TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
19/15 29.01.15
1.Turkey’s
MGK decided for Turkey to possess its own platform, after Erdogan’s
instructions
2.
Nami evaluates Tsipras election victory
3.
Turkish Cypriot negotiator urges suspension of gas drilling
4.
European Commission tries to find a solution to the continually decrease of the
trade within the Green Line Regulation
5.
Turkish Cypriot columnist: Turkey wants to legalize the illegal fait accompli
created in 1974 with the occupation of Cyprus
6.
AKP Deputy alleged that SYRIZA’s positions on the Cyprus problem, the Aegean
issue and Israel are very close to Turkey’s positions
7.
Turkish Cypriot columnist assesses how Turkey and Turkish companies exploit the
occupied area of Cyprus
8.
Asikoglu: “The economic crisis in Russia might affect the TRNC’s tourism”
9.
The occupation regime’s Federation of Judo Hapkido and Kickbox to attend IKSA
meeting in the Czech Republic
10.
Turkey’s EU Minister: Turkey is ready to join EU in 2 years
11.
Erdogan will visit Latin America
12.
Turkey’s population figures released
13.
A journalist faces 2 years in jail for insulting President on Facebook
14.
Presidential system to be included in AK Party’s election manifesto
1.Turkey’s
MGK decided for Turkey to possess its own platform, after Erdogan’s
instructions
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (28.01.15)
reports that Turkey’s National Security
Council (MGK) has decided during its last meeting that “Turkey should have in
its possession its own drilling platform; either by buying one or by
manufacturing one”.
According to the paper, Turkey’s President RecepTayyip Erdogan has
put forward the issue into the agenda of MGK in order for steps to be taken for
the protection of Turkey’s rights in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this
framework, Erdogan has given instructions to Turkey’s National Security Council
to discuss the issue in details.
Erdogan
who pointed out that they will mobilize all their means in order to use all
their rights in the Mediterranean; he gave instructions to take the necessary
steps in order to have their own drilling platform.
Stating
that foreign oil exploration companies should not carry out drilling activities
in controversial areas in the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan said: “We will
take matters into our own hands”.
According to the decision which was
received by MGK, Turkey’s TPAO (Turkish
Petroleum Corporation) will increase its effectiveness in the Eastern
Mediterranean by possessing a drilling platform it has found, costing 1,5
billion dollars. The above mentioned platform belongs to a well-known energy
company, writes the paper, and adds that Turkey with this investment will
have the potential to operate in all regions without it being necessary to look
for agreements with big firms for carrying out drilling in the Mediterranean.
The
paper adds that Turkey’s TPAO will carry out new partnerships since after
possessing its own drilling platform, it will make drilling agreements and
seismic researches with other countries as well, besides the Mediterranean and
the Black Sea.
(AK)
2. Nami
evaluates Tsipras election victory
According to illegal Bayak television
(online, 28.01.15), self-styled foreign minister OzdilNami, evaluating the
early election results in Greece to the Ankara Anatolian news agency, said that
the Turkish side is hoping for better relations with the Greek side after the
Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza) won the elections.
Nami expressed the hope that the newly
elected Greek Prime Minister will inspire the Greek Cypriot side towards a
solution to the Cyprus problem.
Noting that once a solution is found to the
Cyprus problem peace will spread in the region and economic gains will be
achieved, Nami said and added that they
hoped that the New Greek government will inspire and encourage the “Greek
Cypriot Administration” (editor’s note: as he refers to the Cyprus Government)
to work towards a settlement.
Nami also expressed the hope that the Greek
government will meet the expectations of the Greek nation.
“It is Greece’s own concern whether or not
it will fulfil its responsibilities on the Cyprus problem” Nami, pointing out
that Greece has not been involved with the Cyprus problem for some time due to
its domestic problems.
Reminding that Greece as a guarantor power
has responsibilities on the Cyprus issue; Nami said: “The UN Secretary General
is currently carrying out a good offices mission. The UN is expected to
contribute to a settlement. The latest UNFICYP report has been published and we
are now waiting for the decision to be taken by the UN Security Council. The UN
Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide has pointed out that he will continue his
efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. He said that both
sides desired the resumption of the talks. That is why we are expecting Greece
to contribute to efforts aimed at restarting the stalled negotiations process”.
Nami also expressed his hope that relations
between Turkey and Greece will further improve with the new government in
Greece and added: “Greece is a country supporting Turkey’s EU membership and we
hope this government will carry this support even further. (…) It is a known
fact that the economic relations with Turkey are very important for Greece. The
lingering of the Cyprus problem prevents the relationship from reaching its
full potential”.
