in Cyprus continue for 50 years, Eroglu argued that “the
people living on the TRNC lands” want to live in peace without wondering how
their future will be.
“I would say that these negotiations should be concluded now, but
both sides should want the agreement”, he claimed and said that “if we find an
agreement by mutually respecting each other’s rights, this agreement will be
viable”. He alleged that they have in front of them a side which does not want
an agreement.
(I/Ts.)
4. Reference to Cyprus in the EP’s draft report on
Turkey
Turkish Cypriot daily
Kibris newspaper (05.12.13) reports that the European Parliament’s (EP) draft
report on Turkey calls on the Republic of Cyprus to create the opportunity for
the Turkish Cypriots to conduct direct trade. According to Anatolia news
agency, the report prepared by the Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten reiterates the EP’s
strong support to the reunification of the island “on the basis of a just and
viable solution for both communities”.
The report also makes a call on Turkey to begin the withdrawal of
her occupation army from the island and return the occupied closed city of
Varosha to its legal owners.
According to Anatolia news agency, the report criticizes the fact
that Turkey has not yet implemented the Additional Protocol, which provides for
the opening of her sea ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels and
airplanes. It also calls on Turkey not to prevent the participation of the
Republic of Cyprus in international organizations.
(I/Ts.)
5. Reception for
the breakaway regime’s 30th anniversary was held in Kuwait
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper reports
that the “TRNC representation office” in Kuwait organized a reception for the
30th anniversary of the breakaway regime’s “establishment”.
Foreign diplomatic mission guests were among
the participants in the reception writes the paper and notes that four
Arab-speaking newspapers referred to the event in their pages. Especially
Al-Anba newspaper published a photograph of the event and wrote that there are
friendly relations between Kuwait and
the breakaway regime.
6. Cost of living in the occupied area of Cyprus
increased by 8.28% since last November
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (05.12.13) reports that the consumer prices index, which
is accepted as an indication for the cost of living, increased by 0.37% in
November 2013 in comparison to last month and by 8.28% in comparison to the
same month of last year. According to data announced by the so-called state
planning organization, the cost of living increased by 8.29% as when compared
to December of last year. The biggest increase was observed in the prices of
clothes and shoes the price of which went up by 7.21% compared to last
month.
(I/Ts.)
7. Ayios Loucas
church in the occupied part of Lefkosia is collapsing
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper
(05.12.13) reports that the historical church of Ayios Loucas, which is located
in the within the walls area of occupied Lefkosia, is abandoned and in a very
bad condition.
The paper writes that the church has been used
as a culture center for years.
The walls of the church are painted with spray,
the windows are broken, and there are garbage in its yard, writes the paper
which publishes pictures of the church.
8. Diyalog The new
paper published in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot Diyalog newspaper has started
to be published as of yesterday.
Writing about the publishing of just another
newspaper in occupied Cyprus, Diayalog editor-in-chief, Resat Akar noted(04.12.13)
that the aim of the new paper is to
protect the nature and the historical objects of arts in Cyprus and also to
point out the rights and wrongs in politics without having any ulterior motives.
He also noted that the paper is pro-peace.
Commenting on today’s edition (05.12.13) Akar
writes that 3.300 pieces of the paper were printed yesterday and were
distributed via the papers subscribers and via selling points.
9. Turkey, EU to
sign readmission agreement on 16 December, to negotiate visa exemption
Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.12.13) reported
that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated that the EU-Turkey visa
exemption process will start in Ankara and readmission agreement will be signed
on December 16.Speaking at a joint press conference he held with Cecilia
Malmstrom, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Stefan Fule, European
Commissioner responsible for EU enlargement and European neighborhood policy.
Davutoglu further said that Turkey witnesses a historical day because finally
the negotiation on visa exemption dialogue will start and the EU Commission
agreed to sign the readmission agreement.
(Note: It is not clarified whether Turkey will
sign the agreement with all 28 members’ states).
10. Turkey, Qatar
sign energy cooperation agreement
Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.12.13) reported
that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday met the Qatari
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani the Qatari capital
Doha.
A cooperation agreement in energy was also
signed between the Electricity Production Company from Turkey and Qatar Holding
during the meeting of the two leaders.
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