TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 149/14 12. 08.14
1. Turkish Cypriot
politicians congratulated Erdogan for his election
2.
World leaders congratulated Erdogan on his presidential win
3.
Turkish Cypriot politicians and trade unionists assess Erdogan’s victory in the
Presidential Elections
4.
Talat on Erdogan’s election and the Cyprus negotiation
5.
Turkish election peaceful but unequal say observers
6. Turkey
to get new Prime Minister in two weeks
7.
Gul: I will return to the party I co-founded when I leave the presidency
8.
Kilicdaroglu and Bahceli on the Presidential election’s outcome
9.
Akinci will be an independent “candidate” if he runs in next year’s
“elections”; Natural gas might create common ground for cooperation
10.
Abbas Sinay stated that he is resigning from the “parliament” not from CTP
11. Major General Ilyas Bozkurt is the new Commander
of the Turkish occupation forces in Cyprus
12. Nigerian passenger causes panic over Ebola
suspicion at Istanbul airport
13. Data for the passengers and ships who entered the
occupied area of Cyprus
14.
Turkish activists say new flotilla to challenge Israeli blockade of Gaza
15.
Turkish Health Ministry: Avoid marrying relatives, behave “softly on first
night”
1. Turkish Cypriot
politicians congratulated Erdogan for his election
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(12.08.14) reports that various Turkish Cypriot politicians congratulated Erdogan
on his success at winning the elections to become the 12th President of Turkey.
The Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu wished
Erdogan success “on behalf of the north Cypriots and himself”, according to the
paper.
“Our motherland Turkey has accomplished a lot
in the last eleven years of your term as a Prime Minister. We strongly believe
that during your term as a President, motherland Turkey will grow in all
aspects, and will develop and become one of the world’s most powerful countries.
The close ties between north Cyprus and motherland Turkey are very significant
and precious to us. We are sure that you will continue the contributions for
the developments of these close ties in your new duty as President”, Eroglu
stated on his message.
In addition, the self-styled prime minister
Ozkan Yorgancioglu, in his message stated that a new era will start in Turkey
after Erdogan becomes the President of the country.
The chairman of the National Unity Party
Huseyin Ozgurgun in his own message said that he wished the best to the new
President of “motherland Turkey”.
2. World
leaders congratulated Erdogan on presidential win
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (12.08.14) reports that ousted Egyptian President and
Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, currently in jail in Egypt, is among world
leaders who have congratulated Turkey's President elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
success on Sunday's presidential election.
Earlier, the spokesman for the UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon also praised the election of the new President of Turkey by
direct voting. “The Secretary-General commends Turkey on this historic vote,
the first direct presidential election in the country's history,” Farhan Haq
told Anadolu Agency in New York on Monday.
German President Joachim Gauck congratulated
Erdogan on his victory, wishing him "health and success" during his
presidency.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a
congratulatory message to Erdogan on his victory, saying: "At present we
have to overcome difficult challenges in the region. Turkey has a great
importance in this regard."
Iraqi President Fouad Massoum, French
President Francois Hollande, Iran's
President Hassan Rouhani and Greek Prime Minister Andonis Samaras also called
Erdogan to congratulate him on his win.
Lebanon's former President Amin Gemayel was
among other leaders who congratulated Erdogan, according to Lebanon's National
News Agency (NNA).
Gemayel expressed hope that the election
results would help solve regional problems and serve bilateral relations
between the two countries.
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev also
expressed his congratulations to Erdogan, according to a statement released by
his office.
Meanwhile, many party leaders from Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Albania, Tunisia also congratulated Erdogan.
Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkol
Karman said Turkey had thrown another punch at countries which were in search
of taking revenge on Arab Spring countries, in a tweet where she
congratulated Erdogan on his election.
The President of the European Council,
Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel
Barroso also congratulated PM Erdogan.
Montenegro Islamic Union President Rifat
Feyzic told Anadolu Agency that Erdogan's win in the presidential election
would have a positive influence on relations between Montenegro and Turkey, as
well as the Islamic Union.
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Prime
Minister Nechirvan Barzani called Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on
his win in Sunday's presidential election, according to a statement on KRG's
official website.
3.
Turkish Cypriot politicians and trade unionists assess Erdogan’s victory in
the Presidential Elections
Under the title “The eyes on the ‘Cyprus’
policy”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (12.08.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot politicians and trade unionists have assessed the
election of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Presidency of the
Republic of Turkey.
