TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.
99/14 30.05.14
1. The Speaker of the
Finnish Parliament is reportedly positive to the opening of breakaway
regime’s representation in his country
2. Atalay alleges that
Turkey is ready for a solution in Cyprus
3. Eroglu told Biden
that the US should make some actions which will hurt the Greek
Cypriots; His visit to London is reportedly not confirmed
4. Columnist claims
that the cross visits of the negotiators updated the status of the
Turkish Cypriot side
5. Kasif: “No
application to the ministry”
6. The beaches in
occupied Vasillia are supposedly to be private land
7. A delegation of the
Berlin Humboldt University visited the illegal YDU
8. Turkey expresses
concern over European Parliament’s elections
9. Turkey interested
in Russia's new gas pipeline project
10. Turkey’s court
rules YouTube ban violates freedom of speech; Swedish FM urges Turkey
to revise its Internet policies
1. The
Speaker of the Finnish Parliament is reportedly positive to the
opening of breakaway regime’s representation in his country
Turkish Cypriot daily
Kibris newspaper (30.05.14) reports that the Speaker of the
Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Cemil Cicek has said that his
country expects two things from Finland and added that the one is the
opening of a “representation office” by the “TRNC”, breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, one at the
same status as the one in Stockholm.
Replying to Cicek, the
Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Eero Heinnaluoma said that he sees
absolutely no reason for the “TRNC” not opening a “representation
office” in his country. He noted that the “TRNC citizens’
who live in Finland should launch the necessary work for this.
In statements after
meeting Heinnaluoma, Cicek referred to the process of the Cyprus
talks that started recently and alleged: “We hope that this
time, the issue will end. And that a lasting, just peace
agreement on the basis of equality is realized. However, this is
not a result which could be achieved with unilateral efforts.
Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side delayed until today. It is
continuing to ask some privileges which it does not deserve by taking
the backing of the EU. It is playing for time. Therefore, our
expectation from you as a friendly country is for a representation to
be opened in your country. There have been contacts in this
direction, but there has been no development since December. We
wish that the issue is concluded the soonest”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Atalay
alleges that Turkey is ready for a solution in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily
Havadis newspaper (30.05.14) reports that the Turkish Deputy Prime
Minister responsible for Cypriot Affairs, Besir Atalay has alleged
that Turkey is ready to solve the Cyprus problem and has exhibited
the necessary will.
In statements to Havadis,
Atalay said that in parallel to what he described as “Turkey’s
contribution in the recently began process”, the European Union and
the United States of America could positively contribute in the
process. Within this framework, he added that they evaluate as
positive the recent visit of the US Vice President to the island.
“He did not put forward very concrete things, but in the end it
[the visit] could be evaluated as a contribution in the negotiating
process”, he noted.
Asked whether he is
hopeful that a solution could be found to the Cyprus problem within
this year, Atalay argued that when one looks at the
negotiating process, it is not possible to make an evaluation
easily and in the short term. This, he alleged, derives from the
stance of the Greek Cypriot side.
Atalay alleged that
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side have always played a
“constructive role” in favor of the solution and exerted efforts
in this direction, but the same is allegedly not valid for the Greek
Cypriot side.
He said that the
current process gives a little bit more hope, because of the more
constructive role of the international community and the greater will
it shows. Atalay argued that an agreement which will be
protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and overseeing their
equality is a condition for the solution.
Replying to questions
regarding the natural gas, Atalay said that Turkey has undertaken an
“important role” on the issue of the energy passages from the
East to the West and Europe and accumulated “important
experiences”. He alleged that Turkey is the only way for the
natural gas to reach Europe from the point of view of efficiency and
rationality. He, inter alia, said the following on this issue:
“…We believe that the entire island should use all the
possibilities, the wealth that exists around this island. For
both sides of the island. There is no other way than Turkey for
the use of the wealth which could be developed there, for carrying it
to Europe. The current developments in Ukraine showed that the
most important basin and center on the issue of distributing this
wealth is Turkey (…) Turkey has a serious accumulation of knowledge
on this point. If there is going to be a development here in Cyprus’
basin, in the Mediterranean, Turkey will always undertake this role
(…)”
(I/Ts.)
3. Eroglu
told Biden that the US should make some actions which will hurt the
Greek Cypriots; His visit to London is reportedly not confirmed
Under the title “We are
ready to agree”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (30.05.14)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has said
that he told the US Vice President, Joe Biden that the Turkish
Cypriot side feels ready for a solution in Cyprus and alleged: “The
side which is not ready is the other side. Therefore you should make
some actions which will hurt the other side too, so that they feel
the obligation for a solution”.