3. Turkish
Cypriot negotiator urges suspension of gas drilling
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
28.01.15) reports that Greek and Turkish
Cypriots should both agree to suspend the search for offshore natural gas until
they have reached a settlement to reunify their divided island, the chief
Turkish Cypriot negotiator has said, as Turkey’s Foreign Minister expressed
hopes of finding a solution to the issue with the new Greek government.
“We will
hopefully look forward to finding an arrangement during which both sides will
refrain from continuing activities in the sea, get to the negotiating table and
find a way to deal with the hydrocarbons issue,” said Ergun Olgun, the Turkish
Cypriot negotiator.
Both sides should agree to suspend
exploration to open the way for a resumption of the peace talks, he told
Reuters in an interview.
Olgun also accused the Greek Cypriot side
of using gas exploration as “a pretext to continue with the perpetuation of the
status quo in Cyprus.”
Finding oil
or gas could be a blessing or a curse, Olgun said during a visit to Brussels
where he was holding talks with European Commission and European Parliament
officials.
“Unfortunately Greek Cypriots have managed
it in a way that it has turned into a curse so far. But we can turn it into a
blessing with the understanding that we will benefit from hydrocarbons
following a settlement of the Cyprus issue”, he claimed.
The recent slide in energy prices is not
helping the case for exploration off Cyprus, Olgun said. “Why should we
artificially put before a Cyprus settlement an issue which economically no
longer makes sense? Petrol companies are withdrawing their interest,” he added.
On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily
Kibris (29.01.15) reports that Olgun, speaking to the paper, said that the
reasons a Turkish Cypriot delegation went to Brussels, is that the Cyprus
negotiation process has entered its last stage and they will discuss in EU
circles the path they can follow to safeguard a comprehensive solution in the
coming period. He added that they will explain to EU circles the Turkish
Cypriots’ perspectives and they will also hear the thoughts of the members of
the EU Commission and the European Parliament.
Olgun also said that the delegation, who
went to Brussels on the day before yesterday, will hold meetings on practical
issues like halloumi / hellim and will search for ways to obtain cooperation in
a way that respect to the rights of both sides is shown.
Meanwhile, evaluating UN Secretary
General’s special envoy on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide’s latest statements on the
UN Security Council, Olgun said: “All great minds think alike” and added that
the obstacles before the negotiations
should be lifted.
4. European
Commission tries to find a solution to the continually decrease of the trade
within the Green Line Regulation
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(29.01.15), it is reported that the European Commission will continue to look
for ways to develop the Green Line Regulation.
Citing sources by the Commission, the paper
reports that it is interested at the moment on authorizing the trade of farm
fish. In the past years, permission to the trade of fresh fish and potatoes
cultivated with certified seeds was also given.
According to sources, the yearly report of
the Commission on the Green Line Regulation notes that there is an important
decrease of the Green Line trade. In the report, an emphasis to the problem
regarding the processed food was also given. Reminding that the Direct Trade
Regulation is still pending at the European Parliament, the sources added that
the Commission did not think of a new initiative that will take the place of
Direct Trade. However, it is reported that in case all the concerned sides of
the Cyprus problem include Direct Trade in the Confidence Building Measures,
then the Commission will support it.
The sources noted that the proposal of
Direct Trade is on the table as part of the Cyprus problem, adding that there
is also the view that direct trade of Turkish Cypriots with the EU for
supporting the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community may help
the reunification of Cyprus.
5. Turkish Cypriot columnist: Turkey wants to legalize the
illegal fait accompli created in 1974 with the occupation of Cyprus
Under the
title “While Tsipras is preparing to visit Cyprus”, columnist Mehmet Levent writes in Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika
newspaper (29.01.15) that everyone is
curious to see the views and the steps which the newly elected Greek Prime
Minister Alexis Tsipras will take as regards Cyprus.
Noting that
it is not very difficult to predict Turkey’s expectations from Tsipras, Levent
argues that the Greek Prime Minister will become the “number one supporter of
the solution and reconciliation”, if he says “stop the explorations for natural
gas and return to the negotiating table, accept the sharing of natural gas with
the Turkish Cypriots, accept Varosha to be returned after the comprehensive
solution, do not react to Turkey’s drilling for energy resources in Cyprus’
territorial waters, accept the lifting of the embargoes implemented on the
Turkish Cypriots and opening of negotiation chapters as regards Turkey’s EU
accession and accept that all Turkish citizens who were granted the TRNC
citizenship will become citizens of the newly established state”.