Omer Kalyoncu, self-styled deputy with the Republican Turkish Party
(CTP) in occupied Keryneia, said that we
have to wait to see whether the Justice and Development Party (AKP) will follow
a different policy on the Cyprus problem. He expressed the view that a
“more effective” step should be taken in the solution of the Cyprus problem. He
pointed out that the situation now
changed, the President of the Republic who was elected by the people has more
powers and the administration became more powerful.
Faiz Sucuoglu, self-styled deputy with the National Unity Party
(UBP) in occupied Nicosia, argued that Erdogan wants a “real peace” in which
both the Turkish and the Greek Cypriots will gain and will not be victimized.
He expressed the view that Erdogan will
continue the policy of “being one step ahead”.
Hasan Tacoy, self-styled deputy with the Democratic Party –
National Force (DP-UG) in occupied Nicosia, said that with the newly elected Turkish President a very active period
will be experienced in the Cyprus problem which will gain a new momentum.
He claimed: “With the new conditions developed in the island of Cyprus and its
surrounding area, I believe that a new momentum will be brought to the Cyprus
problem and sooner or later a result will be reached”. Tacoy alleged that Erdogan will take political steps together with the
Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu and their efforts on the issue will increase.
Mehmet Seyis, chairman of Dev-Is trade union, has expressed the view that there will not be a big change in the
Cyprus problem with the election of Erdogan to the Presidency of the Republic
and added that because of the policy which Erdogan followed in Cyprus he does
not think that the newly elected Turkish President is in favor of the solution.
He noted that the government was the influential power in Turkey as regards the
Cyprus problem and Erdogan was the head of this government. Pointing out that
Erdogan will become more powerful with his election to the presidency, Seyis said that “the two separate states
and communities” appear in the statements made by the Turkish Cypriot leader
Eroglu and the officials who come from Turkey.
Hurrem Tolga, chairman of the chamber of tradesmen and craftsmen, said that Erdogan’s election will not
influence further the Cyprus problem, because he was the one administrating
the issue anyway. He noted that the issue is the democratization in the
occupied area of Cyprus.
Aslan Bicakli, chairman of Turk-Sen trade union, wished for a new
opportunity to be created in Cyprus with Erdogan’s election, but argued that the solution of the Cyprus problem is not
only in the hands of the Prime Minister or the president of another country.
Mehmet Tasker, general secretary of the secondary school teachers’
trade union (KTOEOS), said that the
policies implemented in Cyprus will not change with Erdogan’s election to the
presidency.
(I/Ts.)
4. Talat
on Erdogan’s election and the Cyprus negotiation
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (12.08.14) reports that the former
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, speaking to a television program stated
that “Justice and Development party”leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s win in the
first round of the Presidential elections in Turkey was not a surprise”. “Anyone
who was following the situation in Turkey could already guess the outcome”, he
stated.
Talat wished that the outcome would bring
Turkey good luck, emphasizing the importance of “stability.” Talat stated that
any development in Turkey will also affect“north Cyprus”, as he called the
breakaway regime, “since Turkey is the only country that has a bond with north
Cyprus”.
He also commented on the Cyprus problem, claiming
that the negotiations had come to a deadlock and that no further developments are
possible. Talat said that at this stage the framework agreement could be a
possible alternative. “My preference is an overall solution, but I think this
has been left to another season. There is a possibility for a framework
agreement that aims for an overall solution. This was not needed until 2010”, he
said.
5. Turkish
election peaceful but unequal say observers
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (12.08.14) reports thatOSCE (Organization for Security and
Co-operation) observers stated during a press conference that candidates in
Turkey's presidential election were able to express themselves freely, however
it accused outgoing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of "misusing state
resources" by dominating the media coverage.
Vilija Aleknaitė-Abramikienė, special
co-ordinator leading the mission, said that imbalanced media coverage was
"beyond democratic expectations". However, the introduction of
campaigning in minority languages, and the voting opportunity for nearly three
million Turkish citizens abroad were seen as positive steps according to the
observers. "I hope that citizens and NGOs will also be given the right to
observe in the future, bringing Turkey's dynamic civil society fully into the
election process”, she said.
