TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
06/16 12.01.2016
1.
Cavusoglu alleges that Turkey fulfilled its obligations for reaching a solution
in Cyprus within this year
2. Akansoy: “White ID cards”
will be granted this week”
3. Extension for the
“applications” to the “immovable property commission”
4. BKP and TDP expressed support
to Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association’s hunger strike against the incidents
in south-eastern Turkey
5.
The UBP will discuss its relations with its “coalition partner” next week
6.
The “representative” of the breakaway regime in Budapest has retired
7. The number of Greek Cypriot
builder’s labor in the “TRNC” has been increased
8. Cavusoglu: Turkey ready
to intermediate in Iran-Saudi crisis
9. Turkish officials
identify 13 ISIL members planning attacks on Europe
10. TV host caller under investigation over spreading
“terrorist propaganda”
11. The Turkish government revises growth forecast,
pledges reforms to cut inflation rate
12. CHP’s ordinary congress to
take place in the week-end
1. Cavusoglu
alleges that Turkey fulfilled its obligations for reaching a solution in Cyprus
within this year
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (12.01.16)
reports that Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut
Cavusoglu has alleged that Turkey has fulfilled its obligations for reaching a
solution in Cyprus within this year. Addressing the opening ceremony of the
8th [Turkish] Ambassadors’ Conference, Cavusoglu said: “Hopefully, we will not have to wait more
for the solution of the Cyprus issue”.
According to Anatolia News Agency, Cavusoglu noted
that Turkey is “in close cooperation” with the Turkish Cypriot side during the
negotiating process in Cyprus and added: “We believe that a just and lasting
solution will have positive repercussions not only for the two sides on the
island, but also for a broaden geographic area and mainly the Eastern
Mediterranean”.
Referring
to the project of transferring water from Turkey to the occupied area of
Cyprus, Cavusoglu claimed that “with the water of peace we will contribute in
peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean basin”.
Cavusoglu said that their kin and relative communities living abroad constitute the
priority of Turkey’s foreign policy and added that recently they have
deepened their relations in various fields with countries of the area such as
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
(I/Ts.)
2. Akansoy: “White ID cards”
will be granted this week”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibrisli (12.01.16) reports that the self-styled minister of
interior and labour Asim Akansoy announced they will start granting the “white
ID card” this week and the fee for the “ cards” will be 2,000 TL.
Speaking
to the illegal Bayrak television, Akansoy said that there are 28 thousand
people, who live in the occupied area of the island with “working permits” and
8 thousands of them are in a position to be able to receive the “white card”.
Akansoy
explained that they will grant the “white card” to the persons, who have a
“working permission” for six consecutive years and have the right to go abroad
every year for more than 40 days.
(DPs)
3. Extension for the
“applications” to the “immovable property commission”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris (12.01.16) reports that an amendment of the “immovable
property law for compensation, restitution and exchange” was published in the
“official gazette” on January 7, 2016.
The
paper reports that the first paragraph of the fourth article of the “law” has
changed. According to this, “the natural
and legal persons, who have claims on the immovable property and complying with
the law, will be able to apply in person or through a representative to the
immovable property commission until December 21, 2017, for being able to claim
compensation, exchange or restitution for their properties”.
(DPs)
4. BKP and TDP expressed support to Pir Sultan
Abdal Cultural Association’s hunger strike against the incidents in
south-eastern Turkey
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (12.01.16)
reports that a delegation of the United
Cyprus Party (BKP) headed by the party’s chairman Izzet Izcan, announced that
it will launch a hunger strike as of today as a gesture to support the Cyprus
Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association.
The
Cyprus Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association has also launched a hunger strike
some days ago in order to protest on the incidents taking place in
south-eastern Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper
(12.01.16) reports that a delegation of
the Social Democracy Party (TDP) headed by the general secretary of the party
Asim Idris, visited yesterday the officials of the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural
Association and expressed their support to their struggle for peace and
democracy in Turkey.
