TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 113/15 19.06.2015
1. Nami: The actual negotiations
will start now
2.
Todd: UK is pleased with the negotiation process
3.
Amanda Sloat met with Mustafa Akinci
4.
Akinci and Yorgancioglu to attend Demirel’s funeral
5.
Afrika criticizes Akinci for participating in Demirel’s funeral
6.
Another church in the breakaway regime is on ruins
7. Ulucay: We are a part of the Republic of Cyprus
8. Turkey's new Parliament to convene on June 23
as final election results announced
9.
CHP starts considering AK Party option for coalition; HDP ready to lend support
to ‘grand coalition’ between AKP, CHP
1. Nami: The actual
negotiations will start now
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (19.06.15)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Ozdil Nami has said that the difficult negotiations have not started
yet and added that what they have been doing until now was to “take the picture
of the existing situation”. In statements to Kanal Sim television, Nami
said yesterday that the actual thorny negotiations will start now. “It seems that an important positive
climate has been secured”, he noted adding that this positive climate and
putting all positive things in a basket is important from the point of view of
the relations not becoming severe when the thorny negotiations start.
Referring to the forthcoming substantial negotiations,
Nami said that the prepared convergences documents will be taken up within a
certain discipline and that during the process one or the other side may want
to prepare a new document.
Noting that the UN is expressing great satisfaction
with the current climate in the negotiations, Nami added that they also say
that in most of the places the negotiations start positively and afterwards
problems come up. “For this reason they continuously give the message that it
would be useful for us to proceed speedily”, he argued pointing out that both
sides are ready to proceed quickly.
Expressing the hope to achieve
convergences and visit New York in September, Nami said that “perhaps in
September in New York, we will have the opportunity to discuss guarantees as
well in an environment in which the guarantor powers will also be present”.He
argued that he sees that such target ‘started to be formed in the Greek Cypriot
side as well”.
Asked about the possibility of
having a referendum by the end of the year, Nami replied that the substantial
negotiations will just begin and it is early to say such a thing. Recalling Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci’s statement
that the process should last for months and not for years, Nami noted that
“this issue should not be delayed for a long time” and underlined that “there
are two negotiating teams which work with great sacrifice and good will and
there is a window of opportunity”.
Nami pointed out that the target is to find a
comprehensive solution and that both community leaders stress this at every
opportunity. He expressed the view that
the confidence building measures (CBM) do not speed the negotiations up, but
they could be used as “means to reflect the positive climate at the negotiating
table”.
Noting that two leaders who share
the same vision and trust each other exist at the negotiating table, Nami said
that “the CBM are important from the point of view of increasing the faith of
both communities and achieving motivation at the negotiating table”.
Nami argued that the new practice implemented by the
breakaway regime at the crossing points indicates in a concrete manner that
some things are changing and added that the new process increases the
perception that solution could be produced to long lasting problems.
Replying to a question on the
opening of the crossing points at Apliki and Deryneia areas, Nami said that
there is no target as to the date on which these crossing points will open, but
the political decision has been taken and none of the sides is in favor of
further postponement. He noted that a serious work should be made
for the opening of crossing points and added that the negotiators are focused
on the comprehensive solution. “This is our priority”, he said.
Replying to another question, Nami noted that the
issues of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha and the illegal Tymbou
airport are not in their priorities and that more “practical issues” will be included
in the priorities of the leaders as regards the CBM.
(I/Ts.)
2. Todd:
UK is pleased with the negotiation process
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.06.15)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met with the British High
Commissioner to Cyprus Ric Todd.
Speaking to Kibris after his meeting with Akinci, Todd stated that the UK is very pleased with
the process of the Cyprus negotiation and added that the UK will do everything
possible to offer assistance on the negotiation procedure. “We are willing to
offer help, we support the work of Eide and of both leaders in Cyprus”, he
stated.
(CS)
3. Amanda
Sloat met with Mustafa Akinci
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
Daily News (online, 19.06.15), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met
yesterday with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Amanda Sloat. No
statements were issued before or after the meeting.
4. Akinci
and Yorgancioglu to attend Demirel’s funeral
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.06.15)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and the self-styled prime
minister Ozkan Yorgancioglu will attend the funeral of the 9th
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel. The funeral service will be held today
(CS)
5. Afrika
criticizes Akinci for participating in Demirel’s funeral
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (19.06.15)
criticizes Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci for participating in the
funeral of the 9th President of Turkey, Suleyman Demirel.
The paper writes that the “officials” of the breakaway
regime are participating in the funeral in the “highest level” , since Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, “prime minister” Ozkan Yorgancioulu and former Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu have
already went to Turkey for the funeral service.
Commenting on the issue, Afrika columnist Sener Levent
writes that his paths with Akinci are separating now that he is attending
Demirel’s funeral:
“Here, now our paths are separating with Mustafa. His
road is to Ankara…to the funeral of Suleyman Demirel…”, writes Levent and
criticizes Akinci for walking behind the coffin of a man known as the enemy of
leftists and of workers, who committed political crimes and supported Rauf
Denktas’ policy on Cyprus.
