TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 154/14 20.08.14
1.Ozersay:
We approved UN Secretary-General’s new special adviser; Regional cooperation is
a must; Give and take should start in September
2. The
self-styled health minister wants Interpol to interfere upon suspicions for
human organ trafficking at illegal YDU’s hospital
3. Turkish Minister of
Health to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Oncology Hospital
in the breakaway regime
4. Talat: Negotiators came
to a deadlock; Eroglu is playing with time
5. Elcil: “Turkey
turned the Cyprus negotiation process into a game of responsibilities”
6. FootballTennis
World Championship to take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24 of
October
7. Turkey’s Yildiz: “Turkey to send floating power
ship to Gaza”
8. Gul: “Davutoglu
likely to be next PM”
9. At least 25 more
police officers detained in wiretapping probe
10. Erdogan government
expands ban on media coverage for public event
1. Ozersay: We approved UN Secretary-General’s new special
adviser; Regional cooperation is a must; Give and take should start in
September
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that Mr Espen Barth Eide from Norway will be appointed to the post of UN
Secretary-General’s special adviser for Cyprus, previously held by Alexander
Downer, and that this appointment is expected to give impetus to the
negotiations. The Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay stated yesterday that the Turkish Cypriot side has given
its approval for the appointment of Eide, whose name had been submitted to
the two sides by the UN Secretary-General. The
leak of Eide’s name to the Greek Cypriot press before the Greek Cypriot side to
announce its reply to the UN Secretary-General’s proposal was described by
Ozersay as “lacking seriousness”.
Ozersay
said that according to the UN rules of procedure, the UNSG should submit the
name of his new special adviser to the Security Council and then announce it
himself.
Meanwhile,
in statements to Kibris, Ozersay argued
that developing a “regional cooperation model” in parallel to the negotiations
is a must. He claimed that acquiring the Turkish Cypriots’ consent for the
regional cooperation, which will bring stability in Eastern Mediterranean and
prosperity to the two sides, is absolutely necessary.
Arguing
that the cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, transports, water and
natural gas could be further diversified, Ozersay alleged that Pafos was the
area with the most ‘no’ votes to the Annan Plan, but it could start supporting
the solution when income increases as a result the cooperation.
Ozersay noted that this cooperation could be
materialized without harming the positions of the sides at the negotiating table.
He said that such relations would require “a temporary consensus which will not
cause recognition” and would be introduced “through the modus vivendi method”.
Furthermore,
according to Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (20.08.14), Ozersay visited
their offices yesterday. In statements there, he said that before visiting
Vatan he had met with the UNSG’s
representative in Cyprus, Lisa Buttenheim who told him that the name of the new
special adviser should have been announced by the UNSG and expressed her
dissatisfaction with the fact that the information leaked to the Greek Cypriot
press. Ozersay alleged that the leaks during the negotiations harm the
process and decrease trust between the sides which is in any case problematic.
Ozersay expressed the view that the give and take
in the negotiations should start in the beginning of September so that the
process is led to an end. He argued
that the UN officials also agree with this view and said that Buttenheim
told him that the UN wants to offer its help to the process and this is why it
will appoint a new special adviser.
(I/Ts.)
2. The self-styled
health minister wants Interpol to interfere upon suspicions for human organ
trafficking at illegal YDU’s hospital
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (20.08.14) reports that Ahmet Gulle, self-styled minister of health of the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that upon suspicions that human organ trafficking was
conducted between Israeli receptors and Ukrainian donors at the illegal Near
East University’s (YDU) hospital, a team from his “ministry” visited the
hospital for inspection, but the administration of the hospital prevented it
from doing so.
In
statements yesterday at a press conference, Gulle noted the “health ministry” sent a letter to the self-styled
attorney general’s office filing a complaint and demanded for the “security
forces” to carry out an investigation on the issue. He said that they asked for Interpol to be involved in
this investigation.
He noted
that the administration of the hospital told the “ministry” team to leave and
come back the next day and added that when
the team went back the next day it observed deficiencies especially as regards
the personnel and lack of the necessary infrastructure for organ transplant.
Gulle
referred to the “protocol” signed between the regime and the “YDU” hospital in
2010 and noted that there are problems in their cooperation. He said that there
is a disagreement as regards the invoices and added that the hospital has not
sent any invoices to the “ministry” since November 2011. He noted that the
“protocol” could not continue to be in effect.
Moreover,
Yeni Duzen reports that the chairwoman of the Turkish Cypriot Physicians’
Union, Dr. Filiz Basim has said that
they found out that the “YDU” hospital was preparing to carry out a kidney
transplant and added that the Israeli receptor and the Ukrainian donor had a
criminal record in Turkey and other countries of the world.
She said
that there is a law in Israel as regards the organ transplants and if the
persons are relatives the transplant is held free of charge. She noted: “The
fact that the receptor in the transplant was Israeli and the donor Ukrainian
caused us some suspicions. It was not possible for them to be relatives.
