TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 110/15 16.06.2015
1.Nami: I will submit tomorrow the report that we have
prepared to the leaders
2.Burcu commented on the
forthcoming visit of British FM to Cyprus
3. Koenig visited Harmanci
4. Azeri Deputy claims that she
is the voice of the Turkish Cypriots
5. CHP announces 14 conditions
for coalition; The opposition parties should form the government
6. MHP leader Bacheli said that
his party could form a coalition government with AKP under conditions
7.Yildiz stated that the Turkish
Stream pipeline project will be accelerated
8. Memoirs claim Erdogan tried to
obstruct Gul’s career
1.Nami: I will submit tomorrow
the report that we have prepared to the leaders
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (16.06.15) reports that
the Turkish Cypriot negotiator OzdilNami, evaluating the process of the Cyprus
talks and the work of the technical committees to “BRT”, said: “We continue to
review the issues. On Wednesday, there will be a meeting with the two leaders.
As it happened to the prior meeting of the leaders, the two negotiators will
submit to the two leaders a joint report. This time is my turn to make the
presentation. I shall be informing the leaders on which areas convergences have
been reached and in which areas differences or divergences still exist”.
Noting that the technical committees, which were
established with the aim to be supportive of the negotiators’ work, have
started their work, Nami added that within this framework, the Technical
Economic Committee held its first meeting yesterday. Nami explained: “In order
to review the economic issue in detail, the sides set up their own working
groups. What they are doing is reviewing those issues. The working groups are
also looking to see if there are any new developments, on which areas
convergences still exist and which areas need more work”.
Nami further said that a similar working group will
start work next week on the property issue and added that they are still in the
process of identifying experts who will make up the working groups.
Nami said: “There is generally a positive climate in
the process. What has been done until now is a review of everything. What is
important is the process which will follow. That is the process of give and
take will begin. There will be bargaining and negotiating…the process of
creating bridges will begin. I hope that the same positive atmosphere that
exists today will continue at that stage. We are doing everything that we can
to ensure that the process moves forward in a smooth and healthy manner”.
(DPs)
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2.Burcu commented on the
forthcoming visit of British FM to Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak television (15.06.15) the
“presidential spokesman”BarısBurcuanswering to BRT’s questions regarding the
forthcoming visit to Cyprus of the British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond,
said that there are great benefits for diplomats and foreign country
representatives who visit Cyprus to cross over to the “north” of the island and
gain firsthand information regarding the Cyprus problem.
Hammond will be visiting the island next month. He is
expected to meet with the “leader” of the “Greek Cypriot administration”, Nikos
Anastasiades,as the President of the Republic of Cyprus is called and the
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı separately.
“In the past much importance was not given to such
visits and we have seen much harm. During the sensitive process ahead we hope
that more care will be given to such visits”, said Burcu.
Pointing to the importance of carrying out top high
level and equalitarian visits on the Cyprus problem,Burcu said that when such
meeting requests come from the international community, they would be sharing
this with the public.
3.Koenig visited Harmanci
Turkish Cypriot daily KibrisPostasi newspaper
(15.06.15) reported that the US
Ambassador John Koenig met yesterday with the “mayor” of the occupied part ofLefkosia
municipality, Mehmet Harmanci.
The projects for the walled city
and the opening of alternative crossing points were discussed during the
meeting.
Also, Harmanci
briefed the Ambassador on the joint project being carried out with the Mayor of
Lefkosia, ConstantinosYiorkadjis
The Turkish Cypriot leader
Akinci’s election and his contribution to a settlement were also on the agenda.
Harmanci underlined that the new process had motivated
the two sides but also added that the issue is multi-dimensional with many more
issues to overcome.
(…)
4. Azeri Deputy
claims that she is the voice of the Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi newspaper (16.06.15) publishes
an interview by Azeri Deputy GaniraPashayeva, who stated that she is the voice
of the Turkish Cypriots anywhere she goes.
She argued that she tried hard to make Azeri people
learn about the Cyprus problem and accused the European Union of having a
two-face policy as regards the Turkish Cypriots, for not keeping its promises
and for treating the Turkish Cypriots in an injustice way.
Pashayeva also expressed her worries on what she
called a “military alliance” between the Republic of Cyprus and Armenia. She also said that Azerbaijan and Turkey have
common interests and said that cooperation between the two countries must be
increased.
(CS)
5.CHP announces 14 conditions
for coalition; Theopposition parties should form the government
Turkish daily Sabah (15.06.15) reported that the chairman of the Republican People's Party
(CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu, which received the second-most votes in the June
7 parliamentary elections, gave a press
conference on Monday in which he outlined the CHP's position and points
necessary to form a coalition.
"The duty to form a
coalition rests on the 60% – the opposition bloc," Kilicdaroglu said. Urging other parties to
announce their own points for forming a coalition, Kilicdaroglu said that they
are not ignoring any political party. "We
should think about Turkey, not the next election," he added.
For the CHP, the first point
necessary to form a coalition is a solid legal system that ensures that the
rule of law is upheld. Removing remnants of the September 12, 1980 military
intervention, including the 10% election threshold and the Higher Education
Board (YOK), is the CHP's second point. The legislation on political ethics to
ensure corruption-free politics in Turkey makes up the third point and a strong
social state is the party's fourth condition.
While criticizing President RecepTayyipErdogan's
statement that he may meet with all political party leaders, Kılıcdaroglu
announced the CHP's fifth point, in
which the role of the President should be minimized in accordance with the
Constitution and practices. Allowing discretionary funds for the exclusive use
of the Prime Minister is the CHP's sixth condition.
