TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 159/15 22-24.08.2015
1. Burcu says that they are working on the opening of Deryneia crossing point with the occupation army and the self-styled ministry of interior
2. A Chinese “village” to be constructed in occupied Trikomo area
3. Fikri Toros: The TCCC is not only dealing with the economic issues but also contributing to the lobbying activities abroad
4. Turkish Cypriot newspapers continue their efforts to torpedo the negotiating process
5. Nazim Cavusoglu is shocked by Markoullis statements
6. Cirali says that 35 thousand foreign workers exist in the occupied area of Cyprus
7. Australia dairy producers will also object to the designation of halloumi/hellim as PDO
8. A Turkish Cypriot seeks from the Republic of Cyprus 2 million euro damages for racist attack
9. There is a drop of tourists’ arrival in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
10. Obama refuses to give appointment to Erdogan amid strained ties
11. CHP leader: ‘Civilian coup’ carried out in Turkey
12. HDP co-chair Demirtas calls on PKK to halt violence ‘without ifs or buts’
13. Co-mayors in jail over 'self-rule' claims in Hakkari province
14. Military clashes in Turkey are continuing
1. Burcu says that they are working on the opening of Deryneia crossing point with the occupation army and the self-styled ministry of interior
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (23.08.15) reports that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said that they are working on the opening of the crossing point in Deryneia area together with the Turkish occupation army, the self-styled ministry of interior and the “district officer” and that they are carrying out “various exercises”.
Under the title “’Route’ deadlock in Deryneia”, the paper cites information published by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) and notes that disagreement exists on the route in the Deryneia area crossing point, the opening of which had been agreed between President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci within the framework of confidence building measures.
Burcu told the paper that they are “discussing alternatives” on the issue and noted that as a result of their works held in consultation with the Turkish occupation army, they, for security reasons, have indicated another point for crossings because mines exist in the current crossing point.
The proposal for opening a crossing point 700-750 meters in the west of the existing one had reportedly been submitted to the Turkish Cypriot leader and Akinci conveyed this proposal to his Greek Cypriot interlocutors.
Meanwhile, in statements to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (23.08.15), Okan Dagli, member of the Famagusta Initiative, said that they want the opening of Deryneia crossing point the soonest. He noted that there is no need for another road for opening the crossing point and that it would be easier to open the crossing point by amending the existing road. “Political will is needed for this”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
2. A Chinese “village” to be constructed in occupied Trikomo area
Under the title “’A Chinese village for Trikomo”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (24.08.15) reports that after the British, Russian and Scandinavian interest, occupied Trikomo area has attracted the “close interest” of Chinese investors.
Chinese businessman You Fei Ma, director of ZhongSai Development Ltd will make an investment in the area in cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot Noyan Group. They are expected to build 140 apartments and 52 duplex villas. The Chinese businessman purchased 26 donums of land [translator’s note: A donum is a land measure of around 1000 square meters] in the area and he is expected to lay the foundations of his project, in cooperation with Noyan Group, in the end of this month. Their target is to finish the project within one year. In spite of the fact that the foundations of the site are not laid, 18 of the apartments have already been sold.
You Fei Ma and Ahmet Noyan, directors of the investing companies visited the so-called mayor of occupied Trikomo, Hasan Sadikoglu to brief him about the project. Sadikoglu thanked them for preferring to invest in occupied Trikomo and noted that such a “Chinese Site” will be built for the first time in the occupied area of the island.
The Chinese businessman said that they preferred occupied Trikomo because the area has not been commercialized and they believe that it will be further developed in the future.
Noyan noted that the vision of Sadikoglu is one of the biggest factors for occupied Trikomo’s development. Referring to his partnership with the Chinese company, he argued that it is a successful one in spite of the “embargoes” implemented on the breakaway regime and expressed the wish for this cooperation to constitute an example.
(I/Ts.)
3. Fikri Toros: The TCCC is not only dealing with the economic issues but also contributing to the lobbying activities abroad
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 21.08.15), a delegation from the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) headed by the Chamber’s President Fikri Toros paid a courtesy visit to self-styled foreign minister Emine Colak on Friday.
