TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O
N T E N T S
No. 183/15 25.09.2015
1. Burcu: Akinci’s statements have been distorted by
circles that oppose the solution
2. Akinci met with the “Turkish businessmen council”
of Australia
4. The water from Turkey
started to flow in the occupied area of Cyprus
5. Illegal Tymbou airport will be busy during
the Bayram period
6. The “KTFF” has been invited to
attend a World Cup in Abkhazia
7. HDP co-chair suggests AKP
should use ‘May God forgive me’ as election slogan
8. Editorial views on
Erdogan's change of stance on Al-Asad's involvement in Syria's transition
period
1. Burcu: Akinci’s statements have been distorted
by circles that oppose the solution
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (24.09.15) reports that Baris Burcu, the Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci’s spokesman, has argued that Akinci’s statements have
been recently distorted by what he called as “circles in the Greek Cypriot side
that oppose the solution”.
In a
written statement issued yesterday, Burcu
expressed the view that these circles are trying to both “poison” the solution
process and harm Akinci’s image. Referring to Akinci’s recent statements on
the energy issue during a briefing to civilian organizations, Burcu added that interpreting these
statements as a threat against the Greek Cypriot side is an “intentional
attempt which will not produce a result”. He said that Akinci’s
determination for a solution and the peace language he uses is known by
everyone.
Burcu
recalled that Akinci said that the energy resources in the Eastern
Mediterranean could play the role of a “catalyst” and create new opportunities
for the countries of the region. He added:
“Our
president, who noted that the priority is peace in Cyprus, pointed out that in
case a solution is reached and the Turkish-Israeli relations are improved, it could be useful for all sides to unite
the gas of Israel and Cyprus and transfer it to Europe through Turkey.
Recalling that conflicts happen in the Middle East for many years, the esteemed
president emphasized that reason and logic require this; otherwise the energy
resources could constitute a threat and even cause wars. Trying to
interpret these expressions of our president as a stance threatening the Greek
Cypriot side is an intentional initiative which will not give results.”
(I/Ts.)
2. Akinci met with the
“Turkish businessmen council” of Australia
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.09.15)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader
Mustafa Akinci met with a delegation from the “Turkish businessmen council” of
Australia, headed by its chairman Huseyin Mustafa.
According to information acquired by the press office
of the so-called presidency, Mustafa
invited Akinci to visit Australia and stated that there are around 50,000
Turkish Cypriots living in Australia.
For his part, Akinci thanked Mustafa for their visit
in the occupied area of Cyprus and wished him success in his work.
(AK)
3. Anastasiades sent a congratulatory message to the
Turkish Cypriots for the Kurban Bayram Feast
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.09.15)
reports that the “Greek Cypriot leader”,
as it calls the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades has
sent a congratulatory message to the Turkish Cypriots via his twitter account,
on the occasion of the celebration of the Kurban Bayram Feast [Feast of Sacrifices]
in the occupied area of Cyprus and throughout the Muslim world.
President Nicos Anastasiades who is in New York, has
tweeted a message to the Turkish Cypriots, both written in Turkish and Greek
language. Following is the message: “I sincerely wish you all, a Happy Bayram”.
(AK)
4. The water from Turkey
started to flow in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish
daily Milliyet (online, 25.09.15), under the title “Turkey connected with
Cyprus with the water”, reports that the
water coming from Mersin, within the framework of the “water supply
project” known as the “project of the
century”, started to pump in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus. It is the first time that such
method is implemented; a pipeline 250 metres under the sea will transfer water
from Alakopru dam in Turkey to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
According
to the “general directorate of state hydraulic works”, the water started to
flow at the occupied coast of Kyreneia. It is reported that the water will be
used after cleaning the inside of the water pipes, so the water will flow to
the coasts for a while more. The water, which will flow from Mersin, will leak
to the dam in occupied Panagra. From there, the water will be distributed to
the occupied part of Nicosia.
