TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 36/14 21.02.14
1. Eroglu: The Turkish settlers and the army will not
leave Cyprus
2. Eroglu: We will certainly not say “come and take
Varosha” before sitting at the negotiating table
3. Erdogan and Obama discussed the Cyprus problem over
the phone; Obama thanked Erdogan for his “constructive role” on the
re-launching of the Cyprus talks
4. Ozersay in Ankara for meetings with Turkey’s
Undersecretary of MFA
5. Cavusoglu: “Anastasiades has always been a leader
supporting the negotiations”
6. Political reasons behind allocating land to Turkish
Galatasaray football club in the occupied area of Cyprus
7. Atun: the only thing that goes well is the Cyprus
talks
8. Turkey’s Internet law to affect the breakaway
regime as well
9. Cavusoglu: “The USA is the last state to advise
Turkey on Internet”
10. Turkish government to introduce new bill for
expanding powers of MIT; Reaction by opposition parties on the new bill
11. Turkey’s YSK allows CHP to run in polls in
Istanbul district
12. Two and a half million more voters for the
forthcoming local elections in Turkey
1. Eroglu: The Turkish settlers and the army will
not leave Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (21.02.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader, DervisErogluhas described as “not correct”
the comments that the persons who had come from Turkey, settled in the occupied
area of Cyprus and became citizens of the “TRNC” [Translator’s note: the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of Cyprus] will
be sent back to Turkey in case of any agreement on the Cyprus problem.
In an interview
with Anatolia news agency, Eroglu alleged: “The comments of the Greek Cypriots
on this issue are wrong. The Turkish
army cannot leave this place. Because the treaties of alliance and guarantees
is an agreement signed together by three states. Therefore, all three states
must decide unanimously. If it is taken into consideration that this is a red
line for Turkey, this will not happen”. He went on and claimed: “This seems a little bit like comments
pursuing a dream and made in a manner that will satisfy their people, of
course, because they could not secure
some developments in the text of the joint declaration on which they have been
insisting until today and because they could not materialize their views”.
Referring to the
joint declaration, Eroglu said that there are issues in it which satisfy him
and said that the important thing is “a
bi-zonal, bi-communal partnership which will be established by two founding
states of equal status”. Noting that none of the sides was fully satisfied
from the joint declaration, Eroglu alleged that in the agreement, they “got the acceptance by the Greek
Cypriot side” that “the constituent states which will be established are
sovereign” and they also imposed their own “sovereignty” by “putting forward
that “the sovereignty of the new partnership state will originate from these
constituent states”.
Eroglu said that
according to some comments made in the Greek Cypriot side in case of a possible
agreement, Turkey’s guarantees will be abolished, the Turkish army will be
withdrawn and the Turkish settlers will leave the island. He alleged that
“these comments do not reflect the truth”.
Eroglu alleged
that even though the world does not recognize them, the Turkish Cypriots have a
“state” which is recognized by Turkey and reiterated the allegation that “the
citizenship” is granted by their “government” according to their “constitution”.
Meanwhile,
addressing a conference on the water, environment and agriculture, Eroglu argued that an agreement should
solve the Cyprus problem and not “resolve the Turkish Cypriots”. “The Turkish Cypriot people could not say
‘yes’ to an agreement which will resolve us and endanger our future”, he
claimed adding that both “peoples”
should say “yes” to the solution.
“If our Greek Cypriot neighbours come to the
table bytaking into consideration the existing realities in Cyprusand exert
effort for creating a brand new Cyprus, we could reach a result”, he
claimed.
(I/Ts.)
2. Eroglu: We will certainly not say “come and take
Varosha” before sitting at the negotiating table
Turkish Cypriot
daily Star Kibris newspaper (21.02.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader, DervisErogluhas referred to the occupied
closed city of Varosha and stated that the Turkish side will “certainly not say
‘come and take it’ before sitting at the negotiating table”.
In statements
yesterday during a meeting with the so-called “unity and solidarity”
association of VaroshaEroglu pointed out to the “sensitivities” of the
association on the property issue and said that the discussion of the chapters
has not yet started in the negotiations, but when the discussion of the
property starts, he will share his views with the “people”.
