TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 05/14 09.01.14
1. European General Consultation Meeting to be held in
the occupied area of Cyprus
2. Ozgurgun: “The UN and Mr Downer are behaving as double
faced; let him not come to the island again”
3. Eroglu met with the Belgian Ambassador
4. Traces of the environmental disaster in the sea of
occupied Gastria are still visible
5. FuatTurkozCiner will also be a candidate for the Democratic
Party presidency
6. Turkey continues to control all sectors of life in
the occupied area of Cyprus
7. Road between occupied Morfou and AyiosDhometios has
been completed
8. Busy schedule for illegal Tymvou airport during New
Year’s holidays
9. Ankara “adds” uranium clause in nuclear deal with
Tokyo
10. Japanese company delivers new satellite to Turkey
11. Europe criticizes Turkish government’s efforts to
curb Judge and Prosecutors power
12. Prosecutor Oz: I was threatened by Erdogan
13. Iraqi Kurdistan’s first oil exports via Turkey
pipeline seen by end of January
14. Babacan: Halkbank to keep processing energy
payments to Iran
15. Singapore and Turkey will launch free-trade talks
1. European General Consultation Meeting to be held
in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily KibrisPostasi newspaper (09.01.14) reports that the Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association of Turkey
(MUSIAD) will organize its “European General Consultation Meeting” in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus between 28 February and 1 March 2014.
In statements made yesterday during a meeting with the “speaker” of the
so-called assembly, SibelSiber, the
chairman of MUSIAD in the occupied area of Cyprus and Okay Sadikoglu said that
around one thousand businessmen are expected to participate in the meeting
during which the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus, will be promoted.
Sadikoglu noted
that they support the “ethical trade” principle. He argued that the “TRNC” does
not need the “gambling tourism” and added that the night clubs do not
contribute to the “country”. He noted
thatthe “TRNC” has a “bad image” because of the gambling and the night clubs
and added that they are trying to abolish this image.
In her
statements, Siber emphasized on the importance of the “moral values”, noting
that trade which is carried out without being committed to these values causes
harm to people and nature. She drew
attention to the importance of the promotion for the “TRNC” and to the organization
of the European General Consultation Meeting in the occupied area of Cyprus.
“We must work for these visits having the maximum
contribution”, she argued alleging that “a small
island is living under embargoes” and they should work to lift these “embargoes”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozgurgun: “The UN and Mr Downer are behaving as
double faced; let him not come to the island again”
Turkish Cypriot
daily KibrisPostasi newspaper (09.01.14) reports that Huseyin Ozgurgun, chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP), has
alleged that the United Nations and the UN Secretary-General’s special adviser
Alexander Downer behave “double-facedly” in the process for finding a solution
to the Cyprus problem. In statements on a television program yesterday,
Ozgurgun claimed: “Mr Downer completed
his duty. Let him not come in vain
to the island anymore, because he behaves double-facedly”.
Ozgurgun argued
that after the “election” of DervisEroglu to the post of the leader of the
Turkish Cypriot community, the UN decided that he should continue the
negotiations with former President Christofias from the point they had left by
the former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat. However, he alleged, the UN has not
said to President Anastasiades that he should continue from the point former
President Christofias had left the negotiations.
Ozgurgun argued that “some circles” in the occupied
area of Cyprus “search for pretexts to inflict on” Eroglu the non-solution. He alleged: “What kind of understanding is this. Anastasiades will
be the one rejecting and you will try to inflict non-solution on DervisEroglu.
This mentality is wrong”.
Referring to the
internal politics in the occupied area of Cyprus, Ozgurgun claimed that the
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) is trying to “govern” with “anger and hatred”,
while the Democratic party (DP) is more “reasonable”. He argued that since the
CTP-DP “coalition government” came to power crises are increasingly experienced
in the occupied area of Cyprus due to the many problems.
Ozgurgun said
that three different “scenarios” for forming a “government” had come out from
the “ballot box” during the last “elections” and added that they could not hold
other elections now and therefore they
should try all alternatives. He noted
that the “most natural method” for solving the “governmental crisis”
experienced now is the one “coalition partner” to discuss [cooperation] with
the UBP. He said that such calls are
being made by the members of the parties but they have not yet discussed the
issue with the leadership.
