TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 175/14 18.09.14
1. Eroglu: “It is not possible to reach to a result without mutual give-take”
2. Ozersay: The real negotiations are beginning now
3. Davutoglu to Milliyet newspaper; “A new Cyprus is possible”
4. Nami: I hope that with Eide’s appointment the negotiation process will gain momentum
5. Ozgurgun: The Turkish Cypriots have no more concessions to give
6. The US Senate confirms John Bass as Ambassador to Turkey
7. Erdogan slams New York Times over ISIL story
8. Turkey to keep its support to anti-ISIS coalition
9. Alleged ISIL supporters open TV station in Turkey
10. Davutoglu defends religious course despite ECHR ruling
11. A survey on the identity for Kurds
1. Eroglu: “It is not possible to reach to a result without mutual give-take”
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (18.09.14) under the title: “We will proceed to result-oriented negotiations”, reports on statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu upon his arrival at the “presidential palace”, after yesterday’s meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades and the UN’s Secretary-General Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide.
In his statements, Eroglu said that at the meeting with the “leader” of the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as he called the President of the Republic of Cyprus, they decided to proceed to the result-oriented negotiation talks.
Stating that all the important chapters of the negotiations will be discussed at the negotiation table during the next phase of the talks, Eroglu added that within a mutual “give-take” and “win-win” attitude their aim is to proceed to a referendum.
Recalling that the first two phases of talks were completed, Eroglu said that during yesterday’s meeting, they decided to proceed to the next phase of the talks that is the “give and take” phase. “Therefore, as it is expressed in the joint declaration, we have come to an agreement to proceed to ‘constructive and result-oriented’ negotiations”, Eroglu said.
Pointing out that Eide will start the shuttle diplomacy meeting with the sides; he explained that it will be especially about how to discuss and debate the main chapters, and how to arrange them. Eroglu noted that they have expressed their opinions and thoughts regarding this issue and added that during Eide’s meetings with the two sides, these important chapters will be discussed.
Replying to a question as regards the proceeding to the next stage of the talks, Eroglu said: “Constructive and result-oriented talks will take place. Of course it is not possible for result-oriented talks to take place without a give-take. We have met and discussed this issue at the negotiating table. Result-oriented negotiations can take place only with mutual ‘give-takes’. The words ‘win-win” were also included at today’s joint statements of Eide”, Eroglu said.
Asked to comment on the Greek Cypriot side’s reaction over the “give-take” statement by the UN’s Secretary-General, Eroglu said that yesterday, two statements were issued, the first one about the “give-take” and the other was made after the reaction of the Greek Cypriot side, as he said. “After all, we will proceed to result-oriented talks, all chapters will be discussed and we will proceed to a referendum. What does this means? Without mutual give and take, we will not yield to a result, so it will be impossible to proceed to a referendum. However, the Greek Cypriot side wants the words “give-take” to be withdrawn”.
Alleging that the Greek Cypriot side is allergic to some words and that it worries about “what the press will write and what the people will think”, Eroglu added that they do not have the same worries since, as he argued they are aware of what to do. “We are aware of the expectations of the people”, Eroglu said, adding that what is important is to reach to a viable agreement where the Turkish Cypriot “people” would be able to live in security and peace.
(AK)
2. Ozersay: The real negotiations are beginning now
Under the title “The real negotiations are beginning now”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.09.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay has said that the statements made yesterday after the meeting between President Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu at the presence of UN Secretary-General’s newly appointed Special Adviser for Cyprus, are statements “in the form that the real negotiations are starting now”.
In statements to Ada TV, Ozersay argued that the two sides have a “new unity of understanding” and added that during the meeting the fundamental principles of the text of the joint declaration were unfolded. He said that the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser also registered officially that there was “a unity of understanding” during the last two meetings.
Referring to the system of the “bi-communal, bi-zonal federal partnership” Ozersay said that this was a separate subchapter and noted: “When you speak of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal partnership, it is not said whether this will be a presidential or a parliamentarian system. The issue on what kind of a system this will be established is a subchapter. The way of the election of the President is a serious political choice. The issue of what kind of a system will work in this country, if we are able to create a partnership state. These have been discussed at the dinner. The newly appointed Special Adviser tried to understand the views of both leaders regarding the issue of security and the guarantees, when and during which issue the territory will be discussed, [and] what the sides understand of the joint text. The UN has its own team and experience regarding the Cyprus negotiations. Also there are some certain principles. Some information was conveyed to the new Special Adviser and he is trying to develop himself in this field (…)”.
