TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 21/14 31.01.14
1. Yorgancioglu discusses the Cyprus problem with Erdogan and Cicek in Ankara
2. Cicek: Everyone should accept the “TRNC”; Changes should be made in the “Property Compensation Commission” to increase the territorial gains of the Turkish Cypriot side
3. Turkish Ministry of Water Management: Three installations for bringing water to the occupied area of Cyprus will cost 123 million TL
4. Talat will support Eroglu, if he solves the Cyprus problem
5. Ozgurgun: Morphou will never be given back
6. Opinion poll shows that 58.8% of Turkish Cypriots would vote again in favour of Annan Plan
7. The Ambassadors of Denmark and Finland visited CTP
8. Four candidates for the DP leadership
9. Erdogan scheduled to visit Germany
10. Islamic scholar Gulen sues Turkish Interior Minister over coup accusation
11. Turkish daily argues that Arabs lost confidence in Erdogan after the Gezi protests operation
1. Yorgancioglu discusses the Cyprus problem with Erdogan and Cicek in Ankara
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (31.01.14) reports that Ozkan Yorgancioglu, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, met yesterday in Ankara with the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Cemil Cicek. According to the paper, during the meetings, views were exchanged on issues such as the relations of Turkey with Cyprus, the Cyprus problem and the economy of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the island.
Self-styled foreign minister, Ozdil Nami, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot Affairs, Besir Atalay and Turkey’s so-called ambassador to Nicosia, Halil Ibrahim Akca attended the meeting between Yorgancioglu and Erdogan, after which no statement was issued.
Yeni Duzen reports that during his contacts in Turkey, Yorgancioglu had an interview with state TRT Turk television, during which describing as “positive” his contacts in Turkey, he expressed the view that holding such contacts often is beneficial for “both countries”.
Replying to questions on the Cyprus problem, Yorgancioglu argued that the sides want their wishes to be included in the joint declaration and noted that the joint declaration will be a common text and “not the negotiations themselves”. He said that the joint declaration aims at the beginning of the discussions on the essence of the negotiations and added that the sides should meet at a common point in order for reaching a result.
Yorgancioglu argued that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side try to positively contribute in this issue and they “receive a response” during their meetings with foreign diplomats.
Referring to the letter sent by the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu to the UN Secretary-General, Yorgancioglu said that he does not find the stance of Eroglu, who said that “this text will be the last one and there will be no other text”, to be correct. “We should evaluate the text in case changes are made, provided that the balances and the interests of the Turkish Cypriots are protected”, he added.
Yorgancioglu reiterated the Turkish views that the return of the occupied closed city of Varosha is a part of the comprehensive solution and that the natural resources which are within the natural borders of the island of Cyprus “belong to both sides”.
Yorgancioglu gave also interviews to Anatolia news agency and Al Jazeera Turk.
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (31.01.14) refers to Yorgancioglu’s visit to Turkey under the title “Low protocol” and reports that at Esenboga Airport, Yorgancioglu was received by officials of the “embassy” of the regime to Ankara, the Deputy Governor of Ankara and the Deputy Commander of Ankara’s Gendarme. The paper points out that while the meeting of Yorgancioglu with Erdogan should have started at 12.30, it started at 14.00, no official ceremony was held to receive the delegation and no statement was issued after the meeting. The paper notes that the newly “elected” “prime ministers” of the regime in the past had been received with “protocol A” when visiting Ankara as officials guests.
(I/Ts.)
2. Cicek: Everyone should accept the “TRNC”; Changes should be made in the “Property Compensation Commission” to increase the territorial gains of the Turkish Cypriot side
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (31.01.14) reports that the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Cemil Cicek has alleged that there is a “state” named “TRNC” [Translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] and everyone should accept this “state”. In statements yesterday during a meeting with Ozkan Yorgancioglu, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, Cicek said that their views on how the Cyprus problem could be solved are known from the very beginning and alleged that the problem has not been solved until now because the Greek Cypriot side took no step in this direction.
