TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA
REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 44/16
05-07.03.2016
1. Akinci argues that there could be no solution without Turkey’s
guarantees
2. Akinci: “No one should expect us to put life on hold while seeking
a settlement to the Cyprus problem”
3. Cavusoglu: “Our hope for a solution in Cyprus is
increased”
4. Talat: “Water issue is solved with the signing of the deal in
Ankara”
5. Ozersay argues that they could not postpone life in occupied
Cyprus because of the Cyprus negotiations
6. The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce announces the regime’s
competitiveness report
7. Self-styled minister of education said that he will give
permission for the establishment of a new university in occupied
Trikomo
8. Turkish government takes down oppositionist Zaman
paper
9. Turkish Parliament to discuss lifting HDP Deputies’ immunity
10. Turkish army kills 1,250 militants in
southeast
1. Akinci argues that there could be no solution without Turkey’s
guarantees
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (06.03.16) reported that the
Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci has argued that the Turkish Cypriot
“people” demand freedom, equality and security and added that they see their
security in Turkey’s guarantees. Addressing a meeting at the illegal Near
East University (“YDU”), Akinci claimed that the statement saying “we are
joining the EU, there is no need for other security” is not “satisfying the
hunger”.
Akinci said that the sides should not try to convince each other
on the security issue and alleged that the Greek Cypriots should not perceive as
threat the guarantee of the security of the Turkish Cypriots by Turkey.
“When we ask to feel secure, it is no need for our safety to be considered as a
reason for constituting a threat for the other side”, he argued and alleged that
the threat by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot “people” to the “other side” has
not been created without any reason in 1963 and 1974 and that the ‘dream of
enosis’ [Translator’s note: the unification with Greece] and the Akritas plan
lay behind any “undesirable development”. He further alleged that every
action by Turkey definitely had a reason, claiming that if the Greek junta had
not carried out a coup on 15 July 1974, Turkey would not have invaded the island
five days later.
Akinci expressed the view that conveying natural gas and Israeli
electricity to Europe through Turkey and cooperating in the use of the water
from Turkey in the entire island could create a new understanding and paradigm
on the security issues.
Akinci said that the issues of guarantees and security have not been
discussed in detail in the negotiations and added that these will be discussed
at a five-party conference in the very end with the participation of Turkey,
Greece, and the United Kingdom. He noted that until then they will determine
what will be guaranteed.
Akinci further said that the Turkish Cypriots, inspired by what
they lived and experienced, are searching for a common ground which could be
considered as reasonable and acceptable by both sides. “Of course we are
doing this in consultation with Turkey”, he added noting that as Turkish
Cypriots want their security and will continue wanting this until the end,
“because we are the side which is numerically fewer”.
Akinci also expressed the view that if a bi-zonal, bi-communal
agreement acceptable by both sides comes up, Turkey’s guarantees will continue
for the Turkish Cypriots in order for this agreement to be accepted and a
formula by which the Greek Cypriots will not perceive this as a threat could be
agreed.
(I/Ts.)
2. Akinci: “No one should expect us to put life on hold while
seeking a settlement to the Cyprus problem”
Illegal Bayrak television (05.03.16) broadcast that the Turkish
Cypriot leader
Mustafa Akinci stated that “no one should expect life in north Cyprus
to be put on hold while seeking a settlement to the Cyprus
problem”.
He was responding to an earlier statement by President Nicos
Anastasiadias that new investments in occupied Morfou would bring the end of the
current negotiations process. Akinci said that the Greek Cypriot leader’s latest
statement is untimely, adding that they have been made at a time when the
territory issue had not yet been discussed.
He said that if the Greek Cypriots were looking for someone to blame
then they should remember the 2004 referendum.
Akinci said there is an agreement with Anastasiades not to discuss
names, percentages, maps, security and the issue of guarantees until the end of
the current process: “This was a joint decision…this is something that had been
agreed upon by the two sides within the framework of the negotiations
process”.
