TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
56/15 24.03.15
1. Response to Agriculture Minister Kouyialis for
cooperation on the halloumi issue
2. Eroglu reiterated his sine qua non for the solution
3. Siber accused Eroglu of bringing the property issue on
his election campaign in order to scare the “people”
4. The final list of the candidates for the “presidential
elections”
5. Gulle due to Ankara for contacts
6. TDP, BKP and Celer filed a lawsuit against the
so-called council of ministers
7. “MUSIAD’ Cyprus” introduced its Geneva “representative
office”
8. Two more power units for Trapeza power plant in
occupied Keryneia
9. The illegal DAU university signed a cooperation
protocol with ICIF
10. Erdogan: There is no Kurdish problem in Turkey
11. Turkey’s first nuclear plant is delayed, ‘not ready
before 2022’
1. Response
to Agriculture Minister Kouyialis for cooperation on the halloumi issue
Under the title “An ‘inspection’ impasse on
the halloumi/ hellim registration”, Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen (24.03.15)
reports that while in Turkey some companies produce halloumi/ hellim under the
name “hellimpeyniri” (halloumi cheese), the Greek Cypriot administration in
south Cyprus, (Translator’s note: as the Republic of Cyprus is referred)
continues its initiatives to register it as a protected designation of origin
(PDO) in the EU.
To the call of Cyprus Agriculture Minister
NicosKouyialis for cooperation to designate halloumi as a PDO product for the
benefit of all Cypriots, the self-styled minister of food, agriculture and
energy, OnderSennaroglu said that the way of solution, which envisages that the
Greek Cypriot side will be the only authority on the issue of halloumi
inspection and will also inspect the Turkish Cypriot producers, is
unacceptable.
Sennaroglu accused the Greek Cypriot side
of continuing to politicize the registration of halloumi, which is a joint
culture and economic product of both communities. Noting that this approach is
against the spirit of the Joint Declaration of February 11, 2014, Sennaroglu
claimed that the Greek Cypriot side tries to enforce on the Turkish Cypriot halloumi producers its
own solution and dominance by making the halloumi issue a dominance issue
within the framework of the diplomatic war.
Sennaroglu noted that the Turkish Cypriot
side supports the issue of halloumi registration to be resolved within the
confidence building measures (CBMs), adding that a result reached with this
understanding will encourage an understanding of partnership and will serve to
reach an agreement in the island.
Responding to Kouyialis’ call for
cooperation, the “chairman of the Turkish Cypriot chamber of industry” Ali
Cirali said: “He made a call to the Turkish Cypriots for cooperation, but he
did not mention on which issue he wants cooperation”. He added that the most
important issue on the registration of halloumi as PDO is not the name whether
it is halloumi or hellim but rather the inspection of the halloumi
production.
(DPs)
2.Eroglu reiterated his sine qua non for the solution
Turkish
Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (24.03.15) reports that the Turkish Cypriot
leader and candidate for the “presidential elections” DervisEroglu stated that
it is very possible that the negotiation to be re-launched on May and added
that a solution can be reached “if Anastasiades puts his feet on the ground”,
as he alleged.
Eroglu made
these statements in the framework of his election campaign and also referred to
the conditions he considers essential for a solution in Cyprus. As he said a
federal state will be comprised of two equal states which will have the same
status. Turkey’s guarantees, the presence of the Turkish army in the island,
rotational presidency and the solution to become EU primary law are the
essential factors for solution. “This is sine qua non for the solution”, he
stated.
He went on
and added that the “elections” will not only determine the leader of the
Turkish Cypriots, but also their rights at the negotiations.
Eroglu also
replied to the candidate of the Republican Turkish Party SibelSiber who accused
him of doing nothing during the time he was “prime minister”. “She was a prime
minister for 70 days, I was a prime minister for 7 thousand days”, Eroglu
stated and claimed that his signature is under everything that took place in
the breakaway regime.
(CS)
3. Siber accused Eroglu of bringing the property issue on his
election campaign in order to scare the “people”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (24.03.15) reports that SibelSiber, candidate
of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) for the “presidential elections” accused
indirectly the Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu, who is also a candidate, of
bringing on the property issue, thus trying to scare the “people”.
Sibel made
these statements speaking to young voters to whom she said that they have the
power to change the film played by old actors at the (political) scene.
Sibel
stated that while the property issue has not been discussed at the negotiations
yet some candidates are going from village to village speaking about maps and
make references to village names, trying to scare the “people”.
(CS)
4.The final list of the candidates for the “presidential
elections”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (24.03.15) reports that the “high electoral
council” of the breakaway regime announced that there will be seven candidates
for the “presidential elections” to be held on 19 April 2015 since there were
no objections to the candidacy submissions.
