TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 166/14 05.09.14
1. Ozersay: Ban’s statement is positive and constructive
2. Turkey’s EU Minister: “The Cyprus problem should be solved within its own parametres”
3. Eroglu met with TISIAD’ delegation
4. Turkey’s MFA’ response to the Greek Foreign Ministry on Erdogan’s illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus
5. Nami due to London
6. “Turkey’s new Cyprus strategy”
7. “To forgive and to compromise”
8. Ozyigit to attend the CHP’ congress in Ankara
9. Serdar Denktas evaluates his contacts in Turkey; CAS will start offering services
10. Denktas called on Sheraton hotel to make investments in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
1. Ozersay: Ban’s statement is positive and constructive
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (05.09.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay, commenting on the statement made by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after his meeting with his newly appointed Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, said that the statement was positive and constructive.
Ozersay said that Mr Ban, by emphasizing how much importance the UN attaches to a Cyprus settlement and noting that important gains achieved so far should be entrenched, is significant.
Looking at the timing of Eide’s appointment and the statements, Ozersay said that they expect the new Special Adviser to work in earnest on the issue of disciplining the negotiation process.
Ozersay also said that it is positive that it was said clearly that they should built on what has been agreed in the past.
2. Turkey’s EU Minister: “The Cyprus problem should be solved within its own parametres”
Turkish daily Yeni Safak newspaper (04.09.14-online in English) reports that Turkey's new Minister for EU affairs Volkan Bozkir in statements to Ankara Anatolia news agency (AA) expressed hope that the EU's 2014 progress report on Turkey, to be released in October, will not include "offensive words".
Bozkir said that a Turkish delegation would pay a visit to Brussels to hold talks on the next progress report in the forthcoming days.
"The progress report should be jointly prepared and functional both for the EU and Turkey," said Bozkir. "We have received criticisms from the previous reports and tried to correct them. I hope the progress report will not include offensive words", he added.
Bozkir said that the EU should look at the right picture about Turkey, warning that an "inappropriate tone" in the report would cause more problems. Bozkir said that he rejects the widespread belief that the accession process had slowed down and that the Turkish people are not fully behind it.
Regarding the Cyprus problem, Bozkir said that progress had been made due to U.S. intervention and added: "The US did what the EU could not do, or omitted (to the Cyprus issue)".
Bozkir also said that Germany could help Turkey's EU Membership bid by lifting the blockade of Cyprus; however, he added: "If Germany wants they can persuade the Cyprus administration to open the 10 chapters, but they don't."
Bozkir said that they hope to open new chapters during Italy's EU Presidency, launched on July 1, and will run to December 31, 2014.
On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (05.09.14) reports that Bozkir reiterated that the opening of the fenced off town of Varosha is not a condition for the opening of new chapters, adding that Turkey cannot give anything in order to open a new chapter. He explained that the Cyprus problem should be solved and should be remained within its own parameters.
He also said: “Give up the ports and solve thoroughly the Cyprus problem”, adding that when the Cyprus problem is solved then neither the problem of ports, nor the trade nor the identity will remain. He went on: “We will quit calling you the Greek Cypriot Administration, you will not call us TRNC, and we will talk about a founded state. The two communities will take part as founding (states) here”.
3. Eroglu met with TISIAD’s delegation
According to illegal Bayrak Television (04.09.14) Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met with a delegation from the Turkish-Iraqi Industrialist and Businessmen Association (TISIAD) which is holding contacts in the “TRNC”.
Speaking during the meeting, the chairman of the delegation Nevfet Kılıc noted that Turkey, following Germany was the second leading country for their exports.
Stressing that Turkey, both in terms of the construction sector and for exports was an important market for Iraq; Kilic said that their aim was to make the “TRNC” a part of that market.
He also added that they will do their best to encourage Iraqi businessmen to invest more in the TRNC.
For his part, Eroglu pointed to the importance of the establishment of such an association through cooperation with Turkey, highlighting the importance of marketing of products produced by countries.
Stating that the Iraqi market will be open to more construction contracts as a result of the destruction of the country by the ISIS militants, he said that it would be pleasing if Turkish Cypriot investors, businessmen and industrialists got a share of this.
Meanwhile, as part of their contacts in the “TRNC”, the delegation met also with the leader of the main opposition National Unity Party Huseyin Ozgurgun.
4. Turkey’s MFA’ response to the Greek Foreign Ministry on Erdogan’s illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak television (04.09.14) the Turkish Foreign Ministry has responded to criticisms made by Athens regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the “TRNC”.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said that they were astonished by the remarks made by the Greek Foreign Ministry Spokesman regarding Erdogan’s visit to the “TRNC”, stating that the comments did not reflect the understanding of cooperation that existed between the two countries.
