TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 168/14 09.09.14
1.Nami met with Lidington, Lord Sharkey and Baroness Ece
2. Ozersay: Both sides should make their positions a little bit flexible
3. Ertug accuses the Greek Cypriots of having miximalistic positions
4. KTOS general
secretary criticized the chairman of a settlers’ association and Erdogan’s
illegal visit
5. Korkmazhan:
The policy of a permanent division under the name of two-state solution is
being carried forward
6. The occupation
regime attended the “Tour Natur 2014 Tourism fair” in Germany; statements by
Asikoglu
7. Turkey, US
discussed joint action against ISIL
8. Turkey’s Foreign
Minister expressed worries that weapons sent to Iraq are falling to PKK
9. KRG leader express
disappointment over Turkey's help against ISIL
10. Turkish columnist
views Turkey’s ties with the USA related with the Cyprus problem as well
1. Nami met with Lidington, Lord Sharkey and
Baroness Ece
According to the
website of the so-called foreign ministry of the breakaway regime in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus (09.09.14), the self-styled minister of
foreign affairs Ozdil Nami met yesterday
with the UK’s Minister for Europe David Lidington.
At the meeting,
which lasted almost one hour, Nami
explained to Lidington the latest stage that the negotiation process has
reached, the problems of the process as well as the reasons of the stalemate.
Nami also claimed that the Greek Cypriot side does not
respect the past convergences and the negligence of them does not make sense,
alleging that the stance of the Greek Cypriot side obstructs the process.
Underlining that
time is a very important factor for the Cyprus settlement, Nami said that the
fact that the Greek Cypriot side plays with time in an incomprehensible way
does not contribute to the solution and added that contrary, it harms the
belief and the hopes of both communities for a solution.
Noting that the
devotion of the Turkish Cypriot community for a solution continues as it was in
2004, Nami underlined, however, that the stance of the Greek Cypriot side
started to disappoint him. Nami added that the more active and constructive
contribution of the United Kingdom as a guarantor country to the process will
affect positively.
After the
meeting with Lidington, Nami met with
Shadow Minister for Europe of the Labour Party Gareth Thomas. During the
meeting, Nami reiterated the reasons of
the deadlock of the negotiation process. He also emphasized the importance
that the Labour Party supported the Turkish Cypriot political party Republican
Turkish Party (CTP), which is at the joint “government” of the breakaway
regime, at the membership process with the Party of European Socialists (PES)
and the Socialist International. Nami further said that in the same way it is
also very important the support of the Labour Party to a Cyprus settlement.
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis (09.09.14) also reports that Nami,
within the framework of his contacts in London, met with the President of the
UK Parliament’s “TRNC Friendship Group”, Lord Sharkey and Vice President
Baroness Meral Ece on Monday.Nami briefed them on the latest stage reached at
the Cyprus negotiations process.
At the meeting, Nami underlined that his main aim is to
learn, as one of the interested parties, the UK Government’s views about the
stalemate reached at the negotiations and how it could be overcome and to
convey the views and proposals of the Turkish Cypriot side in this regard.
Nami claimed
that the refusal, by the Greek Cypriot side, of the past convergences reached
between the two sides proved meaningless and caused loss of time which in turn
did not contribute to the solution process, on the contrary, only served to
block the process.
Nami alleged
that the Turkish Cypriot side, as it has been in the past, continues to be
committed to reaching a solution and efforts will continue in this regard.
Furthermore he added that he will continue to emphasize this issue in all his
contacts.
Thanking Sharkey
and Ece as well as other MP friends at the UK Parliament for their efforts
towards reaching a solution on the Cyprus problem, Nami underlined the
importance of their cooperation and support.
2. Ozersay: Both sides should make their positions a little bit flexible
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (09.09.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot
negotiator, Kudret Ozersay and his team
have met with the UN Secretary-General’s newly appointed Special Adviser
for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide and exchanged
views on the efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. In
statements to Kibris after his meeting with Eide, Ozersay pointed out to the importance of entering into an effective
procedure and claimed that “the commencement of a new stage is a necessity”.
“We think that the new stage should be a
procedure which the sides will launch by making their positions which lay at
the table today a little flexible and meeting at a common point”, he argued
adding that various views exist regarding the way by which this will be done. He said that they discussed the
issue with Eide, who also has his own views. Ozersay noted that Eide is
exerting efforts to bring the sides meet at a common point.
