TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
95/15 23-25.05.15
1.Cavusoglu’s
interview to Daily Sabah; He evaluated the new negotiation process as the last
chance which should not be wasted
2. Bozkir on the Cyprus problem and Turkey’s “red
lines” for the EP’s Report
3. Interview to Havadis by the French Ambassador
4. How the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish press covered
the walk of the leaders in the old town of Nicosia
5. A Turkish Cypriot columnist publishes an allegedly
unknown story about the minefields in the occupied area of Cyprus
6. Serdar
Denktas fearσ
that his party may be dissolved after the recent ‘elections results”
7.
Cinar: “53% of the sea water pipelines is completed”
8.
“Istanbul Technical University in TRNC” signed a tenancy agreement with the
“ministry of environment”
9. PACE to increase seats allocated to Turkish
delegation from 12 to 18
1.Cavusoglu’s interview to Daily Sabah; He
evaluated the new negotiation process as the last chance which should not be
wasted
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking to Daily
Sabah in an exclusive interview while attending the fifth MIKTA Foreign
Ministers Meeting in Seoul, evaluated among other the recent MIKTA meeting,
Rohingya refugees, EU relations, the
Cyprus issue, relations with Israel, regional developments, and the upcoming elections in Turkey.
Following is an abstract of Cavusoglu’s interview:
Q:How
do you evaluate the EU Progress Report? As you know, the report was postponed
until June.
R:EU
Turkey Reporter Kati Piri is doing the best she can to prepare an objective
report; however, there are many suggestions for changes in the report.
Unfortunately, there is a trend of animosity towards Turkey in the EU. They are
trying to reflect this animosity in the report. Nevertheless, there is no
benefit in unrealistic criticisms and assaults. Turkey will not accept this
kind of offensive action. We welcome criticism, but only if it is constructive.
We are hoping that the report will be a balanced one; the Ministry of the EU is
also following this report closely.
Q:Negotiations
have started again in Cyprus. There are some statements from the “southern
Cyprus administration” that Turkey's blockade in entering the EU may be lifted.
What are your comments on this subject?
R:Cyprus
is not a criterion in Turkey's official negotiations with the EU; however, it
is usually discussed. The EU is trying to serve it as a criterion, but we do
not accept it. We have stated this in the Association Council meeting;
nevertheless, it is still a de facto part of the negotiations. Our expectation
from the EU is the removal of political obstructions.
There
is a positive attitude in Cyprus that should be utilized, especially by the
Greeks. In my opinion, a permanent solution in Cyprus is much more important
than opening a new chapter in EU accession. While they do not provide an
alternative for each other, I would prefer stability. It is an issue that has
been ongoing for 50 years. Therefore, these statements are as important as they
are encouraging. This positive attitude has to last. We are more determined
than ever in the resolution of the issue. We hope that the Greek part of Cyprus
also maintains its determination for a resolution, and then we will have a
solution.
Q:How
do you evaluate the new negotiation process in comparison with the previous
ones?
R:There
is only a more positive attitude now. As a
significant difference, this is the last chance.This last chance should not be
wasted.
(…)
Q:
There is speculation about the safety of the elections. How do you evaluate
these speculations?
R:Turkey's
elections are successful in regards to security. The 10% threshold might be controversial; it creates
a perception that the ruling party is at an advantage, as it is in Europe. (…)
The
most prominent obstacle in a safe and free election is the PKK and its
extensions' oppression on our Kurdish citizens in eastern and southeastern
Anatolia. They threaten our citizens with violence if they give their vote to a
candidate other than theirs.
(…)As long as there is pressure and
oppression from the PKK and its extensions, the elections cannot be free. While
elections are to be held transparently, freely and democratically, they try to
obstruct it. (…)
Q:Turkey's
number of representatives in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
will be increased. What are your comments on this subject?
R:When
I was the chair of the assembly, I had suggested that Turkey must be
represented with 18 MPs.
While I had the right to increase the number during my presidency, I especially
did not increased Turkey's number of seats against the possible allegations of
being biased. Now, we have accomplished
the required procedures to increase the number of our seats; hopefully, we will
represent Turkey with 18 seats.
Turkey
deserves this on the premise of its population. (…)As one of the founding countries of the Council
of Europe, we thought that an institution which has an important role and we
have spent a great deal of effort, should not face financial issues; therefore,
we became one of the 'Grand Payer' countries. While there were five 'Grand
Payer' countries which were the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia, with
Turkey it is now six. This will eventually be important for Turkey's role in
the council.