Addressing the opening
ceremony of a meeting of the Yol-Is trade union, Eroglu alleged
that the reason for which the Cyprus problem continues for years is
the fact that the Greek Cypriot “administration”, as he
described the government of the Republic of Cyprus, does not see the
Turkish Cypriots as equals, the international recognition of the
Republic of Cyprus and its accession to the EU.
Eroglu noted that during
his meeting with the US Vice President, he told him that the Turkish
Cypriot side has the will for a solution and that it showed this to
the whole world by saying “yes” to the solution plans which came
up until today. He went on and claimed that the Greek Cypriot side,
as he described the Republic of Cyprus, is recognized by the world
and it is an EU-member state, while the Turkish Cypriots are
allegedly outside the EU and embargo is implemented on them.
Meanwhile, a source
from Eroglu’s office told Kibris that “there is not a situation
that necessitates the issuing of an official statement” regarding
the visit which, according to the Greek Cypriot press, the Turkish
Cypriot leader will pay to London. The sources, which are close
to Eroglu, said that it is not clear yet whether there is going to
be such a visit. The paper covers this issue under the title “The
London visit is not definite”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Columnist
claims that the cross visits of the negotiators updated the status of
the Turkish Cypriot side
Under the title “Is the
climate changing?” Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
30.05.14) publishes, inter alia, the following commentary by Yusuf
Kanli:
“The separate meetings
with Turkish and Greek Cypriot negotiators held by French Foreign
Ministry executives in Paris created some nerve on the Greek Cypriot
side. In the very near future, negotiators Kudret Ozersay and Andreas
Mavroyannis will travel to London, for talks at the foreign office
there…
Worse is in the bag for
the Greek Cypriots; the British are already working on plans to
invite ‘President’ Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Cypriot state for
a ‘working visit’, during which, not with the Queen or the Prime
Minister, but the Foreign Secretary and some top executives of the
British foreign policy mechanism will have negotiations on the
settlement prospects in Cyprus with their guest from the Turkish
Cypriot ‘state’.
The details and timing of
Eroglu’s London visit have not yet been completed, but neither
Britain has such an intention, nor do Turkish Cypriots have an
expectation to see a change in the Cyprus policies of the United
Kingdom.
(…)
The visit to South
Africa, social contacts in Brussels, trips to elsewhere, including
European bodies, including heavyweights of the European Union such as
France, Britain and Germany are heralding the opening of a new era
that might seriously upset the nerves of the micro-nationalists and
fascists in the ‘southern part of the island’, as Turkish
Cypriots are becoming more visible on the world stage, even though
their state is not yet recognized.
These contacts are all
side products of the ‘cross visits’ of the first-ever trip to
Ankara by the Greek Cypriot negotiator and the Turkish Cypriot making
a maiden trip to Athens and holding landmark talks with top Greek
executives. Obviously, if Greece can talk with the Turkish Cypriot
negotiator, why shouldn’t other countries do it as well? That
was the genie Greeks – though it was them who first suggested the
cross visits – did not want to let out of the bottle for a long
period. The genie is now out of the bottle. In the past, Eroglu made
many visits to London – as the city is one of the biggest electoral
constituencies of Turkish Cypriot politics – but never was
officially invited to meetings or was hosted in a social event that
could be considered worth mentioning.
As one of the permanent
members of the U.N. Security Council and its past record as a staunch
ally of the Greek Cypriots, France considering it fit to talk to
Turkish Cypriots alone is indeed an indication of a climate change.
(…)”
5. Kasif:
“No application to the ministry”
Under the above title,
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (30.05.14) reports that the
so-called minister of transportation and communication Ahmet
Kasif, replying to a question of a correspondent of illegal TAK
whether the companies providing GSM services in the “TRNC” and
“south Cyprus” as the Republic of Cyprus is called, held contacts
in order for “direct calls to be possible across the divide in
Cyprus with mobile phones”, said: “Since no application has been
sent to us as a ministry, no exchange of views with us was made. So,
it is not right to express any view on the issue”.
Kasif went on and said
that the “council of ministers” will decide if it will make an
opening or an investment on the issue of the communications into the
“country” as soon as the technical organizations and all related
organizations make an evaluation of the issue.
Kasif said further that
he would personally like to achieve integration with the “world”
and to have the ability to “communicate” with mobile phones with
the “south”, however, as he pointed out, they should follow the
necessary procedures first.
(AK)
6. The
beaches in occupied Vasillia are supposedly to be private land
Turkish Cypriot daily
Yeni Duzen (30.05.14) reports that in a continuation of yesterday’s
report that two beaches in the occupied village of Vasilia are on
“sale” in an internet site, reports that the self-styled
undersecretary of the ministry of economy, tourism, culture and
sports Sahap Asikoglu told the paper that they investigated it and
they found out that the property is private. For this reason, he
added, they cannot take any “legal actions” against this “sale”,
not even the view that “the coasts belong to the people”.
