TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
60/16 31.03.2016
1.
TDP conveyed to Schulz a letter with the party’s views on the
solution of the Cyprus problem
2.
Eide met with Akinci
3.
The occupation regime cannot fully pay the salaries for March; Turkey
is reportedly furious because the “economic protocol” is not
signed
4.
The Turkish Cypriot “chamber of industry” calls on Akinci to
insist on the implementation of the common understanding on the
halloumi issue
5.
Atun: “The TRNC is the most secure place for investments”
6.
Sucuoglu said that 15,000 Russian tourists visited the breakaway
regime last year
7.
Obama to hold informal talks with Turkish President Erdogan
8.
Cavusoglu: Turkey ‘won’t fall out with US over PYD’
1.
TDP
conveyed to Schulz a letter with the party’s views on the solution
of the Cyprus problem
Turkish
Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (31.03.16) reports that the Social
Democratic Party (TDP) conveyed to the President of the European
Parliament Martin Schulz a letter with the party’s views on the
solution of the Cyprus problem during his current visit to Cyprus.
The
letter was handed to Schulz by the party’s leader, Cemal Ozyigit.
According
to the paper, TDP states in the letter that it supports the
continuation of the Cyprus negotiations and that it has the struggle
for Cyprus unification as its priority. It also noted that, as it is
stated on the February 11, 2014 Common Statement, it supports a
solution based on political equality, single sovereignty and single
international identity.
However,
it was also noted at the letter that the Turkish Cypriots have the
right to have the two out of the six chairs that Cyprus is entitled
at the European Parliament.
(CS)
2.
Eide
met with Akinci
Turkish
Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (31.03.16) reports that Espen
Barth Eide, UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Cyprus held
yesterday a new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
During
the meeting, Eide and Akinci re-assessed some issues which are
necessary to be solved within the next weeks.
The
Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami, the so-called presidential
spokesman Baris Burcu, the “undersecretary” of the so-called
foreign ministry, Erhan Ercin and UN Secretary-General's Special
Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
(UNFICYP) Lisa Buttenheim were also present at the meeting.
In
a short statement after the meeting, Eide
said that they are working hard, that time is running and that it is
beneficial to have frequent meetings with the aim to speed up the
process.
Stating
that they are discussing some concrete issues which they would like
to be solved in the following weeks, Eide stated that it is
beneficial to hold frequent separate meeting with both leaders and
the negotiating teams.
Eide
also stated that they are certainly progressing towards the right
direction and added that the message he would like to convey to both
leaders is that they could speed up the process and sometimes to make
good use of the time.
Eide
also said that during the meeting with Akinci they discussed some
practical ways on how some concrete issues could be solved.
Eide
referred also to the meeting of the two negotiators which took place
the other day and described it as encouraging. He explained that they
are waiting for similar results in the weeks to come.
(AK)
3.
The
occupation regime cannot fully pay the salaries for March; Turkey is
reportedly furious because the “economic protocol” is not signed
Under
the title “Salary whip”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(31.03.16) reports that Turkey
is furious because the “economic protocol” with the breakaway
regime has not been signed yet and therefore is punishing the Turkish
Cypriots. According
to the paper the self-styled ministry of finance cannot fully pay the
salaries for March 2016.
For this reason those who have a salary higher than four thousand
Turkish liras (TL) will receive only 60% of their salary
[Translator’s
note: One euro is bought for 3.19 TL and sold for 3.23 TL today].
Self-styled
prime minister, Omer
Kalyoncu said yesterday that the rest of the salaries will be paid
within a few days and added that those who receive a net salary up to
four thousand TL will be paid their full salary.
Also,
Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (31.03.16) recalls that
because
the “economic protocol” has not been signed yet all kinds of
transfer of financial resources from Turkey to the occupied area of
Cyprus have stopped as of January.
Noting that this is the first time after 33 years that the salaries
in the occupied area of the island will be paid by installments, the
paper writes that the “ministry of finance” is in a very
difficult situation and that the previous month the salaries had been
paid very difficultly.
According to the paper, the projects financed by Turkey have not been
launched in 2016 because the “protocol” is not signed.
“Turkey,
which showed as pretext the non-signing of the protocol, did not send
its 90 million TL contribution for the payment of the salaries in the
TRNC”,
notes the paper.
Referring
to the issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (31.03.16) reports that
Mehmet
Ozkardas,
chairman of the “civil servants’ trade union” (Kamu-Sen) said
that “a
very bitter surprise was made to the civil servants”.
Noting that according to his assumptions, this practice was
implemented due to the negotiations on the “financial and economic
cooperation protocol” for 2016-2018, Ozkardas noted that the
infrastructure was prepared for giving the message that the situation
is very bad and if the “protocol” is not signed neither the
“civil servants” nor the pensioners will be paid.
Ozkardas said that they
do not know when the 40% of the salaries will be deposited and
whether it will be deposited,
as they were not able to communicate with “government officials”.
Moreover,
Ahmet
Kaptan,
chairman of the Turkish Cypriot “civil servants’” trade union
(KTAMS), said that the
incapability, insincerity and ignorance of the “government” were
once more proved.
Finally,
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (31.03.16) reports that the
National Unity Party (UBP),
the “minor coalition partner”, is
furious about the fact that the signing of the “protocol” is
delayed and started considering the establishment of a “government”
without the Republican Turkish Party (CTP).
