TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
126/15 08.07.2015
1. “The
story of the winches which could never be taken out of Varosha”
2. UN Envoy
Eide visited Denktas
3. Denktas
announced his party’s “new political vision”
4.
Self-styled finance minister Mungan: The Treasury is at a better point
5. YKP to
attend a seminar in the Czech Republic
6. 675
thousand subscribers of cell phones in the occupied area of Cyprus
7. The new
campus of the illegal Keryneia American University will start operating from
July 20
8. Bozkir:
Turkey's EU membership still a strategic goal
9. USA and
Turkey on new page for cooperation on Syria
10.
Columnist: “Erdogan delaying the coalition process for his own game”
1. “The
story of the winches which could never be taken out of Varosha”
Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (08.07.15) reports that a businessman purchased in 1987 two tower type construction winches,
which had been abandoned by Greek Cypriots in the occupied city of Varosha in
1974, but could never take them out of the occupied fenced off city, in spite
of the fact that he had paid 17 thousand dollars in a tender invited by the
“state”.
“The stories of putting on sale in favour
of the state assets in the fenced off Varosha, which is one of the most
important parts of the Cyprus problem, have come to these days by being told by
those who lived them”, writes the paper noting that the businessmen who had purchased the winches filed a “lawsuit” against
the “state” in 1988 after they were told that they were not allowed by the
Turkish occupation army to take the winches out of the occupied city.
Businessmen BayramErkose and Akkanat Sonya
were among the participants in the tender. The
pretext for not allowing the businessmen to take the winches out of the
occupied fenced off city was that they could not be evacuated secretly from the
United Nations Peace-Keeping Force, that in case there was an effort to
evacuate them, the UNFICYP would protest to stop this action, and the Greek
Cypriot side and foreign powers would instantly be notified about the issue,
which would have been made an issue of political exploitation and be used for
propaganda in the media.
The “court” decided that the “state” should
compensate the businessmen, but the later refused to take the compensation. The
trial lasted for ten years and the businessmen could only take back the 17
thousand dollars they had paid for the two winches.
BayramErkose told Kibris that the tender
for the winches was invited because they posed danger and they could collapse.
“When we were removing the winches, the Greek Cypriots saw us and complained”,
he said adding that the “council of ministers” annulled the sale.Erkose noted that he had come from Turkey
to the occupied area of the island in 1974 and that he would have taken the
winches to Turkey, as he had acquired a “permit” for this by the “council of
ministers”.
Erkose described as “tragicomical” the fact
that the “state” sold assets through tenders and afterwards annulled these
tenders. He noted that the assets which
then were located in the occupied city of Famagusta were taken to the
warehouses of the “property and furnishing department” and people were buying
products from there. Erkose said that he also purchased two pianos then.
(I/Ts.)
2. UN
Envoy Eide visited Denktas
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 08.07.15), the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus Espen
Barth Eide, who is currently paying visits to political parties on the island,
visited yesterday the leader of the Democrat Party National Forces (DP/UG)
SerdarDenktas at the party’s headquarters.
The DPUG General Secretary and self-styled
minister for public works and communications Hasan Tacoy and Foreign Relations
Secretary SerhatKotak were also present at the meeting.
Speaking during the visit, Eide said that a
very interesting week had been experienced during the talks. “We are working basically on all issues
interdependently, constructively with leaders that are showing real courage and
leadership to try to see if this is the actual time where the Cyprus issue can
be solved”, said Eide.
Noting that he had taken part in meetings
last week either with the leaders or with the negotiators on a daily basis, the
UN Envoy said that with every passing day his optimism towards a solution is
increasing. He added that the solution to be found to the Cyprus problem must
be supported by both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots therefore an important
part of his duty is to meet with political parties.
Denktas,
for his part, said that they had not been informed about the current phase of
the Cyprus negotiations process and therefore if they wanted political parties
to support the solution, then they must be informed.
Denktas said that he had informed Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci of this situation as well. He said that they, as the Democrat party, have some reservations
regarding the solution process but that they will wait and see the end results.
He also voiced concern regarding the
economic situation of the Turkish Cypriot “people”, stating that in order for
the Turkish Cypriot economy to compete with other countries, the Turkish
Cypriot economy needed to be improved.
3. Denktas announced his party’s “new political vision”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Bakis newspaper (08.07.15) reports that the Democratic Party
National Forces (DP-NF) announced yesterday the “New Political Vision” of the
party, which consists of four main headings: “The Democracy Package, the
Economy Package, the Cyprus problem and Relations with Turkey». The party’s new
vision was announced by its chairman SerdarDenktas during a press conference
organized in the occupied part of Lefkosia.
The party’s
draft political vision includes a series of reforms on “citizenship, minority
rights, refugee rights tax”. The DP’s political vision also highlights the need
to improve the economy, to introduce a step by step solution to the Cyprus
problem and to restructure the “TRNC’s relationship with Turkey”.
