TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 14/16 22.01.2016
1. Davutoglu expressed optimism for the reunification of
Cyprus after meeting with Akinci in Davos
2. Davutoglu met UNSG at Davos: “We expect a roughly
outlined road map for the solution to come up”
3. Akinci
met with Biden at Davos
4.
Eide evaluated the Davos meeting to Kibris newspaper
5.
Elcil criticised the statements of Turkey’s Minister for Forestry and
Waterworks on the water issue
6. Afrika: “Looting in the northern part of Cyprus has
no limits”
7. Pegasus Airlines has transferred to illegal Tymbou
airport 1,5 million passengers in 2015
8. Russian Deputy FM cancels the first high-level
visit to Turkey after the jet crisis
9. HDP’s Deputy called for end to jailed PKK leader’s
isolation
10.Leading Turkish businessman Koc passed away
1.Davutoglu expressed optimism for the
reunification of Cyprus after meeting with Akinci in Davos
Turkish daily
Sabah (21.01.16) reported that Turkey’s
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,in statements after meeting with the Turkish
Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı in Davos on Thursday, said that he is hopeful that the ongoing reunification talks in the
island will now enter a phase where guarantor countries, Turkey and the U.K.,
join the talks.
Davutoglu expressed his happiness with Akıncı arriving
at a high-level diplomatic platform like Davos and said the two sides will
"hopefully" achieve success at the talks in the upcoming months.
He also said that he had the opportunity to discuss
the issue with British Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to London
earlier this week and that he also discussed the issue with U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday.
(…)
2. Davutoglu met UNSG at Davos: “We expect a
roughly outlined road map for the solution to come up”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.01.16)
reports that Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet
Davutoglu has said that their expectation in Davos is for a roughly outlined
road map for the solution in Cyprus to come up. In statements after meeting
with the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon in Davos at the sidelines of the
World Economic Forum, Davutoglu said that they discussed the Cyprus problem and
other regional issueswith the UNSG.
Asked whether he was expecting a referendum in Cyprus
within the forthcoming period, Davutoglu replied:
“The
negotiations regarding the Cyprus problem are advancing positively. Before
coming here, we had the opportunity to discuss these issues in Britain as a
guarantor power. We had our first meeting as soon as we came here with Mr
Akinci. For the first time the TRNC is
at a platform like Davos, the TRNC president Akinci and the Greek Cypriot
leader have been here as equals and addressed the guests. This is an important
indicator. Mr Espen Barth Eide, who is carrying out the negotiations on
behalf of the UN, is also here. During
the meeting I had with Mr Ban Ki-moon, I told him that we should slowly-slowly
pass into the stage during which the guarantor states are also participating in
the process, because there is a tendency towards a certain consensus on the
basic issues. We hope that more constant steps are taken on these issues. The meeting held here in Davos with Kofi
Annan in 2004 had paved the way for Annan making the process to be his own.We
hope that a similar process happens now and within the forthcoming months the
sides to come together and find the opportunity to create a common ground in
the direction of reaching a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem”.
(I/Ts.)
3. Akinci
met with Biden at Davos
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (22.01.16)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader
Mustafa Akinci met with US Vice-president Joe Biden at Davos on the sidelines
of the World Economic Forum.
The
meeting which lasted 30 minutes was held behind closed doors.
According to information obtained by Akinci’s office,
“during the fruitful meeting the two men exchanged views on the Cyprus
problem”.
In addition, Illegal Bayrak broadcast that Akinci met
also with the Bristish Prime Minister David Cameron and briefed him on the
current phase of Cyprus negotiations.
(CS)
4.
Eide evaluated the Davos meeting to Kibris newspaper
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.01.16)
writes that Espen Barth Eide, the UN
Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Cyprus, evaluated to the paper the
three-party-meeting held in Davos and stressed that it was really important and
drew a lot of attention.
“The
meeting was the first of its kind. And the fact that it took place having the
eyes of the whole world on it, is very important”, he stated.
He went on and added that the interest shown at Davos
would be very beneficial for the parties involved in Cyprus. He also stated that it was a good chance
for the economic dimension of the problem’s solution that the meeting was held
at Davos.
Finally, Eide stated that the two leaders sent the
messages from Davos that “2016 will be solution year for Cyprus” and also that
the solution of the Cyprus problem is extremely important for the two sides in
Cyprus.
(CS)
5.
Elcil criticised the statements of Turkey’s Minister for Forestry and
Waterworks on the water issue
Turkish
Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (22.01.16) reports that Sener Elcil, the General Secretary of the
Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) criticised the statements of
Turkey’s Minister for Forestry and Waterworks, Veysel Eroglu on the water
transfer issue.