“When the negotiations come to the point
regarding the territory, it will be inevitable but to share some issues with
you”, he said adding that he was not
in the position to give them a lot of information because negotiations on the
substance of the issues have not started.
“However, after 3-4 meetings some things will start coming up”, he
noted.
Referring to the
issue of the closed city of Varosha, Eroglu said that they will not say “come
and take it” before sitting at the negotiating table and added that he does not
want to debate on issues which are not discussed at the negotiating table. “And
the issues which come to the table, we share them with our people in time”, he
argued and added that at the table he
will defend what he called as the rights of the settlers from Turkey.
The chairman of the association, IdrisDemirsoz said
that they are concerned that they will be victimized in case of a solution and
alleged that 16.000 inhabitants of Varosha do not expect an agreement,
prosperity and wealth upon the “victimization of Varosha”. “We say no to such an agreement”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
3. Erdogan
and Obama discussed the Cyprus problem over the phone; Obama thanked Erdogan
for his “constructive role” on the re-launching of the Cyprus talks
According to Ankara Anatolia news
agency (20.02.14) U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by phone on Wednesday with
Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan with whom he discussed various
issues including the extremist threat posed by the Syrian conflict, energy
issues, Cyprus and the rule of law.
Obama thanked the Turkish Premier for
his ‘constructive role’ in the effort to renew negotiations on Cyprus.
The two leaders also discussed the
importance of a 'quick conclusion' to the normalization of relations between
Tel Aviv and Ankara.
4. Ozersay in Ankara for meetings with Turkey’s MFA
Turkish Cypriot
daily Star Kibris (21.02.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot negotiator,
KudretOzersay, went to Ankara with a delegation from the negotiating committee.
According to
information given by the “presidency”, Ozersay
met yesterday with the Undersecretary of Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
FeridunSinirlioglu. They evaluated the latest developments on the Cyprus
talks.
During the
visit, Ozersay is accompanied by the “head of political affairs”, GunesOnar and
“director/representative” GulfemVeziroglu.
5. Cavusoglu: “Anastasiades has always been a
leader supporting the negotiations”
Turkish Cypriot
daily Diyalog newspaper (21.02.14) reports that the Turkish EU Minister and
Chief Negotiator, MevlutCavusogluhas
said that President Anastasiades has always been a leader supporting the
negotiations in Cyprus. In an interview with Turkish NTV channel, Cavusoglu
noted, though, that President Anastasiades has also coalition partners and
there is also the Church which is always powerful. “In spite of these difficulties, he is the most positive politician we
could find in the south side”, he claimed referring to President
Anastasiades. Cavusoglu alleged that “the same mentality” exists in the
occupied area of the island as well.
He argued, inter
alia, the following on the Cyprus problem: “Political support and confidence building measures are very important
in a process… We provide full
support. The UN is very determined. The EU offers a big support. Great powers,
such as the USA, also offer big support. In a place where so much support
exists, I saw very clearly that the
people in the Greek Cypriot side are not like in the past and they also want
solution now”.
Referring to
Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU, Cavusoglu said that after the European Parliament (EP)
elections, the lifting of the obstacles in Ankara’s way will most probably come
onto the agenda. He noted that the
opening of chapters 23 and 24 are blocked by the “Greek Cypriot
administration”, as he described the Republic of Cyprus, and added that this
blockade “must definitely be lifted”.
“We saw consensus on this issue. Consensus
exists in these big countries and institutions”, he argued noting that they
had asked French President Hollande whether France could convince “south Cyprus”,
as he described the Republic of Cyprus. He claimed that these are steps which
the EU states should take, not Turkey.
(I/Ts.)
6. Political reasons behind allocating land to
Turkish Galatasaray football club in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily YeniDuzen newspaper (21.02.14) reports that the president of Turkish Galatasaray football club, UnalAysal and the
self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime, OzkanYorgancioglu have
agreed that the reasons behind the allotment of land to the club in the
occupied area of Cyprus were political.
Aysal visited
the occupied area of the island yesterday and met with Yorgancioglu, the
Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu, and the self-styled minister of interior,
TeberrukenUlucay.
