TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA
REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 207/15
31.10-02.11.2015
1. AKP makes strong comeback and wins enough seats for a single-party
rule
2. Erdogan evaluated the elections’ results: “Turkish vote a reaction
to terrorism”
3. Davutoglu: “This victory is not ours but that of our nation and
our citizens”
4. CHP disappointed after barely increased vote
rate
5. HDP says unfair election conditions, deliberate polarization
behind poll result
6. MHP leader rules out internal turmoil after
defeat
7. Turkish lira surges to 2.78 against US dollar after AK Party
victory
8. "Two different Turkeys in five months”
9. “How did the EU contribute to authoritarianization in
Turkey?”
10. AKP came first in the occupied area of Cyprus as well
11. Akinci: November’s meetings will focus mainly on the property
issue
12. Akinci is reportedly cautiously optimistic on the Cyprus
problem
13. Turkish daily reportedly writes that the two sides have reached
to a “historic agreement on the citizenship issue”
14. Erhurman: Turkey started developing strategies by which it will
dominate over the entire island
15. Ozgurgun and Tatar will compete for the UBP leadership on a
second round
16. CTP attended the Socialist International meeting in
Spain
17. The occupation regime attends the WTM tourism fair in
London
1. AKP makes strong comeback and wins enough seats for a
single-party rule
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 02.11.15) reports that
with a remarkable boost in just five months since the June 7 election, the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the Nov. 1 snap election with a
landslide victory, securing a decisive majority at
parliament.
The seats in the national assembly will still be occupied by four
parties, but the AKP has seen a sharp rise in its share, raising the chances of
it making a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for a transition to
a presidential system in line with the ambitions of its founding leader,
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The AKP secured around 49.48% of the vote, giving it 317 seats in the
550-member parliament, according to results with all ballots counted. For a
constitutional change at parliament in favour of the presidential system in line
with Erdogan’s aspirations, the AKP needed to win 367 seats, though 330 seats
would be enough to take the issue to a referendum.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) encountered a
considerable disappointment, as it only managed to slightly improve on its June
7 performance, getting around 25.31% and 134 seats.
Both the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Kurdish
problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lost a considerable number of
votes. The HDP, which got 13.2% of the votes in June, again managed to cross the
10% election threshold to get representation in parliament, but only by a narrow
margin. HDP got 10.75% and 59 seats.
The MHP’s loss was even sharper, dropping to 11.9% from 16% in June,
apparently losing a sizable chunk of support to the AKP. MHP got only 40 seats
in the parliament.
The results of the vote, which also tested the leadership of Prime
Minister and AKP head Ahmet Davutoglu, came as a surprise to most people. The
election had been expected to produce a knife-edge result that would require the
formation of a coalition government, but enough voters discounted widespread
concerns over democracy and freedom in Turkey in favour of stability to bring
the AKP back to single-party government.
In the months since June 7, conflict between the security forces and
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was renewed and Turkey has witnessed
major attacks staged by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL). The Turkish Lira, meanwhile, has dramatically lost value against the
U.S. dollar and the euro. Turkey has been ruled by the AKP’s interim government
since the June 7 polls, following single-party rule since November 2002 held by
the AKP.
In the June 7, 2015 election, the AKP dropped to fewer than 276 seats
in parliament, the number needed for a legislative majority. It had aimed for
the 330 seats it needed in order to change the constitution without input from
other parties and thus pave the way for a new presidential system equipped with
more power and fewer checks and balances.
