TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
58/16 29.03.2016
1.
Akinci
argues that if a rational stance is not exhibited, the natural gas in
Cyprus’ EEZ could cause tension
2.
Turkish Cypriot columnist emphasizes on Turkish side’s double
standards and intransigent policy on the Cyprus problem
3.
Cavusoglu met with Kerry; They agreed that a Cyprus settlement is
possible this year
4.
Turkish Cypriot daily reveals details on the new “economic
protocol” to be signed between Turkey and the occupation regime
5.
Incentives to tourists arriving to Larnaka and crossing to the
occupation regime
6.
The occupation regime launched a campaign in Scandinavian countries
to attract tourism
7.
Turkey sent diplomatic note over foreign envoys attending
journalists’ trial
1.
Akinci
argues that if a rational stance is not exhibited, the natural gas in
Cyprus’ EEZ could cause tension
Under
the title “Akinci supported Turkey’s stance”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Afrika newspaper (29.03.16) reports that Turkish Cypriot
leader, Mustafa
Akinci has argued that the natural gas in Cyprus’ Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) is a possession for the future and if a rational
stance is not exhibited, tension could be created regarding this
issue.
Noting
that these things happened in the past, Akinci said that cautious
behavior is needed in order for these things not to be repeated.
In
statements after his meeting yesterday with President Anastasiades
within the framework of the Cyprus talks, Akinci
said that the Greek Cypriots see the natural gas as a field of
sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and added: “They think that
they can do whatever they want on this issue, but we do not share
this view.
This wealth is a common property, a common wealth of the two
communities…”
Noting
that the negotiations are continuing in an intensive manner, Akinci
argued that “while
we should concentrate all our energy here and create a field of
cooperation by which everybody will benefit, no pretext should be
given for new tensions and for turning the future common wealth into
a tension today”.
We
have concerns on this issue”, he noted and said that he conveyed
his concerns both to the UN and President Anastasiades, arguing that
he did the right thing. He afterwards expressed the wish that this
message is “correctly perceived”.
Referring
to the issue of halloumi, Akinci recalled the agreement reached with
the President of the EU Commission, Jean Claude Junker and added:
“Halloumi
is also a wealth of Cyprus.
We
also want it to belong only to the Cypriots with its geographic
registration, but the Greek Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture is
proposing some changes outside this understanding.
This mistake should not be committed. The reached agreement should
not be spoiled. We
conveyed our concerns on this issue as well to Anastasiades”.
Akinci
referred also to the issue of nine Roma families living in the
government-controlled area of Cyprus which had reportedly been
informed by the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus that they
should evacuate the house there are living in.
Akinci said that he discussed the issue with the UN
Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide
and with President Anastasiades. He
noted that he was told that the one of the families is currently
staying at a hotel and when the house they were living is repaired,
they will move there again.
No procedure will be followed for the other eight families, said
Akinci adding that the letters sent to them have been withdrawn and
described the conclusion of the issue as satisfying.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Turkish
Cypriot columnist emphasizes on Turkish side’s double standards and
intransigent policy on the Cyprus problem
Under
the title “Life does not stop in Morfou, but stops in Varosha”,
Turkish Cypriot columnist Sener
Levent criticizes in daily Afrika newspaper (29.03.16) the Turkish
side’s double standards policy on the Cyprus problem.
Levent refers to Turkey’s reaction for the invitation of a new
round of tenders in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) recalling
that Turkey argued that this cannot happen in a period during which
negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem are continuing
and that the tenders will dynamite the negotiations process.
Referring to the Turkish stance on the issue of the return of
occupied Morfou and the occupied fenced off city of Varosha to their
legal owners, Levent points out the following:
“When
it suits you, you say ‘we cannot stop life’. You do not wait for
the solution. You build a new university in Morfou. Morfou is an
issue of bargain on the table. However, you continue doing what you
know saying ‘life is continuing’. And on the other hand, you
related Varosha to the comprehensive solution with a totally opposite
understanding.
Life
continues in Morfou, but stopped in Varosha, is that so?
It stopped in 1974. The watches are not functioning in Varosha. When
it suits you, ‘life continues’ and when it does not suit you,
life does not continue.
We
were curious about Mustafa Akinci’s stance after Turkey’s
ultimatum to the Greek Cypriot side on the hydrocarbons issue.
