TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 182/15 24.09.2015
1. The opening of Deryneia crossing point will be announced soon; Apliki and Deryneia crossing points will open by the end of the year
2. Burcu: The target is a referendum before May; The Turkish Cypriots will have unequivocal majorıty of population and property in their area
3. Talat: A referendum may be held in March 2016 if everything goes well
4. Talat visited occupied Famagusta to brief the Turkish Cypriots about the Cyprus negotiation talks
5. Akinci to meet Ban, Kerry, Davutoglu in New York
6. The occupation regime’s “NGO initiative” composed by Turkish settlers accused Akinci for showing a separatist and discriminatory stance
7. Nami carried out contacts in Brussels
8. The IUC to organize a conference in the occupied area of Cyprus
9. Erdogan attends the opening of Moscow mosque
10. Erdogan discussed with Putin the Syrian crisis and natural gas issues
11. ‘Cizre decision’ sparks political debate on poll security
12. Turkey’s Supreme Election Board bans AKP poll jingle on CHP appeal
1. The opening of Deryneia crossing point will be announced soon; Apliki and Deryneia crossing points will open by the end of the year
Under the title “The existing road will be used for Deryneia”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (24.09.15) reports that the problem regarding the opening of the crossing point in Deryneia area has been solved and an announcement on the issue is expected today or tomorrow.
Baris Burcu, the Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci’s spokesman, told the paper that the necessary statement will be made by Akinci after the last examinations held yesterday. The paper writes that Akinci visited the area yesterday and held a last examination and that works started on Vehit Guner Street which will be used for the crossings. The road to be used for the crossings is the existing one, in spite of the Turkish side’s proposal for using another route due to “security reasons”.
According to Kibris, Akinci has supported the use of the existing road from the very beginning and succeeded to overcome the obstacles [put by the Turkish occupation army] through meetings with Turkey’s high ranking non-military officials and the representatives of the Turkish General Staff on the island.
In statements to Kibris, Okan Dagli, an activist of Famagusta Initiative, expressed their satisfaction with the fact that Akinci kept the promise he had given to them that he would exhibit political will and exert efforts in the direction of opening the Deryneia crossing point using the existing road. Describing this as a “hopeful development”, Dagli noted that both communities’ target was the opening of this road which will connect Deryneia and occupied Famagusta in five minutes.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot Yeni Duzen and Kibris Postasi daily newspapers (24.09.15) also refer to the opening of Deryneia and Apliki crossing points.
Noting that the “crisis as regards the barricades” and the “military problem” have been overcome, Yeni Duzen cites “high ranking sources” and reports that there is an agreement between the community leaders as regards routes to be used after the opening of Deryneia and Apliki crossing points and added that their wish is for the simultaneous opening of the crossing points if the infrastructure problems are solved. The paper writes that the announcement especially regarding the Deryneia crossing point is expected within few days and that as a result of efforts exerted by the Turkish Cypriot leader, the Turkish occupation army stepped back and “it is convinced” to open the crossing point using the existing route on the condition that the necessary security measures are taken. It seems that Deryneia and Apliki will be completed by the end of the year, notes the paper.
Finally, Kibris Postasi cites sources close to Akinci and reports that the opening of both the Deryneia and Apliki crossing points will be materialized as it has been agreed. “The announcement on both crossing points will be made by the UN within a couple of days”, the sources said.
(I/Ts.)
2. Burcu: The target is a referendum before May; The Turkish Cypriots will have unequivocal majorıty of population and property in their area
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (24.09.15) reports that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said that they are negotiating according to the Joint Declaration of the 11th of February 2014 and argued that in the solution to be reached the Turkish Cypriots will have unequivocal majority of population and property in their area. In statements during a television program, Burcu said that the people will have the necessary information on all issues and enough time for discussions before voting in a referendum. He noted that their target as the negotiating team is for a referendum to be held before May 2016.