He went on and added, inter alia, the following: “A Turkish entity exists there, a Turkish community. A solution by ignoring or accepting it as minority is never correct or possible, after the experiences of the past. There is a state called TRNC. It is now a 30-year-old young state. Therefore, everyone should accept this. We all say that whatever the solution is, it should be just, lasting and on the basis of equality…”
Cicek referred also to the “Property Compensation Commission” established by Turkey in the occupied area of Cyprus and described its establishment as “one of the important gains” [of the Turkish side] during the “50-year long” Cyprus problem. He went on and said, inter alia, the following:
“Everyone knows how much Turkey was harmed because of some precedent cases. Such commission has been established in order for becoming a way of solution. This relaxed us on some points, we have to admit it. In the beginning the financing of this commission was provided with money from Turkey, but this is not enough to solve this problem. A financing mechanism should have been established, but it has been discussed a lot during the period passed since then and no solution was reached. If we corrode this institution, we are going to pay a heavy price. Therefore, as governments we have to bring a solution to this issue… If within a short period of time we made an arrangement in a manner that perhaps will include individual exchange…Because enough work has been made, it was thought a lot over the models. It will be appropriate if we decide on one of these [models] and resolve the issue in a manner that will increase our territorial gains in favour of the Turkish Cypriots, without corroding this process”.
Meanwhile, in his statements Yorgancioglu said that the long-lasting Cyprus problem should be solved and argued that, having “good communication with Turkey”, they are looking for a solution on the basis of equality that will be protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriot “people”. He noted that finding a solution is not easy, but this is the result which should be searched because it will pave the way of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.
He argued, inter alia, the following: “The discussions we had are showing to us that we are in a good path. Therefore, we see that the Greek Cypriot side is in a little bit difficult situation, contrary to the past. We perceive this as if it is slowly paying the price of rejection in the world. For this reason, I hope that we will come close to this point…”
(I/Ts.)
3. Turkish Ministry of Water Management: Three installations for bringing water to the occupied area of Cyprus will cost 123 million TL
Under the title “The foundations in the Dam of Panagra will be laid”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (31.01.14) reports that according to a statement issued by the Turkish Ministry of Forest and Water Management, the foundation of three installations within the framework of the project for bringing water from Turkey to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus will be laid and the cost of the investment will be around 123 million Turkish Liras (TL).
The paper writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, self-styled prime minister, Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot Affairs, Besir Atalay, the Turkish Minister of Forest and Water Treatment, Veysel Eroglu, the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Taner Yildiz and the self-styled minister of environment and natural resources, Hamit Demirci will be among the participants in the foundations laying ceremony that will be held at occupied Panagra village’s dam in Keryneia area.
The statement of the Turkish Ministry said that the installations will increase the capacity of drinking water in the occupied area of Cyprus by 200 thousand cubic meters and that a 63.5-kilometre long pipeline will be built from Panagra to occupied Nicosia. The total length of the pipeline in the occupied area of Keryneia will reach 160 kilometres, the statement noted.
(I/Ts.)
4. Talat will support Eroglu, if he solves the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (31.01.14) reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, participating in a TV programme, said that in case Dervis Eroglu solves the Cyprus problem, then he won’t be a candidate and he will support him. He noted that he has not decided yet for the candidacy, because it is too early to talk on this issue. He added that what they should do now is to contribute for the solution of the Cyprus problem and not thinking about the “elections”.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (31.01.14), commenting on the above statements by Talat, writes that he insinuates that he will be a candidate in the next “elections”, although the name of Sibel Siber, self-styled assembly speaker, has also been discussed as a candidate.
5. Ozgurgun: Morphou will never be given back
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (31.01.14) reports that the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun, during a visit to the occupied village of Zodia, referring to Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan’s statement that “Morphou will never be given”, repeated Erdogan’s statement and added that “whatever plan will emerge, the area of Morphou will never be given back”. He claimed that whenever the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) is in power, a new plan emerges. Ozgurgun stressed that the biggest guarantee for them is the word of Erdogan. He argued that they, as UBP, always support their “state”.