According to the Ankara Anatolia news agency (02.10.15) the final
results are the following:
Total polls: 183.518
Total voters: 56.965.099
Votes cast: 48.522.149
Valid votes: 47.837.577
Attendance: 85.18%
AKP: 49.48% - 317 Deputies
CHP: 25.31% - 134 Deputies
MHP: 11.90% - 40 Deputies
HDP: 10.75% - 59 Deputies
Others: 2.56% - No Deputies
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet (02.11.15) publishes the following tables
comparing the election results of June 7 with the November
1:
|
|
June 7 elections
|
November 1 elections
|
|
Total Voters
|
56.772.753
|
56.965.099
|
|
Votes cast
|
47.506.009
|
48.522.149
|
|
Valid Votes
|
46.160.496
|
47.837.577
|
|
Invalid Votes
|
1.345.513
|
684.572
|
|
|
June 7 elections
|
November 1 elections
|
|
AKP votes
|
18.864.864
|
23.669.933
|
|
CHP votes
|
11.518.070
|
12.108.801
|
|
MHP votes
|
7.519.168
|
5.691.035
|
|
HDP votes
|
6.057.506
|
5.144.108
|
|
Others votes
|
|
1.223.700
|
|
|
June 7 elections
|
November 1 elections
|
|
AKP Deputies
|
258
|
317
|
|
CHP Deputies
|
132
|
134
|
|
MHP Deputies
|
80
|
40
|
|
HDP Deputies
|
80
|
59
|
(DPs)
2. Erdogan evaluated the elections’ results: “Turkish vote a
reaction to terrorism”
Ankara Anatolia news agency (02.11.15) reports that President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan stated that the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s victory in
Turkey’s general election on Sunday was “a response to PKK terrorism”
Speaking after the party he co-founded won enough seats to form a
government in the rerun of June’s election, Erdogan said that the voters had
chosen stability “after five months of violence”. “The most important message
was given, undoubtedly, to the separatist terrorist organization and the
structures under its guidance,” Erdogan said in a statement released after the
AK Party secured 49 % of the vote. “Our nation on Nov. 1 communicated in a clear
manner that pressure, threats and bloodshed cannot co-exist with democracy,
national will, law and development”, he stated.
Referring to the two opposition parties that could not agree to enter
into a coalition with the AK Party following June’s vote -- the Republican
People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) -- Erdogan said
the election showed their “long-held uncompromising and vindictive attitudes”
during coalition talks, “were not approved by our nation”.
3. Davutoglu: “This victory is not ours but that of our nation
and our citizens”
Ankara Anatolia news agency (01.11.15) reported that Turkish Prime
Minister and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoglu has
described the party’s success on Sunday's parliamentary election as a “victory
day for democracy”.
"This victory is not ours [AK Party], but that of our nation and our
citizens," Davutoglu said in an address in his hometown in Konya hours after
preliminary results put the AK Party ahead of all other
parties.
In addition, Davutoglu stated that AKP is to pursue Constitutional
changes to enhance the role of the President. “It is obvious that the current
system does not meet the Turkey’s needs. This shirt is too tight for this
country,” Davutoglu said.
Although it regained its parliamentary majority on Sunday’s election,
it appears to be 14 seats short of the number needed to push through a
referendum on constitutional reform. However, Davutoglu indicated that this
would be a priority during the coming parliament.
4. CHP disappointed after barely increased vote
rate
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (02.11.15) reports that Turkey’s
Republican People’s Party (CHP), which had entertained hopes of making gains
through a constructive election campaign, failed to increase its votes
significantly in the Nov. 1 polls, remaining the country’s main opposition
party.
The leader of the party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, said after the
announcement of the initial results that the responsibility on the party’s
shoulders had increased. “Some 400 people died in this period,” he said. “This
should be evaluated very carefully.”
Responding to a question on whether he would resign, Kilicdaroglu
said the executive bodies of the party would decide on the matter, praising the
CHP for “bringing democracy to the country.”
5. HDP says unfair election conditions, deliberate polarization
behind poll result
Turkish Today’s Zaman newspaper (02.11.15) reports that the leaders
of Turkey's pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) have said that unfair
election conditions and a deliberate policy of polarization by President Tayyip
Erdogan explain their drop-off in Sunday's parliamentary
elections.
The HDP was forced to cancel election rallies following two deadly
attacks on pro-Kurdish gatherings since July. Television stations gave party
representatives little air-time amid government attacks branding the party as
the political wing of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK).
HDP's co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas told reporters that "there
wasn't a fair or equal election... We were not able to lead an election
campaign. We tried to protect our people against attacks."
