TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 159/14 27.08.14
1.Statements by
Ozersay after yesterday’s meeting with Mavroyiannis
2. SerdarDenktas’ new
proposal on the fenced off city of Varoshia: “Closed Maras to become a film
platform”
3. TDP delegation met
with Cyprus President
4. Izcan criticizes
the policies of the “government”
5. Ozersay responded
to criticism by Nami on his possible “presidential candidacy”; Nami accuses him
of being unethical
6. Yorgancıoglu
attends AKP’s 1st extraordinary congress in Ankara
7. Chinese table
tennis players met with Yorgancioglu
8. Kanli comments on
Erdogan’s visit to the occupied area of Cyprus
9. Columnist wonders
whether there is something new in the “New Turkey”
10. Turkey and Japan signed
a $1.7 billion liquefied gas project with Turkmenistan
1.Statements by Ozersay after yesterday’s
meeting with Mavroyiannis
Under the title: “The elements of the new phase were discussed”, Turkish Cypriot daily
Kibris newspaper (27.08.14) reports that the negotiators of the two sides,
KudretOzersay and Andreas Mavroyiannis, held yesterday a 4-hour meeting, their
first one after the summer recess, in the framework of UN-led talks for a
comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.
In statements upon his arrival at the
“presidential palace” after the end of the meeting, Ozersay said that the negotiation process will enter into a new stage
from now on, adding that during yesterday’s meeting, they evaluated their
different views and discussed the elements of the new stage of the talks.
Stating that the elements which were discussed
during yesterday’s meeting will be then approved by the two leaders, Ozersay
added: “If the two leaders approve them, and if they further agree on new
elements, they will bargain them and they will connect them with the points
where convergences are not reached yet”.
Ozersay went on and
said that apart from the preparation of a meeting of the two leaders which will
take place on September 2, they also discussed in general which will be the
role of the newly appointed UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus,
Espen Barth Eide, how he will contribute to the Cyprus negotiation process, in
which frequency the talks will take place and the steps that could be taken for
the speeding-up of the process.
Stating that the
Turkish Cypriot side considers the appointment of Eide as a very important step, Ozersay said that it is important
that Eide has been appointment right before the launching of the new phase of
the talks.
(AK)
2.SerdarDenktas’
new proposal on the fenced off city of Varoshia: “Closed Maras to become a film
platform”
Under the title: “Closed Maras to become a film platform”, Turkish Cypriot daily
Kibris newspaper (27.08.14) reports on statements by the so-called deputy prime
minister and “minister of economy, tourism, culture and sport”, SerdarDenktas who has said that the fenced
off city of Maras (Varosha) should become a film platform.
Denktas who carries a series of contacts in
Turkey, made the above statements during a meeting he held with reporters of
Milliyet and Vatan newspapers.
In statements on the
Cyprus problem, Denktas referred to the issue of the fenced off city of Varosha
(Maras), which is one of the issues which is most discussed at the negotiation
talks with the Greek Cypriot side and said that since the Greek Cypriot side
rejects their proposal for the reconstruction and resettlement of the city of
Maras under “Turkish Cypriot authority”, another proposal they have as he said
is for the “closed city of Maras to turn to a film platform”.
Underlining that 2024
is the year of the solution, Denktas stated that the “Greek Cypriots will knock
Turkey’s door in order to export the natural gas they found in Europe, and this
process will occur in 2024”, as he argued.
Supporting that no solution will be found in
the near future, Denktas alleged that the Greek Cypriot side is not taking any
steps for the solution, contrary to the Turkish Cypriot side.
Referring to the
occupation regime’s ties with Turkey, Denktas said that “it is not right the
approach; we give the money and what we say should be done”.
(AK)
3. TDP delegation met with Cyprus President
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 27.08.14), a delegation from the Social
Democratic Party (TDP) paid a visit to the Cyprus President NicosAnastasiades
on Tuesday.
The
delegation consisted of TDP leader CemalOzyigit, the self-styled deputy with
TDP ZekiCeler and the party’s Foreign Relations Responsible DenizBirinci.
Speaking
to the press after the meeting which lasted for an hour, Ozyigit said that they
had discussed a wide range of issues on the Cyprus problem, including the
fenced off town of Varosha, the issue of rotational presidency and the upcoming
leaders’ meeting next week on the 2nd of September.
Expressing
the view that the ongoing Cyprus negotiations will be entering a critical phase
when talks resume next month, Ozyigit
said that they expected the two leaders to take important steps during this
period.
Stating
that they are hopeful about the change in the political leadership in Turkey as
well as the preparations of the two sides, Ozyigit
said that they had conveyed to Mr Anastasiades their party’s expectations
during the new phase of the talks.