6. Opinion poll shows that 58.8% of Turkish Cypriots would vote again in favour of Annan Plan
Turkish Cypriot daily Realist-Kulis newspaper (31.01.14) publishes an opinion poll conducted by the Cyprus Social and Economic Surveys Centre (KADEM) on behalf of the paper, according to which in case the Annan plan was put again for approval, 58.8% of Turkish Cypriots would vote again in favour of the Annan Plan while 41.6% would vote against it.
According to the paper, the highest percentage of the Annan plan approvals comes for occupied Trikomo region with 63.2%, and the lowest from occupied Morfou region with 49%, which was the same percentage at the original voting in 2004.
7. The Ambassadors of Denmark and Finland visited CTP
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog (31.01.2014), the Ambassadors of Denmark Casper Klynge and Finland Anu Saarela visited the premises of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), in occupied Lefkosia.
As the paper reports, the two Ambassadors and their accompanying delegation met with CTP Chairman Ozkan Yorgancioglu, General Secretary Kutlay Erk and Secretary of Foreign Relations and self-styled CTP deputy Armagan Candan. As it is reported, developments in the Cyprus problem and the upcoming elections of the European Parliament were among the issues for discussion at the meeting.
8. Four candidates for the DP leadership
Illegal Bayrak television (30.01.14) reports that the Democrat Party will be holding is 9th ordinary party congress on Sunday, the 2nd of February.
Four candidates will be contesting for the leadership of the party after current DP chairman Serdar Denktas officially submitted his candidacy. The party’s Secretary General Bengu Sonya, Fuat Turkoz Çiner and Abdurrahman Omeroglu are the three other candidates who will be running for party chairmanship.
9. Erdogan scheduled to visit Germany
Turkish daily Sabah (31.01.14) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay an official visit to Berlin, Germany, on February 3-4 to revitalize relations between Turkey and Germany.
According to the paper, after the French President's recent visit to Turkey, the Turkish PM's visit to Germany will provide another opportunity to improve relations with another country that is against Turkey's gaining a full EU membership. Erdogan will hold top-level meetings with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Sigmar Gabriel, the Federal Minister of Economics and Energy and Vice Chancellor of Germany and Frank Walter Steinmeier, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Germany.
The visit was arranged upon Merkel's invitation and will be of utmost importance for the two countries. Turkey's accession to EU membership and regional and international issues will be discussed with an effort to improve bilateral ties.
Erdogan is scheduled to give a speech at the German Association of Foreign Policy (DGAP), a leading non-profit organization providing a platform for foreign politicians contact with the German public. He will also meet with Turkish citizens living in Germany at an event organized by the Union of Turkish Democrats in Berlin.
10. Islamic scholar Gulen sues Turkish Interior Minister over coup accusation
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (31.01.14) reports that Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen has sued Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala for 50,000 Turkish Liras, over Ala’s remarks insinuating that Gulen was seeking to topple the government.
Ala stirred debate with a speech on Jan. 27 in which he staunchly defended Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing Gulen of attempting to stage a coup. Lawyers representing the U.S.-based scholar said that although the Interior Minister did not mention Gulen’s name in his speech, the Islamic scholar was clearly the target of his words.
11. Turkish daily argues that Arabs lost confidence in Erdogan after the Gezi protests operation
Today's Zaman newspaper (30.01.14) argues that Arabs used to admire Turkey for its success in foreign policy and its democratic and economic transformation, but now they have lost confidence in the Turkish leadership, particularly Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, due to the way he handled the Gezi Park protests and the Dec. 17 graft operation, according to a senior Arab diplomat who spoke to Today's Zaman on condition of anonymity.
Turkey, the diplomat said, started to lose its positive image in the eyes of the Arab people, adding that the December 17 corruption operation, which has shaken Turkey's political landscape, further led to the decline of admiration for the “Turkish model.”
“Democracy is needed not only for Arabs, but for all Muslims. Unfortunately, Turkey is deviating from the path of democracy”, he said.
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