Ozersay
said that they discussed with Eide what issues will be included in the meeting
of the two leaders, what will be done regarding the next stage of the
negotiations, what the role of the UN will be and what their approach will be
when the sides put issues at the table.
Ozersay
noted that agreement exists between the sides on some points regarding the way
by which the process will proceed, but points of disagreement also exist. He noted that they have different approach
on the issue of the past convergences and that a general consensus exists
between the sides regarding the role of the UN.
(I/Ts.)
3. Ertug accuses the Greek Cypriots of having maximalistic positions
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (09.09.14) reports that Osman Ertug, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu, has criticized the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Ioannis Kasoulides for recent statements he made and alleged that the
Turkish Cypriot side is ready to enter into a give and take stage in the Cyprus
talks. “The Greek Cypriot side is the one which avoids doing this by putting
pre-conditions”, he alleged in a
written statement issued yesterday.
Ertug
referred to a statement made by the Foreign Minister reportedly saying that big
disagreements exist between the sides and unless the Turkish Cypriot side
changes some important positions it has, no solution will be reached to the
Cyprus problem.
“First of all, we want to stress to Mr
Kasoulides that the Greek Cypriot side is the one which should change its
views, abandon its maximalistic stance and bring its views to a reasonable,
realistic level”, alleged Ertug claiming that the Greek Cypriot side has no
right to criticize others because it allegedly avoids accepting the
convergences of the past and ‘tries to change even the established UN
parameters formed during decades of negotiations”.
Ertug argued that all six chapters in the
negotiations have been discussed, contrary to what the Foreign Minister had said, and that the sides
have put their proposals onto the table.
Ertug said
that the Turkish Cypriot side also believes that the issue of natural gas and
hydrocarbons might be a catalyzer in the efforts of the sides to reach an
agreement and added that the proposals submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side on
this issue are still on the table.
Ertug also alleged that the statements made by
Foreign Minister Kasoulides make the duty of the UN Secretary-General’s newly
appointed Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide more difficult and do
not help to the creation of a positive climate.
(I/Ts.)
4. KTOS general
secretary criticized the chairman of a settlers’
association and Erdogan’s illegal visit
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(09.09.14) reports that Sener Elcil, the
general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers' Trade Union
(KTOS) criticized strongly Bertan Zaroglu, the chairman of the "culture
and solidarity association" of the settlers from Alexandretta.
Elcil accused Zaroglu
of not supporting the thousands of settlers who came from Turkey and said that
“their efforts and the sweat they shed were exploited”.
Elcil also commented on the illegal visit of
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to the breakaway regime, and said that Erdogan
“performed as a sultan” and added that the political reality exercised by
Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus became for one more time obvious during
the visit. He also said that the establishment of a separate state at the north
of the island, the efforts of destroying the democratic structure in the north
with the population transfer and the efforts of destroying the negotiations with
the Greek Cypriots are the examples of this policy.
5. Korkmazhan:
The policy of a permanent division under the name of two-state solution is
being carried forward
Turkish Cypriot
daily Yeni Duzen (09.09.14) reports that the general secretary of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Abdullah Korkmazhan
said that the policy of a permanent division under the name of two-state
solution is being carried forward, adding that the forces supporting federation
should come together.
In a statement
issued yesterday, Korkmazhan said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his meeting with the Greek Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras on the side-lines of the NATO Summit affirmed his thesis for a permanent
division under the name of two-state solution.
Korkmazhan called on all the forces that support
federation to leave behind their differences and to come together against the
AKP government who appears to want a solution but follows the policy of
deepening the non-solution, the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and all
those who are against the solution.
Korkmazhan also called on the supporters of the
federation to find a single, joint candidate for the upcoming “presidential
elections”.
6.The occupation
regime attended the “Tour Natur 2014 Tourism fair” in Germany; statements by
Asikoglu
According to illegal Bayrak television
(08.09.14) the “TRNC” was represented at
the Tour Natur 2014 Fair which was held in the German city of Dusseldorf.
According to a statement by the so-called
deputy prime ministry and the ministry of economy, tourism, culture and sports,
the “ministry undersecretary” Sahap Asıkoglu attended the fair.
