TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 22/16 03.02.2016
1.
Colak met with the Qatari Minister of Education
2. Ozersay: People and the HP will not support a
solution without guarantees
3. Ozyigit: “We are in favor of the current
guarantorship system”
4. Turkish daily reveals CHP’s report on its positions
on the Cyprus problem; CHP estimates that the solution is not behind the door
5. The immovable property prices in the occupied area
of Cyprus increase with the activity in the negotiating process
6. A delegation from the occupation regime to visit
Ankara next week to finalize the deal on the water management
7. Parties and organizations expressed support to
Afrika newspaper after the recent attack
8. Survey shows that Ozersay’s HP is the first party
in the occupied area of Cyprus and that “cautious optimism” exists on the
Cyprus problem
9. The number of deaths in the occupied area of Cyprus
from H1N1 virus has reached to 4; “No risk from Zika virus”, said the so-called
minister
10. Row between the government and HDP over stranded
Cizre civilians escalated; statements by Demirtas
11. Turkish academic and a journalist face jail for
‘terror propaganda’ and for “insulting Erdogan”
12. Bozkir due to Paris and Brussels for official
contacts
1. Colak met with the Qatari Minister of Education
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.02.16)
reports that Emine Colak,
self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
Cyprus who is illegally visiting Doha,
the capital city of Qatar,met yesterday with the Qatari Minister of Education
and Higher Education, Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi at the Qatari
Ministry of Education.
According to a statement issued by the “information
department” of Colak’s “ministry”,she briefed her interlocutor on the higher
education sector in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus and told him that they desire to develop
cooperation between the “two countries” and see more students from Qatar in the
occupied area of Cyprus.
Colak alleged that the illegal universities in the
occupied area of Cyprus offer education at international levels and are
internationally accredited.
Minister
Al-Hammadi expressed his satisfaction with Colak’s visit and said that
cooperation between the universities of the “two countries” would be very
useful.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozersay: People and the HP will not support a
solution without guarantees
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (03.02.16)
reports that Kudret Ozersay, leader of the newly established People’s
Party (HP),has said that at the meetings they have with the people during their
tours in various villages in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus they
see that the guarantees is the most sensitive issue for the people.
Alleging that the Turkish Cypriot side does not talk
enough on the guarantees, Ozersay argued: “Insecurity
increases in the people because from the very beginning a statement was made by
our side saying that this is not a taboo for us and because the Greek Cypriot
press continuously bombs this issue. The way of balancing this is not by
saying ‘do not pay attention to the Greek Cypriot press but to us’. What we see
in all areas we go, in all villages is the following: People’s concern on security continues. The Treaty of Guarantees is
one of the issues on which people is the most sensitive. The sensitivity on
this issue does not change depending on age, area, income level, party origin.
People are generally sensitive. We as
the People’s Party are stressing on the one hand the established UN parameters
and on the other the need for the solution being digested by both peoples.
When you look at the history of the negotiations, you see that the guarantees have been turned into a UN parameter. Of
course, the way of exactly how this will
continue is an issue of the negotiations. And this will be made with the participation of the guarantors.
However, the feeling I have acquired from the visits I paid to the villages is
that people will not support a solution
which will not have a Treaty of Guarantees. […]”
Ozersay said that perhaps not many problems were
created since the partial lifting of the restriction on the freedom of movement
and the opening of the crossing points in 2003, but alleged that the feeling
exists in the people that the attacks against Turkish Cypriots who cross over
to the government-controlled area of the Republic and causing damages to their
vehicles have started in a systematic manner. He claimed that the guarantees
have become a UN parameter because a Treaty of Guarantees is included in all
the UN solution plans which have been submitted until today.
“It is out of
the question for the People’s Party to support a solution which will not be
satisfying the people”, he argued and added that in the program of HP reference
is made to the UN parameters and to a solution accepted by both “peoples”.
(I/Ts.)
