TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
67/15 10-14.04.15
1. Eroglu refers to Turkish Cypriot side’s “road map”
3. Turkey to appoint new
“ambassador” to the occupied part of Lefkosia
4.
The number of voters in the breakaway regime for Sunday’s “presidential
elections”
5. “Who is whose candidate?”
6. Onurer: The status quo is the situation in the
occupied area of Cyprus which is contrary to the international law
7.
Ergun Olgun in Germany
8. Allegations that a cricket match will be played in
occupied Keryneia between the “national teams” of “TRNC” and the Republic of
Cyprus
9. Turkey mulls further
measures againstthe Vatican over Pope’s genocide statements as envoy returns to
Ankara
10. New opinion poll regarding
the forthcoming elections in Turkey
11.
Inauguration ceremony for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant
1. Eroglu refers to Turkish Cypriot side’s “road
map”
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (14.04.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has argued that it should be
clearly stated what the fate of the Turkish Cypriots will be in case the Greek
Cypriots say “no” again in a possible referendum for the solution of the Cyprus
problem. In an interview with Kibris TV within the framework of the
“election campaign”, Eroglu was asked to say what he expects within the
forthcoming period as regards the Cyprus problem. He recalled that the UN
Secretary-General’s Special Adviser to Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide has allegedly
set as target the end of 2015 for holding a referendum.
Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side has prepared
a road map for the procedure and
added: “Intensified negotiations will be held in May. The issues which are
agreed will be determined in June. An agreement on the issues on which
agreement does not exist will be targeted in July. While August will be the
month for vacations, in September a multi-sided meeting with the participation
of the guarantor powers will be organized. In November the preparation of a
solution plan will be materialized and this solution plan will be negotiated
through a give and take. The target is
to submit the agreement reached between the two leaders to the two peoples in
separate referenda in December. We see this as a timetable. If it continues
open-ended, just like it happened until today, we could not have a result”.
Alleging that a
point had remained incomplete in the Annan Plan, Eroglu claimed that this was
“what the fate of the other side would be if one of the sides said no”.
Accusing former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat of behaving rashly
during that period, Eroglu alleged: “We
could have benefited from the Greek Cypriots’ saying no. If I was [in Talat’s
place] I would not have seated at the negotiations immediately. Our people
should know what we will become in the end of this, if a referendum is once
more held and the Greek Cypriots say no again”.
Asked whether
there was any difference between former President Christofias and President
Anastasiades [at the negotiating table], Eroglu said that he saw no difference
from the point of view of their mentality, alleging that all Greek Cypriot
leaders have promised their people that they will return to pre-1974 and that
is why they refrain from signing an agreement.
Eroglu was asked
to comment on his view that “you should think of the other side as well at the
negotiating table” and on whether he thinks of the other side. He replied that if there will be an
agreement, all the wishes of the Greek Cypriots will, of course, not happen and
alleged that the wishes of Turkish Cypriot side are “within a sensible
framework”.
Replying to a
question on Turkey’s involvement in the ongoing “election” process and to the
view that “Turkey is keeping a distance from this process”, Eroglu argued that
there has been interferences in previous “presidential elections” and in
elections within some parties, but these interferences failed. “Surely they
have decided that the TRNC is a democratic country and they said that it should
take its own decisions”, he claimed
adding that he did not see any interference by Turkey in this process.
(I/Ts.)
2.Nami:“I expect that the
negotiations will commence in the second week of May”
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (10.04.15) published an interview with the self-styled
foreign minister of the breakaway regime Ozdil
Nami who stated that he expects the Cyprus negotiations to commence in the
second week of May. Nami also said that the talks must continue from where they
were left off.
Nami
claimed during the interview that a sense of “enough is enough” has developed
in the UN Security Council regarding the Cyprus problem and alleged that at the
latest meeting in New York with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Ban indicated
to him that the UN is exerting a final
effort as regards Cyprus.
Referring
to the statements of Espen Barth Eide, Special Advisor of the UN Secretary
General that the entire world and especially the UN pointed to the risks to
both sides of the Island if the issue is constantly left pending, Nami said
that he considers the statements of Eide to be very important. Reiterating his expectation for the
negotiations to commence in the second week of May following the “presidential
elections”on 19 April, Nami stated: “The first meeting will likely determine
what kind of setup the negotiations will proceed within. The following meetings
will surely focus on substance. It is clear what the unresolved issues are.
These will be taken up within the framework of a specific plan and all the work
will culminate in a multi-party conference. Then the process will be finalized.
For all of this to materialize we hope that the Greek Cypriot side will display
the necessary political will”.