According
to the paper, an “official ceremony” is
scheduled for October 29 for the arrival of water. It is also expected that
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the ceremony.
Self-styled
minister of public works, environment and culture Kutlu Evren, evaluating the
arrival of the water to Milliyet paper, said: “A miracle is performed. Water is
the world’s most valuable asset. It is huge event the water from motherland
Turkey to arrive in north Cyprus (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus). Evren also said that the water
will increase the investments and will develop the agriculture in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus. He repeated that they can offer water to the
Greek Cypriots under the name “peace water”.
(DPs)
5. Illegal Tymbou airport will be busy during
the Bayram period
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (25.09.15) reports that the illegal
Tymboy airport will be busy during the Bayram period and adds that on Sunday,
the last day of Bayram, is expected to be the busiest day with 110 flights
taking off and landing.
The
so called civil aviation office traffic department head Ali Uzunyayla stated to
the paper that Ercan airport would be busy this week until the weekend because
of the Bayram period. Uzunyayla said on Thursday there were 80 flights taking
off and landing; 79 to 70 on Friday, 80 on Saturday and 110 flights taking off
and landing on Sunday. Due to the increased number of flights being serviced,
the intense traffic could flow over onto Monday.
6. The “KTFF” has been invited
to attend a World Cup in Abkhazia
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.09.15)
reports in its sports pages that the
so-called Turkish Cypriot Football Federation (“KTFF”), which is a member of
the CONIFA (The Confederation of Independent Football
Associations), has been invited to attend a World Cup in Abkhazia.
The World Cup is to be organized by
CONIFA in 2016 and all the members of the CONIFA which are not members of FIFA
were invited.
The paper points
out that the “KTFF” must inform the
CONIFA whether it will attend the event or not by October 31, 2015.
(AK)
7. HDP co-chair suggests
AKP should use ‘May God forgive me’ as election slogan
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (25.09.15) reports that Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)
Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtas stated that it would be better for the Justice and
Development Party (AKP) to use the slogan “Tovbe Estagfurullah” (“May God
forgive me”) rather than “Bismillah” (“In the name of God”) for its upcoming
electoral campaign.
Turkey’s
Supreme Election Board (YSK) ruled to ban the AKP’s planned campaign jingle for
the Nov. 1 snap election, on the grounds that “Bismillah” is a religious term
and thus legally cannot be used for electioneering.
Speaking
to reporters, Demirtas touched on the recent resignation of HDP ministers from
the interim government, saying it was a “joint decision” and the text of their
announcement was drafted together.
“Our
party joined the government to show that we are not part of a situation lacking
solutions. But the AKP did not endorse anyone else,” he stated.
Meanwhile,
responding to claims that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) forced
locals in some south-eastern provinces to vote for the HDP, Demirtas called on
citizens to inform the party if anyone is forced to vote for it out of fear.
“Nobody
should vote for us out of fear. Nobody should insult the voter. If anyone says
they voted in fear, they should tell us so that we can do whatever is
necessary,” he said.
The
HDP co-chair also said the constitutionally impartial President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan should continue his controversial “election campaigning,” just as he did
before the June 7 election. “Last time,
we defeated both you and the AKP,” Demirtas said.
8. Editorial views on Erdogan's
change of stance on Al-Asad's involvement in Syria's transition period
Under
the title: “Erdogan changes al-Assad stance after meeting Putin”, Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (25.09.15) publishes the following article by Murat Yetkin:
“It
was actually first written in the Geneva settlement on Syria that the incumbent
Bashar al-Assad government is a party in efforts to end the four-year-long
civil war there and perhaps establish a “new Syria.”
But
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan never acknowledged this in public. Erdogan
never mentioned the possibility of involving al-Assad in the process of
reshaping Syria, because he saw the Syrian president as the only source of the
problems - until yesterday.