This “government” will sign the “protocol”, make reforms and
afterwards carry out “elections”.
(I/Ts.)
4.
The
Turkish Cypriot “chamber of industry” calls on Akinci to insist
on the implementation of the common understanding on the halloumi
issue
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (31.03.16) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot “chamber of industry” (KTSO) has said that they
support the continuation of the insistent efforts exerted by the
Turkish Cypriot leadership on the issue of the implementation of the
common understanding achieved in July 2015 between President
Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci and the President of the
EU Commission Junker for the registration of halloumi-hellim as
Cypriot product of origin.
In
a written statement issued yesterday regarding the recent
developments, the
“chamber” called on the Greek Cypriot side to remain faithful to
the common understanding.
The “chamber” accused
the Republic of Cyprus’ Ministry of Agriculture of acting outside
the framework of this understanding and of undertaking initiatives
which will result against the Turkish Cypriots.
“While
noting that we consider as proper the initiatives recently undertaken
by president Akinci on this issue, we support that the insistent
efforts of the Turkish Cypriot leadership on the issue of the
registration of hellim should continue and increase”, argues the
statement, which described as “evident violation of the agreement”
some proposals for changes to the above-mentioned common
understanding made by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of
Cyprus.
According
to the statement, this situation harms the trust between the two
communities and the negotiating process for finding a solution to the
Cyprus problem.
(I/Ts.)
5.
Atun: “The TRNC is the most secure place for investments”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (31.03.16) reports that so-called
minister of economy, industry and trade, Sunat
Atun, in statements during a meeting he held in Istanbul with Turkish
investors claimed that the “TRNC” is one of the most secure
countries at present for investments.
Atun
added that he held contacts recently with many investors from Turkey
and several other countries that had visited the “TRNC” and
stated that their interest is especially concentrated in the sector
of tourism and “universities”.
He
also alleged that investor’s groups from third countries are also
looking for investment opportunities in the “TRNC”.
Meanwhile,
within the framework of his contacts in Istanbul, Atun met with the
Qatari Ambassador in Turkey.
(AK)
6.
Sucuoglu
said that 15,000 Russian tourists visited the breakaway regime last
year
Turkish
Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (31.03.16) reports that Faiz
Sucuoglu, the self-styled minister of culture and tourism, evaluated
the participation of the breakaway regime in the MITT Moscow Tourism
Fair which took place between 23-26 of March, 2016.
Sucuoglu,
stated that 15,000 tourists visited the breakaway regime last year
and added that 7,000 of them spent the night there.
Referring
to the fair, he said that this was the first time that Turkey did not
participate in it due to the crisis between Ankara and Moscow.
Sucuoglu
further stated that he met with German tourists who showed a great
interest to visit the occupied area of Cyprus.
(CS)
7.
Obama
to hold informal talks with Turkish President Erdogan
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (31.03.16) reports that the U.S. President Barack
Obama will hold informal talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan in Washington this week, the White House said on March 29,
dismissing suggestions that the lack of a formal meeting represented
a snub to Ankara.
Erdogan
will be among more than 50 world leaders attending a Nuclear Security
Summit in Washington on March 31 and April 1, during which time he is
due to have a formal meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
There
had been intense speculations in the Turkish media over whether Obama
would meet Erdogan, with some suggesting a failure to do so would
mark a deliberate U.S. snub amid differences over Syria and
Washington’s concerns over the direction of Turkey’s domestic
policies.
At a
news conference in Istanbul before leaving for the United States
earlier on March 29, Erdogan said a meeting with Obama at the nuclear
summit was planned, although he said he did not know how long it
would last.
Biden’s
office later said the Vice President would host Erdogan for a meeting
on March 31 in Washington.
One
U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged there
were strains between the United States and Turkey on a range of
issues, but added that Washington regards Ankara’s assistance as
essential to fighting ISIL.
In
addition, Ankara Anatolia news agency (31.03.16) reports that Erdogan
received representatives from Jewish Societies during his visit to
Washington.
“Jewish
leaders must stand against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and
xenophobia”, he stated during the meeting.
“The
meeting comes at a time when Turkey and Israel are trying to repair a
damaged relationship following
a deadly assault in 2010 on a Turkish flagged ship that was part of
an aid flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip”, AA
broadcast.
Moreover,
Turkish daily Sabah (31.03.16) writes that speaking
at a meeting with representatives from think tanks and academics
at the St. Regis Hotel where he is staying while in the U.S., Erdogan
said: "Our relations with the U.S. are irreplaceable for Turkey,
today as in the past. We
put in all kinds of effort to develop our cooperation on the basis of
common values and mutual interest. We will continue to do so. […]
Although we sometimes feel that we are alone in this effort, we would
like to think that the U.S. understands us and is together with us
8.
Cavusoglu:
Turkey ‘won’t fall out with US over PYD’
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (31.03.16) reports that Turkey
and the United States will not fall out over their differing stances
on the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), Turkish Foreign
Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said.
“Not
every two countries can be like-minded on every issue. For example,
they [U.S.] think differently, we think differently, but we will not
fall out because we have differing thoughts,” Cavusoglu told Voice
of America on March 30, after lecturing at George Washington
University.
“We
are two significant partners and we have common targets but we can
think differently on some topics. When we express our thoughts, then
it is perceived as though there is a problem between the two
countries,” he added.
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(CS/AM)
