TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 205/15 28-29.10.2015
1. Nami met with Sinirlioglu in Ankara
2. Turkey’s “ambassador” Kanbay: “We protect the Turkish
Cypriot people’s rights at every platform”
3. Kalyoncu claimed that the reports that the occupied
area of Cyprus is used as a transit point for people to join ISIL are without
evidence
4. BKP accuses the occupation regime of turning a blind
eye to the transfer of Islamic State militants to Syria through the occupied
area of Cyprus
5. YKP argues that we need a framework agreement on the
Cyprus problem
6. The“Yialousa Initiative” held meetings with Turkish
Cypriot politicians
7. Toros on the water project
8. Cyprus’ religious leaders protest to the Europa Nostra
Award 2015
9. 81,000 students registered for 2015-2016 at the
illegal universities in the occupied area of Cyprus
10. Turkish police raid critical media HQ, shut down live
broadcast of Koza-Ipek Group
11. Erdogan commented on the raid against the KozaIpek
group
12. Columnist Yetkin explains the Koza-Ipek case
13. Turkish columnist similarizes the raid against the
Ipek Media Group to the coup d’états which took place in Turkey
14. Erdogan: Turkey may hit US-backed Syrian Kurds to
block advance
15. Demirtas: YPG will cross Euphrates and you will look
on
16. Turkey to send commandos and gendarmerie special
forces in south-eastern Turkey to secure the harmony of the elections
17. Turkey issues list of most 'wanted' terrorists
1.
Nami met with Sinirlioglu in Ankara
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
Daily News (online, 29.10.15) reports that the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team
led by the Turkish Cypriot negotiator OzdilNami was in Ankara yesterday for
contacts.
According to reports, Turkish Cypriot
leader Mustafa Akinci’s spokesman BarisBurcu told to the press that the Turkish
Cypriot negotiating team met with Turkish Foreign Minister FeridunSinirlioglu
as well as officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministry with regards to the
negotiation process.
Sinirlioglu said that they are pleased
that the process will be intensified and support a fair and permanent
settlement. He added that they did not want this opportunity to be wasted and
the Greek Cypriot side should decide now what they want out of this. The
negotiating team returned to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus
yesterday evening.
2.
Turkey’s “ambassador” Kanbay: “We protect the Turkish Cypriot people’s
rights at every platform”
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 28.10.15), the 92nd anniversary of the establishment of the
Turkish Republic is being marked with ceremonies in the occupied area of the
Republic Cyprus alongside Turkey.
Illegal Turkish ambassador to the
occupied part of Nicosia DeryaKanbay, in a televised address on “BRT”, stressed
how honoured he was to be celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the
Republic of Turkey and the achievements of the country.
He commemorated those who gave their
lives for their nation and noted that today the Republic of Turkey is a
secular, social state functioning within the rule of law and well respected by
other countries around the world.
Kanbay also said that he is very proud
to be serving in the “TRNC” during this time and noted that he is especially
pleased that he will be able to celebrate the 29th of October Republic Day with
the Turkish Cypriot “people” who also celebrate the day as a “national
holiday”.
Touching upon the Cyprus issue which has
been continuing for 50 years, Kanbay
said that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side aim to find a bi-zonal,
bi-communal, just, permanent and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem
based on the political equality of the two sides.
Explaining
that the Turkish Cypriot “people” have the right to live in security and
humanely in the island just like the Greek Cypriots, Kanbay said that everyone
knows it isn’t possible to continue with their daily lives with the Cyprus
problem remaining unsolved. “We are determined not to
allow the Turkish Cypriot people to return to pre 1974 conditions. We fully support all efforts that have been
exerted to find a solution to the Cyprus problem and we protect the Turkish
Cypriot people’s rights at every platform”, Kanbay added.
He further said that “just like it was
in the past the Republic of Turkey will today and in the future continue to
stand by the side and support the Turkish Cypriot people”.
Referring to the water transfer project
that was inaugurated by Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan and Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, Kanbay noted that the Project of the Century
will meet the water needs of the Turkish Cypriot “people” for the next 50
years. He also alleged that “this project which is a first of its kind around
the world, will not only meet the needs of the Turkish Cypriot people but will
allow for economic growth in the country and will be a water of peace”.
3.
Kalyoncu claimed that the reports that the occupied area of the Republic of
Cyprus is used as a transit point for people to join ISIL are without evidence
According to illegal Bayrak television
(online, 28.10.15), self-styled prime minister Omer Kalyoncu evaluated topics
that are on the agenda in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus and the
“government’s deliberations” on a televised program on “BRT” on Wednesday
morning.