Asked what caused the Greek Cypriots’ “excitement” after Mustafa Akinci’s election as the Turkish Cypriot leader, Burcu argued that this “excitement” was not an issue of having a new situation in which the Greek Cypriot expectations would be materialized. “What excited them is the empathy and the language used”, he said and added that Akinci has many times underlined that they should consider the two communities as future partners and not enemies and that they should feel sad for the pain experienced by both communities in the past.
Asked whether the good climate will cease to exist in case no solution is reached by May 2016, Burcu replied that their target is holding a referendum before May and added that various circles are providing some “wrong and false information” to the people as regards the referendum. He said that the Turkish Cypriots will know very well what they will vote “yes” or “no” about.
Responding to a question regarding the criticism on what is described as the “secrecy in the negotiations”, Burcu said that this criticism is unjust because the opposite would be contrary to the principle on which the negotiations are being held. He added: “Two basic principles exist. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. This is a fundamental principle. The other is the secrecy principle. It is the most important principle for protecting the gains. […] There are situations to which we attach great importance and the other side accepted them with difficulty. If I inform on this issue and make propaganda about it, the other side might say: ‘I have shown understanding, but a negative propaganda is held in my community. I cannot stay on this point’. What is the important point for us now? The gain we have obtained for the community or bragging about it? These gains are the important thing for us. We should continue behaving secretively for a little bit more”.
Replying to another question, Borcu said that according to the 11 February Joint Declaration the agreement will be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation on the basis of political equality. “That is, we are referring to a structure in which we will be the majority in our own area from the point of view of the population and property”, he argued adding that they are trying to walk on “this sound basis in all fields”. He said that the federation will have a single international sovereignty, noting that “we are referring to a single sovereignty which will originate from the two communities”.
Burcu expressed the view that it is meaningless to discuss the issue of guarantees or the territory without knowing “what will be guaranteed”. He said that these issues will “be discussed of course, but when the time comes”. He noted: “The [discussions on the] property issue started. The territory, however, is something else. The territory concerns the surface area which will remain in the administrative zone of each founding state. Only the criteria of this issue have come onto the agenda. That is, the definition of the forestry areas, the agricultural area in the territorial adjustment came on to the agenda. However, no names of villages or a map or numbers came onto the agenda. Issues such as the guarantees and the percentages of the territory are out of discussion for us for a temporary period. When they can come onto the agenda? Only when agreement is reached on the other issues”.
Asked where things on the property issue are, Burcu said that the impression which has been created that the property will be solved is wrong. He noted that they will not sign an agreement which will lead the Turkish Cypriot into chaos and added that they will go to a referendum only when they create the conditions for the lives of the Turkish Cypriots becoming better after they vote “yes”. He said that there are both convergences and debates on the property issue and added that they agreed on 22 categories of properties and on the establishment of a property committee having the equal number of Turkish and Greek Cypriot members. He noted that they have just started debating the criteria according to which this commission will produce its decisions and added that the property issue will not be settled between the individuals, but through this commission.
(I/Ts.)
3. Talat: A referendum may be held in March 2016 if everything goes well
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 23.09.15), the leader of the Republican Turkish Party United Forces (CTP-BG) Mehmet Ali Talat, participating in a morning show on the “BRT” television, claimed that the CTP-BG, which supports the solution of the Cyprus problem, also attached great importance to raising awareness of the people for an agreement to be viable.
Stating that the baseless claims put forward these days when the negotiation process is being held with the aim of deceiving the people, he explained that in order to prevent this, the CTP-BG is organizing briefing meetings in the districts.
Noting that “their aim is to mobilise people who support a solution”, Talat said that until now they held meetings in the occupied town of Morphou, Famagusta and Trikomo and added that they will continue with these meetings in other districts after the bayram holiday.
Stating that during the meetings they especially focused on the property issue, he said that mainly they conveyed the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the possible harms of a no vote in a referendum to the Turkish Cypriot people. “My words regarding the deeper isolations the Turkish Cypriots would face in the event of a no vote are being misused by some circles” Talat said and stressed that he is obliged to tell people the costs of a no vote.