In statements
during his meeting with Yorgancioglu, Aysal
said that the period for making investments by Galatasaray has come, that they
have an investment program for the occupied area of Cyprus and that they have
prepared their projects. He noted that they visited Yorgancioglu in order to
see how he could help them and take his support.
On his part, Yorgancioglu said that the allotment of
land to Galatasaray by the former self-styled government has been annulled by
the current “government” and added that it was anyway not possible to invest on
that land which is agricultural land. He noted that the land had been
leased to the club for one year, but Galatasay did not meet the conditions of
the agreement and therefore the “council of ministers” annulled the allotment. He said that they have given land to
Besiktas football club as well and they have launched investigations to annul
this allotment as well.
Yorgancioglu
pointed out that a lot of clubs exist and the regime could not give land to all
of them, because its lands are limited. He
said that they could invite tenders for this kind of land and argued that the
way of evaluating their scarce land is important.
Aysal interfered at this point and said: “Given that
there was no building permit and investment possibility on this land allotted
to us, it was granted for political reasons”. “I am sorry, but this is what
happened”, replied Yorgancioglu.
Aysal noted that
by making investments, they want to give something to the occupied area of
Cyprus and not only take from it. Yorgancioglu said that they need such
investments, but reiterated that this kind of allotments will be made through
invitation of tenders.
(I/Ts.)
7. Atun: the only thing that goes well is the
Cyprus talks
Turkish Cypriot
daily HalkinSesi (21.02.14) reports that the general secretary of the National
Unity Party (UBP) and self-styled deputy with UBP, SunatAtun said that the only
thing that goes well now in the “TRNC” (translator’s note: the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) is the negotiation process on
the Cyprus talks.
8. Turkey’s Internet law to affect the breakaway
regime as well
Turkish
Cypriot daily Realist newspaper (21.02.14) reports that the “2004 new Internet
law” which is adopted in Turkey, will affect the breakaway regime as well.
Speaking
to the paper, Information Technology and Communication Foundation executive ,
KadriBuruncuk, stated that the Internet regulations regarding the server of the
country you are using, affects you; therefore the new regulation will affect
the breakaway regime as it is using Turkey’s server.
However,
the self-styled minister of public works anmd transportation AhmetKasif stated
that the “TRNC” is a different “country”, therefore the internet law adopted in
Turkey will not affect it.
9.Cavusoglu:
“ The USA is the last state to advise Turkey on Internet”
Ankara Anatolia news agency (20.02.14)
reported that Turkish EU Minister MevlutCavusoglu, responding to concerns
expressed by Washington over the recent Internet law, said in a televised
interview that the U.S. is the “last state to advise Turkey” with respect to
the Internet.
“Everybody knows the restrictions on
the Internet in the U.S., especially regarding WikiLeaks,” Cavusoglu said.
“It’s not acceptable for the U.S. to make such routine statements expressing
concern without examining the content of the law or without taking the practice
of other states, such as Germany, into account,” he added.
Washington had expressed strong
concerns regarding the controversial Internet bill signed into law by Turkish
President Abdullah Gul on February 18, despite the government’s recent move to
amend some of the most disputed articles.
“We share the serious concerns raised
by the OSCE and others that the law has the potential to severely restrict free
expression, freedom of the press, and access to information over the Internet,”
said Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State during a
press briefing on February 19.
Harf also gave a sound warning that
such law could indirectly damage Turkey’s economy. “We also believe the law
could negatively impact Turkey’s business and investment climate,” she said.
Upon Gul’s request, Parliament has
begun discussing two amendments to the bill submitted by the government.
Harf also stressed that the U.S.
expected Ankara to guarantee individual freedoms through the drafting of the
law. “Obviously, we are looking to Turkey during this process to uphold the
fundamental freedoms that really underscore why we’re concerned about this
legislation.”
10. Turkish
government to introduce new bill for expanding powers of MIT; Reaction by
opposition parties on the new bill
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet
Daily News (20.02.14), Turkey’s government has taken another controversial step
amid deepening political turmoil, this time moving to expand the powers of
Turkey’s spy agency (MIT), turning it into an intelligence coordination body
that will work directly under the Prime Minister.
The move has raised further questions
over the principle of separation of powers in Turkey.
