TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
40/15 28.02.15-02.3.15
1. Nami met with
Qatar’s Ministers; Ambassadors attended a dinner hosted in his honor
2. Opinion poll
shows Akinci and Eroglu staying in the second round of April’s “presidential
elections” and Akinci being the winner
3. Eroglu launches
his “election” campaign; His declared target is to get 55% in the first
round
4. Ozyigit: Cyprus’
recent agreement with Russia strengthens the lack of confidence between the
communities
5. Ozersay on the issue of
“citizenship” and Varosha
6.
Self-styled presidency: EU Parliament’s Resolution on missing persons is bias
and misleading
7. Ten local organizations
related to CTP-BG suspended their ties with the party
8. The “minister of education” of
the “KRG” carried out contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus; He conveyed
invitation from Barzani to Eroglu to visit “northern Iraq”
9. Eroglu met with the leader of
the Republican People’s Party of Azerbaijan
10. The Turkish government starts negotiations with PKK
for Kurdish peace
11. Davutoglu to visit Portugal to strengthen bilateral
ties
12.
Kilicdaroglu: CHP aims to reach 35% in June elections
1. Nami met with
Qatar’s Ministers; Ambassadors attended a dinner hosted in his honor
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (02.03.15) reports that Ozdil Nami, self-styled foreign
minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus, has met in Doha, the capital
city of Qatar, with the country’s Minister of Economy and Commerce, Sheikh
Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mohammed
bin Abdullah bin Mutib Al Ruhmaihi, officials of Qatar’s Chamber of Commerce,
some Turkish Cypriots living in Doha and journalists.
In a statement issued by Nami’s “office” it is said that during the
meeting with Al Thani they discussed the existing trade and economic relations
between the two “countries” and emphasized upon new trade and investment
possibilities. Nami said that the support of Qatar, which he described as
“brother-country”, is important for the Turkish Cypriot “people”. Nami asked the support of Qatar’s
government for the lifting of the so-called isolations allegedly implemented on
the Turkish Cypriots.
Al Thani has
reportedly said that they will continue their contribution for the development
of the trade relations between the two “countries”.
During his meeting with Al Ruhmaihi, Nami briefed his interlocutor on
the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and argued that the will of the
Turkish Cypriots for a solution “strongly continues”. Nami alleged that if President Anastasiades returns to the negotiating
table and exhibits a will for a solution, a federal solution could quickly be
reached in Cyprus.
Rumaihi noted that they will continue to support their Turkish Cypriot
brothers and expressed his satisfaction by seeing Nami in Qatar.
Within the framework of his contacts, Nami met also with the vice
president of Qatar’s Chamber of Commerce Mohammed bin Ahmet Twar Al Kuwari and
members of the administrative council of the Chamber. During the meeting they
exchanged views on how the commercial relations between the two “countries”
could be further developed. Nami briefed
his interlocutors on the investment possibilities in the occupied area of
Cyprus and invited them to visit the occupied area of the island in order to
see on the spot the possibilities in the fields of trade and investments.
Nami also met with Turkish Cypriots living in Qatar at a cocktail party
organized by the breakaway regime’s representative in Doha, Autug Plumer, who also hosted a dinner in
Nami’s honor. The Ambassadors of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to Doha
attended the dinner.
(I/Ts.)
2. Opinion poll
shows Akinci and Eroglu staying in the second round of April’s “presidential
elections” and Akinci being the winner
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (02.03.15) reports that according to a public opinion poll held by
Gezici Research Company with the participation of three thousand persons living
in the entire occupied area of Cyprus, the
19 April’s “presidential elections” in the occupied area of the island will not
be concluded from the first round. The method followed in the research,
which took place on 14 and 15 February, was random stratified sampling with
face to face interviews.
The results showed
that Dervis Eroglu will receive 31.8% in the first round, Mustafa Akinci 31.7%,
Sibel Siber 25.4% and Kudret Ozersay 11.1%. Akinci is expected to be elected
with 62.8% of the votes against Eroglu, who is expected to receive 37.2%.
