TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 07/14 11-13.01.14
1.
Davutoglu alleges that their “proactive policies” for a solution in Cyprus
continue
2. German Ambassador: The division of Cyprus and Nicosia is a “stain of
shame” in Europe and the world
3. Self-styled deputies will carry out contacts in Strasbourg at
PACE
4. Izcan accused Eroglu and Nami that their statements contradict
their actions
5. Atun said that the “TRNC” cannot stay in history as a joke
6. British expert: Only after the solution of the Cyprus problem the
Cypriot gas could be transferred through Turkey
7. Afrika: “The economic package belongs to the parallel state”
8. Bi-communal
Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage: Othelo’s Tower renovation to start in
2014
9. The chairman of the
“Turkish Cypriot Football Federation” received an official invitation to
participate in an international conference
10. Davutoglu discussed with his French counterpart
about Hollande’s visit to Turkey
11. Debate on controversial bill to restrict judicial
body in Turkey deepens
12. Erdogan: Dostmodern coup is taking place in Turkey
13. Davutoglu to chair Turkish Ambassadors conference
14. Turkey condemns Israel's new housing project in
Jerusalem
15. Davutoglu denies saying that Turkey's growing power is
worrisome to France and Britain
16.
Turkish journalist leaves Sabah newspaper
accusing it of being turned into means for propaganda
17. New internet law said to carry risk of being used
as censorship tool
1. Davutoglu
alleges that their “proactive policies” for a solution in Cyprus
Illegal Bayrak television (13.01.14, online) broadcasts that the
Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet
Davutoglu has alleged that Turkey and the “TRNC” [Translator’s note:
breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] will continue their “proactive policies” in
the direction of the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Addressing the
Ambassadors’ Conference, which is organized for the sixth year with the
participation of the Ambassadors of Turkey abroad, Davutoglu referred to the Cyprus problem and alleged that Turkey and the breakaway regime have confirmed many times
how sincere they are on the issue of the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Davutoglu said that they are telling all their interlocutors that
they would continue their “proactive policies” and added: “However, on the other side we will make the TRNC and
our Turkish Cypriot brothers to walk tall in the world. Therefore, the TRNC is standing more soundly on its
feet today becausethe per capita income in northern
Cyprus has reached 15.000-16.000 dollars, just like it happened in Turkey”.
Davutoglu claimed that the issue is to
pursue an effective policy which shows to the world that they are right.
(I/Ts.)
2. German Ambassador: The division of Cyprus and Nicosia is a “stain of
shame” in Europe and the world
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.01.14)
reports that the German Ambassador to Nicosia,
Dr Gabriela Guellil has said that
the reunification of Germany in 1990 has secured benefits to the country in
many fields and advised the Turkish
Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots to be courageous and make use of the
opportunity to solve the Cyprus problem.
Responding in writing to Kibris’ questions, the Ambassador noted
that Germany has always been supporting
a just, lasting and functional solution to the Cyprus problem. Describing
as “positive” the fact that no hot conflict exists on the island, the German Ambassador said thatthe time
that passes is not in favour of finding a solution on the island. “Time is
also not in favour of the negotiating sides’ achieving a better result”, she
added.
Dr Guellil went on and said that the division of Cyprus and Nicosia continues to be a “stain of shame”
in Europe and the world.
Noting that because of the non-solution of the Cyprus problem, other
problems “have been frozen” before us, the German diplomat pointed out that stagnation exists regarding Europe’s defence
and security structure. She added: “The
Cyprus problem locks the achievement of an agreement in the decision making
mechanism here. The Cyprus problem has since a long time been a headache for
NATO”.
Dr Guellil went on and wondered how right it is for the
international community to spend time and energy for the Cyprus problem while
unrest exists in the area because of the “Arab Spring”.
The German Ambassador said that the solution of the Cyprus problem
has the potential of being the way to settle the on-going economic difficulties
in the island and added that “Germany supports any steps to be taken for the
improvement of the Cyprus’ economy”.