Furthermore, we found out that because the kidney of the Ukrainian donor was
not matching, another person was found and appeared in his place”.
Dr. Besim
added that it is said that the donor was 28 years old and the receptor 75 and
pointed out that it would not be correct to carry out an organ transplant of in
this case.
She noted
that they talked to the Turkish Ministry of health which warned them on the
issue. She recalled that organ transplant is held in Turkey in case the persons
are relatives.
Finally, Ahmet Savasan, member of “YDU” hospital’s
administrative council, said that in 2012 the hospital had acquired a
“document” saying that it could carry out organ transplants and added that
during the previous “minister of health’s” term of office two cases had been
sent to their hospital by the “state” for kidney transplantation. He noted
that within that period they conducted
heart transplant four times and that their personnel have been trained for
two years both abroad and in the occupied area of Cyprus.
Referring to Gulle’s accusations, he said that
the two persons are both Ukrainian. He noted that they are
expecting from Turkey the approval of the certificate that they are relatives
and added that if the result is positive, they will carry out two transplants.
He said that the process was not kept secret.
(I/Ts.)
3. Turkish Minister
of Health to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Oncology
Hospital in the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily
Star Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that the Turkish Minister of Health
Mehmet Muzezzinoglu will participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new
Oncology Hospital in the breakaway regime.The ceremony will take place on Friday, 22 of
August.
According to the paper, the Oncology hospital
will be part of the Dr Burhan Nalbantoglui “state” hospital which is located in
occupied Lefkosia.
4. Talat:
Negotiators came to a deadlock; Eroglu is playing with time
Turkish Cypriot daily
Star Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader
Mehmet Ali Talat said that the Cyprus negotiations came to a deadlock and
accused the current Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu of playing with time.
Talat, who was speaking on a television
program, said that Eroglu just wants time to pass not a solution to be found,
adding that the stalemate of the negotiations is in line to Eroglu’s wishes. He
also said that the negotiations can get impetus after the “presidential
election” of 2015.
He went on to accuse the Greek Cypriot side of
creating obstacles to solution, adding
that it is possible to convince the international community to exert pressure
to the Greek Cypriots in order to change their attitude. However, he said, in order for this to be done a pro-solution leader
with a pro-solution vision is needed in the Turkish Cypriot side.
5.Elcil: “Turkey
turned the Cyprus negotiation process into a game of responsibilities”
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (20.08.14)
reports that Sener Elcil, general
secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS) in a written
statement yesterday stressed that Turkey,
and those who represent it, with the foreign police they follow and
their stance towards the Cyprus negotiation process, have turned the process
into a game of responsibilities.
Accusing the AKP
government of insincerity when stating that “we are one step ahead” on the
Cyprus problem, Elcil said that AKP policy aims to render the status quo in
Cyprus permanent and to seize the natural resources which belong to the
Republic of Cyprus, which is a partnership state.
Elcil in his statements also accused the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu of stating on the one hand that “in six
months there will be an agreement and by the end of the year, peace”, and on
the other hand that “Morfou, Maras and Agios Sergios cannot be given”. He added
that Eroglu continues to mislead the “people”.
AK
6. FootballTennis
World Championship to take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24 of
October
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper
(20.08.14) reports that the Football
Tennis World Championship will take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24
of October, 2014.
According to the paper, more than 300 athletes from 32 countries will
participate in the championship.
7. Turkey’s Yildiz: “Turkey to send floating power
ship to Gaza”
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (19.08.14) reported that Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yıldız in statements during a press
conference with the chairman of the Palestinian Energy Authority (PEA), Omar
Kittaneh in Ankara yesterday, stated that a Turkish firm is awaiting Israel’s
approval to send a 100-megawatt (MW) floating power plant to Palestine.
“Turkey will build power plants in Palestine in the
long term, but as a quick solution, Turkey will send a 100-megawatt
power-generating ship from Basra to Gaza offshore through the private sector in
about two to three months,” Yildiz said, adding, however, that Israel should
first lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip to allow for power to be delivered to
the city.
“This can only
be realized if the blockade’s energy aspect is eased,” he said, noting that
both the arrival of the ship and the delivery of 220,000 tons of fuel needed to
be exempted from the country’s eight-year blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Yildiz said that
Palestine has spoken with Israel regarding the issue and has not received a
negative answer yet.
The Minister also said that he believes that “Israel’s
attitude toward energy in Gaza will be different than its current position
since having access to energy is a humanitarian issue.”
“In the medium and long term Turkey is willing to help
Palestine on the reconstruction of transmission lines, technical equipment,
transmitters, transformer and poles as well as the creation of a master plan by
lending engineering and material support”, he added.
Kittaneh thanked Turkey for its support, saying they
had been in touch with Turkish companies for short- and long-term solutions to
solve energy problems.