Co-chair Figen Yuksekdag said that HDP would analyse in detail the
drop in its support since the last parliamentary election in June, but said the
fact the party had crossed the 10 % threshold needed to enter parliament was
nonetheless a success. She said the HDP has faced the most challenging
circumstances during this process and recalled that 258 civilians, including 33
children, lost their lives during the last five months since the June 7
election. “Yet, today's success was achieved by those who walked against
attacks,” she said.
Following the vote on Sunday, small clashes broke out in Diyarbakir
in the Kurdish southeast between protesters and police.
6. MHP leader rules out internal turmoil after
defeat
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (02.11.15) reports that Turkey’s
nationalist opposition leader has defied criticism directed at his conduct of
politics after his party witnessed a dramatic fall in the Nov. 1 snap elections,
while also dismissing any prospect of internal party
turmoil.
Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP),
which categorically rejected any coalition with the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) after the June 7 elections, argued it was the AKP which avoided
engaging in any coalition partnership.
Bahceli, in a written statement implied that the AKP had managed to
get a legislative majority by “triggering social fears” and “using threats and
blackmail like weapons.”
“Rather than a victory by the AKP, there is a sociological structure
who is deterred by terror, annoyed by suicide bombers, dissuaded by economic
dangers and whose will is impeded by anti-democratic practices,” Bahceli
said.
The MHP, a casualty of the rise in AKP support seen in the Nov. 1
polls, saw its share of the vote drop to 12 % from 16.5 % in the June 7
parliamentary election.
According to Bahceli, his party had been subject to all kinds of
“plots” from June 7 to Nov. 1 aimed at leaving it below the 10 % election
threshold needed to enter parliament. “The Nationalist Movement Party will march
on its way with resolved and confident steps without giving concessions from its
principles and diverting from its values. Nobody, either from inside or from
outside, should make calculations in vain and believe that the Nationalist
Movement would fall into a cycle of instability,” Bahceli said, vowing his party
would continue defending the “legal and historical interests” of Turkey.
7. Turkish lira surges to 2.78 against US dollar after AK Party
victory
Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (02.11.15) reports that the Turkish
lira hit its firmest in 2-1/2 months against the dollar on Monday, after the
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) returned to power in the 26th general
elections on Sunday.
The Turkish lira was quoted at 2.78 against the dollar in early
trade, up 4.4% from Friday's close of 2.9135. It was the strongest level since
mid-August.
8. "Two different Turkeys in five
months”
Under the above title, Serkan Demirtas writes the following in
Hurriyet Daily News (02.11.15):
“[…] The question here is what happened in the last five months that
brought about such a dramatic reverse on the political landscape? Although the
answer is more about sociology and the socio-economic state of the Turkish
people, let’s try to frame a political explanation for this.
Multiple developments have happened between the two elections to the
advantage of the ruling party.
However, before an assessment on these developments, it should be
stressed how the Turkish people became annoyed with growing instability in the
country in recent months, which prompted a change in their mind to vote for the
ruling party. […] Therefore, the notion of stability prevailed on Sunday’s Nov.
1 elections.
One of the most important differences between the June and November
polls is that the latter occurred amid much violence and terror attacks, which
Turkey has not witnessed for a very long time. Turkey was rocked with two major
terrorist attacks in these five months: one in Suruç in July and the other in
Ankara in October, as suicide bombers of the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) killed dozens of civilians in the most brutal way. It was in this
period the government launched military attacks against the ISIL threat that
terrorized the entire nation.
Like ISIL, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) resumption
of its violent acts against the Turkish army and the police added additional
disturbance to Turkish public opinion. The Turkish army’s heavy military
engagement against the terrorists in the face of PKK attacks that killed
hundreds of security personnel in this period has added additional support from
the especially nationalist leaning citizens of Turkey.
Both President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoğlu’s strongly worded accusations against the pro-Kurdish Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) have apparently received positive reactions from
nationalist voters. Therefore, the AKP appeared as the sole political structure
that could fight against terrorism and bring about comfort to the country.