Stating that the Chamber is not only dealing with the economic issues but also contributing to the lobbying activities abroad in coordination with the self-styled foreign ministry and “presidency”, Toros said that their contributions are made through the “representation office” of the breakaway regime in Brussels and centre in the occupied part of Nicosia.
He said they will continue their works during the new “government”. “The non-solution of the Cyprus problem was one of the main reasons of the economic problems being experienced by the Turkish Cypriot people. The continuation of the problem is preventing the development of investment climate and competitiveness in the country”, Toros added.
He also noted that the lobbying activities they have been carrying out in coordination with the “foreign ministry” and “presidency” are contributing directly to the economy also. “We will be a close follower of interests of Turkish Cypriot economic circles during the coming period when dynamic developments are expected to occur. It is vital for us to survive and benefit equally from the gains of a solution”, Toros said.
For her part, Colak pointed out that the TCCC is an important pioneer for the society. “To properly conduct the duty of foreign ministry is only possible through benefiting from all kinds of channels. Of course one of these is trade and others are the fields of culture, art, sports and education. Therefore, working hard, promoting ourselves and expressing our needs and problems will enable achieving progress on the Cyprus issue and our integration with the whole world”, Colak said.
She added that the uniting role of the TCCC among our people during the Annan Plan is well known.
4. Turkish Cypriot newspapers continue their efforts to torpedo the negotiating process
Under the title “Tension is escalating”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (24.08.15) reports that inhabitants of occupied Gialousa village have said that Greek Cypriots, who were allegedly encouraged from statements made after the negotiations for reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem, started visiting the area often and “harassing” them. The inhabitants told the paper that the Greek Cypriots take pictures, enter in some houses and tell them that “this place is ours, you should come out and we are going to settle here”.
The former “mayor” of occupied Gialousa, Ozay Oykun told Star Kibris that “those who say that the Greek Cypriots will have the first say on the property issue” should deal with the problems of the “citizens” who are experiencing tension.
The “mukhtar” of Gialousa, Vahibe Ozkasirga said that the villagers are annoyed because Greek Cypriots enter into some houses and tell them that “this place is ours, we are going to settle here”. She argued also that Greek Cypriots are entering into some plots of land without permission and wished for the [Turkish Cypriot] politicians who are keen on defending the rights of the Greek Cypriots to show the courage to defend the rights of their own people as well.
(I/Ts.)
5. Nazim Cavusoglu is shocked by Markoullis statements
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (24.08.15) reports that the self-styled deputy with the National Unity Party (UBP) and candidate for the party leadership, Nazim Cavusoglu, commenting on former Cyprus Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Markoulli’s statements in the press regarding the Cyprus talks, said that he is shocked by her statements.
According to the paper, Markoulli is believed to have said that units tied to the Turkish Armed Forces should withdraw from the island as soon as possible as well as the Turkish citizens, who settled, should return to Turkey and these should be the main conditions of a settlement.
Responding to these claims, Cavusoglu, in a written statement, said that statements such as these only fuell a non-solution and added that the Greek Cypriots are excluding a portion of the “TRNC citizens” and they cannot remain silent to this any longer.
Cavusoglu said that conditions such as these are a violation of human rights and human nature. He added that recent statements by Greek Cypriots also reflect how they reject Turkey’s guarantees on the island.
6. Cirali says that 35 thousand foreign workers exist in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (24.08.15) reports that Ali Cirali, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot “chamber of industry”, has said that the crisis caused by the increase in the foreign exchange rate dealt a great blow to the industrialists in the occupied area of Cyprus. In statements to Halkin Sesi, Cirali noted that especially the industrialists who import their raw material are continuously doing business with foreign exchange and their debts are in foreign exchange, but their receivable accounts are in Turkish Liras.
Cirali said that the checks they possess in return of the accounts they have to receive from the market lost 17% of their value, while their debts to the banks increased by 17%.