2.Bozkir on the Cyprus problem and Turkey’s “red
lines” for the EP’s Report
Turkish
Istanbul HaberTurk Online in Turkish (21.05.15) published an interview by
Turkey’s EU Minister Volkan Bozkir , who evaluated, inter alia, Turkey-EU
relations and the Cyprus negotiation talks.
Referring to the EP draft report, Bozkir expressed hopes that there will not be any items that may displease
them in the report, but, if there are, as he said, they will declare that they
do not accept this report, which is not binding in any event.
Referring
to Turkey’s red lines for the EP report, Bozkir said: “First, the inclusion of
any comments to the effect that the PKK [Kurdistan People’s Congress, KGK] may
be removed from the list of terrorist organizations. The second is the events
of 1915. Any recommendation that these events are recognized (as genocide)
would make the report unacceptable to us. Our Permanent Representative at the
EU, Mr. Selim (Yener) is waiting in Brussels to return the report if this
happens. On the other hand, we can ‘live with’ the draft we have in our hands.
In its present form, we will use some parts of it and ignore others.”
He further said: “We learned during our conversation
that this year’s report went through a more painful drafting process compared
to previous ones. No fewer than 400 amendment motions were submitted for the
report, the first draft of which was released in December. This is a record for
the EP’s Turkey reports. Some of the motions were submitted repeatedly for 85
times. The Minister said that the reason for this comedy was that anti-EU and
anti-Turkey groups gained ground in the elections that reshaped the EP”.
Bozkir
also commented on the negotiations that resumed recently between the “TRNC” and
the “Greek Cypriot sector”, as the Republic of Cyprus is called by the paper
andstated that he was unprecedentedly optimistic about the negotiations that
are going on in Cyprus this time.
Bozkir
said that one reason for this level of optimism is the fact that, this time,
the negotiations are not starting from scratch. He noted that the sides agreed
on the parameters of a solution in February 2014 and that this has created a
very serious opportunity. Noting that he finds the pro-solution posture of the
United States important, Bozkir said: “The solution of this problem that has
persisted for nearly 50 years may be a small success for the world but Cyprus
may have a butterfly effect on the solution of other bigger problems.”
(…)
3.Interview to Havadis by the French Ambassador
Under the front-page title: “Strong support from France”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(25.05.15) publishes an interview by the Ambassador of France to Nicosia, Mr.
Jean-Luc Florent to the paper’s journalist Esra Aygin.
Replying to questions, the French Ambassador referred to the so-called presidential elections
held in the “TRNC” and stated that the “election results” have proved that the
Turkish Cypriots have voted for the solution and for a political change.
Ambassador
Florent stated that the Turkish Cypriots have sent three important messages
with the “election result”. Firstly, that they want a political change and a
new leader, secondly, their desire for a solution on the Cyprus problem and
thirdly that they want more balanced ties with Turkey.
Asked
to comment on the resumption of the Cyprus negotiation talks and what he
considers as different this time, Florent stated that this time there is trust
and confidence amongst the two leaders, Mr. Anastasiades and Mr. Akinci. He said that this is
an important factor which becomes stronger with the fact that the two leaders
share the same vision for the solution.
Asked
to evaluate the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and especially the change of the visa procedures at
crossing points, announced by the Turkish Cypriot side, the French Ambassador described the CBMs as
very encouraging and very beneficial for both communities’ daily lives. He
stated that those measures will contribute to the further development of trust
between the two sides and expressed the belief that they will contribute to the
negotiation process as well.
Concerning
the issue of the fenced off city of Varosha, Florent stated that this issue is
both complicated and at the same time very symbolic.
Stating
that it is very important for steps to be taken towards Varosha, Florent
stressed the need for those steps to be well planned in order not to become an
obstacle to the negotiations and added that the discussions on the Varosha
issue could take place in parallel with the negotiation process.
Stressing
that the both leaders’ main priority and aim is to reach to a comprehensive
solution to the Cyprus problem, the French Ambassador said that the forthcoming
2,5-3 months are very important as regards the progress to be achieved at the
talks.
Stating that both sides’ expectations are very high
this time, Florent expressed hopes that both sides will do all necessary in
order not to bring disappointment.
The French Ambassador stated that his country has
always supported the efforts for the reunification of Cyprus and said that
France will continue to provide any kind of support towards these efforts.
Asked to reply what are the messages he received
behind closed doors as regards whether Turkey’s willingness for a solution is
sincere or not, the French Ambassador said that the messages they received from
Turkey is that Turkey is ready and wants the solution of the Cyprus problem.
