TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 30/14 13.02.14
1. Eroglu: Sovereignty will not be single and undivided in federal Cyprus
2. Ozersay: We have started a positive dialogue with Mavroyiannis:
3. Yorgancioglu said that
they want Nami to participate in the negotiations
4. Turkish Prime Ministry on the Cyprus negotiations
launching
5. Turkish EU Minister: We do not want the solution of
the Cyprus problem just for the sake of Turkey’s EU bid
6. Yildiz: Cypriot peace “to lead the way for energy”
7. Inhabitants in
occupied Morfou area feel unhappy for their uncertain future
8. Turkish minister rebukes EU Commissioner Fule,
stresses ‘independence’
9. Erdogan says no rapprochement with Israel until the
end of Gaza embargo
10. Seventeen persons given prison sentences for
chanting anti-Erdogan slogan
1. Eroglu: Sovereignty will not be single and undivided in federal Cyprus
Under the title “This cause belongs
to all of us”, Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis newspaper (13.02.14)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis
Eroglu has alleged that all “states”, which will be established in Cyprus will
be “sovereign” and this could not be expressed as “one and undivided
sovereignty”.
In statements yesterday during a meeting with a delegation from the
so-called “People’s Justice Council” (HAK), an organization established by
illegal Turkish settlers in the occupied area of Cyprus, Eroglu argued that
many countries, which have interest in the Mediterranean, are trying for an agreement
in Cyprus the soonest and added: “What is important for us is to make an
agreement, which will protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people”.
Thanking HAK for the support offered to him in the negotiations,
Eroglu said that “this cause belongs to all of us and we are trying to conclude
this cause in the best manner”. Eroglu argued that their first duty is to make
an agreement as to secure that their people will live in peace and security on
these lands.
Referring to the joint declaration, Eroglu pointed out that the text
of the joint declaration could never include a hundred per cent the interest of
one side and added that they tried to find a “midcourse” that would satisfy
both sides. He reiterated the view that
there was no need for a joint declaration and that after his “election” he was
committed that he would continue the negotiations from the point they had been
left.
In addition,
Illegal Bayrak television (12.02.14) broadcast that Eroglu met with members of
the board of directors of the “Karadeniz Cultural association” led by Turan Buyukyilmaz.
During the meeting Eroglu said that he
is the defendant of the (Turkish) national cause at the Cyprus negotiations
process and added: “The more support a leader has at the negotiating table when
defending the national cause, the more his hand is strengthened at the
negotiating table”. He also said that he
is working towards finding a comprehensive, sustainable and permanent solution
that will be in the interest of both the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
and Motherland Turkey”.
2. Ozersay: We have started a positive dialogue with Mavroyiannis:
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (12.02.14) reports that Kudret Ozersay, the negotiator of the
Turkish Cypriot side in the Cyprus talks, has
said that they have started a good dialogue with the negotiator of the Greek
Cypriot side, Andreas Mavroyiannis.
In an interview with Kibris’ reporter Osman Kalfaoglu, Ozersay noted
that he wants to have a dialogue with his Greek Cypriot interlocutor like the
one they had in the buffer zone when the joint declaration was read out. He
argued: “Instead of being face to face
with my interlocutor, I prefer being side by side and looking towards a common
future, looking forward”.
Ozersay noted, though, that only the negotiators being good would
not be enough and added that the society should also expect a solution based on
reconciliation.
Ozersay said that they
have no objection for confidence building measures coming to the negotiating
table after the negotiations start and added that they could not object to the Greek Cypriot
side bringing the issue of [the occupied closed city of] Varosha to the
negotiating table, if it sees it as a confidence building measure.
Asked whether the reconstruction of Varosha could be an opportunity
for cooperation between the two communities, Ozersay replied: “Very different models exist regarding
Varosha. There is a difficulty
regarding us sitting and discussing Varosha with the Greek Cypriot side.
