17/3/16

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S


No. 51/16                                                                                           17.03.2016
1. Bozkır: “It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter”
2. Colak comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: It is an undesirable situation; We will be disturbed if we are left out  
3. Colak met with MUSIAD  
4. Denktas: 2016 will be the year of the referendum
5. Turkish Cypriot travel agents say tourism in the occupied area will benefit by the lifting of the ban by Russia on Turkish tour agents
6. Agreements between the breakaway regime and various countries in the field of health tourism
7. There was an 8.5% increase of the breakaway regimes’ visitors in 2015
8. Illegal GAU’s general secretary has been re-appointed as President of IACBE for the European Region
9. A motion was submitted at the Turkish Parliament to lift HDP Deputy's immunity over terror propaganda
10. 320 arrested in Turkey-wide police operation against PKK
11. Three more academics arrested on charges of terror propaganda; The British academic detained released



1.Bozkır: “It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (16.03.16) reported that Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, Volkan Bozkır, in statements during a during a televised interview with Turkish private broadcaster NTV, stated, inter alia, that the “capriciousness” of the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as he described the Republic of Cyprus, should not be allowed to block the EU-Turkey deal reached last week in order to curb the migrant influx into the EU,
“When the EU’s continuity is under threat, it should be out of question that this [the Turkey-EU deal] is being prevented with one country’s capriciousness,” Bozkir said, adding that “It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter”.
He argued that Turkey has always opposed the idea of including the Cyprus negotiations to be a part of Turkey's EU accession process and has always promoted finding a solution to the conflict. "They can now talk about finding a solution to the Cyprus issue thanks to our determined stance in the past decade," alleged Bozkır.
Bozkır further added that the deal presented by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on March 7 in Brussels during an extended meeting with the heads of the 28 states of the EU was a “whole package.”
“Our Prime Minister clearly said that the package was a whole. The package will enter into force if a consensus on all matters will be reached”, said Bozkır.
“Here the responsibility falls on the EU. The EU administration should talk the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus into [the deal]”, Bozkir also said.

2. Colak comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: It is an undesirable situation; We will be disturbed if we are left out  
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Emine Colak, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that the Turkish Cypriots were informed about the meeting held recently between President Anastasiades and Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu, but this is not a “desirable situation”.
“That is, a sensitive point for us”, she said in statements to Ada television and added: “Any context regarding Cyprus should of course be a debate carried out by the Turkish Cypriots. If frankly such contacts and dialogues take place without us or with us being left out, yes these will be disturbing us”.
Noting that all issues are turning around to be based on the dispute in Cyprus, Colak said that in this sense they will keep their dialogue and coordination with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Prime Ministry at the highest level.
(I/Ts.)

3. Colak met with MUSIAD  
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Emine Colak, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, met yesterday with Okyay Sadikoglu, chairman of the Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association in the occupied area of Cyprus (MUSIAD Cyprus).
According to a statement issued by Colak’s office, they exchanged views on how the so-called isolation allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots will be broken. MUSIAD is organized all over the world.
(I/Ts.)

4. Denktas: 2016 will be the year of the referendum
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Serdar Denktas, the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) stated that “2016 will be the year of the referendum” in Cyprus.
According to a statement issued by DP headquarters, Denktas made these statements during various congresses he held with members of his party at villages in the occupied area of Cyprus, in the framework of the preparations for DP’s regular council which will be held on May 10.
Denktas said that the recent developments show that the referendum will be held in 2016. He also said that the “people must say no to a solution that would end up without the Turkish guarantees in Cyprus”.
He went on and added that DP always protects the “state” which, as he said is the guarantee of the “people’s future”.
(CS)

5. Turkish Cypriot travel agents say tourism in the occupied area will benefit by the lifting of the ban by Russia on Turkish tour agents
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that the Russian Federal Tourism Agency (ROSTURIZM) of the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Culture has decided to lift the ban implemented on the activities of Turkish travel agents in the country that started after Turkey had brought down a Russian airplane in Syria. After the above decision ROSTURIZM added the Turkish companies on its website again, notes the paper.
In statements to Kibris, Orhan Tolun, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot “travel agents’ Union” (“KITSAB”), said that in case the flights (between Russia and Turkey) start, the tourism of the occupied area of Cyprus will secure unbelievable benefits. He recalled that the number of Russian tourists in the hotels in Antalya had decreased by 90% because of the embargo imposed by Russia on Turkey and added that with the lifting of this embargo the flow of tourists will begin both to Turkey and to the occupied area of Cyprus.
Underlining the necessity of carrying out a “serious” advertising campaign for carrying more tourists to the occupied area of the island, Tolun said that they have lost 2016 and that they should seriously plan what they could do for 2017. 
Tolun noted that as “KITSAB” they could invite foreign journalists who will write articles about the occupied area of Cyprus when they return to their countries. “Importance should be attached to these, because the salvation of our country is in tourism”, he argued.
(I/Ts.)