A related bill was presented to the
Parliament Speaker’s Office late on February 19, at a time when the country’s
agenda was dominated by incidents and heated debates that show no sign of
slowing up.
The bill to restructure the country’s
intelligence system has added fuel to the fire in a political climate where
concerns over freedom of expression are rising, mainly due to governmental
actions that some say could lead to a reduction in freedom of expression.
Parliament’s Internal Affairs
Commission will begin debates on the MİT bill over the weekend. The
commission’s chair, Mehmet Ersoy, told Anadolu Agency on February 20 that the
bill was slated to be adopted by Parliament before recess, which will begin at
the end of February due to the local elections on March 30. The commission will
therefore work around the clock in order to approve the bill in a timely
manner, Ersoy added.
According to the bill presented by two
Deputies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), AlpaslanKavaklıoglu
and İdrisSahin, the MİT will fulfil all kinds of tasks regarding external
security, the anti-terror fight and national security, which are assigned by
the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (21.02.14) reports that that Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal
Kılıcdaroglu harshly criticizes the new intelligence law.
Kılıcdaroglu has criticized the government’s
move to equip the intelligence organization with expanded powers, accusing the
Prime Minister of creating a Mukhaberat-style secret police à la Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad.
“Turkey is rapidly becoming a
dictatorial regime. The entire world has realized this dictatorial regime as
well. This amendment on the MİT [National Intelligence Organization] is another
step in this direction,” Kılıcdaroglu said in an interview with daily Hurriyet
yesterday.
“No institution is equipped with
extraordinary powers”, he said, noting that such powers were not even given to
MİT during states of emergency. “Turkey is becoming an intelligence state.
[Prime Minister] RecepTayyip Erdogan is trying to build an ‘al-Assad state.’
Syria is an intelligence state and the same is being applied here,” he said.
Also, the Nationalist Movement Party’s
(MHP) Deputy Parliamentary group chairman, OktayVural, called the presentation
of such a comprehensive bill by just two Deputies a “scandal.”
Noting that she had yet to review the
bill in detail, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Deputy Parliamentary Group
Chair PervinBuldan underlined the importance of the relations between the bill
and the Kurdish peace process, in which MİT has a central role. “We won’t say
‘yes’ to any legal arrangement that will not ensure the process”, Buldan said.
ErtugrulKurkcu, the co-leader of the
People’s Democratic Party (HDP), which is the sister-party of the BDP, stated
that Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan wanted to rule every institution of the
country. “Since we already know that the Prime Minister is the mayor, the
Justice Minister and the Chief Prosecutor of Turkey, we also understand that he
wants to be the MİT chief too. It is for sure that this bill is designed
accordingly,” Kurkcu said.
11. Turkey’s YSK allows CHP to run
in polls in Istanbul district
Turkish daily HurriyetDaiily News
(20.02.14) reported that the Supreme Election Board (YSK) has invalidated a
decision from a local board banning the main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) to run in the upcoming elections in Istanbul’s Sariyer district.
The Sariyer District Election Board
ruled late on February 20 that the main opposition party could not participate
in the upcoming March 30 local elections, as it submitted its candidate list
nine minutes too late.
The Board decided by five votes against
two that the party would not be able to participate in the polls in Istanbul’s
Sariyer district. The CHP reportedly submitted its list to the board at 17:09
p.m. on February 18, nine minutes after the deadline. The party’s Istanbul
head, OguzKaanSalıcı, said they had sent the list by fax before the deadline,
but the fax procedure came through nine minutes late.
Turkey’s Supreme Election Committee has
organized an extraordinary meeting later on February 20, ruling in favour of
the party’s objection claiming, that the necessary files had in fact been
submitted on time and only a CD version of the list had been sent a few minutes
after the deadline.
12.Two and
a half million more voters for the forthcoming local elections in Turkey
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper
(21.02.14) reports that the chairman of the
Supreme Electoral Council in Turkey (YSK) SadiGuven has stated that the number of voters at the forthcoming local
elections to take place in Turkey on March 30, has reached 52 million 695
thousand 831.
According to Gunen, there is an increase of 2 million 505 thousand
901 voters comparing with the last elections which took place in Turkey.
Guven said that this increase is normal according to the population of Turkey.
(AK)
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
