TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 115/15 23.06.2015
1.
Akinci: Building measures which will directly be related with Lefkosia will
come to the agenda soon
2. ISAD’s chairman: “The Turkish
Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot businessmen are not ready for a
solution on the Cyprus problem”
3.
“The amendments to the law on political parties” were unanimously approved
4. Saner condemned the Slovakian
Ambassador to Cyprus over addressing Galanos as the “mayor of Varosha”
5. Businessman asks for
SerdarDenktas’ imprisonment
6. Gul’s counselor refers to
Cyprus in his recently published book; Gul appointed a counselor for Talat
during the Annan Plan period
7.
Newly elected members of Turkish parliament to take oath at first session
8.
Sculptor faces up to 4 years in jail for insulting Erdogan
9.
Turkish columnist writes that Turkey’s foreign policy will change after a
coalition government is established
1. Akinci:
Building measures which will directly be related with Lefkosia will come to the
agenda soon
Illegal Bayrak television (23.06.15) broadcast that
Mehmet Harmanci, “mayor” of the occupied part of Lefkosia, held a meeting with
the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
During the meeting, Harmanci stated that he wanted to
inform Akinci about the “draft law on municipalities” and also that he wanted
to share information about the “Water Management Project” as well as other
ongoing efforts towards bringing closer the occupied Lefkosia municipality with
the Municipality of Lefkosia.
Touching upon the Cyprus problem Harmanci said: “We believe that the Turkish Cypriot society
had shown a strong will towards a settlement. We hope the will of the people
will be embraced by everyone. We want to express our confidence in you towards
finding a just solution to the Cyprus problem”.
On his part, Akinci
said that he will continue with his close dialogue with the “municipalities”.
“Work being carried out by the Lefkosia Turkish Municipality and the South Lefkosia
Municipality will contribute towards steps to be taken on the Cyprus problem”,
Akinci stated and added that the main
target is to reach a solution which will satisfy both sides and enable both “peoples”
on the island to live in equality and security.
“Some steps have been taken in the form of confidence
building measures. Preparations are continuing for the implementation of these
measures. Steps which will directly be related with Lefkosia will come to the
agenda. In this regard, we attach great importance to the work you have been
carrying out with Constantinos Yorgatzis.” Akinci said.
2. ISAD’s chairman: “The
Turkish Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot businessmen are not ready for
a solution on the Cyprus problem”
Turkish Cypriot daily Detay newspaper (23.06.15)
reported that the chairman of the
Turkish Cypriot Businessmen’s Association (ISAD) MetinSadi, in statements to
the paper, has asked for the formation of a wide base “government” in the
occupied area of Cyprus, in order for all the postponed problems that exist in
the “country” to be solved.
Stating
that the investors in the “country” are not hopeful for the future since they
are affected by the political situation and the instability in the “TRNC”, Sadi
stressed the need for the formation of a “stable government”.
Referring
to the Cyprus problem, Sadi argued that the Turkish Cypriot side is not ready
yet for a solution on the Cyprus problem and added that neither the current
“government” is able to move forward towards the direction of the solution. He
added that the NGO’s should undertake duties in order to prepare the Turkish
Cypriots for the solution and the period after the solution.
Sadi also referred to the necessity to take steps in
order to reform the current structure of the “country” and said that it is very important for the Turkish
Cypriot side to be prepared for the after solution period in order as he said
to pay the minimum cost.
Sadi
stated also that the business world in the “TRNC” is not ready for the
solution. He added that if the “assembly” do not pass the necessary
“legislations” and in case that new systems which will ease the businessmen to
make investments are not implemented, then the Turkish Cypriot side will not be
ready to confront the Greek Cypriot side which has already adopted such systems
since 2004.
(AK)
3. “The
amendments to the law on political parties” were unanimously approved
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (23.06.15) reports that
the so-called “TRNC” assembly (translator’s note: the assembly of the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) approved unanimously
yesterday the amendments to the “law on political parties”.
According to the amendments, there will be “primary
elections” within the political parties to determine their “deputy candidates”.
There will be electoral quotas of 30% for women and men on the candidate lists.
The political parties, which do not implement this article, will not be able to
participate in the “elections. According to the “new law” which also regulates
“state subsidy” to the political parties, the political parties, which obtain
more than 3% of the votes in the “elections” but don’t elect a “deputy”, will
still be able to receive a “state fund”.
On the same issue, a “regulation” was made to the
establishment of a new political party. A political party may be established
with at least 30 persons and not 15 as it was in the previous provision of the
“political parties’ law”. In addition to this, there will be new conditions for
the political party that will participate for the first time at the
“elections”. The party should inform the “supreme election board” (“YSK”) 90
days before the “elections” regarding its incorporated political party
provisions, all its centres, address, etc.
Meanwhile, the paper reports that it has drawn the
attention the fact that this time at the chapter of “parties’ prohibitions”,
the paragraph on “denial or lift Turkey’s guarantor rights on Cyprus” was not
included in the new “law”.