6. Turkey
to get new Prime Minister in two weeks
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (12.08.14) reports that following the election of Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the presidency, the ruling party will elect
his replacement as Prime Minister on August 27.
Party spokesman Huseyin Celik said on
Monday that an extraordinary congress in two weeks will choose a new party
chairman, who will assume the Prime Minister's office. Erdogan will be sworn in
on August 28 after overseeing the congress.
Celik said that the congress is likely to
select a single nominee and there would probably not be a contest between rival
candidates.
Outgoing President Abdullah Gul has been
mentioned as a possible Prime Minister but has to return to the AK Party first.
Celik said: “It will be quite natural for President Gul, as one of the founders
of the AK Party, to return.”
7. Gul:
I will return to the party I co-founded when I leave the presidency
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.08.14) reports that Turkish President AbdullahGul,
one of the founders of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) announced on Monday
that he plans to return to "his party" when he leaves the presidency.
"I was one of the founders of the party. I was the first Prime Minister
and President [to be elected from the party]. It is pretty natural [for me] to
return to my party," he told a group of reporters.
8. Kilicdaroglu
and Bahceli on the Presidential election’s outcome
Turkish
daily Sabah (12.08.14) reports that the leader of the Republican People’s Party
(CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said he has no regret in nominating Ekmeleddin
İhsanoglu as a presidential candidate. In addition, the Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, whose
party also supported Ihsanoglu as a candidate, blamed the defeat on those who
failed to vote. İhsanoglu, meanwhile, congratulated Erdogan and said he didn't
consider himself defeated.
Commenting on the election results, Kilicdaroglu
stated that the joint candidate and the policies towards the election were
correct. "If there had been an election today, I would have announced
İhsanoglu as CHP's candidate again. Today, Turkish politics gained a new and
clear name with İhsanoglu. İhsanoglu is a new actor with his experience and
discourse in Turkish politics," said Kilicdaroglu.
Kilicdaroglu also said that any internal
party conflict within the CHP is not expected after the election results.
Speaking
after the election results, MHP leader Bahceli made harsh remarks regarding the
election, slamming citizens who did not go to the ballot box. Bahceli said,
"Those who refrain from going to the ballot box for the sake of country,
flag, state will be also accountable for the upcoming negativity [in the
country.]" Highlighting that the
MHP is respectful of the nation's decision, Bahceli harshly remarked that on
Sunday's election, honesty and justice lost.
9.
Akinci will be an independent “candidate” if he runs in next year’s
“elections”; Natural gas might create common ground for cooperation
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (12.08.14), reports that Mustafa Akinci, former chairman of the Communal Liberation Party
(TKP) and mayor of the occupied part of Nicosia, has said that he has not yet taken his final decision as to whether he
will become a “candidate” in the “presidential elections”, which will be held
in the occupied area of Cyprus next year. In statements to Kibris, he noted that if he decides to become a
“candidate” he will be an “independent candidate”. He said that he receives
pressure from the people to run in the “elections” and added that the possibility of him participating in the
“elections” [as “candidate”] is higher than the possibility of not
participating.
Referring to the
Cyprus problem, Akinci said that since he was mayor of the occupied part of
Nicosia he believed in the possibility of finding a common ground by the two
“peoples” for the solution of the Cyprus problem and in their cooperation. He
added: “The common sewage project between the two municipalities of Nicosia is
the live indication of my belief in this context. Now I think that the issue of natural gas could create a common ground
in the direction of the cooperation and the solution”.
Akinci argued that the Greek Cypriot side is following
a policy as if the Cyprus problem started in 1974 and noted that in a conference he had given recently
in the government-controlled area of the island he drew attention to the fact that UNFICYP exists on the island since
1964 and asked how could the problem have started in 1974 in this environment.
(I/Ts.)
10. Abbas
Sinay stated that he is resigning from the “parliament” not from CTP
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (12.08.14) reports that the Republican
Turkish Party (CTP) “deputy” Abbas Sinay’s evaluated his resignation from CTP.
Sinay said that he is resigning from the “parliament” and not from his party.
Sinay said: “I cannot continue under these
circumstances. The people who are claiming to work for clean society, clean
politics, can they please explain to me how these are going to be possible in
such an environment. I am not in the condition to do politics in this atmosphere.
I am going to return to my hospital. I do not want to be in such an
environment. I was relieved after I gave this decision. That environment has
become really corrupted. It is not a place for me. I am not going to enter
politics. Ihave placed myself to idleness.”
