TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 17/14 25-27.01.14
1. Schulz:
Turkish Cypriots’ representation in the EP can be solved with the Cyprus
settlement
2. More reactions to the decision of the Council of Ministers to facilitate
the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the EP elections
3. Sener Levent will be a candidate in the EP elections
4.
Davutoglu: Turkey is stronger on the Cyprus issue because of the Burgenstock
talks
5. Eroglu: Erdogan’s stressing on two founding states relieved us
6. Columnist assesses the information that Ankara directly submits
proposals to the Republic of Cyprus
7. Swedish Ambassador to Lefkosia held contacts
8. More than 100.000
settlers reportedly left the breakaway regime due to economic conditions
9. Three Turkish
Minister are illegally visit occupied Cyprus
10. Realist-Kulis
newspaper begun its circulation
11. Public opinion
polls shows that Nami is the most and Serdar Denktas the least popular
“ministers”
12. Turkish Ambassador in Paris views Hollande's stance
on Ankara's EU Bid
13. Fule welcomes suspension of controversial HSYK
bill
1. Schulz:
Turkish Cypriots’ representation in the EP can be solved with the Cyprus
settlement
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis (27.01.14) reports that European Parliament President Martin
Schulz said that the issue of Turkish Cypriot representation at the European
Parliament may be solved in a decisive and permanent way by finding a
comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
Replying to
written questions of Havadis’ correspondent Esra Aygin, Schulz stressed that it
cannot be accepted that the Turkish Cypriots are not represented in the
European Parliament and the European Parliament is concerned about this issue.
Schulz repeated
that a Cyprus settlement will be for the benefit of both sides. He noted that
everybody knows that achieving solution in Cyprus will not be easy; however, he
added that he is an optimist politician. He stressed that the situation that
Cyprus is in at this moment is neither to the benefit of the island nor the EU.
Commenting on
the decision of the Cyprus Government to approve legislation that facilitates
Turkish Cypriots casting ballots in the upcoming European Parliament elections
on 26 May through automatic registration on the electoral roll, Schulz
encouraged the Turkish Cypriots to use their vote on the European Parliament
elections and added: “I would like to remind that the one third of the seats for
Cyprus in the European Parliament belong to the Turkish Cypriot
community”.
Noting that some
circles demand giving to the Turkish Cypriots “observer” status in the European
Parliament as they have in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE), Schulz said: “We should take into consideration that the structures and
the authorities of the two institutions are very different. The status of
observer in the European Parliament is for the countries that are carrying on
negotiations in order to enter into the EU. This status is not logical and
meaningful for the Turkish Cypriots.”
Commenting on
the normalization of Turkey’s relations with the Republic of Cyprus and
Turkey’s stance for opening its ports and airports to Cyprus vessels, Schulz
stressed that all countries wishing to join the EU should respect and adapt its
regulations and institutions. He went on: “I would like to remind that Turkey
is carrying out at this moment negotiations with the EU. If Turkey wants to be
an EU full member, then it should behave as any other EU member country. In
other words, Turkey should comply with all EU regulations and legislation and
should respect all the political institutions of the EU.”
2. More reactions to the decision of the Council of Ministers to facilitate
the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the EP elections
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (25.01.14) reported that representatives of Turkish Cypriot
political parties, except the New Cyprus Party (YKP), have argued thatthe decision
ofthe government of the Republic of Cyprus to send to the House of
Representatives a draft-law aiming at facilitating the participation of the
Turkish Cypriots in the forthcoming European Parliament (EP) electionswas taken
“only for the show”.
In statements to Kibris, the general
secretary of the Republican Turkish Party – United Forces (CTP-BG), Kutlay Erk
referred to the 1960 Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus and argued that the
Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots should determine their representatives
in separate elections. He said that in the current situation, the Turkish
Cypriots cannot hold separate elections in the occupied area of the island to
determine their representatives and claimed that there are some political
parties in the Greek Cypriot community which are against the draft-law and it
is not known whether the draft-law will pass from the House of Representatives
in its current form.
