TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
199/15 21.10.2015
1.Eide: There is no
timetable in the Cyprus talks, but the current process cannot go on forever
2. Burcu: “The progress of Turkey’s EU process will be
in everyone’s interest
3. Akıncı met with the so-called Turkish ambassador in
the occupied area of Cyprus
4. DP’s leader reacted to Cretu’s visit in Cyprus; He
stressed the need for the occupation regime to restructure its ties with the EU
5. Pakistani Minister “officially” visits the occupied
area of Cyprus and invites the self-styled education minister to Pakistan
6. The Turkish press alleges that the existing
situation in Cyprus will be accepted as a “solution” if there is no solution by
March 2016
7.
Turkey’s EU Minister held meetings in Brussels for the opening of chapters
8. More information on the impact of the water project
in the breakaway regime
9. Iranian businessmen signed an
agreement with Turkish Cypriot GIFA Holdings firm
10. Data on the occupation regime’s tourism
11. The occupation regime attended the “67th Frankfurt
Book fair”
12. Strikes to take place in the occupied area of
Cyprus next Friday and Sunday
1.
Eide: There is no timetable in the Cyprus talks, but the current process
cannot go on forever
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis (21.10.15) reports that the UN Secretary General`s
Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide
said that there is not any specified timetable or time-line on the negotiation
process, however, the negotiations cannot continue forever. Eide added that the
momentum may be temporary, and it can be lost. He stressed that the
international community supports the process.
In
statements to the press after having a two hour meeting with Turkish Cypriot
leader Mustafa Akinci in his office, Eide
said that the negotiations will enter a more intense phase, adding that both
leaders have agreed that they will meet more often from next Friday or in
November. He also said that at the moment they also discussed the contents of
the negotiations that will be intensified alongside the days of the meetings.
Noting
that generations of Cypriots have negotiated, Eide stressed that at this moment there is a momentum and an
opportunity towards the solution, however, at this stage of the process they
are at the depth of some of the most difficult issues.
Eide
also pointed out that people assume that the process is not going well because
it has moved away from areas where there are more convergences to areas where
serious differences remain.
At
the same time, Eide said: “It will take time. It will be also difficult.
However, I can say after holding long meetings with both leaders that the
commitment of the sides to the process is continuing. Their belief that this is
the appropriate time for solution continues. We, as UN, do all we can do to
succeed to reach the determined target when the talks resumed in May”.
According
to Eide the determination of the leaders to meet more often will make a
significant contribution to the process.
Replying
to a journalist’s question regarding the timetables reported in the press, Eide
said that the two leaders in Cyprus do not have time to lose and he shares the
view that they should evaluate well that there is a momentum now.
Reiterating
that the process is a Cyprus-led process and is carried out by the Cypriot
leaders, Eide said that the leaders and their excellent committees are working
on a solution that will be able to be submitted to a referendum.
(DPs)
2.Burcu: “The progress of Turkey’s EU process will
be in everyone’s interest
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (21.10.15)
reports that the so-called presidential
spokesman Baris Burcu has said that the Turkish Cypriot side’s decisiveness and
work for a bi-communal bi-zonal solution continues.
Burcu
pointed out that the leaders have agreed to be meeting more regularly in
November and they foresee a more intense working program ahead.
Following the meeting between the Turkish Cypriot
leader Mustafa Akinci Akinci and the UNSG Special Advisor Espen Bath Eide, Burcu supported that together and with good
intentions the solution of the Cyprus problem is possible.
Responding
to a question on the give and take process and when that would be, Burcu said
that they are discussing the criteria on the property issue which was like the
give and take process.
Asked
to comment on the Greek Cypriot side’s positions on Turkey’s EU process and the
possible opening of new chapters, Burcu said they did not agree with the Greek
Cypriots on this. “The progress of Turkey’s EU process would be in everyone’s
interest”, he said, adding that all the conditions applied to other countries,
should be applicable to Turkey as well. Burcu added that he did not think this issue would
negatively affect the talks as this is an old position and not a new matter.
3.Akıncı met with the so-called Turkish ambassador
in the occupied area of Cyprus
According to illegal Bayrak television (20.10.15) the
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı paid a visit to the so-called Turkish ambassador
to the occupied part of Nicosia, Derya Kanbay.
