TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 195/14 18-20.10.14
1. Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa vessel launches exploration
activities
2. Eroglu sent a letter to UNSG calling for the
re-launching of negotiations without any precondition
3. Nami: “The Greek Cypriots will certainly return
back to the negotiating table”
4. Nami’s contacts in Budapest
5.Ozersay: Our expectations do not match with the
Greek Cypriots’ expectations
6. Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the breakaway
regime’s policy on the property issue
7. “Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union” participated
in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
8. Erdogan and Obama agreed to strengthen anti-ISIS
fight; Erdogan: the PYD is the same as the PKK, it's a terrorist organization
9. EU’s Turkey Rapporteur hails new EU strategy
1. Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa vessel launches
exploration activities
According to
illegal Bayrak television (20.10.14) the NAVTEX (Navigational Telex), which
Turkey has announced, will be put into force as of todayfor the commencement of
seismic surveys from October 20 to December 30.
According to
Bayrak, the Turkish research vessel Barbaros is to begin seismic research off
the coast of Cyprus today amid growing tensions in the area. The Barbaros is
being accompanied by supporting vessels M / V Bravo and M / V Deep Supporter
close to blocks 2 and 3 in the island’s EEZ.
2. Eroglu sent a letter to UNSG calling for the re-launching of
negotiations without any precondition
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.10.14) reported that
the Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu sent a letter to the U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for the re-launching of the negotiations
with the Greek Cypriot side.
According
to a statement issued by the so-called president’s office, Eroğlu asked from
the UN Secretary General to use his good offices mission so that the Greek
Cypriot side to return without any precondition to the negotiation table, for
reaching a “fair, sustainable and negotiated solution”, for the Cyprus problem,
saying that negotiations are the only way for reaching a reconciliation.
In
the letter Eroglu expressed his sorrow for the decision of the Greek Cypriot
side to leave the negotiation table after the seismic explorations conducted by
the Barbaros Turkish vessel in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of
Cyprus claimed that what is said on this issue by the Greek Cypriot side is
wrong and claiming that this is a technical problem created by the Greek
Cypriot side.
He
also alleged that natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under
a united Cyprus and accused the Greek Cypriot side of aiming to usurp the
Turkish Cypriots from their hydrocarbon resources rights. He further claimed
that they expressed many times their concern and objections to the efforts of
the Greek Cypriot side to use unilaterally these sources adding that the
hydrocarbon resources belong to t both sides of Cyprus.
3.Nami: “The Greek Cypriots will certainly return
back to the negotiating table”
Under the above
title, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.10.2014) reported on
statements by the so-called foreign minister OzdilNami who evaluated to illegal Bayrak television (BRT) the Cyprus
problem and the exercise which is planned to take place in the Eastern
Mediterranean by the Republic of Cyprus.
Speaking about
the Cyprus negotiation process which was suspended after the President of the
Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades left the negotiating table, Nami said: “The Greek Cypriot leader got a blow in the
process; however, the Greek Cypriots will certainly return back to the
negotiation table”.
Nami also alleged: “They will certainly return back to
the negotiating table, since the excuse they provided has not been accepted by
anybody as valid. They did not found the support they expected. Their entire
tactic here was to create a crisis and get support by some countries that they
considered to be close to them, in order to obtain a diplomatic profit. Since
they have realized that this will not happen, they have driven their selves
into the corner. Therefore, they will do their maneuver for their returning to
the negotiating table and this process will continue”.
Pointing out
that a strong will-power is necessary by the United Nations in order for the
Greek Cypriots to return to the negotiating table, Nami stated that the Turkish
Cypriot leader’s letter to the UN’s Secretary-General is very important and
said: “Hopefully, the Secretary-General
will move more strongly to affect the Greek Cypriot side, after receiving this
letter”.
Regarding the exercise which is planned to take place
in the Eastern Mediterranean, Nami said: “I hope that the Greek Cypriot side
will not carry out the planned exercise, if it carries out the exercise then
certainly the tension will be increased since for a long time several exercises
were mutually being suspended. I hope that they will reconsider the
materialization of the exercise which is actually a unilateral violation”.