22.9% of those who said that they will never vote for Eroglu showed as
pretext the age of the Turkish Cypriot leader, while the majority thinks that
Eroglu was “unsuccessful”. 29.7% of those who said that they will never vote
for Siber showed as pretext that she is inexperienced. 54.1% of those who said
that they will never vote for Ozersay, noted that they will not vote for him
because they do not know him. Asked who
they consider as the most appropriate candidate for solving the Cyprus problem,
38.5% of the participants in the poll replied Mustafa Akinci, 25.5% Dervis
Eroglu, 23.8% Sibel Siber and 13.2% Kudret Ozersay.
Asked who they think that the best negotiator will be, the participants
in the survey replied: Mustafa Akinci 34.7%, Dervis Eroglu 25.9%, Sibel Siber
23.2% and Kudret Ozersay 16.2%. Asked
which candidate will not be able to carry out the duty of the negotiator, the
respondents said: Dervis Eroglu 45.3%, Sibel Siber31.4%, Kudret Ozersay 12.8%
and Mustafa Akinci 10.4%.
Replying to a
question regarding the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, 73.8% of the
participants in the survey said “yes” to this kind of solution, 15.6% said “no”
and 10.6% “partly [agree]”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Eroglu
launches his “election” campaign; His declared target is to get 55% in the
first round
Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis newspaper (02.03.15) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu
and independent candidate in the forthcoming “presidential elections” has launched his “election campaign” with a
big meeting in the occupied part of Nicosia and announced that his target is to
receive 55% of the votes in the first round.
Addressing his supporters, Eroglu said that he has two oaths: The one,
which derives from his capacity as a doctor, is to serve humanity and the other
“is never to give concessions from the sovereignty rights of the Turkish
Cypriot people”.
Eroglu argued that in order for a change and development in the correct
direction to be achieved, a correct ground and a correct worldview should be
found and added: “First of all we must
defend our state, our sovereignty, our freedom and our security. This is the
fundamental point which distinguishes me from the other candidates”.
Claiming that the demand of the Turkish Cypriot “people” to be saved
from the uncertainty regarding their future is an extremely just one, Ertoglu
said that the Cyprus talks should quickly and unconditionally resume from the
point these were left and alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are ready for this
and want an agreement. “The solution
must protect peace and must not turn lasting peace into a ground for conflict
in the long term”, he argued and alleged: “I
will not allow the usurpation of your rights or your children’s rights on the
joint wealth of this island”.
He argued that if they gained some benefits in the Cyprus problem and if
the problem will be solved, this will happen thanks to him and his team.
The presidents of
the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democratic Party – National Forces
(DP-UG) Huseyin Ozgurgun and Serdar Denktas respectively participated in the
meeting and expressed their support to Eroglu.
(I/Ts.)
4. Ozyigit:
Cyprus’ recent agreement with Russia strengthens the lack of confidence between
the communities
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.03.15) reports that Cemal Ozyigit, chairman of the Social
Democracy Party (TDP), has said that
finding a solution in Cyprus becomes more difficult every day that passes and
the distance between the two communities grows.
In a written statement issued by his office, Ozyigit noted that the
non-solution harms all Cypriots and for this reason the pro-solution and
pro-peace forces in both communities must come together, cooperate and exert
pressure in the direction of the solution.
Referring to the
cooperation agreement recently signed between the Republic of Cyprus and the
Russian Federation, Ozyigit claimed that this “military cooperation agreement
is such as to strengthen the lack of confidence between the sides”.
(I/Ts.)
5. Ozersay on the issue of
“citizenship” and Varosha
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.03.15)
reports that Kudret Ozersay,
independent “presidential candidate” for the forthcoming “presidential
elections” which are scheduled to take place in the occupied area of Cyprus on
April 19, in statements during a visit he paid in occupied Trikomo, referred, inter alia, to the issue of
“citizenship” and stated that if they
want to be stronger at the negotiating table, they should put an end to the
“arbitrary implementations” related with the granting of the “TRNC citizenship”
and follow a new “regulation” towards this issue.