Ozersay noted that in spite of the fact that the leaders had not met for some period, the discussions between the negotiations have been going on directly or through mediators. He noted that the UN has been shuttling between the sides. “It brought us some views, we also gave some views and we tried to overcome the problem existing between us regarding the agreements of the past”, he added.
Ozersay argued the following: “There is a statement that the real negotiation is starting now. When we look at the agreement reached between the two leaders, a unity of understanding on the issue of ‘what we will ask from the negotiators’ is coming up. In the new discussion, which is being held, the two sides have a new unity of understanding. We have demands on the issue of the powers of the federal government. There is a list of powers. These are two mutual demands. Except this, we want for the founding states to be able to make agreements on some certain issues and the Greek Cypriot side opposes to this. If we say, ‘we accept the powers of the federation and you should accept the founding states making agreements on some certain issues’, this is a give and take. This is a negotiation in a real sense. The aim is on the one hand for you to show flexibility and on the other for you to make some proposals so that to secure that your interlocutor shows flexibility. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser also registered officially that there was a unity of understanding during the last two meetings”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Davutoglu to Milliyet newspaper; “A new Cyprus is possible”
Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (18.09.14-online in Turkish) reports on statements by Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to Turkish reporters on board, after his departure from the occupied area of Cyprus.
Asked to reply to a question about his illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus and whether he considers the establishment of “a new Cyprus” possible, Davutoglu reiterated the same statements he made during his joint press conference with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, alleging also, that nobody sees today the non-solution of the Cyprus problem as a solution. “Except from some marginal groups, nobody considers Turkey as a country that takes the future of Cyprus as a mortgage. We remain stable on the framework agreement text (…)”.
Davutoglu accused once more the Greek Cypriot side and President Anastasiades of delaying tactics, he reiterated that his calling to Samaras and added that Turkey will continue to put pressure. “New Cyprus is possible. If it’s up to us, it is possible tomorrow. As Turkey, we will continue the pressure, it is the first time the international community is interested on this. If we go straight to the point by the end of this year, we will have a positive result”, Davutoglu said.
(AK)
4. Nami: I hope that with Eide’s appointment the negotiation process will gain momentum
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (18.09.14) reports that the self-styled minister of foreign affairs Ozdil Nami met yesterday with Espen Barth Eide, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus.
According to a press release by the “information office”, Nami congratulated Eide on his new appointment and expressed his hope that with this appointment, the negotiation process will gain momentum.
During the meeting, Nami also expressed his views regarding the latest stage of the negotiation process, as well as what can be done in order to move the process forward.
Nami stated that he will always support Eide throughout the negotiation process and emphasized that he is ready to cooperate in any way on the issue of finding a solution on the Cyprus problem, which is the common goal.
5. Ozgurgun: The Turkish Cypriots have no more concessions to give
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.09.14) reports that Huseyin Ozgurgun, leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) has argued that during the past eleven years that passed since “opening of the gates” [Translator’s note: this is how he referred to the partial lifting on the restrictions of free movement in Cyprus] people did not ask a solution to the Cyprus problem very much and did not push the leaders in this direction.
In statements during a TV program, Ozgurgun alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side showed that it wants a solution by accepting with 65% the Annan Plan which included the return of the one third of its lands and the displacement of 100 thousand of its “citizens”. “There can be no more concession that the Turkish side can give”, alleged Ozgurgun.
Replying a question on the recent illegal visit of the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to the occupied area of Cyprus, Ozgurgun claimed: “I know that Davutoglu sincerely wants a solution in Cyprus. I am sure that he wants to be remembered as the Prime Minister who solved the Cyprus problem and I know that his understanding is not to find any solution in regardless of what this solution will be. I had seen the same wish and the same sincerity in Mr Erdogan. I am sure that they keep the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people at the forefront”.
Replying to another question, he said that “early elections” should be held in the occupied area of Cyprus, because of the rejection by 62% of the “constitutional amendments” during the recent “referendum”.
He also reiterated the intention of his party to support Dervis Eroglu if he decides to run in the forthcoming “presidential elections” in April 2015.
(I/Ts.)
6. The US Senate confirms John Bass as Ambassador to Turkey
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 17.09.14) reported that the U.S. Senate has finally confirmed John Bass as the new United States Ambassador to Ankara.
Bass, who was nominated in June but had his nomination held up by the Senate until after the August recess, was approved on Sept. 17 by a vote of 98 to 0. There are 100 members of the Senate.
Bass faced a series of tough questions from Senator John McCain during his hearing at the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations over his nomination as Ambassador to Turkey back on July 15. McCain said he would not support Bass’ nomination until he got a straight answer on whether he thought Turkey was drifting towards authoritarianism. “It is a drift in that direction, yes,” Bass eventually replied.
