TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 129/15 11-13.07.2015
1. Akinci:
EU will not replace UN
2. CTP and
UBP’s target is to establish a “coalition government” by 15 July; Reactions by
UBP’s Tatar and Tore
3. Talat: “The
aim is to form a serious and ambitious government”
4. ISAD
supports the “CTP-UBP coalition government”
5. The
German Ambassador to Nicosia says that the Cyprus negotiations are advancing in
a “very promising manner”
6. Turkey
demands Atalay be relieved of his duties
7. Swiss
Ambassador paid a visit to Atalay
8. The
“KTSO” held contacts in Izmir over the halloumi issue
9. “KTOS
chairman” reacted over the increase in the number of students following Quran
lessons in schools
10. “Cyprus
Existence Movement” issued its position for the “citizenship law”
1. Akinci:
EU will not replace UN
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 11.07.15), the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has said that the
European Union’s interest in the Cyprus negotiations process does not mean that
the EU is going to replace the United Nations.
Speaking yesterday to reporters on his
return from his meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader NicosAnastasiades, Akinci said that the process is an UN-led
process and will continue to be so. “The European Union is one of the
important actors which will contribute to this process. But it is out of the
question for the EU to replace the UN at the talks”, he added.
Pointing out that the meeting had lasted
longer than anticipated because they had entered substantive discussions on the
core issues, Akinci said: “We are
conducting intensive negotiations for a comprehensive settlement. The process
is moving on”.
Reminding that he had conveyed to the heads
of the EU institutions during his contacts in Brussels the importance of
preparing the Turkish Cypriots for EU membership as and when a settlement is
reached, Akinci said that the head of the EU Commission Jean Claude-Juncker
will be visiting the island in the near future.
“Juncker will be visiting us as well and
there is a possibility that we have a joint meeting with Mr Juncker and Mr
Anastasiades. As a result there is a growing interest from the EU in the
process. The EU is an important actor
who will contribute to the process. But let there be no misunderstanding, in no
such way is the EU replacing the UN or the role of the UN diminishing”, he
added.
Akinci also reminded that the final
decision regarding a settlement will be made by the two communities once an
agreement is reached.
Explaining that a settlement will have
financial costs and the economic dimension of a solution is extremely
important, Akinci said that currently the cost of a non-solution is much higher
than the cost of any settlement. “Nevertheless a settlement is costly. We will
definitely need the assistance of international actors and financial
institutions. That is why it was good we held discussions on the economic
dimension”, he noted.
On the issue of confidence building
measures, Akinci said that no new decision regarding confidence building
measures had been taken at the meeting but that the technical committees are
continuing to work on the implementation of those in place.
2. CTP
and UBP’s target is to establish a “coalition government” by 15 July; Reactions
by UBP’s Tatar and Tore
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen newspaper
(11.07.15) reported that the
negotiations for establishing a “coalition government” between the Republican
Turkish Party (CTP) and the National Unity Party (UBP) have officially started
on Friday. In statements after the meeting, Huseyin Ozgurgun, leader of the
UBP, said that they discussed the timetable and the details of their work.
On the other hand, Omer Kalyoncu, CTP’s
“deputy” in occupied Keryneia, who had been assigned by his party with the duty
of holding discussions with the UBP for establishing a “coalition”, said that
they discussed the timetable and the equal distribution of the “ministries”
without referring to any names. He noted that there is no problem with the distribution of the “ministries” and added
that the parties agreed on taking five “ministries” each. He said that their target is to establish a
“government” by 15 July. The deadline for the CTP ends on 21 July, as the
party had been assigned on 6 July by the Turkish Cypriot leader with the duty
of establishing a “coalition government’ within 15 days.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (13.07.15) reports that Ersin
Tatar, “deputy” with the UBP in occupied Nicosia, said that the majority of the
members of his party opposed to UBP becoming the “small partner” in a
“coalition’ with the CTP. He argued
that when the stance and the statements of the CTP’s officials are taken into
consideration, he also thinks that such a “coalition” will bring no benefit to
the party.