3.Ozyigit: “We are in favor of the current guarantorship
system”
Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot daily Haberal
Kibrisli (03.02.16) reports that Cemal
Ozyigit, chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), in exclusive statements
to the paper, said, inter alia, that they are in favor of the continuation of
the current system of guarantees in Cyprus until after the two communities
overpass the confidence crisis and added that they disagree with the
participation of other NATO countries in a new guarantee system under the
umbrella of NATO. “We do not want America or other countries to come”, said
Ozyigit.
Stating
that TDP support the continuation of the current guarantorship system until the
two sides regain their trust, Ozyigit added that the main goal should be the
demilitarization of the island which would include the British bases as well.
Underlining that their hopes for the solution of the
Cyprus problem increase every passing day, Ozyigit
said that the approaches of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci at the
negotiating table reflect the will of the Turkish Cypriots.
(…)
(AK)
4.Turkish daily reveals CHP’s report on its
positions on the Cyprus problem; CHP estimates that the solution is not behind
the door
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (03.02.16)
publishes aneditorial under the title:
“CHP’s interest on the negotiation process” and writes that the delegation from
CHP's foreign relations committee, which held currently in the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus a series of contacts, prepared a report and submitted it
to the Republican People’s Party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
The delegation met with the so-called prime minister
Omer Kalyoncu, the former Turkish Cypriot leaders Mehmet Ali Talat and Dervis
Eroglu and the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot political parties.
The
chairman of the committee, Ozturk Yilmaz, who was leading the delegation, explained
that they visited Cyprus at a crucial period where the Cyprus negotiation
process is in progress, in order to support, as he said, the Turkish Cypriots
in their effort to find a viable solution.
In
the report prepared, the delegations’ head Yilmaz indicated that “the solution
is not behind the door”. The report said also that there is a serious
difference of opinion between the “government” and the opposition parties in
the “TRNC”, while at the same time it criticized the AKP government for not informing
the opposition in Turkey for the process.
In
his statements Yilmaz said that “they are not in favor of a solution at any
price” and referred to the criteria they put for the solution: “The solution
should absolutely be based on the political equality of the two sectors. The
features of the two founding states should not be eroded. In a real sense, a
viable solution would be possible only with the establishment of two founding
states. Turkey’s and Turkish Cypriot’s fundamental rights and interests should
be guaranteed. And the most important is the continuation of Turkey’s effective
guarantees”, the report said.
The
editorial underlines that this is the position of CHP on the solution of the
Cyprus problem and adds that in fact, CHP supports the “establishment of a
structure composed by two sovereign founding states”. (…)
(AK)
5. The immovable property prices in the occupied
area of Cyprus increase with the activity in the negotiating process
Turkish Cypriot daily Detay newspaper (03.02.16)
reports that Hasan Sungur, chairman of
the Turkish Cypriot Real Estate Agents’ Union (KTEB) has said that the price
value of the properties will increase in a possible solution of the Cyprus
problem and argued that regardless of what the result of the negotiations will
be the “TRNC”, as he described the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
Cyprus, must support the “title deeds” it gives.
In statements to the paper, Sungur noted that because of the process for finding a solution to the
Cyprus problem, a “serious increase” in the price of what he called as
“property with a Turkish title deed” was observed recently. He said that the price of the plots of land in occupied
Keryneia has increased to 200-250 thousand pounds sterling per donum
[Translator’s note: A land measure of around 1000 square meters] and added that
for plots which are on the main road
this price reaches millions of pounds.
He argued that uncertainty exists in the community and
that the “people” are not satisfactorily informed as regards the negotiations.
Pointing out that they know the Greek Cypriot members of the Property
Committee, he noted that they are not informed about the names of the Turkish
Cypriot members.
Sungur argued that even he was panicked when he heard some statements made by the chairman
of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Mehmet Ali Talat, who had allegedly said
that “if you are an investor and you possess many Greek Cypriot properties, a
part of these properties will be taken away from you”. Sungur noted that at a meeting they had with the Turkish
Cypriot negotiator, Ozdil Nami they found out that the above statement was not
reflecting the reality.
Expressing appreciation about Turkish Cypriot leader
Mustafa Akinci’s stance, he claimed that the “government” should be involved in
the solution process and brief the people in order to avoid panic.
