TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
69/15 16.04.15
1. Eroglu: During the past five years neither the UN
nor the EU accused the Turkish Cypriot side in the Cyprus problem
2. Siber: If I was at the negotiating table,
Anastasiades would not run away
3.
The contacts of Ergun Olgun in Germany
4. Statements by Cirali on the hellim/halloumi cheese
registration process
5. Gul: “A fair solution in Cyprus is essential”
6.
Cyprus on the election manifest of AKP
7. One of the two patients with suspicion of being
contracted the Mad Cow disease passed away; statements by Sennaroglu
8. AKP announced its
election manifesto; Presidential system "first job" of the next
parliament
9. Strong reaction from
Turkey on European Parliament Resolution on Armenian genocide
1. Eroglu: During the past five years neither the
UN nor the EU accused the Turkish Cypriot side in the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (16.04.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said that during his five
years in “office” neither the United Nations nor the European Union accused the
Turkish Cypriot side in the Cyprus problem. In statements to illegal Bayrak
the night before yesterday, Eroglu
alleged that he had submitted “reasonable and constructive proposals” at
the negotiating table and added: “At the stage we have come, the statements made by [the UN
Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth
Eide is an indication of how correct our position is”.
Eroglu was asked
the following: “You say that you will reach a result within two years. Will the
Greek Cypriots’ stance change or is there another planned formula?” He replied
that when he announced his candidature, he said that the negotiations could not continue open-ended and that they should be
concluded within a time limit. “If the Greek Cypriots do not want a time
limit, it will be shown that they are not sincere in the direction of [finding
an] agreement”, he alleged.
He argued that according to the statements made by
Eide during his recent press conference, the stance of the UN is in harmony
with the stance of the Turkish Cypriots who allegedly want an early solution. “The world
expects that if there will be an agreement, this to happen within a time
limit”, he claimed.
Responding to
another question, Eroglu alleged that the view that the Republic of Cyprus
should be evolved into a federation is contrary to the joint statement of the
11th of February, “because in the joint statement it is written that
the solution will be a federation formed by two founding states, that is, the
Republic of Cyprus will not be transformed into a federation”.
Asked what kind of an agreement he would be willing to
sign, Eroglu replied:
“In the TRNC’s
declaration of independence, it is written that we are open for discussing
federation. I am a person who received
with joy the establishment of the TRNC and signed with pride its declaration of
independence. The TRNC state will continue its existence until an agreement is
reached and with the agreement, the Turkish founding state of the partnership
state will be the TRNC. Those who were sad for the establishment of the
TRNC, those who said that this was wrong, now nominate a candidate for an
office of the TRNC state. That is, this state exists. When I sit at the
negotiating table, the world also knows that I am the president elected by my
people. The existence of the TRNC is one of the realities, which strengthen me.
If there was not for the TRNC, minority rights would be proposed to us. This
state continues to exist. […]”
Arguing that the
joint statement provided for the establishment of a bi-zonal, bi-communal
federation based on political equality and for this federation to be
established by two founding states, Eroglu
said that the issue of the guarantees is one of his indispensable conditions
and reiterated the view that all Turkish settlers should automatically become
citizens of the federal state. He also noted that he has criteria on the
territory issue and argued that the
number of the persons who will be displaced should be the minimum possible.
Reiterating that the agreement should
become EU’s primary law, Eroglu said that he could not understand all those
who accuse him in spite of the fact that the Greek Cypriots were the ones who
allegedly abandoned the table at a stage when the bargaining would begin.
(I/Ts.)
2. Siber: If I was at the negotiating table,
Anastasiades would not run away
Turkish Cypriot
daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (16.04.15) reports that Sibel Siber, “speaker” of the self-styled assembly of the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus and candidate of the
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in 19 April’s “elections”, has argued that if she was at the table [as the negotiator of the
Turkish Cypriot side], President Anastasiades would allegedly not run away from
the negotiations. Speaking yesterday at a press conference, Siber said that
the only thing which the Turkish Cypriot side did when President Anastasiades
allegedly abandoned the negotiating table was to say that “he should return the
way he ran away”. “There was neither any
international call nor any initiative on the issue of warning the UN. As if
this is what it was expected”, she added.
Siber argued that the forthcoming “elections” in the
occupied area of Cyprus are very important for the course of the Cyprus problem. She claimed that they have given “big struggles” for
achieving a federal Cyprus, that the Turkish Cypriots want to become a part of
the world and that the time has come for them to take their place in the world
with their own identity.
She added: “We
exist with our democratic structure. The approval of our existence is important
for us. We want a solution. Eroglu does
not give the impression of being trustworthy on the issue if his wish is for a
solution. He is meeting with a high level mission chief and says that ‘we
should lift the isolations, you have promised us, we said yes to the Annan
Plan’. The insincerity is essentially here. He is a person who had carried out
a no campaign for the Annan Plan. He is the representative of the 35% who said
no. How he can enthusiastically represent us? You decide for this”.