On the political level, one of the most important reasons why the AKP
could boost its votes is the fact that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
leader Devlet Bahçeli lost almost all his credit among his grassroots because of
its never-ending negative political understanding. The MHP’s nationalist and
conservative grassroots seemingly did not hesitate to vote for the AKP as they
have cut their hopes of their leader.[…]
Only months after its historical victory of a 13 % vote, the HDP,
this time, only barely made the 10 % threshold, although it has now become the
third party in the parliament. For many, this decline is because conservative
Kurds have taken back their support from the HDP for the AKP, due to their
disturbance with PKK-led efforts to create cantons and self-autonomous regions
in the southeastern Anatolia region.
The PKK’s increased terrorist activities also upset and angered these
circles accompanied by local entrepreneurs and businessmen who have been
suffering because of a growing instability in the region.
The social democrat main opposition party preserved its votes and
even increased the number of its seats in the parliament but hardly anyone is
content with the results. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) pursued a positive
and constructive election campaign and even cancelled many of their rallies due
to the tragic Ankara bombings. It seems the low-profile election campaign of the
CHP did not work to the advantage of the party.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the CHP, is believed to be
frustrated with the results and his leadership will be surely challenged at the
upcoming party convention later this year.
[…]
Although the June 7 elections were both free and equal, the
conditions of Nov. 1 were much poorer than the previous one. In the last five
months, the Turkish media was under growing pressure, with physically violent
attacks on independent media outlets and journalists by the pro-government
figures and newspapers.
Newspapers and television channels were seized by state institutions
only days before the elections, while almost all public and private broadcasters
only served the ruling party and the president. State means have also been
heavily used by the government. It was under these conditions that the AKP could
increase its votes to its 2011 level by garnering every other person’s vote.
In sum, it could also be said that two different Turkeys voted in the
last five months, whose result would perhaps lead to what the government
officials have been long willing for the “new Turkey.” We will all together see
what this new Turkey will look like.”
9. “How did the EU contribute to authoritarianization in
Turkey?”
Under the above title Gokhan Bacik writes the followimg in Today’s
Zaman (02.11.15):
“[…] The authoritarianization of Turkey is a product of many
political and sociological factors. However, a special external factor in
Turkey's authoritarian turn is, of course, the European Union. If Turkey is seen
as a very authoritarian country today, one must acknowledge the EU's role in
that.
In brief, authoritarianization has two groups of actors. The first
group is the “direct actors,” whose policies have brought Turkey to an
authoritarian state. The second group is the “indirect actors.” Who are they?
The indirect actors are those who do nothing despite their possession of the
power of leverage that can stop the authoritarianization of a country. Indeed,
the EU has strong leverage power in Turkey that could have been used to stop
authoritarianization there. But it did nothing. Instead, the EU has spent the
last three years making useless statements; similarly, EU diplomats (including
the ambassadors of EU countries) have kept on tweeting ultra-symbolic stuff but
did nothing else. These “tweeting diplomats” naturally failed to stop
authoritarianization in Turkey.
In the past, EU soft power was an important dynamic in Turkey's
democratization. Basically, today, the EU's soft stance on Turkey's
authoritarian rulers contributes to anti-democratic developments. How does that
happen?
[…]
For example, the EU Commission has postponed the release of its
annual Turkey report. Of course, this helped President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on
the eve of a critical election; nobody talked about Turkey's deficiencies before
the election. The EU Commission was once the international symbol of human
rights and democracy. Today, it is an archaic committee that can do dirty things
in exchange for strategic gain. I personally wonder how the EU commissioners
legitimized this in philosophical terms. How does a member of the EU Commission
accept cheap strategic tactics?
[…]
Thus, the most influential legitimacy ticket for authoritarianization
in Turkish leaders' pockets is the European ticket. They know that the EU will
do nothing. These leaders know very well that whatever they do will be free of
cost to them on the EU account.
It must be a great irony of history that the EU has become a
contributor to Turkey's authoritarianization. Worse, Turkey has already crossed
the red line. Any possible upcoming European action is unlikely to cause major
changes in Turkey. The EU should have been active a year ago at least. The EU
should have taken note of the route Turkey is on before all the happenings of
today.
