TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 165/14 04.09.14
1. Eroglu on the Cyprus problem
2. Erk replies to Erdogan’s demands: “We can't give citizenship to everyone who applies”; CTP will determine its “presidential candidate” next week
3. Turkish Cypriot politicians’ reactions over the Greek Cypriot side’s statements on Erdogan’s visit to the occupied area of Cyprus
4. Elcil condemns Erdogan’s statements; Turkish officials do not want a solution in Cyprus
5. Titina Loizidou’s house to become a tavern
6. Denktas to discuss the future of the “Cyprus airport services” in Istanbul
7. Sixty percent of the foreign workers in the breakaway regime consist of persons from Africa, the Far East and Central Asia
8. Foreign countries to participate in the 17th TURKSOY Opera Days to take place at occupied Bellapais Monastery
9. Communist writes about the new Turkish foreign policy on Cyprus
10. Turkish President to hold bilateral talks with NATO leaders
11. Turkish court jails an officer for seven years for murdering Gezi protester
1. Eroglu on the Cyprus problem
Under the title: “There is a need for an urgent solution”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.09.14) reports on statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu who has alleged that they continue the Cyprus negotiation talks without putting any preconditions, with the aim to reach to a positive result and added that the Turkish Cypriot side needs an urgent solution to the Cyprus problem.
Eroglu made the above statements during a meeting he held yesterday with a delegation from the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Trade (KTTO), headed by its chairman Fikri Toros.
Stressing the need for the Cyprus problem, which is a prolonged problem, to be solved the soonest possible; Eroglu alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side respects the sensitivities of the Greek Cypriot side at the negotiating table, while the Greek Cypriot side does not show the same sensitivity, as he said.
Eroglu stated that the negotiations talks have not collapsed and added that the scheduled meeting of September 2 has been postponed after a demand by the Greek Cypriot side.
Stating that they have proposed to the Greek Cypriot side to carry out a meeting in September, prior to the leader’s visits in New York, and also to have a meeting with the UN’s Secretary-General, Eroglu said that no positive response has come from the Greek Cypriot side, yet.
(AK)
2. Erk replies to Erdogan’s demands: “We can't give citizenship to everyone who applies”; CTP will determine its “presidential candidate” next week
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (04.09.14) reports that the General Secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Kutlay Erk commented on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s demand regarding “TRNC” citizenship to be given to Turkish citizens residing in the occupied area of Cyprus.
According to Erk, such requests were made in the past by other Turkish leaders but that it is the “north Cyprus government” that has the ultimate authority about this. “Giving citizenship to every person who wants it is wrong,” he said. He stated that it is the “government’s” responsibility to review these “citizenship” requests and respond to these requests based “on the rules and regulation”.
In addition, illegal Bayrak television (04.09.14) broadcast that Erk stated that CTP is continuing its efforts towards determining a candidate for the upcoming “presidential elections”. Erk said that the party assembly of the CTP-BG will determine a name next week.
Pointing out that it is a serious issue to determine a “presidential candidate” during this period, as the Cyprus negotiations process had entered a critical phase, he said a name will be determined according to the principle of participation within the party. Touching upon Mehmet Ali Talat’s latest statements, that he will not be a candidate Erk said: “Talat is a valuable symbolic figure for the CTP. His decision to withdraw could cause problems however the CTP will find another candidate if Talat is determined not to run for the presidency.”
Also evaluating Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s upcoming visit to the breakaway regime, Erk said: “More comprehensive statements could be expected however I don’t think Davutoğlu will go into depth.”
In addition, in statements to Diyalog newspaper (04.09.14) as regards the water and electricity transfer from Turkey, Erk stated that the party’s position is that these issues should be administrated by the “government”.
3. Turkish Cypriot politicians’ reactions over the Greek Cypriot side’s statements on Erdogan’s visit to the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.09.14) under the title: “Anastasiades’ interlocutor is our president” reports on statements by Turkish Cypriot leader’s “spokesman”, Osman Ertug who in a written statement yesterday, criticized the Greek Cypriots leadership’s comments about “disappointment”, which are related to Erdogan’s recent illegal visit to the “TRNC” and said: “I would like to remind the fact that Anastasiade’s interlocutor at the negotiating table is the Turkish Cypriot side and specifically our president”.
Alleging that Erdogan’s first visit to the “TRNC” aimed to put forward once more Turkey’s peacefull, proactive and supportive stance on Cyprus, and to point out Turkey’s full support to the sincere efforts exerted by the Turkish Cypriot side on the Cyprus problem, Ertug added that if there are somebodies who felt disappointment over this, it is those, as he said who do not want a fair and a lasting solution in Cyprus.
Accusing President Anastasiades for putting preconditions in order to force them to accept the methodology he wants at the negotiation process, Ertug stated that on the one hand Anastasiades says that he rejects any kind of arbitration and mediation and on the other hand he invites the EU, “other friends” and strategic partners, as he calls the foreign forces, to mediate.
Ertug went on and called President Anastasiades to avoid making this kind of statements, especially in a period whenthe newly appointed UN’s Secretary-General Special Advisor to Cyprus will come to Cyprus.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (04.09.14) reports that issuing a written statement on the same issue, the chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP), Huseyin Ozgurgun said, inter alia, that the “TRNC” has been established after the will of the Turkish Cypriot “people” for independence and alleged that nobody has the right to argue on the “TRNC’s legitimacy and foreign relations”.
Evaluating the reaction statements by President Anastasiades and the other Greek Cypriot politicians regarding Erdogan’s illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus, Ozgurgun said that those reactions indicate once more the Greek Cypriot side’s wrong mentality. “The statements which were made are groundless, provocative and in fact they do not contribute to peace”.