Turkish Cypriot
Kibrsili newspaper (09.01.14) publishes Ozgurgun’s statements under the title “He winked at the DP”, noting that the members of their parties call on them
to unite and establish a “government”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Eroglu met with the Belgian Ambassador
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (09.01.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader
DervisEroglu met with the Belgian
Ambassador to Lefkosia, AlphonseCreusen.
No statements were made after the meeting.
4. Traces of the environmental disaster in the sea
of occupied Gastria are still visible
Under the title
“The trace of the disaster remained”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(09.01.14) reports that the traces of
the environmental disaster experienced last year in the sea of occupied Gastria
village are still visible. The disaster had been caused as a result of a
leak of around 100 tons of oil from a ship which was unloading its cargo at
AKSA company’s electric power station in the area.
The paper writes
that a research conducted in the area
showed the influence of the fuel oil to the environment. The values of
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), which reportedly pollute the structure
of living organisms, were found to be higher than it should have been.
Experts said that the researcher showed that the
traces of the disaster were not abolished. The
amounts of heavy metals found in the tissues of fish in the area vary between
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(I/Ts.)
5. FuatTurkozCiner will also be a candidate for the
Democratic Party presidency
Turkish Cypriot
daily KibrisPostasi newspaper (09.01.14) reports that following Bengu Sonya, FuatTurkozCiner will also be a candidate for
Democratic Party (DP) presidency. Current chairman SerdarDenktas will also
be a candidate for the position.
Speaking on the
reasons behind his decision, Ciner stated that DP went astray and added that if
he is not elected as DP chairman he is not planning to leave the party. Sonya
on the other hand said that he will leave DP if not elected. In addition, Ciner accused Denktas of not following the
“election program” between DP and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and
said that this is the main reason behind
crisis experienced by the “government”.
The DP’s election congress will be held on February 2.
6. Turkey continues to control all sectors of life
in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan (09.01.14) reports that the first step for the co-operation between
the occupied Lefkosia municipality and the Istanbul municipality was taken
following a meeting held last month between “mayor” KadriFellahoglu and
Istanbul mayor KadirTopbas. In this framework, a delegation consisting of specialists from Istanbul municipality is
visiting the occupied part of Lefkosia to offer advice and assistance to
various problems faced by the “municipality”.
In addition,
Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam (09.01.14) reports that a delegation of the Turkish Ministry of Health arrived yesterday in
the occupied area of Cyprus in order to
help for the improvement and offer assistance in problems faced by the
emergency units in the hospitals.
7. Road between occupied Morfou and AyiosDhometios
has been completed
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (09.01.14) reports that the road between occupied Morfou and AyiosDhometios has been completed;
adding that this development will ease the heavy traffic in occupied Lefkosia.
The road is expected to be given for use by the end of
February 2014.
8. Busy schedule for illegal Tymvou airport during
New Year’s holidays
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (09.01.14) reports onair traffic at illegal Tymvou airport during the New Year’s holidays.
According to the
paper, 76 thousand persons used the
illegal airport between 26.12.13- 05.01.14, for entering and departing from
the breakaway regime. In addition, the
paper notes that 653 flights were
conducted in eleven days during this period.
9. Ankara “adds” uranium clause in nuclear deal
with Tokyo
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 08.01.14) with the above title reported that Ankara demanded allowance for uranium
enrichment and plutonium extraction in a nuclear export deal inked with Tokyo,
a Japanese daily quoted a Japanese Foreign Ministry official as saying. A
clause, which was added in the nuclear agreement signed by the two nations,
upon Turkey’s demand prompted concerns over a possible proliferation of nuclear
weapons.
A joint venture
involving Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won an order to construct
Turkey’s second nuclear plant in the Black Sea province of Sinop.
Turkish Prime
Minister RecepTayyipErdogan, who was
in Japan since Jan. 5, and his Japanese counterpart, ShinzoAbe, had signed a $22
billion deal on the nuclear plant project.