Moreover, the paper also reports that Turkey and the U.S. are close allies and the media is not an actor that forms Washington’s policies, Ambassador Ross Wilson has said, citing media reports in his country that have been questioning the relations between the two countries.
Wilson, former U.S. envoy to Turkey who is currently appointed to Ankara as chargé d'affaires, spoke to reporters in the Turkish capital after John Bass, President Barack Obama's nominee as the new U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, received vote of confirmation from the U.S. Senate.
Wilson, who temporarily returned to Ankara this month, said he would go back to his country after Bass arrives in Turkey.
Asked about recent media reports in the U.S. questioning ties between Ankara and Washington due to Turkey’s reluctance to get involved in a military coalition against jihadists in Iraq and Syria, Wilson said both Secretary State John Kerry and Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel had expressed the importance of bilateral ties between Turkey and the U.S. during their recent visits to Ankara.
Turkey’s stance regarding the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) does not change this, the Ambassador also said, adding that the U.S. would not comment on the issue till Turkey gets ready for its contribution to the efforts against the ISIL.
7. Erdogan slams New York Times over ISIL story
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 17.09.14), rejecting the term “Islamic terrorism,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed the New York Times for a recent story claiming Turkey is one of the biggest sources of recruits for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.
“A newspaper used a photo yesterday, showing us leaving the Haci Bayram Mosque [in Ankara]. They used this photo for a story about ISIL. With the lightest expression, this is shamelessness, sordidness and ignobleness,” Erdoğan said while addressing the Chamber of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen’s (TESK) general assembly on Sept. 17.
The New York Times reported that some 100 people have joined the ranks of ISIL from the Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque in Ankara, indicating that its locals tried to approach Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to raise the issue of ISIL recruitment when the two went to the historic mosque in the neighbourhood.
The Turkish President then responded to recent criticism on Ankara’s conduct regarding ISIL violence in Syria and Iraq.
“Turkey is against terrorism of all kinds indiscriminately. We have never accepted the concept of ‘Islamic terrorism.’ Nobody can ascribe terrorism to Islam, which is a religion of peace. We have never accepted concepts like Sunni or Shiite terrorism. We’re members of a religion that rejects sectarianism,” Erdogan said.
He also slammed recent media reports that implicated Ankara as being written with a particular “purpose.”
“Some international media outlets try to equate Turkey with terrorism. There is no such thing as Turkey offering weapons and medical aid to terrorist groups,” he noted.
Erdoğan suggested that an operation of “perception management” has been launched by "some circles" and said he would raise the issue during his meetings with world leaders on the side-lines of the U.N. General Assembly meetings next week.
In a Sept. 17 statement to Hürriyet, New York Times spokesperson Eileen Murphy stood behind the stories. "Both stories in question were thoroughly reported and sourced and we feel that speak for themselves," Murphy said.
Asked whether the newspaper is concerned about the security of Ceylan Yeginsu, the NY Times' correspondent in Turkey, due to the smear campaign started by some media outlets in Turkey following Erdogan's remarks, Murphy said: "We are of course concerned any time the security of one of our correspondents is at issue. We have confidence that the Turkish authorities will ensure the security of a NY Times correspondent doing her job."
The NY Times also later posted a correction related to the photo at the end of the story, stating: “A picture with an earlier version of this article, which showed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu leaving a mosque in August, was published in error. Neither that mosque nor the President’s visit were related to the recruiting of ISIS [ISIL] fighters described in the article.”
8. Turkey to keep its support to anti-ISIS coalition
According to Turkish daily Sabah (online, 18.09.14), the Turkish President Erdogan and Turkey's top senior officials focused on the latest developments in the region and the threat posed by ISIS during the security meeting held on late Wednesday at Cankaya Presidential Palace, which lasted for three hours.
PM Ahmet Davutoglu, Chief of General Staff Necdet Ozel, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusogu, Interior Minister Efkan Ala and National Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz attended the meeting, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Officials discussed Turkey's position in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS and agreed that Turkey would keep its stance against terrorism and provide intelligence, humanitarian and security assistance to the coalition, especially to the U.S.
As Turkey and its allies agreed last week for Turkey to impose a no-fly zone at the borders, the meeting focused on the details of the plan and also discussed other security problems at Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria.
9. Alleged ISIL supporters open TV station in Turkey
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 17.09.14) with the above title reported that a broadcasting company with links to the Al-Rafidain TV network, which has been blocked in Egypt over ambiguity concerning its stance on the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has opened in Turkey, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Turkey.
WSJ Turkey on Wednesday reported that the Turkey-based company, which launched with TL 200,000 in capital, appears to be registered in Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) records; its sphere of activities is listed as TV programming and broadcasting.
