TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 160/14 28.08.14
1. Erdogan bids farewell: AK Party will never be a one man party
2. Davutoglu takes helm, pledges unity, harmony with
presidency
3. Analysis: Erdogan is not really leaving active politics
4. Ertug accuses the Greek Cypriot side of putting obstacles in
the Cyprus negotiation process; He criticized Yerantopoulos’ statement
5. Afrika criticizes SerdarDenktas’ proposal on the fenced off
city of Varosha and cites Akkinci’s statement on the issue
6. Ozgurgun: It is highly unlikely to form a political alliance
with the DP
7. Turkish-Iraqi Industrial and Businessmen Association to open a
representation office in the occupied area of Cyprus
8. Illegal YDU university to attend an international congress in
Malaysia
1. Erdogan bids farewell: AK Party will never be a one man
party
Turkish
daily Sabah (online, 28.08.14) reports that during its first extraordinary
congress on Wednesday, the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) elected Foreign Minister Davutoglu as
its new chairman - who will also be the next Prime Minister - as
President-elect RecepTayyip Erdogan left the party days before being sworn in
as Turkey's first directly-elected President.
Erdogan rejected claims that Davutoglu,
who is set to replace him as Prime Minister, would merely do his bidding as he continues to rule Turkey from behind
the scenes. His comments during a farewell speech to delegates of his AK
Party come amid widespread expectations that Davutoglu would take more of a
backseat role, and that Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for over a
decade, would maintain his grip on government. The vast congress mustered some
40,000 people at an Ankara sports arena and in a marathon two-hour speech; Erdogan said the government's strategy
would not change with the handover. He then said that the party had
"always excluded personal ambitions and arrogance… names have no
importance."
Erdogan,
who has two sons and two daughters, described the party he helped found as his
"fifth child" but said the "farewell time" had come. "The AK Party will never be a one-man
party. It is a party of principles. Our cause will not change tomorrow and
it will not be abandoned in the future," Erdogan told party delegates who
convened to confirm Davutoglu, 55, as its new Chairman and Prime
Minister-designee.
Although the office of President is mainly ceremonial, Erdogan has
indicated he wants to transform the position to an executive one.
He has said he will activate its seldom used powers, such as summoning and
presiding over Cabinet meetings.
Nevertheless,
Erdogan suggested that Davutoglu would not veer from the goals he has set for
Turkey, and Davutoglu will form the new government immediately after his
inauguration ceremony, and the new
Cabinet would be established by Friday according to Erdogan. Furthermore, Erdogan extended an olive branch to the
opponents in his farewell address, stating, "We understand you, your
historical background, lifestyle, values, demands and desires very well. I
extend my hand again on behalf of my party, my government and the movement I am
the leader of."
Davutoglu
is expected to be designated as the Prime Minister on Aug. 28, after President-
elect Erdogan is sworn in on the same day. The slogan of the congress "all
together for a new Turkey" emphasizes Erdogan's ambition to transform the
country into an economically booming world power. Erdogan, 60, is expected to
revamp what has been until now a largely ceremonial post of the President into
a powerful role, with Davutoglu a loyal ally who will not hinder the process
with obstacles. "This is not a
change of mission, it is just a change of names," Erdogan said in an
outdoor morning speech in Ankara before heading into the congress.
"This is not a farewell. We will continue to serve our people from Edirne
to Hakkari," referring to the cities at opposite ends of Turkey close to
the borders of Greece and Iraq. In his speech to the congress, Erdogan insisted
that Davutoglu would be a figure of real stature and power as Prime Minister.
"I would like to stress this: Davutoglu is not a caretaker. Everyone
should know that."
2. Davutoglu takes helm, pledges unity, harmony with
presidency
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 28.08.14) reports that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the only candidate to
become the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) chairman, and therefore
the Prime Minister, has pledged to work
“in harmony” with President-elect RecepTayyip Erdogan and promised “unity”
within the party.
Speaking
at the ruling party’s extraordinary congress on Aug. 27, Davutoglu addressed
outgoing Prime Minister Erdogan as “my President” and stressed that the
convention was not one of “farewell,” but of “fidelity.”