Another “deputy” of the UBP, Zorlu Tore has stated that the CTP-UBP
“coalition” will not live long and argued that this “government” will live long
if the CTP “deputies” participate together with the UBP “deputies” in the
celebrations for the Turkish invasion and the “dawn shift”, which will be
organized at the beach where the Turkish 1974 invasion of the island had
started.
(I/Ts.)
3. Talat:
“The aim is to form a serious and ambitious government”
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
Postasi Daily News (online, 13.07.15), the leader of the Republican Turkish
Party (CTP) Mehmet Alit Talat, speaking on a “BRT programme” this morning, said
they aim to form a serious and ambitious “government” and added that they did
not see this seriousness in the Democratic Party (DP). He also said that the
formation of a wide based “government” is not possible with the DP.
During the programme, Talat said that the
CTP is looking closely at their “ministries” and believe that some departments
can be moved to other “ministries” for functionality purposes.
He said that there has not been an
election; therefore there will be a continuity; the CTP will carry on with the
“ministries” they presently hold.
On the discussions with the UBP
representatives, Talat said that he did not attend these meetings but had
feedback from his colleagues which were leading the discussions. He added that
the important issue for him is for the “government” to carry out the programme
timely.
Responding to accusations that he is acting
like “a shadow PM”, Talat said that he will definitely not be a “shadow prime
minister” and reminded that he still retained the position of the “2nd Turkish
Cypriot leader”; Therefore, it is his duty to approach the sides equally.
4. ISAD
supports the “CTP-UBP coalition government”
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli
(13.07.15), the president of the Turkish Cypriot businessmen’s association
(ISAD) MetinSadi said that they support the “coalition government” between the
Turkish Republic Party (CTP) and the National Unity Party (UBP).
In a written statement, Sadi said that
there was a need for a “wide-based government” such as the CTP-UBP coalition in
order to secure communal consensus and support on the on-going Cyprus
talks.
Sadi went on to say that a strong
“government programme” is needed, one without prejudice, ideologies and one
which supports prosperity. He noted that a programme such as this will best be
supported by technocrats in the government and added that they expect all the
“deputies” from both parties to work constructively.
5. The
German Ambassador to Nicosia says that the Cyprus negotiations are advancing in
a “very promising manner”
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(12.07.15) reported that Nikolai von
Schoepff, the German Ambassador to Nicosia, has said that the negotiating
process in Cyprus is advancing in “a very promising manner”, adding that “the
situation has changed within a few months”. In an interview with Havadis,
the Ambassador noted that “now we are hearing and seeing very positive things,
which we would not have believed, even if we saw them in our dreams two month
ago”.
Ambassador Schoepff said that the election
of Mustafa Akinci as the Turkish Cypriot leader has created a new hope and
enthusiasm on both sides of the Green Line. He argued that the conditions for
the reunification of Cyprus have never been better and will never be better.
Pointing
out that two leaders who have the same vision and understand each other are
sitting at the negotiating table now, the German Ambassador expressed the view
that “the wish of establishing a ‘Cypriot nation’, instead of being under the
control of Turkey or Greece, is becoming widespread both among the Turkish
Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots” and added: “The ‘Cypriot’ identity
has come forward on both sides. The important thing now is to build something
concrete on the existing new dynamics in both communities […] The ‘frozen
conflict situation’ in Cyprus constitutes a political risk for international
investors. Cyprus will be able to fully reach the potential of becoming a
commerce and business center between Europe and the Near/Middle East only when
this risk factor is eliminated”.
Relying to
a question, he noted that the German Foreign Minister and other leading
politicians will soon visit Cyprus and meet the two leaders.
(I/Ts.)
6.Turkey demands Atalay be relieved of his duties
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (13.07.15) reports that the Presidency of
Religious Affairs of the Turkish Republic and the “Turkish embassy” in the
occupied area of Lefkosia demanded that TalipAtalay, the Head of the Religious
Affairs of the breakaway regime, be relieved of his duties.