Pointing
out that the 11th Feb. dated Joint Declaration agreed upon by the
two sides was an important basis for the talks, Ozyigit said that they had
shared this view with Mr Anastasiades.
Explaining that they had also discussed
the issue of rotational presidency as well as the opening of the occupied port of Famagusta and the occupied airport
of Tymbou to international trade and flights in exchange for the return of the
fenced off town of Varosha to its original owners, Ozyigit said that they had
been informed that the Cyprus Government supported the idea of the opening of
Famagusta port in exchange for the return of Varosha.
He
also said that the Greek Cypriot side was working on a proposal regarding the
occupied airport of Tymbou (Ercan), adding: ““The Greek Cypriot side remains
open on the issue of Ercan”.
Stating
that they had held a very important, meaningful and useful meeting with the
Cyprus President, Ozyigit expressed the hope that the talks set to resume next
week will be concluded with a lasting solution.
Responding
to a question regarding reports in the Greek Cypriot press that Turkey was
sending its research vessel the Barbaros to the Northern coast of the island
ahead of next week’s visit to the “TRNC” (editor’s note: the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) by Turkish President
RecepTayyip Erdogan, Ozyigit refrained from commenting, stating that there was
nothing yet to confirm these reports.
Ozyigit also said that Erdogan’s upcoming visit had created great
expectations on both sides of the divide.
4. Izcan criticizes the policies of the “government”
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi Daily News (online, 26.08.14), the
leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) IzzetIzcan, attending a TV program,
evaluated the latest political developments.
Izcan
stated that the so-called government of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus is remaining silent to the hunger strikes that
are going to take place after the 1st September by the unions against the
“immigration law”, adding that “the government is remaining silent on all
topics. Actually the real problem is that there is not a government in sight.”
Izcan
stated that the “parliamentary and election system” as well as the whole of
politics has collapsed. “A government
which does not follow the plans that it makes, but takes actions to the
directions from the Ankara government, is not different than the other
governments in relation to social, economic and political relationships with
the Ankara government. During the time of this government politics has been
made dirtier. This government is a political liar in the eyes of the people.
Our people are aware that the appropriate conditions are formed to change the
collapsed system. This momentum will only take place with the people’s
confidence. The United Cyprus Party is ready to do whatever it takes to make
this struggle reach success, and will continue to do whatever it takes,” he
said.
Moreover,
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (27.08.14) reports that Izcan said that the
BKP will support the “candidacy” of Mustafa Akinci in the “presidential
elections” that will be held next year. He added that they will extend their
cooperation in the “local elections” to the “presidential elections”.
5.Ozersay responded
to criticism by Nami on his possible “presidential candidacy”; Nami accuses him
of being unethical
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper
(27.08.14) under the title: “When the
day comes I will announce it”, reports on statements by the Turkish Cypriot
negotiator KudretOzersay who responded to self-styled foreign minister
OzdilNami comments on his possible candidacy.
Replying to the paper’ questions on his
possible candidacy at the forthcoming “presidential elections” which are
scheduled to take place in the occupied area of Cyprus on April 2015, Ozersay said that “he will announce his
decision on this issue when the appropriate day comes”.
Stating that his
priority at the moment is on the one hand the progress of the Cyprus
negotiation talks and on the other hand the struggle for solving the problems
experienced in the “country”, Ozersay added that it is obvious that even the
possibility of being a candidate creates uneasiness to some politicians which
are supporters of the current status quo and who are not in favor of a
“change”.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen
newspaper (27.08.14) reports on statements by so-called foreign minister Nami
to a program broadcast by AS TV regarding the possible candidacy of Ozersay.
In his statements Nami
said, inter alia, that Ozersay’s statement that he might be a candidate for the
“presidential elections” is unethical. He said that Özersay's possible
candidacy for the presidential elections would mean that the negotiations are
not handled properly as Eroglu and Özersay can be considered as rivals.
Nami went on and added
that this situation should be clarified by October.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
(27.08.14-online in English) reports that Özersay
responded to ÖzdilNami's comments on his possible candidacy on social media and said that Nami was
acting emotionally and therefore his analysis were not healthy.
Ozersay wrote: "I
just mind my own business, I do whatever my position requires me to do and I
will continue to do so.”
"I don’t think
MrNami is in a position to make a healthy evaluation of my candidacy. I say
this because he constantly complains for not being part of the negotiations in
the way that he wishes; he complains that I don’t visit his office every other
day; and plus his party will also nominate their candidate. So I don’t think he
is in a position to make a healthy evaluation. Therefore, I suggest that everyone
stop acting and speaking emotionally and focus on their own positions.
