TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
23/15 04.02.15
1.
Bozkir: Greek Premier’s move to meet with Turkish Cypriot NGOs is a positive
sign
2.
Turkey’s MFA spokesman: Tsipras’ statements do not contribute to the solution of
the Cyprus problem
3.
Eroglu alleges that Prime Minister Tsipras’ statements indicate that the
Greek-Greek Cypriot mentality in Cyprus continues
4.
Turkish Cypriot NGO’s: Meeting with Prime Minister Tsipras was a positive step;
Turkish officials should also meet with Cypriot NGO’s
5.
Nami: “We support all efforts exerted towards the lifting of the isolation”
6.
Ozgurgun met with the Slovakian and Polish Ambassadors to Cyprus
7.
More about the plot of land “rented” by Evkaf administration for the wild donkeys
8.
Turkey informs US that Gulen's passport was cancelled; Turkey seizes control of
Islamic lender Bank Asya
9.
Parliament debate on controversial security bill postponed until next week
10.
Taraf’s journalist into custody for insulting Erdogan and Fidan
1. Bozkir:
Greek Premier’s move to meet with Turkish Cypriot NGOs is a positive sign
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(03.02.15) , there is no need for a new dispute between Greece and Turkey,
Turkey’s European Union Minister VolkanBozkir said on Tuesday.
In comments made to the media before
leaving for the U.S., Bozkir said Greece's economic slump will affect Turkey.
He also said that Greece has "a lot on its table" right now.
About how the elections in Greece that
brought Syriza’s Alexis Tsipras to power will affect bilateral relations,
Bozkir said: "We consider Tsipras' move to meet Turkish non-governmental
organization officials during the Greek-Cypriot administration’s (editor’s
note: as he refers to the Cyprus Government) visit (Monday) as a positive
sign". He further expressed his hope for an end to the dispute over the
island during Tsipras' term.
Tsipras sent on Monday a message to the EU
that Greece and Cyprus are pillars of stability in the region and that fact
must be understood by Europe who is thinking only in terms of economy.
2. Turkey’s
MFA spokesman: Tsipras’ statements do not contribute to the solution of the
Cyprus problem
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(04.02.15), Turkey wishes to find a solution of the Cyprus issue based on
political equality, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Addressing a weekly briefing in Ankara, Spokesman
TanjuBilgic said that Turkey will always continue to support the Turkish
Cypriots. "Our wish is to resume the negotiation process as soon as
possible and find a solution based on political equality on the island,"
Bilgic said.
"Our priority is to ensure full
benefits for the Cypriot people," he added.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, during
his first official visit to Cyprus Monday, said, "Turkey's sending of the
Barbaros Hayrettin seismic vessel (in October last year) is a clear violation
of international law and a sabotage of peace negotiations". Tsipras called
on Turkey to respect international law and not threaten Greece for the
continuation of negotiations.
On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily
Havadis (04.02.15) reports that Bilgic referring to Tsipras’ statement
regarding the Barbaros exploration vessel said that these statements as a
guarantor power and as a motherland cannot contribute to the solution of the
Cyprus problem. He added that one of their primary aims is the Turkish Cypriots
to benefit from their rights on the island such as the natural resources.
3. Eroglu alleges that Prime Minister Tsipras’ statements
indicate that the Greek-Greek Cypriot mentality in Cyprus continues
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.02.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader DervisErogluhas alleged that what he
described as “attack” made by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during
his recent visit to Cyprus against the system of guarantees “is an indication
that the Greek-Greek Cypriot mentality continues the same as in the past”.
In
statements yesterday during a visit to the within the walls area of occupied
Nicosia, Eroglu said that the
continuation of Turkey’s active and effective guarantees in a possible
agreement on the Cyprus problem is sine qua non for the Turkish side.
Eroglu
reiterated the allegation that the Cyprus problem has not ended because of the
stance of the Greek Cypriot side and Greece which supports the Greek Cypriots.
Eroglu
noted that something, which the Greek Prime Minister said during his joint
press conference with President Anastasiades at the Presidential Palace, was
very important. “He said that the relations between Turkey and Greece pass
through Cyprus”, he pointed out adding that Prime Minister Tsipras “opposed
also to the existing system of guarantees which include Turkey’s active and
effective guarantees”.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper publishes Eroglu’s statements under the title
“Our state is our strength”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Turkish Cypriot NGO’s: Meeting with Prime Minister Tsipras
was a positive step; Turkish officials should also meet with Cypriot NGO’s
Turkish
Cypriot daily YeniDuzen newspaper (04.02.15) reports that representatives of Turkish Cypriot civilian organizations evaluated
their recent meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during the
latter’s recent visit to Cyprus. They
said that Prime Minister Tsipras’ meeting with Turkish Cypriots was something
positive and had a symbolic meaning. They went on expressing their expectation
as regards similar meetings with officials from Turkey when these officials
visit the island.