And behold, we found it out. There is no surprise. He did not
surprise us. He
did not say why Turkey interferes in Cyprus’ natural gas and oil
explorations in its own territorial waters. He did not say that
Ankara is actually dynamiting the negotiations process. He did not
say anything contrary to Ankara’s statements.
Look what he said:
‘While
the negotiations for the solution are continuing, we should
concentrate all our energy here and create a field of cooperation by
which everybody will benefit,
no
pretext should be given for new tensions. It was my duty to convey my
concerns on this issue both to the UN and my interlocutor’.
He
said he conveyed to his interlocutor, that is, to Anastasiades. What
he conveyed? Of course, Ankara’s concerns. The first reaction to
the new hydrocarbon tender came from Ankara, not from us.
[…] If Ankara had not made such a statement, we would not have even
thought about doing this...
However,
life continues dear Mustafa. You also said that life continues. We
cannot stop life, can we? What
did you say when a reaction came from the Greek Cypriot side to the
construction of a new university in Morfou? Have you forgotten? Did
you not say that ‘we cannot stop life until a solution is reached’?
E, if you cannot stop life, can the others stop it? Why the others
should wait? Is Morfou not a common wealth for us, like the wealth in
the sea? Moreover, as Ankara demands again, you do not intent to
return Morfou.
What
is it if not a mentality of conqueror at the table to expect all the
concessions to be made from the other side? What is the difference of
this from Danktas’ ‘what is taken with blood cannot be returned
at the table’? If
there is a difference show it to us so that we also see it.
During
your election campaign you were continuously referring to Varosha.
After you were elected, you forgot Varosha.
You totally forgot it. The word Varosha is not even heart from your
mouth. What happened to ‘we cannot leave it to the snakes and
centipedes to eat it’? Behold, we still continue leaving it [to
these] to eat it. We have consumed one year with you. Come and let us
count what we did not do, what we could not do within a year and not
what we did. You will see that it is not very different than the past
years. I do not want to destroy the hopes of those who have not
stopped hoping in you. However, the
fact that you could not exhibit a different stance from Ankara is not
giving me hope for the period to come.
We
will not open Varosha. We will not give Morfou. We do not want too
many Greeks among us. We will not abandon the guarantees. We will not
abandon the population from Turkey. E, how a solution will be reached
in this manner? If this is not legalization of the existing status
quo, then what is it?”
(I/Ts.)
3.
Cavusoglu met with Kerry; They agreed that a Cyprus settlement is
possible this year
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (29.03.16) reports that Turkey
and the United States agreed on March 28 that a political settlement
may be possible this year in Cyprus.
Turkish
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry in Washington, and both diplomats were upbeat about chances for
a deal.
“We
have also some good news from the eastern part of the Mediterranean,
I mean Cyprus,” Cavusoğlu was quoted as saying by AFP to a group
of reporters ahead of their meeting.
“We
are hoping to reach a settlement in Cyprus in 2016. Turkey’s side
is ready,” he said, confirming for the first time that a deal is
possible this year.
Cavusoglu
added that the Cyprus negotiation talks on the issue had slowed down
during the preparations for May’s legislative elections in “Greek
Cyprus”, as he called the Republic of Cyprus. “But after the
elections we are hoping to reach a settlement and the United States
is giving its full support to this process as well as Turkey”,
Cavusoglu added.
On
his turn, Kerry said that he “couldn’t agree more”. “We are
very deeply committed to and involved in the talks on Cyprus,” said
Kerry, adding that both he and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden had
recently visited the island.
“We
have met with the folks on both sides as well as individual countries
and we are going keep pushing very, very hard towards a resolution of
the Cyprus crisis”, Kerry added.
4.
Turkish Cypriot daily reveals details on the new “economic
protocol” to be signed between Turkey and the occupation regime
Under
the title: “This
signature will be widely debated”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis
newspaper (29.03.16) reports that the clues about the content of the
draft “structural reform economic protocol between Turkey and the
“TRNC” for the years 2016-2018 has been leaked out to the public.