Referring to the share of the industry in the general economy, Cirali noted that it decreased from 11% to 9%, while it should be around 15%.
According to Cirali, 35 thousand foreign workers exist in the occupied area of Cyprus. He argues that the providence fund, especially of the workers coming from third countries, is a burden for the industrialists and claimed that “no providence fund for the foreigners should be deposited”.
Cirali alleged that even if they had employed all the unemployed “citizens” of the regime, they would still have had a need for foreign work force. “Even if we employed all of our local unemployed persons, we would still need around 20 thousand workers”, he argued.
(I/Ts.)
7. Australia dairy producers will also object to the designation of halloumi/hellim as PDO
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (22.08.15) reports that after the British halloumi/hellim producers, the dairy producers in Australia will object to the Cyprus’ application to have halloumi/ hellim designated as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
Dairy Australia media manager Mark Pearce, replying to the paper’s questions through e-mail, said that this situation will affect the countries which have bilateral trade agreements with the EU, adding that although the production of halloumi/hellim is not one of their important export products, they will object to the procedure as a matter of principle.
Pearce explained that Australia is struggling against these kind of protection measures of USA and EU, adding that they have already objected to different products as PDO in the past too.
He also said that after the designation of fetta cheese as PDO, Australia continued to produce fetta and to export it to South Korea as “white hard cheese”.
(DPs)
8. A Turkish Cypriot seeks from the Republic of Cyprus 2 million euro damages for racist attack
According to Turkish Cypriot weekly Cyprus today (22.08.15), a Turkish Cypriot musician, who was beaten and stabbed by Greek Cypriot nationalists at a music festival in Larnaca five years ago is to sue the Cyprus authorities for two million euro.
The paper reports the following:
“Peace activist and guitarist Sertunc Akdogu is to launch a civil lawsuit against the Republic of Cyprus for failing to protect its citizens over the attack during the Larnaca Rainbow Festival on November 5, 2010.
Speaking to this paper, Mr Akdogu said: ‘No one has ever been held to account. We are seeking two million euro in compensation and my main fear is that there is a time limit on opening a case which is fast approaching.’
Mr Akdogu and fellow musician Serhan Oncal were trapped in a side street by around 10 masked, black-clad nationalists armed with knives and baseball bats while trying to escape a riot which broke out during a festival speech on diversity by European Commission representative Androulla Kaminara.
The riot at the Phinikoudes promenade venues was sparked by a counter-demonstration by nationalist organisations including the Hellenic Resistance Movement, the Pan-Cyprus Anti-Occupation Movement, Cyprus Salvation and then DIKO MP Zaharias Kulias.
Mr Akdogu said: ‘They saw our guitars and went for us. I was protected by my guitar on my back, which was smashed to bits, but as I covered my head, one of them stabbed me in the side'.”
9. There is a drop of tourists’ arrival in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi Daily News (online, 24.08.15), the chairman of the “Turkish Cypriot agents union” Orhan Tolun, speaking to the paper, has noted a drop in hotel occupancy rate despite the statement by the so-called ministry contradicting this.
Tolun added that there is a fall of 20% of foreign tourists and a drop of 40% of tourists from the UK. He pointed out that in general hotel occupancy there is a fall of 10% and the only increase in tourists is the ones from Turkey; the reason for this is that the 5 star hotels have excellent advertising.
Tolun said that the rise in the foreign currency exchange negatively affected tourists from Turkey because the marketplace also increases their prices. Foreign tourists however are not as affected as they get more Turkish Lira for their currency.
Tolun said that the self-styled tourism ministry recently announced that there had been an increase in tourism slightly compared to July last year; however students and their families are also accepted as tourists which mean the figure is misleading. Workers from the Far East who came to the island for work are also counted as tourists which is a misconception.