There is a difficulty which continues for so many years, that is one of its
models. In case we cannot agree with the
Greek Cypriot side regarding Varosha, there are steps we could take
unilaterally. This is the second model. There are even sub-models which we
could sit and discuss with the Greek Cypriot side…”
Asked what is the difficulty there, Ozersay pointed out that he had expressed his personal view in the past
and added: “The Turkish Cypriot side
could undertake an initiative on the issue of Varosha with some unilateral
steps. Since we are discussing within the framework of the negotiations and
it is mentioned within the framework of the confidence building measures, the
most important difficulty is the following: If you will sit and discuss Varosha at the table with your
interlocutor, you should know that together with this you will discuss all six
chapters of the Cyprus problem. Everything is inside this. Security, police,
property, land, borders, EU law, customs are inside it. It is a miniature of
the Cyprus problem, if you will choose the model of negotiating this with your
interlocutor. My personal view on this issue continues. If there is no
possibility of success in this and the Turkish Cypriot side wants to undertake
an initiative, I think that this is something which can happen. Something could
be done in Varosha by undertaking a unilateral initiative in this model. I
still think that this view is correct. The Greek Cypriot side wants to see it
as a package of confidence building measures and demands this. Actually, what we are saying as Turkish Cypriot side
is clear: The president of the republic also said it yesterday: ‘If something
like this exists, they will bring it to the negotiating table and we will talk.
We will also express our thoughts, because we have to agree”.
Replying to a comment by
the journalist that it seems that there is a change in the stance of the
Turkish side on this issue as “Varosha was not even at the table in the past”,
Ozersay argued that there is no change in their stance and that Varosha is a
part of the negotiations. “Due to the fact Varosha
is a chapter of the negotiations, it would be better to discuss it within that
balance, because if you hand it over from now, your position on the table will
be influencedby that territorial adjustment”, he added.
Answering another question, Ozersay said that he accepted the duty of the negotiator because he saw that the Turkish
Cypriot side was no longer part of the process and added: “At the moment,
we are in the process from every aspect. All
international players are directly and often in contact with us. Even this
only is something which relaxes me…”
Ozersay expressed the view that the negotiating process this time is
different than any other process and added that both the leaders and the
negotiators will hold visits abroad. It
seems that “third countries” will be more involved in the process, he said.
Moreover, Ozersay pointed out to the importance of taking steps for cooperation
between the sides before the solution with the aim of convincing the people for
the benefits and the necessity of the solution. He said that this will be
“cooperation within a framework which will not be contrary to the spirit and
the logic of the comprehensive solution”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Yorgancioglu
said that they want Nami to participate in the negotiations
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (13.02.14)
reports that Ozkan Yorgancioglu, the self-styled prime minister, officially
announced that the “government” wants the self-styled foreign minister Ozdil
Nami to participate in the Cyprus negotiations.
Yorgancioglu, who said that Nami did not participate
in the previous negotiation procedure, said that this time he must take place
in the negotiations adding that the “government” must have knowledge on the
issue. “The government must be in the kitchen as well”, he stated.
4. Turkish Prime Ministry on the Cyprus
negotiations launching
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (11.02.14) reported on the statement
posted in the Turkish Prime Minister's website on Tuesday on the Cyprus
negotiations launching.
The statement said that Turkey is pleased with the
start of the talks and congratulated the two leaders over their constructive
approach.The press release also said that Turkey
wants a “fair and permanent” solution to the Cyprus problem and urged the
island's citizens to have a consensus on forming a unified federal state. “TRNC
President Dervis Eroglu's attitude and the Turkish Cypriot political parties'
positive approach played an important role in restarting the negotiations”, the
statement said.
5. Turkish EU Minister: We do not want the solution
of the Cyprus problem just for the sake of Turkey’s EU bid
Ankara Anatolia
news agency (12.02.14) reported that Turkey's
EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlut Cavusoglu made statements regarding the
launching of the Cyprus negotiations, saying that it is a very important
development.
Speaking at the
opening of the 'Erasmus+ Programme and Opportunities for the Business World
Meeting', Cavusoglu said the following: “Although
the Cyprus issue appears as a de facto obstacle to Turkey's EU membership, we
don't want this issue to be resolved just for the sake of the EU. We want a
permanent resolution and we want Cyprus to be an island of peace”, he said.