Referring to the “laws” of the regime, he claimed that
they do not offer motives to the foreign investors and alleged that “we are
sending away the contribution which the foreign investors will bring to the
country”.
(I/Ts.)
6.A delegation from the occupation regime to visit
Ankara next week to finalize the deal on the water management
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (03.02.16)
under the title: “Deputies due to
Ankara”, reports that a delegation of so-called deputies, composed by
self-styled minister of finance, Birikim Ozgur, so-called minister of
agriculture, Erkut Sahali and so-called minister of economy Sunat Atun, are set
to visit Ankara next week in order to carry out contacts with Turkish officials
to speed up the process on the issue of the water management.
According to the paper, the draft proposal sent last week to Ankara by so-called prime minister
Omer Kalyoncu which included the “sensitivities and positions of both parties
CTP and UBP towards the water management”, was met positively by Ankara. Thus,
the delegation will be travelling to Ankara by the beginning of next week in
order to finalize the deal on the water transfer project, writes the paper.
The
delegation will meet with Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, Responsible for
Cyprus affairs, Tugrul Turkes and the Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water
Affairs, Veysel Eroglu.
Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak television
(03.02.16), Kalyoncu confirmed to
illegal Bayrak that they had received an official invitation from Ankara to
meet, after the draft they sent had been reviewed.
(AK)
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (03.02.16)
reports that many reactions and support
have been expressed by Turkish Cypriot political parties and organizations
regarding the recent attack held the day before yesterday against the newspaper
when an unknown person left a bag with a corpse of a dog which was still bleeding at Afrika’s door.
Statements supporting Afrika and condemning the attack
were, inter alia, issued by the Journalists’ Association, the Press Workers
Trade Union (Basin-Sen) the Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS), the Social Democracy
Party (TDP) and the United Cyprus Party (BKP).
Meanwhile, writing in his column in Turkish Cypriot
daily Kibris newspaper (03.02.16), columnist Serhat Incirli explains why he
will vote “yes” to a possible solution to the Cyprus problem and refers to the
attack against Afrika. Criticizing the system which exists in the occupied area
of Cyprus and giving examples to justify his views, Incirli argues that Afrika’s publisher Sener Levent and his colleagues
will never find out who put that dead dog in front of their door, “just like
they have not found out who had put bombs” to their newspaper in the past. He adds the following:
“[…] What is the relation? It is because the aim of Levent and his colleagues or
some handful of persons who think like them is to get rid of this ‘false
system’. The problem of the rest of us is the continuation of this ‘false
system’. Could I make myself clear? Have
you understood better now why the Cyprus problem should be solved? Have we
understood? If the Cyprus problem is solved, this ‘false system’, this ‘fake
order of things’ will end. The reason of
saying ‘no’ is only the gain from the false system. Did you say that Morfou
should not be given? My souls, the property should be returned to its owner,
whoever this owner is. And this must
happen now, immediately. It is enough for us to be included into the ‘legal
system’. Let us get rid of this ‘false’ and ‘fake’ system. That is, when a referendum comes, it is definitely
‘yes’”.
(I/Ts.)
8. Survey shows that Ozersay’s HP is the first
party in the occupied area of Cyprus and that “cautious optimism” exists on the
Cyprus problem
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.02.16)
reports that the Center for Migration
Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS) has repeated a surveywhich it conducts
every three months to measure the Turkish Cypriots’ political-social security,
individual self-confidence, happiness, ability to influence politics and
perception for being able to influence the Cyprus problem.
The telephone survey was conducted in January 2016 with the participation
of 500 persons.
Mine Yucel, director of the CMIRS, has said that the People’s Party (HP) established by
Kudret Ozersay and the intensive negotiations for finding a solution to the
Cyprus problem have made the community feeling that it exerts higher influence
on politics and the Cyprus problem.
Having 5 as the highest score, the [average] influence
which the Turkish Cypriots think that they have on certain issues is the
following: environment 3.48, human rights 3.33, health 3.15, the Cyprus problem
2.70, economy 2.64 and politics 2.53.
