25/7/14

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW



TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S

No. 137/14                                                                                        25.07.14
1. The Turkish Cypriot press alleges that a crisis was created in the Cyprus negotiations by President Anastasiades
2. The chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry expressed his worries over halloumi PDO efforts to the representative of the European Commission in Cyprus
3. Robbers of a bank in the breakaway regime may have escaped in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus
4. Columnist assesses the statement that 90.000 persons living in the occupied area of Cyprus have the right to vote in the Turkish elections
5. If Israel continues terrorizing, it will eventually be tried at international courts, says Erdogan
6. US Jewish group demands Erdogan return its award given to him
7. Davutoglu: Turkey may close its embassy in Tripoli
8. Voting cards for Turkish presidential polls revealed; if there is a second round, to be held on August 24

1. The Turkish Cypriot press alleges that a crisis was created in the Cyprus negotiations by President Anastasiades
Under the title “Anastasiades ran away from the table”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisnewspaper (25.07.14)alleges that President Anastasiades abandoned the five-hour meeting held yesterday between the leaders in the buffer zone in Nicosia within the framework of the Cyprus negotiations. According to the paper, President Anastasiades exhibited an “intransigent and aggressive” stance on the issue of the Confidence Building Measures and the convergences achieved between the two sides in the past. “Anastasiades, who stood up twice hitting his hand on the table, reprehended his own delegation and scolded the UN officials, and afterwards abandoned suddenly the meeting by taking his bag”, argues the paper adding that questions have been raised by the fact that the Turkish Cypriot leader made no statement after the meeting.
Sources told Kibris that President Anastasiades threw away his glasses because of his anger and smoke in spite of the fact that smoking was prohibited.  The sources argued that President Anastasiades insisted on the view that the convergences of the past should not be binding and should not be on the table. He reportedly said that the only thing which he accepts that is agreed by the sides is the content of the joint declaration and refrained from approving the eight Confidence Building Measures agreed last Friday by the negotiators of the two communities.
Moreover, under the title “Crisis in the negotiations”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.07.14) reports that the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem have entered into deadlock. Noting that moments of tension were experienced yesterday during the meeting of the two community leaders, the paper argues that “the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades abandoned the negotiating table with anger” and that “some sources said that Anastasiades could not control his anger and threw his glasses on the table”.
Referring to the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (25.07.14) writes that President Anastasiades had said that he is in tension because of the negotiations and the visit of Troika to Cyprus and asked to smoke. According to the paper, after smoking three cigarettes the one after the other, President Anastasiades stood up, threw his glasses on the table, gathered his documents and abandoned the table, while the Greek Cypriot delegation remained at its place.   
Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (25.07.14) reports that “the negotiating table became a real mess” and that the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem have come into deadlock. The paper writes that the United Nations worries about the future of the negotiations and that President Anastasiades reiterated yesterday his proposal as regards the preparation of a document with the agreed issues, the convergences and the issues which have not been agreed, while Erolgu insisted on the acceptance of the so-called “Downer Document”.
Under the title “Crisis in the negotiations”, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (25.07.14) also reports that President Anastasiades abandoned the meeting and notes that “this unexpected action shocked both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot negotiating delegation”.
(I/Ts.)

2. The chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry expressed his worries over halloumi PDO efforts to the representative of the European Commission in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.07.14) reports that Georgios Makropouliotis, the representative of the European Commission in Cyprus met with Ali Cirali, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO).
Cirali informed Makropouliotis on the works of KTSO and expressed the thoughts and the worries of the Chamber on the issue of the application to register halloumi as a PDO (Protected designation of origin), by the Republic of Cyprus. Cirali stated that the halloumi producers must not be victimized adding that halloumi is a common cultural product of both Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

3. Robbers of a bank in the breakaway regime may have escaped in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.07.14) reports that around 3 million Turkish Lira (1 million euro) were stolen yesterday from the Kooperatif Merkez Bankası (Central Cooperative Bank)  in the breakaway regime.
According to the paper, the robbery was conducted by two robbers who hijacked a security vehicle which was later found abandoned near Zodia check-point. The so-called police stated that the robbers may have escaped in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus.
4. Columnist assesses the statement that 90.000 persons living in the occupied area of Cyprus have the right to vote in the Turkish elections
Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (25.07.14)Turkish Cypriot columnist Cigdem Durust assesses the statement made by the Turkish so-called ambassador in the occupied part of Nicosia, Halil Ibrahim Akca that 90.000 persons living in the occupied area of Cyprus have the right to vote in the Turkish Presidential elections. Under the title “90 thousand Turkish Republic voters live in the TRNC”, Durust reports that theyhave been criticized a lot for many years because they say that the demographic structure in the occupied area of Cyprus has changed and that its population and cultural and political structure is changing in an uncontrolled manner. She notes that they have been threatened and insulted because they said that this structure could be related to cultural and sociological assimilation.