11. Major General Ilyas Bozkurt is the new
Commander of the Turkish occupation forces in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis (12.08.14) reports that the Turkish Commanders, who completed
their duties in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus paid separate
farewell visits to the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the self-styled
assembly speaker Sibel Siber and self-styled prime minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu.
No statements
were issued before or after the meetings.
The paper also
reports that the Turkish occupation forces in Cyprus have announced the new
appointments for the commander of the 39th division and the 28th
mechanised infantry division.
The Commander of
the “Turkish Cypriot security forces” Major General Baki Kavun will be replaced
by Major General Ilyas Bozkurt.
The Commander of
the 39th division Major General Ibrahim Yilmaz will be replaced by
Major General Tayyar Sungun. The Commander of the 28th Mechanised Infantry
Division Major General Tayyar Sungu will be replaced by Major General Taci
Kurul.
12. Nigerian passenger causes panic over Ebola
suspicion at Istanbul airport
Under the title
“Nigerian passenger causes panic over Ebola suspicion at Istanbul airport”,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 12.08.14) reports that a Nigerian passenger, who arrived in Turkey
early Aug. 12, has been placed under quarantine on suspicion of having the
Ebola virus at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, according to airporthaber.com.
The Nigerian
woman caused panic when she got a fever on a plane flying from Lagos to
Istanbul.
Paramedics
working under the General Directorate of Health for Borders and Coasts entered
the plane when it landed in Istanbul and took the woman and her child under
quarantine after the other passengers were disembarked.
The woman, who
is said to be pregnant, was later taken to a hospital for an examination to
determine whether she has the Ebola virus.
The press
spokesman of Turkish Airlines, Ali Genc, has confirmed the incident via his
Twitter account. "The plane has been disinfected as a precautionary
measure," Genc stated.
On the same issue, Turkish daily Sabah (online,
12.08.14) reports that the examinations have revealed and the passenger does
not carry the ebola virus.
All border
health officials of Turkey are alarmed about the potential of ebola and
carefully observe all flights from Africa.
13. Data for the passengers and ships who entered
the occupied area of Cyprus
According to
data by the so-called port directorate of the public works and transportation
ministry, the passengers who entered the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus in 2013 through illegal entries of ports or airports were 74,120, while
the passengers, who departed from the occupied area of Cyprus, in the same
period were 69,390, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (12.08.14) reports.
Meanwhile, 1,869
ships have entered the occupied ports in 2013 and 1,857 ships have left the
ports in 2013.
14. Turkish
activists say new flotilla to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (12.08.14) reports that a Turkish aid group (IHH) said that
it would send ships again to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza, four years
after the Mavi Marmara incident.
The incident wrecked diplomatic ties
between Turkey and Israel, once close Middle East allies. The Humanitarian
Relief Foundation (İHH) said in an e-mailed statement that members of a
"coalition" of pro-Palestinian activists from 12 countries had met in
Istanbul at the weekend and decided to launch a convoy "in the shadow of
the latest Israeli aggression on Gaza," referring to the latest,
month-long war."The Freedom Flotilla Coalition affirmed that, as most
governments are complicit, the responsibility falls on civil society to
challenge the Israeli blockade on Gaza," it said. An IHH spokeswoman did not
elaborate. The group will hold a news conference on Tuesday, she said.
15. Turkish
Health Ministry: Avoid marrying relatives, behave “softly on first night”
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (12.08.14) reports that a notice from the Health Ministry
on “Consultancy before Marriage” has highlighted that one out of every five
marriages are among kin. The recently
released document also includes sexual advice for couples, especially for the
“first night”, of their marriage
“Consanguineous marriage is mostly among
first-degree relatives, increasing the number of rare genetic diseases,” it
said. “This matter is noteworthy. Those who are married to kin and those who
carry genetic diseases should consult a health institution before gestation.”
Couples should remain loyal to each other,
the notice said, praising monogamy to avoid sexual diseases, saying that
changing sexual partners frequently, having more than one partner, having
relations with sex workers or those who have relations with such people or
having sex for money, goods, food or medicine, would increase the risk of
illness.
The notice also included advice for the
“first night,” as it said “both sides should behave softly and understandingly
to each other during the first intercourse.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
