TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 91/14 20.05.14
1. Statements by Cavusoglu on Biden’s visit
2. Turkish Cypriot daily alleges that “the confidence
building measures’ package” discussion between the two sides has been suspended
3. Commentaries on Biden’s visit to Cyprus
4. Nami criticizes the Turkish Cypriot candidates for
running for elections
5. Self-styled health minister Gulle to attend World
Health Assembly
6. “18th international Bellapais music festival”
1. Statements by Cavusoglu on Biden’s visit
According
to Turkish CIHAN news agency (20.05.14), Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief
Negotiator MevlutCavusoglu during a meeting with Stefano Manservisi, head of
the EU Delegation to Turkey, commented on the US Vice President Joe Biden’s
visit to Cyprus.
Cavusoglu
said that they want a just peace for Cyprus and added: “There are many elements
like the property, the borders, and the missing people. We want all these
important issues to be included in the framework of a plan with a win-win
formula, where everyone is winning. There is the joint statement by the leaders
of February. If you try to negotiate every issue individually, then the
negotiation process will stretch. Some issues are easier, some issues are more difficult.”
Cavusoglu
also said that their view, as Turkey, is that all the issues should be agreed
within a framework of a plan and to be binding to a timetable. He added that
they want to reach a solution under the auspices of the UN and the support of
the EU, but firstly the issues will be discussed between the Turkish and Greek
Cypriot sides, later the UN, Greece and Turkey will also sit at the negotiation
table.
Cavusoglu
noted that Biden’s visit to Cyprus is important, but they don’t think that he
will come with any special issue. He concluded by saying that they think that Biden
will go to the island to support the peace process.
2. Turkish Cypriot daily alleges that “the
confidence building measures’ package” discussion between the two sides has been
suspended
Under the
front-page title: “The package is in
suspension”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.05.14), invoking
diplomatic sources writes that allegations leaked to the Greek Cypriot press
supported that the negotiations between the two sides on the “confidence
building measures’ package”, which is going to be announced during Biden’s
visit to Cyprus, were suspended after a request by the “Greek Cypriot
administration”, as the Republic of Cyprus is called.
The paper writes
that reports in the Greek Cypriot press confirmed that the two sides are
holding negotiations on the “confidence building measures’ package” to be
announced during Biden’s visit but as it is said, the “Greek Cypriot side” has asked for the talks to be suspended since
it feels uneasy about the content of the package.
Asked to
corroborate the reports saying that the negotiations on the “confidence
building measures’ package” were suspended after a demand by the Greek Cypriot
side, the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, KudretOzersay
said: “I would not like to enter into a game of accusations. The Greek Cypriot
side’s leadership should understand very well like we do, that it is necessary
to have a fair balance on the gaining’s of the two sides on the issues that
should be agreed”.
“We have shown during the previous week our readiness
to do all the necessary in order to reach to an agreement on the issues related
to the widely distributed statements and mutual prejudices. We will continue
forward with the same positive approaches”, Ozersay
said.
(AK)
3. Commentaries on Biden’s visit to Cyprus
Columnist
HasanHasturer, writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (18.05.14), under the
title “Full agreement on Turkish Cypriot side”, reported that Turkey’s Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu paid a visit to the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus to assess the Cyprus problem, US Vice President
Joe Biden’s visit, as well as the UN effort for the solution of the Cyprus
problem.
Hasturer
wrote: “The expected momentum was not achieved in the talks after the joint
declaration. The Turkish Cypriot side has not been blamed for the failure to
achieve the expected result. (…)
Let us briefly focus on the essence of what has been disclosed…The
Turkish Cypriot side supports the comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem.
The fenced off town of Varosha cannot be a part of the confidence-building
measures. The opening of Varosha will have negative effects on the motivation
for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
If the opening of Maras will be considered, then an equally
important proposal must be made to the Turkish Cypriot side in return for the
area.
Is
the Turkish Cypriot side worried about an unexpected demand during the Biden
visit? No it is not. Why? Turkey’s
importance in the area increased particularly after the developments that took
place in Ukraine.
Considering the present situation, the United States, or the
western World in a broader sense, cannot put pressure on Turkey in connection
with the Cyprus problem.”
