TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 13/16 21.01.2016
1. Akinci: “There is serious progress on the property
issue; For the first time the Cypriot leaders have equal status at an
international forum”
2.
Akinci’s statement to Milliyet
3. Akıncı stated from Davos that a solution is
possible within 2016
4. Akinci: The issue of guarantees will not constitute
a problem if everything else is agreed
5. Ozersay: “Internal politics is something which has
always hindered the negotiations on the Cyprus problem”; He wants “early
elections” in May
6.
Tacoy accusing Greek – Greek Cypriot duo of not being sincere in the search of
an agreement on the Cyprus issue
7.
Turkish Minister said a result on the management and administration of the
water was not reached
8. A protest by KTOS against Turkey’s policies and
practices in the occupied area of Cyprus
9. “KTSO’s chairman” evaluated his contacts in Baku
10. Erdogan: “No more talks with PKK”; He expressed
harsh criticism to academics in Turkey
11. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister to visit Turkey;
It is the first high level visit since jet downed
1. Akinci: “There is serious progress on the
property issue; For the first time the Cypriot leaders have equal status at an
international forum”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (21.01.16)
reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa
Akinci has said that financing is important in order for the solution to be materialized
and added: “Even if we find the best solution, if it is not made applicable, it
will have no meaning. […]”
In statements yesterday to Kibris’correspondent in
Davos, Akinci noted that only the
donations will not be sufficient for the solution adding that long term loans
with low interest rate will also be needed.
Pointing out that the important progress achieved on
the chapters of the EU, Economy and Governance and Power Sharing is known,
Akinci said that serious progress exists
now on the property issue. He argued that the property regime which will be established with the solution should
not spoil the social order and claimed that the compensation will be basically
included in the remedies to be found in this direction.
Akinci noted that one of the fundamental issues of his
contacts in Davos will be the financing of the solution, adding that a
collective international effort will be needed because the property issue will be solved with compensations to a great extent
and this is why the Forum in Davos is so important.
Referring to the natural resources found in the
island’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Akinci expressed the view that a Cyprus
that has solved its political problem will obtain a potential for “serious
investments”. He said that the foreign investors’ interest for Eastern
Mediterranean will increase and contribute to the island’s economy.
Noting
that both leaders are working for finding a solution, Akinci described as “a
delayed step but in the right direction” the initiative launched by President
Anastasiades to include the Turkish language among the official EU languages. Akinci noted that all the laws of the Union will be
translated into Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot young people will have
employment opportunities in the EU. Pointing out that the most important influence of the decision taken by the Greek
Cypriots is the psychological one, Akinci said: “This step is a message that the solution in Cyprus came closer. It is
an important step for Turkey as well”.
Referring
to his presence at the Davos Forum, Akinci claimed the importance of the fact that for the first time a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot leader have
equal status at an international platform. Another thing which will happen
for the first time, he said, is the tripartite meeting between himself,
President Anastasiades and the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. He argued
that even drinking coffee with any world
leader or a businessman in Davos is important.
Akinci
said that a five party summit with the participation of the guarantor powers
will not be held in Davos and
added that they will come together when the end of the negotiating process is
close in order to discuss the issue of guarantees and security.
Reiterating that serious progress has been achieved
during the Cyprus talks, Akinci said
that the issues of the territory, the guarantees and the security should be
discussed in a certain period in a place outside Cyprus. During that period meetings should be held
every day, if this is needed, he argued, adding that on the territory the
leaders should first discuss the map, the names of places and the percentages
and afterwards the issues of guarantees and security should be discussed with
the guarantor powers.
Noting that he worries that with the method by which
the negotiations are being held in Cyprus the negotiations might create
speculations and the negotiating process will be poisoned, Akinci said that he
will raise this issue in the speech he will make during the panel in Davos and
during his meeting with the UNSG. He added:
“I will convey
our understanding noting that we see an agreement which includes the equality
and the freedom of the Turkish Cypriot people, and protects our rights and that
we see the other community as future partner, not as an enemy. I will share
with the international community that when we are looking for justice for us,
we also want justice for them and I will stress the determination of the
Turkish Cypriot people”.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Akinci’s statement to Milliyet
Turkish
daily Milliyet (21.01.16), under the title “Akinci: Turkish will be an official
language in the EU”, reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci,
who went to Davos as special guest of the World Economic Forum, announced that
the Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades has begun an effort in order the
Turkish to become an official language of the European Union (EU).