The party's seventh condition is
a new trend in foreign policy. Larger freedoms in terms of assembly and
expression are the eighth and ninth conditions. The party's 10th condition is
ensuring the freedom of the media.
Kılıcdaroglu criticized the current status of state
broadcaster TRT and broadcasting watchdog Radio and Television Supreme Council
(RTÜK), saying that the CHP does not accept the current model.
Neutral and fair tax inspections
of private companies are the CHP's 11th point.Final account commission, founded
within the Parliament and led by the opposition to examine the spending items
of annual budgets by the government is the CHP's 12th point. The 13th point is
a new Constitution and a freer judiciary and the struggle against corruption is
the 14th point.
(…)
6.MHP leader Bacheli said that
his party could form a coalition government with AKP under conditions
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (15.06.15) reported
that the chairman of the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) DevletBahceli has said that his party could form a
coalition with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) on condition that
Turkey’s huge corruption cases, engulfing four former Ministers and President
RecepTayyipErdogan’s son Bilal Erdogan, are reopened.
“We are not negative to talks.
There are a number of alternatives … There are people who want us to be [in]
government to avoid the slaughtering of nationalists, but we will not give up
our principles for this. They want us to form a coalition with the AKP, but
what will we do with the Dec. 17 and Dec. 25 [2013] graft probes,”Bahceli was quoted as saying by sources at his party’s
provincial and district heads meeting on June 14.
“Give us Bilal and take the
government,” he added.
Stating that he had told MHP
supporters in election campaign rallies that they would pursue the corruption
probes that the government wanted to cover up, Bahceli said the MHP is
“sensitive” about the issue and “could not overlook it.”
“Will we not call them to account for the money that
they ‘zeroed?’ There is also Bilal on one side of this issue,” he said,
referring to the wiretap recordings in which President Erdogan apparently asks
his son whether he has “zeroed” or unloaded all the cash held in storage by the
Erdogan family.
On September 1, 2014, the
Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office controversially ruled that there were no
legal grounds for the prosecution of 96 suspects, including Bilal Erdogan, who
were accused by prosecutors of bribery and corruption in the December 25, 2013
investigation.
The larger of two dossiers in the corruption probes,
on the other hand, was dropped by the newly assigned prosecutor in October
2014. Some 53 graft suspects including former Ministers’ sons, the former
manager of Halkbank, and a controversial Iranian-Azeri businessman were
implicated in the December 17 investigation.
7.Yildiz stated that the
Turkish Stream pipeline project will be accelerated
Turkish daily Sabah (15.06.15-online in English)
reported that Turkey’s Energy and
Natural Resources Minister TanerYıldız announced that the coordinates that were
anticipated for the Turkish Stream pipeline project, which will transfer
Russian natural gas to Europe through Turkey, have arrived from Russia and the
process will be accelerated by gaining the necessary permission and approvals.
Referring to the meeting of
President RecepTayyipErdogan with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Baku,
Yıldız described it as very constructive.
During a reception held by the Turkish Wind Energy
Association Council, Yıldız answered questions from Russia's state-owned
Sputnik news agency and evaluated the meeting between Erdogan and Putin.
Emphasizing that he accompanied
Erdogan, Yıldız said that the latest developments regarding Turkey's nuclear
power plant projects, which are being built in partnership with Russia and the
Turkish Stream were discussed during the meeting with Putin.
The Foreign Ministry received the
coordinates last week that were sought from the Russian state-owned Gazprom
energy giant, Yıldız said, adding that the prior authorization for the
feasibility report should be received as the next step.
"Gaining this authorization is an issue
concerning the continuation of the process. There are some developments that
may occur within the week. The discussion of the Turkish Stream focuses on one
pipeline, not four pipelines. In other words, the Turkish Stream negotiations
with a 63 billion-cubic-meter capacity in total only include the one pipeline
with a 16 billion-cubic-meter capacity. All negotiations will be conducted on
the single pipeline. This is the subject of what Putin and Erdoğan continue to
discuss," Yıldız said.
(…)
8. Memoirs claim Erdogan tried
to obstruct Gul’s career
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (16.06.15)
reports that a new political memoir demonstrates the political rift between
Turkish President RecepTayyipErdoganand former President Abdullah Gul and
claims that Erdogantried to impede the political career of Gul three times.
The memoirs -- published recently by Gul's adviser of
12 years, Ahmet Sever -- claim that Erdogan first tried to obstruct Gül's
political career in 2007 when Gul was trying to become President and Erdogan
was still Prime Minister. The second occasion was when Erdogan ordered the
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) to pass legislation that had the
effect of restricting Gul's presidency to one term.
The third occasion Erdogan tried to obstruct Gul's
career, according to the book -- which is titled “The 12 years I spent with
Abdullah Gul” -- was when Erdogan prevented Gul's return to the AK Party after
he won the presidential election in 2014. Erdogan moved forward the date of the
AK Party's general assembly -- where the AK Party was to vote for its new leader
-- to one day before Gul's term had finished, preventing Gul from entering the
election for the top spot in the AK Party.
However, critics have been quick to criticize the
claims in Sever's book. Speaking at a press conference in Ankara on Monday, former
Energy Minister TanerYıldız said: “Some of the sentences [in the book] give the
impression that there was some sort of rift between the 11th President,
Abdullah Gul, and the 12th president, RecepTayyipErdogan. I don't agree.”
Yıldız also pointed to the fact that the information in the book was
“worthless.”
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