TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
166/15 02.09.2015
1.Akinci:
We have not discussed criteria on the property issue; The “new structure” will
not apply again to become a member of the UN and the EU
2. Eide: “I become more and more hopeful every week”
3. Reactions to Akinci’s statements regarding the
opening of Deryneia and Apliki crossing points
4. Ertugruloglu: We cannot talk about a solution in
Cyprus without Turkish guarantees
5. So-called minister Colak met with the chairman of
the “KTSO”
6.
Sucuoglu is invited to Azerbaijan to work on cooperation opportunities in
tourism
7.
Illegal GAU opens a new campus in Moldavia
8. Tore to be the sixth candidate for the UBP
leadership
9. Felicity Party chairman stated that the
Turkish invasion to Cyprus was the most glorious time in Turkey’s history
10. Turkish police raid Gulen-linked Koza İpek media
companies
11. Strong criticism by opposition parties over the
police raids on media outlets; European officials also condemned the raids
12. British journalists arrested on suspicions of
having links with the PKK
13. An Israeli top diplomat praises the appointment of
Sinirlioglu as Turkey’s Foreign Minister
1. Akinci: We have not discussed criteria on the
property issue; The “new structure” will not apply again to become a member of
the UN and the EU
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.09.15)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader,Mustafa
Akinci has argued that “unreal” news is published in the Greek Cypriot press
and added that not everything should be accepted as true. In statements
yesterday in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus after meeting with
President Anastasiades within the framework of the Cyprus talks, Akinci said that the sides have agreed on
the categories as regards the property issue, but the criteria [according to
which return, exchange or compensation of property will take place] have not
been discussed yet.
Akinci noted that the negotiators have not yet worked
on the criteria in the property, adding that the preparations of the sides
continue on this issue. He called on the “citizens” not to believe in what he
called as “speculations’ and pointed out that “we hide nothing from our people,
let no one doubt about this”. He said: “An
agreement has almost been achieved on the categories of the affected
properties. However, the criteria, that is, the criteria which the property
commission to be established will take into consideration during its work, have
neither been exchanged between the sides nor negotiations on these criteria
have been made”.
Recalling of UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on
Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide’s statements after yesterday’s meeting, Akinci said
that yesterday they assessed the points on which the leaders and the
negotiators agreed until today. He added that they continued their work on the
chapters of property and governance.
Replying to a question, Akinci argued that the news
published in the Greek Cypriot press have “misleading aspects”, noting that the
press reported that criteria, instead of categories, have been discussed and
exchanged. Akinci claimed that
Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides has also conveyed the issue wrongly.
Responding to a question on the opening of the
crossing point in Deryneia area, Akinci said that as political leadership they
have decided the opening of the crossing points in Deryneia and Apliki areas
and the technical committees are included in the following process. He
noted that a proposal for building alternative roads has been submitted for
both Deryneia and Apliki areas. He said:
“After studies
which were conducted by our technical committee together with various
authorities in Deryneia, the proposal for an alternative road there was
submitted. According to information I obtained afterwards, the proposal for an alternative road
regarding Lefka-Apliki was withdrawn and now the mines from the existing road
are being cleaned”.
Noting
that no agreement exists between the sides regarding the Deryneia crossing
point, Akinci said that the members of the technical committee did not meet in
the summer, but they will meet in September and try to find a way out. He argued that their target is for the difficulties on
the issue of the route to be overcome and both roads to open the soonest as
they know that this is the people’s expectation. He said that they will follow
the issue and that they do not want the problems experienced during the opening
of other crossing points to be experienced in Deryneia as well.
Responding to another question on the property issue, Akinci said that the individual’s property
right is something which any way exists without being mentioned and it is valid
in the whole world. Noting that the important thing here is how this right will
be used, Akinci continued:
“If we refer to the properties in the north and in the
south, 41 years passed. These 41 years
created new situations. Some situations were taken up to the European Court of
Human Rights, but in an important case there it is stressed that the years
which passed brought some rights to the people who use the properties.
Therefore, property right does not mean that the people who live on the lands
or in the houses for many years will be thrown out with a decision. Realism has won in that court.
Therefore, these are not issues which will be explained with percentages. These are issues which will be solved with
criteria and these criteria have not even come to the stage of being discussed
yet. The sides will carry out their studies and in the end of the day these
criteria will come up”.