Speaking
to Milliyet’s correspondent in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus Sefa
Karahasan during the flight to Davos, Akinci
said: “Anastasiades has talked with us before regarding the issue of Turkish to
become an EU official language. This will be very beneficial. I wish this had
been done much earlier. Two peoples live in Cyprus. The peoples have their own
language. Even without a solution, it is an important development the Turkish
to become an official language”. Akinci, further said: “The Cyprus problem
is not the only problem in Turkey’s EU path, but when the Cyprus problem is
being solved, the membership will be from today in much nearest point. Akinci
also said that “with the solution the Greek Cypriots’ earnings will be
increased, its relations with Turkey will improve”. Noting that the road to end
the ongoing tension for years now between Greece and Turkey will be opened, Akinci
stressed that this will end the money, which Turkey and Greece spend to the
weapons, the defence system, and the armies.
Akinci,
further said that he will explain to the world their requests for a solution in
Cyprus. He added: “We, as Turkish Cypriots, will transfer to the world platform
our determination on the solution issue”.
Noting
that as Turkish Cypriots they want a solution in good faith, Akinci said:
“There is an increasing interest by the world for the solution.” He added that
he hopes the negotiation process will benefit from this increased international
interest.
Referring
to the relations between Turkey and Israel, which have started to improve
again, Akinci said: “The energy deposits found in East Mediterranean is an
opportunity. The transfer of Israeli gas
by uniting with the Cyprus gas, through Cyprus to Turkey is an important
project for Europe. It is a project that I defend. This is also a necessary
issue for the Cyprus settlement”.
Stressing
that they will try to gauge interest in financing the solution in Davos, Akinci
said: “One of the sponsors of the
solution will be the solution of the Cyprus problem itself,” said Akinci. “There is no expectation of a grant aid.
Cyprus with the solution will be a big area of investment”, he concluded.
(DPs)
3.Akıncı stated from Davos that a solution is
possible within 2016
According to illegal Bayrak television (21.01.16) Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı said
that it could be possible to hold a referendum on the solution of the Cyprus
problem within this year.
Speaking in an interview to the Anatolian News Agency
in Davos, Akinci said that as much as he
desires a referendum, he desires even more that both sides vote in favor of the
settlement agreement to be reached.
Stating that the Cyprus problem has been continuing
for more than half a century, Akıncı said:“I
now see ourselves at a point where we can reach the end. Everything is not
picture perfect and there are still important chapters or issues which need to
be resolved. However it is possible to reach an agreement and to create a
federal structure based on political equality through good will, political will
and understanding”.
Akıncı
said that it would only be possible to reach a settlement if both sides accept
the fact that the island does not belong to one community on its own.“Only by showing a little more effort, working a
little harder, trying to understand each other better and seeing ourselves as a
partner for the future can we complete this process”, he said.
Reiterating
that the current process may be the last attempt of his generation, Akıncı
warned that failing to reach a solution today might push future generations of
both communities to seek other alternatives of a settlement.“It is with this in mind that we have achieved
considerable progress in the talks” Akıncı noted.
Explaining
that they had still not entered negotiations on the territory and security
chapters, he said that these two chapters were deliberately left to the end of
the process as it was not possible to discuss them before the framework of a
settlement emerged.“We first need to see what we are to guarantee if we are to
start discussing the issue of guarantees. More importantly this issue is not
only up to the two communities but involves the three guarantor countries who
are bound by an international treaty. This is why this issue will be taken up
at a multilateral conference”, Akinci added.
(…)
4. Akinci: The issue of guarantees will not
constitute a problem if everything else is agreed
Turkish Cypriot daily Gazete360 newspaper (21.01.16,
online) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has expressed the view that the issue of guarantees will
not constitute a problem if everything else is agreed.
In statements to Genc TV from Davos, Akinci said that
he will convey to the UN Secretary-General what he called as the determination
of the Turkish Cypriots for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Noting
that there are no plans for holding a five-party conference in Davos, Akinci
said: “I wish it could be held. As we are here, a conference in which the issue
of guarantees would be discussed could have been held, but it is not correct to
continuously bring on the agenda an issue for which the Greek Cypriots are not
ready”.
Akinci expressed the view that the guarantees will not
constitute an obstacle for the solution after everything else is agreed. “After an agreement is reached on all the
other issues, the issue of guarantees will not be a problem”, he said
adding that a formula which could offer security to the Turkish Cypriots
without annoying the Greek Cypriots could be found, but no concrete formula has
been discussed until today.
Noting that an important consensus has been reached on
the chapters of Governance and Power Sharing, the EU and the Economy, Akinci
said that “a lot of progress is achieved on the property issue”, but the
territory, the security and the guarantees are still waiting and the issues of
the map and the percentages will be evaluated in a next stage.
“We
need to achieve a clear agreement on the issue of the rotating presidency. After some deficiencies are overcome on the property
issue, we need to come together and lead the progress to an end”, he argued.