Referring to Turkey’s accession process to
the EU, Dr Guellil noted that her country maintains the position that Turkey is obliged to fulfil her obligations
as regards the Ankara Protocol and added that the solution of the Cyprus problem “could change the rules of the game”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Self-styled deputies will carry out contacts in
Strasbourg at PACE
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen (13.01.14) reports that a delegation from the so-called
assembly, consisting of self-styled deputy of Republican Turkish Party –United
Forces (CTP-BG) Armagan Candan, self-styled deputy of National Unity Party (BP)
Ersan Saner and self-styled deputy Hasan Tacoy will fly to Strasburg between
14-16 of January to carry contacts at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE).
The delegation
will follow the deliberations of PACE and will meet with political group
officials. They will discuss with them the resumption of the Cyprus talks, the
representation of the Turkish Cypriots to the European Parliament (EP) and what
the Turkish Cypriots expect from the EU.
The delegation
will participate in more than 20 meetings and will meet with the Chairman and
members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of EP, the European Parliament's
Turkey Rapporteur, the EP President Martin Schulz, members of the EU-Turkey
Joint Parliamentary Committee as well as the Socialist Group, the Group of the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the Christian Democrats Group,
the Greens and the Conservatives Reformists Group.
According to the
paper, the delegation will follow the plenary session of the EP, in which the
programme of Greece EU-term presidency will be discussed. It is also expected
thatthe Cyprus problem to be in the agenda at the plenary session.
Meanwhile,
Armagan Candan of CTP will participate in the meeting of the Progressive
Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), in which CTP is a member.
4. Izcan accused Eroglu and Nami that their
statements contradict their actions
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris (12.01.14) reported that United Cyprus Party (BKP) Chairman Izzet
Izcan called on Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and President Nicos
Anastasiades to stop using delaying tactics and to resume the Cyprus talks the
soonest possible from the point where they had left off.
In a written
statement, Izcan said that Cypriots can no longer tolerate paying the price for
the lack of a Cyprus settlement. He added that both Eroglu and self-styled
foreign affairs minister Ozdil Nami made statements that they want an early
solution. However, their statements contradict their actions. Izcan said that
proposals submitted to agree on a joint declaration, are separatist proposals
aimed at undermining the UN resolutions on Cyprus and envisage two separate
states.
Izcan said that
they should immediately stop using delaying tactics and to start looking like
they sincerely want a solution. He added that they cannot deceive the Turkish
Cypriots.
Izcan noted that
sovereignty is one and inseparable withina federation and added that this is provided
for inthe UN Security Council Resolutions. He noted that a confederation based
on two separate states is impossible and it is just another way to say “we
don’t want a solution”.
5. Atun said that “TRNC” cannot stay in history as
a joke
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi (13.01.14) reported that Sunat Atun, general secretary of the
National Unity Party (UBP) claimed that the letter sent by Cyprus President
Anastasiades to the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon is a new document of Greek
Cypriot side’s hostility to the fundamental rights of the Turkish Cypriots.
In a written
statement, Atun alleged that the attempts of self-styled prime minister Ozkan
Yorgancioglu to accuse the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu instead of the
Greek Cypriots, show that the politics of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP)
are irresponsible and distant from the interests of the Turkish Cypriots.
Regarding the
joint statement, Atun said that both sides should stop looking for a joint
statement and sit at the negotiation table the soonest possible. He added that
the agreement to be reached should include the continuation of Turkey’s
guarantees, the bi-zonality, the political equality and sovereignty of the
Turkish Cypriots. He alleged that the
“TRNC” cannot be considered as a joke in the history.
6. British expert: Only after the solution of the Cyprus problem the
Cypriot gas could be transferred through Turkey
Under the title “The reasonable way is Turkey”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (13.01.14) reports that while ways of building a
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Station in Vassilikos area are being examined, officials of Noble Energy told the paper
that the company is evaluating alternatives other than LNG for exporting the
Cypriot gas. The paper writes that the
officials refrained from saying what these alternatives could be. According to the paper, carrying the
natural gas with a pipe line through Turkey is one of these alternatives. Nobel Energy, notes Havadis, accepts that
finding more natural gas is needed for constructing the LNG installation in
Vassilikos area.