Akinci said that the 1977-79 high level agreements,
the UN parameters, the joint declaration of the 11th of February
2014 and the principles reaffirmed by both sides refer to a bi-zonal, bi-communal
federation in Cyprus. He added:
“According to
our understanding, a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation means a system in which
the Turkish Cypriot people will have the comfortable majority in both
population and property in their own area. Therefore, according to our
understanding, the negotiations
which we are holding should result within this framework”.
Noting that the EU principles will be taken into
consideration and the human rights will be respected, Akinci argued: “However, the European principles should not
eliminate bi-zonality and bi-communality. This is our understanding. These
are also mentioned in the agreement of 11 February 2014”.
Asked to comment on a statement made by President
Anastasiades last week saying that “we are in favor of the continuation of the
Republic of Cyprus”, Akinci said that he had read these statements and added
that President Anastasiades made other
different positive statements together with these statements, when he said that
“the Republic of Cyprus does not belong only to the Greek Cypriots” and that
“this mentality should change”. Describing these statements as “an important
move”, Akinci said that they refer to a “new structure which the two
communities and two founding states will establish in political equality”. He
said that some “sensitivities” exist in both communities and added;
“The sensitivity in the Greek Cypriot side is the
following: We wonder if we are abolishing the Republic of Cyprus, we wonder
whether we will remain without a state if we abolish it on the day of the
solution. No, according to them, the
Republic of Cyprus is changing a form and according to us, a new structure is
formed, because the two sides will approve a new situation in the referenda.
When two ‘yes’ votes is the result of the
referenda, a new structure will be born. Whatever we say this new structure’s
name is, this will be a federation. We have not yet named it. When the day
comes, we will give it a name. We are
aware of the fact that a new structure will be born, but the following
situation exists: this newly formed structure - which will be a new structure
with its name, flag and everything – will be a federative structure.However,
this new structure will not go and file an application again for becoming a
member of the UN and becoming a member of the EU”.
(I/Ts.)
2. Eide: “I become more and more hopeful every
week”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (02.09.15-online
in English) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met
yesterday with the UNSG Special Advisor Espen Barth Eide, following the leaders
meeting.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Eide said
that the leaders had assessed the last 11 meetings of the two negotiators. He
reminded that the two leaders will be meeting again on the 14th of September
and added that the process is progressing clearly and openly.
Eide said further that there were issues agreed on and
ones which still required agreement; he added that at this stage his duty is to
guide as there is still a difficult process ahead.
Noting that he was not going to say much about the
substance of the talks, Eide said that the chapters were taken interconnected
to one another and he was pleased with the work, decisiveness and commitment
the leaders, negotiators and their teams are showing. “I am not saying it is going to happen but I become more and more
hopeful every week”, Eide stated.
3. Reactions to Akinci’s statements regarding the
opening of Deryneia and Apliki crossing points
Under the title “Crisis in Apliki crossing point after
Deryneia”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (02.09.15) reports
that the civilian organizations which
have been waiting for years the opening of the crossing point in Apliki area
are not satisfied with the statements made yesterday on the issue by Turkish
Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, who said that a UN team will remain in the
area by the end of the year in order to clean the mines and the opening of the
crossing point will come onto the agenda afterwards.
Ahmet
Hizli, “chairman” of the “environment and promotion association” of occupied
Lefka area, told the paper that Akinci’s statements aimed at gaining time for
overcoming the problems experienced in the backstage as regards the opening of
the crossing point. He
said: “Are there mines? Yes there are. Perhaps the cleaning will be extended as
a requirement of the technical conditions as regards the season, but I think
that Mr Akinci’s statements are made because of the backstage problems which we
have also heart andare an effort to gain time for overcoming them”.
Moreover, Hakan Oran, “chairman’ of occupied Lefka and
its surrounding villages’ “solidarity and development association” said that Akinci’s statements show that the crossing
point will not open until the end of the year and wondered whether the mine
cleaning is a so difficult job. He recalled that they had experienced the
same problems during the opening of occupied Zodia area crossing point.
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (02.09.15) refers to the opening of the crossing
points in Deryneia and Apliki areas under the title “Military obstacle”.
The paper reports that it is repeatedly stated that we have never been so close
to finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, but even the opening of two
crossing points is not possible. Afrika notes that yesterday Akinci refrained from openly referring to
the Turkish occupation army and referred only to “various authorities” that
have proposed an alternative road in Deryneia.
