TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
92/16
19.05.2016
1.
Burcu: Akinci was not invited to the UN Humanitarian Summit to be held in
Istanbul
2.
Akinci asked for investigation regarding YODAK
accusations
3.
Ozgurgun announced that the “economic protocol” will be signed in a few days in
Turkey
4.
Cavusoglu called on the OIC’s member states to undertake concrete steps towards
the lifting of the so-called isolation against the Turkish
Cypriots
5.
Ataoglu: “Our goal is to bring 200,000 tourists to the TRNC this
year”
6.
Milliyet: The cost of the solution in Cyprus is 23 billion
euro
7.
CTP’s constitutional conference to be held on Sunday
8.
The Pakistan Engineering Council accredited the “civil engineering department”
of “LAU”
9.
Israel’s top diplomat to attend UN humanitarian summit in
Turkey
10.
Commentary: “Commission suggests marrying a child to her
rapist”
1.
Burcu: Akinci was not invited to the UN Humanitarian Summit to be held in
Istanbul
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (19.05.16) reports that Baris Burcu, the
spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci speaking to Genc TV
yesterday said that Akinci was not invited to the UN Humanitarian Summit to be
held between 23-24 of May in Istanbul.
Burcu
said that Akinci has not received such an invitation yet and added that in case
Akinci is indeed invited, the issue will be evaluated.
The
paper notes that President Anastasiades and the Greek Prime Minister Tsipras
will participate in the meeting adding that the latter will also meet with the
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Summit.
(CS)
2.
Akinci asked for investigation regarding YODAK
accusations
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (19.05.16) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci asked for the intervention of the “ombudsman”, the
“Turkish Cypriot lawyers association” and the “attorney generalship” on the
scandals related to YODAK (Higher Education Control and Accreditation
Council).
YODAK
is facing various accusations for corruption and money
laundering.
(CS)
3.
Ozgurgun announced that the “economic protocol” will be signed in a few days
in Turkey
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 18.05.16), self-styled prime minister
Huseyin Ozgurgun has announced that the “economic and financial protocol”
will be signed with Turkey in a few days.
Speaking
at a dinner organized by the National Unity Party’s (UBP), Ozgurgun said that a
number of financial obstacles will be removed once the protocol is signed.
Pointing out that the UBP had wished it had come to power through “elections”,
Ozgurgun said that this had not been possible because of the two “coalition
governments” the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) had set up. “We were unable to
overcome our differences despite the support we gave during our term in the
CTP-UBP coalition. We only managed to come to office three years later with a
coalition with the Democratic Party”, he added.
Stating
that the UBP’s goal is to win a majority in “parliament” in the upcoming
“elections”, Ozgurgun said: “There can be no obstacles ahead of us, no project
we cannot produce if we are strong. The water transfer project which has the
UBP’s signature under it is a good example of this”. He also announced that
water will be running from household taps as of the 1st of
August.
4.
Cavusoglu called on the OIC’s member states to undertake concrete steps
towards the lifting of the so-called isolation against the Turkish
Cypriots
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.05.16) reports that the self-styled
minister of agriculture and natural resources Nazim Cavusolglu, delivering a
speech at the 3rd meeting of the Council of Ministries Responsible
for Water issues of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which
took place in Turkey, called on the member states of the OIC to undertake
concrete steps towards the lifting of the so-called isolations against the
Turkish Cypriots and also to cooperate on the water issue.
Presenting
to the OIC member states the water transferred project, Cavusoglu claimed that
the “project of the century” as it is called, “is an important example of
inter-state cooperation”.
Explaining
that half of the water transferred from Turkey will be used for potable purposes
and the other half for agriculture purposes, Cavusoglu said that the water will
increase on the one hand the quality of life in the “country” and on the other
hand the competitiveness of their products and their potentials on agriculture
production.
“This
situation will increase the trade potentials of the Turkish Cypriots with the
OIC countries”, Cavusoglu argued.
Referring
to the Cyprus problem, Cavusoglu evaluated as the last chance the ongoing Cyprus
negotiation process
which is carried out by the two leaders in Cyprus on the basis of the Joint
Declaration Agreement of the 11th February 2014 signed by the two
leaders. He explained that the aim of the current negotiation talks is to
reach to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution composed by two founding
states and based on the political equality of the two sides in Cyprus.
Cavusoglu
expressed also the view that a concrete support by the “OIC countries” to the
“Turkish Cypriot state” will motivate the Greek Cypriot side towards the
solution.
(AK)
5.