Levent
adds, inter alia, the following:
“The ‘solution’ which Erdogan and the AKP
want is known. They are after a ‘solution’, which will secure the legalization
of all illegal fait accompli that Turkey created in 1974 with the occupation of
the northern part of the island and are at the same time crimes of war! Tsipras adopting all these, which would be
tantamount to accepting such an illegality, the occupation and the war crime as
a solution, is something that cannot be imagined.
Therefore,
hoping that the outstanding change in Greece will contribute to the solution of
the Cyprus problem is nothing more than dreaming, because of the ongoing
negative stance of Turkey! It is
unfortunately nothing else than very excessive optimism to think that Turkey
will abandon this negative stance and its demands and be able to turn into an
opportunity for a real and fair solution in Cyprus the big change that occurred
with a leader like Tsipras.
[…] Tsipras
is a big opportunity for Greece. However, because of Turkey’s and its
supporters’ negative stance, unfortunately it does not seem possible for him to
contribute in the solution of the Cyprus problem, even if he wanted it!”
(I/Ts.)
6.AKP
Deputy alleged that SYRIZA’s positions on the Cyprus problem, the Aegean issue
and Israel are very close to Turkey’s positions
Under the title: “SYRIZA’s Cyprus positions are close to ours”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris Postasi reports on statements
by BurhanKuru, “Deputy” with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in
Istanbul and Chairman of the Constitution Commission in Turkey, who in a
message in his personal account in twitter concerning SYRIZA’s victory in
Greece, alleged that the messages SYRIZA sent concerning the issues of Cyprus,
the Aegean and Israel, are very close to Turkey’s positions.
(AK)
7. Turkish Cypriot columnist assesses how Turkey and Turkish
companies exploit the occupied area of Cyprus
Under the
title “The awry relations with Turkey”, columnist
BasaranDuzgun explains in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(29.01.15) how Turkey and Turkish
companies economically and politically exploit the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus. Duzgun refers to an activity planned for yesterday by
the Turkish Cypriot Building Contractors’ Union as a protest against the fact
that tenders for projects in the occupied area of Cyprus are invited only in
Turkey. He notes that the protest did not take place yesterday as a result of
an agreement reached with the self-styled government. He goes on and writes,
inter alia, the following:
“[…] I do
not know why it was cancelled and how the government will solve this problem. The problem, however, exists for 30 years.
And even if it has caused debates and protests from time to time during these
30 years, it has somehow not been solved. Just like many other problems
have not been solved. The business world
(justifiably in my view) says ‘invite the tenders here, let us also
participate, and let this be life saving for the economy which is anyway in
crisis. Those who secure the opening
of the tenders in Ankara are defending this by saying ‘we give the money, so
these tenders are for our building contractors’. That is, those who give
the money appoint who will do the job. […]
A similar situation exists in the advertisements of the companies
which have Turkey as their origin or the products which come to the TRNC from
Turkey or in the social responsibility projects.
For
example, AKSA company controls almost
half of the electricity consumption in the TRNC. It earns a guaranteed amount
of money of around 40 million dollars. Very well, have you ever seen an
advertisement of AKSA in the newspapers or on televisions? AKSA company is the sponsor of not one but two teams in Turkey’s Super
League. It spends a lot of money for these sponsorships. Very well, what does it spend in the TRNC?
In which social responsibility project it contributes? How much money it spends
from the two-billion dollar products that come from Turkey? Let me tell you how
much. [This money] is not even a drop in
the ocean. […]
The same is valid for Turkish Airlines or the other [companies].
The deposits in the banks from Turkey exceed one billion, but you cannot see
them performing even one activity here. The same
[is valid] for the gigantic hotels which
are exempted from any kind of tax and tariff.
They are going further and attempt to direct the TRNC administration,
politics and media.
It is
obvious that this cannot continue like this. And a government of socialist
origin has really a lot to do on this issue. […]”
(I/Ts.)
8.Asikoglu:
“The economic crisis in Russia might affect the TRNC’s tourism”
Under the front-page title: “We need a new strategy in tourism”,
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.01.15) reports on statements by SahapAsikoglu, “undersecretary” of the
so-called ministry of tourism who in statements to the paper, referred, inter
alia to the economic crisis in Russia and warned that this might have a
negative effect on “TRNC’s tourism sector”.