7. A
delegation of the Berlin Humboldt University visited the illegal YDU
Turkish Cypriot daily
Vatan newspaper (30.05.14) reports that Prof. Dr Rolf Schneider,
professor of the Department of Biologic Sciences of the Berlin
Humboldt University, together with post-graduate students of the
university, paid a visit to the illegal Near East University (YDU) in
the occupied area of Cyprus in order to carry out inspections.
According to the paper,
the delegation of the German University carried out contacts with the
“vice rector” of the illegal YDU, Prof. Dr Senol Bektas and the
“dean” of the Faculty of Architecture, Prof. Dr Ugurcan Akyuz and
at the same time they visited the “5th Academiada”
fair which is taking place at the illegal university.
(AK)
8. Turkey
expresses concern over European Parliament’s elections
Turkish daily Today’s
Zaman (online, 29.05.14) reported that Ankara has voiced concern
over the recent European Parliament (EP) elections in which
eurosceptics and far-right parties have made strong gains in several
European capitals.
The statement released
by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday said that Turkey has
drawn attention to the threat of increasing xenophobic,
anti-immigration, extremist discourse questioning the European Union
project at every opportunity.
“We are concerned with
the increase in seats held by political parties that are xenophobic,
anti-immigration, and critical of the EU project and that adopt an
extremist discourse, in the European Parliament (EP) elections
organized on 22-25 May 2014,” said the statement.
During the past decade,
the EP has been the most important supporter of Turkey's EU
membership among the union's institutions; however, the increasing
number of eurosceptic in the parliament is considered a great concern
to observers, who believe that opposing voices on Turkey's membership
will increase following the elections.
“We expect that in EU
countries where the impacts of the economic crisis still continue,
the reactionary votes of the electorate will be interpreted
accurately by the EU bodies. We also expect that the new composition
of the parliament will duly evaluate the results and adopt necessary
preventive policies accordingly. … This is necessary both for the
future of the European project and the Turkey-EU relations,” added
the statement.
On Thursday Mevlut
Cavusoglu, Turkey's European Union Affairs Minister, also stated
that it was worrisome that far-right parties in Europe have gained
ground in the elections. “We see that there is serious
increasing support for anti-EU and far-right parties. This situation
creates concern in EU countries as much as in Turkey. The rise of
parties that adopt marginal political views poses a risk to the
universal values within the foundation of the EU,” said Cavusoglu
in a statement.
9. Turkey
interested in Russia's new gas pipeline project
According to Ankara
Anatolia news agency (29.05.14), Turkish Energy Minister Taner
Yildiz said on Thursday that Turkey finds it feasible and
possible to participate in Russia's South Stream pipeline project, if
Moscow makes an official offer, at the 4th Annual
Congress of Caucasus Universities Association titled "Role of
Energy in Caucasia's Future" in Ankara.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin recently announced that Moscow would choose a country
not belonging to the European Union for passage of the South Stream
pipeline, following the EU's reactions to the annexation of Crimea by
Russia.
The South Stream project,
which is expected to be operational by 2018, was designed to ship
Russia's natural gas to Europe through Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and
Austria.
However, Brussels has put
the project on hold as the EU seeks to decrease its reliance on
Russian gas.
10. Turkey’s
court rules YouTube ban violates freedom of speech; Swedish FM urges
Turkey to revise its Internet policies
According to Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 29.05.14), Turkey’s
Constitutional Court ruled on May 29 that the ruling to block YouTube
violated the rights of users and the freedom of speech.
The court will send its
decision to the Transportation and Communication Ministry and to the
Telecommunications Directorate (TIB) with a clear demand of the
removal of the blocking.
After the blockade,
the Court unanimously ruled that the Twitter ban was a violation of
free speech, which is guaranteed by Article 26 of the Constitution.
On the same issue, the
paper (30.05.14) reports that revising internet policies and
continuing necessary economic and political reforms are in the
interests of Turkey, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has
suggested, stressing that the country’s only path forward is
through Europe.
Commenting on the fact
that Istanbul will host the Internet Governance Forum in September
and YouTube is still banned, the Swedish Minister said: “I think
it’s very good that the Internet Forum will be there, because that
will make it imperative for the Turkish Government to ponder these
questions. There are complicated legal issues that need to be sorted
out. It’s in the interest of Turkey for its democratic and European
development to resolve all of these issues in a good way. I think
it’s a good occasion for the Turkish government to take steps in
the right direction.”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