In a
wide-ranging speech, Davutoglu struck a high pitch not only in terms of history
and ideology, but also with his tone of excitement and lofty rhetoric. A key
political message ran throughout it: There will be no conflict between the
President and the Prime Minister, who have both been elected by popular vote.
“Nobody should try to stir up controversy between comrades,” Davutoglu said,
stressing unity in the party.
He presented a nine-point of “restoration” summary of AKP rule for
the past 12 years, which he said will continue in the “walk for the new
Turkey”.“With the rule of AKP, this interregnum had
come to an end … We have achieved a major construction along last 12 years,”
Davutoglu said, claiming that “old Turkey” had come to a “deadlock” in 2001.
“This recovery has nine fundamentals and this determined walk in
nine areas will continue,” he added, citing the economy, culture, judiciary,
freedom, foreign policy and “state structure” as being among these areas. “We
are ready to make any sacrifice to carry the AKP movement to its goals,” he
said.
Davutoglu’s
speech was replete with historic and religious symbolism, with references to
the Prophet Muhammad, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, as
well as the political predecessors of the ruling AKP.
Davutoglu also touched on the issue of the new Constitution, which
the AKP needs a two-thirds majority at Parliament in the 2015 election to write
unilaterally.
He
also slammed last year’s anti-government Gezi Park protests and the corruption
investigations for trying to “overthrow the government”. “The goals of the Gezi
incidents and the Dec. 17 and 25 plots aimed to destroy the self-assurance that
we have instilled in the people,” he said
He
vowed that the AKP would continue the ongoing Kurdish resolution process “with
determination,” and rejected any approach based on sectarianism. “Both our
Sunni citizens and Alevi citizens are essential constituents of this land and
will remain so,” Davutoglu said, stressing that “freedoms” would be under the
guarantee of the AKP government.
Davutoglu
was nominated as a candidate for the AKP chairmanship after receiving the votes
of 1,382 AKP delegates at the congress.
On
the same issue, Turkish daily Sabah (online, 27.08.104) reported that Davutoglu stated that the EU membership is
a strategic target for Turkey and will be pursued decisively, and added that
the country's foreign policy will remain multi-faceted.
3. Analysis: Erdogan is not really leaving active politics
Columnist
SerkanDemirtas, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
27.08.14), under the above title, reports that messages delivered by Erdogan hinted that it won’t be an absolute
departure from active politics in line with his earlier description of his
forthcoming presidency. He will be a sweating, running president…
“This
is not a farewell. We will again meet with you at our public rallies, during
our visits to 81 provinces,” Erdoğan addressed his AKP fellows during his
nearly two-hour long speech. Needless to say that these rallies will highly be political
in which Erdogan will find the opportunity to address his views on political
matters. These rallies have already been
seen by the opposition parties as Erdogan’s efforts to ask for votes at the
upcoming 2015 elections. President-elect Erdogan recalled once again the importance of the 2015 polls and the
majority the AKP will get at Parliament in order to accomplish their aim in
changing the Constitution in favour of a presidential system.
In
fact, he does not hide that he will be heavily involved in daily political
issues. “I am not going to be a
President that blocks government’s actions but a President that enables the
government to serve better to the public,” he stressed.
One
of the areas he will never lose interest will be the ongoing fight against
pro-FethullahGulen community in the police and judiciary, which he calls “the
parallel state”. He also instructed the next government not to show even a
slice of tolerance against this organization within the state.
Columnist
Murat Yetkin, under the title “It’s Erdogan’s party and Davutoglu has a hard
job”, writes in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 28.08.14) that Erdogan
handed over the helm of the party to Davutoglu as a necessity of the Turkish
Constitution, which says the President should not be a member of a party after
he (or she) is elected. That was one of the reasons why Erdogan used his
party’s domination at Parliament to go to recess, in order for his presidency
not to be read in Parliament until the very last day of his rule in the party.