Speaking
about Cyprus, Denktas stated that the solution of the Cyprus problem comes
through the establishment of a new Cyprus and not with integrating the “TRNC”
in the Republic of Cyprus. “We believe that we can reach such a solution by
taking small steps”, he said adding that the new political structure must be
supported in order for peaceful solution based onn political equality to be
constructed. He said that his party is ready to work towards a new Cyprus which
will be established on the basis of two founding states and added that this
will be reached with political equality: “The south is theirs, the north is
ours, we will administrate the whole island together taking steps that will
bring the two communities of the island together, without rejecting the
position of the UN Secretary General and the “officials papers” of either the
Greek side or the Turkish side for a comprehensive solution”, he argued.
(CS)
4. Self-styled
finance minister Mungan: The Treasury is at a better point
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 07.07.15), the self-styled minister of finance ZerenMungan held a
press conference on Tuesday evaluating the work that had been carried out
during the last two years.
Announcing that he will not take part in
the “new cabinet”, Mungan said: “I want
to complete my duty by bringing the treasury to a better point. I have
completed my two year duty. I will continue with my work in the field of
finance.”
Mungan noted that the work carried out by
his “ministry” had been based on the approach of using public funds
effectively, economically and efficiently, to maintain accountability and
financial transparency as well as to increase local revenues through budget
discipline and savings.
Mungan also touched upon work carried out
by the various departments operating under the “finance ministry”. He also
provided information about the “state budget”, sharing figures and statistics.
“In May 2013 we had inherited a state budget with a 66 million TL deficit and
again in June 2013 we inherited a budget with a 20 million deficit. The second
year, in May 2013, we achieved a budget surplus of 5 million TL followed by a
21 million surplus in June 2015. These figures show that the state budget had turned
from an unbalanced budget into a surplus budget” Mungan added.
Explaining that the 82% of the local
expenditures were met by the local revenues and that this percentage had
reached 91% during the first half of 2015, he said this development proved that
the target to meet local expenditures with local revenues had been met.
5.YKP
to attend a seminar in the Czech Republic
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(08.07.15) reports that the New Cyprus
Party (YKP) will attend a seminar and workshop which is to be organized by the
European Leftist Party (EL) in the Czech Republic between July 9-11.
According to a written statement issued
by the YKP, the party will attend the
seminar under the observer status. Issues related to the neo-liberal
aggressiveness and ecological issues are among the matters to be discussed
during the seminar.
(AK)
6.675
thousand subscribers of cell phones in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen
newspaper (08.07.15) reports that according
to figures given by the “Information technologies and communication
organization” on the electronic information sector in the occupied area of
Cyprus, the number of registered subscribers of cell phones in the “TRNC” until
the end of March 2015, was 675.075.
According to the figures, 452.738 are subscribers with “north Cyprus
Turkcell” mobile operator while 222.329 are subscribers with Telsim mobile
network.
The
figures have shown also that “Turkcell” holds 67.07% of the market share while
Telsim holds 32.93%. Moreover, the registered mobile subscriptions which are
active are 514.312.
(AK)
7. The new campus of the illegal Keryneia American University
will start operating from July 20
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (08.07.15) reports that the new campus of the
illegal Keryneia American University (GAU) will start operating from July 20,
2015.
According
to a statement issued by the illegal university, the new campus which started
to be constructed in 2013, will consist of four new faculties and the main
building of the university. It will be located just outside occupied Keryneia.
(CS)
8. Bozkir:
Turkey's EU membership still a strategic goal
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(07.07.15), Turkey's EU Minister VolkanBozkir said on Tuesday that Turkey’s EU
membership is a strategic goal.
Speaking to Anatolia agency after holding a
meeting with European Union officials for the first time since the June 7
parliamentary elections in Turkey, Bozkir
said: “Whichever political party forms a government, Turkey’s EU membership
remains a strategic goal” and added that all parties will have to act together
in the accession process.
The Minister also met with EU Enlargement
Chief Johannes Hahn and European Parliament Rapporteur for Turkey Kati Piri to
speak about Turkey’s 2014 progress report on EU membership, which was rejected
by Turkey last month.
The report covered the status of reforms
Turkey had made to comply with EU regulations.
9. USA
and Turkey on new page for cooperation on Syria
Turkish daily Sabah (online, 08.07.15)
reports that a large U.S. delegation including military and intelligence
officials visited Ankara on Tuesday to meet with Turkish officials to discuss
regional developments that have prompted Ankara to adopt tight security
measures along its border with Syria.
U.S. Under Secretary of Defence Christine
Wormuth, Special Presidential Envoy Gen. John Allen and a large U.S. delegation
including military and intelligence officials visited Ankara and met with
high-level Turkish officials from the Foreign Ministry, Turkish Armed Forces
(TSK) and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) on Tuesday. The visit
came after Turkey demonstrated its commitment to take all necessary measures
including a military operation to secure its border with Syria from the
increasing threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and
another refugee influx. Ankara's concern about mass displacement of Turkmens
and Arabs as a result of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party's (PYD) People's
Protection Units (YPG) toward Tal Abyad in Syria to drive out ISIS was one of
the main issues discussed. In recent weeks, top Turkish officials, including
President RecepTayyip Erdogan, voiced concerns about this, claiming coalition
forces conducting airstrikes in the region to push back ISIS seem like they are
targeting Turkmen and Arab Syrians who are forced out of their homes due to the
clashes.
