TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
198/15 20.10.2015
1.Sinirlioglu
stated that either a solution will be reached on the Cyprus problem by March or
the international community will recognized the current status quo
2. Akinci: We shared the pain of the past with the
Greek Cypriots, now we want to share the blessings of the future
3. Toplu: Turkey will continue implementing its duty
as guarantor power for ensuring a lasting peace based on the realities on the
island
4.
The water issue was discussed in the “assembly” of the breakaway regime
5.
YKP and BKP criticizes the fact that the opening ceremony was organized by
Turkey
6. Bilgic denies reports in the Greek Cypriot press on
the issue of guarantees
7. Hurriyet
writes that an agreement was reached on the issue of population between the two
communities
8. Moller: “Cypriots close to solution like
never before”
9. “Cabinet
reshuffle” in the self-styled government
10.
“GAU” rector Akpinar to Kazakhstan seeking new cooperation
11. Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister due to Brussels for
contacts
12. ISIL child training camp was discovered in
Istanbul
13. New report reveals the lack of media freedom in
Turkey
14. Two new opinion polls show an increase on AKP
votes and decrease on HDP’s
15. Ankara suicide bomber officially identified as
brother of Suruc attacker
1.Sinirlioglu stated that either a solution will be
reached on the Cyprus problem by March or the international community will
recognized the current status quo
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(20.10.15-online in Engish) Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirliogluin
statements on October 19, has strictly ruled out arguments linking the
country’s long-stalled EU membership bid with the recent contacts between
Ankara and Brussels for deeper cooperation in stemming the flow of migrants to
Europe, as he voiced confidence the Turkish capital would definitely revive
negotiations to become a member of the European bloc.
“One
thing is certain, Turkey’s negotiations for full EU membership will be
revived,” as the country has been scene to a flurry of diplomatic contacts
concerning a wide range of issues from its EU bid to the UN-led reunification
talks in Cyprus and from the handling of the European migrant crisis to the US-led
efforts signaling a process in quest of “a political resolution” to the Syrian
conflict.
When
asked how the EU could open more accession negotiations given the Greek Cypriot
side’s veto, Sinirlioglu said: “The
negotiation process in Cyprus is underway. Either a peace agreement will be
signed in March and the issue will be resolved via the holding of a referendum
or the current situation will be recognized as a solution by the international
community if the Greek Cypriot side rejects [the agreement]. This means that no
obstacle will remain in front of Turkey’s negotiation process”.
Meanwhile, Merkel pledged to Turkish leaders that she
would “do her best, including putting pressure on the Greek Cypriot side,” for
the rapid opening of new accession negotiations with Turkey.
“Turkey needs to show the EU that it is not a country
which could “tactically” benefit from short-term goals”, Sinirlioglu stated. “Turkey’s EU membership and the Syrian
refugee issue are two separate issues. However, they [EU member states] need to
see that Turkey is important for Europe in regards to the refugee issue. They
cannot ignore that the instability in Syria has an impact on them. The EU is
not fulfilling what it is actually required to do as a favour to Turkey. The
turmoil in the region will take long, maybe a decade, maybe two decades,”
Sinirlioglu added.
“Within this
framework, Syrian refugees are not a domestic problem of Turkey, but are an
international problem. Europeans need to do their best like we have been doing
and they should share this burden in the field,” Sinirlioglu.
(…)
2. Akinci: We shared the pain of the past with the
Greek Cypriots, now we want to share the blessings of the future
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.10.15)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa
Akinci met yesterday with the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Yalcin
Topcu, who illegally visited the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
Topcu also met with Siber Siber, self-styled speaker of the “assembly” and Omer
Kalyoncyu, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime.
Akinci
said that they shared the pains of the past with the Greek Cypriots and now
they want to share the blessings of the future with them. He added that
after they guarantee the continuity of the flow of the water from Turkey to the
island, they could increase its quantity and share it with the Greek Cypriots.
Akinci noted that the water is important for tourism,
pointing out that no life can exist in places that have no water.
Akinci argued that when the sustainability of the
water project is proved, this could have positive consequences not only in
Cyprus but elsewhere as well and expressed
the view that when the water is utilized together with the energy that exists
in the Eastern Mediterranean, “a much broader horizon is opened”.