According
to the paper, the
demands of the Turkish side include among others the abolishment of
the “State planning organization” (“DPO”), the complete
privatization of the “telecommunications and ports” in the
“TRNC”, and the privatization on the “transmission” of
energy. The model being proposed, envisages the partnership of the
“private-state” sectors under the model of build-operate-transfer
(BOT).
On
the issue of “judiciary”, Turkey
has also demanded for the “judiciary o become more independent and
transparent”, writes the paper.
The
main
surprise of the “new protocol”, adds the paper is related with
the “state planning organization” (“DPO”), since Turkey’s
demand is the lifting of the “organization” and the distribution
of its duties to the “ministries”.
Also, a separate “department of Statistics and Planning” will be
established under the “prime ministry”, while the authorities for
incentives funds will be transferred to the so-called ministry of
economy.
(AK)
5.
Incentives to tourists arriving to Larnaka and crossing to the
occupation regime
Under
the title: “Incentives
to the tourists arriving to Larnaka”,
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (29.03.16) publishes exclusive
statements by
so-called tourism minister Faiz Sucuoglu, who has announced that in
order to attract more tourists in the “TRNC”, they will provide
to all tourists arriving to the island at Larnaka and crossing to the
“TRNC” for a specific period of time, the amount of 15 euro per
person as an incentive.
Supporting
that their goal is to bring around 50,000 tourists in case that the
problems exist with Larnaka on the issue of tourism are solved,
Sucuoglu said that in order to achieve this, they will need 6 million
TL in total as prims.
Sucuoglu
added that they are on talks on this issue at the moment and added
that he will discuss the matter during his contacts in Ankara next
week.
Referring
to the problems experienced by several tourists who arrive to Cyprus
via Larnaka airport and they want to cross to the “TRNC”,
Sucuoglu said: “A
tourist arriving to Larnaka, cannot cross to north Cyprus via buses.
He can only come either with a taxi or with a mini bus. And he is
charged with 100 or 200 TL extra”.
(AK)
6.
The occupation regime launched a campaign in Scandinavian countries
to attract tourism
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.03.16) under the title: “Promoting
the TRNC in Scandinavia”, reports that the “TRNC” has launched
a “promoting campaign” to attract tourists from the Scandinavian
countries.
According
to the paper, the
tourism fair “Road Show” which is co-organized by the Turkish
Airlines and the “tourism ministry” was inaugurated yesterday in
Copenhagen, capital of Denmark. The fair will be opened for six days
and afterwards it will continue to Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki.
Tourist
operators, hoteliers and representatives of the sector from several
Scandinavian countries will attend the fair writes the paper, adding
that efforts will be exerted by the “representatives” of the
“TRNC” to attract tourists in the “country”.
The
occupation regime is represented in the fair by “officials” of
the “Turkish Cypriot travel agencies’ union”, the “director”
of the Turkish Airlines in the occupation regime, and the “director”
of the “ministry of tourism”, Umit Ozkiran.
In
statements on the issue, “officials” from the “ministry of
tourism” said that the Scandinavian countries are very important
and that they will continue their efforts for attracting tourists
from there.
(AK)
7.
Turkey sent diplomatic note over foreign envoys attending
journalists’ trial
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (28.03.16) reported that Turkey
has sent a diplomatic note to the embassies of the eight Consuls
General who attended the controversial trial of Cumhuriyet
editor-in-chief Can Dundar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul, while
the Presidential Spokesman and Justice Minister slammed the diplomats
for intervening in Turkey’s domestic affairs and judicial
processes.
Foreign
Ministry officials said that the sharing on social media of photos at
the trial by some diplomatic and consular representatives amounted to
an intervention in an ongoing independent judicial process and is
incompatible with the principle of impartiality. They said that
Turkey’s disturbance over the issue had been sent to the related
country representatives.
The
announcement came after leading political figures including
Presidential Spokesman İbrahim Kalın, Justice Minister Bekir
Bozdag, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed Consuls General
from various countries as well as main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Deputies for
attending the first hearing of the case on March 25 to show
solidarity with Dundar and Gul, who were released on February 26 upon
a Constitutional Court decision after 92 days in jail.
Diplomats
from several countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, France,
the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Italy and Poland attended the
hearing where U.K. Consul-General in Istanbul Leigh Turner shared
images from outside the courtroom and messages of support for the
journalists on his official Twitter account.
(…)
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/AM)