Today, on Aug. 28, Erdogan is going to take over the job from President
Abdullah Gul after taking an oath in Parliament, and he will officially hand
over the office to Davutoglu to form a Cabinet. He is very sure that Davutoglu
will have it ready in a day and there will be no objection, because they have
most probably already gone through the list together. (The fact that Ali
Babacan, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the economy, was the only name
from the entire Cabinet and AK Party echelons that Erdogan mentioned in his
speech - other than Davutoglu - was seen in the hall as a sign that he will
probably keep the post in the new Cabinet. This is Kremlinology alla AK Party.)
Erdogan’s
message to the party was clear. Yes, he is moving to the Presidential Palace on
top of Cankaya Hill in Ankara, but in the political sense he is not going
anywhere. “This is not a farewell speech,” he said. “This is just a new
beginning.”
He
also gave another indication that he wants to maintain control over the party
even under Davutoglu. For example, he asked Soylu to deliver the opening speech
at the congress. Soylu is one of the most recent executive board members - or
actually members - to join the AK Party. (…) To ask Soylu was a strong signal that, from now on, the cause will be
loyalty to Erdogan himself.
This
could actually be observed in the audience. Nothing but the name of Erdogan
sparked enthusiasm among the thousands of supporters filling the Ankara Arena
sports hall in the August heat.
It is
still Erdogan’s party and Davutoğlu has a difficult job. Both Erdogan and
Davutoglu know this, and probably so do many in the AK Party.
BarcinYinanc
writing also in HDN (online, 28.08.14), under the title “Where did Turkey’s
former President go wrong?”, considers
that Abdullah Gul faced a fate he probably feels he does not deserve; that is
to have been totally scraped by Erdogan.
Ironically,
while he was an old ally to Erdogan, it seems he was the person to know the
least of him. Let me explain. While Gul
disagreed many times with Erdogan, he never openly dared to challenge him.
He thought Erdogan would appreciate his reconciliatory nature. Yet for Erdogan, the political animal,
reconciliation is a sign of weakness.
Yinanc
concludes: “Gul is appreciated for his
moderate and reconciliatory nature. But this has played against him in the
final stage of his political act. But one should not resort to
reconciliation at the expense of one’s principles and certainly not when this
is seen as a sign of weakness by your adversary. Then again, Gul had perhaps made the mistake of not
seeing Erdogan as an adversary. By the way, am I wrong to say the “final
stage of his political act?” Only time will tell.”
4Ertug accuses the Greek Cypriot side of putting
obstacles in the Cyprus negotiation process; He criticized Yerantopoulos’
statement
Under the title:
“The Greek Cypriot side puts obstacles”,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.08.14) reports that the so-called
“presidential spokesman” Osman Ertug, in
a statement to TRT channel, referred to the latest developments on the Cyprus
problem and alleged that the Greek Cypriot side puts obstacles in the third
stage of the Cyprus negotiation talks.
Replying to a
question regarding the ongoing Cyprus negotiation talks, Ertug alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side’s approach in the third
stage of the process is constructive, while, the Greek Cypriot side as he said
puts several obstacles.
Stating that they expect the appointments of the new
UN’s Secretary-General Special Adviser to Cyprus Espen Barth Eide to accelerate
the process, Ertug accused the Greek Cypriot side of violating the UN’s
parameters, not accepting the existing convergences and accepting the creation
of a road map, which is necessary as he said, for the negotiations to yield a
result.
“The Greek
Cypriot side tries with this stance to prolong the process. The Undersecretary
of the Greek Foreign Ministry, KyriakosYerantopoulos has stated during his
visit in the island that the Greek Cypriot side will not make any other
concessions. I would like to point out
that in order for a comprehensive solution to be reached, a compromise spirit
is necessary in a reciprocal give-take process”, Ertug said.
Criticizing
Yerantopoulos for his above statement, Ertug
said that it is “unacceptable and dangerous for the ongoing negotiation
process” to say that “no concessions will be made”.
Ertug went on
and said that like all the negotiation processes, in the Cyprus negotiation
process as well, it is necessary for the two sides to make mutual sacrifices in
a possible agreement to be reached.
Recalling that the Turkish Cypriot side has stated
several times that is ready to pass to the give-take phase; Ertug said that one
of the main obstacles so as to move forward, is the stance of the Greek Cypriot
side.