Speaking during the meeting, Akinci stated, inter
alia, that his aim is to visit all “state institutions”in order to exchange
views.
Pointing
out to the close ties that exist between the Republic of Turkey and the “TRNC”,
Akıncı expressed the belief that he and Kanbay will have close relations and
dialogue during his “term” in Cyprus.
Kanbay for his part said that he was pleased and proud
to be paid a visit by Akıncı.
He
also wished Akinci success during the ongoing Cyprus negotiations process. “Hopefully you will reach a happy ending. As
you are aware, Turkey fully supports you on the Cyprus issue”, Kanbay said.
4.DP’s leader reacted to Cretu’s visit in Cyprus;
He stressed the need for the occupation regime to restructure its ties with the
EU
According to illegal Bayrak television (20.10.15) the reactions against the visit carried out
to Cyprus by the EU Commissioner for Regional Policies Corina Cretu are
continuing.
The leader of the Democratic Party-National Forces
(DP) Serdar Denktas, condemned in a written statement the stance adopted by the EU Commissioner
during her visit to the island.
Pointing
out that the incident demonstrated how unhealthy the relationship between the
European Union and the “TRNC” is; Denktas underlined the need for the “TRNC” to
restructure its relations with the EU.
Denktas said that the
political relations with the EU had been handed over to the EU Coordination
Office which was a technical unit and that this office did not have the
sufficient capacity to deal with such issues. “Relations between the TRNC
and the EU are completely dependent on this office and individual persons. We need to change this and to
institutionalize our political relations with the EU”, Denktas said.
5. Pakistani Minister “officially” visits the
occupied area of Cyprus and invites the self-styled education minister to
Pakistan
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (21.10.15)
reports that Imtiyaz Shahid, Minister of Human Rights and Parliamentary Relations of
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhova government, who is illegally visiting the
occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus upon invitation by the illegal British
University of Nicosia (“BUN”), met
yesterday with the self-styled minister of education, Kemal Durust at the
latter’s office.
In his statements Shahid
said that they want the Pakistani students to study at tranquil places because
of the terror incidents which take place in Pakistan and added: “We have
paved the way for our youth going abroad in order to protect them. We need your support on education”.
Shahid
noted that he “officially visits the TRNC”, as he described the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of Cyprus, and that they want to
hold more often such visits. Explaining the reason of his visit, he said
that “a big part” of Pakistani students are studying in the occupied area of
Cyprus and they want to see that they live well and receive a quality
education. He thanked the breakaway
regime’s universities for the scholarships they provide to Pakistani students
and invited Durust to “officially” visit Pakistan.
On his part, Durustsaid
that “the fact that a minister from Pakistan visits us at our office is
important from the point of view of the relations we will establish with an
Islamic, Moslem state”.He wished for the relations between Pakistan and the
breakaway regime not to be limited only in the field of higher education and
for this visit to become the occasion for deeper bonds between them.
“BUN’s”
rector Dr. Hasan Ali Bicak,
who was accompanying the Pakistani Minister, said that he was satisfied with
receiving such an important guest and pointed
out that Shahid is a Minister of a province with a 30-million-population.
“This official visit will contribute not only in the relations between our
university and Pakistan, but in the relations between the TRNC and Pakistan as
well’, he argued.
Durust congratulated “BUN’s” administration and
thanked Shahid for his invitation.
(I/Ts.)
6. The Turkish press alleges that the existing
situation in Cyprus will be accepted as a “solution” if there is no solution by
March 2016
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (21.10.15)
reports that while the bargaining
between Turkey and the European Union is continuing on the issue of the
refugees, sources in Turkey have alleged that the veto of the Republic of
Cyprus on some chapters in Turkey’s accession talks to the EU will become
ineffective as of March 2016.
Turkish Hurriyet
newspaper cites diplomatic sources to have said: “The negotiations in
Cyprus are continuing. In March a peace
agreement will either be signed or if the Greek Cypriot side rejects it, the
existing situation will be accepted as a solution by the international
community. And this will mean that there will be absolutely no obstacle
remaining in Turkey’s negotiating process”.
