TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 41/14 28.02.14
1. Sinirlioglu on the Ankara meeting:
Turkey is willing to open its airports and harbours
if a permanent resolution is reached
2. Ozersay: The meeting in Athens is the start of a healthy dialogue
3. Davutoglu described the visits of the negotiators
as a historic step
4. Eroglu: The cross meetings are the start of a dialogue
5. Talat has his concerns on the negotiation process
6. Cicek wants Russia to undertake “a more balanced and constructive role”
in Cyprus
7. Nami met with a delegation from the UK Foreign
Ministry
8. Siber met with the settlers association from
Malatia
9. Turkey to lend $500 million to the breakaway regime
10. The occupation
regime participates in a tourism fair in Budapest
11. Columnist in Taraf writes that
Cyprus is one of the primary tests of relations between Turkey and the United
States
12. More about the
remnants discovered near occupied Galinoporni village
13. Hurriyer on leaked voice recordings
in Turkey incriminating Erdogan and his son of corruption
1. Sinirlioglu on the Ankara meeting: Turkey is
willing to open its airports and harbours if a permanent resolution is reached
Turkish
daily Sabah newspaper (28.02.14) reports on the meeting of the Greek Cypriot
negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis with officials of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Sabah writes
that according to information obtained from diplomatic sources, the negotiator from the Turkish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Feridun Sinirlioglu said that the cross talks symbolized an
unprecedented opportunity to reach a resolution in the island and claimedthat both
Turkey and “Northern Cyprus” have a strong and determined political will. He said
that the Turkish side came to the negotiating table without preconditions, and
said that the Greek side should do the same. He also stated that Turkey is
willing to open its airports and harbours if a permanent resolution is reached.
Touching upon the energy resources of the island, Sinirlioglu stated it would
be possible to sell the gas to Europe with a pipeline from Turkey.
2. Ozersay: The meeting in Athens is the start of a healthy dialogue
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.02.14) reports that the
negotiator of the Turkish Cypriot side in the Cyprus talks, Kudret Ozersayhas said that his meeting
yesterday in Athens with officials from the Greek Foreign Ministry was “good
and useful” and exceeded his expectations. Ozersay and his delegation met
yesterday with the Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Anastasios
Mitsialis.
In short statements afterwards, Ozersay
described the meeting as “the start of a healthy dialogue”. The delegations
met for more than two hours at the Greek Ministry and continued their
discussions over a working lunch.
After the lunch, Ozersay said that the Greek officials hosted them
very well and added that they discussed
all issues which are on the table in the Cyprus talks. Noting that they
exchanged views with Mitsialis, Ozersay pointed out: “The negotiating process consists of various stages. The stage during
which Turkey and Greece will interfere in the process will come. The meeting we
held has a preparatory character for this stage”.
Arguing that the Turkish Cypriots have some prejudices against
Greece and the Greek Cypriots have prejudices against Turkey, Ozersay noted
that launching a dialogue to overcome
these prejudices is “meaningful and positive”. He argued that this dialogue
started with delay and added that the
two “peoples” of the island are each other’s interlocutor and that the
guarantors are included in the process, but the problem will be solved by the
two “sides”.
Asked whether meetings will be held with Greek officials in the future,
Ozersay replied that this issue will be decided by Turkey, Greece and the two
communities of the island.
Replying to a question as to when he would talk with the Greek
Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, Ozersay said: “I can call him now as
soon as I return to the hotel. We have such a sincere relationship”.
Asked to clarify what surprises carried in his bag to Greece,
Ozersay said: “What is important here is to explain before a meeting the issues
which will be discussed before a meeting. This is how you should perceive the
surprise. We discussed everything which
we should have discussed, we conveyed our views, and we took Greece’s views.
This meeting is by itself a historic meeting”.
Meanwhile, according to Kibris, the self-styled foreign ministry of the
breakaway regime issued a statement yesterday describing as “extremely
satisfying development” the visits of the negotiators to Greece and Turkey
respectively. The “ministry” expressed the hope that the structured
negotiations after these meetings will advance in an “effective manner”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Davutoglu described the visits of the
negotiators as a historic step
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi (28.02.14) reports that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu, commenting on the simultaneous visits of Turkish Cypriot and Greek
Cypriot negotiators to Athens and Ankara, said: “It is a historic step and
proves mutual trust”.
Davutoglu
replied to questions on the Cyprus talks during a press conference with the
Turkish Foreign Minister’s Bulgarian counterpart, Kristian Vigenin in Sofia.
Noting that it
is an important step on the Cyprus process, Davutoglu stressed that “it is the
first time that a TRNC (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus) representative visits Athens and a
representative of the Greek Cypriot Administration (translator’s note: as he
refers to the Republic of Cyprus) visits Ankara”. He added that it is a
historic step and proves mutual trust.
Davutoglu
stated: “As you know, these meetings were planned with a consensus during the
meeting with my Greek Foreign Minister friend on the margins of the Ministerial
Week at the UN General Assembly in New York on September last year”.