According to the amendments, any “elected deputy”, who
resigns or is removed from his/her political party, will have to complete
his/her period as an “independent deputy”. The “deputy” will be able to join
another political party only after the completion of his/her “election period”.
(DPs)
4. Saner condemned the
Slovakian Ambassador to Cyprus over addressing Galanos as the “mayor of
Varosha”
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi newspaper (23.06.15)
reports that Ersan Saner, so-called
deputy with the National Unity Party (UBP) in occupied Famagusta, has sent a
letter to the Ambassador of Slovakia to Cyprus, Oksana Tomova condemning her
for calling Alexis Galanos, Mayor of Famagusta, as “mayor of Varosha (Maras)”.
Issuing a written statement on the issue, Saner expressed his disappointment and
displeasure over the fact and called Tomova to “respect the realities in the
island, which are undeniable”, as he said.
Saner
alleged that the Slovakian Ambassador is ignorant of the basic details of the
Cyprus problem and described her stance to address Galanos during an event
organized by the “embassy” as the “mayor of Varosha”, as unacceptable.
(AK)
5. Businessman asks for
SerdarDenktas’ imprisonment
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (23.06.15)
reports that a Turkish Cypriot
businessman named AhmetBastas sued former minister of tourism SerdarDenktas,
who had not obeyed to a “court’s” interim order and leased a piece of land at
occupied AgiosEpiktitos village, in Keryneia, to another company. The 32
– donum “public land” [Translator’s note: A donum is land measure of about 1000
square meters] had been leased to Bastas’ Rose&Akasan Enterprises Ltd for
establishing a touristic installation.
Bastas sued Denktas and other “officials”, such as the
head of the title deeds “department” and occupied Keryneia’s “district
officer”, asking for their imprisonment
for not obeying the “court’s” interim order saying that the land could not be
leased to anyone else and leased it to ATY-Adali Tourism Company Ltd.
The hearing of the case will take place on 5 July at occupied
Keryneia’s “district court”.
(I/Ts.)
6. Gul’s counselor refers to
Cyprus in his recently published book; Gul appointed a counselor for Talat
during the Annan Plan period
Turkish Cypriot daily KibrisPostasi newspaper
(23.06.15) reports that Ahmet Sever, former Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s
press counselor, refers to Cyprus and
the Cyprus problem in his recently published book under the title “Twelve
years with Abdullah Gul! I Lived, Saw, Wrote”.
Some of the memories and dialogues included in the
book concern the 2003-2007 period, Gul’s term at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Sever writes that Gul
in responce to the presence of former Turkish Cypriot leader RaufDenktas, his
son SerdarDenktas and his advisor MumtazSoysal in the team which travelled to
New York upon an invitation by the then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, had
sent an adviser to former self-styled prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat.
According to Sever, that was a
last-minute appointment by Gul and Talat was acquainted with this new adviser
on the airplane to New York.
Sever wrote the following: “[…] The AKP decided to get
into action. Prime Minister Erdogan launched a diplomatic attack in Davos on 24
January 2004: ‘We support the resumption of the negotiations on the basis of
the Annan Plan in Cyprus. If there is no agreement, the UN could fill in the
gaps. Turkey will always be one step ahead on this issue’.
After this development, Kofi Annan, who became hopeful
again, wrote a letter to the sides on 5 February inviting them to New York on
10 February. Abdullah Gul was determined
to firmly control the issue this time. He tried every way to convince
Denktas to go to New York and left no space for him to move. In the end Denktas
was convinced even unwillingly.
Together with Denktas, prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat
and foreign minister SerdarDenktas would participate in the delegation which
would go to New York. Denktas had advisers such as MumtazSoysal, who were cold
to a solution. Abdullah Gul wanted to
find by Talat’s side a powerful person, who mastered the issue, in order to
balance this.
On 8 February we were in Brussels for EU meetings.
Hours were left before returning to Turkey. He called me and said: ‘Ahmet, look
for your friend Professor RusenErgec. Let us send him to New York as Talat’s
adviser’.
I called Rusen at once. He was shaving at the barber
shop. He left shaving unfinished and came. He jumped on the plane hurriedly. He
finished his shaving in Ankara. Rusen was my friend at the Brussels University
and he was a very good expert on the constitutional law. Moreover, he had
visited the TRNC as guest expert for a while and studied the Annan Plan very
well. Furthermore, he thought that the plan was just and acceptable. I had
introduced him with Gul in Ankara during the latter’s Prime Ministry. At the same time, Rusen was an Iraqi Turkmen
from Kirkuk.
Mehmet Ali Talat would be
acquainted with his new adviser on the plane to New York for the first time. […]”
(I/Ts.)
7. Newly
elected members of Turkish parliament to take oath at first session
Hurriyet Daily News (23.06.15) reports that new
members of the 550-seat Turkish parliament will take their oaths at the first
session of the national assembly on June 23.