Asıkoglu said in the statement that the “TRNC” was represented successfully at the
fair which lasted 3 days and added that promising developments were experienced
for the development of special interest and cultural tourism in the country.
He also said that
following the completion of works towards the promotion and infrastructure they
aim to increase the number of tourists to the “TRNC” from Europe for cultural
tourism combined with walking tours to 10 thousand in three years.
7.Turkey, US
discussed joint action against ISIL
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (09.09.14)
reports that Turkey and the United
States have launched talks to discuss potential ways of cooperating against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) following a proposal by Washington
to form an anti-terror coalition against the rapidly expanding jihadists.
The U.S. Secretary of
Defense Chuck Hagel met with top Turkish officials on September 8 to take
Ankara’s pulse on what Turkey can do to take part in the coalition, given the
fact that 49 of its citizens are still being held hostage at the hands of ISIL.
Hagel first met with
Turkey’s top soldier, Chief of General Staff General Necdet Ozel, at the
military headquarters, before meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz. Hagel’s visit
was interpreted as a follow-up to Erdogan’s meeting with the U.S. President
Barack Obama on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Wales last week, during
which nine NATO countries, including Turkey, as well as Australia, discussed
the formation of a core group to “destroy ISIL.”
(…)
Meanwhile, Turkey appears to have indicated
that it would list certain caveats to an eventual decision to play a role in
the coalition being constructed by the U.S.
In statements on the issue, Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “Turkey’s participation in every development and in
every step that will be taken within the region is our allies’ desire”.He
however, said that no decision has been made about how to make the coalition
happen. “We stated that we would act with our allies, and we would do whatever
falls on our shoulders on this issue, particularly about the threats in the
region,” he said, when asked whether humanitarian assistance contributions or
military contributions in potential actions against ISIL were expected from
Turkey.
(…)
Despite Turkey’s concerns that its participation
to the coalition can put the lives of its 49 citizens into danger, Washington
believes its contribution to the fight against jihadists is inevitable.
(…)
8.Turkey’s Foreign
Minister expressed worries that weapons sent to Iraq are falling to PKK
Ankara Anatolia news agency (08.09.14) reported
that Turkey's new Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu in statements to Anadolu Agency's Editor's in chief on
Monday said that the PKK Kurdish group
should not receive international weapons meant for use against IS in Iraq.
Cavusoglu stressed
that the international weapons aid being provided to Kurdish peshmerga forces
(Translator’s note: Kurdish guerrilla force in Iraqi Kurdistan) to boost them
in their fight against IS militants should not end up in the hands of the PKK
group.
Cavusoglu said that all factions and people in
Iraq should have access to the country's natural resources, as required by theIraqi
constitution.
All eyes will be once again on Turkey afterU.S.
President Obama announced at the recent NATO Summit a "core
coalition" plan to fight against IS.
The 10 nations are the United States, Britain,
France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Italy, Poland and Denmark, as U.S.
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel announced last week.
Answering a question
about the "Western fighters" in the Middle East, Cavusoglu said that
Turkey has been taking measures to prevent such persons from crossing into
conflict zones via Turkey. "More than 6,000 foreigners considered
potential terrorists banned from entering Turkey," he said.
The issue of foreign fighters' participation in
extremist groups in the Middle East arose after the IS-- formerly known as the
Islamic State of Levant and Iraq -- gained control of Mosul, Iraq’s second
largest city, in June. In Iraq, European fighters have fought alongside the
Islamic State-led militants who have been responsible for killing thousands of
people.
9.KRG leader
express disappointment over Turkey's help against ISIL
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (08.09.14) reported
that the leader of the “Kurdistan
Regional Government” (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani, in statements to Milliyet daily
on Monday, has signaled his disappointment over Turkey's role in the struggle
against Islamist militants in Iraq, saying that although Turkey is sending
humanitarian aid to the region, they expected more from Turkey.
Barzani commented on
the recent developments in Iraq and the threat posed by the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
When asked if the KRG
receives arms aid from Turkey, Barzani said that humanitarian aid comes from
Turkey. “Of course, our expectations were high. I cannot say it [Turkey's aid]
is sufficient. We know how important the hostage issue [Turkish hostages have been
held captive by ISIL] is to Turkey; we understand. However, the strategic
threat posed by ISIL shouldn't be underestimated in Turkey. Aid has been given;
but of course we expected more,” Barzani was quoted by Milliyet as saying.