He also said that they asked Turkey to help soften
Israel’s attitude regarding the issue and make a direct demand from Israel.
(…)Turkey’s
Karadeniz Holding, which develops and operates energy-generating ships,
confirmed that the Palestinian government has demanded support from the
company.
“Palestine has
made a request to one of Karadeniz Holding subsidiaries, Karkey, for the
procurement of energy in order to meet the country’s urgent needs,” Karadeniz
Holding Chairman Orhan Karadeniz stated in a statement released a few hours
after the Minister’s announcement. “The project will be realized within the
framework of a commercial agreement to be made with the Palestinian
administration as part of other energy purchasing contracts.”
The company said
it would take action after the necessary permission and approvals are received
by all authorized international institutions, with the United Nations at the
top.
“Following the
completion of permission and approvals, within 120 days, a power ship from our
fleet will sail to the country,” Karadeniz said. The company added that the
technical and commercial negotiations were conducted during Kittaneh’s visit to
Ankara.
8. Gul: “Davutoglu
likely to be next PM”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.08.14)
reported that the outgoing President
Abdullah Gul is the highest level official who named Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu as Turkey's next Prime Minister, two days before the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) announces its next leader.
Speaking to Ankara bureau chiefs of Turkish
newspapers yesterday on the sidelines of his last farewell reception, Gul
stated: “As far as it seems, our Foreign Minister Ahmet Bey will take over (the
Prime Ministry). You know that it’s me who introduce him to politics. I had
appointed him as an ambassador”.
President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan is yet to
conclude his consultations with the party officials before officially announcing
who will succeed him as Chairman and Prime Minister. Gül’s announcement came
two days before the AKP convenes its Central Executive Board to finally decide
on the issue.
Davutoglu was first appointed as the chief
foreign policy advisor of Gul in his short Prime Ministry in early 2003. He
continued to serve as advisor to both Erdogan and Gul until 2009 when he was
appointed as the Foreign Minister. Davutoglu was elected to the Parliament in
2011 elections.
Gul underlined that he
will not hesitate to share his experience and his knowledge with Davutoglu for
his and subsequently Turkey’s success. On his plans after his term that ends on
August 28, Gul said that he "will continue to serve for the well-being of
the party as its founder".
(…)
9. At least 25 more
police officers detained in wiretapping probe
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(19.08.14) at least 25 more police
officers have been detained in raids conducted as part of an investigation led
by the İzmir Prosecutor’s Office over wiretapping claims.
Police conducted
several operations in 13 provinces, including İzmir, Istanbul and Yalova, after
receiving 50 complaints.
The Prosecutor’s
Office announced in a statement yesterday that the list of detentions includes
32 people. Detained officers include former İzmir police Intelligence Deputy
Head Hasan Ali Okan, who was appointed as the province of Batman’s police chief
in 2011, but was removed during the purges that ensued following the December
17 and December 25, 2013 graft probes.
The statement also
said the investigation was looking into wiretapping allegations against the
İzmir Police Department between 2010 and 2013.
The new raids came three weeks after the
arrests of 39 police officers, including former senior officials, in a probe into
wiretapping claims. But many of the officers targeted were involved in the
corruption probes and have interpreted the case as politically motivated.
(…)
10. Erdogan
government expands ban on media coverage for public event
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper
(19.08.14) reported that some
independent and critical media outlets in Turkey - including Zaman, the
country's highest-circulation newspaper, and Cihan, the country's largest
private news agency -- were denied accreditation to cover the ruling Justice
and Development Party's (AK Party) extraordinary congress scheduled for August
27.
The congress will elect a new leader
for the ruling party who will be tasked with forming the new Cabinet when
President-elect and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan moves to the Cankaya
presidential palace a day after the congress.
In addition to Zaman
and Cihan, Today's Zaman, the Bugun daily, Samanyolu TV, Kanalturk and Bugun TV
were also denied access to the congress.
In their last party
congress in September 2012, the AK Party also refused access to critical media
such as the Cumhuriyet, Aydınlık, Sözcü, Yeni Çağ, Evrensel and Birgün dailies.
With the addition of new names to the banned list, the ruling party has
expanded censorship in the coverage of a public event.
“The practice of denying media access to a
public event represents the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on
independent media in Turkey by an increasingly authoritarian government headed
by Prime Minister Erdogan”, Today Zaman underlines.
(…)
The European Union
criticized the Turkish ruling party's refusal to award accreditation to some
newspapers to cover the party's fourth ordinary congress held in 2012, saying
that such a practice has no place in a democratic society. “The right to freedom
of expression also includes the right to receive and impart information, and
selective accreditation of established media should not have a place in a
transparent, democratic society,” Peter Stano, spokesman for Enlargement and
European Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule, said.
Erdogan defended the
ban and his refusal to issue press badges for a number of newspapers, all of
which are critical of the party, saying that he was not obliged to do so.
(…)
----------------------------------------------------
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