In line with customs, after having taken over from
outgoing Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, as the eldest Deputy, Deniz Baykal of
the Republican People's Party (CHP) will chair the first session. The first
session will probably be one of the longest sessions of the 25th term of
Parliament of the Republic of Turkey, expected to take about 10 hours in total
as oath-taking lasts for around one minute for each Deputy.
The oath-taking session will also give hints about the
process to form a viable coalition government, based on tendencies during the
election of a new parliament Speaker. Those who want to run for the number two
position of the state of the Republic of Turkey have until midnight on June 27
to apply, as the first round of voting will take place on June 28. Contenders
have to reach a two-third majority in the first two rounds, while a simple
majority is sufficient in the third round of voting.
Political party groups are not allowed to nominate a
candidate for the election of the Speaker, to ensure that the Speaker shall be
the choice of the assembly as a whole. As none of the four political parties
have a simple majority, the election of the parliament Speaker will require a
final fourth round of voting, in which the candidate with the most votes will
be elected. In this case, a Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate will
be elected if the three opposition parties cannot compromise and agree on a
name.
In addition Today's Zaman (23.06.15) reports that the People's Democratic Party has announced
that its candidate for the parliament speaker is Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat who is
a former Deputy chair of the Justice and Development Party and also one of the
founders of the party. He resigned from the AK Party in 2014, accusing the
ruling party of having been transformed into a structure that is fertile ground
for corruption.
Firat, a respected politician who is of Kurdish
origin, served in the past as a lawmaker and deputy chairman of the AK Party in
the past. He joined the HDP ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections and was
elected as a Deputy from Mersin.Other three parties in Parliament have not
announced their candidates yet.
8. Sculptor
faces up to 4 years in jail for insulting Erdogan
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (23.06.15) reports that an
İstanbul prosecutor has sought a prison term of up to four years for sculptor
Mehmet Aksoy for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Renowned sculptor Aksoy had previously been awarded
compensation in the amount of TL 10,000 from Erdogan, after the latter called a
statue by Aksoy erected in the eastern province of Kars a “freak.” The statue
was then taken down on June 14, 2011 by the Kars Municipality.
When Aksoy was asked by the media what he was planning
to do with the compensation and whether he would invest it into sculpting, he
replied, "I wouldn't use illicit money for sculpting." According to
the indictment against Aksoy, that statement by the artist was an insult to
Erdogan. If the indictment is accepted by a court, Aksoy will face up to four
years of imprisonment.
9. Turkish
columnist writes that Turkey’s foreign policy will change after a coalition
government is established
Under the title: “Expect a shift in Turkish foreign
policy soon”, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (23.06.15) publishes the following
article by Murat Yetkin:
“It will soon be clear, perhaps within weeks, whether
a coalition government will be formed in Turkey, preventing the country from
being dragged to another election this year.
After receiving strong messages from society, business
circles, and from their own newly elected MPs, the party leaders - especially
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti)
and Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) - are likely to
do their best to avoid a possible election in November. […] The only way to
avoid an early election is to form a coalition government. Many business
circles openly favor a “grand coalition” between the AK Parti and the CHP.
If
such a coalition can be established, one of the first things we should expect
to change is Turkey’s foreign policy.The foreign policy of successive AK Parti governments,
especially after the start of the Arab Spring in 2010 and particularly on Syria
and the Middle East, was one of the favorite subjects of criticism by the CHP
during the election campaign.
It would be no surprise if Kilicdaroglu insists on the
CHP being given the Foreign Ministry in a possible coalition deal with AK
Parti.
One of the first things that CHP would like to see is
a shift in policy on Syria, including the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) and other al-Qaeda affiliated groups. The ups and downs
of the Kurdish groups fighting against ISIL - amid the suspension of Kurdish
peace talks in Turkey by the government at the beginning of the election
campaign - could be affected by the result of such a deal.
Of course, the change would not be a radical one, as
the AK Parti would still be leading the government. But it could be expected to
take a tougher stance against ISIL alongside Turkey’s NATO allies, impose
stricter border control, and adopt better migration control. Indeed, Kilicdaroglu
promised during the election campaign that he would aim for the safe return of
the more than 2 million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey - after a political
settlement in Syria, to which Turkey would contribute.
The
CHP wants Turkey to return to its cautious foreign policy line regarding Iraq,
Egypt, Israel and Libya, and the Middle East in general. Turkey currently has
no ambassadors in Syria, Egypt, Israel, and Libya, in addition to the Republic
of Cyprus and Armenia.
The
CHP has also vowed to revive Ankara’s relations with the European Union with a
more Western-oriented, democracy and rights-focused foreign policy. Relations with the U.S. and Russia could be expected
to get a fine-tuning under a CHP-led Foreign Ministry. Turkey’s relations with
the U.S. have lately been - as in the Cold War years - mainly
military-to-military, especially over the last two years. The CHP may also
question the country’s dependency on Russia in energy issues.In any case, one
should expect a fine-tuning in Turkey’s foreign policy as soon as a coalition
government is established.”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS/ AM)