Stating
that because of the economic crisis in Russia, it is expected that this year
the number of Russian tourists who are travelling to Antalya will be decreased
by 1,5-2 million, Asikoglu explained that this will also affect the tourism in
the “country” and added: “The hotel prices in Antalya will be reduced. We will
be forced to be competitive. For this reason, we need a new strategy. As a
ministry, it is essential to rush forward. The same situation existed in the
case of the UK as well and we achieved to attract tourists at the last minute
with the advertisements we did. We must do the same this year as well”.
Referring
to the occupation regime’s tourism, Asikoglu said that it is going well and
added that the number of tourists and the overnight stays have increased. He
added that the tourism revenues for 2014 are 714 million dollars, (1 billion
677 million 900 thousand T.L) and stressed that they expect the tourism
revenues for 2015 to reach 735 million dollars.
Referring to the “tourism sector” in
2015 and 2016, Asikoglu predicted that a serious crash might be experienced
because of several external factors. “We have a serious problem. We have
launched a charter flight project which is a highly subsidized project. Since
our country is not recognized, the number of flights was not enough. And we
were not in a position to predict this”, he said.
Supporting
that the “budget amount” which is allocated for the “tourism sector” in the
“country” is very restricted, Asikoglu stressed the need for this amount to be
increased in order to be able to promote the “TRNC” more.
Explaining
that they have asked for an additional allowance of 10 million T.L (around 3
million Euro) from the “state” for this year, Asikoglu stated that they will
use this money in order to advertise and promote the “TRNC” in Germany, the UK
and Scandinavian countries.
Regarding the tourist agencies which
transferred tourists in the occupation regime with charter flights, Asikoglu
said that they have only paid them 70% of incentive fees and clarified that
they will give them the remaining 30% as soon as they will be able to have the
money from the 2015 budget.
As
regards the number of tourists in the occupied area of Cyprus, Asikoglu said
that for 2014 it was approximately 1 million 200 thousand and added that they
expect that in 2015 they will increase by 7-10%.
Concerning
the occupation regime’s participation in fairs abroad, Asikoglu said that it is
the first time since 1974 that they participated in nine different fairs abroad
in one week.
Stating
that they participated in work shows in Glasgow, Manchester and Dublin, he
added that they attended tourism fairs in the Netherlands and Finland and said
that they are planning to participate in 10 more fairs.
(AK)
9.
The occupation regime’s Federation of Judo Hapkido and Kickbox to attend IKSA
meeting in the Chech Republic
Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis newspaper
(29.01.15) reports in its sport pages that the “chairman” of the “Judo Hapkido and Kickbox Federation”, NiyaziDemirel
will fly to Prague tomorrow in order to attend the International Sporting
Kickboxing Association (ISKA) meeting of directors, which is scheduled to take
place there between January 31-February 1st.
According to the paper, Demirel, besides attending the meeting,
will further carry out contacts with the President of ISKA, Cory Schafer
and the ISKA’s UK Executive Director Paul Hennessy.
10. Turkey’s
EU Minister: Turkey is ready to join EU in 2 years
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(28.01.15), Turkey will be ready to become a full member of the EU in two
years’ time, Turkey’s EU Minister said on Wednesday.
To gain membership, Turkey must also
successfully conclude negotiations with the EU in 35 policy chapters, which
involve reforms and the adoption of European standards. So far, 14 chapters
have been opened, while 17 remain blocked and another four have yet to be
discussed.
"Turkey will have all the chapters
closed in two years’ time," VolkanBozkir told the Anatolia news agency
during his official visit to Spain's capital, Madrid.
Bozkir added that Turkey's aim is to reach
the EU's standards. Saying that Turkey is economically in a much better
situation compared with many other EU countries, Bozkir added: "The EU
does not have the luxury not to enroll Turkey".
The Minister also said that today's
realities made it impossible for the EU to act as a Christian association and
added that the union needs Turkey.
11. Erdogan
will visit Latin America
Under the title “Erdogan going to Cuba, no
plan to build mosque”, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 28.01.15) reported
that President RecepTayyip Erdogan will visit Cuba as part of a Latin American
tour next month, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said at his first press
conference at the newly built presidential palace, adding, however, that there
is no plan to lay the groundwork to build a mosque there.
News reports have said that Erdogan will
oversee the beginning of construction of a mosque when he visits Cuba in
mid-February, in line with his controversial remarks in November that Muslims
discovered America first and that a mosque once sat on a hill along the Cuban
coast.
