TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 33/14 18.02.14
1. Yorgancioglu promises “federal citizenship” to
Turkish settlers
2. Eroglu: The agreement will only be viable if the
expectations of both sides are taken into consideration
3. Babacan: Devil hides in details as regards the
Cyprus problem
4. Logoglu: We don’t know what promises Davutoglu has
given on the Cyprus problem
5. Self-styled “assembly” speaker continues her
contacts in Iran; She met with ECO’s general secretary
6. Gul: Turkey is Europe’s secure energy hub; he hints
at approving disputed Internet bill
7. Lambsdorff: Turkish press is intimidated, under
pressure
1. Yorgancioglu promises “federal citizenship” to
Turkish settlers
Under the title
“Promise for federal citizenship to people from Turkey”, Turkish Cypriot daily
Afrika newspaper (18.02.14) reports that OzkanYorgancioglu,
self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus, has promised to
Turkish settlers that they will do whatever they can in order for them to take
the citizenship of a federal Cyprus, in case of a solution to the Cyprus
problem.
The paper writes that the Turkish settlers are living
in uncertainty because no one says yet what will
happen on the issue of the population in a possible agreement. According to Afrika, the Turkish settlers started visiting
“officials” of the breakaway regime in order to overcome their concerns.
A delegation
from the association of the Turkish war veterans, who took part in the 1974
Turkish invasion of Cyprus, visited yesterday Yorgancioglu and asked from him
to brief them on this issue. Yorgancioglu said, inter alia, the following:
“We are all included in the ‘Turkish Cypriot
people’ definition. Everybody who lives in the country and is citizen, not
old or new citizen, and sees his future here is included in this. Our target
should be an agreement in which the interests will be protected… It is our duty to protect the rights of the
people who live here for 40-45 years, who are born here, not only in their
lives here but in the agreement as well… We will do from now on what we did
in the Annan Plan. You should be relaxed…”
He went on and
said that an agreement will not deprive them from the right of being “citizens
of this country” and added: “There is no such thought and intention”.
Yorgancioglu recalled that the Annan Plan was
providing that everyone who is born in Cyprus would become citizen of the
federal state and argued that nothing less than this will be included in the
new negotiating process.
(I/Ts.)
2. Eroglu: The agreement will only be viable if the
expectations of both sides are taken into consideration
Turkish Cypriot
daily Volkan (18.02.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu,
during a meeting with a delegation of the Liberal Workers Union Federation
(Hur-Is) headed by YakupLatifoglu, referring to statements made by the Greek
Cypriot officials that if the plan to emerge is rejected once again then
division on the island will be permanent, noted: “When the Greek Cypriots are
saying these words, they are actually saying that they have more expectations
than the first plan”. He added that they can reach a viable and permanent
agreement by taking into consideration the expectations not only of the Greek
Cypriot side, but of both sides.
Eroglu claimed
that they will reach for an agreement where their “people” will be able to say
yes within peace, adding that it is not possible to make their “people” to say
yes in an agreement that will force them to live in difficulties in these
territories.
During the
meeting, Latifoglu extended their full support to Eroglu on the Cyprus talks,
adding that an agreement favouring both sides on the island and is acceptable
by the Turkish Cypriots should be reached.
3. Babacan: Devil hides in details as regards the
Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.02.14) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan replied to reporters’ questions speaking to NTV about the Cyprus problem.
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.02.14) reports that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan replied to reporters’ questions speaking to NTV about the Cyprus problem.
Babacan stated that for the first time we are at a
stage more advanced than the Annan Plan in the Cyprus problem and noted that:
“The devil hides in details they say, therefore there are many details which
will be debated a lot”.He said that president Anastasiades supported the Annan
Plan and argued that they were expecting from him to follow a stance which will
be in consistence with the stance he followed on that period. He said that they have to wait and see the attitude of the society,
the church and the political leaders in the Greek Cypriot community and alleged
that Turkey has always been in favor of a solution.
4. Logoglu: We don’t know what promises Davutoglu
has given on the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot
daily Volkan (18.02.14) reports that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy
Chairman FarukLogoglu, told a press conference yesterday that the party
supports a Cyprus settlement. He said the party will support a just and
permanent agreement that will protect the fundamental rights and interests of
the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey.
Logoglu said the
party doesn’t know to which point the ongoing negotiations are now at and
accused Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who is conducting these
negotiations, of not adequately consulting the Turkish Cypriot side and
briefing Turkey and the Turkish people. He added that they don’t know what
promises Davutoglu has made.