According to information given by company officials, Noble Energy is
conducting three dimensional seismic explorations in an area of 2.849
kilometres in order to find out whether there are more gas reserves in parcel
12 in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
Havadis publishes also statements by Julian Lee, a senior energy analyst at Britain’s Centre for Global
Energy Studies who follows Noble Energy’s activities. Lee argued that exporting the Cypriot gas by Nobel Energy
to Europe with pipe lines through Turkey is very “attractive and convenient
both from economic and mechanical point of view”. He noted, however, that in order for this alternative
to be realized, the political obstacles must be overcome. He expressed the
view that transferring the Cypriot natural
gas to Europe through Greece is not a very attractive alternative, because
building pipe lines through Greece would be expensive and difficult.
According to Lee, liquefying the Israeli natural gas in Cyprus would
not be very reasonable. He said that no country until today liquefied her
natural gas in another country. He noted that Israel has various alternatives on the issue of the natural gas and
argued that liquefying the gas in Cyprus would not be an attractive alternative
for this country and at the same time it would be strategically risky. “I think it is impossible to liquefy
Israel’s gas in the LNG installation in Cyprus”, he concluded.
(I/Ts.)
7. Afrika: “The economic package belongs to the parallel state”
Under the above title,Turkish Cypriot
daily Afrika newspaper (13.01.14) reports that “serious debates” started in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus after the appearance of the “parallel state” said to have conspired
against the army in Turkey. According to the paper, questions have been
raised as to whether who had prepared the “economic package” for the occupied
area of Cyprus which includes “selling way” the electricity and
telecommunication “authorities”.
The paper writes that “it was
identified” that the so-called parallel state in Turkey was the one that
prepared this “economic package”, which “created new destruction in our
community and has become an issue of debate since a long time”.
“The emergence of the
parallel state in Turkey spoiled the balance of the government in Cyprus which
is depended on Ankara”, reports Afrika noting that “no one can estimate from
whom the orders come from”.
It has been established that the construction of mosques and imam hatip
schools [Translator’s note: schools to train government employed imams] in the occupied area of Cyprus is
administered by the “parallel state”, writes Afrika noting that Turkey’s so-called Aid Delegation is
believed to be depended on this “parallel state”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage: Othelo’s Tower
renovation to start in 2014
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(13.07.14) reports that the bi-communal
Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage announced that the project for the
renovation of occupied Famagusta walls and Othelo’s Tower is expected to start in 2014.
Ali Tuncay, member of the Committee stated that
very important projects will take place in Famagusta in 2014 and added that these
monuments do not belong only to Turkish and Greek Cypriots but are part of the
world’s heritage.
9. The chairman of
the “Turkish Cypriot Football Federation” received an official invitation to
participate in an international conference
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(13.01.14) reports that Hasan Sertoglu,
the chairman of the “Turkish Cypriot Football Federation” received an official
invitation to participate in an international conference which will take place
on July in London, UK, under the name “Economics of Football Industry: Problems
and Perspectives in the New Era”. Alex Ferguson, Luis Figo and Jose Mourinho
will also participate in the conference.
The paper writes that FIFA manager Mete
Feridun, who is of Turkish Cypriot origin and is associate professor at London Greenwich
University is member of the conference organization committee. The Conference
has the support of the London Greenwich University and the English Football
Federation.
In statements, Feridun stated that he invited
Sertoglu because of the brave steps he has taken regarding the opening of
“Turkish Cypriot football” in the world.
10. Davutoglu discussed with his French counterpart
about Hollande’s visit to Turkey
Turkish daily
Hurriyet (13.01.14) reports that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with
the French Foreign Minister Laurent
Fabius ahead of the meeting in Paris.