The paper adds: “However, there is no agreement
between the sides on this issue. The
Apliki crossing point as well has been obstructed by the army’s objection and
the proposal was withdrawn. Thus, it has been decided for the existing road
to open by cleaning the mines”.
(I/Ts.)
4. Ertugruloglu: We cannot talk about a solution in
Cyprus without Turkish guarantees
Turkish Cypriot daily Start Kibris newspaper
(02.09.15) reports that Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the self-styled minister of
transportation stated that no one can talk about a solution in Cyprus without
Turkish guarantees.
Ertugruloglu said that the information about the
negotiations is not transparent and expressed his belief that the talks are not
carried out in the right way. He also criticized the Greek Cypriots who holding
in hand the title deeds of their houses are visiting their houses in the
breakaway regime claiming that this makes uncomfortable the persons who live in
the houses.
He also wonders why we are talking about a new state
to be created after a solution is reached since this new state will apply
neither to the EU nor to the UN to become their member. “The Greek Cypriots are
not seeing political equality warmly”, he said.
Ertugruloglu said that the developments as regards the
negotiations can lead to an end of the “coalition government” between his party
(the National Unity Party) and the Republican Turkish Party. “We are not prisoners
in this coalition. We will protect our stance on the Cyprus problem with people
that believe and love the TRNC and believe in its existence”, he said.
(CS)
5.So-called minister Colak met with the chairman of
the “KTSO”
According to illegal Bayrak (01.09.15) a delegation from the “Turkish Cypriot
chamber of industry” visited the so-called foreign minister Emine Colak.
Speaking
during the meeting, the “chairman” of the “chamber” Ali Cıralı asked from Colak
the further development of export relations especially with countries where the
“TRNC” has “representation offices”.
Pointing
out to the importance of the economic development of the “TRNC” at the current
peace process atmosphere in the island, Cıralı especially stressed the
importance of developments on “exports”.
For her part, Colak
notedthat industry, production and exports are fields which require foreign
relations and said that the teams working at the “foreign representation
offices” of the “TRNC” are well aware of the needs of the “TRNC” in the field
of commerce.
Pointing out to the innovations to be brought to the
island by the EU during the peace process, Colak noted that with the decision
of the “council of ministers” a special unit which includes the “foreign ministry”
and other “ministries” was established to coordinate works with the EU.
6.
Sucuoglu is invited to Azerbaijan to work oncooperation opportunities in
tourism
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (02.09.15)
reports that the self-styled minister of tourism Faiz Sucuoglu held a meeting
with Ahmet Shahidov, the chairman of the Democracy and Human Rights Institute
of Azerbaijan who is currently visiting illegally the breakaway regime upon an
invitation of the “Association of keeping alive Rauf Denktas thoughts and
ideas”.
Speaking during the meeting Sucuoglu stated that the
“brotherhood relations” between the “TRNC” and Azerbaijan must progress further
and added that they are open for any kind of co-operation.
On his part, Shahidov invited Sucuglu to visit
Azerbaijan in order to work for co-operation in the field of tourism between
the two “countries”.
(CS)
7.
Illegal GAU opens a new campus in Moldavia
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (02.09.15)
reports that the illegal American University (GAU) gained approval by the
Ministry of Education of Moldavia to establish “GAU Moldavia” (secondary
school) and “Moldavia American University”, which will start to register
students as from this years.
This development follows the establishment of the
illegal GAU’s campuses in USA, Hong Kong, UK and Turkey.
The campus in Moldavia will be located in the
country’s capital Kishinev.
(CS)
8.Tore to be the sixth candidate for the UBP
leadership
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (01.09.15-online
in English) reported that after Ersan
Saner’s candidacy announcement yesterday for the leadership of the National
Unity Party (UBP), so-called deputy Zorlu Tore has also announced that he is
going to stand as a candidate for the leadership congress which is to take
place on October 31st.
Tore will be making his candidacy official in a press
conference on Friday the 4th of September.
Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak (01.09.15) the “central executive board” of the National
Unity Party (UBP) convened yesterday.
Before
the meeting, UBP leadership candidates Nazım Cavusoglu, Ersin Tatar, and Hamza
Ersan Saner conveyed their problems to the members of the “central executive
board”.
Speaking
after the meeting, the candidates claimed that memberships were being granted
in violation of party charter rules and demanded the “central executive board”
to abide by the party’s charter.
Cavusoglu
claimed that people close to the current UBP leader Huseyin Ozgurgun were
enrolled to the party by by-passing the district organs and said that this was
unacceptable.