Putting forward a forecast that a referendum would be held in March 2016 if everything goes well, he said that because of superstitions there is a risk of a no vote on the Turkish Cypriot side, however, added that there is a chance to resolve this.
“During the Annan Plan there is a text which we spoke on, however, today there is nothing but superstition. If the establishment treaty and constitutions are determined then they will be presented at a referendum”, Talat added.
Noting that the touchstone of the property issue is the decision of the ECHR, the CTP-BG leader claimed that the current users have the same right as the former owners of property. On the issue of compensation, Talat said that instead of individuals the compensations should be paid by states and foreign sources.
Also touching upon the CTP-BG-UBP so-called coalition government’s views on the Cyprus issue, he said that the two parties are working in harmony and expressed the belief that this will be reflected in a referendum also. “UBP is not the UBP of 2004. I don’t believe it will stand against a referendum”, Talat added.
4. Talat visited occupied Famagusta to brief the Turkish Cypriots about the Cyprus negotiation talks
Under the title: “The sensitivity towards the solution of the Cyprus problem in the south is in the highest level”, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (24.09.15) reports on statements by the leader of the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) Mehmet Ali Talat who visited occupied Famagusta to brief the “people” about the ongoing Cyprus negotiation talks.
Referring to the property issue, Talat explained that the European Court of Human Right’s decision after the Loizidou case has change, following the Demopoulos case in 2010. He added that the decision envisages that the Turkish Cypriots who live in a property (users) would have the same rights with the owners of the property.
Supporting that if the Demopoulos decision had been announced earlier than 2010, it could be possible for the Cyprus problem to have been solved by now, Talat said that following this development, “elections” took place in the “TRNC” and Eroglu who came to power for five years, blocked the process.
Accusing Eroglu of supporting the “non-solution” and for carrying out a “deaf dialogue” at the negotiation talks, Akinci said that the climate at the talks has changed after Akinci’s “election” to the “presidency”.
Talat supported also that the economic crisis in the “south” has created the perception not only in the “north” but also in the “south” that the solution of the Cyprus problem will have positive contribution to both side’s economies.
Referring to the results of an opinion poll held in the Republic of Cyprus, Talat said that these have shown that the sensitivity of the Greek Cypriots towards the solution of the Cyprus problem is on the highest level.
Stating that they are obliged to tell the “people” who are against the solution the possible advantages and disadvantages of the solution, Talat added that a possible “no” of the Greek Cypriots in a forthcoming referenda differs from a possible “no” of the Turkish Cypriots.
(AK)
5. Akinci to meet Ban, Kerry, Davutoglu in New York
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 23.09.15), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will visit New York to meet with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as to hold a series of contacts within the framework of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly between September 28 and October 4.
Besides his meeting with the UN Chief, he will also come together with the US Secretary of State John Kerry. As part of his contacts in New York, Akinci will also hold a series of contacts and meetings.
Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will also be in New York to attend the UN General Assembly. During his stay in New York, Davutoglu will attend the “Fight Against Terrorism Summit” which will be hosted by the US President Barack Obama.
As part of his contacts, Davutoglu will meet with Akinci and together with Ban will hold the promotion event of the World Humanitarian Summit which will be held in Turkey next year.
Akinci, who will go to New York with his wife Meral Akinci, will be accompanied by the Turkish Cypriot Negotiator Ozdil Nami, his spokesman Baris Burcu, his private secretary Cenk Gurcag, the self-styled foreign ministry undersecretary Erhan Ercin and a member of the negotiating team Sertac Guven.
6. The occupation regime’s “NGO initiative” composed by Turkish settlers accused Akinci for showing a separatist and discriminatory stance
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (24.09.15) under the title: “Reaction to Akinci by the “TRNC NGO’s Initiative””, reports that “TRNC NGO’s Initiative” which is composed by 20 NGO organizations which were established in the occupied area of Cyprus after 1974 by Turkish settlers, expressed strong criticism to the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci.
The “Initiative” condemned strongly Akinci for not inviting them to the meeting called “Dialog and Cooperation with the Civil Society” which was held the other day in order to brief them on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.