Akinci claimed that a situation by which all countries
in the area could benefit is being created and reiterated the allegation that the energy resources in the Eastern
Mediterranean could either be used as “an issue of tension” or could be taken
up for peace with a mentality by which all sides will gain. He claimed that experts argue that an
energy corridor over Cyprus passing through Turkey towards Europe “is the most
reasonable way” for carrying the [area’s] natural gas. He argued that this
is a situation which will contribute to peace and all sides will gain.
In his statements, Topcu wished for the water from Turkey to increase the “TRNC people’s”
tranquility, prosperity, happiness and faith in the future and to contribute in
peace in Cyprus and the world. He said that the “TRNC”, as he described the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, is the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea,
but it should be the diamond of the world from the point of view of tourism and
its cultural heritage.
(I/Ts.)
3. Toplu: Turkey will continue implementing its
duty as guarantor power for ensuring a lasting peace based on the realities on
the island
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.10.15)
reports thatthe Turkish Minister of
Culture and Tourism, Yalcin Topcu, who illegally visited the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus yesterday, alleged that “Turkey will continue
implementing its historic duty as motherland and guarantor power on the issue
of protecting the freedom of the Turkish Cypriot people and ensuring a lasting
peace based on the realities on the island”.
Topcu met with Faiz Sucuoglu, self-styled minister of
tourism of the breakaway regime and discussed their efforts in the field of
culture and tourism.
Topcu
alleged that the international community also accepts that Turkey shows will
and determination for a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem. He added that a
“seriously positive climate” was created with the commencement of the
negotiations and argued that continuing the positive climate and making use of
the window of opportunity is important.
Topcu reiterated the known Turkish view that the agreement in Cyprus should protect the
political equality of the sides and the balance between Turkey and Greece and
that the Turkish Cypriots should not become a minority. “We fully believe
that we will ensure the Turkish Cypriots to gain the position they deserve”, he
said.
Referring to the current self-styled government, Topcu
expressed their support to the “broad-based-coalition” between the Republican
Turkish Party and the National Unity Party, arguing that establishing such a
“coalition government” between two parties politically different is “very
important for the development and growth of the TRNC”.
Referring to the water from Turkey, Topcu said that “we are certain that the
water will be well administered, well managed by our brothers here”.
Referring to their joint efforts in the field of
culture and tourism, Topcu noted that they will develop projects in the field
of theater as well as education, investments, incentives, exchange of
experience, research, statistics and promotion in the field of tourism and
organize workshops and educational tours.
Topcu and Sucuoglu visited yesterday the dam at
occupied Panagra village as well as the castle and the ancient port of occupied
Keryneia. During the visit, Topcu described the water project as “the stamp of
the century” and the “key for peace”.
In his statements, Sucuoglu said that the dam will be
full in four months and that the water continuously flows 24-hours a day.
(I/Ts.)
4.
The water issue was discussed in the “assembly” of the breakaway regime
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan (20.10.15) reports that the administration of the water
coming from Turkey through the “water supply project” was again an issue of debate
in the so-called assembly yesterday.
Mehmet
Cakici, self-styled deputy with the Socialist Democratic Party (TDP), asked the
“government” what it has done on the administration of the water. He added that
there are different voices on this issue. Cakici further said that they are
satisfied by the project; however, what is important is if the water will be
administered by the Turkish Cypriot side or if it will be privatized. He
stressed that even the “government” has different views on the issue. He added
that the water there (translator’s note: he refers to the occupied area of the
Republic of Cyprus) should be administrated by the Turkish Cypriot “people”.
Self-styled
prime minister Omer Kalyoncu, for his part, said that the parties within the
“coalition government” should avoid the statements that will lead to a fight
between Turkey and the “TRNC” (translator’s note: the breakaway regime in the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus), adding that they should turn this
important development against the “TRNC people”. Kalyoncu reminded Cakici that
the administration of the water should be brought under control with
“legislation”, adding that until “TRNC” takes over, the water will be
controlled by Turkey’s General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI).