However, recent developments signal that
Turkey's concerns on the issue seem to be understood by U.S officials. Last
week U.S. Ambassador to Ankara John Bass said the U.S. has forwarded Turkey and
the U.S.'s mutual concerns about preserving Syria's territorial integrity to
the PYD after the group took control of territory in Syria from ISIS. Prime
Ministry sources also share a similar view. "We observe that coalition
forces are more sensitive toward Turkey's concerns. This development pleases
us," a high level source from the Prime Ministry said on Tuesday.
The use of
the İncirlik Air Base in Adana province for military strikes against ISIS by
coalition forces was another issue U.S. and Turkish officials discussed. The
Incirlik Air Base has been subject to intense negotiations between Ankara and
Washington for a long time, but an agreement is yet to be reached. However,
according to sources, Turkish and U.S. officials were close to a deal after
talks on Tuesday for the deployment of U.S. warplanes to Incirlik as part of
efforts to degrade and destroy ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Accordingly, Ankara principally agreed to open the air base for
coalition forces for operations that are mutually planned by the U.S. and
Turkish military.
The creation of a safe zone was also at the
top of the agenda of Turkish officials. Turkey has long called for the creation
of a safe zone inside Syria to protect its borders and provide some protection
for refugees fleeing both Syrian regime forces and ISIS militants who have
seized swathes of Iraq and Syria, but the U.S administration has yet to endorse
the idea. On the other hand, Pentagon officials reported last month that U.S.
military contingency plans have been drawn up for a safe zone in consultation
with Turkey. More recently, presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın made clear
last week that Turkey is considering the establishment of a safe zone inside
Syria, but would not make any moves without consulting with its allies.
"When it comes to Syria, we have said from the beginning that we would act
together with the international community and that we would not take unilateral
action," Kalin said.
10. Columnist:
“Erdogan delaying the coalition process for his own game”
Columnist
Serkan Demirtas, writing in Turkish daily HurriyetDaily News (online, 08.07.15), reports that
although it’s been a month since Turkey concluded the parliamentary elections
that took away the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) 13 years of self-rule
and instead obliged political parties to share power, President RecepTayyip
Erdogan is yet to deliver the mandate to form the government to the winner of
the polls, AKP chairman AhmetDavutoğlu. According to Turkish laws, Erdogan
could give the mandate as soon as either the YSK announced the final results or
the lawmakers took their oaths.
But Erdogan
is seemingly delaying the process on purpose which, for many, stands as
evidence of his plans to carry the country to early polls in order to try once
again for a single-party government for the AKP.
Demirtas concludes: “Obviously this should be Erdogan’s main strategy: to kill hopes for a
coalition government, to depict opposition parties as uncompromising and thus
push for early elections to try once again to get at least a simple majority in
parliament. Erdogan still has more than four years as the president and he
perfectly knows that he will never be comfortable with a parliament in which
oppositional parties have the majority.”
Columnist Mustafa Akyol, writing also in
HDN (online, 08.07.15), shares the same opinion. Akyol, in his commentary under
the title “Why Erdogan wants elections – again”, writes: “These
days there is a gap between the two men who rule Turkey: While Prime Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu is willing to form a stable coalition government with one of
the opposition parties, President Erdogan wants to have ‘early elections’ as
soon as possible, probably this November.
If you wonder why, here is a very simple
answer: President Erdogan hates sharing power. He instead wants to concentrate
it in his own hands as much possible. But the result of Turkey’s elections one
month ago really does not fit this agenda. So he wants to toss the dice once
again, hoping that this time his party, the AKP, will be able secure a parliamentary
majority.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Davutoglu, and
the people in the AKP who support him, believe that the nation spoke on June 7,
gave a lesson to the AKP, and forced it to seek consensus with opposition
parties. They also believe that a coalition government, especially between the
AKP and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), will help
“normalize” Turkey in several ways: It will diffuse political tension and help
the economy. Moreover, it will force Erdogan to become a “normal” President —
limited and non-partisan, as declared in the constitution. The AKP government
will then be able to tell Erdogan, at least implicitly, “Our coalition partner
asks you to behave; so please behave”.”
Akyol concludes: “But how would new
elections help the President? Well, by making the AKP win more votes, for sure.
The idea is that the very uncertainty and instability created by the June 7
elections will make some voters, who had decided to ‘punish’ the AKP, change
their minds again and vote for the incumbent party. According to calculations,
the AKP will need only an additional 2-3% of the votes to secure a parliament
majority, and that this might be possible in the fall.
Of course, it is possible that such renewed
elections will not change anything, and the AKP will still fall short of
securing a parliamentary majority. But for Erdogan, it might be a risk worth
taking. What’s more, both he and his dedicated followers have an idea of the
‘direction of history’, which will be realized whatever bumps in the road there
are. (..) If there is one thing that may help him, it is the incompetence of the
opposition parties, including their inability to reach any consensus among themselves.”
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/
AM)