He claimed: “I
believe that if we can end it early, a referendum could be held before the
elections in the Greek Cypriot side. However, the candidates have already
started to come up, political debates are being held. If the Greek Cypriot side wants to hold the elections in any case, we
will not tell them not to do it, but this is not the end of the world. We
will wait for the elections. We are
exerting efforts to make 2016 the year of the solution”.
(I/Ts.)
5. Ozersay: “Internal politics is something which
has always hindered the negotiations on the Cyprus problem”; He wants “early
elections” in May
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (21.01.16)
reports that Kudret Ozersay,
chairman of the newly established People’s Party (HP), has said that an important mission of his party is to prepare the
community when a possible “solution and partnership” comes up in the Cyprus
problem. In statements during a visit to the paper yesterday, Ozersay noted
that there is “even a little hope” in
the Cyprus problem, adding that “actually there is always some hope”.
Ozersay argued that politics both in the occupied and
the government-controlled area of the island is nourished with the situational
ups and downs of the Cyprus problem and this generally influences negatively
the process and the leaders. He claimed:
“Internal
politics has always been something impeding the Cyprus negotiating process.
This is why we have not put this, that
is, the Cyprus problem, as the first issue on our agenda, in order for not
giving opportunity for exploitation. However, within the framework of the progress we will express our views and we
share our views with the community”.
Ozersay said that they see that the “people” are
embracing the HP and expressed his satisfaction and enthusiasm with this. “All
these are developments, which further increase our responsibility”, he argued
adding that the support they find is their biggest motivation.
Asked whether he is making a call for early
“elections”, Ozersay said that if the “government” decides in the beginning of
February to hold “early elections” in April, his party will not be able to
participate because of the 90 days limitation. Ozersay noted that they think that the “country” will be
seriously harmed by an “early election” in which the HP will not participate to
offer an alternative. “On the other hand, reference is made in the political
backstage for elections to be held in May. Yes, we support this and we want
it”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
6.
Tacoy accusing Greek – Greek Cypriot duo of not being sincere in the search
of an agreement on the Cyprus issue
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan (21. 01.16) reports that the general secretary of the
Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) Hasan Tacoy claimed that the stance
of the Cyprus and Greek Defence Ministers on the issue of guarantees show that
they do not want a sincere solution in the island. Tacoy added that if they
want a solution, they should stop attacking Turkey’s full and effective
guarantees.
In
a written statement issued yesterday, Tacoy, commenting on the statements of
the Cyprus Defence Minister Christoforos Fokaides and the Greek Defence
Minister Panos Kammenos in Athens that the 1960 guarantee system should be
lifted in order to reach a solution in the island, stressed that Greek-Greek
Cypriot duo is not in a sincere search for a solution in Cyprus and it is
proved by their statements during their meeting in Athens.
Accusing
them of trying to put the blame on a possible failure of the talks on Turkey,
Tacoy argued: “The continuation of Turkey’s guarantee as stated repeatedly by
president Akinci (translator’s note: the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci)
is a sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriots. It is our red line. If lifting the
guarantees is the aim of the Greek- Greek Cypriot duo then there is a serious
confidence problem on the island and we are not close to a settlement”.
(DPs)
7.
Turkish Minister said a result on the management and administration of the
water was not reached
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 21.01.16), Turkey’s Minister for Forestry
and Waterworks, Veysel Eroglu, said that there is no problem in supplying the
water from Turkey to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus on the
condition that the “TRNC authorities” decide on the management of the water.
Speaking
at a press conference yesterday, Eroglu said that water is already flowing into
the occupied Panagra dam. He added that the distribution of the water will be
carried out by the “TRNC” itself.
Explaining
that the underground water reserves in the occupied area of Cyprus have
extremely dropped, Eroglu said: “Sea water might have started to seep into the
underground water table because of its proximity to the sea. That could be
disastrous. I’ve told my Turkish Cypriot colleagues to channel this water to
these areas so that underground reserves can be replenished”.
Stating
that managing the water from Turkey will be no easy task, the Turkish Minister
said that they had been unable to reach a result on the management and
administration of the water because of the “government change in the TRNC”.
Explaining
that they had proposed to temporarily manage and administer the water but that
no decision was produced on the issue, Eroglu said: “There is indecisiveness
going on there. We told them…let’s spend another 500-600 million and transform
the ‘TRNC’ into a garden…Let us take on this task…build a water and sewage
network, construct a waste water treatment facility, use that water for
irrigation…let us administer these and then we can hand it over to you…but the
‘TRNC authorities’ have yet to decide”.