Replying to reports that the occupied
port of Trikomo in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus is used as
transit point for people who wanted to join the rankings of the ISIL terrorist
organisation in Syria, Kalyoncu said that he spoke with the so-called police
general directorate and the “security forces commandership” and that although
there are rumours there is no evidence supporting this claim. “We trust the
police and this issue is something that will be under observation”, Kalyoncu
added.
4.
BKP accuses the occupation regime of turning a blind eye to the transfer of
Islamic State militants to Syria through the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(29.10.15) reports that Abdullah
Korkmazhan, general secretary of the United Cyprus Party (BKP), has described as “worrying” the information
published in the international press that
Islamic State militants are transferred to Syria through the occupied area of
Cyprus.
In a written statement, Korkmazhan asked
the Republican Turkish Party – National Unity Party (CTP-UBP) self-styled
government to investigate the issue as soon as possible and take measures.
He noted: “If the information that
Islamic State militants used the northern part of Cyprus as crossing point, it is not possible for the regime of the
northern part of Cyprus, which possesses six intelligence organizations,
thousands of troops and police, not
being informed and not have given permission”.
According to Korkmazhan, if it is
assumed that the allegations are correct, it
is obvious that the occupation regime “turned a blind eye” to the transfer of
Islamic State militants to Syria through the occupied area of Cyprus.
(I/Ts.)
5.
YKP argues that we need a framework agreement on the Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(29.10.15) reports that the New Cyprus
Party (YKP) has argued that a framework agreement is needed for the solution of
the Cyprus problem and that the other issues could be completed at the federal
executive and legislative organs.
Reading a written statement at a press
conference on the occasion of the 26th anniversary from YKP’s
establishment, Murat Kanatli, organizational secretary of the party, said that they will make a joint call on the
community leaders and that they preserve their positive approach towards any
kind of a draft agreement.
Kanatli noted that this framework agreement should include the issues of “foreign troops,
the displaced and carried [Translator’s note: from Turkey] population, the
territory and property, the security and guarantees as well as the power sharing”,
which should constitute the main chapters of the negotiations.
Arguing that it is not necessary for the
solution agreement to include details, Kanatli said that “the details might be
completed in conditions of a democratic debate at the federal executive and
legislative organs”.
(I/Ts.)
6. The“Yialousa Initiative” held meetings with Turkish
Cypriot politicians
Turkish
Cypriot daily YeniBakis newspaper (29.10.15) reports that the “Yialousa
Initiative” started meeting with Turkish Cypriot politicians in order to inform
them about a recent survey that took
place in the breakaway regime according to which 93% of the inhabitants do not want to move from Yialousa.
The
“Yialousa Initiative”, headed by its members OzayOykun and OzerOykun met with
the chairman of the Democratic Party SerdarDenktas and told him that the
persons living in the area “do not want to become refugees for a third time”.
On his part, Denktas stated that the
results of the survey must be taken into consideration and added that the feeling of the great majority of the
inhabitants of Yialousa must be
respected.
Havadis
(29.10.15) reports that the “Initiative” also held a meeting with the chairman
of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) CemalOzyigit and informed him thatthey have also collected 750 signatures of
the persons living in the area demonstrating their position.
Commenting on the issue, Ozyigit stated that the Turkish Cypriots
have experienced many difficulties in the past. “However, I wish that no one
will ever return to those days and those years”, he stated, adding that in
order for this to be achieved a new
agreement as regards the solution of the Cyprus problem must be achieved.
He also stated that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci is working towards
finding an agreement that will be accepted by the Turkish Cypriots.
(CS)
7.
Toros on the water project
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(29.10.15) reports that the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce is holding
contacts with businessmen in various areas of the breakaway regime. Within the
framework of these contacts the Chamber’s chairman FikriToros referred to the
project of the water transferred to the occupied area of Cyprus from Turkey.
Toros
stated that the water project is a unique project, no similar with any other
project in the world. He also stated that it is a project that shows both the
power of Turkey and its will for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
(CS)
8.
Cyprus’ religious leaders protest to the Europa Nostra Award 2015
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(29.10.15) reports that His Eminence
Archbishop Nareg (Alemezian) of the Armenian Church in Cyprus, has stated that
he had not participated in the ceremony held on 27 October at the Asdvadzadzin
Church (the Armenian Church and Monastery) in the occupied part of Nicosia
during which the Europa Nostra 2015 Award was presented for the reservation of
the church and the monastery. The reason for this, he said, was that he had not been appropriately
invited and had not participated in the preparations of the event in spite of
the fact that he was the host.