DogusDerya, who participated in the meeting on behalf of the
Feminist Atelier (FEMA) said that first of all they held a sincere and warm
meeting and pointed out that this was the first meeting of a Greek Prime
Minister with Turkish Cypriot NGO representatives, something which is an indication of the will of the Greek
Prime Minister for a federal solution. She said that they all had the
chance to talk for about two minutes each and expressed the belief that this
was a “good step for the Turkish-Greek peace”.
OkanDagli, who represented the Famagusta Initiative at the
meeting, said that this was something done for the first time and pointed out
that never before a Greek Prime Minister had met with NGO’s. He noted
that this was a symbolic meeting and that Prime Minister Tsipras talked only
for about five minutes during the 40-50 minute-meeting. Dagli said that he invited Tsipras to Famagusta and Tsipras asked
him whether Turks and Greeks live together in Famagusta. “When I told him that
we continued living there after our Greek neighbors left, he was surprised. I
think he had a different concept for Famagusta”, he argued describing their
meeting as “very positive” and wished
for the officials from Turkey to meet with NGO’s.
NiyaziKizilyurek, representative of the Federal Cyprus Initiative,
said that lessons should be learned from this meeting adding that NGO’s should
be active in the quest for a solution in Cyprus. “After
this gesture by Tsipras”, he added, “theadministrators
of Turkey should undertake similar initiatives”.
MeltemOnurkanSamani, representative of the Historical Dialogue and
Research Association, saidthat all the Turkish and Greek leaders
pay their first visit abroad to Cyprus, but the difference in this case was the fact that Prime Minister Tsipras
met with bi-communal NGO’s. She noted that even foreigners want to listen
to NGO’s, but the so-called embassy of Turkey keeps a distance from such
meetings.
(I/Ts.)
5. Nami:
“We support all efforts exerted towards the lifting of the isolation”
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
(04.02.15), self-styled foreign minister OzdilNami met yesterday with
IlkerZugurt, Chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Businessmen’s Council (KTIAK), and
his delegation. They exchanged views regarding the steps that can be taken in
2015 towards the lifting of the “isolation” imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, as
well as towards increasing foreign trade.
Zugurt conveyed information to Nami
relating to the contacts held by the Council in various European countries.
Nami emphasized the existence of close
relations between the “ministry” and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and
stated, in this connection, that the “ministry” strongly supports the
initiatives of organizations abroad, adding: “We support all efforts exerted
towards the lifting of the isolation”.
6. Ozgurgun
met with the Slovakian and Polish Ambassadors to Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 03.02.15), the leader of the main opposition National Unity Party
(UBP) Hüseyin Özgürgün met with foreign Ambassadors serving in Cyprus on
Tuesday morning.
Slovakian Ambassador to Cyprus Oksana
Tomova and Polish Ambassador to Cyprus Barbara Tuge-Erecinskapaid a courtesy
visit to Ozgurgun.
The UBP “deputy” and foreign relations
secretary TahsinErtugruloglu and “deputy” HamzaErsan Saner were also present at
the meeting. No statement was issued before or after the meeting.
7.More
about the plot of land “rented” by Evkaf administration for the wild donkeys
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(04.02.14) reports that the Evkaf
administration, in a written statement yesterday commented on the reports
that a Greek Cypriot cemetery lies in the plot of land which it has “rented” in
the occupied “municipality” of Rizokarpaso to fence in the wild donkeys in the
occupied peninsula of Karpasia and stated
that if there is a Greek Cypriot cemetery in the plot of land, they will
maintain it and put it under protection.
The Evkaf administration commented also
on the reports published in the press under the title: “They gave to the
donkeys the Greek Cypriot cemetery”, and said that this report does not reflect
the reality.
The Evkaf administration supported that
the photos published by Afrika newspaper showing the Greek Cypriot cemetery,
were taken in the village and not in the plot of land which was allocated for
the donkeys.
According to the paper, the
“municipality” rent a 409 donum (translator’s note: a land measure of about 920
square metres) area in occupied Karpasia near to Apostolos Andreas Monastery in
a symbolic price to be used as a pasture area for the wild donkeys.
(AK)
8. Turkey
informs US that Gulen's passport was cancelled; Turkey seizes control of
Islamic lender Bank Asya
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(03.02.15), the Turkish government told the U.S. authorities on Jan. 26 that it
cancelled the passport of U.S.-based preacher FethullahGulen for providing
false statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
“The Turkish Foreign Minister informed the
U.S. officials about the decision to cancel the passport,” TanjuBilgic said at
a weekly press briefing in Ankara.