The “initiative” accused Akinci and his delegation of “not embracing the whole community” and for showing a separatist and discriminatory stance.
In a written statement on behalf of the “initiative”, Bertan Zaroglu said: “Akinci elaborated not to invite to the meeting with civil society organizations which were established by citizens who came to our country from Turkey after 1974 and by doing this, he made discrimination towards the NGO organizations”.
Zaroglu called Akinci to announce the criteria he used to send out the invitations.
Zaroglu added also that they will reject any possible solution plan to the Cyprus problem.
(AK)
7. Nami carried out contacts in Brussels
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (24.09.15) reports that the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami had separate meetings in Brussels with Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, and Corina Cretu, Commissioner for Regional Policy.
In a written statement by the “presidency”, in the meetings apart from the latest stage of the Cyprus talks, they also discussed the necessary preparations that will be done so the Turkish Cypriot founding state which will be formed with the comprehensive solution to implement the requirements in the EU membership without problems and the necessary steps that the EU Commission will contribute in a more active way to the process.
Nami was accompanied by the self-styled undersecretary of the foreign ministry Erhan Ercin and the self-styled 2nd secretary Asli Erkmen. It is reported that Nami and his delegation returned to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus last night.
(DPs)
8. The IUC to organize a conference in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (24.09.15) reports that the chairman of the “administration board” of the International Universities Council (IUC) Orhan Azizoglu, in statements to Ankara Anatolia news agency, has said, inter alia that they will organize a conference in the “TRNC” next month under the title: “International Democracy and Terrorism”.
According to Azizoglu, who made the above statements during a meeting he held with the rectors of several Arab and Kurdish Universities in Erbil, the conference will be hosted by the “European University of Lefka”.
Asikoglu added that rectors from several countries such as Turkey, Iraq, Syria, as well as from other Arab, European, African countries, the Turkic Republic and the Balkans will attend the conference.
(AK)
9. Erdogan attends the opening of Moscow mosque
Under the title “Erdogan visits Moscow amid high Syria tensions”, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 23.09.15) reports that the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at a time when Moscow is boosting its support for the Syrian government, much to the chagrin of Ankara. However, Syria is not the sole issue on the leaders’ agenda, with a pipeline project being another hot matter.
"The solution to the refugee crisis cannot be achieved by closing the borders or leaving those people to die in the sea," Erdogan said. "It can only be achieved by transforming their countries into habitable places where the refugees can live."
Reiterating that Turkey was hosting more than two million refugees, mostly from war-torn Syria, he added: "I want to recall the Russian writer Tolstoy's message, which says the most important act in life is kindness."
Putin was joined by Erdogan, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, at the ceremonial opening of the Russian capital’s new main mosque on Sept. 23.
"Muslim opinion leaders always contribute to the development of peace and common sense against extremism in Russia," Putin said in his speech, condemning the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group. "Their ideology is based on lies and blatant perversion of Islam," he added, quoted by the state-owned Sputnik news agency. "Attempts are being made to cynically exploit religious beliefs for political goals," he added,
On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (23.9.15) reported that Erdogan also said: “An excellent masterpiece comes out after the restoration of the historic Moscow Central Mosque in a beautiful location in Moscow”.
Putin thanked Erdogan for attending the ceremony of the mosque and for the contributions for the restoration. “We know that Turkey is set to hold the parliamentary elections. So I wish you success”," he added, referring to parliamentary elections to take place on Nov. 1 in Turkey.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was also present at the mosque.
10. Erdogan discussed with Putin the Syrian crisis and natural gas issues
According to Turkish daily Milliyet (online, 24.09.15), Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting to the Russian press the talks between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that they exchanged views about the situation in Syria. Peskov said: “Differences in approaches still remain, but at the same time one can say that both sides unquestionably share extreme concern over the fact that the situation, for now, is, unfortunately, far from entering a trajectory towards normalization, and if anything has a tendency to deteriorate”.