Stating that it was not possible to accept negotiations on the
territory chapter to be held through the media, Akinci said that he would give
the same response to Anastasiadis at their next meeting should the Greek Cypriot
side bring up the issue again.
Pointing out that it was not his desire to enter a blame game but
that he had felt obligated to speak up on the issue; Akinci expressed the hope
that their interlocutors display the same sensitivity on such issues in the
future.
3. Cavusoglu: “Our hope for a solution in Cyprus is
increased”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (07.03.16) reports that
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, stated that they support a solution
that will guarantee the rights and the political equality of the two sides in
Cyprus at the on-going negotiations taking place at the time being.
He made these statements speaking at the Turkish Assembly during the
discussion for his Ministry’s budget for 2016.
Cavusoglu stated that their hope for a solution has increased. “The
negotiations are continuing, there are difficult issues but I believe that we
can get through this”, he stated.
(CS)
4. Talat: “Water issue is solved with the signing of the deal in
Ankara”
Illegal Bayrak television (05.03.16) broadcast that the leader of the
Republican Turkish Party (CHP) Mehmet Ali Talat said that they envisaged the
creation of an autonomous water board which will administer all water resources
in the breakaway regime as well as oversee the Turkish company or companies
which will be responsible for the management of the water from
Turkey.
Speaking during a tour to occupied Dikomo, the CTP leader said that
the water issue had been solved with the signing of the deal in Ankara earlier
this week.
Stating that there were other steps to be taken on the water issue
now, Talat said that an investment project and tender was needed to be prepared
and launched. Explaining that the water from Turkey will now start to be pumped
into municipalities’ water tanks, the CTP leader reminded that the water’s
management and control will be completely under the authority of the breakaway
regime.
5. Ozersay argues that they could not postpone life in occupied
Cyprus because of the Cyprus negotiations
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (07.03.16) reports that a
delegation from the People’s Party (HP) headed by HP’s chairman, Kudret Ozersay
visited occupied Prastio and Myrtou villages in Morfou area.
According to a statement issued by the party, Ozersay told the
inhabitants of the above-mentioned villages that the unemployment and migration,
which are experienced in the “west of the country”, have reached an unbearable
dimension. He alleged that while investments are necessary to overcome these
problems, the approach of “postponing the life” by showing as pretext the
negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem could not be a correct
approach.
Criticizing the approach of the Greek Cypriot leadership on this
issue, Ozersay alleged: “Life continues for the Greek Cypriot side in spite
of the negotiations. However, the leadership of the same community is trying to
say to us do not make investments in these areas while the negotiations are
continuing. What an insult, it is contrary to the nature of the negotiations to
consider that they currently have in their pocket a certain area of this
country”.
Ozersay argued that the past “administrations” of the regime had
indirectly supported this mentality, as they delayed investments and prevented
people from taking roots on these lands.
Referring to the plans of HP for this area, Ozersay said that they
are considering of implementing an action plan adding that planning is needed
for the university campus and other installations in the area to be restructured
for contributing in the economy. “We are preparing this”, he noted adding
that they do not accept the mentality that they should not invest on these lands
until a solution to the Cyprus problem is reached.
(I/Ts.)
6. The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce announces the regime’s
competitiveness report
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (07.03.16) writes that
according to a report prepared by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce for
the period 2015-2016 on the competitiveness of the breakaway regime’s
economy, the Turkish Cypriots are still ranked within the “undeveloped
countries”.
The Turkish Cypriot economy is at the 121st place out of
141 countries as regards its competitiveness which was 3,56 points during the
above-mentioned period. It is said that the occupied area of Cyprus could not catch up with
countries such as Laos, Gabon, Tanzania and Guyana, which have much lower GDP
comparing to the breakaway regime. During the past three periods the regime had
been at the 123rd, 118th and 114th place
respectively as regards its competitiveness.
According to the report, the reasons which negatively influence the
Turkish Cypriot economy are the low savings ratio, the high budget deficit, the
low growth of the GDP rate, the fluctuating inflation rate,
etc.