For his part, Tatar accused Ozgurgun for acting
against the party charter.
Also speaking, Saner expressed the need to hold a fair
congress and said: “We should act together with the winner of the congress
however everyone should be treated equally during the race”.
9. Felicity Party chairman stated that the Turkish
invasion to Cyprus was the most glorious time in Turkey’s history
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet newspaper (02.09.15) reports
that the chairman of the Felicity Party (SP) in Turkey Mustafa Kamalak was
commenting on the possibility his party to co-operate with another party in the
forthcoming parliament elections in Turkey and stated that his party is open to
any party for forming an alliance.
He said that the party is ready to establish a
cooperation with any party if this could solve the country’s problems and
stated that the Turkish invasion to Cyprus, which was “the most glorious time
in Turkey’s history” as he said was took place when a coalition government of
two opposite parties was in power.
(CS)
10.Turkish police raid Gulen-linked Koza İpek media
companies
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (02.09.15) reports
that the Turkish police have raided companies in Ankara belonging to Koza İpek,
a corporation linked to the government’s ally-turned-nemesis Fethullah Gülen,
raising concerns about freedom of the press.
State-run Anadolu Agency reported on September 1st
that the raid targeted 23 companies of the corporation over what it noted as
“giving financial support to the Fetullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) and
conducting its propaganda.”
The conglomerate's chairman, Akın İpek, was not among
the six people who were detained because he left Turkey a couple of days ago,
according to the report, which also said that the police had seized documents
and computers, found at the companies.
Koza Ipek was founded in 1948 by Akin Ipek’s father
Ali as a printing company. Among its media holdings are the Bugun and Kanalturk
television stations and daily newspapers Bugun and Millet.
Concerns about the Gulen movement, which the
government accuses of infiltrating state institutions, stem from recordings
that surfaced in December 2013 that led to corruption investigations against
former senior government figures.
In a statement, the Turkish Journalists' Association
(TGC) condemned the raid, emphasizing that "journalists cannot be silenced."
Also, commenting on the raid, Cumhuriyet
editor-in-chief Can Dundar said in a tweet after the police raid: “Here are two
newspapers of Turkey ahead of elections. Even if you silence all newspapers,
you can’t hide the truth”.
The first front page, Dundar he attached was of daily
Sözcü, a newspaper fiercely critical of the government, which left its column
spots empty on September 1 to protest the “increasing government pressure.” The
second front page was of İpek Koza-owned Bugün newspaper, which claimed on
Sept. 1 to have published “photo evidence showing transportation of weapon
producing materials bound for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL]
in Syria.”
11.Strong criticism by opposition parties over the police
raids on media outlets; European officials also condemned the raids
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.09.15) reported
that the representatives of opposition
political parties criticized the police raids on media outlets of the Ipek Koza
Media Group on Sept. 1, with a main opposition party forming a commission to
examine pressure on media outlets in Turkey.
Minister
of European Union Affairs Ali Haydar Konca expressed unease over the raids,
saying that he was afraid that an operation against any media group may raise
great concerns throughout the world about Turkey being a democratic country.
Objecting
to “imposing bans” in the country, Konca said that extending freedoms could be
the best way to eliminate the “constricted” situation of Turkey.
Speaking to reporters at the Peoples’ Democratic Party
(HDP) headquarters on September 1, the Minister said that he would raise the
issue during a cabinet meeting later in the day.
The
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu said that there would
be no trace of democracy in a country where its media is silenced. “Don’t
disgrace [Turkey] in the eyes of the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, the CHP formed a commission composed of
Deputies that are former journalists Enis Berberoglu, Utku Cakırozer, Barıs
Yarkadas and Erene Erdem to examine political pressure on media outlets in
Turkey.
The commission members were set to visit daily Bugün,
daily Cumhuriyet and daily Sözcü on Sept. 1.
They will continue visits to daily Zaman, daily Taraf and other media
outlets on Sept. 2, the CHP said in a written statement.
The
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that the press in
Turkey has long been under pressure and business groups are startled.
“This is but one bad example. The current course of
events will not end well for the country,” Bahceli told reporters.
Meanwhile, several European officials have expressed
strong criticism and increasing concern over police raids against media outlets
critical of the government.
The Council
of Europe (CoE) Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland said that he has been
following the latest incidents regarding Turkish media outlets and foreign
journalists closely”.
