TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No. 41/16 01.03.2016
1. Akıncı discussed the latest
developments on the Cyprus problem with the German EU Minister
2. The Turkish Minister of
Science, Industry and Technology is visiting the breakaway regime
3. Atun evaluated the recent
visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade
4. Kalyoncu is going to Ankara
escorted by three “ministers”
5. Eroglu claims that a former US Ambassador has told
that the USA had spent 30 million dollars for the Turkish Cypriot “yes” vote
6. Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of
unwillingness towards a federal solution in Cyprus
7. Turkey and the occupation regime signed an
agreement for the improvement of the monitoring system for forest fires
8. The Turkish Cypriot newspapers are struggling to
survive; Columnist assesses the situation of the press in occupied Cyprus
9. The breakaway regime participated in the “Ferie for
Alle 2016 Tourism Fair” that took place in Denmark
10. Kurtulmus called political parties to attend talks
for a new Constitution; Reaction statements by opposition parties
11. Erdogan filed a lawsuit against HDP’ co-chairman
Demirtas for allegedly “insulting” him
12. Two Gulen-linked broadcasters shut down
1.Akıncı discussed the latest developments on the
Cyprus problem with the German EU Minister
According to illegal Bayrak television (01.03.16)
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı met today with the German Minister for EU
Affairs Michael Roth.
The latest developments in the Cyprus negotiations
process as well as the ongoing work to prepare the Turkish Cypriots for the EU acquis
communautaire were discussed at the meeting held at the so-called presidential
palace.
The “chief negotiator”, Ozdil Nami, the so-called presidential
spokesman Barıs Burcu and the “undersecretary” of the so-called foreign ministry
Erhan Ercin were present at the meeting.
No statements were made before or after the meeting.
2.
The Turkish Minister of Science, Industry and Technology is visiting the
breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that Fikri Isik, the Turkish Minister of Science, Industry and
Technology is visiting the breakaway regime upon an invitation of the “minister
of economy, industry and trade”, Sunat Atun.
Isik will arrive in the breakaway regime tonight and
will participate in the 1st KOBI (SMEs, Small and Medium Sized
Enterprises) Summit that will take place tomorrow.
(CS)
3.
Atun evaluated the recent visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that Sunat Atun, the “minister of economy, trade and industry” stated
that the breakaway regime does not negotiate but cooperates with “motherland”
Turkey.
Atun made these statements commenting about the recent
visit of the Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufekci. Atun stated that Turkey is the biggest market
for the breakaway regime and added that having good relations with Turkey will
increase the trade volume. He also stated that a delegation of his “ministry”
and of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce will visit Mersin in the coming
days in order to promote trade.
On his part, Tufekci issued a statement saying that
there are certain standards that must be followed so that investments to be
made in any country of the world. He also said that in order for the
international respect towards the “TRNC” to be increased and the isolation to
be removed, the academic power of the island must be increased.
(CS)
4.
Kalyoncu is going to Ankara escorted by three “ministers”
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper
(01.03.16)reports that the self-styled prime minister Omer Kalyoncu is going to
Ankara tonight, upon an invitation of the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu in order to sign the agreement
reached with Turkey on the water issue on behalf of the breakaway regime.
According to the paper, Kalyoncu is escorted by the
“foreign minister” Emine Colak, the “agriculture and natural resources
minister” Erkuk Sahali and the “culture minister” Kutlu Evren along with
various “bureaucrats”. Kalyoncu will hold contacts with Davutoglu tomorrow and
also sign the water agreement.
The paper, further reports that the “council of
ministers” will hold a meeting today, prior to Kalyoncu’s visit.
(CS)
5. Eroglu claims that a former US Ambassador has
told that the USA had spent 30 million dollars for the Turkish Cypriot “yes”
vote
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has recalled that he had opposed the Annan Plan and claimed that the then US Ambassador “had
made a sincere confession” during one of his visits to his office by saying “we
have spent 30 million dollars for the Turks saying yes to the Annan Plan in
Cyprus”.
Addressing a meeting in Turkey on the occasion of the
fifth anniversary from the death of former Turkish Prime Minster Necmattin
Erbakan, Eroglu said that Erbakan was one of the architects of the 1974 Turkish
invasion of Cyprus and that he lives in the heart of the Turkish Cypriots. He
said that he had signed an economic “protocol” with Erbakan, who believed in
the industrialization of the occupied area of Cyprus.
Meanwhile, replying to questions of Turkish Milliyet
newspaper, Eroglu alleged that the Greek
Cypriot side is slyly attempting to take what it wants in the Cyprus problem.