Bilgic said that the Turkish President during his visit to the “TRNC” had once again highlighted the Turkish side’s determination to achieve a just and lasting solution in Cyprus, as well as Turkey’s expectation from Greece to fulfill its responsibility in that direction, as a guarantor power.
“As this is the situation, the Greek Foreign Ministry Spokesman’s remarks come as a great astonishment to us. It is also difficult to understand why exploration activities launched within Turkey’s continental shelf of which Greece has no connection was mentioned”, he said.
Pointing out that Turkey and Greece’s involvement in the Cyprus issue in the past as guarantor powers had yielded positive results; Bilgic said that Turkey, as mentioned by President Erdogan during his visit to the “TRNC”, in full cooperation with the United Nations and the other two guarantor states, will continue to be one step ahead on the “Cyprus issue”.
5. Nami due to London
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (05.09.14) reports that self-styled foreign minister Ozdil Nami is flying today to London.
Nami will have high level contacts in London and will also meet heads of NGO’s representing Turkish Cypriots who live there.
The self-styled undersecretary of foreign ministry Erhan Ercin, the self-styled private secretary Huseyin Ozel and the political expert Ipek Borman will accompany Nami during his contacts.
6. “Turkey’s new Cyprus strategy”
Under the above title, columnist Yahya Bostan in Turkish daily Sabah (05.09.14-online in English) views Turkey’s new strategy on the Cyprus problem, as follows:
“It is a tradition for Turkish Presidents and Prime Ministers to pay their first overseas visits to Northern Cyprus and then to Turkic Republics, especially Azerbaijan, once they take the office. Although not very often, the list of visits may include countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan instead of Azerbaijan. These visits, which show Turkey's foreign policy priorities to the public and diplomatic circles, may change with the diversification of Turkey's strategic priorities in the upcoming period. It will not be surprising if the Balkan countries are included in the list of "first countries to be visited."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not break this tradition after he was sworn in as President. Before attending the NATO Summit in Wales, he paid visits to Northern Cyprus and Azerbaijan. Erdogan's visit to Northern Cyprus carries a lot of weight, as a new era begins in Cyprus, where Turkish and Greek Cypriots resume peace negotiations. The most important reason why I call it a new era is because Turkish Cypriots and Turkey are going through a serious emotional break with the EU. In 2004, Turkish Cypriots, who consented to the Annan plan that suggested a two-state federal structure, were disappointed when Greeks, who objected to this plan, were accepted to the EU.It is possible to say that this disappointment deepened further due to unfair practices and international segregation against Northern Cyprus and Turkey. Worse still, the EU has lost credibility in the eyes of Turkish Cypriots and emotional bridges have been broken down.
This emotional breakaway from the EU can be associated with the economic crisis that the EU undergoes and Southern Cyprus' failure to make the expected move. This, of course, does not prevent the Turkish Cypriots from coming to the table with Greeks to initiate negotiations. However, it should be underlined that Greek Cypriots' attempts to postpone the reconciliation are not regarded as a major problem like it was before. This emotional break is also reflected in Turkey's Cyprus policy. Turkey pursues a longer-term investment strategy which will boost mutual interdependence and improve Cyprus' economic and social infrastructure. For example, in the upcoming months, Turkey will start to supply potable water from southern Turkey to Northern Cyprus via a pipeline under the Mediterranean Sea. I do not need to elaborate on the significance of potable water for an island which is surrounded by salt water and is devoid of sufficient potable water resources. The next step to be taken is about electricity. Once the water supply project is completed, Turkey will start to transfer electricity to Cyprus in a similar way through the Mediterranean Sea. These two vital projects which will connect Turkey and Cyprus more, will be in favor of the Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish government suggested that if the Greeks Cypriots want it, they can benefit from Northern Cyprus' water and electricity. Turkey wants them to acknowledge that this is a well-intentioned step for peace, although it finds southern Cyprus' unilateral steps taken in oil and natural gas ill-intentioned.
Ankara is in favour of the continuation of peace talks and the idea of a two-state federal structure. However, it thinks that Southern Cyprus procrastinate peace talks to gain time. Everyone should realize that Erdogan cannot offer such opportunities forever. Nobody has the right to jerk around Turkey and the international community by extending the U.N. process over a period of time. Ankara says they are running out of patience and toleration. This indicates that Turkey has come to a new threshold on the Cyprus issue and is seeking a different formula. Turkey has never argued for a de facto application in Cyprus like Russia's annexation of Crimea, but this does not mean that Ankara will not seek other ways of finding a solution.