Under the title “Solidarity by the
religious leaders”, the paper writes that Archbishop
II Chrysostomos and the breakaway regime’s Head of Religious Affairs
TalipAtalay have also not participated in the ceremony, for the same
reason.
Archbishop Nareg told Kibris that “the
invitations for an activity held at a religious place should be distributed by
the owner of that religious place” and saluted the stance of both Archbishop
Chrysostomos and Atalay.
On
his part, Atalay told Kibris that this was an
important event, but it should have been organized in a manner that the
Armenian Archbishop would be included in this organization. He added: “Our view
is clear. The activities regarding the places of religious worship should be
organized together with the officials of that religion. Imagine that an award
ceremony is held at Hala Sultan and I am invited. The same thing is valid for
the Armenian Church. When there is a
situation that concerns that place, the religious leader of that place should
be in and at the head of this activity”.
Meanwhile, the representation of the EU
Commission stated that they have sent a special invitation to everyone with his
name.
(I/Ts.)
9.
81,000 students registered for 2015-2016 at the illegal universities in the
occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi
Daily News (online, 28.10.15) reported that the so-called ministry of education
higher education and foreign relations office has announced that 81,000
students had been recorded for the 2015-2016 educational year at the illegal
universities in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.
According to the “ministry”, 47,033 of
these students are from Turkey, 21, 982 are nationals from other countries and
12,000 are “TRNC citizens”.
In statistics compared to last year,
74,000 students had been recorded, showing an increase of 7,000 students this
year. Last year 41,928 students had registered from Turkey, compared to the
47,033 this year.
10.
Turkish police raid critical media HQ, shut down live broadcast of Koza-Ipek
Group
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(online, 28.10.15) reported that the Istanbul
police used force on Oct. 28 to enter the headquarters and seize control of
media outlets owned by the Koza-İpek Group, dramatically breaking into the main
broadcasting room and shutting down two TV stations owned by the group.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s
Office on Oct. 26 ordered the Koza-İpek Group to be placed under the management
of a trustee panel while an investigation is ongoing into the group’s purported
ties to the U.S.-based cleric FetullahGulen, a former government ally. President
RecepTayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) now accuse
Gulen of heading a purported illegal organization that Erdogan believes is
trying to topple the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government with
followers working as insiders in the police, the judiciary and other state
institutions.
The police fired tear gas and water
cannons at the crowd gathered in support outside the media group’s office
building in Istanbul’s Sisli district at around 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 28, two days after
the initial court ruling, Dogan News Agency reported. The building is used by
Kanalturk TV, Bugun TV, daily Millet, and daily Bugun, all of which are owned
by the Koza-Ipek Group.
Breaking down the iron gates of the
media group’s compound, the police unplugged the wires and halted the TV
stations’ live broadcasts, escorting the newly appointed trustees into the
building after scuffling with hundreds of employees and supporters of the
Koza-Ipek Group gathered outside in support.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s
Office, meanwhile, launched an inquiry on Oct. 28 into some protesters outside
the building on charges of “resisting security personnel”, “preventing security
personnel from doing their official duty”, and “inciting crime”, according to the
state-run Anadolu Agency.
A dispute also flared up between
Kanaltürk editor TarıkToros and the trustees who entered the main broadcasting
room of Kanaltürk and Bugün TV, with Toros declaring that no one could meddle
in their broadcasting.
After the channel’s broadcast cut to
black, Toros was forcefully removed from the building. He was handed a letter
stating that he had been removed from his post. One of the appointed trustees,
ÜmitÖnal, said they faced fierce resistance from the company’s employees, Anadolu
Agency reported.
Kozaİpek Group of Companies Chair Akın
İpek said no trustee had the right to disrupt the media group’s broadcast.
Kanalturk displayed the headline “our
broadcast has been shut down” throughout the commotion.
Speaking over a phone call to the Kanalturk’s
main broadcasting room, İpek said it was unlawful to seize the company.
Cihan News Agency reported that İpek was
ordered to pay the salaries of employees of the media group earlier than the
usual payment day in order to not cause any financial inconvenience after the
police raid.
The police raid drew stern criticism
from lawmakers, academics, and supporters from different political backgrounds,
with senior figures from opposition parties paying visits to express support to
the media group.