American experts are of the opinion that if
a similar situation of providing false information occurred during Gulen’s American
green card process, then procedures could also be launched in the U.S. to take
that card away from him and deport him to Turkey.
Gulen used a green Turkish passport to
travel to the U.S. in March 1999. Such green passports are usually given to
government officials like members of parliament and army officials.
On Jan. 26, the governor's office of the
southeastern province of Erzurum -- Gulen's hometown -- nullified his green
passport because of alleged inaccurate information he provided in 1990.
When Turkish authorities cancelled Gulen’s
green passport, he reportedly did not demanded a renewal of his travel
document.
Michelle Estlund, an expert attorney on
Interpol’s red notices, told the Ankara Anatolia news agency that if someone
has an American green card and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
believed it was based on a false statement, then a process to retrieve the card
could be initiated.
EfePoturoglu, another attorney on
migration, said the U.S. government had the right to take green cards back, but
first it needed an investigation.
Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 04.02.15), under the title “Turkey seizes control of Islamic
lender Bank Asya”, reports that Turkish
banking authorities have seized control of Bank Asya, citing a lack of
transparency.
The bank has been at odds with the
government since last December, when a high-profile corruption probe into a
number of former Cabinet ministers and officials began. The government accuses
the movement of U.S.-based Islamic scholar FethullahGülen, which has links to
the bank, of concocting the investigations as part of a plot.
The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF)
seized 63% of Bank Asya shortly after the Banking Regulation and Supervision
Agency (BDDK) ruled in favour of its seizure, state-run Anatolia news agency
said on Feb. 3.
The BDDK said in a statement on its website
that it seized the bank "because the institution has not presented a
partnership structure that is transparent and open enough to allow for effective
regulation..."
The watchdog appointed a new board of
directors immediately after the seizure.
The bank, founded by followers of Gülen in
1996, has come under pressure from regulatory restrictions, withdrawals by
government-run companies and attacks from pro-government newspapers.
The pressure on Bank Asya resulted in a
crash of its share price and a massive downscaling of its operation.
The bank said in November that it lost 301
million liras ($133 million) in the third quarter -- its first unprofitable
quarter since it went public in 2006.
9.Parliament
debate on controversial security bill postponed until next week
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
04.02.15) reports that Turkey’s Parliamentary debates scheduled to begin today
on the government’s contentious new security bill have been postponed at least
until next week.
According to parliament’s preannounced
schedule, the General Assembly-level debates on “the draft law changing various
articles of the Law on the Powers and Duties of the Police, the Law on
Gendarmerie Organization, Duties and Authorities, the Law on Population
Services; and Some Laws and Some Statutory Decrees,” had been set to begin on
Feb. 4.
On Feb. 3, General Assembly debates on a
draft mining law could not be held upon the main opposition Republican People’s
Party’s (CHP) request for a roll call of Deputies present. The roll call, taken
twice, revealed that the required quorum was not met.
Accordingly, debates on the draft mining
law have been extended to Feb. 4, and as a result the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) have decided to push back debates on the security bill
to next week.
It will not be possible to hold the
security bill debates on Feb. 5, as the General Assembly is set to debate a
censure motion filed by the CHP against Energy Minister TanerYıldız, private
broadcaster CNN Turk reported. The ruling AKP, which holds the majority at parliament,
also decided not to gather the General Assembly on Feb. 6, pushing the debate
on the security package back to Tuesday, Feb. 10.
In fact, in line with the government’s wish
to have the bill urgently adopted this week, General Assembly meetings had been
planned to take place on Friday and Saturday, when parliament does not usually
convene.
The postponement of the bill comes a day
after Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair SelahattinDemirtaş urged on Feb.
3 the other two opposition parties to “block the parliament” in order to
prevent the voting on the security package.
“I address all opposition parties: Let’s
join hands and block the parliament. Let’s not allow this draft bill to become
law for months. The opposition can achieve this if it cooperates,” Demirtaş
told his party Deputies at parliament, claiming that the draft will be used to
oppress upcoming protests.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader DevletBahçeli have also loudly voiced
their strong objection against the bill.
10.Taraf’s
journalist into custody for insulting Erdogan and Fidan
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (04.02.15)
reports that Taraf newspaper’s columnist EmreUslu was taken into custody and
faces charges of 8month-10 year of imprisonment with the excuse of insulting
through the press President RecepTayyip Erdogan and MIT undersecretary Mustafa
Fidan.
According to the paper, the 2nd
Regional Court in Anatolia decided to arrest Uslu which is to be tried.
(AK)
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