Erk expressed the view that the sides in Cyprus and the EU should
work together and produce a solution for the Turkish Cypriots filling up the
two seats at the EP which it is their right. He alleged that participating in the elections in the
government-controlled area of Cyprus is not an “applicable method” and that the
Greek Cypriots were not pursuing for an applicable method. He said that the
Turkish Cypriots are undertaking some initiatives at the EP and they are
determined to continue these initiatives.
Hasan Tacoy, self-styled
“MP” with the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) alleged that the
practice suggested by the Greek Cypriots is a wrong practice. He added: “They are saying to us: ‘become a voter’, ‘come and
register’. The so-called representation right is given to the Turkish Cypriots
under the name of the Republic of Cyprus. This is not a method that represents
the Turkish Cypriots”. He said that the
Turkish Cypriots want to hold their own elections and send their
representatives to the EP.
Izzet Izcan, chairman of
the United Cyprus Party (BKP) said that technically they are not against the
participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the EP elections, but the
representatives who will come out from within the Turkish Cypriot community
should represent the Turkish Cypriot community in the EP. He claimed: “The way for this has not yet been opened. The
registration in the lists is not enough. An agreement should be reached between
the sides, the EU should recognize this agreement and we should send our two
representatives to the EP… All voters should go and vote in order for us to
send a representative to the EP. This election should be held freely and we
have to be represented proportionally to our population. The Greek Cypriots are
saying ‘come and enter into the elections under me’. There is a defect in the procedure”.
Murat Kanatli,
organizational secretary of the New Cyprus Party (YKP), said that his party believes
that the amendment of the law is positive and that the Turkish Cypriots should
be encouraged to vote. He noted that the EP
elections are held on ideological basis rather than on ethnic basis. Kanatli said that when a solution to the
Cyprus problem is reached, the elections will be separately held in the Greek
and Turkish constituent states, but the YKP will have in its lists Greek
Cypriots, who will be residing in the Turkish Cypriot constituent state,
because this is not a debate on ethnic basis.
(I/Ts.)
3. Sener Levent will be a candidate in the EP elections
Writing in his daily column in Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (26.01.14), columnist Sener Levent reported that he
will be a candidate in the European Parliament (EP) elections which will be
held in May. Levent wrote that he does not agree with the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side on the
issue and points out that he was surprised by the stance of those Turkish
Cypriots known as the “biggest supporters of peace and solution” on the island.
He notes, inter alia, the following:
“…They met at the same point with our chauvinists, something which
rarely happens. All, except the New Cyprus Party (YKP), believe that the
Turkish Cypriots were unjustly treated.
They all demand a separate election to be held for the two seats which
belong to the Turkish Cypriots out of these six seats. That is, in their view,
the Greeks should elect the four MPs and the Turks the other two MPs. If we had continued our way as one of the
two partners of the Republic of Cyprus, this is what would have happened now.
However, is this possible in the current status quo? You are absent in the
north, Turkey’s subordinate administration exists. It is under the occupation
of Turkey for 40 years. It said that
it had come to re-establish the spoiled constitution of the Republic of Cyprus
in 1974 and afterwards it changed its mind and stayed here. Turkey divided the island. It carried here population that multiplies
the local population. And it established a ghost state by putting its
collaborators in its administration. If now, after all these, you demand
two seats at the EP, who will give them to you? Is this possible before a common
state is reached on the island?...
Yes, I am a candidate. And I
believe that these elections are a great opportunity for cooperation and
solidarity between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots… I am a candidate because I want to see here
how much we have managed to overcome the wall of nationalism here… We will
be saved on this island only when a Turk defends the rights of the Greeks and a
Greek defends the rights of the Turks.”
(I/Ts.)
4. Davutoglu:
Turkey is stronger on the Cyprus issue because of the Burgenstock talks
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
(27.01.14) reports that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that if
the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot positions on the Cyprus issue are stronger now
than they were 10 years ago and if they progressed on a more solid basis,
that’s mostly because of the negotiations held at the Swiss resort of
Burgenstock a decade ago.
Speaking at a meeting of the Independent
Industrialists’ and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), Davutoglu, referring to
the Cyprus problem, said that they have carried out a diplomacy which opened
their horizons and protected the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.