“I will talk to my brothers in Cuba and a
mosque would suit the top of that hill today as well. We would build it if they
[the Cuban government] say so,” Erdogan then said.
“There is no plan to lay the groundwork for
a mosque during our Cuba visit. It's not in our program,” Kalin told reporters.
A Turkish delegation travelled in April to
Cuba to seek permission to build a mosque in the Cuban capital of Havana.
Turkish media has subsequently reported, however, that Cuban authorities
rejected the request, submitted by Turkey's Religious Affairs Foundation (TDV).
Kalin was appointed presidential spokesman
in December. He became the first spokesman for the Turkish presidency, as part
of a restructuring in the presidential team following Erdogan's election to the
top state post in an election on Aug. 10.
12. Turkey’s
population figures released
According to Turkish daily Sabah (online,
29.01.15), the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) has released the latest
figures on Turkey's population. According
to the latest data released by TÜİK, Turkey's official population in 2014 was
77,695,904, an increase of 1,280,040 people compared to the previous year.
Turkey has a population of 38,984,302 men
(who make up 50.2% of the total population) and 38,711,302 women (49.8% of the
total population), according to the data.
The report has also stated that the yearly
population increase was 13.3% in 2014, a slight decrease on the 13.7% increase
in 2013.
The urban population makes up 91.8% of
Turkey's total population, an increase of 0.05% compared to the previous year.
The population in Turkey's most populated
city, Istanbul, has also continued its increase with 1.5% added to the
population in 2014. Istanbul's current population was declared as 14,377,018.
Ankara's population of 5,140,072 and Izmir's population of 2,787,539 followed
Istanbul as the second and third most crowded cities in Turkey.
The median age for Turkey's population has
been declared as 30.7 in 2014, an increase on the age of 30.4 recorded in 2013.
The median age is 30.1 for men, and 31.3 for women according to statistics
released.
Turkey has been placing an emphasis on the
proportion of its population made up by young people, but with such an increase
in its median age group, the figures are likely to change.
13. A
journalist faces 2 years in jail for insulting President on Facebook
According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 28.01.15), a journalist in the southern province of Adana is facing
two years of imprisonment after a prosecutor filed a criminal case against her
for insulting President RecepTayyip Erdogan on Facebook, the Dogan news agency
reported on Wednesday.
Mine Bekiroglu, a 28-year-old journalist
who works for a local newspaper, was detained by the Adana Police Department
Cyber Crimes Unit on Feb. 15, 2014, over claims that she insulted then-Prime
Minister Erdogan on Facebook. Bekiroglu's personal computer was seized for
examination and she was released pending trial after interrogation.
The prosecutor of the case prepared an
indictment against Bekiroglu, seeking a prison sentence of between one and two
years. The Adana 6th Criminal Court of Peace recently accepted the indictment.
Bekiroglu, who says her Facebook posts about Erdogan did not include an insult
but only comments and criticism, is expected to appear before the court soon.
14. Presidential
system to be included in AK Party’s election manifesto
According to Turkish daily Sabah (online,
29.01.15), with only months left before the June 7 national election, the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has stepped up its efforts to
shift the Turkish political structure toward a more comprehensive and
applicable presidential system. A presidential system that was mentioned by
both President RecepTayyip Erdogan when he was directly elected as president,
and AK Party officials, is expected to be included among the party's 2015
election campaign promises.
The presidency model on which the party
works is expected to be based on the decision-making processes between state
mechanisms. Reportedly, the AK Party is not interested in bicameral
legislature, or the navette system used in France, since it is reminiscent of
the 1960 Constitution enacted after the 1960 coup d'états, which was the first
coup in modern Turkish history where the Constitution introduced a senate to
form a bicameral system. The party is working on a unicameral system instead of
this model.
The
presidential model brought to the table by the AK Party stipulates that the
President is the head of executive power. He represents the Turkish State and
the unity of the nation. The President will be directly elected and his/her
tenure will be five years. The President cannot be elected more than twice.
Like the current system, the President will approve laws and will have the
authority to assign or discharge senior public officials and to assign or
discharge ministers.
The duties and responsibilities of the
current Parliament will continue, as it will have the authority to enact a law,
to approve a budget, to decide to issue money or wage war. It will be
responsible for controlling the executive.
It
is expected that all details of the presidency system will be brought to the
table after the June 7 national election. Governmental sources say that the
presidential system will be the framework and details will be clarified after
negotiations.
The
presidency model aims to create a political ground where each segment of the
society is represented in the Parliament.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