Yucel said that this development caused a “cautious
optimism” on the issue of politics and the possibility of a solution to the
Cyprus problem. She noted that nearly
80% of the community exhibited a wish for a solution to the Cyprus problem, but
only 41% are optimistic that a solution could be reached. As regards the way they will vote in a
possible referendum, Yucel said that the tendency is clear in the community
as the great majority says that they
will study the agreement and decide accordingly.
Asked for which party they will vote in case of
“elections” next Sunday, the participants in the survey replied as follows: National Unity Party (UBP) 12.63%,
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) 10.49%, Democratic Party (DP) 0.86%, Social
Democracy Party (TDP) 2.78%, New Cyprus Party (YKP) 0.43%, United Cyprus Party
(BKP) 0.21%, People’s Party (HP) 22.7%, mixed votes 7.92% and undecided 13.28%.
Moreover, 28.69% of the participants said that they would not vote.
(I/Ts.)
9.The number of deaths in the occupied area of
Cyprus from H1N1 virus has reached to 4; “No risk from Zika virus”, said the
so-called minister
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.02.16)
under the title: “The H1N1 facts in
north Cyprus: “71 incidents and 4 deaths”, reports that Dr. Omer Gur,
“undersecretary” of the so-called ministry of health stated that 71 cases were
diagnosed in the occupied area of Cyprus with the symptoms of the H1N1 virus,
also known as “swine flu” while the number of deaths has reached to 4.
Gur said that 53% of the tests made until so far at
the “state hospital” were positive while the 47% of the cases were diagnosed
with other type of illnesses.
Gur stated further that three people who were
diagnosed with the H1N1 virus are at the intensive care unit. He, however,
called for calm and not panic, adding that they have everything under control.
Gur said that according to experts the virus will continue to exist until
March.
Meanwhile,
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberal Kibrisli (03.02.16) reports that so-called
minister of health, Salih Izbul commenting on the Zika virus infection which
caused alarm in the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus, said that “north
Cyprus” is not under risk from the Zika virus. He added that the “experts” were
informed towards the virus, that they will take measures and alleged that they
are in full cooperation with the World Health Organization.
(AK)
10.Row between the government and HDP over stranded
Cizre civilians escalated; statements by Demirtas
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(03.02.16), the ongoing dispute between
the Turkish government and the Kurdish-problem-focused Peoples’ Democratic
Party (HDP) has shown no sign of slowing down, with the former categorically
dismissing the latter’s charges over lack of medical services provided to 28
civilians stranded in the basement of a building in the Cizre district of
southeastern Sırnak province as “speculation.”
Ambulances have been sent to the venue various times
but came under fire in each attempt, Interior Minister Efkan Ala told reporters
on Februrary 2. Meanwhile, the HDP has said that seven of the trapped civilians
have already died.
“They couldn’t go because of shots fired and holes and
barricades dug by terrorists,” Ala said, referring to alleged militants of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). “A fiction has been made to bring the
fight against terror to a halt while it is about reaching success,” he said.
Earlier
that day in Parliament, HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas warned about probable
impacts of ongoing military operations against PKK militants, which he says has
been victimizing civilians, while also appealing to people to raise their voice
about plight of the 28 civilians.
“If we have been lying about the basement floor in
Cizre, then proving this lie would take only a minute. Why are you preventing
access to the building?” Demirtas asked at a parliamentary group meeting of his
party.
“I
want to call on my Turkish siblings. What is going on at the moment is not for
the good of Turkish people. Each human losing his life is ours. They are able
to do this because you remain silent. There is no Turkish-Kurdish conflict.
There is a war declared by the AKP [the ruling Justice and Development Party]
against Kurds here and in Rojava,” Demirtas said.
“Each house that the AKP state has destroyed in Sur
and each apartment that it has bombed in Cizre is leading to emotional
breakdowns in İzmir and Istanbul too”, Demirtas added.
11.Turkish academic and a journalist face jail for
‘terror propaganda’ and for “insulting Erdogan”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (02.02.16) reported that an academic at Ankara
University’s Faculty of Political Science, faces seven years in jail for
“terror propaganda” over an exam question asking students to compare two
writings by Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK).