“Our side is daydreaming, we have had enough”, he added and argued that the Turkish Cypriots should not
abandon Turkey’s active and effective guarantees and when necessary Turkey’s
intervention in Cyprus. He said that he sees nothing “extraordinary” in the
negotiations adding that “the stance of the Greek Cypriot side is the same,
their intention has not changed”.
Referring to the latest developments in the occupied
area of Cyprus as regards the water from Turkey and the future of the
self-styled government, Eroglu said that
he is not satisfied with the existing situation and argued that “the water
issue has actually ended the government”.
(I/Ts.)
6.Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of
unwillingness towards a federal solution in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Bakis newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that Hasan Tacoy, general
secretary of the Democratic Party-National Forces (DP-UG) issued a written
statement and accused the Greek Cypriot side of not supporting a viable and
fair agreement on the Cyprus problem. “Their wish is to entrap Turkey and the
Turkish Cypriots”, Tacoy argued.
Tacoy
accused the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiases for
considering the “acceptance of the federal solution” as a “painful compromise”.
Recalling that the interlocutor of the Greek Cypriot
leader, as he called President Anastasiades is not Turkey but the “TRNC’s
president”, Tacoy said that it is not Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots the
uncompromised side by the Greek Cypriots.
Tacoy
alleged also that the Greek Cypriot leadership’s aim is to dilute Turkey’s
active and effective guarantees in Cyprus and to be rescued from the Turkish
troops in the island.
Tacoy went on and stated that the main priority of the
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci should be the protection of the Turkish
Cypriot’s rights at the negotiating table and called him to do so.
(AK)
7Turkey and the occupation regime signed an
agreement for the improvement of the monitoring system for forest fires
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that the so-called “Forestry
department” and the Turkey’s General Directorate of Forestry have signed an
“agreement” for the development of the monitoring system for forest fires.
According to information obtained by the so-called
ministry of “public works, environment and culture”, a delegation of the “forestry department” headed by its “general
director” Cemil Karzaoglu held contacts in Ankara recently with officials from
Turkey’s General Directorate of Forestry and signed the above agreement. The
agreement envisages the increase of cameras in forest areas and the renewal of
the monitoring system.
Commenting on the signing of the “agreement”,
so-called minister Kultu Evren said that the “agreement” was signed within the
framework of the measures that need to be taken to prevent forest fires during
the summer.
(AK)
8. The Turkish Cypriot newspapers are struggling to
survive; Columnist assesses the situation of the press in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that the Turkish Cypriot
Journalists’ Union (KTBG) has said that the unfair competition in the Turkish
Cypriot printed media has made the survival in the sector more difficult.
In a written statement, the Union noted that the newspapers are facing
extinction as a result of the financial burden of the printed media and of
keeping in pace with the technology.
Referring to the
end of the printed edition of Kibris Postasi newspaper as of today and the continuation of its circulation on the
internet, the Union argued that
this shows that the warnings it had made
last year regarding the danger of elimination of the “corporate structure”
of the newspapers, the expansion of “informality” etc. are being materialized. The Union said that if the necessary
measures are not taken, many other workers will lose their jobs, like the
workers of Kibris Postasi.
Meanwhile, under the title “The gangs, the mafia and
the media”, Turkish Cypriot columnist
Basaran Duzgun assessed in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (28.02.16)
the situation of the Turkish Cypriot media. He reports, inter alia, the
following:
“[…] We are complaining a lot about the gangs and the
mafia in the country and we are always skipping over the fact that the media is the place in which the gangs
reached their peak.
The
Turkish Cypriot press is actually passing through its most horrible period, not only its worst period. The journalists have been taken over by lead soldiers and the biggest
part of the Turkish Cypriot press by the mentality which sees the ownership of
a newspaper as ‘a weapon’.These gangs of interest, which are also making
use of the weakness of some politicians, are
every day bringing onto the community’s agenda their own commercial issues as
if journalism was above the ‘weapons’ which they possess. They threaten
everybody and try to fill up their pockets over these threats. There are even
some who become so angry that they threaten to instigate the discrimination
between ‘Turks and Cypriots’. There are
some who cooperate with mobsters and lose their temper so much that they
threaten businessmen and some who attempt to launder money through the
newspapers. […]
The
media entering under the control of those using methods of mobsters causes so
dangerous results as the legislative, executive or judicial power being
possessed by the mafia.
Unfortunately, the Turkish Cypriot press
is passing through such a period. The government and the state have the
responsibility of abolishing this situation. The first duty belongs to the real
journalists. To those who have the ability to exercise this profession”.