The paper
writes that this is a reaction to the failed efforts of Atalay to become a
candidate with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the parliament
elections which were held in Turley last month and his desire to be involved in
Turkish politics.
A letter
was sent by the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Turkish Republic, which
is under the authority of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, addressed
to the “TRNC presidency” on the issue and a similar letter was also sent by the
“Turkish embassy”. The paper notes that the letters were sent in May but due to
the issues occurring in the breakaway regime for the establishment of a new
“government”, action was not taken.
(CS)
7. Swiss
Ambassador paid a visit to Atalay
Turkish Cypriot daily HalkinSesi (12.07.15)
reports that the Swiss Ambassador to Cyprus Peter Reinhardt, in a visit to the
self-styled head of the religious affairs department of the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus TalipAtalay, said that Switzerland
is satisfied for the ongoing dialogue between the religious leaders in Cyprus.
Noting that the religious leaders
contribute to the cooperation and the reconciliation of the two “people”, Swiss
Ambassador said that they want also to contribute on the Cyprus talks.
Atalay, for his part, said that the
religious leaders need to play a more active role for lasting peace to prevail
in the world and in Cyprus. He added that international organisations such as
the UN should consider the effective contribution religious diplomacy can make
to peace and reconciliation processes around the world. Atalay concluded by
expressing his gratitude to the Swiss Ambassador for his support on the ongoing
Cyprus talks.
(DPs)
8.The
“KTSO” held contacts in Izmir over the halloumi issue
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper
(12.07.15) reported that a delegation of
the “Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry” (“KTSO”) headed by its chairman Ali
Cirali held a series of contacts in Izmir between July 9-10 in order to carry
out a market survey over halloumi/hellim.
According to the paper, the delegation visited the Mayor of Izmir
Aziz Kocaoglu and the chairman of the Chamber of Industry of the Aegean Region
and Vice President of the Turkey's Chambers and Stock Exchanges Union (TOBB),
Ender Yorgancilar.
Speaking during his meeting with
Yorgancilar, Cilari said that hellim is
an important cultural and economic product for the Turkish Cypriots. He added that
in spite of the fact that hellim has been identified with Cyprus and the fact
that the geographical registration of hellim in Turkey belongs to the Turkish
Cypriots, the production of hellim in Turkey continues. “Our goal is by 2016
all the hellim in the Turkish market to be produced in Cyprus”, Cirali
said.
Referring
to the legal struggle they had launched against the producers of hellim in
Turkey, Cirali said that they will continue their struggle until the end having
also the support of the “people” and NGO’s in the “TRNC”.
(AK)
9.“KTOS
chairman” reacted over the increase in the number of students following Quran
lessons in schools
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(11.07.15) reported on statements by
Semen Saygun, “chairman” of the “Turkish Cypriot teacher’s union” (KTOS) who,
in a written statement, reacted over the activities of the primary school
students under the religious education they follow at “schools” in the “TRNC”.
Saygun referred specifically to the
Quran lessons the students follow in “schools” in the occupied area of Cyprus
and said that the there was an increase
in the number of people who following them. “While, in 2012, 2,000 people were
following Quran lessons, this year this number has increased to 5000. This is
an indication that we are moving away from a scientific education”, Saygun
said.
(AK)
10.“Cyprus Existence Movement” issued its position for the
“citizenship law”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.07.15) reports that the “Cyprus Existence
Movement” issued its position for the “citizenship law”, asking the new
“government” to be established in the breakaway regime to take them into
consideration.
According
to the paper, the movement is asking for the safeguarding of “citizenship
granting” to the persons born in the “TRNC”, a right to apply for “citizenship”
for those who work in the breakaway regime for five years and also the persons
who enter the “TRNC” by air or water and are not “TRNC citizens” to be treated
equally.
According to the movement these are issues
that are in accordance with human rights and should be taken into
consideration.
(CS)
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/
LF)