Ertug reminded
also to Yerantopoulos that it is the Turkish Cypriot side which lives under
“inhuman isolations and embargoes” for 50 years.
(AK)
5.Afrika criticizes SerdarDenktas’ proposal on the
fenced off city of Varosha and cites Akkinci’s statement on the issue
Under the front
page title: “The fenced off city of
Maras to open”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (28.08.14) in its column
(Afrika’ danmektup-Letter from Afrika),
criticizes the statements made the other day 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.
Accusing Denktas for his above statement, the paper
publishes a statement made by Mustafa Akkinci, “a presidential candidate” for
the forthcoming “2015 elections” and writes that Akkinci is the only one who
supports the opening of the fenced off city of Varosha (Maras) before the
comprehensive solution.
Addressing
Denktas, the paper calls him to see Akkinci’s following statement: “With a reasonable agreement on the area of
the fenced off city of Maras, it would be a wise job to open firstly for its
property owners to use it and next with formulas that will help overcoming
important problems in tourism, the trade, and the air and port communication of
the Turkish Cypriots, to open for settlement… This, together with the enlivenment
of the economies of the two sides, will also initiate the functioning of the
comprehensive solution. And instead of thinking in this way, what we wish to
say with the mentality of thinking to turn it into a film set? Certainly it
will be a thriller movie and the snakes and rats will share the leading
roles…”.
(…)
(AK)
6. Ozgurgun: It is highly unlikely to form a political alliance
with the DP
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 27.08.14), the leader of the main
opposition National Unity Party (UBP) HuseyinOzgurgun has said that his party will be supporting the Turkish Cypriot
leader DervisEroglu in next year’s “presidential elections” if he should decide
to run for a second term.
Evaluating
the domestic political situation on “BRT”, the UBP leader said that Eroglu’s
decision whether or not to run for re-election will determine the party’s
course of action. “We will decide whether or not to nominate a candidate
depending on Eroglu’s decision. The UBP will be supporting the president should
he decide to run for a second term”, Ozgurgun said.
Responding to a question as whether the UBP would consider forming
a political alliance with the Democrat Party (DP) in the upcoming “elections”,
Ozgurgun said that this was highly unlikely. “I
believe that we have nothing left to discuss with the DP. The DP is nothing
more than a crutch for the “governing” Republican Turkish Party (CTP) to lean
on. It’s not possible to discuss anything with such a party”, he said.
Commenting
on the nomination and election of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as
the new leader of the AKP and Turkey’s Prime Minister, the UBP leader said that much is expected to change in Turkey and on the
Cyprus problem due to the upcoming general elections in Turkey next year.
Reminded
that the Turkish President-elect RecepTayyip Erdogan will be visiting the
“TRNC” on the 1st of Sept. World Peace Day, Ozgurgun said that no special
meaning should be attached to this visit.
Also
commenting on the Cyprus negotiations process which will resume on the 2nd of
September, Ozgurgun said that he did not
expect any radical changes in Cyprus due to the latest developments in the
region. He however expressed the view that the two leaders could reach convergences on some of the issues relating
to the Cyprus problem.
7.Turkish-Iraqi Industrial and Businessmen
Association to open a representation office in the occupied area of Cyprus
According to
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (28.08.14) Turkish-Iraqi Industrial and Businessmen Association (TISIAD), will
open its first representation office “abroad”, in the “TRNC”.
According to a
statement issued by TISIAD, a delegation of TISIAD, headed by the chairman of
its executive board, NevafKilic will pay a three-day visit to the occupied area
of Cyprus to carry out a series of contacts and attend some programs.
The “authority” of the “representative of the TRNC”
will be given to the businessman Ali Tunctasli, writes the paper.
(AK)
8.Illegal YDU university to attend an international
congress in Malaysia
Under the title:
“YDU to be represented in Malaysia”,
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi newspaper (28.08.14) reports that the Faculty of medicine of the illegal Near
East university (YDU) will be represented at the International Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine Congress which will take place in Malaysia between August
26-28.
The
illegal YDU university will be represented by Prof. Dr GamzeMocan.
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