Stating
that he does not want the hydrocarbons issue to have an adverse effect on the
comprehensive settlement negotiations, Nami claimed that former President
Christofias did not use this as an excuse to suspend the negotiations in the
past. “The hydrocarbons became an issue with Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos
Anastasiades. Unfortunately, the policies and approach of Anastasiades have led
to a significant loss of time and unnecessary tensions. Instead of thinking
strategically and behaving as a statesman motivated by a comprehensive
settlement Anastasiades opted to engage in tactical manoeuvres. We hope that
the negotiations will continue with an Anastasiades who has learned his
lesson”, he said and alleged the following: “No matter what happens in the
region, the Turkish Cypriot side has never left the comprehensive settlement
negotiations. We are displaying the same approach today. When we look to the
future after the month of May, we expect a process which is well structured and
focused on unresolved issues, as expressed in the Joint Declaration of 11
February 2014. The negotiations must continue from where they were left off.
Anything contrary to this is unthinkable. Both Anastasiades and Espen Barth
Eide made statements to the effect that the negotiations should continue from
where they were left off. The stage where they were left off is not positive.
We know that Anastasiades had adopted an approach where he did not accept the
previously reached convergences. I believe that this issue will also be
resolved with the involvement of the UN. We are not against the interventions
of the UN as long as it internalizes the fact that this process cannot continue
endlessly and presents the peoples of the two sides with a comprehensive
settlement plan endorsed by the two leaders. The Turkish Cypriot side is
prepared for all of these. But the Greek Cypriot side appears perplexed. We
hope that these confusions can be overcome and that we can engage with serious
counterparts throughout this process. We hope they can show courage along with
us”.
3. Turkey to appoint new “ambassador”
to the occupied part of Lefkosia
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (09.04.15) sited information according to which Turkey is set to appoint Derya Kanbay as the
new “ambassador” to the occupied part of Lefkosia after a six month suspension,
amid moves to resume reunification talks in Cyprus. Kanbay previously served as
Turkey’s ambassador to Baghdad.
4. The
number of voters in the breakaway regime for Sunday’s “presidential elections”
Illegal Bayrak television (14.04.15) broadcast that
the “election race” for the “presidential elections” to be held in the
breakaway regime on Sunday April 19, entered its final lap.
According to Bayrak, a total of 176, 912 voters will be heading to the polls on Sunday and
adds that 55,763 of them are registered in the occupied part of Lefkosia,
45,992 in Famagusta, 35,397 in Keryneia, 20,809 in Morfou and 18,951 in
Trikomo.
5. “Who is whose candidate?”
Under the above
title, Turkish Cypriot columnist Sener Levent refers to the “presidential
candidates” in his column in Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (14.04.15).
Levent reports that the most
“mysterious” candidate in these elections is Kudret Ozersay. He adds the
following:
“He is thought to be the candidate that could take
the most surprising result. Because he is not backed by any political
party, his votes could not easily be estimated. However, he is on the rise. Especially while entering into the last weeks.
Very well, whose candidate is Mr Kudret? Which power’s? Which mass’?
Dervis Eroglu is known. As it happened before, he is
not the candidate of Ankara this time as well. There might be some circles in
Turkey which support him and even sent him election buses, but he is definitely
not Erdogan’s servant.
Actually, the reason why Ankara does not want Eroglu is a question mark. Since
the very first election, during which he was candidate against Denktas, Ankara
opposed to him. That is, he was excluded not only by the AKP, but by all the
other Turkish governments. The real issue is this. What sin is committed by Mr
Dervis, who is so big supporter of the motherland, so nationalist, so
intransigent against the Greek Cypriots and never acts outside Turkey’s
instructions?
Whose candidate is Mrs Sibel? Nothing remained secret. Everyone knows it now. She is ambassador’s Halil Ibrahim Akca’s
[candidate]. Very well, is Akca’s candidate tantamount to Ankara’s
candidate? We do not know. However, it
is said that Cemil Cicek also supports her. How the Republican Turkish
Party (CTP) masses are receiving the fact of being the ambassador’s candidate?
We will see this as soon as the ballot boxes open.
As far as Kudret is concerned, chauvinists known for
their enmity against the Greek Cypriots are among his most passionate
supporters, like, for example, Bertan Zaroglu, chairman of the Association of
the people coming from Alexandretta. Sabahattin Ismail and Gokturk Otuken are
also supporting him. Moreover, the TMT Fighters’ Association, the retired
non-commissioned officers, the martyrs’ families and the unknown war veterans
have taken a decision.They will support Kudret. Then, let me pose the question once more: Whose
candidate is he? And who covers his election expenses, which are increasing a
lot now? Where this money is pouredfrom? It
is said that Kudret Ozersay is also supported by some circles within the AKP.
