TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 106/14 11.06.14
1. Talat: Eroglu has not kept his promise to continue the negotiations from the point they had been left
2. Ozersay and Lidington evaluated their meeting
3. Ertugruloglu: Bi-zonality is nonsense because of the EU norms
4. Reactions in the breakaway regime on the Turkish flag removal in Diyarbakir- References with Solomou case continues
5. Police detain five suspects after Turkey flag incident; Erdogan and Turkish opposition party leaders continued to condemn the incident
6. The land phase of the “Gonyeli search and rescue exercise” was followed by foreign observers
7. Crime increase in the breakaway regime
8. More about the new illegal “British University of Nicosia”
9. Columnist: Fall of Mosul might worsen Kurdish problem, too
10. Obama’s Foreign Policy Aide visits Turkey for regional issues
1. Talat: Eroglu has not kept his promise to continue the negotiations from the point they had been left
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (11.06.14) reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has said that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu had rejected the cross voting from the very beginning and caused the Greek Cypriot side’s back stepping from the rotating presidency.
In statements to Havadis’ journalist Esra Aygin, Talat noted: “In spite of the fact that after his election Eroglu promised that he would continue the negotiations from the point they had been left by Talat and [Translator’s note: former President of the Republic] Christofias, his first job was to reject the cross voting. And the Greek Cypriot side, which took advantage of it, took off the agenda the issue of the rotating presidency”.
Talat underlined that the Turkish Cypriot side, which continuously complains of the Greek Cypriot side’s not respecting the convergences’ papers, did not remain committed to these convergences’ papers.
Talat noted that the cross voting or the weighted voting system is advantageous for a federal agreement in Cyprus and secures that marginal candidates with extremist views remain “outside the system” as it eliminates the chances of any Greek Cypriot candidate to be elected without taking Turkish Cypriot votes and of any Turkish Cypriot candidate to be elected without taking Greek Cypriot votes.
The paper writes that the “rotating presidency which is described as the ‘most important convergence” at the negotiating table was shelved by the Greek Cypriot side after the Turkish Cypriot side rejected the cross voting. Citing a “source close to the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team”, the paper writes that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to discuss the cross voting under certain conditions. The same source told Havadis that the cross voting is not ‘an equivalent proposal” of the rotating presidency, as the latter had been accepted since late President Clerides’ period, while the former was proposed by former President Christofias with the aim of allegedly torpedoing the rotating presidency when he understood that he could not convince the Greek Cypriot community to accept this principle.
Havadis asked a Greek Cypriot diplomatic source whether the Greek Cypriot side would accept the rotating presidency in case the Turkish Cypriot side accepted the cross voting. The source has reportedly replied that it is very soon to answer such a question, that all issues will be discussed in relation with each other and that accepting the rotating presidency depends on the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side on some other issues.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozersay and Lidington evaluated their meeting
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 11.06.14), Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay, who is having a series of contacts in London this week, met with the British Minister for Europe David Lidington on Monday.
Within the framework of his contacts, Ozersay also met with the British Foreign Ministry Director for European and Cyprus Affairs and the newly appointed British High Commissioner to Cyprus Ric Todd who will take over his duties in August.
Evaluating his contacts to the “BRT”, Ozersay said that the interest of Britain to the Cyprus negotiations process is increasing.
Reminding that Britain is one of the guarantor powers in Cyprus, he said that the discussion of core issues between the two negotiators and the British Minister for Europe within the framework of parallel visits is an important development.
Pointing out that Britain is also a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Ozersay expressed the belief that the visits will have a positive impact on the negotiations process. “We did not only discuss the EU issues with Mr Lidington but also made general evaluations on the course of the negotiations process and the possible steps to be taken in the future”, he added.
Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side thinks that the role and the effectiveness of the UN should increase without overstepping the lines drawn within the framework of the joint statement, Ozersay said they will continue to take up this view with the guarantor powers.
Ozersay also added that the Greek Cypriot Negotiator Andreas Mavroyannis will come together with Mr Lidington on Thursday. “We are trying to reach a common ground. We must not only come together at the buffer zone, present proposals to each other and try to reach convergences but we also need to directly meet with other international actors and discuss their roles in order to achieve tangible results at the negotiations process” Özersay said.
Commenting on the Turkish Cypriot media claims that the negotiations process has collapsed he said such news is linked to the disputes in the domestic policy. “There is no such thing. The negotiations process is continuing. Of course there are some problems but we will try to overcome these problems through our upcoming parallel visits to Ankara and Athens and our contacts with the UN and Britain”, Ozersay added.
Meanwhile, according to Ankara Anatolia news agency (10.06.14), “The UK strongly supports the efforts of the two communities to reunify their island,” Lidington said in a statement released by the Foreign Office. "This current opportunity must be seized to deliver a comprehensive settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots."
Saying that he encouraged Ozersay “to redouble his efforts for peace”, Lidington added, "I hope that both sides will negotiate all issues in good faith. I reiterated the UK's support for the Turkish Cypriot community's desire to take up their place in the European family through a settlement. The UK hopes that talks under UN auspices will make concrete progress before the summer."