10. Obama refuses to give appointment to Erdogan amid strained ties
According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 24.08.15), US President Barrack Obama has refused to give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an appointment in the next few months, citing his tight schedule, amid the presence of discord between the countries on outstanding issues in the Middle East, such as the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In early August, after returning from an official visit to Indonesia, Erdogan told reporters that he might have talks with Obama in September as part of a visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly and that if he did not have the opportunity to attend the meeting, he may pay a visit to Washington in August.
Erdogan's request for a meeting was sent to the White House by the Turkish Foreign Ministry but US officials said Obama had a tight schedule preventing him from meeting with Erdogan. The White House added that the leaders could meet during the G20 summit to be held in mid-November in Antalya.
After Obama's refusal to arrange an appointment with Erdogan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to attend the UN General Assembly in September instead of Erdogan.
The last meeting between Erdogan and Obama was in May 2013, during which the leaders stated that both countries had agreed that the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad must leave power.
However, due to recent discord between the US and Turkey on issues related to the Middle East, such as the US' frustration with Turkey's reticence to take active part in the US-led coalition to fight ISIL, there has not been a visit between the countries at the presidential level since May 2013.
11. CHP leader: ‘Civilian coup’ carried out in Turkey
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 23.08.15), President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is staging a “civilian coup” over plans to hold snap elections after the recent failure of coalition talks, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has said.
The CHP, which held weeks of coalition talks with the AKP, says that Erdogan deliberately stymied the negotiations in the hope of triggering new polls and a better result for his party.
“There is no law in Turkey at the moment. Democracy is currently suspended and the Constitution is not working,” Kilicdaroglu told a televised meeting of CHP MPs in Ankara on August 23. “We are faced with a civilian coup”, he said, in a nod to Turkey’s modern history, which has seen the country experience three direct military coups in 1960, 1971 and 1980.
Kilicdaroglu said that the CHP, which came second in the June 7 polls, was willing to be the minority partner in a coalition led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, which would have been “respected inside and outside” of Turkey. In order for this to be realized, his party wanted to see change on three major issues: Foreign policy which needed a “180 degree transformation”, the economy, and an education system “that leaves no parent satisfied”.
On August 21, President Erdogan announced that he would meet the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament on August 24 to exercise his right to call snap elections, slated to be held on Nov. 1.
The CHP is incensed that Erdogan did not hand in the mandate and a chance to form a coalition government after the failure of talks with the AKP, accusing him of violating the Constitution.
But Erdogan has snapped back, saying he could not meet Kilicdaroglu because the CHP leader refused to set foot in his grand presidential palace that was opened last year to huge controversy.
“[Erdogan] says he cannot give the mandate to me because we ‘cannot find our way to Bestepe [where the presidential palace is located in Ankara]. Indeed, we cannot find our way there as [he has] done,” said Kilicdaroglu.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara on August 23, Davutoglu insisted that the AKP had acted in line with the Turkish Constitution. “Up to now, since June 7 - and the nation is our witness - we have not deviated one inch from the Constitution or the law,” he stressed.
12. HDP co-chair Demirtas calls on PKK to halt violence ‘without ifs or buts’
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 23.08.15), the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has called on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to halt a month of violence against security forces “without ifs or buts”.
The comments were the clearest call yet from HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas for the PKK to agree to an unconditional cease-fire, although the leader also called for a summary end to government attacks in the east and southeast. “The PKK has to stop its armed attacks and bombings in the towns and the mountains without ifs or buts,” the Dogan News Agency quoted Demirtas as saying in a speech in the western city of Izmir.
“There is no alternative for us. More deaths of Kurds, Turks, soldiers, guerrillas and police must be stopped,” said Demirtas.
“The government must halt operations without ifs or buts [as well],” he said.
The government accuses the HDP of being the PKK’s political wing but Demirtas has repeatedly insisted that there is distance between the two organizations.
With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now planning to call snap polls for Nov. 1, the HDP is mindful of not putting off its non-Kurdish supporters who voted for the party in inconclusive June 7 polls.
The HDP then easily broke through the 10% threshold needed to win seats in the parliament largely thanks to its success in expanding its support base.