(…)During the interview, Barzani underlined
that nobody could escape from ISIL, even those who are avoiding being included
in the fight against ISIL. He also urged neighboring countries to Iraq to be
watchful and handle the ISIL advance strategically. “When ISIL feels so strong
as to open a new front, Turkey will get its own share [from its advance] sooner
or later. Its leader [ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-] Baghdadi claims that he is the
caliph of all Muslims and the map [that ISIL has drawn, showing the boundaries
of its territories] is very clear. It also includes Turkey. ISIL is a threat to the stability of the
entire region. There is only one solution to defeat terrorist organizations: to
fight against them. ISIL is not only a threat to us but also to Turkey, Jordan,
Lebanon and Saudi Arabia,” Barzani has reportedly said.
10.Turkish
columnist views Turkey’s ties with the USA related with the Cyprus problem as
well
Under the title:"After the Wales summit", Mensur Akgun, columnist in Turkish
daily Istanbul Star on line (07.09.14) evaluates the recent NATO’s summit in
Wales and Turkey’s ties with the USA in relation to the Cyprus problem.
“(…). The bilateral and multilateral meetings
that took place in the margins of NATO summit were just as important as the
gathering itself. From Turkey's standpoint, the most important one was the meeting that
occurred between President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and [US] President [Barack]
Obama, and which could be considered lengthy. To the extent that was reflected to the
outside, the leaders, meeting for the first time in 17 months, had a sincere
meeting, and decided to meet again within the current month.
What appears is that Israel, the criticisms on
Egypt, and the press campaign against the American Ambassador in Ankara have
begun to be forgotten by the Obama administration, and particularly that the
deepening differences of view in the course of the Gezi Park incidents have
been shelved. America has once again realized
the specific gravity of its ally Turkey.
It has begun once again to see us as a bridge between East and West.
I hope that Ankara as
well, on this occasion, has seen how important Washington is for itself, and
that giving substance to the relationship that it terms a "model
partnership" is important, and that its partner's expectations are just as
important as its own expectations.
Because there is no need for this partnership to be shaken yet again, or
for the relationship at the political level to be suspended again.
Of course, America and
Turkey are not going to think in the same way in every area from now on, and
their interests will not always coincide.
The interests and the expectations of the two countries on a great many
issues, ranging from Israel to the sanctions that efforts are made over and
over again to implement against Iran, are going to be different.
America is going to try to manipulate and
direct us, and to put our relations with a good many countries, and
particularly Russia, into an impasse for the sake of its seasonal enthusiasms.
If we surrender to Washington, then while
trying to normalize our relations with Armenia we will lose Azerbaijan, and
while trying to defend Ukraine will experience a crisis with Russia and for the
sake of Iraq's territorial integrity would harm our relations with the Iraqi
Kurds. On Cyprus, America thinks first of all, as does every state, of its own
interests, and if it imposes a solution in some places, it imposes solutions
that will meet its own expectations.
But we do have a relationship with America; we have established a
partnership with it, but we are not obliged to surrender to it just because we
call this a "model partnership."But we are obliged to speak, look one
another in the eyes, deepen the diplomatic and political relations, and exert
an effort to understand America. Only if
we understand it can we influence it and arrange for it to take a stance
alongside our own interests and expectations, and to stand by us.
ISIL, and the savagery
it has displayed, have also created opportunities, as well as risks and threats. One of these opportunities has been the
opportunity to normalize the relationship between America and Turkey.
In my view, we should exploit such an important opportunity that the
current constellation of circumstances has created, and we should avoid styles
and statements that would create tension or resentment between the two
countries. Let us expend our diplomatic
energy in order to increase our strength, reinforce our influence, and bring
America to our side.
Let us also not
fantasize. Let us not forget that we are
going to be obliged to bargain with America on almost every issue and in every
area. If we leave it to its own devices,
America will defend, on all the issues we face, the interests of others more
than ours. It will try to push us to the
forefront in the struggle against ISIL.
It will favor the Greeks on Cyprus.
In the Caucasus, it will ascribe importance to Armenia rather than to
Azerbaijan. But if we cannot talk with
America, it will do all of these things much more easily and much more
comfortably”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