Issuing a statement on the issue, Idris, inter alia, said that TDP supports and confronts with respect
the association’s decision to hold a hunger strike for the tension and the
killings taking place in south-eastern Turkey. He expressed his regret over the
incidents in Turkey and stressed the need to bring back freedom, peace and
democracy.
(AK)
5. The
UBP will discuss its relations with its “coalition partner” next week
Under the title “UBP’s patience is exhausted”, Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (12.01.16) reports that the National Unity Party’s (UBP) “parliamentary group” has decided for
the party’s assembly to convene next week to discuss the issue of the water
brought from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus and UBP’s relations with the
Republican Turkish Party (CTP), its “coalition partner” in the self-styled
government, after the latter’s decision
on the water issue.
In a meeting yesterday, UBP’s “parliamentary group”
reacted to the rejection by the CTP of the “government’s” decision on the water
issue and decided to evaluate the future of the “coalition government”. The “deputies” and “ministers” of the UBP
have reportedly expressed the view that if necessary the “government” should
end. After this “decisive stance” of the party’s “parliamentary group”,
Huseyin Ozgurgun, chairman of the UBP, asked for some time by the end of the
week.
In case no agreement is reached on the water issue by
the end of the week, the UBP’s “parliamentary group” will carry the issue to
the assembly of the party. The UBP insists on the “build-operate-transfer”
model as regards the administration of the water.
Dursun Oguz, general secretary of the party, stated
the following: “The system has come to a deadlock on the water issue. Both Mr
Talat and the government are not taking any steps. If the CTP party assembly will be taking the decisions, what is the
need for the UBP?Our chairman will hold contacts during the week. In case it is needed, the party assembly is
ready to take any kind of decision […] We have promised reforms to the
people with the CTP. We must overcome
the water issue this weekend be directed towards the reforms. This is the
people’s expectations. We are expecting
the CTP to behave more responsibly”.
(I/Ts.)
6. The
“representative” of the breakaway regime in Budapest has retired
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (12.01.16)
reports that the “representative” of the breakaway regime in Budapest
“ambassador” Arif Altay has retired.
According to the paper, a reception for his retirement
was organized in the “representation office” in Budapest which the Counselor of
the Turkish Embassy to Hungary, Alattin Temur along with other diplomats,
businessmen and Hungarian citizens
attended.
(CS)
7. The number of Greek Cypriot builder’s labor in
the “TRNC” has been increased
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberal Kibrisli (12.01.16)
under the title: “Greek Cypriot worker’s
explosion in the construction sector”, reports that due to the stagnation experienced
in the construction sector in the Greek Cypriot side as a result of the
economic crisis and together with the fact that a lot of Turkish workers in the
“TRNC” have returned back in Turkey, the number of the Greek Cypriot builder’s
labor in the occupied area of Cyprus has been increased.
According to the paper, the global economic crisis and the stagnation experienced in some
sectors has changed the balance in Cyprus. Five years ago, it were the Turkish Cypriots those who were going to
the “south” to work but now it happens exactly the opposite, writes the paper,
adding that the Greek Cypriot workers who are very happy with their employers
in the “north” receive 30 euro per day as a salary.
Commenting on the issue, Hulusi Harper, “chairman” of the “construction and developer’s
association”, confirmed that the “TRNC” experiences problems and difficulties
with the “workers” in several sectorsand
said that due to the fact that the construction sector in the “south” went
bankrupt, a huge number of “building workers” have turned to the “north”.
Harper added also that the “working labor” in the “TRNC” today is composed by workers coming from
third countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand,
Mexico, Cuba and Colombia.
(AK)
8. Cavusoglu: Turkey
ready to intermediate in Iran-Saudi crisis
Ankara
Anatolia news agency (12.01.16) reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that Turkey is ready
to try to resolve the differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Turkey
was “ready to make every effort to remedy the problems between the two
countries” in the face of tensions that have the “potential to deepen the
existing problems in our region,” Cavusoglu told a conference of ambassadors in
Ankara. He added: “The region needs reconciliation and cooperation, not new
conflicts.” He further said Turkey was working to improve relations with Iran
but noted that Ankara and Tehran viewed regional issues from different
perspectives.