6. Agreements between the breakaway regime and various countries in the field of health tourism
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Ahmet Savasan, the founding chairman of the “Cyprus Health Tourism Council” participated in the ITB Berlin Tourism Fair in which 10,147 tourism foundations from 189 countries participated.
According to the paper, Savasan on the sideline of the Tourism Fair met with various members of the World Health Tourism Council and also with representatives of various countries aiming to find the base to co-operate in the field of health tourism. In addition efforts were exerted so that more persons to travel to the breakaway regime for this purpose.
Speaking to the paper, Savasan said that new agreements were made for health services in the fields of cardiology, esthetic, in vitro fertilization treatments and other with the following countries: Holland, Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark and Sweden.
Savasan also argued that health tourism could contribute greatly to the breakaway regime’s economy.
(CS)

7. There was an 8.5% increase of  the breakaway regimes’ visitors in 2015
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (17.04.16) reports that there was an 8.5% increase of the breakaway regimes’ visitors in 2015, compared to last year.
According to data obtained by the “TRNC Central Bank Bulletin”,  regarding the tourism sector, 1,483,244 persons visited the breakaway regime in 2015 while 1,366,07 persons visited the breakaway regime in 2014.
Among the visitors, 1,110,795 were of Turkish citizenship while 372,499 were from third countries.
According to the information, 70% of the travelers visited the breakaway regime in August.
(CS)

8. Illegal GAU’s general secretary has been re-appointed as President of IACBE for the European Region
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (17.03.16) the “general secretary” of the illegal American University of occupied Keryneia (“GAU”),  Assistant Professor Dr. Sualp Davut has been re-appointed as President of the IACBE (The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education USA) for the European Region.
The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) is an educational accreditation agency for college and university business programs.
More than 1,100 universities until today are accredited to the IACBE.
(AK)

9. A motion was submitted at the Turkish Parliament to lift HDP Deputy's immunity over terror propaganda
Turkish daily Sabah (16.03.16) reported that a source in the Prime Minister's office said that an official request to remove the parliamentary immunity of the opposition HDP’ lawmaker Tugba Hezer Ozturk, was sent to the Turkish Parliament on Wednesday.
Prosecutors are seeking to remove the Deputy's immunity, which protects lawmakers from prosecution, over a visit she paid to the home of Salih Necar, the terrorist who carried out last month's suicide car bomb attack that killed 29 mostly military personnel in Ankara.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said that the request was sent after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's office received a summary of proceedings against Ozturk from the Justice Ministry.
Last week, similar requests to lift the immunity of five other HDP lawmakers, including the party's two co-leaders, were lodged with the Parliament.
A motion to lift HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag and party Deputies Selma Irmak, Sırrı Sureyya Onder, and Ertugrul Kurkcu's immunities was submitted to Parliament.
If put to a vote, the motion to lift the HDP MPs' immunity requires an absolute majority, i.e. 276 votes.
The prosecutor's office summary was sent last month to the Justice Ministry with a request that the immunity of the HDP Deputies be lifted, so they can face charges of "openly instigating people to hatred and hostility" and "being a member of an armed terrorist organization".
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had previously broached the idea of lifting the immunity of HDP parliamentarians due to the party's alleged support for terrorism.

10. 320 arrested in Turkey-wide police operation against PKK
Ankara Anatolia news agency (16.03.16) reported that around 320 suspects, including lawyers, politicians and students, were detained and 41 of them were arrested during country-wide anti-terror operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the three days before March 16, according to data gathered by Anadolu Agency.
In operations in Istanbul, with the support of helicopters in 16 districts, 29 suspects, including lawyers, were detained.
(…)While the operations mostly took place in southeastern and eastern provinces such as Elazıg, Gaziantep, Sanlıurfa, Kahramanmaras, Malatya and Batman, police also detained university students in the western province of Bursa for allegedly being members of the Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H), a youth branch of the PKK and the outlawed Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).  
In a separate operation in the western province of Manisa against the PKK/KCK, ten people, including the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) provincial heads Hatice Aslan and Sait Aycı, were detained, while two members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), a party that is not represented in the Turkish Parliament, were detained in the eastern province of Erzurum.

11. Three more academics arrested on charges of terror propaganda; The British academic detained released
Turkish daily Hurriye Daily News (16.03.16) reported that an Istanbul court arrested three Turkish academics late on March 15 for “making terrorist propaganda” when they read out a joint petition signed by more than 1,000 colleagues calling for an end to clashes between security forces and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in January.
The arrest of academics Esra Mungan, Muzaffer Kaya and Kıvanc Ersoy came after the three were detained for holding a press conference on March 10 at the Education and Science Workers’ Union’s (EGİTİM-Sen) 6th Office in Istanbul, where they read out a declaration entitled “We won’t be part of this crime.”
The court’s verdict said the declaration was in support of the PKK and showed similarities to earlier remarks made by Bese Hozat, a PKK figure.
The academics denied the charges, with Kaya and Ersoy saying they had not heard of Hozat before.
Mungan is an academic at Bogazici University and Kaya lectures at Nisantası Univeristy. Ersoy lectures at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University.
Meanwhile, according to the paper, the British academic Chris Stephenson who was taken into custody on March 15 on suspicion of conducting propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) because of a Nevruz leaflet in his possession, has been released but still faces the prospect of deportation.
Stephenson was taken into custody upon a prosecutor’s instruction on accusations of “making propaganda for a terror organization” for possessing a Nevruz leaflet printed by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
Stephenson was released on March 16 after being interrogated by a prosecutor.
(…)


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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/AM)