After the Feast of Sacrifice prayer in an
Istanbul mosque on the morning of Sept. 24, Erdogan said that “perhaps”
al-Assad could be involved in a “transition” to a new Syria but he should play
no role thereafter. A Syria without al-Assad has been a slogan for a number of
Western governments, the U.S. for example, but Turkey has insisted that the
timing of al-Assad’s removal should come at the beginning of the “transition”
period, not at the end of it.
This has been the first public statement of
Erdogan acknowledging the possibility, or even the need, to include al-Assad in
the “transition” period. So far both he and Prime Minister (formerly foreign
minister) Ahmet Davutoglu have promoted the idea of removing al-Assad from
power first and then conducting the transition as envisaged in the Geneva
understanding.
It is worth considering Erdogan’s statement
together with three developments in order to better understand this apparent
change of stance.
Firstly, he made this remark upon his return
from Moscow, where he was invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the
re-opening ceremony of the city’s Central Mosque on Sept. 23. Erdogan and Putin
had a meeting there and Syria was among the issues they discussed. Importantly,
right before the meeting the Kremlin told the press that Russia had nothing to
talk with anyone about on the future of Syria, because it was down to the
Syrian people, (as if there could be free elections in Syria under the
circumstances). It was clear that Putin wanted to pre-empt Erdogan’s possible
suggestions about withdrawing Russia’s U.N. veto on moves on Syria, for example
for establishing a “security zone” by the Turkish border.
Secondly, Erdogan’s shift coincided with a
statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that the West should
consider talking to al-Assad for a settlement. This was the voice of the
European Union, which is struggling with a flood of Syrian refugees, (though
Turkey has been struggling with a much greater number of refugees for years).
Thirdly,
it took place just before PM Davutoglu’s departure to New York on the afternoon
of Sept. 24 for the U.N. General Assembly sessions, where he was due to promote
Turkey’s Syria policy, including the need to remove al-Assad and asking for
solidarity in handling the refugee situation. After all, Ankara’s justification
for a possible “security zone” is related to accommodating and protecting the
refugees who would like to return to their homes in Syria. It was so important
for him that - despite the will of Erdogan who, according to whispers in
Ankara, asked him to concentrate instead on the Nov. 1 election - Davutoglu
opted to devote a precious week of his campaign to promoting his Syria policy.
Now will he defend this new position as voiced by Erdogan?
The reason for Erdogan’s shift could be read
behind the lines of his words yesterday. He suggested that al-Assad wanted a
“boutique,” (meaning a smaller, lesser) Syria, referring to a much speculated
Nusayri/Alawite state in the west of Syria with access to the Mediterranean
Sea, controlling only around 15% of Syria’s current territory including cities
like Damascus, Latakia, Tartus, Hama and Homs. Turkey does not want Syria to
officially disintegrate, which is why Erdogan said he had told Putin about the
importance of Syria’s unity. If the country disintegrates, a large chunk of
Sunni territory would be controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) and there would be a Kurdish state by the Turkish border. There is no
need to say that both disturb Ankara.
It is also clear that Putin’s decision to
escalate his support for al-Assad, sending additional war planes (to the
Latakia air base), war ships (organizing a naval exercise), and even
“trainers,” in addition to its military base in the Syrian port of Tartus, came
after Erdogan reached an agreement with U.S. President Barack Obama in July
about opening up Turkey’s strategic İncirlik air base for the U.S.-led
coalition campaign against the ISIL.
Φέρετε
It seems that Russia and the Syrian
government’s other staunch supporter, Iran, have given the message with their
body language that they would settle for a lesser but tightly controlled Syria.
Turkey and the West would be more harmed by the consequences of this. Russia
has played a similar game in Ukraine, knowing that the U.S. would not get into
an armed conflict with Russia over Ukraine. There, the Kremlin got most -
though perhaps not all - of what it wanted.
With Turkey publicly acknowledging the
possibility of keeping al-Assad (at least) for the “transition” period, the
U.S. and the EU may now have more room to manoeuvre in the Syrian theatre.”
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