Ozgurgun alleged also the following: “The TRNC is a more legitimate State that the State in south Cyprus. The interlocutor of the Greek Cypriots at the negotiations is not Turkey but the TRNC. Those who do not want to understand this, one day; they will struck their heads on the wall.
(…)
4. Elcil condemns Erdogan’s statements; Turkish officials do not want a solution in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.09.14) reports that the General Secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Union (KTOS) Sener Elcil issuing a written statement yesterday, said that Erdogan’s statements during his illegal visit in the occupied area of Cyprus proved that the Turkish officials do not want a solution in Cyprus.
Criticizing Erdogan for his statements, Elcil said: “The statements regarding the transferring of population from Turkey and the granting of citizenship, the transferring of water and electricity in the country in order for the economic dependence to be increased, confirmed the colonialist policy which is followed by Turkey”.
Elcil stated that all the rights of the Turkish Cypriot deriving from the international law were surrendered to Turkey by the hands of those who rule the “country”, and added that Turkish Cypriot’s communal existence is under threat.
Accusing Erdogan for his statements on the “quarantorship issue”, Elcil stressed that the “responsibility for the quarantorship belongs to all Cypriots”.
Elcil accused also Erdogan for acknowledging the international law, for having a mentality of a conqueror and for confronting Cyprus as his colony. “Congratulations to the new President of the Turkish Republic and to all his Ottoman followers”, Elcil said.
(AK)
5. Titina Loizidou’s house to become a tavern
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (04.09.14) reports that the house of Titina Loizidou is becoming a tavern.
The paper, which notes that the Loizidou case was a landmark in the Cyprus problem, writes that the decision was taken by Kemal Hifzioglu the current inhabitant of Loizidou’s house. Havadis conducted Loizidou who said that she is aware of the fact; however she expressed her shock on this development, noting that the house was build by her grandfather and its transformation into a tavern consists a lack or respect towards Keryneia and towards Keryneia’s past.
6. Denktas to discuss the future of the “Cyprus airport services” in Istanbul
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (04.09.14) reports that the self-styled deputy prime minister and the minister of economy, tourism, culture and sports Serdar Denktas is in Istanbul to hold contacts on the issue of the “Cyprus airport services” (CAS).
According to the information obtained, Denktas will have meetings with officials from the Turkish Airlines and other airline companies.
7. Sixty percent of the foreign workers in the breakaway regime consist of persons from Africa, the Far East and Central Asia
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (04.09.14) reports that 60% of the foreign workers in the breakaway regime consist of persons from Africa, the Far East and Central Asia, adding that the foreign workers from Turkey started in the last years to leave the occupied area of Cyprus and to return to Turkey for finding a job.
The paper writes that the majority of the foreign workers, work in the tourist industry and restaurants and argues that this creates problem to the tourist industry of the breakaway regime.
8. Foreign countries to participate in the 17th TURKSOY Opera Days to take place at occupied Bellapais Monastery
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (04.09.14) reports about the “17th TURKSOY Opera Days” which is taking place between the 14th-26th September 2014, in Istanbul, Bursa, Ayvalik, Marmaris, Odemis towns in Turkey and the occupied area of Cyprus. The concert in the breakaway regime will take place in the occupied Bellapais Monastery which is used as a concert hall.
According to the paper, the f9ollowing countries will participate in the concert: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Altay (Federation of Russia), Bashkortostan (R.F), Gagauzia (Moldavia), Khakas (RF), Yakutat (RF), Tatarstan (RF) and Tiya (RF).
9. Communist writes about the new Turkish foreign policy on Cyprus
Under the title “Turkish Foreign policy in the new era”, columnist Kilic Bugra Kanat writes in Turkish daily Sabah (04.09.14) that in the new era of Turkish politics, the new government formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will continue most of the policies and projects that were started earlier. “However, due to the changes in the system of government and with an elected, active and powerful president, there will be some new features in strategizing, decision-making and the implementation of policies”, he writes and comments on Cyprus: “[…] In this new era Turkish foreign policy may be challenged by two issues that were considered its traditional problems. First of these problems is the Cyprus dispute, the resolution of which has stalled after the rejection of the referendum on the Annan Plan by the Greek part of the island. […] Turkey needs to continue to act pro-actively to find a mutually acceptable solution to problems and to communicate its intention to do so to the citizens of Armenia and Cyprus through well-designed public diplomacy.”
10. The Turkish President to hold bilateral talks with NATO leaders
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (03.09.14) reports that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is participating in the 2014 NATO summit which is taking place in Newport/Cardiff, Wales. The paper writes that on the sidelines of the summit Erdogan is expected to meet with leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
President Erdogan is also expected to meet with Prince Charles during his first NATO summit as president.
During his meeting with Obama, the two leaders are expected to evaluate the latest developments in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and the Palestinian issue. Erdogan will also meet with Greek Prime Minister Samaras and both leaders are expected to evaluate the current state of the Cyprus peace talks.
11. Turkish court jails an officer for seven years for murdering Gezi protester
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (04.09.14) reports that a police officer who shot dead Gezi protester Ethem Sarisuluk during last year’s mass protests in Istanbul has been sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison.
In its verdict, the court found Officer Ahmet Sahbaz guilty on charges of first- degree murder, rejecting the defensce’s claim that the policeman fired his gun in legitimate defence. But the judgment triggered strong reactions by Sarisuluk’s family, who slammed the court for being too lenient. The victim's brother, Mustafa Sarisuluk, said the family would appeal the verdict.
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