TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
200/15 22.10.2015
1.Self-styled foreign
minister Colak carried out contacts in Paris
2. The occupation regime prepares for its transferring
to the euro currency after the solution; Experts from the ECB due to the “TRNC”
3.
Pakistani Minister met with self-styled assembly speaker
4.
Akinci will attend the Davos Forum in January
5. Eroglu: “The Greek Cypriots are dreaming”
6. Baykal wished the water transferred project to
affect positively the peace process in the island
7.Vatan criticizes the stance of the Turkish officials
during the opening ceremonies for the water from Turkey
8. CTP walks out of a routine round table meeting held
under the auspices of the Slovakian Embassy
9. “Mayor” of occupied Komi Kepir will attend a
conference in Istanbul
10. The Turkish Cypriot academician Niyazi Kizilyurek
will reportedly participate in Akinci’s “advisory team”
11. Turkey’s MGK convened; The Cyprus negotiation
talks and the fight against terrorism were included into the agenda
12.
“LAU” will host an international conference on Democracy and Terrorism
13. Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Putin
over Assad’s visit to Moscow
14. The Hungarian FM expressed support to Turkey's EU
bid
1.
Self-styled foreign minister Colak carried out contacts in Paris
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris (22.10.15) reports that self-styled foreign minister Emine
Colak, who carried out contacts in Paris
the previous days, met with the Vice President of the French National Assembly,
Cyprus-France Parliamentary Group, and the Republican Deputy Guy Geoffroy as
well as the Republican Party Deputy Alain Joyandet.
According
to a press release by the “information office”, the meeting between Colak and
Geoffroy, which took place in the French National Assembly lasted about an
hour.
In
the meeting, Colak briefed Geoffroy on the latest stage reached in the
negotiations for a Cyprus settlement and answered Geoffroy’s questions
regarding the process.
Noting
the importance of the support for the ongoing negotiations under the UN
auspices, Colak stressed how important is for both communities to reach a
comprehensive solution.
Noting
that one of the most important and difficult chapters of the negotiation
process has started to be negotiated, Colak referred to the importance of
completing this chapter with success.
Colak underlined the
importance of conveying to the French authorities the views of the Turkish
Cypriots by themselves, adding that they passed a period that they needed the
support of France which is an EU member besides all international players.
Colak thanked Geoffroy for this opportunity.
In
the framework of her contacts, Colak had a working meal with the former French
President and the Leader of the centre-right Republican Party Nicolas Sarkozy’s
political adviser and former Cooperation Minister, Republican Party Deputy
Alain Joyandet in Paris.
The
Cyprus problem was discussed during the meeting, where Colak argued that the
Turkish Cypriots do not want to live once more the disappointment that they
experienced after the referendum in 2004, stressing the importance of the
political will of both sides.
For this reason Colak said
that it is expected from France to place a constructive contribution to the
process and therefore to stand at an equal distance from both sides. She
also said that the Cyprus settlement by taking into account the instability in
the Middle East will constitute a positive example in the region and will also
benefit all the international players including France.
Replying
to Joyadent’s question, Colak claimed that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots
support the solution and this was proven in 2004, adding that this support
continues today. She also said that she hopes that the intensive period of
negotiations to result in success the soonest possible and to reach a solution.
Finally, Colak, who
concluded her meetings in the Assembly with the Chairman of the France-Cyprus
Friendship Group, Socialist Deputy Didier Marie, met also yesterday with
representatives of various media organizations.
(DPs)
2.The occupation regime prepares for its
transferring to the euro currency after the solution; Experts from the ECB due
to the “TRNC”
According to illegal Bayrak television (22.10.15), a delegation from the European Central Bank
is due to arrive in “north Cyprus” next month to carry out work on the
transferring to the euro in the event of a settlement.
The
“head” of the “European Union harmonization committee” at the so-called
assembly and “deputy” with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG)
Armagan Candan, made statements to illegal BRT on the ongoing efforts to
transfer to the euro currency, if and when a solution to the Cyprus problem is
reached.
Explaining
that a team of experts from the European Central Bank will be arriving in the
“TRNC” next month to hold a series of meetings with officials from the “Turkish
Cypriot Central Bank”, the bi-communal technical committee on economy as well
as the EU Ad-Hoc Committee, Candan said that the experts will look into how
long it will take to switch to the euro.
“The team of
experts will determine how long it will take the Turkish Cypriot constituent state
to switch to the euro and for how long it will continue to use the Turkish
Lira. This can be perceived as an important signal that a solution is close”,Candan
added.
Candan also pointed out that both the EU and other
international financial institutions which could make important contributions
towards solving the Cyprus problem needed to see a success story in the Eastern
Mediterranean. “This story could be written in Cyprus” he added.
3.
Pakistani Minister met with self-styled assembly speaker
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris (22.10.15) 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 an invitation by the illegal British University of
Nicosia (“BUN”), met yesterday with the
self-styled assembly speaker of the breakaway regime Siber Sibel.
