TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 87/14 14.05.14
1. Eroglu: ECHR’s judgment overshadows the negotiations
2. Self-styled foreign ministry: ECHR’s judgment is wrong
3. Turkish Ministers Yildiz and Cavusoglu on the ECHR ruling
4. Ozersay: Achieving progress on the property would not be easy
5. Nami: Biden’s visit is proof of USA’s strong support
6. Serdar Denktas: “ECHR’s decision is a reason to leave the negotiation table”
7. Eroglu to meet with Biden on May 22
8. All Turkish Cypriot parties are against the participation to the EP elections
9. KTOS urges all Turkish Cypriots to vote during the EP elections on May 25
10. Realist newspaper’s circulation is ended
11. Prosecutor drafts summary of proceedings against CHP leader on charges of “insulting” Erdogan
12. Gul to visit China on May 16
13. Erdogan slams Israel, Germany, US and others while defending Turkey’s press freedom
14. Turkey hopes to be part of the US-EU FTA
1. Eroglu: ECHR’s judgment overshadows the negotiations
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has described as “political” the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordering Turkey to pay the Republic of Cyprus the total sum of EUR 90,000,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage suffered by the relatives of the missing persons of the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and the Greek Cypriot enslaved persons in occupied Karpas peninsula.
In statements yesterday during one of his meetings, Eroglu alleged that “such a decision during such a period overshadowed the negotiations” and that “this is an action aimed at strengthening the Greek Cypriots”.
Eroglu argued that if the world wants an agreement in Cyprus, the foreign countries and especially the EU should be careful during such actions. He alleged that it is wrong to think that an agreement could be reached by “spoiling” the Greek Cypriot side, that two “equal peoples” exist in Cyprus and that the Turkish Cypriots have been struggling for years to live freely on these lands.
In addition, Illegal Bayrak television (14.05.14) broadcast that the self-styled presidency issued a statement in response to the European Court of Human Right’s judgment ordering Turkey to pay compensation for the 1974 invasion.
The statement alleged that the ECHR ruling of “lacking any legal basis, of contradicting with the principles of justice, of being politically motivated and of choosing to ignore those really responsible for the tragedy in Cyprus and punishing the innocent”.
The statement also drew attention to the timing of the judgment, claiming that such a decision which came at a time when negotiations on the substantive issues had begun is significant.
“Such an unfair decision which serves to give one of the two parties a political and psychological advantage over the other one is truly thought-provoking” the statement claims adding that if anyone was to receive compensation, it must be the Turkish Cypriots “who have been subjected to all kinds of human rights violations, including international embargoes and isolations”.
The statement also accused the Republic of Cyprus of exploiting the European legal system for its political purposes. “The ECHR has once again ignored the suffering of the Turkish Cypriots. Turkey on the other hand is being punished for saving the Turkish Cypriot people from atrocities and being massacred. This is the ECHR’s justice and history will judge this decision” the statement clams.
2. Self-styled foreign ministry: ECHR’s judgment is wrong
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the self-styled ministry of foreign affairs of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus has described as “wrong from the point of view of its content and method” the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordering Turkey to pay the Republic of Cyprus the total sum of EUR 90,000,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage suffered by the relatives of the missing persons of the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and the Greek Cypriot enslaved persons in occupied Karpas peninsula.
In a written statement issued yesterday, the self-styled ministry alleged that deciding for compensation without determining the persons who will benefit from it and after passing 13 years from the decision lacks legal ground. The statement went on and alleged that it is “obvious” that this and similar “unilateral decisions” taken by “ignoring the historical realities experienced on the island” will negatively influence the on-going negotiations. The statement argued also that the decision ignored the developments and the steps taken on the issue of the missing persons since 2001, when the main decision had been taken regarding both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot missing persons.
(I/Ts.)
3. Turkish Ministers Yildiz and Cavusoglu on the ECHR ruling
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz evaluated the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling against Turkey and said: “This ruling will of course affect our possible cooperation on energy. We are careful to use energy as a tool of mediation not a source of tension. The positive steps taken by the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots should not be interrupted. I hope these issues will not increase the burden on the energy matters. At times politics become a burden on energy and vice versa. Both sides should be careful about this”.
Taner Yildiz answered questions on the fringes of “Local Conference for Extending the Solutions for Sustainable Energy” organized by the Islamic Development Bank and UNDP and hosted by the Ministry.
In addition, Turkey's Minister for EU Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu also stated that in terms of timing the ECHR decision will not benefit anyone: "The ECHR's decision is inappropriate from a legal perspective, from a political perspective and even for applicability," Cavusoglu alleged.
4. Ozersay: Achieving progress on the property would not be easy
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.05.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay has said that achieving progress on the property issue would not be easy, but progress could be achieved on other issue and they trying for this.
In statements yesterday after his five-hour long meeting with the Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas Mavroyiannis, Ozersay said that the Turkish Cypriot side brought onto the agenda of the UN the leak to the Greek Cypriot press of the proposals submitted during the negotiations and added that this situation could be “extremely problematic” for the negotiations.