Ataoglu: “Our goal is to bring 200,000 tourists to the TRNC this
year”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (19.05.16) under the front-page title: “North
Cyprus will become a brand name” reports on statements by the so-called minister
of tourism and environment Fikri Ataoglu, who spoke exclusively to the paper
about their policies on the tourism sector.
Ataoglu,
stated, inter alia, that among their priorities is the “branding of north
Cyprus” via providing high quality vacation packages to tourists. He added that
they give high importance to the establishment of a “tourist organization”.
Regarding
the number of tourists visiting the occupation regime, Ataoglu alleged that this
number will be increased compared to the previous year and said that their goal
is to bring 200 thousand tourists to the “country” with charter flights. He
underlined also that they have made preparations in order to open new
destinations.
Supporting
that due to the negative developments in the Middle East and Turkey, tourists
will not prefer to go to Turkey, or “south Cyprus” due to the risk that exist,
Ataoglu claimed that this would have a positive effect for them. “We are
expecting an increase on the number of tourists due to the fact that our country
is a secure place and due to the re-launching of Corendon’s flights and the
flights to and from Diyarbakir”, Ataoglu claimed.
Ataoglu
also said that they feel that the “state” will contribute and provide support
for the tourism sector’s development. He said that the implementation of new
strategies on tourism and the efforts exerted so for the development of the
“health tourism” as another alternative, will also contribute a
lot.
Referring
to the charter flights, Ataoglu said that they aim to increase the number of
their destinations. Stating that until so far charter flights are taking place
from Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Denmark, Poland, Slovenia, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Iran, the Netherlands, Finland, the UK, Germany, Estonia,
Latvia and France, Ataoglu said that the “ministry” carries out contacts with
several tourist operators after their demand to carry out flights to new
destinations.
Ataoglu
stated also that among their priorities is to provide financial and technical
support to the three and four star hotels in the “country” which are half-booked
every year in order to gain more tourists.
(AK)
6.
Milliyet: The cost of the solution in Cyprus is 23 billion
euro
Turkish
daily Milliyet newspaper’s (19.05.16) correspondent in the occupied area of
Cyprus, Sefa Karahasan reports that the cost of the solution in Cyprus will
be 23 billion euro, according to a study carried out by World Bank’s experts
regarding the compensations on the property issue. It is noted that after
the territorial adjustments this number might be decreased. It is also said
that the Turkish side will experience economic difficulties after the
solution, but later these difficulties will be overcome and the situation will
be improved.
The
report was discussed during the US Assistant of State Victoria Nuland’s recent
visit to the island. Nuland has reportedly given assurances that “whatever
the number is, a big part of it will be paid by the EU”. The Cypriot
leaders, on the other hand, gave the message that the solution will be difficult
in case the money for the compensations cannot be secured.
The
paper adds the following:
“The
USA, which thinks that the negotiations in Cyprus should not be interrupted, did
not give permission for the Greek Cypriots conducting a new drilling in the
Mediterranean. Washington warned the Greek Cypriot administration
saying ‘do not conduct a new drilling by the end of 2016’. To the Greek
Cypriot view saying ‘what if the companies want to carry out a drilling’, the
USA threatened saying ‘we will interfere and we will stop these companies’.
Moreover, the USA suggested to Akinci and Anastasiades the creation of a
‘National Sovereign Fund’. The money accumulated in the fund will be an
assurance for the financing which will be taken for the compensations and the
debts.
It
was revealed that the USA is behind the recent statements in the Greek Cypriot
side that ‘if Turkey does not erase the debts of the Turkish Cypriots, there
will be no solution’. It was made known that the US diplomat Victoria Nuland
told the Greek Cypriot administration leader Anastasiades that she ‘expects
Turkey to erase the dents of the Turkish Cypriots’. During her meeting with the
Greek Cypriot leader Nuland said ‘I expect Turkey to erase the past debts of
the Turkish Cypriots after the solution and provide financial aid to the
solution’. Akinci, who during his meeting with Nuland conveyed the
message that ‘I cannot speak on Turkey’s behalf’, also explained that
their expectation is for Turkey to erase the debts”.
(I/Ts.)
7.
CTP’s constitutional conference to be held on
Sunday
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (19.05.16) reports that the Republican
Turkish Party (CTP) will hold its constitutional conference on Sunday, May 22.
The
conference which is taking place under the slogan “Even more democracy” will
make fundamental changes in its constitution, including the adoption of 40%
quota for women representatives.
(CS)
8.