Politicians from the three opposition
parties visited on Oct. 28 the media organs of the Kozaİpek Company after an
Ankara court appointed a trustee panel to the company on accusations that it
was “involved in the activities of the Fethullahist Terror Organization.”
Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair SelahattinDemirtaş said the police raid of the
media group building of the Koza-İpek was “unacceptable,” saying there was not
only pressure on media but on the whole of society. “It’s
not a good start to the day. This is the ‘AKP’s Turkey’. It is not an
acceptable practice. At first it seems like oppression of a media outlet, but
in fact it targets the entire society,” Dogan News Agency quoted Demirtas as
saying during his meeting with representatives of Turkey’s Jewish, Armenian and
Syriac communities.
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputies
SafakPavey, SezginTanrıkulu, MahmutTanal and BarisYarkadas also visited the
Koza-İpek office in support. Tanrıkulu
said the seizure of the business of a media group amounted to a manipulation of
the right to vote freely. “Four days are left until the election. A
government critic media platform being seized by excessive police force and its
broadcast shut down is a true intervention into the right to vote freely,”
Tanrıkulu said on his visit.
“Today is a shameful day. Everyone who
made this decision and those who implemented it will have to answer for their
crimes,” said CHP Deputy Yarkadaş.
On the same issue, Turkish daily Today’s
Zaman (online, 29.10.15) reports that Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli has called on acting Prime
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to withdraw the police as well as the trustees who
took over management of İpek Media Group.
Speaking during a live interview on
Wednesday night, Bahceli said that the government’s “shameless move to destroy
Kozaİpek Holding which owns 22 companies and to raid a building with a huge
police force few days before the elections and to put members of the press in
trouble is unacceptable”.
11.Erdogan
commented on the raid against the KozaIpek group
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(29.10.15) reports that Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan has seemingly
justified the appointment of a trustee board to manage the Koza-İpek group, 23
companies of which have been seized by a local court as part of a crackdown on
followers of the government’s ally-turned-nemesis FethullahGulen.
“There are different things behind the
support lent [to the group],” Erdogan said late on October 28. “The reason for appointment of a trustee
should be thoroughly deliberated because its number one is on the run,” Erdogan
said in a live interview with Kanal 24 news channel.
As
Akın İpek, CEO of the Koza-İpek group, suggested there was no irregular
transfer of money abroad, Erdogan asked why he was on the run.
“I
hope the Turkish judiciary will have a fair decision,” he said, adding that his
office had some information on the issue, but the judiciary had their own
information.
An Ankara court on Oct. 26 appointed a
board of trustees to manage the Koza-Ipek group, seizing its 23 companies as
part of a crackdown on Gülen followers.
The Ankara chief prosecutor’s office
said the seizure was linked to an investigation into the conglomerate on
suspicion of “terror financing,” “terror propaganda” and other offences related
to Koza-Ipek’s support for Gülen’sHizmet (Service) movement.
12.
Columnist Yetkin explains the Koza-Ipek case
Under the title “What does the Koza-Ipek
case mean?” columnist Murat Yetkin, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 28.10.15), tried to explain the Koza-Ipek case and its relations
with Erdogan and Gulen in the following commentary:
“An
Ankara court approved a demand by the prosecutor’s office on Oct. 27 to seize
administration of the Koza-Ipek business group, upon suspicion that it is
‘financing terrorism’, as part of an investigation ongoing since Sept. 1. The
court decision came despite an inspection report saying no irregularities were
found in the company records. Protesting the move, Akın Ipek, the founder
and chairman of the group, said that if the courts found a penny of wrongdoing
in its probe then he would donate the entire group to the government.
The court also appointed caretakers to
the administrations of group’s companies. In theory these should be independent
names, but in practice they are either members of the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) or affiliated with it. The group has companies varying
from gold mining to the media, from finance to education.
The
Koza-Ipek group and Akin Ipek himself used to have excellent relations with President
Tayyip Erdogan, back when the latter was Prime Minister and when relations
between Erdogan’s AK Parti and FethullahGulen, the Islamic ideologue living in
the U.S., were also excellent. Gulen-sympathizing police
officers, judges and prosecutors spearheaded roles in Erdogan’s initiatives to
clean the army, judiciary and universities from people who despise Erdogan and
his AKP rule. The investments of the Koza-Ipek group, which supported Erdogan’s
government through media outlets, newspapers and TV stations, grew freely
during that period.