It
is also argued that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised to do
everything she can, including exerting pressure on the Republic of Cyprus, so
that chapters in Turkeys negotiations are quickly opened. According to what has been written, Merkel responded “you are right” when
Turkey expressed the position that in case the Greek Cypriots reject the
solution in March 2016, the existing status quo in the island should be
accepted by the EU.
Meanwhile, Yeni
Safak’s columnist Abdulkadir Selve writes that he had participated in
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Russia and that responding to
questions on the plane, Erdogan referred
to the Cyprus problem and alleged:
“If a partnership
government is established by March 2016 in the Cyprus negotiations, then it is
ok. Turkey supports this. However, if March comes and no agreement could be
reached on a common government, Turkey is determined to close that subject.
During the Cyprus negotiations, the Greek Cypriots are mostly blocked on the
question ‘we had a state, are we going to share it with the Turks?’ The Turks,
on the other hand, are in favor of the functioning of the guarantee right. They
are worried that the Greek Cypriots will in time turn them into minority. Of
course, if these obstacles are not overcome and a partnership state cannot be
established, Turkey is not in favor of the commencement of peace negotiations
between the TRNC and the Greek Cyprus administration. It is meaningless to
further prolong this issue”.
Moreover, the Turkish
Foreign Minister, Feridun Snirlioglu stated that the full membership
negotiations between Turkey and the EU will be revived and that these negotiations and the Syrian refugees
are separate issues.
Replying to KIBRIS’ questions, Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, said that this
issue is not on the Turkish Cypriot side’s agenda and that they are working for
an early solution. He argued: “If
there is no referendum in March, this might not be the end of the world, but we
might lose many opportunities. Going slowly is not always tantamount to
going safely. If the bridge from which
we pass can be demolished any moment, and here I am referring to the
favorableness of the regional and global conditions, it might be safer to act
quickly for reaching the target the soonest before the bridge is demolished”.
Burcu alleged that the Turkish Cypriot side sees the
issue “from a window of the will for an early solution” and therefore holding a referendum in March is technically
possible. He claimed: “If Mr Anastasiades
also sees this from a window of the will for an early solution, he will see
that it is possible. It means that he sees it differently, but I do not even
want to think about this”.
(I/Ts.)
7.
Turkey’s EU Minister held meetings in Brussels for the opening of chapters
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis (21.10.15) reports that Turkey's EU Affairs Minister
Beril Dedeoglu, who is carrying out contacts in Brussels, said that it is sad
that Turkey’s EU membership process is in the agenda again due to the latest
Syrian refugee crisis.
In
statements to the press after her meetings with Commissioner for European
Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and European
Commission Vice-President in charge of the Budget Kristalina Georgieva,
Dedeoglu commented also on the fact that some chapters are frozen by Republic
of Cyprus.
Referring
to the statement by the Republic of Cyprus that it will continue to freeze some
chapters due to Turkey’s non-compliance with its EU obligations, Dedeoglu said
that the Cyprus talks are continuing and they have exchanged views with the
Commissioners what is the stance of the Commission on which chapters can be
activated and what preparations can be done with the conclusion of the Cyprus
talks.
Dedeoglu argued that there
are some chapters that can be opened today, if there is a political will,
adding that it is said that the talks in Cyprus are in very positive course.
“For this reason, I estimate that there will be a mobilization in the coming
year”, she noted. She further said that the EU Commission does
not think that there will be any objection by some countries for the chapters’
opening. Dedeoglu said that Turkey’s EU progress was not in the agenda of the
meetings.
Replying
to a question regarding Germany’s announcement on the Chapters 23 and 24,
Dedeoglu said that this is very positive development on the issue, especially
when the statement comes from German Chancellor Merkel.
(DPs)
8.
More information on the impact of the
water project in the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper
(22.10.15) reports that according to a report by Ulas Baris on the Turkish
reporter Sertac Aktan, who has been reporting EU-Turkey process as a journalist
from Brussels for years, tweeted that there will be issues in the water
pipeline project in the occupied area of Cyprus inaugurated last Saturday 17
October.
Aktan who previously worked for NTV news channel and
the BBC, underlines that the pipes do not have the suction system needed to
release air inside the pipes and this is one of the biggest inadequacies of the
project.