Eroglu
stated that they had been unable to reach a result on the management and
administration of the water because the “TRNC authorities” have yet to decide
on Turkey’s offer to temporarily manage and administer the water.
Elcil
stated that Turkey attacks immediately when it feels that its interests are in
danger. “But the Turkish Cypriot society is not unprotected.
We will not back off from struggling for our own interests”, Elcil stated.
He went on and added that statements
made by Turkish officials regarding the relations between Turkey and the
Turkish Cypriots, about “brotherhood”, or “motherland-daughter land” are proved
fake when the real intentions come to the surface. “Just let us know Mr Eroglu how much you will sell the water to us”,
Elcil noted.
(CS)
6. Afrika: “Looting in the northern part of Cyprus
has no limits”
Under the title “They swallowed the sea too”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Afrika newspaper (22.01.16) reports that the looting in the occupied area of Cyprus has no limits. After the
land and the mountains, the turn of the sea came notes the paper and writes:
“Merit Park
Hotel, which is at Kervansaray area in Keryneia, has spread its area into the
sea. Behold the most evident proof of how the moneybags swallow our
country. Who gave the permit for this construction and who approved it? An official to give account for this is
wanted. The Net Holding, which owns five
five-star hotels with casinos in our country and it moreover squanders Mare
Monte Hotel by leasing it for 49 years, is constructing two new hotels in
Lapithos. The director of the company, Besim Tibuk is at the same time owner of
a daily newspaper and a TV channel [Translator’s note: The Diyalog
newspaper and Diyalog TV]. Is it not
better understood now why he does not want a [Cyprus] solution? We are
waiting for answers gentlemen”.
(I/Ts.)
7.Pegasus Airlines has transferred to illegal
Tymbou airport 1,5 million passengers in 2015
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (22.01.16)
reports on statements by Ali Sabanci,
“chairman” of the “board of directors” of the Pegasus Airlines, stated to the
paper that in a possible solution of the Cyprus problem, Cyprus will change
dramatically and direct flights will be launched.
In an exclusive interview to the paper on the occasion
of the 10th anniversary from the launching of flights from Pegasus
to the occupied area of Cyprus, Sabanci
said that if the Cyprus problem is solved, Pegasus will launch flights to new
destinations such as Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Russia.
Stating
that Pegasus Airlines transfers the 50% of the tourists who are visiting the
“TRNC”, Sabanci asked for
the taxes at the illegal Tymbou airport to be reduced in order for this number
to be increased, as he said.
Pointing
out that their aim for 2016 is to transfer to Cyprus 15% more passengers
comparing with last year, Sabanci said that in 2015 the company has transferred
to illegal Tymbou airport 1,5 million passengers.
(…)
(AK)
8.Russian Deputy FM cancels the first high-level
visit to Turkey after the jet crisis
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (21.01.16) reported that the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vassily Nebenzia, who was scheduled to
pay a visit to Istanbul on January 22, the the first high-level visit from
Russia to Turkey since Ankara downed a Russian jet two months ago, has canceled
his trip.
The Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Permanent International Secretariat said on January
21 that Nebenzia had canceled his trip
due to health reasons.
Nebenzia was
scheduled to visit the headquarters of the BSEC in Istanbul on Jan. 22 to
present the priorities of the Russian Chairmanship-in-Office of BSEC.
9.HDP’s Deputy called for end to jailed PKK
leader’s isolation
Turkish daily
Hurriyet Daily News (21.01.16) reported that Dilek Ocalan, Deputy with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has
called for an end to the isolation of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and continuation of the long-stalled Kurdish
peace talks.
“We demand substantial steps be immediately taken
toward the freedom of Ocalan,” the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Deputy
Ocalan as saying. “We do not accept arbitrary violations of rights secured by
law,” said Ocalan,
who is a niece of Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving an aggravated life sentence
on the island prison of İmralı on the Marmara Sea.
10.Leading Turkish businessman Koc passed away
Turkish daily
Sabah (21.01.16) reported that Mustafa Koc, the 55-year-old chairman of Turkish
conglomerate Koc Holding and one of the country's most prominent businessmen,
died on Thursday after a heart attack.
The pre-eminent
dynasty of Turkey's secular business elite, Koc has had, at times, an uneasy
relationship with the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdocan.
Its businesses,
which range from energy and automobiles to banking, account for close to 10% of
Turkey's national output and include five of its 10 largest companies.
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK / AM)