The
leader of the National Unity Party Huseyin Ozgurgun said that the important
thing is the arrival of the water, adding that he sees from now that the Greek
Cypriots will also use it in the future.
Tufan
Erhuman, general secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) said that the
position of their party is clear, the administration of the water will be done
by the “public” in an autonomous structure. He also said that what is unclear
is the distribution of the water, how the water from the “municipalities’ water
storehouses” will reach to the storehouses that will distribute the water for
irrigation.
Self-styled
deputy with the Democrat Party – National Forces (DP-UG) Hakan Dincyurek
claimed that the water will strengthen the existence of the Turkish Cypriots in
the island.
(DPs)
5.
YKP and BKP criticizes the fact that the opening ceremony was organized by
Turkey
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan (20.10.15) reports that the New Cyprus Party (YKP), in a
written statement, said that the opening ceremony, which was held last Saturday
in the occupied Myrtou, was an election rally of the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and not an opening ceremony for the water.
YKP
noted that even Turkey organized the opening ceremony, adding that the
administration of the water is not clear yet and the “government” has not
shared with the public the agreement with Turkey on the issue and the “legal
arrangements”.
On
the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Bakis (20.10.15) reports that the
leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Izzet Izcan, evaluating the “water
supply project”, said that they should have used in a more effective way their
current water resources. He added that
the water, which came from Turkey, does not belong to Cyprus and even the
opening ceremony was organized by Turkey officials and the “TRNC official”
attended the ceremony as guests.
Referring
to the protocol signed by Irsen Kucuk, Izcan argued that with the first signed
protocol Turkey is the owner of all the investments made in the “TRNC”
(translator’s note: the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) and added that
with the second protocol which was prepared now and given for a signature by
Ankara, it contains articles that cannot be accepted by any other country in
the world.
(DPs)
6. Bilgic denies reports in the Greek Cypriot press
on the issue of guarantees
According to illegal Bayrak television (19.10.15) the Turkish Foreign Ministry Tanju Bilgic
has denied Greek Cypriot media reports regarding the issue of guarantees.
Bilgic, in response to a question regarding the news
covered in the Greek Cypriot media about the guarantee system said: “News that
was given room in the Greek Cypriot media that refers to statements made by the
Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasulides regarding the guaranty system
are baseless.”
“Turkey,
which continues to support finding a just, comprehensive and lasting solution
as a result of the ongoing negotiations process, has a known manner on the
issue of guarantees. Turkey preserves its stance to take up this issue at a
quintet meeting to be held with the participation of the guarantor powers at
the last stage of the negotiations” Bilgic added.
7. Hurriyet
writes that an agreement was reached on the issue of population between the two
communities
Turkish Cypriot daily Hurriyet newspaper (20.10.15) reports
that the two sides in Cyprus have agreed
upon the population issue after a federal agreement is reached on the Cyprus
problem.
According to the paper, the population proportion will
be four Greek Cypriots for one Turkish Cypriot; therefore the number of the
Greek Cypriots will be 734,000 and the number of the Turkish Cypriots will be
220,000. These will be both citizens of the common state and EU citizens as
well.
The paper also writes that the Greek Cypriot side
supported in the past that the number of the Turkish Cypriots who would become
citizens of the common state was 180,000. However, Hurriyet claims that the
Turkish Cypriot side insisted that the criteria of marriage and of being born
in Cyprus were taken into consideration and these have
been accepted by the Greek Cypriot side so the number of Turkish Cypriots
reached 220,000.
(CS)
8. Moller: “Cypriots close to solution like
never before”
According to illegal Bayrak television (19.10.15) the Director-General
of the United Nations Office at Geneva Micheal Moller, in statements to Ankara
Anatolia news agency, referred, inter alia, to the ongoing solution process in
Cyprus and said that Cypriots have never been this close to a solution before.
Moller who served as the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Cyprus from 2006 to 2008,replying to a question regarding
the ongoing Cyprus negotiations process that is being held under UN
supervision, said:“This problem that
affects the people and the region should have been solved long ago. The time
for a solution has come”.