I act with the
awareness of my responsibilities as the negotiator. This is the reason I avoid talking about my
possible candidacy. If the possibility of my candidacy bothers some politicians
already, I wonder what they would say if I officially run for the
elections.”
(AK)
6.Yorgancioglu
attends AKP’s 1st extraordinary congress in Ankara
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (27.08.14)
reports that the so-called prime
minister and CTP-BG leader OzkanYorgancioglu flew to Ankara this morning in
order to attend the AK Party's 1st Extraordinary Congress.
Yorgancioglu is attending
the congress upon an invitation from AK Party.
Yorgancioglu is accompanied by “prime
ministry's executive assistant” HuseyinGursan.
Yorgancioglu and Gursan are expected to return
to the occupied area of Cyprus tonight after completing their contacts in
Ankara.
7. Chinese table tennis players met with Yorgancioglu
Illegal
Bayrak television (online, 26.08.14) broadcast that the self-styled prime
minister OzkanYorgancioglu met on
Tuesday with a squad of Chinese Table Tennis players, who are currently in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
as part of the “International Table Tennis Friendship Camp”.
The
“President of the Girne Sports Association” AhmetAknar and the “Association’s
Vice chairman” ZiyaTuzel were also present during the visit.
Speaking during the visit, Aknar said that the visiting squad of
table tennis players were from Beijing and Xi’an and had been in the “TRNC”
since the 20th of August.
Explaining
that they had been discrete about the camp due to the reportedly international
embargoes, Aknar reminded that China was the motherland of table tennis.
Aknar
concluded his remarks by asking for the “government’s” support for the further
development of table tennis in the “country”.
For
his part, Yorgancioglu said that such visits were important in gaining
experience as well as promoting the “country”.
“It’s
important for our young table tennis players to learn and gain experience from
the world’s leading countries in the sport. We thank you for this” he added.
Also speaking, the coaches of the Beijing and Xi’an table tennis
teams said that they were pleased to be in the “TRNC” and were interested in
further improving relations.
8. Kanli comments on Erdogan’s visit to the occupied area of
Cyprus
Columnist
Yusuf Kanli, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 27.08.14),
under the title “Cyprus expectations”, publishes, inter alia, the following
commentary on the first trip of Erdogan as the newly elected President to the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus:
“On
his second working day in office, on Sept. 1, Turkey’s new President
RecepTayyip Erdogan will make his maiden foreign trip to the ‘TRNC’ (editor’s
note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus). Turkish Cypriots are proud that Erdogan
will be making his first visit as President to ‘northern Cyprus’ and thus ‘will
demonstrate to friends and foes’ that Turkey will continue to remain committed
to the wellbeing, security and prosperity of its Turkish Cypriot brethren. Greek Cypriots, on the other hand, expect
the new Turkish President to deliver some ‘meaningful contribution’ to efforts
aimed at reaching a settlement to the over half a century-old problem of
power sharing between the two ‘peoples’ of Cyprus.
The
very fact that Erdogan will be travelling to northern Cyprus just days after he
officially takes over the presidency on Aug. 28 will of course be a very strong
message regarding not only of the commitment to supporting Cyprus settlement
efforts, but more so not to leave the Turkish Cypriot ‘people’ out in the cold
under any condition. Even if Erdogan is
not appreciated much among the Turkish Cypriot population of ‘north Cyprus’
because of his rather rude reference to Turkish Cypriots as a people ‘fed by
Turkey’– three unprecedented anti-Turkish hegemony and anti-Erdogan rallies
were held in Nicosia in 2011 – there is full confidence in Turkey and a firm
belief that Ankara will never ever abandon the Turkish Cypriots.
(…) Erdogan has also been on record declaring
that any Cyprus settlement must be based on the ‘reality’ of the island,
reflect the ‘bi-communality and bi-zonality’ agreed by the two ‘peoples’ in
past high level agreements and include Turkey’s effective continued security
guarantees for the Turkish Cypriot ‘people’. He has also been stressing
that the Turkish Cypriots cannot wait
out in the cold forever for the Greek Cypriots to agree on a compromise
resolution. If they do not want a compromise federal resolution, then the Turks
may opt for Plan B. What that ‘Plan B’ is was never elaborated on, but from
time to time Turkish officials stress that if achieving a federation is not
possible, then the two ‘peoples’ should
consider a velvet divorce and a two-state resolution on the island.
Particularly Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
– who Erdogan announced would succeed him as party leader and Prime Minister
this week – has been rather vocal on the
issue and has been stressing that if a federation is not possible, it would be
normal for the two ‘peoples’ to walk their separate ways and continue on with
their separate states.