Things started to change in 2012 when
allegedly Gulenist prosecutors attempted to question National Intelligence
Organization (MİT) head HakanFidan over covert contacts with the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Erdogan considered this a threat to his own
power. Later, relations hit a low point when allegedly Gulenist prosecutors
opened corruption cases against members of Erdogan’s government, his party and
even his family in two waves of investigations on Dec. 17 and 25, 2013.
Erdogan subsequently accused Gulen and
his followers of forming a ‘parallel state within the state’ in order to
overthrow the government. He also claimed that because they were trying to
stage a coup in this way, they should be regarded as terrorists, despite the
lack of guns in the entire picture.
Akin Ipek has never hidden that he is a
follower of Gulen. That is why the prosecutors are accusing him and his
companies of helping a terrorist organization, adding more fuel to the debate
on the independence of the courts just four days before Turkey’s crucial
election on Nov. 1.
But this case is not the only bad
example in Turkey of lack of court independence and media freedom, since
KozaIpek holds four media outlets (the Bugun and Millet newspapers and the
Bugun and Kanalturk TV stations).
It is also worth noting that other two
publications close to Gulen had serious problems recently. EkremDumanli, the
editor-in-chief of the Zaman newspaper, resigned last month, saying the
pressures on him did not allow him to fulfil his duties. BulentKenes, the
editor-in-chief of Today’s Zaman, was taken into custody over a tweet he
posted, on the basis of ‘insulting President Erdogan’. When combined with the
pressure and attacks on the Hurriyet newspaper and the Dogan Media Group, as
well as the pressure that critical newspapers like Cumhuriyet have been facing
since the June 7 elections, it would not be exaggerating to say the level of
pressure on media not in line with the government is on the rise.
But
again, this situation is not only about court independence and media freedom.
It has gained an investment freedom dimension as well.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said on Oct. 27 that if no one
raised a voice against the Koza-Ipek case, the government could set new
examples of seizures of companies and perhaps properties in the future.
It is not clear what else Turkey will
see if the AKP is unable to regain its parliamentary majority in the Nov. 1
election., as an AKP lawmaker AydinUnal vowed for ‘more’ in a televised
interview yesterday.”
13.Turkish
columnist similarizes the raid against the Ipek Media Group to the coup d’états
which took place in Turkey
In a commentary entitle: “It was exactly at 16.33 hours”, Turkish
daily Hurriyet (29.10.15-online in Turkish) publishes a commentary by the
paper’s editor in chief ErtugrulOzkok, who refers in its column about the
violent police raid on Ipek Media Group in Turkey and writes that the attack
and the shutting down of the two TV stations owned by the group, is a big blow
against the press freedom in the country.
Ozkok writes in his columns that the incidents occurred in Turkey reminds
him of the coups which took place in the country on May 27, 1960, on March 12
1971 and on September 12, 1980.
“It
was exactly at 16.33. The screens were black. I will never forget in my life
those black screens which are the symbol of the totally black regime we have”,
Ozkok, inter alia, wrote.
(AK)
14.
Erdogan: Turkey may hit US-backed Syrian Kurds to block advance
According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman
(online, 29.10.15), Turkey will "do
what is necessary" to prevent US-allied Syrian Kurds from declaring
autonomy in the town of Tel Abyad near the Turkish border, including conducting
further military operations, President RecepTayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
NATO member Turkey is part of the US-led
coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants in
Syria, but it sees advances by autonomy-seeking Kurds, led by the Democratic
Union Party (PYD), as a threat to its own national security, fearing they could
encourage separatism among Turkish Kurds.
Turkish jets recently hit the Syrian
Kurds' armed People's Protection Units (YPG) targets twice after they defied
Ankara and crossed west of the Euphrates River. "This was a warning. 'Pull
yourself together. If you try to do this elsewhere - Turkey doesn't need
permission from anyone - we will do what is necessary,'" Erdogan said,
signalling he could defy Washington's demand that Ankara avoid hitting Syrian
Kurds and focus its military might on ISIL targets.
Erdogan, in remarks broadcast live on
the Kanal 24 television station, also accused the PYD of carrying out
"ethnic cleansing" in the area and said Western support for the
Syrian Kurdish militias amounted to aiding terrorism.
Backed by US-led air strikes, YPG
fighters captured Tel Abyad in June from ISIL, and this month a local
leadership council declared the town part of the system of autonomous
self-governing "cantons" run by the Kurds.