He, however, said that the picture will become clearer after the June elections
in Turkey.
(AK)
4. How the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish press
covered the walk of the leaders in the old town of Nicosia
The Turkish
Cypriot newspapers gave extensive
coverage on Sunday (24.05.15) to the
walk of President Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in the
occupied and government controlled part of Ledra Street, in the old town of
Nicosia. The issue was the main story in almost all Turkish Cypriot dailies.
Under the banner
front-page title “Common target is an early solution”, Kibris reports that the leaders gave “a strong message for the
solution to the communities”. The paper writes that the leaders walked in
Arasta area first, in the occupied part of Nicosia and had coffee and
traditional ekmek kadayif sweet at Buyuk Han Caravanserai. Noting that
afterwards the leaders had traditional zivania [Tr. Note: A traditional Cypriot
alcoholic beverage] at a coffee shop in Faneromeni Square, the paper reports
that they both stressed that their common target is solving the Cyprus problem
the soonest.
Under the title
“Cheers to peace”, Havadis writes
that “the wind of peace blew” and that a message of hope was given.
Under the title
“Let no evil eye touch them”, Afrika
reports that the leaders increased the hopes of the people in both sides for
peace and writes that “Cyprus, which is full of pain, experienced one of its
historic days”. The paper writes that President Anastasiades gave a present to
Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami for his birthday on Saturday.
Halkin Sesi covers the issue under the title “Historic visit” and
refers to a “90 minute peace tour”.
Kibrisli uses the title “Ekmek kadayif did good”.
Vatan describes the visit as “meeting that increases hopes by the two
leaders” and referring to “an important message by Akinci reports: “We do not
want to experience disappointment once more”.
Detay covers the issue under the title “They had Cyprus coffee and zivania”
Yeni Bakis and Kibris
Postasi refer to the issue under the title “Let no evil eye touch them”.
Star Kibris writes that “They drank the coffee of peace at Buyuk
Han”.
Diyalog refers to a “Cry for love and peace” and Yeni Duzen to a “historic day”.
Also,
the Turkish newspapers covered on Sunday (24.05.15) the walk of Anastasiades
and Akinci as follows:
Under
the banner front-page title “Cheers to peace”, Milliyet reports that Akinci and Anastasiades had a walk in the
market and the “diplomacy of coffee and zivania” was held.
Hurriyet
reports on the issue under the title “First time in Cyprus” and writes that for
the first time since 1974, the Turkish Cyrpiot leader Mustafa Akinci and the
Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades have walked together the Turkish and
Greek markets in Nicosia. Hurriyet Daily
News (online) uses the title “Rival leaders of Cyprus drink Zivania in
divided capital”.
Under
the title “A historic meeting: a Greek Cypriot leader in the TRNC for the first
time” Sabah reports that it is the
first time that the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades has crossed to the
“TRNC” officially. Daily Sabah (online)
covers the issue under the tile “Turkish coffee breaks the ice between Cypriot
leaders as they tour Nicosia” and writes that “the leaders of the Greek and
Turkish parts of Cyprus strolled through Nicosia on Saturday and drank Turkish
coffee together, demonstrating their intent on improving relations on the
divided island after the start of a new round of peace talks this month”.
Cumhuriyet uses
the title “They made a toast to peace” and writes that “the two leaders
promised a ‘quick solution’”.
Today’s Zaman
(online) refers to the issue under the title “Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders
enjoy coffee in divided capital”.
(I/Ts.-DPs)
5. A Turkish Cypriot columnist publishes an
allegedly unknown story about the minefields in the occupied area of Cyprus
Writing in his
column in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (25.05.15), columnist Ahmet Tolgay reports that the Turkish
occupation army knew about the minefields established by the National Guard
during the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus in 1974. Under the
title “The totally unknown story of the mines”, Tolgay refers to information he acquired by retired colonel Yilmaz Baskaya,
who had been deputy director of the intelligence department of underground
Turkish Resistance Organization’s (TMT) operation center from 1965 until 1977.
According to
Baskaya, the responsibility for the establishment and the cleaning of the
minefields belonged to National Guard’s 70th Engineering Battalion,
which during the period between the first and the second phase of the Turkish
invasion established minefields in the square area between the villages of
Vouno and Mia Milia and left some passages between these minefields.