Logoglu said
that one of the biggest problems of the Cyprus talks is the property issue,
claiming that if compensation is to be paid for Greek Cypriot properties in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus then the Turkish side should raise
billions of dollars. Logoglu suggested that the money the Turkish Cypriot side
will get in case the two sides on the island share the revenue from natural gas
and oil, could be used to pay for property compensation. That means the till
will be empty from the beginning.
5. Self-styled
“assembly” speaker continues her contacts in Iran; She met with ECO’s general
secretary
Turkish Cypriot daily
Realist newspaper (18.02.14) reports that the self-styled speaker of the “assembly”
SibelSiber and her delegation continue their contacts in Tehran, Iran.
Siber went to Iran in order
to participate in the 9th Parliamentary Union Conference of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which is held in the Iranian capital
Within the framework of her
contacts in Iran, Siber held yesterday a
meeting with the general secretary of the Economic Cooperation Organization
(ECO), SamilAleskerov.
Speaking during the meeting,
Aleskerov said that they will do all
necessary in order for the “TRNC”, as he described the occupation regime, to
gain the observer status at the ECO. Aleskerov further said that “north
Cyprus” has a great potential both in the economy and the education sector.
On her part, Siber informed
Aleskerov about the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, the works of the
occupation regime’s “assembly”, and the occupation regime’s economic
activities.
Siber asked for support in order to cooperate economically with the
Economic Cooperation Organization’ member countries and pointed out especially
the importance of exporting halloumi and citrus fruits to Iran and ECO’
countries.
(AK)
6. Gul: Turkey is Europe’s secure energy hub; he
hints at approving disputed Internet bill
According to
Ankara Anatolia news agency (17.02.14), Turkish President Abdullah Gul called
on both Turkish and Hungarian business people to make mutual investments during
his speech at the 3rd Hungary-Turkey Business Forum, held in Budapest on
Monday.
Remarking that
Turkey and Hungary have pilot projects in the energy sector, Gul said: “Turkey
considers alternative energy as important. Natural gas from Caucasus and the
Middle East will be transferred through Turkey to Europe. I am aware that
Hungary has become a key location in energy distribution.”
Hungarian Prime
Minister Viktor Orban also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the
two countries, adding: “If you are looking for true partners to cooperate, you
are in the right place, Hungary”.
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.02.14) reported that Gul
has hinted at his intention to approve the much-disputed laws on the Internet
and the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) despite fierce
criticism from the European Union and the opposition.
Gul indirectly
referred to the Constitutional Court as the venue for an in-depth analysis of
these two key legal changes.
Moreover, Gul
also said he was pleased to see Hungary’s support for Turkey’s European Union
membership bid, during a press conference with his counterpart, Janos Ader.
Gul invited Ader
to Turkey, saying there is a “strong sympathy” between the two countries and
with both agreeing to speed up investments. For his part, Ader said there were
important developments in the economic relations between Ankara and Budapest
and that trade volume had increased by 30% in 2013.
Gul also met
with Parliamentary Speaker Laszlo Kover and Prime Minister Orban.
6. Gul: Turkey is Europe’s secure energy hub; he
hints at approving disputed Internet bill
According to
Ankara Anatolia news agency (17.02.14), Turkish President Abdullah Gul called
on both Turkish and Hungarian business people to make mutual investments during
his speech at the 3rd Hungary-Turkey Business Forum, held in Budapest on
Monday.
Remarking that
Turkey and Hungary have pilot projects in the energy sector, Gul said: “Turkey
considers alternative energy as important. Natural gas from Caucasus and the
Middle East will be transferred through Turkey to Europe. I am aware that
Hungary has become a key location in energy distribution.”
Hungarian Prime
Minister Viktor Orban also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the
two countries, adding: “If you are looking for true partners to cooperate, you
are in the right place, Hungary”.
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.02.14) reported that Gul
has hinted at his intention to approve the much-disputed laws on the Internet
and the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) despite fierce
criticism from the European Union and the opposition.
Gul indirectly
referred to the Constitutional Court as the venue for an in-depth analysis of
these two key legal changes.
Moreover, Gul
also said he was pleased to see Hungary’s support for Turkey’s European Union
membership bid, during a press conference with his counterpart, Janos Ader.
Gul invited Ader
to Turkey, saying there is a “strong sympathy” between the two countries and
with both agreeing to speed up investments. For his part, Ader said there were
important developments in the economic relations between Ankara and Budapest
and that trade volume had increased by 30% in 2013.
Gul also met
with Parliamentary Speaker Laszlo Kover and Prime Minister Orban.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