Davutoglu claimed that since 2004
referenda, in no case has Turkey or the “TRNC” (Translator’s note: the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) been accused by the
world as the intransigent side. He argued that the parameters of a Cyprus
settlement have changed because they have exhibited political will. He added
that the national income in Cyprus has quadrupled and the Turkish Cypriot
community can stand up right in front of
the Greek Cypriots.
5. Eroglu: Erdogan’s stressing on two founding states relieved us
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (27.01.14) reports that
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has
said that the fact that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had
stressed on “the two founding states in Cyprus” during his recent visit to
Brussels relieved the Turkish Cypriot side. In statements to a Turkish television
channel, Eroglu noted that during his recent visit to Ankara they once again
saw that they are in harmony with Ankara.
Asked to comment on Erdogan’s statement in Brussels as regards the
view on “two founding states”, Eroglu argued: “Mr Prime Minister said it very
correctly. With this reply to Mr Schultz
[Translator’s note: the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz] he drew attention to a reality”.
Eroglu said that they are trying to establish a “new partnership
state” and argued that “it is out of the question for the south to represent
the north”. “The reply given by Mr Prime Minister relieved us”, he added.
Asked what the positions of the Turkish side are as regards the
solution in Cyprus, Eroglu said that
they want “a new bi-zonal, bi-communal federal state which will be established
by two founding states based on political equality”.
Replying to a question on
the agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus regarding
the properties in the British Sovereign Bases on the island, Eroglu said that
they had conveyed their objections on this issue to the British High
Commissioner in Cyprus. He alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are the owners of one part of
these bases and added that they object to the transfer of these properties
to the Guardian of the Turkish Cypriot properties [Translator’s note: The
Guardian is the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, which is
responsible for all Turkish Cypriot properties in the government controlled
area of the island].
Referring to the issue of the illegal Turkish settlers, Eroglu said
that the first settlers had come to the island in 1975, got married and had
children. “The father of two of my
grandchildren is from Turkey”, he added andreiterated the position that all the
“citizens” of the “TRNC” will become “citizens of the partnership state”.
Asked on how the water to be transferred from Turkey to the occupied
area of Cyprus will contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem, Eroglu
said that 75 million cubic meters of water will come and added that “this is
more than enough for the TRNC”.
Meanwhile, referring to the same statements, Turkish Cypriot daily
Halkin Sesi newspaper (27.01.14) reports that Eroglu said that there is a water shortage in the Greek Cypriot side, as he described the
government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus. “In the end they will be
doomed to accept the water which will come from Turkey to the TRNC”.
(I/Ts.)
6. Columnist assesses the information that Ankara directly submits
proposals to the Republic of Cyprus
Under the title “Eroglu remained in the middle”, Turkish Cypriot columnistSami Ozuslu assesses in Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper(27.01.14) the information published in the
press that Ankara directly submits proposals to the Republic of Cyprus through
the Ambassador of the United States to Nicosia.
The columnist argues, inter alia, the following: “…This initiative, which could be accepted as
‘true’ because no refutation came from Ankara or Nicosia or Washington, is very
important. And it is important from
many aspects.
One: Turkey has by-passed president Dervis Eroglu, who does not want a
‘single sovereignty’.
Two: With this ‘direct contact’ Ankara has given the signal that she
could make an opening in the direction of ‘normalization’ of its relations with
the Republic of Cyprus.
Three: It is something new for Ankara to negotiate the ‘single
sovereignty’ and the ‘guarantees’ not with the other guarantor powers, but with
the one of the sides in Cyprus.
Four: With these initiatives Ankara itself has blamed Eroglu for the
fact that the negotiations could not resume.
Five: Turkey has given the message to both the UN and the EU that ‘do
not pay attention to Eroglu’s hard stance, we are at the point Talat left it’…”
(I/Ts.)
7. Swedish Ambassador to Lefkosia held contacts
Illegal Bayrak
television (24.01.14) broadcast that the
leader of the Democrat Party- National Forces and self-styled deputy prime minister Serdar Denktasheld a
meeting with the Swedish Ambassador to Lefkosia Klas Gierow.
The meeting held
at the DP-UG party headquarters. No statement was issued before or after the
meeting.
In addition,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (26.01.13) reported that Gierow also held a meeting the general secretary of the Communal
Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Ozyigit and exchanged views on the latest developments of
the Cyprus problem.