(…)
Erdogan most likely will make the same emphasis on the equality of the island’s
two ‘peoples’ and express his firm support to resolution efforts, which should
not be limited to a federation, but must encompass the possibility of two
states as well.
(…)
Will Erdogan’s visit or the appointment of new special advisor help energize
the process? Unlikely, the Greek Cypriots are just not interested in a
resolution.”
9. Columnist wonders whether there is something new in the “New
Turkey”
Under
the title “Is there anything new in the ‘new Turkey'?”, columnist
GunayHilalAygun, writing in Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 26.08.14),
publishes, inter alia, the following commentary:
“The
Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which has always been led by Prime
Minister RecepTayyipErdogan, who is now
the elected President, has promoted itself with the motto of the ‘New Turkey’.
Erdogan has been using the phrase in all of his speeches, including
televised ones, and public rallies in
order to describe the change brought by the 12-year-rule of the AK Party.
According to the AK Party and its followers, the ‘New Turkey’ is
an expression used to describe the collapse of the longstanding
Kemalism-dominated mind-set of the top state bodies and the state finally
embracing conservative Muslims, including headscarved women, which
it had discriminated against in the past.
(…)
In a
Tuesday piece, Bugun daily columnist NuhGonultas questioned this notion of a
‘new Turkey’. “What is new in the ‘new Turkey'?” asked Gonultas, adding that he considers the rhetoric of a ‘new Turkey’
to be a tool of propaganda, a huge lie designed to exempt the government from
the law.Gonultas stated that this discourse helps the AK Party government
use its power more effectively against the public.
According
to the columnist, by saying that Turkey is not the old Turkey but a new one,
the AK Party government wants to say: ‘Now we have the power. We are the law,
justice. We are the legislative, executive and judicial branch.’ What the AK
Party officials mean by the new Turkey is certainly not an improved and
powerful Turkey which scares its enemies and gives confidence to its allies,
Gonultas commented.
The columnist listed a number of questions in his column,
including: ‘Is the new Turkey a country whose passport is respected throughout
the world? Can the new Turkey protect itself against attacks without help from
NATO? Can a word from the new Turkey's officials stop the Israeli violence? Has
democracy improved in the new Turkey? Has the violence against women been
reduced in the new Turkey? Have Turkish officials stopped violating the law?
Has the new Turkey made ground-breaking discoveries in science and technology?’
NazliIlicak,
a columnist with the Bugun daily, examined the ‘new Turkey’ in her Tuesday
piece by looking at the foreign officials who have been invited to the
presidential inauguration ceremony scheduled for Aug. 28. “We see that Turkey's credibility in the West has severely dropped,”
Ilicak said, adding that no Presidents, Prime Ministers or leaders from a
developed country are attending the ceremony. The columnist wrote that the Presidents who are set to participate in
the ceremony are from Albania, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Ethiopia, Gambia, Kazakhstan, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Somalia, Togo, ‘TRNC’,
Turkmenistan and Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Parliament Speakers of Azerbaijan,
Ghana and Ivory Coast, and the Prime Ministers of Belarus, Georgia, Jordan,
Morocco, Niger and Pakistan are also invited to the event, Ilicak said. ‘Where are Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden,
Norway, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and the US?’ Ilıcak asked,
adding, ‘This is what the ‘new Turkey' is’.”
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 26.08.14) reported that Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
will attend President-elect RecepTayyipErdogan’s inauguration ceremony in
Ankara on Aug. 28, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman
TigranBalayan.
According
to media reports, Nalbandian will use
the occasion to clarify whether Erdogan will accept an invitation to take part
in the official commemorations in Yerevan of the 100th anniversary of the mass
killings of Armenians that Turkey denies as genocide.
Nalbandian
will be making only a brief visit to Ankara for the inauguration ceremony, and
no bilateral meeting is planned at the moment, a Turkish diplomat told the
paper.
10. Turkey and Japan signed a $1.7 billion liquefied gas
project with Turkmenistan
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 26.08.14), Turkmenistan, holder of the world’s fourth-largest natural gas
reserves, signed a $1.7 billion deal with a Turkish-Japanese consortium on Aug.
26 to build a liquefied gas plant as part of its strategy to maximize revenues
from its gas riches.
The
project will be implemented by Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Turkey’s
RonesansEndustriTesisleri.
The
plant will process annually 1.785 billion cubic meters of natural gas, Turkmen
President GurbangulyBerdymukhamedov said. “The oil and gas sector is one of the
main elements of our economy and today as demand for natural gas and its
derivatives is growing that is why we participating in such international
projects,” he added.
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