During the meeting, Shahid expressed his satisfaction for being in the “TRNC” and added
that he has examined the “TRNC” education system and he is extremely pleased
that the Pakistani students receive their education here. He further said that
he met with students and made some recommendations to them, adding that he believes that this kind of visits will
develop the cooperation between Pakistan and the “TRNC” (translator’s note:
the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus).
(DPs)
4.
Akinci will attend the Davos Forum in January
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (22.10.15), columnist Rasih Resat in
his daily column “Corner” publishes a letter by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa
Akinci’s spokesman Baris Burcu, who replied to him on a commentary he wrote
regarding the dinner that Akinci gave to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan during his illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus last Saturday.
Burcu in his letter also
said that Akinci will attend the Davos Forum on January, adding that they
already informed the Forum organizers on September 9 for Akinci’s
participation.
(DPs)
5.Eroglu: “The Greek Cypriots are dreaming”
Under the title: “The
Greek Cypriots are dreaming”, Turkish
Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (22.10.15) reports that Turkish Minister
for Forestry and Water Affairs Veysel Eroglu, commenting on the claims that
there is a secret document prepared by the “TRNC” and the UN regarding the
water transfer project and how this would affect the properties prices of the
Greek Cypriots in the “TRNC”, making it more difficult for them to demand their
properties at the negotiation table, said that the “Greek Cypriots are
dreaming”.
Eroglu
responding to reporters’ questions regarding the report said this was a
fabrication.
Eroglu added the following: “The Greek Cypriots are dreaming. There, there is the TRNC thus they
should look themselves. Turkey has taken
‘peace water’ to the island and has reiterated this on many levels alongside
the TRNC Cypriot president Akinci. Thus, they must not try to draw the issue to
another direction by using the water as an excuse. All these about the water is
an excuse”.
(AK)
6.Baykal wished the water transferred project to
affect positively the peace process in the island
Turkish daily Sabah (22.10.15) reports that Deniz Baykal, candidate Deputy with the
Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Antalya,
evaluating the water transfer project from Turkey to the “TRNC”, described it
as an enormous event and said: “I wish that this would affect positively the
peace process in the island”.
Bayak also added the following: “We have established a water connection with Cyprus. Turkey has
already started the transferring of the water there. This issue is of strategic importance and it is a great event. I hope
that this would affect the peace process in the island positively. If we
continue showing a correct stance about Cyprus and do not make mistakes, it
will be an important factor not only for the existence and the future of the
TRNC, but also for peace in the island and Turkey’s geographical integration
with the island”, said Baykal.
7.Vatan criticizes the stance of the Turkish
officials during the opening ceremonies for the water from Turkey
Under the title “Let them not spoil us the pleasure of
the water!”, Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (22.10.15) reports that its
owner, journalist Ertem Kasimoglu has
expressed the paper’s sorrow for what happened during the opening ceremonies
held last Saturday for the project of bringing water from Turkey to the
occupied area of Cyprus.
In statements to Kanal T television, Kasimoglu noted
that Vatan with its articles has
strongly supported the water project, but during the ceremonies the Turkish
Cypriot “people” were “pushed back”.
He said: “[…] As Vatan newspaper, which attached great
importance to this issue, we were
saddened by what was experienced at these ceremonies, an organization by which
this water issue will only gain points to a political formation in Turkey. And
the Turkish Cypriots did not deserve this. The
Turkish Cypriot community did not deserve the creation of an image saying that
‘Get out of here. Who do you think you are? Do not rejoice for this water. It
is our right to rejoice for this water’. That is, let neither the politicians
in Turkey nor the politicians in the TRNC spoil our pleasure for the water by
turning it into party propaganda […] From our point of view while the
officials from Turkey were carrying out this organization, they should actually
exhibit the sensitivity to bring to the Turkish Cypriot people prosperity with
this kind of behavior together with this huge project. They should have ensured that the Turkish Cypriot community would be
happy, not angry. The stance exhibited by the Turkish officials as regards this
ceremony ensured totally the opposite. Excuse me, but the ceremony field had become a pre-election rally of the AKP.
However, this water project is as important event as the 1974 peace operation,
joining much more with each other motherland Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot
people. When carrying out these
ceremonies, the officials from Ankara should be more sensitive and not offend
the Turkish Cypriot people”.
(I/Ts.)
8.CTP walks out of a routine round table meeting
held under the auspices of the Slovakian Embassy
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (22.10.15)
reports that sources close to the paper
said that tensions rose yesterday in the routine round table meetings of the
two sides’ political parties held under the auspices of the Slovakian Embassy
in the buffer zone.
According to the paper,issues relating to a bi-zonal bi-communal federation arose when the
Greek Cypriot parties EDEK and the Greens wanted the reference of ‘an
acceptance of a bi-communal agreement with the EU aquis’ to be put into the
joint text. The CTP representative at the meeting rejected this by saying that
the two leaders had not agreed on such a matter and responded by criticizing
that the two Greek Cypriot parties were opposed to a bi-zonal federation.
After
this, EDEK members became angered and asked the CTP member to “be careful when
he spoke about EDEK”, forcing the CTP’s member Muhittin Ozsaglam to walk out of
the meeting.