Ozersay said that yesterday the Turkish Cypriot side submitted three different proposals and added that the document of the Turkish Cypriot side on the foreign relations concerned the extent and the way by which the federal state and the constituent states could make agreements and on which issues they could do so.
He said that the Greek Cypriot side has also submitted a document on the same issue and that the Turkish Cypriot side submitted a proposal regarding the federal powers and how some of these federal powers would be used. He noted that they submitted another document regarding some issues on the banking sector and added that the Turkish Cypriot side submitted documents on three different issues and that the sides discussed in general the chapter of the property.
Ozersay noted that their next meeting will be held on Tuesday and they will discuss the same issues, the proposals which they submitted and new proposals will come to the table. He argued that the Greek Cypriot side did not submit the expected proposals yesterday because it was not ready.
Commenting on the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordering Turkey to pay the Republic of Cyprus the total sum of EUR 90,000,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage suffered by the relatives of the missing persons of the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and the Greek Cypriot enslaved persons in occupied Karpas peninsula, Ozersay argued that the negotiations will become more difficult if one of the sides thinks that it will achieve victory through courts or other ways. “This is a decision which makes our job more difficult. We do not expect them to take this decision and come to the negotiating table. We will not do this”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
5. Nami: Biden’s visit is proof of USA’s strong support
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.05.14) reports that Ozdil Nami, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that the visit of the US Vice President, Joe Biden to Cyprus is of great importance and added that it will be the “biggest expression of the USA’s recently started strong support”.
In statements to Kibris TV, Nami described as “exaggerations” the various scenarios regarding the above-mentioned visit that refer to issues such as “a partnership on natural gas”, “return of Varosha” and “pressure for the solution of the Cyprus problem”. Nami noted that everybody knows that the USA is interested in Cyprus because of its own interests and added that they discussed these issues during his visit to the USA.
In spite of all these, he noted, no one should expect that “a move on Varosha will be signed”. “If we had come to such point, various drafts would have come and go. There is no such a thing”, he said.
Commenting on information published in the Greek Cypriot press that “the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has promised to solve this issue”, Nami described this information as “tragic comical expressions”. He alleged that Turkey wants a solution and has proved it with its actions. He went on and claimed that the Greek Cypriot side is the one which prevents the solution. Moreover, he argued that the Cyprus problem cannot be solved when the community leaders meet only for two hours once every month and added that the tempo of the negotiations should be intensified.
Asked to comment on Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozersay’s statement regarding the Annan Plan saying “forget the Plan and the map, this has ended”, Nami said that the Annan Plan and its balances are there and “we will never allow for it to be forgotten”. He added: “The Annan Plan is definitely not a document which will be ignored and forgotten. It is a document supported by the UN Security Council, the guarantors. The Greek Cypriot side has rejected the solution itself by rejecting the plan. Of course, there will not be a new Annan Plan. There will be a new plan. Its content and balances will be reminding of it [Translator’s note: The Annan Plan]…”
Commenting on the negative approach exhibited recently by the former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat regarding the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the European Parliament (EP) elections, Nami said that this is a personal choice and that their duty is to put forward their “communal interests”. He said that he approves Talat’s statement and described the situation as “insult” to the Turkish Cypriots on communal basis. Recalling that the Turkish Cypriots send their representatives to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe without needing the consent of the Greek Cypriots, he argued: “‘Come and register’, they tell us. This is anyway my right. I need no one’s favour. Moreover, the Deputies should be sent to the EP on the basis of their political views not their ethnicity…”
(I/Ts.)
6. Serdar Denktas: “ECHR’s decision is a reason to leave the negotiation table”
Under the title: “The decision is a reason to leave the table”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the so-called deputy prime minister, “minister of economy, tourism, culture and sports” and chairman of the Democratic Party-National Forces (DP-UG), Serdar Denktas commenting yesterday on the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to fine Turkey with the amount of 90 million euro as a compensation to the Greek Cypriots for the Turkish invasion in Cyprus in 1974, expressed the belief that the Turkish Cypriots should not stay even at the negotiation table.
Denktas made the above statement yesterday after meeting with a delegation of the new executive board of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Trade.
Denktas said that after the announcement of ECHR’s decision to put penalty to Turkey, the Turkish Cypriot side should revise its stance at the negotiation table and Turkey its ties with the EU.
He stated further that no matter, a solution is to be found or not, the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to exert efforts for increasing the quality and standards of its products and services, its education and tourism.
Referring to their agreement with the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE), Serdar Denktas said that in a few years they will be able to trade throughout the world.
(AK)
7. Eroglu to meet with Biden on May 22
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the self-styled presidency stated that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, on May 22 will hold a meeting with the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden.
8. All Turkish Cypriot parties are against the participation to the EP elections
Under the title “Like a national chorus they boycott the EU elections”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (14.05.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot parties which are represented at the “assembly” evaluated the May 25 European Parliament elections and stated that it is not of Turkish Cypriot benefit to participate in them.