Ozersay
stressed the need for the practice which is followed in each “election race”,
that is the granting of the “TRNC’s citizenship” in an arbitrary way and mainly
for election purposes, to come to an end.
Referring
to the issue of the fenced off city of Varosha, Ozersay reiterated his known
view that Varosha should open under the “Turkish Cypriot’s administration”.
(AK)
6. Self-styled
presidency: EU Parliament’s Resolution on missing persons is biased and
misleading
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.03.15) reports that the
self-styled presidency in the breakaway regime issued a statement condemning
the Resolution of the European Parliament for missing people in Cyprus
claiming that the resolution is bias and misleading.
According to the “presidency”, in the Resolution, the
Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey are blamed for removing remains of Greek
Cypriot missing persons from their burial places in the occupied Assia village
but the issue of the slaughtering of women and children and old people in
villages like Tohni are not mentioned at all.
In the statement the “presidency” also claims that, it
felt the need to set the record straight on the issue and adds that the issue
of 493 Turkish Cypriots who were missing during the period 1963-74 should have
also be mentioned in the resolution. It also claims that accusing the Turkish
army is wrong and affair.
7. Ten local organizations
related to CTP-BG suspended their ties with the party
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.02.15)
reported that ten local organizations related to the Republican Turkish
Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) in the
region of occupied Karpasia,
announced that they have decided to suspend their ties with the party,
providing as an excuse the “unfair and unjust” practices followed by the party
on several issues.
According to the paper, the chairmen and members of
the local organizations expressed their dissatisfaction over the party’s policy
and practices on the recent employments made in the “TRNC” which as they
support are unfair and far from transparency.
(AK)
8. The “minister of education”
of the “KRG” carried out contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus; He conveyed
invitation from Barzani to Eroglu to visit “northern Iraq”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (28.02.15)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader
Dervis Eroglu met with the “minister of education” of the “Kurdistan Regional
Government-KRG” of Iraq, Pshtiwan Sadiq who is illegally visiting the occupied
area of Cyprus to carry out several contacts.
According to the paper, Sadiq conveyed to Eroglu an invitation from Mesud Barzani, leader of
“KRG” in “northern Iraq”, to visit them.
Speaking during the meeting, Eroglu underlined the
importance of cooperation between the “TRNC” and the “KRG government”
especially in the field of education, and sent his regards to Barzani.
Sadiq visited also the so-called prime minister Ozkan
Yorgancioglu while at the same time he signed a cooperation protocol with the
illegal DAU university rector.
The protocol envisages cooperation between the illegal
DAU and “northern Iraq” in the field of education, the mutual organization of
workshops, projects and e.t.c.
(AK)
9. Eroglu met with the leader
of the Republican People’s Party of Azerbaijan
Under the title: “We look for an agreement that will
enable two peoples to live side by side”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (28.02.15) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met on Friday with the leader of the
Republican People’s Party of Azerbaijan, Bedrettin Guliyev, who is having
several contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus.
Speaking during the meeting, Eroglu, referred, inter alia, to the Cyprus problem and said that they
look for an agreement which will enable the two “peoples” to live side by side.
He added that the Cyprus problem will be solved as soon as the world will
realize whether the Greek Cypriots have the intention or not to reach to an
agreement.
Referring to the Cyprus negotiation talks, he accused
once more the Greek Cypriot side for abandoning the negotiating table. He,
however, expressed hopes that President Nikos Anastasiades will eventually
return to the table and try to solve the Cyprus problem within a specified
period of time.
Referring to the occupation regime’s ties with
Azerbaijan, Eroglu described Azerbaijan
as a “brother country” for the “TRNC”.