8.A protest by KTOS against Turkey’s policies and
practices in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot
daily Detay newspaper (21.01.16) reports that
the Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) held yesterday a protest in
front of the so-called Turkish embassy in the occupied area of Cyprus in order
to condemn Turkey’s implementation projects and practices in the occupied area
of Cyprus.
During the protest which was supported by the “Trade
Union Platform”, KTOS’s
secretary-general Sener Elcil delivered
a speech condemning Turkey for the “structure” of the “country”, for the lack
of the system and for the imposition policies it implements in the “TRNC”.
As the paper points out, the protesters transferred to
the “embassy” a symbolic “water pipeline”, to protest against Turkey’s policy
towards the issue of the administration of the water transferred from Turkey.
(AK)
9.“KTSO’s chairman” evaluated his contacts in Baku
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (21.01.16)
reports that the “chairman” of the
“Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry” (“KTSO”) Ali Cirali, who carried out
recently several contacts in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku heading a delegation,
evaluated yesterday his contacts and described his visit as fruitful and
encouraging.
Issuing
a written statement on the issue, the “KTSO” said that Cirali’s contacts in
Baku were fruitful and encouraging and that trade between the “TRNC” and Azerbaijan
will be launched soon.
Cirali
said also that the dialogue they established with Azeri businessmen will
continue and strengthened and
added: “The contacts we carried out with officials in Azerbaijan, is the first
step for the continuation of our ties in the future. There is no obstacle for establishing mutual trade”, Cirali said.
According to the paper, during the last day of their
stay in Baku, Cirali and his accompanied delegation met with officials of the
Chamber of Industry and Trade of Azerbaijan, with businessmen of the
Turkish-Azeri Community and with the Turkish Ambassador in Baku.
(…)
(AK)
10.Erdogan: “No more talks with PKK”; He expressed
harsh criticism to academics in Turkey
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (20.01.16) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
stated that Ankara will no longer engage in contact with the Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) and will instead “liquidate” all PKK militants through ongoing
security operations.
Addressing a large group of neighborhood and village
heads (muhtars) at a regular meeting at his Presidential palace in Ankara, Erdogan said: “We know that the only goal
of the separatist terror organization is to fulfill the duty it has been tasked
with by its master and completing the contract it has been given”.
“So
in the coming period, neither the separatist terror organization, nor the party
under its control, nor other structures will ever be accepted as counterpart.
That affair is over”, Erdogan added.
“Their
organization, Deputies and municipalities will answer to the judiciary for what
they have done. We will put the region back on its feet again, along with our
nation. We will sit with our nation and our citizens after our security forces
have entirely liquidated terrorists in the region and we will decide what is to
be done for a radical solution to this issue. We will implement this,” Erdoğan
said, referring to Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish-populated southeast, where
the security forces have been waging a relentless campaign to crush PKK
militants.
The government, state agencies, and military never
directly cite the name of the PKK in official statements, instead describing it
either as “the separatist terrorist organization” or its members as
“terrorists.”
A
series of judicial investigations have recently been launched against
executives of the Kurdish problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP),
which Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) frequently
accuse of having organic links with the PKK.
Erdogan
and the government accuse municipalities in southeastern Anatolia of acting as
“logistical centers” for the PKK by using public resources to dig ditches and
build barricades against security forces. They also often suggest that the PKK
works as a “subcontractor” for various shady foreign powers.
(…)
Erdogan
has also sharply criticized a group of Turkish academics for their call to end
the violence in the southeast, accusing them of being immoral and disgusting. “They
[academics] expect the terrorist PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] shouldn't kill
civilians but they can kill security forces. Those who say these words are not
human. Do not police officers, soldiers and village guards have lives? Are they
not human? Who are these academics serving? I am disgusted with their
ideology,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan
also accused the academics of backing the terrorist PKK with their declaration.
According to Erdogan, the academics' stance has nothing to do with criticism
but is encouraging the spread of terrorist propaganda. “Neither the terrorist
group [PKK] nor the party [pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP)], which
is under its direction, will be taken into consideration by the government
during the process [of the fight against terror]”, said Erdogan.
11.Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister to visit
Turkey; It is the first high level visit since jet downed
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (20.01.16) reported that the Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Vassily Nebenzia will pay a visit to the headquarters of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul on January 22, the first one since
Russian’s jet downed.
Nebenzia
will conduct a working visit as the representative of the Russian
Chairmanship-in-Office of the BSEC.
Nebenzia is expected to announce the priorities of the
Russian chairmanship of the regional cooperation organization in Istanbul.
Ties
between Turkey and Russia have been strained since the former downed a warplane
of the latter on Turkey’s border with Syria on grounds of airspace violation on
Nov. 24, 2015.
Following
the jet crisis, Russia began imposing an embargo on Turkish goods as well as
visas on Turkish travelers.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK / AM)
