TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
37/15 25.02.15
1.
Nami continues his contacts in Saudi Arabia; He called OIC’s member states to
“lift” the so-called embargoes and President Anastasiades to return to the
table
2.
Akinci calls on Turkey not to renew Navtex in order to give a chance to the
re-launching of negotiations
3.
Eroglu alleged that the Greek Cypriot side has excessive demands on the
territory issue
4.
“Association of martyrs families” condemned EU Parliament for blaming the
Turkish Cypriot side for removing missing persons remains
5.
Davutoglu to talk Cyprus issue with UNSG in New York
6.
Turkish nationals residing in occupied area of Republic of Cyprus may vote in
the general elections in Turkey at the “embassy”
7.
Erdogan and Ozel responded to harsh criticism from Bahceli over mausoleum
operation; Kilicdaroglu criticizes the government
1.Nami
continues his contacts in Saudi Arabia; He called OIC’s member states to “lift”
the so-called embargoes and President Anastasiades to return to the table
Under the title: “There is intelligible meaning for the isolation”, Turkish Cypriot
daily YeniDuzen newspaper (25.02.15) reports that the so-called foreign minister OzdilNami, within the framework of his
contacts in Jeddah held yesterday a press conference for the Saudi Arabia
media.
According to the “information
department” of the so-called ministry, Nami
stated during the press conference that there is not an intelligible meaning
for the “isolations” imposed on the Turkish Cypriot “people” and called the
member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to undertake
steps for the “lifting” of the so-called embargoes, supporting that this will
contribute to the solution and peace and not the division of the island.
Nami
briefed also the Saudi press about the Cyprus problem and the Cyprus
negotiation talks.
Referring to the negotiation talks, Nami
alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side’s stance during the negotiations for
finding a federal solution was always positive and constructive.
Pointing out that in spite of the fact
that it was the Turkish Cypriot side which voted in favour of the Annan plan
while, on the contrary, the Greek Cypriot side voted against the plan, he said
that it is “unacceptable” and “meaningless” for the Turkish Cypriots to
continue to be under several “isolations”.
Describing
as a positive development the fact that the Turkish Cypriots’ observer status
in the OIC has changed to “Turkish Cypriot State” after the period of the Annan
Plan, Nami pointed out to the need for the OIC’s member states to take mutual
steps for the “lifting” of the “isolations imposed on them and for the
development of ties with “North Cyprus” in all fields.
Claiming
that the Turkish Cypriot side continues to support strongly the peace and the
federal solution on the island, Nami called on the President of the Republic of
Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades to return to the negotiation table the soonest
possible without preconditions and start the negotiations towards a solution in
Cyprus.
Within the framework of his contacts in
Jeddah, Nami met also yesterday with the
Vice President of the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) Abdul Razig M. Abdul Razig.
Speaking during the meeting, Nami
thanked Razig for the various contributions and projects that the ISF provided
to the Turkish Cypriot “people” since 1976.
Claiming that it is “meaningless” for
the Turkish Cypriot “people” to live under “unjust isolations”, Nami said that
in this context, ISF’s support is very important.
Razig
in his turn said that ISF’s support for the Turkish Cypriot “people” will
continue in the future. Razig also stated that they are ready to contribute to
the new projects coming from Turkish Cypriots in the future.
(AK)
2. Akinci calls on Turkey not to renew Navtex in order to give
a chance to the re-launching of negotiations
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (25.02.15) reports that independent candidate
for the “April 2015 presidential elections” Mustafa Akinci stated that the
Cyprus negotiations must be re-launched in the coming period and that the new
leader of the Turkish Cypriot side who will be elected in the “presidential
elections” will help towards this development.
Akinci made
these statements in the framework of his election campaign where he was asked
to comment on the negotiations.
Akinci
further stated that both sides in Cyprus must take steps for the negotiations
to start again. He also said that the breakaway regime must tell Turkey not to
renew Navtex so that a chance is given to the negotiation. At the same time, he
said the Greek Cypriot side must stop saying “we are the State we can make
research and we will share the profits in natural gas after a solution is
reached”. Turkish Cypriots also have the right to share the profits and have
rights in the island’s natural wealth, Akinci stated.
(CS)
3.Eroglu
alleged that the Greek Cypriot side has excessive demands on the territory
issue
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper
(25.02.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot
leader DervisEroglu, within the framework of his “election campaign”, visited
yesterday the occupied Ortakoy village (Mintzeli) where he briefed the
residents of the village on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem and
his “candidacy”.
Speaking about his “candidacy”, he
alleged that up to now he followed a policy towards the “Turkish Cypriot
people’s rights and benefits” and added that the “expectations” of the Turkish
Cypriots are very important to him.
Referring
to the Cyprus problem, he stressed the need for the solution to be found not to
take them back to pre-1974 conditions on the island, adding, that the solution
to be found should take into consideration the “existing realities” on the
island.
Accusing
the Greek Cypriot side of having excessive demands on the territory issue,
Eroglu said: “They want the whole of Karpasia, from KomatouGialou. This is as
having a part of a map. They want north Mesaoria from the boundaries of the
Famagusta municipality. Is this not part
of a map also? They want the area from Gerolakkos to Morfou. If they also want
Kythrea, NeochorioKythreas, Trachoni and Voni, is this not a map as well? (…)”,
Eroglu wondered.