(I/Ts.)
9.
The breakaway regime participated in the “Ferie for Alle 2016 Tourism Fair”
that took place in Denmark
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (01.03.16)
reports that the breakaway regime participated in the “Ferie for Alle 2016
Tourism Fair” that took place in Herning, Denmark, between 26-28 of February.
According to the paper, tourist operators, airline companies,
travel agencies and tourism technology firms from Scandinavian countries and
other European countries participated in the fair.
The delegation of the breakaway regime that
participated in the fair held meetings with Danish and Scandinavian tourist
operators and searched the possibility of doing business with them, the paper
writes.
(CS)
10.Kurtulmus
called political parties to attend talks for a new Constitution; Reaction
statements by opposition parties
Turkish daily Sabah (01.03.16) reports that Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said
on Monday that if the parties fail to reach a consensus on a new Constitution,
the AK Party will make its own proposal to the Parliament.
Speaking to reporters, Kurtulmus underscored the
importance of a new Constitution for the future of Turkey and said it is a
necessity.
''Turkey
needs a new civilian, democratic and participatory Constitution'' Kurtulmus
said, and added that any progress without such Constitution would be useless.
Kurtulmus
also noted that those who run away from the responsibility to participate in
the constitution-making process will be remembered as 'fugitives' and urged all
parties to participate with sincerity.
Meanwhile,
according to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily news (29.02.16), Turkey’s main opposition leader will not engage in “bazaar diplomacy”
with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over the AKP’s ambitions
for a change of regime at an inter-party Constitution commission the Parliament
Speaker is currently attempting to rebuild.“We
are sitting at the table in a bid to cleanse Turkey of coup laws. The
Constitution is also a part of the coup law,” Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, the leader of
the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said in remarks
published in daily newspaper Milliyet on February 29.
Recalling that any change in the first four articles
of the current Constitution, which cover clauses about Turkey as a secular
state and Turkey’s official language as Turkish, is a “red line” for their
party, Kılıcdaroglu added: “We would lend support to all arrangements for
strengthening the parliamentary system. Sitting around a table for a different
system, a different regime, doesn’t work for us. What is the use of sitting around
a table on an issue which we will not vote for and will not accept?”
Kılıcdaroglu
plans to send their response to the Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman’s call
later this week, while the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is likely to send
their response next week. The HDP will define the AKP’s insistence on a
transition from the current parliamentary system to a presidential system as an
“imposition” and will underline that the debate has been “blocking” the
negotiations. The HDP will emphasize that a new Constitution will be possible
only through consensus by the four parties.
(…)
11.Erdogan filed a lawsuit against HDP’ co-chairman
Demirtas for allegedly “insulting” him
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (29.02.16) reported
that Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s lawyer has filed a criminal complaint against the Peoples’ Democratic
Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas, claiming that the latter “insulted”
him in a recent speech.
The indictment filed to the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s
Office by Erdogan’s lawyer Huseyin Aydın included related sections from Demirtas’s
speech at a HDP meeting in the southern province of Mersin on February 27.
It
said these statements amounted to “insulting the President,” which is a crime
according to Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code.
During
his party’s Mersin meeting, Demirtas had said: “He [Erdogan] wants to be the
caliphate of Islam. But thieves cannot be caliphs.”
The
indictment said Kurdish-issue focused HDP co-chair Demirtas’s remarks “cannot
be considered within the scope of freedom of thought and expression.”
It
also said they “cannot be defended legally as they amounted to statements
beneath one’s dignity and honor.”
Since
becoming President in August 2014, Erdogan’s lawyers have filed hundreds of
lawsuits over alleged “insults” uttered by schoolchildren, journalists, and
opposition politicians.
12.Two Gulen-linked broadcasters shut down
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (29.02.16) reported
that the private broadcasters Kanalturk and
Bugun TV, which were owned by the alleged Gulen-linked Koza İpek Media Group,
were shut down on February 29.
In addition, the operations of Koza İpek Media Group
ended as of February 29. Employees have packed up their belongings from the
building.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Octover
26, 2015, ordered the Koza-İpek Group to be placed under the management of a
trustee panel while an investigation is ongoing into the group’s purported ties
to the U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, a former government ally. President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) now accuse Gulen
of heading a purported illegal organization that Erdogan believes is trying to
topple the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government with followers
working as insiders in the police, the judiciary and other state institutions.
Istanbul police used force on October 28, 2015, to
enter the media holding’s headquarters and seize control of the media outlets
owned by the Koza-İpek Group, dramatically breaking into the main broadcasting
room and shutting down the two TV stations owned by the group.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
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