Alleging that both communities in the island have
rights from the natural gas to be found, Nami stated that the Turkish Cypriot
side will continue to protect their rights. “Our aim is to reach to a
comprehensive solution and then to utilize the natural gas, however; the Greek
Cypriot side continues its insistent stance by taking unilateral steps”, Nami
claimed.
Alleging that
the Cyprus problem is not possible to be solved only with the will of the
Turkish Cypriot side, Nami said that they are expecting by everyone to make all
the necessary.
Regarding the
opening of a “TRNC’s representation” in Hungary, Nami said: “We undertook our
first steps for the opening of a representation, in order to contribute to the
speedy development of our bilateral ties on the fields of economy and culture”.
Nami added that
the Hungarian officials are interested in citrus fruits, food products and the
“universities”.
(AK)
4. Nami’s contacts in Budapest
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (19.10.14), self-styled minister of foreign
affairs OzdilNami, who was in Budapest for the inauguration for the “TRNC
representative office”, had also various meetings on Friday. Nami met with ZsoltCsenger-Zalan, First
Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian National
Assembly, and IstivanIjgyarto, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade.
Nami also held a meeting with GyörgyKerekes, CEO of the Hungarian
Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, and his team.
In a
statement during the meeting, Nami stated that the tourism sector in the “TRNC”
(translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic
of Cyprus) is important and developing, that the hotels have a bed capacity of
over 20,000 and that their 6-star hotels attract tourists from all over the
world. Nami also claimed that foreign investors are welcome to invest in “North
Cyprus” and that they are given incentive by the “government” through reasonable
taxes.
Alleging
that “North Cyprus” is an emerging centre for higher education in the Eastern
Mediterranean, Nami stated that nearly 60,000 students from various parts of
the world are receiving education there. Nami also claimed that their “universities”
and “institutions of higher education” are accredited by many international
institutions.
Nami
invited potential businesspeople to visit the “TRNC” and become a part of this
growing sector.
Nami
also met with Turkish and Hungarian businesspeople who are involved in commerce
in Hungary at a working meeting and discussed business opportunities in the
“TRNC”, as well as the Cyprus issue. Nearly 20 businesspeople, Turkish
Ambassador to Budapest SakirFakili, and the representative of the breakaway
regime in Budapest Arif Altay attended the working meeting. SuatKarakus,
President of the Turkish-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, presented a plaque
symbolic of the day to Nami.
Finally, Nami gave also an interview to LeventeSitkei, Foreign
Politics Journalist of the Magyar Nemzet newspaper.
5. Ozersay: Our expectations do not match with the Greek
Cypriots’ expectations
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi Daily News (online, 17.10.14), “presidential candidate” KudretOzersay
claimed that the solution from now on is not going to be easy but that it is
not impossible, adding: “If I believed that the solution was impossible I would
have not made all the effort for the last 12 years
Participating
in a programme on Turkish Cypriot private channel GencTv, Ozersay said: “The
negotiation table has been a table that has brought separation”.
Asked to comment whether he believed negotiations would lead to
unification Ozersay said; “It is not an easy issue. Especially when it comes to
the timing of the negotiations and the solution it becomes evident that our
expectations do not match with the expectations of the Greek Cypriot leadership”.
Ozersay claimed that the majority of Turkish Cypriots want a solution, but the
Greek Cypriot community thinks that it does not matter if the solution happens
now or 6 months later and added: “There is less interest for a comprehensive
settlement. If I thought that the solution was impossible I would not have put
this effort for the last 12 years. A comprehensive solution is possible but in
today’s circumstances it is extremely challenging”.
Noting
that relationships with the Greek Cypriots should be established regardless of
the delays in finding a solution, Ozersay added: “We should sort out our own
institutions.”
Referring
to “temporary Article 10 of the constitution”, Ozersay said that it needs to be
changed. He noted that the relationship with Turkey should be shaped within the
framework of the agreements. Ozersay added that he supports the change of
“article 10” and because of this “a military support agreement should be
signed”. He promised that if he becomes “president”, he will take initiative on
this matter.