[…]
Frankly speaking, it is also good to learn that one can bribe the EU
easily. We have witnessed the limits of European democracy. The EU is indeed a
democratic organization. However, it can digest, and even be indirectly part of,
highly anti-democratic agendas in another country. Let's call it a selfish
democracy. It's like a man who is himself a moral being, but keeps silent about
bribery among others. Then again, the EU-Turkey relationship is not like a
relationship between one man and another man. The EU is supposed to be proactive
in a candidate country. Thus, the EU is today more like the metaphorical moral
policeman who turns a blind eye to a bribe that, in principle, should not be
happening.”
10. AKP came first in the occupied area of Cyprus as well
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (02.11.15) reports that
the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which won the parliamentary
elections held yesterday in Turkey and will establish a government alone,
came first in the voting in the occupied area of Cyprus as well.
According to the results of the ballot boxes in the Turkish so-called embassy
in the occupied part of Nicosia, AKP received 48.39%, the Republican People’s
Party (CHP) 25.8%, the People’s Democracy Party (HDP) 14.69% and the Nationalist
Action Party (MHP) 10.18%.
Meanwhile, after AKP’s election victory, enthusiasm was experienced
in the streets of the occupied part of Nicosia. AKP supporters came to Nicosia
with convoys from various points of the occupied area of Cyprus. They toured the
occupied part of the capital holding AKP and Turkish flags and celebrated with
dancing and shouting slogans.
(I/Ts.)
11. Akinci: November’s meetings will focus mainly on the property
issue
Illegal Bayrak television (31.10.15) broadcast that the Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci emphasized that the leaders’ meetings to take
place in November will focus mainly on the property issue as they have started
working on the criteria of the property issue.
Akinci made the statement upon his return to the occupied area of
Cyprus after the leaders talks were concluded on Friday.
Touching upon the meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos
Anastasiades, Akinci said that the talks had been constructive as the two sides
were now able to better understand one another.
Referring to the joint statement read out by the UN Secretary
General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, Akinci said that the
month of November will see intensified negotiations taking place and added that
at the end of the month they will be at a much better position at the
talks.
“Hopefully we will progress quickly. Today as leaders, we started
working on the criteria of the property issue and throughout the month of
November we will concentrate on this issue”, he stated.
Upon being asked a question regarding the visit that will be carried
out by the US, Germany, Britain and Russia Foreign Ministers to Cyprus next
month, Akinci said that his meeting with the Foreign Ministers are nearly
determined but a meeting between himself and the Russian Foreign Minister, had
for now, not been determined.
12. Akinci is reportedly cautiously optimistic on the Cyprus
problem
Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (01.11.15),
Turkish Cypriot columnist Sami Ozuslu reports that Turkish Cypriot leader,
Mustafa Akinci is cautiously optimistic as regards the solution of the Cyprus
problem. Akinci hosted a breakfast for some Turkish Cypriot journalists on
Saturday and “gave important messages regarding critical November” during which
six meetings between the community leaders will take place within the framework
of the Cyprus talks.
Expressing the assumption that Akinci will have closer relations with
the Turkish Cypriot press, but he does not intent to “quarrel with the Greek
Cypriot side in front of the press”, Ozuslu notes that some of his
“impressions” from the meeting are the following:
- Akinci still seems optimistic, even though cautiously optimistic
and a little bit less optimistic comparing to the period he was
elected.
- Akinci relates the criticism against him after his statements to
Kibris newspaper on the bi-zonality issue to the stance of some Greek Cypriot
“political groups” which allegedly want to “wear him out” and to entering into
the pre-election climate for the parliamentary elections to be held in May 2016.
- They have a good dialogue with President Anastasiades, but it
could be said that the developments in Turkey and the uncertainty after the 1
November elections has caused confusion to the Greek Cypriot side. The
impression that the “honey moon” in the Cyprus negotiations has ended derives
from this perception and concern.
- November is very crucial, because the course of the property
issue will be clarified. Akinci did not give any details, but it is
understood that in the meeting held between the leaders on Friday some
progress was achieved, as far as the Turkish Cypriot side is concerned.
- Some obstacles exist on the chapters of power sharing,
governance and the EU, but they could be overcome. The “rotating presidency”
has not been agreed yet, but it is considered definite that it will be settled
in correlation with the “cross voting”.