(CS)
6. Another
church in the breakaway regime is in ruins
Under the title “Disgrace”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni
Bakis newspaper (19.06.15) reports about a monastery in occupied Vouno village
and writes that it is in a very bad condition since a place which is a part of
Cyprus heritage is full of garbage and
is not respected by the breakaway regime.
The paper writes that the monastery is in ruins, its
windows are broken and that there are
garbage of broken bottles and food inside.
The building is falling apart, writes the paper, wondering what the
“officials” are doing as regards the island’s culture heritage.
(CS)
7. Ulucay:
We are a part of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
Kibris Ada Haber news website (12.06.15) reported that the self-styled minister
of interior, TeberrukenUlucay has said
that the Turkish Cypriots are also part of the Republic of Cyprus. During a
program on Diyalog TV, he was asked by journalist AytugTurkkan to comment on
the “trial” against the couple in Famafusta who opened a flag of the Republic
of Cyprus. Ulucay replied:
“[…] We do not
know what the decision of the court will be. However, at this point I can say
that the flag of the Republic of Cyprus is the flag of the common Republic
established by both communities in 1960. We
are also a part of the Republic of Cyprus indirectly. Moreover, individually we are anyway part of the Republic of Cyprus”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Turkey's
new Parliament to convene on June 23 as final election results announced
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 19.06.15), Turkey’s top election body has eventually announced the
final results of the June 7 general election, prompting all eyes to turn to the
first sitting of the new Parliament after the announcement of the results, on
June 23.
According to results announced on June 18 by the
Supreme Election Board (YSK), voter turnout was 83.92%. The Justice and
Development Party (AKP) received 40.66% of the total, the Republican People’s
Party (CHP) won 25.13%, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) won 16.45% and the
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) won 12.96%.
Accordingly, the AKP will have 258 seats in the
550-seat Parliament, the CHP will have 132, while the MHP and the HDP will each
have 80 seats.
The AKP therefore failed to secure the majority in the
550-seat parliament required to rule alone.
Following the announcement of the official results,
the newly elected members of the 25th term of Parliament of the Republic of
Turkey will gather. on June 23. The oath-taking ceremony at first sitting will
be chaired by the oldest deputy, assisted by the six youngest Deputies as
secretaries.
The oldest Deputy in the new Parliament will be Deniz
Baykal, the former head of the CHP, who will serve until Parliament elects a
Speaker.
Candidates to hold the Speaker’s seat from among the
Deputies must submit their bids within five days after the first sitting. The
Speaker will then elected by secret ballot by parliamentarians.
In the first two ballots, two-thirds of the total
number of Deputies, and in the third ballot, an absolute majority of the total
number of Deputies, is required. If an absolute majority cannot be obtained in
the third ballot, a fourth ballot takes place between the two candidates who
obtained the highest number of votes. In the fourth ballot, the candidate receiving
the highest number of votes is elected Speaker.
This process must be completed within five days of the
nomination of candidates.
As is required by Turkish laws and political customs,
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to give the mandate to form a
government to AKP leader Ahmet Davutoglu, as the head of the party with most
seats in Parliament. Turkey’s 63rd government must be formed within 45 days of
the mandate being given, which pushes Davutoglu to act as swiftly as possible
and to engage in coalition negotiations with other political parties. The
President has the right to take the country to early polls if political parties
fail to form a government within 45 days.
The newly formed government must carry a vote of
confidence in Parliament in order to stay in office.
The government program will be debated and a vote of
confidence will be held in a plenary session of the parliament. If the newly
formed government fails to obtain the confidence of a simple majority of
Deputies present in the plenary, it is dismissed from the office.
9. CHP starts considering AK Party option for coalition;
HDP ready to lend support to ‘grand coalition’ between AKP, CHP
Turkish daily Sabah (online, 19.06.15) reports that Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman
Kemal Kilicdaroglu has given a green light for allying with the Justice and
Development Party (AKP) to form a government after the chairman of the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli dashed the hopes of a
coalition bloc that would include the CHP, MHP and the Peoples' Democratic
Party (HDP). Kilicdaroglu, who said he preferred the partnership of the
trio to form a government, had to give up after Bahceli reiterated he would not
be part of a plan that involves the HDP.
Kilicdaroglu has convened the Mayors from his party to
discuss possible coalition options that the CHP can lean toward and held a
five-hour meeting on Thursday. Pointing out that the voters asked the parties
to "come to terms" in the polls, Kilicdaroglu said that the CHP is
determined to hold the "historical responsibility" given to them by
the citizens.
On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 19.06.15) reports that the
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has announced that it is ready to back a
so-called grand coalition government that would be formed by the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) and the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on the
condition that the coalition embraces their party’s principles, too.
“So far, we haven’t had any official or unofficial
meetings for coalition talks. Our door is open to every party,” HDP co-chair
Selahattin Demirtas told reporters on June 18.“If the AKP and the CHP form a
coalition in a way that would embrace our principles too, then we would lend
support from the outside,” he said.
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