The PKK has been staging daily retaliatory attacks against the Turkish Armed Forces as the military keeps up air raids and operations against the group’s strongholds in southeast Turkey as well as northern Iraq.
Over 50 members of the Turkish security forces have now been killed in attacks blamed on the PKK, leaving a 2013 cease-fire in tatters.
Demirtas accused Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of “wanting” a civil war in Turkey to boost his own power.
“No one has anything to win from a civil war in Turkey. Just look at Syria and Iraq.” But Demirtas said killing soldiers and police was not the way to bring the AKP to account. “They are also the children of this country, our children,” he said.
Erdogan is hoping that that AKP will regain its overall majority in the Nov. 1 polls that it lost on June 7. But Demirtas said such ambitions would not be realized, forecasting that the AKP would not even record the score of almost 41% it saw at the last polls.
13. Co-mayors in jail over 'self-rule' claims in Hakkari province
Turkish daily Sabah (online, 24.08.15) reports that five people, including the co-Mayors of two districts in the south-eastern Diyarbakir province have been jailed over alleged "autonomy" claims, judicial sources said on Sunday. Two other co-mayors of the province of Hakkari, Dilek Hatipoglu and Nurullah Ciftci, were also arrested by the court due to the same claims of the self-rule.
A local court in Diyarbakir charged five people, including the two co-mayors of the central Sur district of the region's biggest city Diyarbakır, Seyid Narin and Silvan Fatma Şık Barut, as well as Silvan Co-Mayor Yüksel Bodakçı with "disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state". The two co-mayors of Hakkari province, Hatipoğlu and Çiftçi, were also sent to jail pending further trials.
The mayors of two districts in southeastern Diyarbakır province had been taken into custody over alleged "self-rule" claims last Wednesday. Reports said that so-called people's assemblies in districts including Silopi and Cizre in Sirnak province had declared self-rule and would no longer recognise state institutions.
While the two out of seven were released on conditional probations, police are still on the lookout for four more suspects.
Regarding the latest alleged "autonomy" claims, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP), which is known to be in alliance with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), and is often described as the HDP's fraternal party, has made striking remarks.
The co-chair of the party, Emine Ayla, said on Thursday they are striving via armed struggle. "We are different, Kurdish, and cannot be made away with," she said. "We live under the same sky, we live on the same land, and we will be a part of the governance".
Indicating that the party has pledged that it will not work in accordance with Ankara, Ayna said, "When we carried out our work, we said that we were not going to work in accord with Ankara, but with our people, and we were elected."
Again, a co-mayor of Diyarbakır, Gültan Kışanak from the HDP previously reacted against the imprisonment of the mayors of Sur and Silvan and advocated self-rule claims as legitimate.
Making a statement to the press on Wednesday, Kışanak called for the mayors' release and said: "If the state detains my district mayor, then I will also promulgate self-rule. The self-rule demand of these people is a political demand."
In 12 different regions in several provinces, including Van, Şırnak, Mardin, Batman, Hakkari, Muş and Diyarbakır, pro-PKK locals have allegedly claimed self-rule in the last two weeks.
14. Military clashes in Turkey are continuing
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (24.08.15), two soldiers were killed and three were wounded on August 24 in an outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) mine attack in the south-eastern Turkish province of Hakkari.
PKK militants detonated a sizeable amount of explosives laid in a culvert in the Şemdinli district during the passing of a military vehicle. Two soldiers were killed and three were wounded in the attack. The wounded soldiers were taken to a local hospital as a wide-scale operation has begun in the region to apprehend the PKK militants.
Meanwhile, a police officer died early August 24 after he was attacked with a gun by an unknown assailant or assailants in front of his father’s house in the south-eastern province of Mardin.
On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 24.08.15) reports that the Turkish military has launched an aerial campaign and land operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) after a soldier was killed and three others were injured when militants from the group opened fire at gendarmerie forces guarding a hydroelectric plant in the south-eastern province of Diyarbakır’s Kulp district early on Aug. 23.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
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(DPs/ AM)