Davutoglu went
on saying that they will benefit when these visits somehow continue by going
into deep waters, claiming that Cyprus belongs to both communities and the
Republic of Cyprus was established by both communities in the agreements of
1959-60.
Davutoglu said
that it is the political will of both communities who will overcome today this
problem, adding that Turkey and Greece will also support this political will.
He noted: “We value this positive approach that we see also in Greece. We hope
that with this approach all the concerned sides to involve and to contribute
all together positive to the negotiation process. I congratulate the sides
because of these historic steps”.
4. Eroglu: The cross meetings are the start of a dialogue
Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis newspaper (28.02.14) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu
said yesterday that the negotiating
process has not “warmed up” yet and added that the crosswise meetings of the
two communities’ negotiators in Athens and Ankara are the start of a dialogue. In statements
during a meeting with the chairmen of the Democratic Party – National Forces
(DP-UG) regional organizations in occupied Mesaoria plain, Eroglu noted that
this was said during the meeting held with Turkey.
He claimed, inter alia, the following: “A bi-zonal, bi-communal solution based on
political equality sounds good, but the important thing is how the details will
be filled in… For this reason the Greek Cypriots demanded for a meeting
from the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu through the Greek
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Davutoglu
is an experienced person. ‘We accept this, but the Turkish Cypriot negotiator
will be accepted under the same conditions in Athens’, he said. The meeting
would have been held in September, but it was held yesterday. The Greek Prime Minister has tried to
prevent it. The interlocutor of the
Greek Cypriot people is not the government of the Republic of Turkey. They exchanged views with an undersecretary
of the Foreign Ministry, but not for the solution of the problem, but for the
beginning of a dialogue. For example, when
we wanted to have a meeting with the German Foreign Ministry, the Greek Cypriot
side said that ‘these are a non-recognized state, do not meet with them’.
However, now, because Greece held this meeting with us, they will not be able
to prevent our meetings from now on. This meeting is an advantage for us…
According to the Greek Cypriots no emigrant and Turkish soldier will remain on
the island. Very well, what our stance will be in front of these? My stance and
your stance are known. Our duty will be to warn the people of this country and
the political parties, because giving the land and making the movement of
populationwhich the Greek Cypriots want, completely abandoning Turkey’s
guarantees is tantamount to accepting a life full of dangers again for us.
Everyone knows what happened before 1974. We are trying for these not to happen
again…”
(I/Ts.)
5. Talat has his concerns on the negotiation
process
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi (28.02.14) reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet
Ali Talat said that now there is a huge excitement among the people for a
solution on the Cyprus problem, but he expressed his concerns on this
excitement. He added that the hopes in case of a non-solution may cause a
destructive trauma.
Replying to
question whether this time the Cyprus problem will be finished, in a television
programme Talat said that it would be inappropriate to make any evaluation
statements regarding the issue, because the leaders have not yet said “ok”.
Referring to the
issue of arbitration, Talat said that this stance is not correct, adding that
it is almost impossible for the sides to agree to any issue and at the end they
will need mediation.
Talat claimed
that the Greek Cypriots have started now to see the realities, as Turkish
Cypriots did in 2004, adding that it seems that the Greek Cypriots, who voted
“no” in 2004, are more towards the solution this time.
Evaluating the
reciprocal visits of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators in Ankara and
Athens, Talat said that these visits cannot obtain an extraordinary progress,
adding, however, that these contacts are for the consciousness of the people
that Turkey and Greece show interest in the Cyprus problem.
Noting that the
Greek Cypriots are trying to establish a natural gas terminal in Vasiliko and
this will cause a fall at the electricity prices, Talat said that they could
install lines of natural gas from there to their own electrical plants, as
confidence building measure. He added that this will be a real confidence
building step.
6. Cicek wants Russia to undertake “a more balanced and constructive role”
in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.02.14) reports that the
Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Cemil Cicek met yesterday with the Speaker of the Russian Federation’s
State Duma, Sergey Narishkin in Ankara. In statements during the meeting, Cicek said that they were expecting from
the Russian Federation to undertake a more “balanced and constructive role in
the Cyprus problem”.
Cicek said that the visit of the Russian delegation was important
and meaningful, because the last visit from Russia to Turkey was held in 1998.
He argued that they should intensify their mutual visits, because friends
should meet more often.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, Cicek
argued that this problem is not solved for 50 years and alleged: “We want a political solution mutually
agreed there and based on the political equality of the two peoples. During
the last few days, discussions between the two sides started. We hope that this
problem is solved now with negotiations, because this process lasted too long. We are expecting from the Russian
Federation to undertake a more balanced and constructive role in the Cyprus
problem”.
(I/Ts.)
7. Nami met with a delegation from the UK Foreign
Ministry
Turkish Cypriot
daily Vatan (28.02.14) reports that self-styled minister of foreign affairs
Ozdil Nami met yesterday with officials from the UK Foreign Ministry.