In a
statement to Today's Zaman, Jagland said that he “will address the latest
incidents with the Turkish authorities at the next possible opportunity.”
Also,
CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks said in a written statement on
Tuesday that he is “very concerned about reports of raids carried out by the
Turkish police in several newsrooms and the arrest of two VICE journalists in
Turkey.”
“These
intimidating acts should stop immediately and the Turkish authorities should
take resolute steps to ensure greater freedom of the media,” he said.
12.British journalists arrested on suspicions of
having links with the PKK
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.09.15) reported
that according to Anadolu Agency, the police has arrested two British
journalist working for Vice News.
The
abbreviations and English translations of organizations linked to the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK), written in a notebook, were mentioned among the evidence
seized by the police in the arrest of the two British journalists.
Jake Hanrahan and Philip Pendlebury, as well as their
Iraqi translator Mohammed Ismael Rasool, were arrested on August 31 after a
court order in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
Although
the August 27 tipoff that led to the August 28 detention of the two journalists
claimed they had helped the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group,
the court issued the ruling for their arrest on suspicion they had supported
the PKK in the southeastern Mardin, Sırnak and Diyarbakır provinces.
The case has sown confusion, as Turkish media reported
that authorities interrogated Hanrahan and Pendlebury, asking them questions
about possible links to both ISIL and the PKK, two organizations which are
currently fighting each other.
“As the prosecutor’s investigation deepened in line
with testimonies and seized evidence, the opinion that the three journalists
were in a relationship with the PKK has gained weight,” the agency reported on
September 1.
(…)
13.An Israeli top diplomat praises the appointment
of Sinirlioglu as Turkey’s Foreign Minister
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (02.09.15) reports
that Israel’s top diplomat has highly
commended Turkey’s new Foreign Minister, Feridun Sinirlioglu, as a chance for
Turkey to have a high-skill diplomat as Foreign Minister, while seems convinced
of a positive change in the dynamics of Israel-Turkey relations, despite the
fact of more visible differences in the last few years.
According
to Dore Gold, the director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, there are
reasons for being hopeful when an increasing convergence of interests between
the two countries offers a chance to the two once-close allies for turning the
Middle East into a much more productive and peaceful area.
“I sent your new Foreign Minister a letter of
congratulations,” Gold told a group of journalists from Turkey on September 1.
(…)
Gold,
a longtime adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, held an
unannounced meeting with his former Turkish counterpart, Sinirlioglu,
undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry who has recently taken over as Minister,
in Rome in the second half of June to explore ways of improving ties.
“Turkey
is very lucky to have him as Foreign Minister. He is a first-class diplomat,”
Gold said, declining to elaborate whether he and Sinirlioglu have been planning
to hold a meeting in a near future.
(…)
“Israelis feel
a great affinity to Turkey,” Gold stated, citing geostrategic, people-to-people
and historical backgrounds for such strong affinity, with a special emphasis on
the Ottoman Empire’s role as a haven for Jewish people in 1492 during the
Spanish Inquisition.I think the connection has always been very special,” he
said, underlining that such bond is still in the “political consciousness” of
the Israeli people.
According to Gold, what he sees as “a period of
greater Iranian expansionism” is a key factor which requires rapprochement of the
once close allies.
“Our two countries were strategic partners for so many
years during the Cold War; we faced Soviet Union together. We had to provide
security in the East Mediterranean together. Our security establishments were
closely interwoven for many years. Now it is no secret that in the last few
years, in the aftermath of the Mavi Marmara, the differences we had became more
pronounced, public statements made in both countries by leaders. But I think
today something is occurring. What we
are seeing is an increasing convergence of our interests in the last number of
years,” Gold elaborated.
(..)“We have
not yet resolved the crisis we had over time in Mavi Marmara but I think we are
moving in a positive direction and our leaderships will at some point be able
to complete that process. But in the meantime we face a Middle East which is
much more dangerous and we are among elements in the region who can think and
work together about how to change things in the Middle East,” he said.
(…)Referring to
one of Turkey’s preconditions for normalization of relations, which is lifting
Gaza’s blockade, Gold said they wished that the Turkish authorities see
Israel’s efforts for the economic development of Gaza.
“Israel is supportive of Gaza. We have to find a way
for growing improvement without putting Israelis into danger,” Gold said,
repeatedly refuting claims that Israeli officials have been holding
negotiations with Hamas.
“Hamas remains to be a part of the jihadist universe,”
he said.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/
AM)