According to the
paper, they discussed the details of French President Francois Hollande’s visit
to Turkey on 27-28 of January, as well as the Syrian issue.
11. Debate on controversial bill to restrict
judicial body in Turkey deepens
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.01.14) reports that
the parliamentary debate in Turkey over a controversial government-endorsed
bill “that would significantly restrict the powers of Turkey's top judicial
council”, according to the paper, continued over the weekend with scuffles
between Deputies from the ruling and opposition parties during key commission
meetings.
On the third day
of deliberations in the Justice Commission on Sunday, tensions escalated as Deputies
continued to fight over a bill that many see as a government attempt to control
the judiciary through extraordinary powers. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended the bill, saying
everything is happening by the book and that what matters in the Commission is
the vote at the end of the day. “
The Turkish
Prime Minister also accused the judiciary of being unaccountable to the people's
will and preventing businesspeople from doing their jobs.
So far, 15 members of the Supreme Board of Judges and
Prosecutors (HSYK), have voiced their strong objection to the governing party's
proposal to restructure the board, saying the plan violates the Constitution. But Erdogan claimed on Sunday that the bill is not a violation of
the Constitution, adding that the opposition will have an opportunity to ask
the Constitutional Court to reverse the decision after it is adopted by
Parliament.
12. Erdogan: Dostmodern coup is taking place in
Turkey
Turkish daily
Hurriyet newspaper (11.01.14) reported that the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, stated that on "28
February [1997] there was a postmodern coup, and this is a dostmodern one
[a play on the Turkish word "dost," meaning "intimate
friend"], referring to the recent developments taking place in Turkey.
Erdogan made these statements to journalists accompanying him on the final day
of his Far East trip:
Erdogan further
said that he has no concerns over economic indicators regarding the crisis and
said that the greatest problem Turkey faces is the judiciary tutelage.
13. Davutoglu to chair Turkish Ambassadors
conference
Ankara Anatolia
news Agency (12.01.14) reported that the
6th annual Ambassadors' Conference will be chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu between January 13 and 19 in the cities of Ankara, Adana
and Mersin with the participation of
Turkish ambassadors serving overseas. According to a Ministry of Foreign
Affairs statement, the conference will
have the theme "Strong Democracy, Dynamic Economy, Effective Diplomacy".
President of
Slovenia Borut Pahor and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
Secretary General Iyad Madani will participate in the sessions in capital
Ankara where they will address the Ambassadors. In addition, former OIC
secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu will attend the dinner during which
Davutoglu will meet with the Foreign Ministry family.
Having become a
tradition after being held for the first time in 2008, the Ambassadors'
Conference focuses on assessing Turkey's foreign policy and international
relations, determining future strategies, and coordinating with agencies and
organizations which play a role in the implementation of Turkish foreign
policy.
14. Turkey condemns Israel's new housing project in
Jerusalem
Ankara Anatolia
news Agency (11.01.14) reported that Turkey
condemned Israel's invitation for bidders to construct more than 1.900 housing
units in several settlements in East Jerusalem and West Bank, stating that it is against the international law as
well as threatening a two-state solution.
Turkish Foreign Ministry released a statement
expressing Turkey's support to the peace process for a two-state solution within
the borders before 1967, process that started with the initiative of US.
15. Davutoglu denies saying that Turkey's growing power is worrisome to France
and Britain
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.01.14) reports that
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has refuted his alleged remarks that
some countries were disturbed by Turkey's increasing power -- referring to
France and Britain -- during a recent meeting, saying the reports circulating
in the media don't reflect the true content or context of the meeting.
According to a
report released on Saturday by the private İhlas News Agency (İHA), Davutoglu confirmed that he had a meeting
with the with presidents of European states' friendship groups on Thursday
as a part of his regular meetings with friendship groups in Parliament; however, he slammed Turkish dailies for
falsely reporting on the closed-to-the-press meeting.