Present at the meeting were the CTP, TDP, KSP and BKP
from the north and AKEL, EDEK, EPALXI, EDI and DIKO from the south. The UBP and
DP parties were not present.
Ozsaglam
later on his Twitter feed noted that a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based
on UN parameters is a solution to be supported for the island. He said that
they owed it to the two leaders to be supportive of an equal solution and when
defending those values one needed to be respectful of diplomatic rules and to
one another.
9. “Mayor” of occupied Komi Kepir will attend a
conference in Istanbul
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (22.10.15) reports that the “mayor” of the occupied
village of Komi Kepir, Ahmet Sennaroglu will participate in the “international
dialogue conference of German-Turk sister towns” that will be held between
October 22-25 in Istanbul under the auspices of the former mayor of Munich
Anakent municipality Christian Ude and Istanbul Maltepe municipality Mayor Ali
Kilic.
The
paper also reports that Sennaroglu will also sign a twinning protocol with
Maltepe municipality in Istanbul. In the conference, officials from
municipalities from Tehran, China, Austria, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Angola and
France will also participate.
(DPs)
10.The Turkish Cypriot academician Niyazi
Kizilyurek will reportedly participate in Akinci’s “advisory team”
Under the title: “The
‘only’ advisor of the divided island”, Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper
(22.10.15) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot academician Niyazi Kizilyurek, who is one of the “advisors” of the
“leader” of the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as the President of the
Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades is called by the paper, will participate
in a delegation established by the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci with
the aim to support his efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.
The
paper’s correspondent in the occupied area of Cyprus Sefa Karahasan writes that
according to information acquired by the paper, Akinci has formed an “advisory
team” composed by his “spokesman” Baris Burcu, the journalist Hasan Kahvecioglu
and the Turkish Cypriot academician, Niyazi Kizilyurek.
The paper points out that Kizilyurek, who lives in “south Cyprus” has close ties with the former
Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat.
In statements to the paper, Kahvecioglu who is
included in the team, said: “We, as supporters of the solution held a meeting”.
The paper adds further that as it was made known, Kizilyurek held yesterday a meeting with Akinci.
Kizilyurek, who has started working at the University
of Cyprus in 1995, has been “declared” as a “persona non grata” [Translator’s
note: by the breakaway regime] and has experienced a lot of difficulties.
Kizilyurek won the Abdi Ipekci Award in 1997 with the
documentary he prepared together with Panikos Chrysanthou called “Duvarimiz”
[Our Walls].
(AK)
11.Turkey’s MGK convened; The Cyprus negotiation
talks and the fight against terrorism were included into the agenda
Turkish
daily Hurriyet (21.10.15) reported that Turkey’s National Security Council
(MGK) convened on Wednesday under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan to discuss critical items on the agenda, including establishing security for the November 1
elections and formulating a comprehensive strategy to combat terror attacks by
terrorist organizations such as the PKK and ISIS. The MGK meeting was attended by all Cabinet Ministers
and the main topic of the agenda was the deadly Ankara bombing which left over
a 100 people dead.
According
to the paper, the recent developments on the Cyprus negotiation process were
also discussed during the meeting and the MGK confirmed once again its support
to their “brothers in the TRNC”.
In a
statement issued after the meeting, MGK said that Turkey's fight against
terrorism will proceed with determination, while it highlighted the importance
of preserving public order in the country.
The council also underlined "Turkey's
determination in fighting against terror organizations and its
extensions," the statement added.
According
to the statement, the refugee crisis was also discussed and the council called
on the international community to take concrete steps regarding the issue.
(…)
12.
“LAU” will host an international conference on Democracy and Terrorism
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan (22.10.15) reports that the illegal European University of
Lefka (“LAU”) with the International University Council (IUC) will host an
international conference on democracy and terrorism on October 22 with the
participation of academic staff from 15 different countries.
(DPs)
13.Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Putin
over Assad’s visit to Moscow
Turkish daily Sabah (21.10.15) reported that President Erdogan has spoken with Putin on
Wednesday in a phone call and was informed over Assad's visit to Moscow.
According to presidential sources, during his conversation
with Putin, Erdogan has expressed his concern over an expected refugee wave
following Russia's air strikes in Syria.
According to reports, Erdogan underlined the
importance Turkey attaches to fighting all terrorist groups including ISIS,
pointing to links between the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and PKK, who have fought
a decades-old insurgency against Turkey.
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (21.10.15) the
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter
Szijjarto, in statements to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday during his one-day visit
to Ankara said that Hungary supports the "quick implementation" of
the EU-Turkey action plan, envisaging closer cooperation between Brussels and
Ankara in halting migrants and fighting smugglers, as well as visa free travel
in Europe for Turkish nationals in return.
"We
are arguing in favor of a quick agreement for the EU-Turkey action plan," Szijjarto said.
(…)
Referring
to Turkey’s EU bid, he said: “Our position is that the EU should enlarge
because if the EU is too introverted with its own problems then we will be even
weaker in the future. So, our position is that enlargement is necessary and we
should have a much tighter cooperation with Turkey".
Szijjarto also added that the visa liberalization
process with Turkey should be accelerated since it will lead to many
advantages.
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/ AM)