Meanwhile, Kibris also writes commending on the report, Cemal
Ozyigit, chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said that the data
showed that the economy is not going well. “The numbers are an indicator of
the fact that the community is getting poorer every day and the purchasing power
is decreasing”, he added.
(I/Ts.)
7. Self-styled minister of education said that he will give
permission for the establishment of a new university in occupied
Trikomo
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (05.03.16) reported that the
self-styled minister of education Kemal Durust stated that it was him who
granted the permission for the construction of the new university in occupied
Morfou.
Durust went on and added that they also want to give permission for
the construction of a new university in occupied Trikomo.
(CS)
8. Turkish government takes down oppositionist Zaman
paper
The internet site of the Turkish Today’s Zaman newspaper (04.03.16)
reported that an İstanbul court appointed trustees to take over the management
of the Feza Media Group, which includes Turkey’s biggest-selling newspaper, the
Zaman daily, as well as the Today’s Zaman daily and the Cihan news agency,
dealing a fresh blow to the already battered media freedom in
Turkey.
Turkish police fired tear gas and used water cannon on a crowd to
forcibly enter the country's top-selling newspaper on Friday after a court
ordered its confiscation.
The decision was issued by the İstanbul 6th Criminal Court of Peace
at the request of the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which claimed
that the media group acted upon orders from what it called the “Fethullahist
Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY),” praising the group
and helping it achieve its goals in its publications.
The prosecutor also claimed that the alleged terrorist group is
cooperating with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) organization to topple the
Turkish government and that high-level officials of the two groups have had
meetings abroad. The court decision means that the entire management and the
editorial board of Feza Media Group companies will be replaced by the
three-member board named by the court.
The takeover of Zaman comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the
government of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that he founded
intensified pressure on the Turkish media.
In addition, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (05.03.16) reported that
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated that his government played no
part in a court decision to appoint trustees to the Zaman media group. “Our
government has no bearing in this. The decisions judicial bodies have made will
be implemented,” told private broadcaster A Haber during a live broadcast on
March 6 about a ruling issued by an Istanbul court that ordered the placement of
the Feza Gazetecilik Media Group under the administration of a board of
trustees.
“I made remarks on this yesterday. It is completely a legal process.
No one should have hesitation about press freedom in Turkey,” he
said.
9. Turkish Parliament to discuss lifting HDP Deputies’ immunity
Ankara Anatolia news agency (06.03.16) reported that the Turkish
parliament is set to discuss lifting the immunities of some Peoples’ Democratic
Party (HDP) Deputies, including party co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen
Yuksekdag, after completion of budget discussions.
“We will evaluate all these [the summaries of proceedings] with our
Parliament speaker and, if need be, with representatives from other political
parties, after the budget [discussions],” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
said in an interview on A Haber.
Meanwhile, the Diyarbakir Chief Prosecutor’s Office drafted summaries
of proceedings for HDP co-chairs Demirtas and Yuksekdag along with HDP Deputies
Selma Irmak, Sirri Sureyya Onder and Ertugrul Kurkcu for their autonomy remarks
at a meeting Diyarbakir late December 2015 and sent them to the Justice
Ministry. The ministry later sent them to the Prime Ministry.
Demirtas alone is the subject to some 60 dossiers in Parliament
calling for the lifting of his immunity, including some related to his calls for
street protests, but as yet there have been no moves in the assembly to open the
way for his prosecution.
10. Turkish army kills 1,250 militants in
southeast
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (07.03.16) reports that Turkey’s military
has killed at least 1,250 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) so far during counter-terrorism operations in the country’s southeast,
according to numbers compiled from data provided by security
sources.
There have been scores of security force causalities during
counter-terrorism operations in the country’s southeast, as
well.
“We lost 219 of our security forces killed between July 20, 2015, and
March 2, 2016,” Turkish Defense Minister İsmet Yilmaz said during a
parliamentary session late March 5 when asked to comment on casualties of
Turkish security personnel since the collapse of peace talks between the
government and the outlawed group in late July.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS/AM)