8. More than
100.000 settlers reportedly left the breakaway regime due to economic
conditions
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (25.01.14)
reported that Bertan Zaroglu, chairman
of the "culture and solidarity association" of the settlers coming
from Alexandretta, alleged that more than 100.000 settlers who were living in
the breakaway regime had to leave the occupied area of Cyprus because they were
living under very difficult economic conditions.
He went on and added that the “country” needs
population for the economy to come around again.
9. Three Turkish
Minister to illegally visit the occupied area ofCyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kıbris newspaper
(27.01.14) reports that self-styled deputy prime minister and “minister” of
economy, tourism and culture, Serdar
Denktas, stated that three Turkish Ministers will arrive in the breakaway
regime today, as members of a technical committee from Turkey. The three
Ministers will deal with issues like water and electricity.
Denktas did not state
who the Ministers are.
10. Realist-Kulis
newspaper begun its circulation
A new newspaper under
the name Realist-Kulisis circulated as
of today,27 of January 2014, in the occupied area of Cyprus.
The general director of the paper is Harun
Denizkan.
In its first
publication note, the paper writes that it will view Cyprus as a whole during its publication life,
will try to be realistic and will struggle for the rights of the “people” in
Cyprus. It also writes that eight Greek Cypriot columnists will write articles for
the paper.
11. Public opinion
polls shows that Nami is the most popular and SerdarDenktas the least popular
“ministers”
Turkish Cypriot daily Realist-Kulis newspaper
(27.01.14) reports that according to an
opinion poll conducted by the Cyprus Social and Economic Surveys Centre (KADEM)
on behalf of the paper, “foreign minister” Ozdil Nami is the most popular
“minister” in the breakaway regime’s government with a percentage of 9.2 out of
10.
The paper writes that
the least popular is “deputy prime minister” and leader of Democratic Party
Serdar Denktas with 5.24 out of ten. Second worse is “prime minister” and
leader of the Republican Turkish Party OzkanYorganciogluwith 5.63 out of ten.
The poll was conducted with a sample of 654
persons.
12. Turkish Ambassador in Paris views Hollande's stance
on Ankara's EU Bid
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (26.01.14) reported that French
President Francois Hollande has a more moderate approach to Turkey's EU
accession than former President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Turkish Ambassador in
Paris Tahsin Burcuoglu, told AA. He also argues that France has no
objections to the opening of chapters on "judiciary and fundamental
rights" and "justice, freedom and security."
"Hollande has a more moderate approach to
Turkey's EU accession than Sarkozy, but he might change his stance due to the
upcoming elections," Burcuoglu said.
In addition,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (27.01.14) reports that the French President pays historic visit to
Turkey today, after 22 years aiming to promote bilateral ties after these
regressed under former leader Nicolas Sarkozy.
Ankara's agenda for the talks will focus on opening EU
accession chapters 17, 22 and 23 during Greece's EU presidency, which runs
through June 30.“However, France is known to be hesitant
about opening chapter 17, regulating economic and monetary policies, which is
directly related to full accession and could create difficulties for Hollande
in domestic politics given that his popularity level at home is low ahead of
local elections in March”, writes the paper.
The resumption of talks in Cyprus is set to be another
topic of discussion during Holland’s meeting.
13. Fule welcomes suspension of controversial HSYK
bill
Turkish daily
Today's Zaman newspaper (26.01.14) reported that European Union's top enlargement official, Stefan Fule, has welcomed
the suspension of a controversial bill to restructure the Supreme Board of
Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), Turkey's key judicial council -- responsible for
appointments, promotions and dismissals in the judiciary.
In a tweet on
Sunday, Fule, said that he welcomed the suspension, adding that it is time to
reflect on how to ensure independence and impartiality in the judiciary.
In addition,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (25.01.14) argues that Brussels has played a key role in freezing parts of the controversial bill as Fule sent a letter to
Ankara on Jan. 24 requesting more time and dialogue before the enactment of the
draft bill, daily Radikal revealed.
Fule sent a first letter on Jan. 14 to EU Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu. Fule said that such a reform would have a negative impact on
"the independence and neutrality of the judiciary and the separation of
powers."
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