Aktan said there are claims that the lack of this
system will result in the diminished flow of the water thus leading to issues.
Aktan said that each of the suction pads cost 10,000 Euro and the pipeline
needed 170 of them. The only places the suction pads exist are in the pipes on
land and not underwater.
The journalist said there were other claims that the
pipes laid in Cyprus had been brought from China by someone ‘close to the
government’; ductile piping had to be used and these were expensive even though
these were manufactured in Turkey. Instead of purchasing them in Turkey they
were brought from China, he says.
Reporting on the same issue, Turkish daily Sabah
(22.10.15) reports that the water project “will make Cyprus to blow away”.
According to estimations made by the paper, due to the
water project the price of the building plots in the breakaway regime will be
increased up to 300%, while the tourism investments will be doubled and the
production of local products will be increased up to 50%. The paper claims that
areas like occupied Morfou and Mesaoria will become an agriculture paradise
while the investment in occupied Vokollida will rise.
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Bakis newspaper (21.10.15)
reports that a group of Iranian businessmen signed a cooperation agreement with
GIFA Holdings.
Speaking to the paper, the chairman of the
administrative board of GIFA Holdings Yusuf Kisa stated that they have a
healthy cooperation with Iranian businessmen for some time now under the
“embargo”.
He went on and added that this cooperation has opened
a new door for them and two days ago they came together with a group of Iranian
businessmen and signed an agreement which will be beneficial for both
“countries”. According to the paper, due to the agreement signed, the amount of
70 million dollars will be transferred to the breakaway regime within a year.
(CS)
10.Data on the occupation regime’s tourism
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (21.10.15)
reports on figures given by the
“ministry of tourism” concerning the occupation regime’s hotel occupancy for
the period of January-September 2015.
According to a statement issued by the “ministry”, the hotel occupancy rate for the above
mentioned period compared with the same period of 2014,was increased by 5.5%.
The hotel occupancy rate for the period of January-September 2015 has reached
to 51.5% while for the same period of the previous year was 48.8%.
Meanwhile, according to the figures, the hotel
occupancy rate for September has reached to 65.8%.
Also, the
statement said that passengers from several countries that are: Austria,
Poland, Slovakia, the UK, Iran, Italy, Denmark and the Czech Republic were
transferred to the occupation regime with charter flights on September 2015.
Moreover, according to statistic figures, an increase of 10.3% on the number of
passengers visiting the occupation regime through “airports and ports” has been
observed during the period of January-September, comparing with the same period
of 2014. Also, the number of Turkish citizens visiting the occupation regime was
increased by 10.1% while the number of passengers from other countries was
increased by 10.6%.
(…)
11.The occupation regime attended the “67th Frankfurt
Book fair”
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (21.10.15)
reports that the occupation regime
attended the “67th Frankfurt Book fair” which took place in October
14-18 in Frankfurt, Germany.
According to the paper, the occupation regime was represented at the fair by the “culture
department” of the so-called ministry of “tourism, culture and sport”.
The occupation regime attended the fair with its own
stand called “Turkish Cypriot publications”. The Turkish Consul in Frankfurt Mustafa Celik and the undersecretary of
the Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Nihat Gul visited the occupation
regime’s stand, writes the paper.
(AK)
12. Strikes to take place in the occupied area of
Cyprus next Friday and Sunday
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
(20.10.15), the chairman of the “Turkish
Cypriot workers’ union” (KTAMS) Ahmet Kaptan has said that neither the “finance
ministry” nor the “government” have taken any measures against the decline in
the purchasing power of the public at a time when the cost of living is on the
rise.
Kaptan noted that in the last two years, the Turkish
Lira had lost 55% value against foreign currencies and this had drastically
reduced the purchasing power of the public. Kaptan reiterated their calling for
some sort of measure to be taken, otherwise, as he said they will go on with
strikes.
Kaptan
announced that they will go on a full day strike at the “Nicosia motor vehicles
registration office” on Friday, October 23 and a strike at illegal Tymbou
airport by the “fire department of the civil aviation office” at the “airport”
on Sunday 25 October.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/ AM)