Claiming
that he is still at the table, Eroglu said that he will continue to be there
until the night of April 18 and added that he informed theUN
Secretary General's Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide about this.
(AK)
4. “Association of martyrs’ families” condemned EU Parliament
for blaming the Turkish Cypriot side for removing missing person’s remains
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(25.02.15) reports that the “Association of martyrs families and war veterans”
in the breakaway regime condemned the European Parliament for blaming the
Turkish Cypriot side for removing
remains of Greek Cypriot missing persons from their burial places in the
occupied Assia village.
The
association issued a statement and conveyed it to the UN office in Cyprus in
order to be delivered to the UN Secretary General.
In the
statement the association, called the European Parliament to cancel its
decision “in order to preserve their objectivity in such a humanistic issue”.
It was also stated that “it is a clear proof that the EP’s decision is
unilateral and the Turkish Cypriot missing persons are not examined under an equal
basis with Greek Cypriot missing persons in the EU”.
(CS)
5. Davutoglu
to talk Cyprus issue with UNSG in New York
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (25.02.15)
reports that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will visit New York on
March 3-7.
Citing sources from the Prime Ministry,
Davutoglu is expected to meet financial and investment circles as part of the
second leg of an investor conference that was held in London in January. During
the visit, he will also hold talks with direct investors and portfolio
investors. Apart from limited participation meetings with financial circles as
G20 term president, he will also hold private talks with major investors.
During his
visit, Davutoglu is scheduled to meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on March
5 to discuss important issues including Syria, Iraq and the Cyprus problem.
He will also attend a series of meetings at
think tanks and meet representatives of U.S. media.Meanwhile, Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (online, 25.02.15) reports that Davutoglu will only go to
New York and there are no plans to hold talks with American officials.
(DPs)
6. Turkish
nationals residing in occupied area of Republic of Cyprus may vote in the
general elections in Turkey at the “embassy”
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (25.02.15)
reports that the so-called embassy of Turkey in the occupied part of Nicosia
announced yesterday that the Turkish nationals residing in the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus will be able to vote in the upcoming general elections
in Turkey at a ballot station on the “embassy grounds” between the 8th
and 31st of May.
According to the announcement, the Turkish
nationals should check at the Turkish High Electoral Council’s (YSK) website
whether or not they are registered to vote abroad. If they are not registered,
they need to apply no later than the 13th of March 2015, the
announcement said. The final voters list, once approved, will be posted on the
same website on the 14th of April 2015.
(DPs)
7. Erdogan
and Ozel responded to harsh criticism from Bahceli over mausoleum operation;
Kilicdaroglu criticizes the government
Turkish daily Hurriyet (25.02.15), in its
front page under the title “Erdogan: You cannot even be a piece of his nail”,
reports that the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) DevletBahceli
told his party's parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday that the Republic of
Turkey has withdrawn from the country's land by carrying out an operation to
relocate Suleyman Shah’s tomb and the 40 Turkish soldiers who guarded the
territory. He accused the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff
of “cowardly abandoning a piece of Turkey's land”.
"What
is homeland for you," Bahceli asked the Chief of Staff, saying Ozel had to
explain which military necessities lay behind the operation. Bahceli also
wondered if there was a military necessity in the “TRNC” (translator’s note:
the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus), what they
would have done. Would they have transferred Cyprus to Mersin, Antalya or to
Yozgat, Bahceli asked.
The paper reports that Ozel responded to
Bahceli, in a written statement issued by his office, describing his words as
inappropriate concerning his personality and his ideas saying: “I am of the
opinion that he does not have the right to question my conscience on my
country, my nation and my flag as a person who has served the Turkish people
and its army for the last 46 years.” Ozel added that he does not want to engage
into polemics with Bahceli because of his political identity.
Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan also
replied yesterday to the criticism of the opposition party leader, saying
Bahceli was targeting the government and the Turkish Armed Forces with his slanders,
lies and rude insults. “I cannot keep silent against those attacks on me, the
Prime Minister, and the Chief of Staff over the operation,” Erdogan said. “You
cannot even be a piece of a nail of our Chief of General Staff”, Erdogan said
to Bahceli over his remarks on Ozel.
On the same issue, Hurriyet reports that
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has
criticized the government over the recent evacuation of the Tomb of SuleymanSah
within Syrian territory, describing it as an “abandonment”. “On what grounds
are you evacuating the tomb and carrying away the bodies [buried there]?”
Kilicdaroglu said at the weekly meeting of his party’s parliamentary group on
February 24.
The Republic of Turkey has secured the presence
of the Tomb of SuleymanSah through several international treaties, including
the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, the founding treaty of the Republic of Turkey,
Kilicdaroglu said, asking: “Why are we abandoning it [now]?”.“[What would] the withdrawal of soldiers
from a place known to be territory of the Turkish Republic in international
treaties, bombing the tomb and removing the bodies be called?” he asked.
Kilicdaroglu
noted that as CHP, they added to the territories of the Turkish Republic
Alexandretta (Hatay) in 1938 and in 1974, they went to Cyprus by using their
guarantor rights. Kilicdaroglu added that if they want to see a victory they
should look at Sakarya, Afyon, and the mountain range of Pentadaktylos in the
occupied part of Cyprus.
(DPs)
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs
/ ICh)