On
the same issue, columnist Mehmet SeyfettinErol, in Turkish daily Milli
(19.05.14), under the title “The United States’ new Cyprus game”, wrote the
following:
“The
Cyprus pressure on Turkey continues to increase in a multi-dimensional
way. In this context, the simultaneous
moves by the duo of the United States and the EU in efforts aimed at
eliminating Turkey's sovereign rights on the island are rather noteworthy.
In
this new process, referred to as a ‘two-way squeeze’, the fact that, after the
ECHR's [European Court of Human Rights] sentenced Turkey to pay 90 million euro
in compensation for the [1974] Cyprus Peace Operation (a decision that has been
pending for the past 13 years), US Deputy President Joseph Biden is going to
visit Cyprus on 21-22 May, is rather important.
What appears is that the new
geopolitical environment coming about on Cyprus has caused the United States as
well to go into action.
The
priority reason for the United States' taking a close interest in the issue
seems to be that an American company has invested in the new natural gas
resources. Yet another reason is that
its close Middle Eastern ally Israel possesses a portion of the natural gas
resources in question.
(…)
The
United States wants to be determinant on the point of providing energy security
in this region as well, and in the natural gas reaching world markets in a
secure way and the ‘solution process’ on Cyprus has been stepped up on account
of this.
(…)
On
the other hand, it has not become firm how and via what route the natural gas
that has been found as of now is going to be brought to the world market. But one of the strong options here from the
standpoint of the United States and the West consists of Turkey. Consequently, Cyprus and Turkey have a
special place and importance in the Eastern Mediterranean crisis!
It is expected that the United States, acting with this awareness,
will play a more active role in the Cyprus issue, in the same way that it has
taken ‘constructive steps’ in the Turkey-Israel relationship; this latest step
emerges before us as an indicator of this.
For
the United States to begin to play an active role on the Cyprus issue and in
the Turkey-Israel relationship can be explained in terms of the effects of the
new natural gas reserves. But in
addition to this, the instability in countries that are in a position to impact
the geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean, such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt,
and Libya, show that the United States is, at the same time, looking at the
issue from the perspective of security as well.
(…)
This, in turn, equates from the US perspective to the construction
of a ‘New Cyprus’ and a ‘New Turkey’.
Indeed, this underlies the entire struggle. On account of this, it is imperative not to
think of the Cyprus issue independently of Turkey, and to follow a policy in
accord with this!”
4. Nami criticizes the Turkish Cypriot candidates for running
for elections
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily KibrisPostasi Daily News (online, 20.05.14),
self-styled foreign minister OzdilNami evaluated Mehmet Ali Talat’s remarks
regarding the EP elections in which he criticized the Turkish Cypriot
candidates for running for the elections.
Nami
said: “This is a matter of individual choice. Our job is to put communal
interest forward. When we look from that perspective I would put my signature
under Talat’s words. We are actually insulted as a community”. Nami also
claimed that two of those six seats for Cypriot MPs are reserved for Turkish
Cypriots, but they have been taken away.
He
also said: “We send representatives to the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE). Our political parties directly report to PACE not
through Greek Cypriot’s will. Something similar should have been done at EP.
They tell as ‘come and register’. It is already my right and I don’t need
anyone’s favour. In addition to that we should have been sending MPs to EP not
based on their ethnic origin but based on their ideology.
If we want a Turkish Cypriot to be elected,
all Turkish Cypriot electorate should cross from the check points the same day.
Does this exist in any democratic country? That is why we are not very warm to
the idea. But of course we respect everyone’s choices.”
5. Self-styled health minister Gulle to attend World Health
Assembly
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily KibrisPostasi Daily News (online, 19.05.14),
self-styled minister of health AhmetGulle flew to Switzerland on Monday in
order to attend the “World Health Assembly” organized by WHO (World Health
Organization).
The
World Health Assembly which is organized annually in May will begin on 20th
and continue till May 24th.
6. “18th international Bellapais music festival”
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen (20.05.14), the “18th international
Bellapais music festival”, which was going to be held between 21st
of May and 17th of June, has been postponed for the 25th
of May, because of the tragedy in Soma.
In
this event, artists from Turkey, Israel, Italy, Russia and Argentine will
participate in the festival.
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