The company was founded on Tuesday, the WSJ said, noting that the phone number provided by the company is the same as the phone number of the company that does the accounting work of Al-Rafidain.
Al-Rafidain is best known for its administration's stance against former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and for its pro-Sunni broadcasts.
On June 24, Reuters reported that Egypt barred three private Iraqi TV stations from its main satellite system in response to complaints from Iraq that their coverage was provoking sectarian tensions.
Reuters said: “Al-Baghdadia, Al-Rafidain and Al-Hadath TV stations were all barred from the state-owned Nilesat, which broadcasts across the Middle East and North Africa. ... The channels have covered the onslaught by Sunni insurgent group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant extensively and carried statements from the al-Qaeda offshoot."
However, statements made at the time by Egyptian officials did not directly link the decision to block the three stations to complaints from Baghdad.
WSJ Turkey said its attempts to reach the new TV station's management have failed. The accounting company that works with Al-Rafidain told the newspaper, “We have been told that there will be broadcasts here. They are in the phase of being set up right now." The daily also reported that the station so far hasn't applied to Turkey's media-watchdog, the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTÜK).
10. Davutoglu defends religious course despite ECHR ruling
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 17.09.14) reported that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said he does not see religious courses being compulsory at Turkish schools as a form of religious pressure and that these courses are essential even to atheists and help stem radicalization, in statements that came a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) urged Turkey to end the required religion course.
"It is a requirement even for an atheist to have knowledge about religious culture, just like I should know about Marxism even though I am not a Marxist," Davutoglu said at a joint news conference with Education Minister Nabi Avci in Ankara when asked about the European court ruling.
He said religious knowledge is essential to understanding social events in Turkey and the Middle East and that a lack of proper religious education is a factor that leads to radicalization. "You can see the developments [in the region]. If a proper religious culture had been taught [at schools] in countries surrounding us, certain developments would never have taken place," Davutoglu said, in an apparent reference to the violence being committed by radical groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
He said that the court decision will be assessed by the government, as it is not prejudiced against ECHR decisions, but he added that he has seen no element of religious pressure being placed on non-Muslims in the curriculum of the compulsory course.
"Putting aside religious culture classes, in some countries students are even taken to church as part of their education. It is not possible for us to ignore this and welcome attempts to portray religious classes as a tool of pressure," he said.
11. A survey on the identity for Kurds
Under the title “‘Being part of Turkish nation’ most popular identity for Kurds: Survey”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.09.14) reports that a recent survey of Turkish citizens has revealed that being a citizen of the Turkish Republic is the most important identity factor for Kurds in Turkey, rather than being of Kurdish ethnicity.
For 24.5% of those polled by Istanbul's Bogazici University and the Open Society Institute who said they know Kurdish, “being part of the Turkish nation” is the most important identity factor, while 21% said it is “being a citizen of the Turkish Republic.” For 21.7% of Kurds, “being a pious Muslim” is the most important identity factor, while 19.9% said “being a member of my ethnic and cultural community” is the most important factor.
Meanwhile, the poll revealed that a majority of Kurds believe social reasons such as unemployment and poverty created the Kurdish problem, while 24% of Kurds said ethnic discrimination is the main reason behind the problem.
Of the Turkish citizens polled across the country, 74% said “being a citizen of the Turkish Republic” is the most significant identity, while (as they could opt for second choices) 61% said it is “being a part of the Turkish nation.” “Being part of the Turkish nation” has therefore seen an increase of 14% compared to 2010, while there was a decrease in the same period of those who said “being a modern Muslim with a secular lifestyle” is the most important factor.
Some 85% of all respondents said Turkish is their native language, while 8% said Turkish is one of their native languages.
“The survey shows that identity among Kurds is not limited to ethnicity,” said Professor Hakan Yilmaz of Bogazici University on Sept. 16. “If you add up these two, and the results on how people identify themselves, we can say there has been a success in nation-building over the course of the 90 years of the Republic.”
Between 20 and 30% of Kurds said they were mistreated in different aspects of life, while the second largest group claiming to have faced mistreatment was those who identified themselves “secularist.”
While 91% those all respondents who identified themselves as supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) supported the solution process, this ratio was 75.5% for respondents who support the ruling Justice and Democracy Party (AKP). Some 61.4% of Kurdish speakers believe the problem will be solved at the end of the solution process, while this rate is 44.3% among non-Kurdish speakers.
“This tells us that Kurds have high expectations and that their disappointment will be equally high if the process fails,” said Yılmaz.
In addition, the poll showed that 43.5% of all respondents from the highest income brackets opposed the solution process.
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