Japanese experts and anti-nuclear opposition members
voice their concerns over Japan’s first nuclear export after the Fukushima
disaster, claiming that by allowing Turkey’s
enrichment and extraction activities, would contradict Japan’s stance against
nuclear weapons.
Moreover, Turkey’s earthquake-prone geographical
position stirs safety debates in the country that became over-sensitive
about the issue after experiencing the tsunami disaster in Japan of 2011 that
killed around 20,000 people.
10. Japanese company delivers new satellite to
Turkey
According to
Ankara Anatolia news agency (08.01.14), Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyip
Erdogan yesterday attended a delivery ceremony of the TURKSAT 4A satellite
co-produced by Turkish and Japanese engineers in Tokyo.
The satellite will enable Turksat to offer
telecommunication and TV broadcasting services throughout Turkey, as well as in
Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the company official said.
Erdogan
confirmed that the satellite will be sent to a base in Kazakhstan and will be
launched with a proton rocket on Feb. 15.
11. Europe criticizes Turkish government’s efforts
to curb Judge and Prosecutors power
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman (online, 08.01.14) reported that the European Union and the Council of Europe have both criticized the
Turkish government's increasingly draconian measures to cover up an ongoing
corruption scandal. Both the EU and the Council made critical statements
after the government announced that it has proposed an amendment to revamp the
Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), which was already revamped with
a hotly contested referendum back in September of 2010.
While the EU has
warned the Turkish government not to undermine the judiciary, the Council of
Europe issued a stern warning stating that the government proposal to amend the
HSYK would be a “serious setback.”
The paper also
reports that a statement by the European Commissioner for Enlargement and
European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule's spokesperson, Peter Stano, underlined that any action which could undermine the
effectiveness of investigations into the corruption allegations should be
avoided.
Stano also
reiterated the EU's concerns on the large number of police removals and
dismissals in the wake of the corruption scandal.
12. Prosecutor Oz: I was threatened by Erdogan
According to
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 09.01.14), a prosecutor who has
supervised a recent corruption probe, claimed Jan. 8 thathe was “threatened” by two people sent by Prime Minister RecepTayyip
Erdogan to stop the investigation.
“Two people who
were former members of the high judiciary were sent to me by Prime Minister
Erdogan,” Zekeriya Oz, who was removed from his post as deputy Istanbul chief
prosecutor following a graft investigation that included the sons of three
former Cabinet members, told reporters.
Erdogan, who is currently
on a visit to Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, denied the claims in a written statement as “slander”.
13. Iraqi Kurdistan’s first oil exports via Turkey
pipeline seen by end of January
According to
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 09.01.14), the first crude has started to flow through the autonomous Iraqi
Kurdistan region's new pipeline across Turkey and the first independent
exports are expected to begin at the end of this month, the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) said on Jan. 8.
Baghdad, which
claims the sole authority to manage Iraqi oil, was infuriated after Arbil
signed a package of contracts with Turkey for oil and gas exports as well as
for the construction of new pipelines.
The Baghdad government says that Kurdish efforts
towards oil independence could lead to the break-up of Iraq. Turkey’s courtship
with the Iraqi Kurds has also raised concern in Washington.
14. Babacan: Halkbank to keep processing energy
payments to Iran
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 08.01.14), Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan has said Turkish
state-owned lender Halkbank, whose
chief executive was arrested in connection with the graft investigation, is to continue mediating Turkey’s gas and
oil payments to Iran.
“The state of Iran has accounts with Halkbank and we
deposit the payments for oil and gas purchased into these accounts [...]
Halkbank will continue to carry out this function,” Babacan said during an interview broadcast on Bloomberg HT Television.
15. Singapore and Turkey will launch free-trade
talks
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 09.01.14) reported that Turkey and Singapore agreed to kick-off free trade agreement talks and
raising flight frequency between the two countries during Turkish Prime
Minister TayyipErdogan’s visit to the Sourteast Asian country.
Erdogan, on his
first official visit to Singapore, said that there is potential for trade
between the two countries to hit $3.0-5.0 billion annually, up from $1.2
billion in 2011.
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