Baskaya told Tolgay that during an evening in the
beginning of August, the coordinates of the areas where minefields existed and
the passages were conveyed to the units of the National Guard with a message
through a wireless radio. The 20-member interception unit of TMT, which was established in 1964, caught this secret message and managed to decode it. The decoded
message was conveyed to the TMT operation center and the units of the Turkish
invasion army used this information during the second phase of the invasion
on 14 August 1974 and passed through these passages to reach Famagusta.
According to
Baskaya, after the invasion a mine
cleaning operation was conducted upon an order by the Turkish occupation army’s
command. This operation lasted for days and hundreds of mines were found
and destroyed in various areas.
(I/Ts.)
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Bakis newspaper (25.05.15) cites
information about the Democratic Party (DP) and the plans of the party’s leader
Serdar Denktas after the results of the “presidential elections” and his
decision to resign from his post at the “coalition government” between DP and
the Republican Turkish Party (CTP).
According to this information Denktas does not want to leave the “coalition government” since he
believes that the minute his party is withdrawn from it, its internal balances
will be put in danger and the party may be dissolved. In addition, Denktas is
afraid that the members of the National Unity Party (UBP) that left the UBP some
time ago and joined DP, will return to their party. The paper writes that
UBP is getting ready for a new period with its forthcoming election council and
the changes planned for its structure and condition that will make it much more appealing for its former members to
re-join its ranks.
In addition, Havadis newspaper (25.05.15) reports that
Serdar Denktas stated that during the time he served as “deputy prime minister
and minister of tourism”, some of the decisions he took were blocked by the
“Turkish Republic Aid Delegation committee”. He stated that his will as a
“government official” were not respected at all by the “committee” which could
make its own decisions on various issues.
(CS)
7.
Cinar: “53% of the sea water pipelines is completed”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (25.05.15) reports that Birol Cinar - Project Manager
of Turkey’s State Water Affairs Department (DSI) said that 53% of the water
pipelines, which lay across the sea from the coasts of Turkey to the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus, have been completed, meaning 42,1km from the
total 80km water pipelines. He stressed that they try to install 1km of water
pipes in the sea every day. However, he added that sometimes they have delays
due to weather conditions.
Speaking
to the paper, Cinar announced that the works for the water storage reservoir
constructions in Turkey have already been completed and within the month the
works for the reservoir constructions will also be completed in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus.
Cinar
reiterated that their aim is the water to arrive by “July 20”.
(DPs)
8.
“Istanbul Technical University in TRNC” signed a tenancy agreement with the
“ministry of environment”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis (24.05.15) reports that the self-styled ministry of
environment and natural resources has signed a tenancy agreement with the
“Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in TRNC” for the campus, which is planned
to be established in the occupied village of Yialousa.
According
to a press release by the “ministry”, the self-styled minister Dincyurek said
that this agreement is a step forward to the development of the “university”.
He added that they support the efforts of the “university” for the development
of research and the increase of learning capacity.
The
“ITU-TRNC rector” prof. Dr Ercan Kahya, for his part, said that this tenancy
agreement is an important step.
(DPs)
9.PACE to increase seats allocated to Turkish
delegation from 12 to 18
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (22.05.15) reported that
the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE), an international organization dedicated to upholding
human rights which oversees the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), has
approved a Resolution based on a report by Andreas Gross, a Swiss Socialist
Group member of PACE.
Gross
said it was “entirely justified and fair to increase the number of seats, given
that Turkey now has the third-largest population in Europe,” according to a
press release published on Friday.
The allocation of seats in PACE, which is based in
Strasbourg and brings together 318 parliamentarians from the 47 nations of the
Council of Europe, has been based solely on the criterion of population size
since 1949.
According
to the press release, the Turkish delegation to the Assembly with its 18
members “would become the same size as those of France, Germany, Italy, the
Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom, joining them as the equal largest
delegation in the Assembly.”
For
the change to come into effect, both statutory organs of the Council of Europe
must give their approval. The
Assembly said that it hoped that the Committee of Ministers, the Council of
Europe's Ministerial body, would be able to finalize its approval process --
which involves altering the Statute, the Council of Europe's founding text --
in time for the opening of the Assembly's third part-session, according to the
press release. PACE undertakes four part-sessions a year to discuss issues
relating to the jurisdiction of PACE.
The
press report also noted that the Standing Committee “also voiced its support
for the introduction of Turkish as a working language in the Assembly -- alongside German, Italian, Russian, and the two
official languages of English and French -- but said this depends on receiving
additional funds in its budget to cover the extra cost”.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/
AM)