- The Turkish Cypriot leader does not think that a serious problem
will come up on the issue of security and guarantees.
- The security issue should be based on a “win-win” mentality to
be reached on vital issues such as the gas, the electricity and the water, on
which the economic interests in the Eastern Mediterranean coincide and not on a
military concept only. Akinci is optimistic that a consensus could be
reached on the guarantees.
- Ankara has not created any problem until now to Akinci’s
negotiating team.
- Akinci believes that November could be decisive. The six
meetings between the leaders will be focused on the property issue. The main
debate on the property is experienced in the “bi-zonality- derogations
axis”. The Turkish Cypriot side says that the Turkish Cypriots must be the
majority in the area controlled by the “Turkish Cypriot state”, while President
Anastasiades rejects the derogations and “seeks refuge” in the EU and the human
rights. It is understood that a “midway” is searched on this issue.
- There are different estimations as regards the cost of the
solution varying between 20 and 60 billion euro. The money will be used both
for compensations and for building houses for the people who will be forced to
move.
(I/Ts.)
13. Turkish daily reportedly writes that the two sides have
reached to a “historic agreement on the citizenship issue”
Under the front-page title: “Historic agreement on the citizenship
issue”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (31.10.15) published a
report by the paper’s journalist Esra Aygin, who supported that the two sides in
Cyprus had reached to a historic agreement towards a formula that envisages that
all the “TRNC citizens” will be citizens of the Federal Cyprus to be, after the
solution. The Greek Cypriots were persuaded towards this issue, since it has
been understood that the number will not break the demographic structure of
Cyprus, adds the paper.
Sources close to the paper said that in case the issues of property
and territory are solved, then more than 90% of the Cyprus problem would be
solved. However, the same source said that at the moment, the two side’s
positions are far away.
While the Turkish Cypriot side demands mostly for the property issue
to be solved throughout the compensation way, the Greek Cypriot side prefers
mostly this issue to be solved through return. The responsibility for
overpassing this disagreement belongs to the leaders who will intensify their
meetings in November.
Meanwhile, as the paper writes, the two sides had also reached to
an agreement that after the solution and with the solution of the property issue
with compensation, exchange and return, the property and the population majority
in the Turkish Cypriot side, will belong to the Turkish Cypriots. However, the
issue how this majority will be protected in the course of time has not been
defined yet.
Also, sources close to the negotiations said that November and
December will be very crucial months since it will be defined whether there will
be a solution or a non-solution on the chapters of property and territory.
According to the paper, the goal is for a referendum on the Cyprus
problem to take place prior to the Parliamentary Elections which are scheduled
to take place on May in the Republic of Cyprus.
Neither the Turkish Cypriot side, nor the Greek Cypriot side and the
UN expect for a problem to arise towards the guarantees issue. All sides believe
that a formula could be found that could lead to an agreement towards this
matter and they consider that Turkey, Greece and the UK will be able to produce
a common decision. The sides had also started preparation on the writing of the Federal
laws. The Turkish Cypriots have also intensified their preparation for passing
to Euro and for their harmonization with the EU.
(AK)
14. Erhurman: Turkey started developing strategies by which it
will dominate over the entire island
Under the title “’Bi-zonal federation is legally a Turkish
position’”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (02.11.15) reports that
Dr Tufan Erhurman has said that together with the water brought from
Anatolia to the occupied Keryneia area, Turkey’s perception of Cyprus has
changed and [now this perception] is to dominate over the entire Cyprus and
not keeping only the occupied area of the island under its control.
Addressing a program organized at the illegal “Near East University”
under the title “New Agendas, New Approaches in the Turkish Foreign Policy”,
Erhurman argued:
“Turkey wants a solution now. In this sense, Turkey started
developing strategies by which it could dominate over the whole of Cyprus.