According to a
press release by the “ministry”, Nami met yesterday with Louise De Souza, Head
of the European Affairs Department and Mathew Deith, Head of Cyprus Desk, both
of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. During the meeting, they discussed
the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.
8. Siber met with the settlers association from
Malatia
Illegal Bayrak
television (27.02.14) broadcast that the self-styled speaker of the assembly
Sibel Siber held a meeting with “Malatia
Cultural Association”, which is a settlers association in the breakaway regime.
Speaking during the meeting, Siber said that such associations
are part of the “country’s cultural mosaic and added that these associations
are strengthening the ties between motherland Turkey and the TRNC”.
9. Turkey to lend $500 million to the breakaway
regime
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (28.02.14) reports that,
Turkey approved a bill to provide the breakaway regime with a low-interest
credit loan worth $500 million.
The first
repayment of the loan will start three years from the date loan is withdrawn.
The loan will be paid in 14 equal payments in 10 years. Turkish Cypriot “officials”
said that they will be using the loan for infrastructure projects.
10.The occupation
regime participates in a tourism fair in Budapest
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.02.14)
reports that the occupation regime is
represented at the 35th tourism fair called “Utasaz 2014”, which is
taking place in Budapest,Hungary.
The fair, the biggest one in Hungary, has
opened yesterday and will close on March 2. Several airline companies, travel
agencies, hoteliers and marketing companies are participating in the fair.
As the paper writes, the occupation regime
participates in the fair with its own stand and it has prepared touristic
booklets translated in Hungarian language for its promotion.
In statements on the issue, “officials” from
the so-called ministry of tourism said that
around 1.000 people arrived last year in the “occupation regime” with charter
flights from Hungary, adding that their goal for this year is the number of
visitors, to be increased.
The paper continues and writes that the Akmina
Travel Club participates in the fair and points out that Hungary is the new
destination of Akmina Travel Club. Akmina Travel club’s partner in Hungary is
Green Travel, which will transfer tourists to “north Cyprus” for the second
time after 12 years.
Speaking to the newspaper, the director of
Akmina Travel Club, Ismail Abidin said that the number of tourists they are planning to bring from Hungary with
charters flights is 4.500. Abidin added that they had already signed a
5-year agreement. He said further that the first charter flight from Hungary
has taken place on May 16, 2010 and was conducted by Corendon Airlines.
AK
11. Columnist in Taraf writes that
Cyprus is one of the primary tests of relations between Turkey and the United
States
Turkish daily Taraf newspaper
(25.02.14) published a commentary by
Temel Iskit under the title “The Cyprus Test: This Time It Is Serious”,
and notes that Cyprus is one of the primary tests of relations between Turkey
and the United States. The commentary goes as follows:
“[…] The United States, in particular, has been
very proactive in the process. Washington's aspirations are driven by its
strategic interests in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East in
general. The United States views the natural gas fields discovered in the
region as a new opportunity. It sees the exploitation of these fields by
Cyprus, Israel, and Turkey as a vehicle for ensuring stability in the region. It
also believes that this can bolster Israel's security.
However, the
Cyprus problem has to be solved for these to happen. A solution can not only
end the chilly relationship between Turkey and Israel but also remove a hurdle
before expanded collaboration between NATO and the EU. A solution can also
clear the way for Turkey's EU process.
As negotiations in Cyprus move forward
this year, Erdogan's posture will have a special significance. We will see how
willing he will be to conclude an accord on Cyprus as the string of elections
at home unfolds. We will see whether he will resort to the populism of
"not selling out Cyprus" in the heat of his "total war." At
the same time, we will see if he will bow to the--for now quiet--resistance of
the Turkish Armed Forces, which he is trying to win over as an ally now, with
regard to the withdrawal of soldiers from the island.”
12. More about the
remnants discovered near occupied Galinoporni village
Turkish Cypriot daily
Yeni Postasi newspaper (28.02.14) reports about the remnants dated to the late
Bronze Age that were discovered in a hill near the occupied Galinoporni village
and notes that 3,200-year-old treasures were found during the excavations.
According to the paper, the remnants
were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted by the illegal Near
East University and the German Tubingen University. During a press conference
held yesterday regarding the artifacts that were found as result of the
excavation works carried out decorative objects dating back to the Bronze Age
and early Bronze Age have been unearthed and therefore a museum will be built
to display the artifacts.
13. Hurriyeton leaked voice
recordings in Turkey incriminating Erdogan and his son of corruption
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (28.02.14)
reports that an on-going debate over whether the recent leaked phone
conversations between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his son are
authentic is dominating Turkish politics, with both the government and the
opposition striking each other over the corruption claims.
A number of
“experts” have been quoted by Turkish media since the tapes were disclosed Feb.
24, with many claiming that they seem authentic and others claiming that the
recordings were edited.
Pro-government
private broadcaster Kanal 7 said analyses of the recordings by U.S.-based audio
studios, reportedly commissioned by the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP), “proved” that they had been edited.
----------------------------------------------------
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