Asked what she would do if Turkey issued another
NAVTEX instruction and the Greek Cypriot side abandoned the negotiating table
again, Siber alleged that the NAVTEX was
a result of what she called as “the unilateral drilling as the Republic of
Cyprus”. She claimed:
“Hydrocarbon is a common gain of the two peoples, but while on the one hand the
Greek Cypriot leader was talking for the solution on the other he benefited
from the Republic of Cyprus’ identity and launched drilling works. This was a stance contrary to the spirit of
the solution and caused a negative influence. […] Our proposal, however, was the discussion of the hydrocarbons at a
technical committee, by taking into consideration that they are a common value
of the two peoples. Therefore, this could not be an excuse. If this had been
well explained to the world, Anastasiades’ abandoning the table, would not have
been received well. […]”
Siber argued
that Eroglu achieved nothing during the past five years and uses fear and
intimidation to win “people’s” votes in the “elections”, by saying to the
Turkish settlers that “they will put you on a ship and send you back”.
Asked what will
happen with the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha and the
illegal Tymbou airport in case she is elected, Siber said that Varosha can open only under the UN control, because
there is a relevant UN Resolution. She argued: “[…] If you violate this Resolution
and open Varosha, it means that you have done away with the negotiating table,
because the Greek Cypriots do not see positively this situation. Therefore, you
are causing a new crisis in which the Greek Cypriots will leave the table and which
the UN will not be approving. […] If the works start today, Varosha could
open only within 5-7 years. The Cyprus problem will be solved much earlier, but
doing a work for Varosha until then is important”.
Responding to a
question on how she plans on building a balance between the confidence building
measures and the solution, Siber said that they will implement confidence
building measures such as the cooperation between institutions in the field of
health, contagious diseases, the environment, the GSM issue, the vehicle
insurances etc.
Asked to comment on the information that her origin is
the Democratic Party (DP), Siber argued that DP had been established as a
social democratic party and she had been registered in that party with the
encouragement of some friends, but she never undertook any duty in that party.
(I/Ts.)
3. The
contacts of Ergun Olgun in Germany
Illegal Bayrak television (16.04.15) broadcast that Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ergun Olgun held
“high official contacts” in Germany.
According to Bayrak, Olgun met with Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the
Federal Foreign Office with whom he discussed the developments of the Cyprus
negotiations. He expressed to Roth the Turkish Cypriot side’s determination
for finding a bizonall, bicommunal solution based on political equality. On his part Roth stated
during the meeting that Germany supports the efforts of UN Secretary-General's
Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide and added that Germany will do
everything possible so that the new opportunity for solution not to be lost.
In the framework of his contacts Olgun also met with
members of the German Green Party and he discussed the potentials of
investments in the breakaway regime.
(CS)
4.Statements by Cirali on the
hellim/halloumi cheese registration process
According to illegal Bayrak Television (15.04.15-in
Turkish), the “chairman” of the “Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry” Ali
Cirali evaluating to a program broadcast by “BRT” the latest developments
regarding the registration of hellim/halloumi cheese, stated, inter alia, that
the registration process continues.
Providing
information about the latest stage of the process in the EU, Cirali said that
after the submission of the application, the inspection process regarding the
registration has been completed. “What is important for us is the
issue of the inspection of the producers in the north. Our officials in all
levels held contacts with the EU and pointed out to the need for the
establishment of an independent organization for the inspection of the producers
in the north, an organization which will not come under the government in south
Cyprus. We have conveyed the position that we will accept the establishment of
this kind of organization. The views we received about this matter, is that the
EU is preparing a formula towards our demands”, Cirali stated.
Cirali
explained that the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in “south
Cyprus”, as he called the Republic of Cyprus will be the responsible authority
for the producers in the “south” and added that the EU is of the opinion that
until an agreement will be found in the “north”, a separate independent
authority should be formed.
Cirali added further the following: “We are talking
about a mechanism which will be approved by both, the Turkish and the Greek
Cypriot sides. I consider that it will not take long and I estimate that we
will finally reach a result in the forthcoming months”.
(…)
(AK)
5. Gul: “A fair solution in Cyprus is essential”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.04.15)
reports that the former President of the
Republic of Turkey, Abdullah Gul in statements to Financial Times after the
closing of the FT Turkish summit 2015 held in Istanbul, referred to the Cyprus
problemand stated the following: “In terms of Turkey, the Cyprus problem is a
very important issue. It is necessary to reach to a result. Our European friends and the EU have a big
task here. Because the solution of the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean is
essential not only in terms of the security and stability in the region but
also for economic cooperation. A fair solution in Cyprus is essential.
Petrol, gas and security are very important for Turkey for the continuation of
balanced ties not only with Bagdad in Iraq but also with the Turkish region”.
(AK)
6. Cyprus
on the election manifest of AKP
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.04.15)
reports that there are references in Cyprusin the election manifest of the ruling
in Turkey Justice and Development Party (AKP), called “New Turkey Convention”.