9. Turkish officials
identify 13 ISIL members planning attacks on Europe
Turkish
daily Sabah newspaper (12.01.16) reports that the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has identified 13 ISIL
members who are planning to carry out terrorist attacks in European countries.
All the suspects, nine of them women, are
reportedly still in Syria and are planning to enter Europe through Turkey.
After receiving the intelligence report, the MİT informed European countries
and shared the details of the ISIL suspects, all of whom are between the ages
of 16 and 30.
Meanwhile,
security forces on Sunday detained 17 suspects linked to raids in Istanbul and
Eastern Turkey. The operations are part of Turkey's efforts to stamp out the
group that seeks to recruit foreigners for their activities in Iraq and Syria. In
another police operation in the eastern city of Elazig, seven suspected members
of ISIL were detained.
In addition,
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (12.01.16) reports that Turkey has placed an entry ban on more than 35,000 people from more than
120 countries over suspected links with the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL) to date, Interior Minister Efkan Ala has said. “We captured
and deported 2,896 people from 92 countries,” he added.
10. TV host caller under investigation over spreading
“terrorist propaganda”
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (12.01.16) reports that the Bakirkoy Chief Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into
“Beyaz Show” host Beyazit Ozturk, the program's producer and a caller for
allegedly spreading terrorist propaganda during the show's airing last Friday.
A
woman called Ayse Celik, after introducing herself to the host of the talk show
as a teacher, expressed her frustrations last Friday, saying the media is not
accurately portraying the conflict in South-eastern Turkey and that children
are dying due to clashes between security forces and the terrorist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK). In a statement released on Monday, the Bakirkoy Chief
Public Prosecutor's Office said the investigation was launched on Jan. 9
against the three individuals over allegations that terrorist propaganda was
disseminated during the show's live broadcast on Jan. 8.
Even
though both Kanal D, which broadcasts the program, and host Ozturk apologized
for what Celik said on the program, the Bakirkoy Chief Prosecutor's Office is
reportedly investigating both Ozturk and the program's producer, claiming they
disseminated the terrorist organization's ideas.
11. The Turkish government revises growth forecast,
pledges reforms to cut inflation rate
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (12.01.16) reports that Turkey’s government has revised its economic growth forecast upward and
vowed reforms to cut stubbornly high inflation, which has been defined as “one
of the most challenging problems in the economy now,” and to raise
productivity.
The
country has raised its 2015 gross domestic product forecast to 4%, from the
previous forecast of 3%, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said at a
press conference, unveiling the government’s updated medium-term economic
program. Simsek said the latest medium-term program aimed to boost stable and
comprehensive growth.
The Turkish
government raised the GDP forecast for 2016 to 4.5 % from 4%, adding that annual
GDP expansion will reach 5% in both 2017 and 2018. The government has however revised its
inflation rate expectations, citing measures to decrease the inflation rate.
“We’ll
focus on a number of structural measures that will slash the inflation rate,
while raising the productivity rate,” Simsek added, noting the government had
made a considerable effort to decrease the inflation rate to the targeted 5%. The
governmentalso aims to reduce the unemployment rate by 0.6 points by 2018, said
Simsek.
12. CHP’s ordinary congress to take place in the
week-end
Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (12.01.16) reports
that the Republican People’s Party (CHP)
35th ordinary congress will take place on January 16-17 in Ankara.
According to the paper, the party’s chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Mustafa Balbay, Deputy in
Izmir will run for the party’s leadership.
Also, Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (12.01.16) reports
that Muharrem Ince, Deputy in Yalova and
Umut Oran, former Deputy with CHP who announced that they will be candidates
for the party’s leadership, withdrew their candidacies.
(AK)
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