In the final exam of his course titled: “Political
life and institutions in Turkey,” Assistant Professor Doctor Resat Barıs Unlü
asked students to compare a 1978 leaflet by Ocalan with a more recent piece
from 2012 in terms of its implications for Turkey’s Kurdish question.
“Compare Abdullah Ocalan’s 1978 leaflet ‘The Manifesto
of the Path of the Kurdistan Revolution’ with his 2012 piece entitled
‘Democratic Modernity as the Construction of Local System in the Middle East’
with regard to their stances on concepts and phenomena such as colonialism, the
nation-state, revolutionary violence and democracy,” Unlu asked in the question.
He asked his students to consider this comparison in
terms of global and local changes since 1978, as well as transformations
undergone by the Kurdish movement and in Kurdish society.
However,
the indictment against Unlu claims his question was an attempt to “legitimize” Ocalan’s
ideas and amounted to “terror propaganda.”
Posing
a question about Ocalan aimed at “legitimizing his opinions and imprinting on
minds that he is a political leader,” the indictment said, adding that this was
both “terror propaganda and a compliment to the head of the illegal
organization who is serving a life sentence.”
The
dean’s office at Ankara University’s prestigious Political Science Faculty has
sent its academic judgment to the court, stressing the importance of academic
autonomy and freedom of expression.
The office reportedly reminded the court that
academics focusing on the issue had used Ocalan’s writings numerous times.
The prosecutor in the case is demanding seven years in
jail for Unlu, whose trial will be held at Ankara’s Second Criminal Court for
Serious Crimes on February 3.
Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News
(03.02.16) reports that an Istanbul
prosecutor has demanded that daily Cumhuriyet’s columnist Ozgur Mumcu to be
sentenced to four years and eight months in jail for “insulting” Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Mumcu
is being tried over an op-ed published on May 18, 2015 titled: “Tyrant and a
coward,” in which he blasted Erdogan’s criticism of Hatice Comert, the mother
of Gezi protest victim Abdullah Comert.
“It
is well-known that tyrants are always fearful. They are so fearful that they
would even file a complaint against someone like Abdullah Comert’s mother,” the
piece read.
During the first hearing of the case on February 2 at
Istanbul’s Caglayan Courthouse, Mumcu
denied that the article included any kind of insult.
“The piece is a critical text referring to [President
Erdogan] complaint against the mother of Abdullah Comert after her statements
following his death. This article was written following Erdogan’s complaint,
which had been widely reported in the media,” Mumcu said at the trial.
“As a columnist, I used my right to criticize. I’m a
lawyer and professor myself. The testimonies and annexes that we have presented
to court include samples of European Court of Human Rights [ECHR] rulings and
also domestic laws. Therefore, I do not accept the accusations,” he added.
Hatice
Ozay, the lawyer of Erdogan, defended the President’s case, saying Mumcu
described him in the column as “a tyrant who oppresses his people, treating
them without mercy.”
12. Bozkir due to Paris and Brussels for official
contacts
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (02.02.16) reported
that Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief
Negotiator Volkan Bozkır, flew to France on February 2 to hold official
meetings in Paris and Brussels between February 3-5.
A statement by the EU Ministry said that Bozkir is scheduled to meet with French
Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir at a working lunch on
February 3.
Bozkir
will also meet members and chiefs of France’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and the EU
Commission. He will also give deliver a speech and address French Deputies.
Following his day-time meeting on Feb. 3, Bozkır will
join French businessmen at a dinner hosted by Turkey’s Ambassador to France,
Hakkı Akil, while Desir is also expected to be in attendance.
After
his visit to Paris, Bozkır is scheduled to visit Brussels to meet with the European
Commissioner for Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis and the European
Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.
Bozkır will also meet with Turkish citizens living in
Belgium at a meeting organized by the Belgian branch of the Union of European
Turkish Democrats (UETD).
Bozkır’s
official meetings in Paris and Brussels come at a time when the EU is reading
to give Turkey 3 billion euro in order to reduce the influx of refugees to
Europe and help Turkey to better cope with the 2.5 million Syrian migrants in
its country.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/ AM)