In the section regarding foreign policy, it is stated
that one of the priorities of AKP is for the Turkish Cypriot “people” to take
its rightful place in the international arena. It is also stated that the
Turkish government will continue the determined steps in order to strengthen
the infrastructure in the “TRNC” and to increase the prosperity of the
“country”.
(CS)
7.One of the two patients with suspicion of being
contracted the Mad Cow disease passed away; statements by Sennaroglu
Under the title: “No
need for panic, be careful on imported meats”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
Postasi newspaper (16.04.15) reports in its front page that one of the two
patients called Fatis Ulas (59 year-old), who was hospitalized at the “state
hospital” Dr Burhan Nalbantoglu in the occupied part of Nicosia, with suspicion
of being contracted the “Creutzfeldt
Jacobs- Mad Cow's disease”, passed away yesterday evening.
In statements on the issue, Ramadan Kamiloglu, chief
doctor of the hospital said that the samples taken were sent abroad for further
testing and added that they will have the final results in two weeks. Kamiloglu
also said that all necessary measures were taken in the hospital.
Meanwhile, in statements to the paper, Dr Feridun
Adahan, Tropical Diseases expert said that the possibility of contracting the
disease from animals in the “TRNC” was minimal and that there was no need for
widespread panic.
The “head of the veterinary union” Umut Sayili said
that this disease had not been found in animals in the “country” until now.
Also Prof. Dr Nedim Cakir said that it was not possible to find clinical
discoveries and say that the disease was found in the “TRNC”.
Moreover, issuing a written statement after the
announcement of the death of one of the two patients, the so-called minister of agriculture and energy Onder Sennaroglu said
that “cattle” in the “country” did not have the Mad Cow’s Disease and called on
the public not to worry.
Referring
to the person who died, Sennaroglu said that the person in question could have
been contracted the disease from the consumption of imported products from
another country and added that the products believed to cause this illness had
been banned since 2001 with a “council of minister’s decision” and since then
their importation is illegal.
Sennaroglu
explained that the Mad Cow disease is possible to appear after 10-20 years
since the consumption of tainted meat products.
The
statement also assured the public that there was no need for panic as only 5
patients had been diagnosed with mad cow in the “TRNC” in the past 10 years.
(AK)
8. AKP announced its
election manifesto; Presidential system "first job" of the next
parliament
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (16.04.15) reports that the ruling in Turkey Justice and Development Party (AKP), unveiled its
manifesto for June 7 elections. The manifesto was declared by Turkish Prime Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu who introduced the manifesto called “New Turkey Convention”, which is focused“on human dignity, equal citizenship, a
new civilian constitution, presidential system and fight against the “parallel state”.
"We
aim to make a new breakthrough for both our nation and humanity via our
civilization call," Davutoglu said in a promotion meeting in Ankara where
he read the 100-article election manifesto, which features the AK Party's main
campaign themes such as state protection of human dignity, equal citizenship,
the drafting of a new constitution, the implementation of a presidential
system, and measures towards a human-oriented economic development.
Reporting
on the same issue, Hurriyet Daily News (16.04.15) reports that in its election manifesto, AKP has vowed to change the country's
administrative system from a parliamentary to a presidential system, in line
with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's insistent calls, describing the writing
of a new constitution as the "first job" of the next parliament.Davutoglu
said he "personally" wrote the section on the presidential system,
upon Erdogan's strong messages that Turkey should abandon the parliamentary
system "to boost its growth."
9. Strong reaction from
Turkey on European Parliament Resolution on Armenian genocide
Hurriyet
Daily News (16.04.15) reports that Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned
the European Parliament Resolution on Armenian genocide and stated that Turkey has no reason to be defensive in the
face of any motion to recognize the mass killing of Ottoman Armenians in World
War I as genocide, as it will never accept such "a crime and sin,"
has said.
The
comments came amid accusations by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that Pope Francis
has "joined the conspiracy" of an "evil front" targeting
his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), after the Pontiff referred to
the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians as "the first genocide of the 20th
century."
"Whatever
decision the European Parliament takes on Armenian genocide claims, it will go
in one ear and out of the other because it is not possible for Turkey to accept
such a crime, such a sin," Erdogan told a news conference at Ankara's
airport before departing on an official visit to Kazakhstan, just hours before
the European Parliament adopted the Resolution that called Ankara to
"recognize the genocide."
Meanwhile,
Ankara Anatolia news agency (16.04.15) reports that Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement the following: “The
European Parliament which is known for contriving obstacles to the development
of Turkey-EU relations aspired once again to rewrite history regarding the 1915
events, as it has attempted to do so previously.This aspiration has
resulted in a preposterous text of a Resolution
dated April 15, 2015 which literally repeats the anti-Turkish clichés of the
Armenian propaganda”. The ministry further accused the European Parliament of
repeating “exactly a mistake it has made in the past in an incompatible way
with international law and exceeding its competence."
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS/ AM)