On
the same issue, in an interview to journalist Osman Kalfaoglu of the Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris (20.10.14), Ozersay stressed that the future of the
Turkish Cypriots should only be discussed through the Cyprus talks, adding that
despite the fact that the negotiations are an important factor for the future
of the Turkish Cypriots, the rights of the Turkish Cypriots regarding natural
resources, their relations with Turkey, how their institutions will develop in
relation to international law should also be taken into consideration. Ozersay
explained that they only focused on the Cyprus talks, but they have to look more
widely.
6. Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the breakaway regime’s
policy on the property issue
Writing
in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.10.14), Turkish Cypriot columnist
Hasan Hasturer refers to a lecture delivered on Friday night by German
Professor Dr Roland Czada on the property issue and reports, inter alia, the
following:“…The property issue is a problem for everybody living in northern
Cyprus. The property issue has been
administered in a wrong way after 1974. Let alone the annoyance and the
expectations of the Greek Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriot community’s sense of
justice has also suffered its deepest injury in the practices of the property. The immovable properties left by the Greek
Cypriots have in a sense been looted with the mentality of a plunderer. (…)
We
have listened to the experiences in Germany by Professor Dr Roland Czada. (…)
The problem in Germany was the resources period or the solution period.
Problems have been definitely experienced in both periods. However, I am sure
that the problems were more intensified when those who had suffered losses
would be given their rights. (…)
We have lived here by turning our back to the international law.
(…) We have been mistaken. What have the Greek Cypriots done with the Turkish
Cypriot immovable properties? They organized their use, their possession. They
have not given ‘title deeds’ to anyone.
What have we done? We have made up a cover and created ownership
of rights. Afterwards, we have distributed ‘title deeds’
[Translator’s note: The columnist writes the word “title deeds” in inverted
commas]. Forty years passed since 1974. And we still see the description
‘property with Turkish title deed’ on the for sale signboards. If these
properties are with ‘Turkish title deed’, what is the title deed of the other
properties? (…) That is, even we do
not believe in the given title deeds. In the end, we have sweetly and docilely
established by law a Compensation Commission.
We have accepted the demands of the pre-1974 Greek Cypriot owners for
theproperties with TRNC title deeds in the lands ‘watered with the martyrs’
blood’. Efforts are exerted for settling the issue in the negotiations with
return, exchange or compensations. The system seems to have been congested
there as well. Why? Because when the issue comes to the point of compensations,
‘there is no money’!!! When the night before Ersin Tatar [Translator’s note: former self-styled finance minister
of the regime] made an evaluation on the
issue and asked a question, he said that ten billion euro are needed in order
for the Greek Cypriots to be compensated. (…)”
Hasturer
continues referring to the issue in his column today (20.10.14) and reports,
inter alia, the following:“It is obvious that the Turkish Cypriot side will
need a very serious amount of money for paying compensations. Some people say
‘Turkey should give it’. However, everyone knows that this will not happen,
could not happen in practice. (…)”
(I/Ts.)
7. “Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union” participated in the
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (20.10.14) reports that the “Turkish Cypriot
Municipalities Union” participated in the congress of Local and Regional
Authorities of the Council of Europe (LRACE) which took place in Strasbourg
between 13-16 of October.
The
“Turkish Cypriot Municipalities Union” was represented by its chairman, “mayor”
of occupied GeunyeliAhmetYalcinBegli and the member of the “union” and “mayor”
of occupied MorfouMahmutOzcinar.
According
to the paper, in the sidelines of the Congress Benli and Ozcinar held meetings
with the Secretary of LRACE Jean Philippe Bozouls to whom they send a message
for the importance of the solution of the Cyprus problem as well as for the
importance of the participation of the Turkish Cypriots to European platforms.
8. Erdogan and Obama agreed to strengthen anti-ISIS fight;
Erdogan: the PYD is the same as the PKK, it's a terrorist organization
According
to Turkish daily Sabah (online, 20.10.14), during
a telephone conversation on Sunday, Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan
discussed regional issues with his American counterpart Barack Obama, and the
two leaders agreed to strengthen the joint struggle against the Islamic State
of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a statement released by the Turkish Presidency
said. While Turkey echoed its demands that a no-fly zone and safe zone are
a must for it to join a military campaign against ISIS, the two leaders
discussed ISIS advances in Iraq and Syria and how it could be stopped. The
Turkish leader stressed his NATO member country is hosting over 1.5 million
Syrian refugees, 180,000 of whom entered the country when ISIS militants attacked
the Kurdish populated Syrian town of Kobani in September. While returning from
his official trip to Afghanistan on Saturday, President Erdogan spoke to
journalists on the plane; he rejected calls for Turkey to arm the Democratic
Union Party (PYD) – PKK's Syria wing – in Syria, describing the group as a
terrorist organization.