3. Ertugruloglu: Bi-zonality is nonsense because of the EU norms
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (11.06.14) reports that Tahsin Ertugruloglu, self-styled deputy with the National Unity Party (UBP), has alleged that when reference is made to a “federal structure” this includes both federation and confederation. In statements to the paper, Ertugruloglu alleged that confederation is also a “federal structure, but it is different in essence”.
Noting that reference is made to the “UN parameters”, Ertugruloglu argued that problems arise when it is said “‘let us determine the details’, because the EU norms are also added”. He went on and claimed, inter alia, the following:
“When these are added, it should be known that neither bi-zonality nor bi-communality remains. Because the moment you refer to the EU norms, freedoms and everything such as the free settlement and acquiring of property is included. While you say we will establish bi-zonality, the bi-zonality is abolished by the EU norms. That is, a Greek Cypriot who will be settled in the north will also have the right to vote and be elected. You cannot prevent this. That is, bi-zonality is nonsense. When bi-zonality cannot exist, bi-communality cannot exist as well from the point of view of the EU (…)
The confederation is one of the fundamental elements which could guarantee the future of the Turks of Cyprus, together with Turkey’s guarantees. We must have three indispensable conditions on the Cyprus. One: Sovereign equality (it cannot be only political, the 1960 agreement included political equality as well and what happened?). Two: Turkey’s effective and active guarantees and three: the condition that the agreement which will be reached should become a primary law of the EU (that is, the guarantee that it could not be worn through with individual lawsuits). Because if it is not a primary law, none of these derogations will have any meaning, as the derogations will collapse with the individual lawsuits which will be filed by the Greek Cypriots to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) (…)”
Furthermore, Ertugruloglu referred also to the US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Cyprus and described as “extremely important” for the Turkish Cypriots the fact that Biden met with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu at the “president’s office where our flags were hanging”. “This visit was important from the image point of view”, he argued noting that Biden’s visit was important from the point of view of “showing to the world that there are two interlocutors on the island”.
Ertugruloglu alleged also that the actual responsible of not having an agreement in Cyprus is the UN Security Council and its relevant Resolutions, which “closed the door for an agreement”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Reactions in the breakaway regime on the Turkish flag removal in Diyarbakir- References with Solomou case continues
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (11.06.14) reports that the Hearths of the Ideal (Grey Wolves) organization in the occupied area of Cyprus organized a “flag marching” and a press conference yesterday in the breakaway regime protesting against the removal of a Turkish flag at Lice province in Diyarbakir.
The group criticized at the press conference the Kurdish peace process followed by Turkey in Diyarbakir and the broader area and said that the influence of the Turkish government in the region has been reduced. They also stated that the flag is the holiest thing for the Turkish nation and a value for the sake of which millions became martyrs. “The flag is our honor and pride and no one has the right to put it down […] the hands of those attempt to reach the flag will be broken”, the Grey Wolves organization stated.
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (11.06.14) reports on the same issue under the title “Solomou did not manage to take it down, but PKK did it”, and writes that the issue occurred in Diyarbakir brought into the agenda the Cyprus event that took place in Deryneia in 1996 and resulted in the death of Solomos Solomou. The paper writes that chauvinist circles in the occupied area of Cyprus started to circulate videos in internet showing Solomou been shot with comments like: “This is the end of those getting up to remove the flag”.
In addition, Kibris also writes that in occupied Vokollida, a disabled 19-year-old man removed the Turkish flag and the “flag” of the breakaway regime from the Ataturk bust located in the village. The flags were later discovered wrapped around Ataturk’s bust. The persons living in the village stated that the young man often creates similar problems. The paper also publishes statements of the man’s father, a soldier in the 1974 Turkish operation against Cyprus who claimed that he came to Cyprus to give his life and that he will cut his son’s head with his own hands if he is really responsible for flag removal.
5. Police detain five suspects after Turkey flag incident; Erdogan and Turkish opposition party leaders continued to condemn the incident
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (10.06.14), five people were detained on Tuesday by police in connection to an incident where a Turkish flag was torn down from inside a military compound during protests in Turkey’s southeastern Diyarbakir province on Sunday. The five were detained under laws against showing 'disrespect' to the Turkish flag.
Meanwhile, Turkish opposition party leaders on Tuesday strongly condemned the pulling down of the Turkish national flag.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that the flag represents the honour of the state. "How can I and this country remain silent while the flag is pulled down?"
Speaking at his party's group meeting on Tuesday, the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that the symbol of our independence, national pride and honour was pulled down. "Pulling down the flag is a vital trauma for the Republic of Turkey, as being an independent, national and unitary state," added Bahceli. "How can those, who could not protect the flag, secure our air space?" asked Bahceli.
Meanwhile, speaking at a meeting in Diyarbakir, People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel said that the pulling down of the flag was a conscious event and an attempt to sabotage the peace process. Tuncel added that substantial progress was made towards ending a 30 year old Kurdish issue.