She continues noting, inter alia, the following:
“(…) I had been proud of being able to do simple mathematical calculations with my brain, but the statement by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey (TR) to Nicosia confused me. I was willingly or unwillingly surprised when it said that 90 thousand Republic of Turkey (TR) voters live in the TRNC. I tried to calculate. Ours here is approximately one per cent of the TR population (it is even a little more). This does not affect them because who knows how many more one per cent they have in so many countries. However, one in every four persons we see in the streets in the northern part of Cyprus is a TR voter. There are absolutely no children in this TR voters’ population within our structure. All of them are either married to each other or single (I am very well intended). When I wanted to make some estimation and multiplied the number of the said TR voters’ population even with at least two (at least one spouse or one child), it comes out that it is more than half of our TRNC population. Do you also not think that is this  scary (…)
I do not even want to think of the conclusions we will reach when we approximately think and compare this with the number of the TRNC voters. If you look at it differently, this means that this becomes half of the about 177 thousand TRNC voters. It these have been calculated, they may be hidden locked in the closet of the competent authorities with the status of top secret (…)”   
(I/Ts.)     

5. If Israel continues terrorizing, it will eventually be tried at international courts, says Erdogan
Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper (25.07.14) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister and AK Party presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview on CNN that Israel is a "terror state" and its operations in Gaza are creating a "wave of terror."

Dismissing Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu's criticism that the Turkish and Qatari governments are involved in funding Hamas' activities, Erdogan asked "who finances Israel?". He claimed that Turkey is only delivering humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. "Qatar's cooperation with Turkey has always been to be on the side of the persecuted and to support them through humanitarian aid. This is what's being done," added Erdogan. He also said, " If Israel is sincere on establishing ceasefire, we [Turkey] will convince Hamas."

6. US Jewish group demands Erdogan return its award  given to him
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (25.07.14) reports that an association of Jewish Americans said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become the world's "most virulent anti-Israeli leader" and demanded that he return an award it gave him a decade ago, partly for his efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

The New York-based American Jewish Congress awarded Erdogan its "Profile of Courage" award in 2004 for what it said was his stance on fighting terrorism and working towards peace.

"Now, we want it back," the association's president, Jack Rosen, said in an open letter to Erdogan dated July 23 and made public on Thursday. He cited the Turkish leader's comments last weekend that Israel had "surpassed Hitler in barbarism" through its attacks on Gaza.

7. Davutoglu: Turkey may close its embassy in Tripoli
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (25.07.14) reports that Turkey has considered closing its embassy in Tripoli because of growing security concerns in the country, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said, adding that efforts to evacuate Turkish citizens in Libya were underway.

“We may take such a decision,” the foreign minister said July 24 during an interview with the private channel A Haber, upon a question on whether Turkey would close its embassy in Tripoli.

“Unfortunately, the clashes in Tripoli have intensified, spreading to downtown [area of the city] and close to our embassy,” Davutoglu said, recalling that Turkey had already suspended work at its consulate in Benghazi due to poor security conditions.

Davutoglu said that he informed Prime Minister Erdogan late July 23 on the recent developments in the country, adding that the government was working on contingency plans for the evacuation of Turkish citizens in Libya in the event that they want to leave the country.

8. Voting cards for Turkish presidential polls revealed; if there is a second round, to be held on August 24
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (25.07.14) reports that the voting cards for the August 10 Turkish presidential elections were unveiled on July 24. The three presidential candidates, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Selahattin Demirtas and Ekmeleddin İhsanoglu have been placed on the cards from left to right, respectively, as they prepare for Turkey's first-ever presidential election by popular vote.

The election will be held over two rounds, with the first on Aug. 10. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote in the first round, the second round will take place on Aug. 24.

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