According to the dailies' reports, Davutoglu stressed
that some countries have been disturbed by Turkey's growing power, pointing in
particular to France and Britain, and said that foreign powers had a role in
the latest developments in Turkey, referring to the corruption scandal that
erupted on Dec. 17 with the detentions of officials, businessmen close to the
government and the sons of three ministers.Several
dailies also quoted Davutoglu as saying, “We didn't know who to believe and
started to look around with suspicion.”
Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Levent Gumrukçu also denied Davutoglu's alleged statements from
the meeting, saying that the media reports are inaccurate.
16.
Turkish journalist leaves Sabah newspaper
accusing it of being turned into means for propaganda
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (13.01.14)
reports that Nur Batur, an experienced
Turkish journalist, has left Turkish Sabah newspaper in which she had been
working for the last seven years. Explaining the reasons of her decision, Batur
argued that recently Sabah has lost its prestige with the mentality for
journalism it exhibits. “For the past
one year it has been turned into a means for propaganda and entered into a
deadlock”, she said noting that Sabah
stopped giving opportunity to different opinions to be heard and lost its prestige internationally.
(I/Ts.)
17. New internet law said to carry risk of being
used as censorship tool
Turkish daily
Hurriyet newspaper (12.01.14) reported that
under an omnibus draft law submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly,
the fate of Internet access in Turkey will be handed over to government
control. Under an article added to the law, it will be possible to shut down
Internet sites without a court order merely under the instructions of the
Telecommunication Directorate (TIB) and the Ministry of Transport.
The draft law
proposes the founding of an Association of Access Providers, an umbrella
organization for all mobile and land line Internet providers. The association
will block an Internet site within four hours of a decision taken by TIB or the
Ministry.
1- Who is going to block the contents?
With the
amendment in the draft law, the content blockage will be enforced by TIB and
the Ministry of Transport as well as courts.
2- How is the blockage going to be implemented?
Once
inappropriate content is identified by TIB or the Ministry of Transport, first
an injunction will be issued whereby Internet service providers will be able to
block the inappropriate content within four hours.
3- How is the blockage going to be lifted?
Internet site
owners or users will need to take legal action for the ban on the Internet
contents to be lifted. In other words, if the courts rule that the banned
content is not offensive, then the ban will be lifted.
4- What does the decision to block cover?
It will be
possible to take a decision to block "inappropriate" content on the
Internet. This practice will cover the publication of sections, parts,
pictures, and videos that violate the right to privacy.
5- Will it be possible to view blocked content?
Blockages will
from now on be implemented on the basis of IP addresses. Therefore using DNS
[Domain Name System] numbers or VPN [Virtual Private Network] services will not
be of any use. In other words, it will not be possible to access blocked
Internet sites even through the back door.
6- Will Internet sites be filtered?
Access blockages
will be done on the basis of Internet pages. Even when the sites are available,
the banned content on the site will not be viewable to the users. In this way,
the banned content will be hidden from the users.
7- Which Internet sites can be blocked?
The pages with
inappropriate content will be blocked on the basis of their URL, that is, their
resource locators. For instance, instead of denying access to the whole
YouTube, the video in question will be blocked. In social media, users' Tweets
will be dealt with in this fashion.
8- What are the Internet service providers going to
do?
Mobile and land
line Internet service providers such as TTNET, Super online, D-Smart, Turkcell,
Vodafone, and Avea will be required to join the Association of Access
Providers.
9- Will records be kept on users?
Under the
article regarding the Association of Access Providers in the draft law, it will
be compulsory to store the Internet browsing history of the subscribers for two
years. In other words, the Internet sites visited and the applications used on
smart phones by the subscribers will be stored. In this way, subscribers'
profiles will be established.
10- Is Internet going to cost more?
The requirement
to store the browsing history of 34 million subscribers for two years will
create an additional financial burden on the Internet service providers. The
companies will need to purchase servers with higher capacity. This will be
passed on to the end users as price increases.
This can be used
as means of censorship
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