On the same issue, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 10.06.14) reported that Bahceli has also called on the Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel and the commander of an air force compound to resign, holding them responsible for the flag incident.
Under the title “Turkish PM Erdogan: All responsible for removal of flag will pay”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 10.06.14) reported that those responsible for the removal of a Turkish flag from a mast inside an Air Force base in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır will pay for it, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said during his weekly address to his party’s parliamentary group in Ankara, accusing both the perpetrators and local military officials.
“You should catch those who take down the flag and do what is necessary. Otherwise, you are also responsible,” he said in reference to the officials
“Should I come down from Ankara to catch the one who takes down the flag? The resolution process here is not [an excuse]. You must do what’s necessary,” Erdoğan added, as he described the move an attempt to “stir up trouble across the country.”
The Prime Minister also accused a host of opposition forces - from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the movement of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (BDP) - of seeking political benefit from what he described as a “planned action.”
6. The land phase of the “Gonyeli search and rescue exercise” was followed by foreign observers
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (11.06.14), the land phase of the “2014 Martyr Lieutenant Caner Gonyeli Search and Rescue Exercise”, which was conducted yesterday afternoon, was followed by observers from Pakistan, Bahrain, Sri Lanka and Gambia.
7. Crime increase in the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (11.06.14) reports about the crime increase in the breakaway regime.
The paper notes that during the last eight years 15 murder cases, 356 attempted murder cases, and cases of fatal injuries and beatings and 393 cases for using explosions, weapons or knives were brought in front of the so-called courts in the occupied area of Cyprus. The paper also writes that the crime increase was especially notable during the last year.
8. More about the new illegal “British University of Nicosia”
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (11.06.14) publishes an interview with Cem Birol, the rector of the new illegal “British University of Nicosia” which was established in the breakaway regime recently.
Birol stated that the newly established university will start operating in the academic year 2014-10015 with sixteen faculties. He also stated that the aim is for 550 students to be registered both from the breakaway regime and from various foreign countries.
9. Columnist: Fall of Mosul might worsen Kurdish problem, too
Columnist Murat Yetkin, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 11.06.14), with the above title evaluates as follows the fall of the Iraqi town of Mosul:
“The reports on June 10 were indicating Mosul, the second largest city of Iraq, near the Turkish and Syrian border is falling into the hands of the militants belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). (…)
Now it is about to capture Mosul and is threatening to capture Aleppo, the second biggest city of Syria, again near the Turkish border.
The fall of Mosul has caused deep concern in Ankara. Not only because Turkey is against the division of Iraq, which might give birth to a Shite state in the south, further empowering Iran, but a Kurdish state in the north next to its borders to set an example for Kurds in Turkey, as well as a stepped-up civil war in Iraq in addition to the one in Syria.
The fall of Mosul could revitalize an open wound in the collective memory of the Turkish state as well. The region was not lost to foreign invasion during the War of Independence, which brought the change of Turkey’s regime from monarchy to republic in 1923, but was left to Iraq under British mandate by an agreement on June 5, 1926, almost 88 years ago this week. The young republic lead by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was intimidated by a Kurdish rebellion in 1925, which they suspected that it was manipulated by Britain. Ankara with all its resources exhausted by the war, could not take the risk of another conflict. But ‘the Mosul problem’ has always been considered one of the sources of the chronic Kurdish problem by the establishment.
The Syrian civil war enabled the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey to secure a liberated zone next to Turkish borders in Syria, which they call ‘Rojava’. It helped to endorse their vision of Kurdistan across the borders after the piece of land practically under PKK control in the North of Iraq; both in the lands of the Masoud Barzani-lead Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the lands belong to central Iraq government lead by Nouri al-Maliki. The capture of Mosul is like a wedge between Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish territories.
And in Turkey the ‘Peace Process’, as Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan likes to call it, is in a delicate threshold. The PKK headquarters in the Kandil Mountains of Iraq is trying to force Erdogan into a bargain prior to the presidential elections in August for autonomy in Turkey and release, or at least easy access, to their leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is in the island-prison of Imralı south of Istanbul.
The downing of a Turkish flag from a military garrison in the dominantly Kurdish populated city of Diyarbakır (which is regarded as gateway to Mosul and vice versa) on June 8 has infuriated Erdogan, like the majority of Turkish people.
So far it has not ruined the calculus of the ‘Peace Process’ yet, but it may well have affected the calculus of the Presidential elections. And the fall of Mosul into Islamist radical hands could put the whole domestic and diplomatic picture in jeopardy regarding the Turkish government.”
10. Obama’s Foreign Policy Aide visits Turkey for regional issues
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 10.06.14), the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and President Barack Obama’s key Foreign Policy Aide, Samantha Power, will visit Turkey this week to discuss the Syrian crisis and other regional issues, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials have told the paper.
As part of her regional trip, Ambassador Power will hold talks in Istanbul, meeting Deputy Undersecretary Omer Onhon on June 12, before visiting a refugee camp for Syrians in the southern province of Gaziantep. The situation in Syria will be high up the agenda during talks in the Foreign Ministry, along with a number of other regional issues, a Turkish official said.
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