The Pakistan Engineering Council accredited the “civil engineering
department” of “LAU”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Haberal Kibrisli newspaper (19.05.16) reports that the “civil
engineering department” of the illegal European University of Lefka (“LAU”) was
accredited by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), after carrying out an
inspection between 11-13 of May.
The
paper reports that during the visit PEC extended also the accreditation of the
“department of computer engineering” and “electrical and electronics engineering
department”, which was given earlier.
(DPs)
9.
Israel’s top diplomat to attend UN humanitarian summit in
Turkey
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News newspaper (online, 19.05.16) reports that Dore
Gold, the director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, will represent his
country at next week’s UN Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, amid expectations
that normalization between the two long-estranged countries will have to wait
until the next Turkish government stabilizes.
Gold
will arrive in Istanbul on May 23, the first day of the two-day long summit, the
United Nations’ first-ever world humanitarian summit, a senior Israeli diplomat
told the Hurriyet Daily News on May 18.
Gold
is not expected to proceed to Ankara, said the Israeli diplomat, speaking on
condition of anonymity. “There
are no plans to hold a meeting on the issue of normalization of relations on the
occasion of the World Humanitarian summit,” Turkish diplomatic sources, speaking
on condition of anonymity, told the paper.
Meanwhile,
the Israeli Embassy in Ankara marked the 68th Independence Day of the State of
Israel with a reception hosted on the evening of May 17.
Delivering
a speech at the reception, the Embassy’s Chargé d’ Affaires, Amira Oron,
underlined that Turkey and Israel made “a very positive progress in upgrading
their relations” last year.
“Over the last 68 years, the State of Israel invested considerable efforts to
develop peaceful relations with countries across the globe, one of which is
Turkey, to which we attach great importance. Turkey was the first Muslim
country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in November 1949,” Oron
said.
10.
Commentary: “Commission suggests marrying a child to her
rapist”
Columnist
Ayse Arman,
writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News newspaper (online, 19.05.16), with
the above title, comments on a report published by the Parliamentary
Commission on Divorce, publicly known as the Divorce Commission, which was
formed on January 14. Arman describes the report as pathetic, disastrous and
disgusting in her following commentary:
“(…)
It is the official version of seizing the rights of women and children. It is a
new form of misogyny and hatred for women.
Do
you know what kind of absurdities it contains? It encourages children to
marry their rapists or those who have abused them. They are encouraging child
marriages. I am writing the sentence again. They are encouraging child
marriages, a feudal institution that people and women who have a functioning
mind have been trying to prevent for years.
Supposedly,
as if to be supportive of women, they are trying to introduce the practice of
castration for rapists. There may be some who agree with this but there should
not be. In my opinion, it is nothing but responding to violence with violence.
Is
that finished here? No, it is not.
Let’s
continue: When battered women file for divorce, they suggest mediation and
conciliation. In other words, the married woman will be beaten, but the mediator
will say, “Let it go; he is your husband. So what if he beats you? Do not wreck
your family. Your family is more important than you.” The woman is expected to
lower her head and continue to be battered.
There
is an attempt to prevent women who are victims of violence from calling the
police during work hours. The reason is that women will be discouraged from
filing a complaint. They will continue being battered before succumbing and
saying, “This is my destiny,” and accept this torment.
This
is officially a suggestion to discourage women from asking for justice for the
violence they are subjected to.
It
is not yet over.
When
it is family law in question, they want all the hearings to be secret. When it
is a secret hearing, nobody is allowed; naturally, the press is not allowed in
either. Nobody should hear about violence against women, know about it or write
about it.
They
want to make divorce more difficult. They want the alimony rights of women to be
restricted by time.
Let
me draw your attention to the fact that all of these are articles against women.
They want to restrict the term of litigation. They are trying to avoid giving
the 50% share of the women’s marital property in the case of the death of her
husband. And they also want to base the psychological guidance and counselling
services on religious foundations.
They
are trying to remove the rights of women that have been
earned.
The
head of the Turkish Federation of Women’s Associations (TKDF), Canan Gullu,
evaluated the report, saying, ‘Child abuse and incest are abundant in this
country, but they are trying to prevent divorces, which had a rate of 1.69% last
year because this is their mentality’.
Gullu
said: ‘Even though it is banned by the Istanbul Convention, the practice of
mediation, seizure of shared property rights, granting counselling licenses to
graduates of the theology faculty… There are clauses that are impossible to be
accepted in a secular country’.
She
went on, ‘Marrying a person to her rapist and observing them for five years…
This last article alone is nauseating. They are considering putting you in the
same bed together with the person who raped you and then observing you for five
years. This mentality is not the thought of contemporary
Turkey’.”
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