"The PYD is committing ethnic
cleansing here (of) Arabs and Turkmen," Erdogan said. "If the Kurds withdraw
and don't form a canton, there's no problem. But if the mind-set continues,
then what is necessary will be done or we face serious problems.
"We are determined to (combat)
anything that threatens us along the Syrian border, inside or out."
Turkey does not want to see an
autonomous Kurdish entity resembling Iraqi Kurdistan emerging on its southern
flank, said Erdogan, speaking days before a Turkish parliamentary election that
has aggravated political and security tensions. Western allies are now arming
the Kurds, he added.
“They don't even accept the PYD as a
terrorist organization. What kind of nonsense is this?" he said. "The
West still has the mentality of 'My terrorist is good, yours is bad’.”
15.
Demirtas: YPG will cross Euphrates and you will look on
According to Turkish daily Sabah
(online, 29.10.15), Peoples' Democratic
Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtas has been in a war of words with Prime
Minister Davutoglu, saying: "The YPG [People's Protection Units] will
cross the Euphrates River and you will gawk [look on] at it."
The quarrel started after Davutoglu said that
the Democratic Union Party's armed YPG, a Syrian PKK affiliate, was hit by
Turkish military forces twice in recent days as they were trying to cross the
Euphrates. Speaking in a live interview on A Haber channel, Davutoglu said that
Turkey had previously warned members of the YPG not to cross to the western
side of the Euphrates and that if they did, Turkey would interfere. "We
struck twice," he said, without giving further information.
Demirtas responded to Davutoglu earlier
on Tuesday: "It is shameful to hit the PYD while ISIS maintains its
presence in the region." Speaking on a live TV broadcast on Tuesday
evening, Davutoglu responded to Demirtas: "Demirtas is the one who needs
to be ashamed; the PYD will not cross the Euphrates."
Demirtaş commented on Davutoğlu's
remarks regarding Turkey striking the YPG. On Tuesday evening in Istanbul he
said: "As if the YPG cannot cross to the west of the Euphrates. They will,
Davutoglu, the YPG will cross beyond the Euphrates and you will only gawk at
them from the other side of the river."
16.Turkey
to send commandos and gendarmerie special forces in southeastern Turkey to
secure the harmony of the elections
Under the title: “Red alarm”, Turkish
daily Milliyet (29.10. 15) reports that
according to Turkey’s Directorate General of Security (police headquarters),
within the framework of the strict measures taken in Turkey over Sunday’s
Parliamentary elections in the country, it has appointed around 255 thousand
security personnel and 130 thousand gendarmerie personnel (police officers), in
order to safeguard that the Turkish citizens could cast their vote avoiding any
incidents.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the Gendarmerie General Command has
increase measures especially in regions in east and south-eastern Turkey in
order to ensure the security of the elections. In crucial districts, commandos
and Gendarmerie Unity of Special Forces will be dispatched. Also helicopters
and armoured cars will be sent in the crucial regions.
The ballot boxes in Turkey will open on
Sunday at 08.00 until 17.00. However, Turkey’s Higher Election Board has
decided for the regions of Giresun, Sivas, Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, the
ballot boxes to open at 07.00-16.00 since they are considered as crucial
regions.
(AK)
17.
Turkey issues list of most 'wanted' terrorists
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(29.10.15), the Turkish Interior
Ministry has published a list of the country's "wanted terrorists”, which
also includes the name of U.S.-based preacher, FetullahGulen, leader of the
so-called "parallel state".
The “parallel state”, known also by the
initials FETO/PDY, is a purported clandestine group of Turkish bureaucrats and
senior officials embedded in the country's institutions, including the
judiciary and police, led by Gulen and his Hizmet (Service) movement, which
allegedly is plotting to overthrow the elected government.
The online list, published Wednesday at
www.terorarananlar.pol.tr, is divided into five color-coded categories: red,
blue, green, orange and grey.
The red category includes, in addition
to Gulen, other suspects, including "top" PKK terrorists CemilBayik,
Murat Karayilan, and Duran Kalkan.
Bayik is one of the five founders of the
terrorist PKK organization, while Karayilan is its acting leader, and Kalkan a
senior commander.
In total, 72 PKK, 12 Daesh, 11 FETO/PDY,
2 DKHP-C (far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front) and 2 MLK-P
(Marxist-Leninist Communist Party) members are included in the list, along with
their full names, date and place of birth.
According to the website, any
information relevant to the arrest or capture of the listed terrorists may
result in a monetary award of up to 4 million Turkish liras ($1.38 million).
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/ AM)