The final
list which was published at the “official gazete” is as follows: DervisEroglu
(National Unity Party candidate), SibelSiber (Republican Turkish Party
candidate), Mustafa Akinci (independent),KudretOzersay (independent),
ArifSalifKirdag (independent), Mustafa Ulas (independent) and Mustafa Onurer
(Cyprus Socialist Party candidate). The official propaganda period has started
today.
(CS)
5.Gulle
due to Ankara for contacts
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(24.03.15) reports that the so-called
minister of health AhmetGulle will visit Ankara today upon an invitation from
Turkey’s Minister of Health Mehmet Muezzinoglu.
The so-called ministry of health in a
written statement said that Gulle will discuss with his Turkish “counterpart”
issues related with their cooperation in the field of health.
At the same time, Gulle will invite the Turkish Minister to visit the occupation regime
in order to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Oncology Centre which is
expected to be completed next July.
The so-called minister will also sign on
Thusday a cooperation protocol with the Hacettepe University Medical Faculty on
the issue of kidney transplantation.
Gulle will return to the occupied area
of Cyprus on March 27.
(AK)
6.TDP,
BKP and Celer filed a lawsuit against the so-called council of ministers
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(24.03.15) reports that the Social
Democracy Party (TDP), the United Cyprus Party (BKP) and ZekiCeler, “deputy”
with the TDP, filed a lawsuit yesterday to the “supreme court”, against the
so-called council of ministers, for signing a protocol with Turkey, envisaging
the opening of a “TRNC coordination office abroad” under the Turkish Youth and
Sports Ministry.
The
litigators demanded the postponement of the “cooperation protocol” for the
opening of a “TRNC coordination office abroad”.
The case filed against the “council of
ministers” was signed by 6 lawyers at the “supreme court” yesterday.
Speaking on the issue, the chairman of the TDP CemalOzyigit
criticized the so-called coalition government for not taking into consideration
the “constitution” when signing the agreement. He also added that the “Overseas
Coordination Office” means that the Turkish Cypriot organizations are handed
over to Turkey.
Ozyigit
stressed the need for the Turkish Cypriot organizations to be self-administrated
and thanked the 70 organizations which supported their legal action.
Also speaking, Celer stated that in
spite of the fact that they have been arguing for the past two years that the
opening of this “coordination office” constitutes a violation of the “constitution”
and does not apply to the “laws”, the “government” has refrained from taking
them into consideration and moved to the signing and approval of the
“protocol”.
Commenting also on the issue, the
chairman of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) IzzetIzcan
said that it is unacceptable to be treated as they are a “province” of Turkey
and added that they will constitute their legal struggle against the
“government” until they achieve the postponement of the “protocol”.
Moreover, in a written statement on the
issue, the Toparlaniyoruz Movement (We are gathering) described as positive the
development of filing a lawsuit against the “council of ministers” and
expressed its full support to all parties involved in this case.
(AK)
7.
“MUSIAD’ Cyprus” introduced its Geneva “representative office”
Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot
daily Star Kibris newspaper (24.03.15) reports that the chairman of the Cyprus branch of
the “Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association” (MUSIAD),
OkyaySadikoglu, following the forum which took place in Switzerland in the
framework of “G20-B20” Turkish Presidency on the issue of “Trade and Investment
Opportunities”, introduced “MUSIAD’s Cyprus representation office” in Geneva.
According to information given by MUSIAD,
Sadikoglu attended the panel alongside Turkey’s UN Permanent representative
Ambassador Mehmet Carikci, the World Trade Organization Permanent
representative Ambassador Mehmet Ilicak, Bern Ambassador Mehmet TugrulGucuk,
the Geneva Consul NurdanBayraktarGolder and a lot of businessmen from
Switzerland, the “TRNC” and other European countries.
During the event, a message from the
so-called foreign minister OzdilNami was read.
(AK)
8.Two
more power units for Trapeza power plant in occupied Keryneia
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi
newspaper (24.03.15) reports that two
power units which were ordered from Finland in order to increase the capacity
of the Teknecik (Trapeza) power plant and allow the reduction in fuel
consumption, have arrived in the occupied area of Cyprus through the occupied
Famagusta port.
According to “officials” from the
so-called electricity authority (“KIB-TEK”), the two supplementary power plants which cost totally 13 million euro
will be functional by May.
In statements on the issue, the
“director” of “KIB-TEK” SalihGurkan noted that
the power plants would increase their electricity output by 34 megawatts.