Explaining that he was optimistic towards the ongoing
Cyprus negotiations process, Moller said: “For over 40 years this process has
been continuing and they have never been as close to a solution as they are
now”.
Moller also made statements regarding the refugee
crisis that is affecting Europe.
9. “Cabinet
reshuffle” in the self-styled government
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (20.10.15)
reports that a surprise mini “cabinet reshuffle” took place in the breakaway
regime
According to the paper, Birikim Ozgur replaced Hasan
Basoglu in the “ministry of finance”, Erkut Sahali replaced Onder Sennaroglu in
the “ministry of agriculture and natural resources” and Asim Akansoy replaced Aziz
Gurpinar in the “ministry of labour”.
The self-styled prime minister Omer Kalyoncu, stated
that Basoglu has the only one who asked to be replaced because he faced health
problems. After this development, Kalyoncu decided to refresh the cabinet and
to make a mini “cabinet reshuffle”.
Afrika (20.10.15) reports on the same issue under the
title “They are becoming ministers each in turn”. The paper notes that Ozgur,
who has become the new “minister of finance”, is very close to the “Turkish
embassy” to the occupied area of Lefkosia and in favour of privatization and
argues that his appointment was faced with reaction.
In his column in Kibris Postasi newspaper (20.10.15)
Rasih Resat writes that the “cabinet reshuffle” was a shock and argues that the
reason behind the replacement of the “minister of finance” was his objection to
apply the “economic protocol” signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime as
well as his position on the issue of privatization, especially of the
privatization of the “electricity authority” (KIB-TEK). According to Resat the
newly appointed “ministry of finance” Ozgur is in favour of KIB-TEK’s
privatization.
(CS)
10.
“GAU” rector Akpinar to Kazakhstan seeking new cooperation
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Bakis (20.10.15), the so-called founding rector and
chancellor of board of administrators of illegal Keryneia American University
(“GAU”) Serhat Akpinar will fly to Kazakhstan with a committee from the “sister
university” of “Cyprus American university” (“KAU”) to sign new agreements with
universities there and to continue the current cooperation.
(DPs)
11.Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister due to Brussels for
contacts
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (19.10.15) reported that Turkey's Minister for EU affairs Beril
Dedeoglu is set to visit Brussels on Tuesday, at a time when the European
Commission's (EC) annual progress report on Turkey is rumoured to be postponed
until after Turkey's snap election in two weeks’ time.
Dedeoglu
is set to meet Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood
Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, and Kristalina Georgieva, Vice President
for Budget and Human Resources.
Dedeolgu
will also meet Pierre Moscovici, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial
Affairs, Taxation and Customs, and will attend a dinner hosted by the Friends
of Turkey in the European Parliament (EP).
Dedeoglu, who was appointed to the position in
September after the previous Minister, Ali Haydar Konca, quit the post in
protest of the government, will discuss “Turkish-EU relations," according
to a press statement by the Ministry of EU Affairs.
(…)
12.ISIL child training camp was discovered in
Istanbul
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.10.15) reported
that according to daily Vatan, a total
of 24 of around 50 suspects of Tajik and Uzbek origin, who were detained for
having links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Istanbul on
October 18, have been revealed to be children being trained in basement
apartments in Istanbul’s Pendik and Basaksehir districts in Istanbul.
The
suspects were reported to have trained children in basement apartments in
Pendik and Basaksehir, using the apartments as militant training camps,
according to physical and technical surveillance collected by Istanbul Police
Department Counterterrorism Unit officers before raiding 18 separate homes in
Pendik and Başakşehir’s Kayaşehir neighbourhood.
The
suspects, mostly Uzbeks, who were detained in the Oct. 18 raids, were reported
to have lectured children on the basics of ISIL as well as how to live in an
Islamic state.
In August, the Uzbekistan Islamic Movement, an
al-Qaeda offshoot based near the Afghan border, announced allegiance to ISIL.
Uzbek intelligence sources reported that more than
5,000 paid Uzbek militants were fighting in Syria alongside ISIL.
(…)
13.New report reveals the lack of media freedom in
Turkey
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (19.10.15) reported that according to the independent press agency
Bianet, many Turkish media outlets continue to face increasing pressure, with
growing numbers of investigations into journalists, detentions and arrests for
their critical stance against the government.