Peskov reminded journalists that for Turkey Russia is the second biggest partner in trade and economy and that even though the volume of trade has somewhat declined this year Ankara also remains an important partner for Moscow.
“Gas affairs were also discussed. We know that the agenda is vast. Things are slightly slowing down considering that parliamentary elections are due in Turkey on November 1”, Peskov told journalists.
Asked whether any understandings were reached in such a direction of cooperation as the Turkish Stream project, Peskov said: “Work continues. There is common understanding. This is a fairly difficult comprehensive job and everything proceeds in its own way”.
(DPs)
11. ‘Cizre decision’ sparks political debate on poll security
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 23.09.15) reports that a local election authority’s decision to move ballot boxes from some neighbourhoods of the district of Cizre following violence earlier this month has sparked a political debate on poll security as Turkey's Supreme Election Board (YSK) said that it will examine related requests next week.
YSK President Sadi Guven, in a written statement on Sept. 22, said that it is the authority to decide on processes about the elections.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) member of the Cizre District Election Board, Kemal Cingu, said that the decision was made by only one member of the board and that no one solicited their views.
The Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) member of the Cizre board, Sertac Ozkan, said that the decision is null and void because it was taken during a meeting in which they were absent. The HDP will object to the decision, he added.
The CHP’s YSK member, Mehmet Hadimi Yakupoglu, underlined that the 79th Article of the constitution gives the YSK the responsibility to hold orderly elections and can use the same article if it determines irregularities in the decisions of provincial and district boards. “But, the case cannot apply to the Cizre example since the law regarding the principle provisions of elections and the electoral roll clearly bans moving ballot boxes. Moving [ballot boxes] can only be done if there are less than nine voters. A contrary decision could lead to obstructing the right to vote. If one cannot get into a place due to security, it also means the citizen cannot go out”, Yakupoglu stated.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) member of the YSK, Kursat Turker Ercan, recalled the electoral body’s previous decisions against moving ballot boxes. Acknowledging that there are places where security cannot be provided due to terror acts, Ercan proposed postponing the elections.
The YSK takes impartial decisions in legal terms and nobody can intervene in the electoral body’s decisions, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sept. 23, adding that the board’s decisions are not to be questioned.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier stated that it is impossible to move ballot boxes to another place without a change in the constitution. “For the system for transferring [ballot boxes], there has to be a constitutional amendment,” he said Aug. 31. Erdogan stated that the YSK could not take such a decision.
12. Turkey’s Supreme Election Board bans AKP poll jingle on CHP appeal
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 23.09.15), Turkey’s Supreme Election Board (YSK) has decided to ban a campaign jingle of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) prepared for the upcoming snap elections, according to an AKP deputy head and a candidate for the polls, Bekir Bozdag.
Bozdag tweeted the news on Sept. 23, after the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Mahmut Tanal applied to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) on the grounds that the jingle “abused faith”.
“CHP Deputy M. Tanal has objected to the ‘Bismillah’ [meaning in the name of God] in the AKP election campaign song on the grounds that the “Basmala” is a religious term and cannot be used in the elections.
Upon the CHP’s objection, the YSK has decided that ‘the Basmala cannot be used in the polls’. As a result, the Basmala is forbidden thanks to the CHP”, read a part of Bekir Bozdag’s tweets, regarding the AKP’s jingle called “Haydi Bismillah.”
“The CHP can conduct a campaign without the Basmala but we will continue our election campaign and start all our works by saying ‘Haydi Bismillah,’” continued Bozdağ’s tweet.
No official announcement was made by the YSK as the daily went to press and Tanal told the paper on Sept. 23 that no decision had been conveyed to him about the issue.
Tanal applied to the YSK on Sept. 23 about the AKP’s campaign song on the grounds that “it exploited the nation’s religious and moral feelings and thus the election rules had been contravened”. Tanal said the song violated the Constitution’s 24th Article, where it states that religious values cannot be abused to influence the state’s social, economic, political or judicial systems.
He also noted that the 87th article of the law on political parties forbade the usage of religious terms and values for political parties.
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(DPs/ LF)