6. Yildiz: Cypriot peace “to lead the way for
energy”
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (13.02.14) reports that Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız has welcomed the latest peace
negotiations between the two leaders in Cyprus as a step that could pave the
way for energy projects.
“The softening
between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot
administration is, of course, significant,” Yıldız said yesterday, answering
reporters’ questions ahead of the Atlas for Biomass Energy Potential meeting in
Ankara. “I hope for the dispersal of the negative political environment in the
Mediterranean and the opening of the way for energy-related projects,” he
added.
“I believe a pipeline that would carry Cypriot gas to
Europe via Turkey could be built, just like the way we carry water to Cyprus
with pipelines,” Yıldız said, noting that “political feasibility” was the main
pre-requisite for such projects. “I think the energy sector is eligible to
handle these projects, both in terms of financing and technical aspects,” he
said. Yıldız also praised the joint statement
recently released by the negotiating parties, describing it as “an example that
consolidates Turkey’s argument.”
7.Inhabitants in
occupied Morfou area feel unhappy for their uncertain future
Under the front page title: “Everybody is
unhappy”, Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (13.02.14) reports that the
newspaper’s correspondents visited occupied Morfou area and spoke with Morfou’s
inhabitants.
As the paper points out, the majority of
inhabitants of Morfou expressed support to the re-launching of the Cyprus
negotiations talks, they, however, expressed their unhappiness especially because of the uncertainty for their
future, the unemployment, the fact that
they feel neglected by the “occupation regime’ authorities” and the poverty
they confront.
An important part of
the people living in occupied Morfou criticized the occupation regime’s
authorities for the policy they follow and said that they do not trust them.
Also, an
important part said that in the possibility that the solution of the Cyprus
problem will be submitted to referendum, they will again say “yes”, in spite of
the fact, that they know that “they will become migrants”. Others said that
they will vote against the solution to a possible referendum, since, they do
not trust at all the Greek Cypriot side. Of course, there are others who said
that they have not decided yet, writes the paper.
AK
8. Turkish minister rebukes EU Commissioner Fule,
stresses ‘independence’
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (13.02.14) reports that Turkey’s EU Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has emphasized the notion of
“independence” in response to EU Commissioner Stefan Fule, who recently
suggested that Turkey should agree to a preliminary assessment of its pending
legislation before new accession negotiations can begin.
Cavusoglu also urged EU officials to share their views
with their Turkish counterparts before making public statements on sensitive
issues.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Feb. 12, he said Turkey is reforming fast,
with almost one law being sent to Parliament every day. “If we
attempted to ask for an opinion on every law, none of these reforms would be
completed,” Cavusoglu said. “There may be an exchange of views on important
laws, but, still, we are an independent state while adopting each and every
law.”
9. Erdogan says no rapprochement with Israel until the
end of Gaza embargo
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.02.14) reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that a “written
protocol” is needed for reconciliation with Israel and that Turkey will not
sign any such protocol with Israel for rapprochement until Israel lifts its
embargo on the Gaza Strip.
Speaking during
a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy, Erdogan
said that the compensation talks for the
families of the victims killed during an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound ship in
2010 has progressed but that talks between Turkey and Israel have not reached a
final phase, in response to a question on the status of the compensation talks.
He said Turkey had only received an apology from Israel with the mediation
of US President Barack Obama. “Without the end of the embargo [on the Gaza
Strip], there will be no protocol. The embargo must be lifted and this should
be stated in a written protocol,” he said.
10. Seventeen persons given prison sentences for
chanting anti-Erdogan slogan
Turkish daily
Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.02.14) reported that an Eskisehir court has announced its verdict in a trial on 17
defendants charged with chanting a slogan against Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, sentencing them to one to two years in jail.
The Eskisehir
4th Criminal Court of Peace, which heard the trial of the 17 suspects,
announced its ruling on Wednesday and sentenced three of the suspects to one
year and the remaining 14 to two years in prison for chanting the slogan: “The servant of the bosses and International
Monetary Fund [IMF], Tayyip Erdogan”. The case was about an incident that took
place during Erdogan’s visit to Eskisehir in 2012.
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