Bianet
report said that within the past three months, 101 news sites and 40 Twitter
accounts were blocked, 178 news reports were censored, 21 journalists and three
media outlets were attacked, 88 journalists faced legal action and 24 others
involved in the media,
including nine newspaper delivery men, were arrested.
It pointed out that all media groups known for their
critical views have been targeted by the government.
Bianet
attributed the pressure on the media to theinterim Justice and Development
Party (AK Party) government losing its majority to govern the country alone
after the June 7 election and its move to terminate talks with Kurdish groups
to solve the decades-long Kurdish problem.
The report stated that after the government launched
an air-strike campaign targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) bases in
the Kandil Mountains, media outlets that prioritized the Kurdish issue faced
widespread police operations and their Internet pages were censored.
Bianet noted that the İpek Media Group was also
recently raided by the police, seven TV channels were dropped by the Digiturk
satellite network and Bugün daily columnist Gültekin Avcı was arrested.
The report went on to state that the Dogan Media Group
as well as the Cumhuriyet daily was subject to a series of investigations on
accusations of "promoting terrorism," "espionage" and
"insult." It pointed out that verbal attacks by senior government
officials laid the groundwork for a physical assault on Hürriyet columnist
Ahmet Hakan.
The
report found that 14 journalists were tried on accusations of insulting President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan during that period of July to September.
(…)
Between
July and September this year, 28 journalists were tried and face up to 430
years in prison, as per the Counterterrorism Law (TMK). Four journalists and
the authors of 18 books that are critical of Erdogan and the government were under investigation pertaining to other offenses
defined in the TMK.
(…)
The
bans or punishments are not limited to only journalists. Main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP deputy
Hüseyin Aygün were fined TL 45,000 in total over the charge of insulting
President Erdogan.
(…)
14.Two new opinion polls show an increase on AKP
votes and decrease on HDP’s
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (19.101.5) reported that
with less than two weeks left until the November 1 elections, research
companies are publishing their latest findings.
The
most recent survey by MAK Consulting revealed that the Justice and Development
Party (AK Party) currently ranks as the majority party with 43.5%. Additionally
to MAK's findings, PollMark, which is also a leading research company, revealed
that the AK Party's support has increased to 43.9%. After the June 7 elections, no political party was
able to gain a majority. After rounds of negotiations, the parties failed to agree
on a coalition government.
With
both polling companies revealing a significant increase in support for both the
AK Party and the Republican People's Party (CHP), 51% of MAK participants
indicated the AK Party will gain a majority and form a single-party government.
The
public opinion survey conducted by MAK, face-to-face with 5,500 respondents, further showed a significant decrease in
support for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), with the party only getting
11.8%, a 2% drop from their result in the June 7 elections.The PollMark survey,
which interviewed 5,184 people, showed
the support for the HDP being 12% while the support for the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) increased to 14.8%.
MAK survey respondents said the recent terror attack
in Ankara, which left more than 100 people dead and many more wounded, was an
attempt to destabilize Turkey. Furthermore,
both surveys revealed that participants believe terror is the most important
issue at the top of the country's political agenda, with the elections and the
economy the second and third most important. It is also expected that expat
votes will significantly change the percentage.
15.Ankara
suicide bomber officially identified as brother of Suruc attacker
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.10.15) reported
that the Ankara Chief Public
Prosecutor’s office announced on October 19 that one of the two suicide bombers
in the October 10 Ankara Massacre was Yunus Emre Alagoz, the brother of Seyh
Abdurrahman Alagoz, who was the perpetrator in the Suruc suicide attack that
killed 33 members of a socialist youth group and wounded more than 100 on July
20.
“The other suicide bomber was confirmed by a photo
image and a series of tests have been carried out to identify him or her,” the
written statement said.
The
prosecutor’s office said Alagöz had come to Turkey from Syria but gave no time frame for his return, according to
Anadolu Agency.
The two suicide bombers targeting a peace rally in the
capital Ankara on October 10 killed at least 102 people, wounding hundreds of
others.
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/ LF)