And whose candidate is Mustafa Akinci? There are some
people who do not believe it yet, but he is really the candidate of the people. The Social Democracy Party and the United Cyprus
Party support him, but in the end he is independent. In any case, if he
remained with the votes of these two parties, would Akinci have burst so much?
He is the candidate who is closest to winning at the moment. I will not be
surprised at all if he won from the first round. […]”
(I/Ts.)
6. Onurer: The status quo is the situation in the
occupied area of Cyprus which is contrary to the international law
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (14.04.15) reports that Mustafa Onurer, candidate of the Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) in
the forthcoming “presidential elections”, has
said that the status quo in Cyprus is the situation which is created in the
occupied northern area of the island which is contrary to the international law
and deprives the Turkish Cypriots from any kind of international relations.
In a written
statement, Onurer noted that because of
this status quo, the Turkish Cypriot products cannot be exported not only to
Europe, but not even to Turkey. “Because of this status quo, our athletes
cannot participate in a competition anywhere else than northern Cyprus”, he
added arguing that the votes given to the “candidates of the status quo” in 19
April’s “elections” will go in vain, while all votes given to him will be
supporting the struggle for a united and democratic Cyprus.
Onurer said that
he expects the “people” to show a serious reaction against the status quo
during these “elections”.
(I/Ts.)
7. Ergun
Olgun in Germany
Illegal Bayrak television (13.04.15) broadcast that
the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ergun Olgun is going to Germany in order to hold
“high level official contacts in Berlin”. According to Bayrak, Olgun will also
meet with civil society organizations and members of the German press.
8. Allegations that a cricket match will be played
in occupied Keryneia between the “national teams” of “TRNC” and the Republic of
Cyprus
Under the title
“TRNC ‘breaks boundaries’”, Turkish Cypriot weekly Cyprus Today newspaper
(11.04.15) reports that cricketers from
the “TRNC and South Cyprus”, as it describes the breakaway regime in the
occupied area of Cyprus and the government controlled areα of
the island, “are preparing for a ‘historic’ encounter between the two
countries’ national sides that organizers hope will put the game on the
island’s sporting map”.
The paper writes the match will be held at “20 July
Stadium” in occupied Keryneia on 24 May and the entrance will be free.
It is reported
that the “TRNC Cricket Association (TRNC CA)” and the “Cyprus Cricket
Association (CCA)” said that they have no political agenda and that they only
want to develop cricket in the occupied north part of Cyprus and raise its
profile among Cypriots.
Richard Boxall,
secretary of the International Cricket Council is quoted by the paper as saying
that they are delighted that this match is taking place and that they want to
see cricket develop throughout Cyprus and that they are pleased by the “TRNC
CA’s” progress in the occupied northern area of Cyprus.
(I/Ts.)
9. Turkey mulls further
measures against the Vatican over Pope’s genocide statements as envoy returns
to Ankara
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (13.04.15) reported that
Turkey’s ambassador to the Vatican, Mehmet Pacacı returned to Ankara on April 12, after Ankara’s strong reaction
against Pope Francis’ description of the mass killings of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottoman Empire as genocide.
“The
steps that will be taken [against the Vatican] will be made public following
our consultations,” Foreign Minister MevlutCavusoglu told reporters on April 13
at a press conference in Mongolia. The Foreign Ministry also released a
statement condemning the incident.
Turkish
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking at a closing ceremony in Istanbul,
said: "Only highlighting one side's suffering during wartime and discriminating
the other's pain is not appropriate for the Pope and the authority that he
holds." Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Cicek accused the Pope of slander and
discrimination. EU Minister Volkan Bozkır also expressedanger over the Pope's
remarks. The head for the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Mehmet Gormez, said
it is sad to see lobbies and public relations companies "extending to
prayers and Masses."
10. New opinion poll regarding
the forthcoming elections in Turkey
Turkish daily Taraf newspaper (13.04.15) reported that
Ozer Sencar the director of Metropoll Research Firm in Turkey gave information
about a new opinion poll conducted by his firm for the June 7 general elections
in Turkey.
According to the results, the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) receives 41,7%, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) 27,7%, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) 17.7% and the pro-Kurdish
Democracy and Peace Movement (HDP) 10.4%. As regards HDP, Sencar said that it
ranks between 9.8-10.4% so there is a chance not to pass the 10% threshold.
(CS)
11. Inauguration
ceremony for the Akkuyu nuclear power
plant
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.04.15)
reports that the inauguration ceremony for Akkuyu, Turkey’s first nuclear power
plant is taking place today with the participation of Turkish Energy Minister
Taner Yildiz.
The issue of the construction of the nuclear plant
created a lot of reaction both in Turley and Cyprus writes the paper.
(CS)
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS/ AM)