7. “To forgive and to compromise”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (05.09.14) under the title: “To forgive and to compromise” publishes the following commentary by columnist Yusuf Kanli:
“(…) Talking last week at the 25th book fair hosted by the famous Isık Bookstore - which is more than just a bookstore, but also a meeting place in Nicosia’s old quarter for Turkish Cypriot intellectuals, particularly on Saturdays —George Vassiliou said that a Cyprus settlement must be built on two cornerstones: Forgiveness and compromise!
Easier said than done, particularly on an island with such a traumatic past and where the larger community refuses to acknowledge, even after more than half a decade, its horrendous crimes. Vassiliou was right to stress that had Greek Cypriots not struggled to achieve a union with Greece, “Enosis,” it would have been much easier to resolve the Cyprus problem. Yet, he was wrong. Because if the Enosis campaign had not been launched, and had the Turkish Cypriots opposing Enosis not been butchered, tortured, traumatized, and massacred, then there would not be a Cyprus problem in the first place. It was saddening to see even Vassiliou involved in that systematic denial policy.
However, more and more Turkish Cypriots are waking up from that “motherland” and “kinderland” fairy tale, understanding they are being colonized by Turkey and realizing the urgent need for a resolution on the island through “forgiving,” and, of course, “painful mutual compromise.” Unfortunately, Greek Cypriot politics continue to be obsessed, as the sole legitimate government of the island according to the international community, and has been expecting Turkish Cypriots to succumb eventually to Greek Cypriot domination and give up their demands for political equality.
Turkish Cypriots woke up from a nightmarish dream, despite the disapproval of people like this writer who opted for a settlement even if it is bitter; they demonstrated that decision in the 2004 referendum.
No… No… I will not repeat that at the identical referendum in the Greek side, the Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly voted against the U.N. plan and demonstrated their disinterest in a power-sharing deal with the Turkish Cypriots. That is known by the entire world anyway. Since 2004, even opponents have learned to respect the pro-settlement resolve of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Of course, the colonization policies of the past 12 years of Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule helped a lot as well. Now, the rumor is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gathered political party leaders at the Turkish embassy, opposite the Turkish Cypriot parliament, and told them to stop creating hurdles to increasing the population of northern Cyprus with new citizens from Turkey.
Unfortunately, Vassiliou is a rich but lone man in Greek Cypriot politics. His wise but late call will not fall on the deaf ears of those in government who are still trying to make a deal with Ankara, rather than a painful compromise with the Turkish Cypriots.
Why? Because had they accepted the Turkish Cypriots as their counterparts, who should be accorded full political equality and with whom power must be shared, in which case there would not be a Cyprus problem anyhow…
To forgive and to compromise… The meaning of those words is apparently long lost in Cyprus. The Turks cannot forgive the wrongs they faced, and the Greeks cannot compromise…”.
8. Ozyigit to attend the CHP’ congress in Ankara
According to Turkish daily Kibris Postasi (04.09.14-online in English), the leader of the Social Democratic Party (TDP) Cemal Ozyigit, will attend the Republican People’s Party (CHP) 18th extraordinary congress, which will take place tomorrow in Ankara.
According to a statement issued by TDP, Ozyigit will also hold a series of contacts.
Ozygit is expected to return to the occupied area of Cyprus tomorrow evening.
9. Serdar Denktas evaluates his contacts in Turkey; CAS will start offering services
According to illegal Bayrak television (04.09.14) the so-called deputy prime minister Serdar Denktas met with Turkish Airlines officials in Istanbul and stated that the “state” run ground services at illegal Ercan Airport-CAS will start offering services again.
The chairman of the “aviation workers union” (Hava-Sen), Buran Atakan welcomed the announcement by Denktas.
Denktas met yesterday with representatives of several Turkish airline companies, including Turkish Airlines, operating flights to and from the “TRNC”.
Evaluating his contacts to illegal BRT, Denktas said that CAS will be providing ground services for Turkish Airlines at illegal Ercan Airport.
Stating that he held also meetings with smaller private jet companies, Denktas said that they had signed a deal for the Near East University’s plane.
He added that 137 out of the 169 CAS workers’ contracts had been terminated while 67 of them had reapplied to work for the company. “Things are looking good and CAS will be ready to offer good and quality services soon” claimed Denktas, adding that the legal and technical procedures will not take too long.
Denktas also explained that the Turkish Airlines will continue to provide all kinds of support including the training of staff at CAS.
He also pointed out that he had also found the opportunity to discuss other issues with the Turkish Airlines, such as carrying more tourists to the “TRNC” from destinations such as Moscow.
10. Denktas called on Sheraton hotel to make investments in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (05.09.14) reports that the self-styled deputy prime minister Serdar Denktas, in a speech at the opening of the Sheraton hotel in Adana, called on the owner of the hotel, Turkish Cypriot businessman Serdal Adali to make investments in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
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