(AK)
9.The
illegal DAU university signed a cooperation protocol with ICIF
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniBakis
newspaper (24.03.15) reports that the illegal
DAU university has signed a cooperation protocol with the International School
of Italian Cuisine (ICIF)- Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners, a leading
foundation in Italy.
According to the paper, the protocol was signed by the chairman
of ICIF PieroSassone and the “vice rector” of the illegal DAU, Professor Dr
NecdetOsam in a ceremony which took place yesterday at the illegal DAU.
Within the framework of the protocol, “students” from the “faculty of Gastronomy
and Cuisine” and the “faculty of Hotel management” will attend summer school
courses in Italy.
The
protocol envisages further exchange of students and academic staff between the
two “organizations”.
(AK)
10. Erdogan:
There is no Kurdish problem in Turkey
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
24.03.15), under the title “Erdogan: No further step before PKK lays down arms”
reports that Turkey’s government cannot
take further steps in the peace process unless the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) lays down its arms and takes concrete steps to foster peace,
President RecepTayyip Erdogan has said.
“Peace is not possible under the shadow of
arms ... We cannot move forward in an environment in which promises are
violated repeatedly unless we see concrete steps,” Erdogan said March 23 during
his now-weekly meeting with local community representatives in his latest
outburst against recent developments in the peace process.
The President recalled the message given
during last year’s Nevruz for an unarmed struggle, criticizing the Kurdish
movement for failing to do so over the past year.
“It’s not possible to believe these
[promises] unless we see the practice. We have to see the practice first,” he
said, noting that there were 2.5 months until elections and that the people of
the country should not go to the ballot box under threats from the PKK.
Erdogan
also revised his rhetoric on the Kurdish issue, saying that his remarks of
dismissing the Kurdish problem were intentionally misinterpreted. “There is no
longer a Kurdish problem in Turkey. My Kurdish brothers and sisters have
problems,” he said, stressing that they were dealing with the problems of
Turkish citizens that have different ethnic backgrounds.
As the state “has put an end to policies of
denial and made efforts for a solution with the recognition of problems, the
concept of the Kurdish problem has expired,” the President said.
“In an environment where those problems are
recognized, it’s wrong to say ‘Kurdish problem,’” he stated, stressing that
there are also Circassians, Laz, Georgian and other people in Turkey. “A nation
is a concept that subsumes many ethnic elements.”
Turks and Kurds are brothers and have stood
together at difficult times throughout history, he said. “Those who question
the history of the Kurds solely looking at the last 30-40 years will make a
mistake,” he said. “Marginal, atheist and nonbelieving movements that are
disconnected to the values of these lands cannot recast our relations,” Erdogan
said.
11. Turkey’s
first nuclear plant is delayed, ‘not ready before 2022’
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 23.03.15), Turkey’s first nuclear power plant is unlikely to be
ready before 2022, energy officials said on March 23 of the $20-billion project
that has been beset by regulatory hurdles and complicated by Russia’s financial
woes.
Dependent on imports for almost all of its
energy, Turkey has embarked on an ambitious nuclear program, commissioning
Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) in 2013 to build four 1,200
megawatt (MW) reactors.
With energy import costs at about $50
billion annually and demand forecast as the fastest growing in Europe, Ankara
wants at least 5% of its electricity generation to come from nuclear energy in
under a decade, cutting dependency on natural gas largely bought from Russia.
Rosatom initially pledged to have the first
of the four reactors in the southern Turkish town of Akkuyu ready by 2019.
A senior Turkish energy official said the
project would not be online before at least 2022, given that ground-breaking
has yet to happen. “The first reactor can be online at least seven years after
the ground-breaking so the 2019-2020 dates are impossible,” the official said.
“This is a key project for Turkey. The
schedule needs to be sped up,” Energy Minister TanerYildiz told Reuters.
Part of the delay has been environmental
approval after heightened concern about nuclear power following the 2011
earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan’s Fukushima plant.
Akkuyu NGS, the project company set up by
Rosatom, had to wait for almost a year to obtain environmental approval from
Turkish authorities. Consent was given in December, coinciding with Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey.
Analysts say Russia’s economic troubles
because of collapsing oil prices and western sanctions over Ukraine may also
have weighed on Rosatom’s finances.
“The Akkuyu timeline was -- and remains --
completely unrealistic,” Aaron Stein, associate fellow at British defence and
security think-tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said. “The
issue has, in recent months, become far more complicated because of Russia’s
economic deterioration.”
MilkoKovachev, vice president at Rosatom
Overseas, said the project would be completed on time, without giving a date.
“The program is clear, the dates are set. I believe that our commitment will be
fully met as it is planned,” he told Reuters on the side-lines of a nuclear
summit in Istanbul.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/
AM)