Also speaking, Guliyev stated that it is very
important for the Turkic world the Turkish Cypriot “people” to be able to live
as “independent in their own land under the umbrella of their own state” and
added that Azerbaijan was always and will always be by the side of the “TRNC”.
(AK)
10. The Turkish government starts negotiations with
PKK for Kurdish peace
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily (28.02.15) reported that in
a historic joint press conference with the government, the Peoples’ Democratic
Party (HDP) has announced a call by the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) for the outlawed group to hold a congress in spring to discuss
disarmament in Turkey, despite a growing row over the government-led homeland
security bill.
“This
is a historic declaration of will to replace armed struggle with democratic
politics,” the HDP’s Sirri Sureyya Onder quoted PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan as
saying. Ocalan also called for a “reinforced cease-fire,”.
Deputy
Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, a key figure in the ongoing process, said
silencing arms would “contribute to democratic development”.
Onder
summarized Ocalan’s 10 articles, or priorities, in the Feb. 28 statement: The
definition and content of democratic politics. The definition of the national
and local dimensions of a democratic solution. Legal and democratic warranties
of free citizenship. Relations between state and society, and how these issues
will be institutionalized. The socio-economic dimensions of the resolution
process. Handling democracy-security
ties during the resolution process in a manner that will sustain both public
order and freedoms. Legal solutions and warranties for policies on women,
culture and ecology. […]
Speaking
at his AKP youth congress in Ankara over the weekend, Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu described the announcement as a “new step” in the Kurdish issue,
giving credit to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “The solution process, which
began with President Erdogan’s speech in Diyarbakir in 2005, has now taken a
new shape,” Davutoglu said.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking to a group of reporters en route to
Saudi Arabia for an official visit, stated that there is a difference of
opinion between jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and the group’s headquarters
in the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq. But he said that the government is
already the guarantor of the peace process and it will continue in the
direction it has been going on the issue.
The paper also writes that Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli has accused the government and President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan of “treason” and “treachery,” after they announced a new phase
in the Kurdish peace process with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
Columnist Murat Yetkin writing in Hurriyet (02.03.15) on the issue noted that
it is not only the HDP group in parliament that resists the draft. The social
democratic main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) also object to it, on the basis that it contains articles
restricting freedom of assembly and expression, while also giving excessive
power to police and provincial governors to restrict freedoms and tap
communications. “But for the government, it is a matter of credibility not to
withdraw the law, which it sees as a test case from the PKK after Kobane. […] It seems like a deadlock now, but there is a strong
possibility of it being resolved. This is because neither the government nor
the PKK would likely have the face to explain to the public that the
possibility of a long-desired peace has been wasted because of a few articles
of a single law, especially when the country is heading for parliamentary
elections on June 7”, Yetkin writes.
11. Davutoglu to visit Portugal to strengthen
bilateral ties
Turkish
daily Sabah (01.02.15) reported that Turkish
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will pay an official visit to Portugal on
Tuesday, March 3. During his visit, Davutoglu will be hosted by Portuguese
President Cavaco Silva and meet with Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos
Coelho.
The
last presidential-level contact between the two countries was the visit paid by
former President Abdullah Gul on May 5-8, 2013. The last official visit between
the two countries was paid by Portuguese Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas on
Oct. 23-24, 2014.
12. Kilicdaroglu:
CHP aims to reach 35% in June elections
Turkish daily
Hurriyet newspaper (02.03.15) reports that Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the chairman of
the main opposition party in Turkey, the
Republican People’s Party (CHP) stated that the aim of the party is to win a
35% in the forthcoming general elections to be held in Turkey in June 2015.
Kilicdaroglu, who gave an interview to the paper, said
that his party received 29.5% in the last election but now they hope to reach
34-35%. As regards the main problems faced by Turkey, Kilicdaroglu said that
these are the economy, democracy andthe freedom of expression. He said in case CHP gets
into power, Turkey will be transformed into a new country within four years.
Kilicdaroglu added that they will have a powerful campaign and they will follow
a strategy to reach their goal.
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS / AM)