On the top of these, the water which came to the island and the electricity
which could come afterwards are undoubtedly very important issues. The
one who controls the water here controls many things. Of course, thirdly
marketing the gas to the world over Turkey is a matter which we are debating now
and we will discuss more intensively in the future. Moreover, we should not
forget that Turkey is creating very important investments in the TRNC in the
field of tourism and education. These are indications that Turkey started
thinking big on the Cyprus issue. In spite of all these, the solution in
Cyprus could be achieved by the end of 2016 the soonest or in the beginning of
2017 and not in March 2016 as it is expected. Very little progress has been
achieved yet on issues such as the economy, the citizenship, the EU, the
property and the territory”.
Erhurman also referred to the history of the Cyprus problem. He
noted that by paying compensation to the Greek Cypriot refugee Titina Loizidou
in 2003, Turkey accepted that the properties in the occupied area of the island
belong to the Greek Cypriots. “And this has caused the perception primarily
in Cyprus and in the international community that Turkey accepted the
occupation”, argues Erhurman claiming that the issue obtained a different
dimension with the establishment of the “Property Compensation Commission”.
“With the Demopoulos decision taken by the ECHR, it was showed that the property
right is a financial right and not a holly right”, he claimed.
(I/Ts.)
15. Ozgurgun and Tatar will compete for the UBP leadership on a
second round
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 02.11.15), the 20th
Ordinary Congress of the National Unity Party (UBP) was held on Saturday and
Sunday. The party leadership and party assembly elections were held
yesterday.
Besides current UBP leader Huseyin Ozgurgun, Ersin Tatar, Unal Ustel,
Ersan Saner, Zorlu Tore, Nazim Cavusoglu and Oguz Ceyda competed for the party
leadership.
Ozgurgun who received 2 thousand 722 votes and Tatar who received 1
thousand 437 of the votes will be competing at the second round next
week.
According to the results, Ustel received 708, Saner received 497,
Cavusoglu received 382, Tore received 324 and Ceyda received 42
votes.
Since none of the candidates received the absolute majority of the
votes a second round will be held between Ozgurgun and Tatar next
week.
During the second round of voting absolute majority will not be
sought and the candidate who receives the majority of the votes will be elected
as the new leader of the UBP.
16. CTP attended the Socialist International meeting in
Spain
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.11.15) reports that the
Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) has been represented in the
meeting of the Mediterranean Committee of the Socialist International, which
took place between October 25-27, in Barcelona, Spain.
According to a statement issued by CTP, the party was represented
at the meeting by the member of the central committee of CTP, secretary for
foreign relations Muhittim Tolga Ozsaglam.
During the meeting, issues related with the migration crisis in
the Mediterranean, the Syrian issue, the Palestinian issue and the Cyprus
problem, were discussed amongst others.
In the final declaration which was issued after the end of the
meeting, a special reference on the Cyprus problem said the following: “We are
closing following the efforts exerted for ending the division in the island. In
this framework, and in the framework of our principles and values, we pay
importance to the Confidence Building Measures and to the solution of the Cyprus
problem within the framework of the decisions of the
UN”.
Evaluating the three-day meeting of the Mediterranean Committee,
Ozsaglam said that the paragraph on the Cyprus problem which was included at
the final declaration was a result of their insistence and intensified
effort.
Underlining that in spite of the differences of opinion they have
with some political parties, again, the CTP achieved to underline the importance
of finding a solution on the Cyprus problem based on the UN’s decisions and
parameters.
(AK)
17. The occupation regime attends the WTM tourism fair in
London
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.11.15) reports that a
delegation from the “TRNC” composed by representatives of the tourism sector,
hotelier’s and travel agents, will represent the occupation regime at the London
Tourism Fair (36th World Travel Market-WTM) which will open today in
ExCell Tourism Center in London.
According to the paper, the so-called minister of tourism Faiz
Sucuoglu will also attend the fair and have a series of contacts.
The occupation regime will participate in the fair with its own stand
under the name: “North Cyprus”. Also, the occupation regime’s delegation will
hold a series of events for the promotion of the “TRNC” and will try to send the
message to the British market that “north Cyprus” is an ideal destination for
tourists.
According to the paper, more than 5 thousand companies from 186
different countries will participate to the fair this year, while the number of
visitors is expected to be more than 50 thousand.
(AK)
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