"There has been talk of arming the PYD to form a front here
against ISIS. For us, the PYD is the same as the PKK, it's a terrorist
organization," Erdogan said. "It would be very, very wrong
to expect us to openly say 'yes' to our NATO ally America to give this kind of
support. To expect something like this from us is impossible," he said.
Erdogan's
reaction came after a U.S. State Department official held direct talks for the
first time last weekend with the PYD. The direct talks with the PYD have raised
doubts since it is the PKK's Syrian affiliate and officially listed as a terror
organization by the U.S., EU and Turkey. "We have for some time had
conversations through intermediaries with the PYD. We have engaged over the
course of just last weekend with the PYD," State Department spokeswoman
Jen Psaki said in Washington.
As
Ankara and anti-ISIS coalition officials hold talks on an action plan against
ISIS, the U.S. has pushed its demands to access the İncirlik base, but Ankara
has listed its demands of a no-fly zone and safe zone to let the coalition use
Turkish bases.
Commenting on the use of Incirlik, Erdogan said the U.S. is not
clear on how it wants to use the base, located in southern Turkey. He added
that once the U.S. puts its request down on the table, Turkish officials would
discuss whether such a demand is acceptable or not.
"If it's not a convenient demand, it won't be possible for us to say
'yes,' " he added.
9. EU’s Turkey Rapporteur hails new EU strategy
According
to Turkish daily Sabah (online, 20.10.14), Kati Piri, the new Rapporteur of the
European Parliament for Turkey, stated that she finds Turkey’s newly announced
EU strategy positive and welcomed the government’s determination on the
reconciliation process that aims to end the decades-long conflict in southeast.
The
Daily Sabah spoke with the new Rapporteur about Turkey's EU bid and other
regional issues.
Asked
to comment on the last progress report, regarding positive and negative
aspects, Piri said: “I think it's a very balanced report. The positive things
that have been going on for the last year in Turkey have been highlighted and
honestly praised. Among them of course, there is the settlement [reconciliation]
process that was also conceived as a very positive step taken by the
government, as opposed to what has been seen for the last couple of years. This
is a clear credit given by the European Commission to the latest government in
Turkey. The Readmission Agreement, which is very important for the EU, has also
been ratified. There is an ongoing visa liberation process that is a crucial
thing for Turkish people. These are positive aspects, on the one hand. On the
other hand, concerns have been raised
mainly on the rule of law and the quality of Democracy, which is the core of
the EU accession process in my opinion. The concerning points there are about
the independence of the judiciary, freedom of media and freedom of expression.
These issues are also debated in the European Parliament, and the resolution
calls on the EU to open negotiations with Turkey on Chapter 23 on the judiciary
and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security in order
to accelerate reforms in these areas. Besides, there is a willingness from the
Turkish government to intensify the talks through engagement with more
dialogue.
In the question: “Despite all the efforts from Turkey for opening
up chapters 23 and 24 because of the blockage made by the Greek Cypriots, talks
have stagnated for a couple of years. Don't you think that it is conflicting to
require Turkey to attain EU standards without any negotiations?”,Piri said:“On
the one hand, you're absolutely right. Not just me, but in the last report
under the rule of this parliament, the opening of chapter 23 and 24 is called
for. We know that it is not the Parliament or
the Commission that did the blocking, but it is inside the Council. Frankly speaking, it is unlikely that this
blocking will suddenly be removed. From this perspective, the best option would
be to open negotiations, to look at the benchmarks and to make progress on
that. On the other hand, I believe that what the EU sets as standards on
the independence of the judiciary is quite clear. If the Turkish government
wants to make progress on this issue, it does not have to wait officially for
chapters to be opened; it can be done in different ways.”
----------------------------------------------------
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