The four parties, who share the same opinion on the issue, stated that the two of the six EP seats of the Republic of Cyprus belong to the Turkish Cypriots, therefore separate elections must be conducted for them.
Commenting on the issue, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Ozkan Yorgancioglu stated that despite the party’s view on the issue, they do not condemn the friends that are candidates in the elections.
The chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun stated that the solution road lies at the negotiation table and added that the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots can participate in the EP elections within a state structure in which they will be represented equally.
Serdar Denktas the leader of the Democratic Party (DP) said that if they could select their own representatives in the EP, they should select them inside their own separate state.
Finally, Cemal Ozyigit, the chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP) stated that they want to send to the EP two Turkish Cypriots selected by the Turkish Cypriot side.
9. KTOS urges all Turkish Cypriots to vote during the EP elections on May 25
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (14.03.14) reports that Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS) issued a statement urging all Turkish Cypriots to vote for the EP elections which will take place on 25 May.
In the statement signed by the General Secretary of KTOS Sener Elcil it is stated that “the discussions around the EP elections was the representation of a situation created together by the chauvinistic policies of Greek Cypriot politicians who don’t want to share the Republic of Cyprus and the separatist Turkish Cypriots supported by Turkey”.
“The Turkish Cypriots became the minority in their own country as a result of imposed immigration policies. The international law is still being violated by the regime which was established here” says the statement.
“Even though Cyprus was accepted to EU as a whole, the EU acquis is suspended in the northern part of the Island due to violation of the international law by Turkey. The Turkish Cypriots are trapped between the Greek Cypriot leadership who invaded the Republic of Cyprus unilaterally and Turkey’s expansionist policies. Therefore they cannot use their communal rights even though individually they are EU citizens”.
In the statement it was also stated that holding a separate EP elections for the Turkish Cypriots in the current situation where “the majority of the population is not EU citizens” would not be viable.
10. Realist newspaper’s circulation is ended
Turkish Cypriot daily Realist newspaper (14.05.14) announced that its circulation will be stopped as from tomorrow.
The paper has been published for 108 days and stops its circulation for financial reasons.
11. Prosecutor drafts summary of proceedings against CHP leader on charges of “insulting” Erdogan
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (14.05.14) reports that the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Turkey’s Thracian province of Tekirdag has drafted a summary of proceedings against main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, on charges of “insulting” the Prime Minister.
Speaking during a rally in Tekirdag on March 4, in the run-up to local elections held on March 30, Kilicdaroglu labelled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “prime thief, burglar, liar, fraud and dictator,” the summary of proceedings noted. The chief prosecutor stated that Kilicdaroglu had publicly committed the offense of “insulting a public official,” which is covered in Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), and added that his parliamentary immunity should be lifted accordingly.
12. Gul to visit China on May 16
Turkish daily Sabah (14.05.14) reports that the Turkish President Abdullah Gul will pay an official visit to China. The visit will last from May 15 to May 21.
He will hold meetings and sign agreements to improve bilateral relations between the countries in terms of trade. Envoys will also discuss international and regional developments. In addition, Gul will attend the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). According to sources, the President will discuss the on-going long-range missile issue with Chinese officials.
13. Erdogan slams Israel, Germany, US and others while defending Turkey’s press freedom
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (14.05.14) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Israel, Germany, the United States and many others while defending Ankara’s press freedom record in a parliamentary group speech on May 13.
“Those who say that there is no press freedom in Turkey should just take a look at the headlines of the daily newspapers,” Erdogan said in his address to deputies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), arguing that “a significant number of the 40 daily newspapers insult the government systematically.”
Erdogan continued the government’s criticism of a Freedom House report released on May 1, in which Turkey was relegated from the league of “Partly Free” countries to the league of “Not Free” countries due to its violations of press freedom.
The Turkish Prime Minister accused Freedom House of being misled by its sources in Turkey, which he claimed as the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
After criticizing the report for listing Israel as the freest country in the Middle East, Erdogan complained of “double standards,” noting the firing of journalist Helen Thomas in the United States and stressing that the Turkish public broadcaster TRT was taken off air by satellite providers in Germany due to its coverage of the Hamburg riots. “When they do such things in other countries, they call it democracy. When we do it, they call it pressure,” he said.
Repeating his dislike for Twitter and Facebook, Erdogan argued that “in no democratic country can you see such headlines,” like the ones in Turkey which criticize his government. “In no country can the government be insulted this way. In no country can they lie like this,” he added.
14. Turkey hopes to be part of the US-EU FTA
Turkish daily Sabah (14.05.14) reports that Turkey's Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci stated that Turkey must be a party to a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and the U.S., stressing that otherwise Turkey should consider renouncing its customs union agreement with the EU.
Zeybekci arrived in Boston on Tuesday to meet U.S. counterparts in Washington on Wednesday as part of the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation between Turkey and the U.S.
During a reception held by Turkey's consul general in Boston prior to official talks planned for Wednesday, Zeybekci emphasized that Turkey has to be admitted into the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the U.S.
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