TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
134/16
17-18.07.2016
1.
Ankara insists on Gülen's extradition from the US after failed coup
attempt
2.
Erdogan: The Turkish government will discuss reintroduction of death penalty
with opposition
3.
Greece begins extradition of Turkish coup soldiers
4.
6,000 alleged coup plotters arrested across Turkey
5.
Cavusoglu spoke to 34 counterparts since coup attempt
6.
Akinci on the coup attempt in Turkey: Its failure caused great satisfaction
within the Turkish Cypriots
7.
Ozgurgun due to Turkey to meet with Yildirim; Ozgurgun condemned the military
coup
8.
All political party leaders and trade unions condemned the military coup attempt
in Turkey
9.
Four Turkish Cypriot students were taken into custody after the failure of the
coup in Turkey
10.
The occupation regime decided to simplify the “celebrations” for the Turkish
invasion in Cyprus
11.
Erdogan and Putin agreed to a face-to-face meeting next
month
12.
Turkish Cypriot columnist: Those who believed that the army in Turkey had been
under civilian power’s orders were mistaken
13.
Columnist Murat Yetkin wonders who and why now attempted a coup d’edat in
Turkey
14.
The German Embassy to Nicosia to host a cocktail for the first time in the
occupied area of Cyprus
1.
Ankara insists on Gülen's extradition from the US after failed coup
attempt
According
to Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (online, 18.07.16), Ankara is determined to
extradite Fethullah Gülen from the US after the failed coup attempt on Friday
that led hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets in support
of the democratically elected government. Ankara argues that the coup bid was
organized by followers of the US-based, retired imam. It has persistently
demanded his extradition from the U.S. since he was accused of a long-standing
campaign to overthrow the government through supporters within the state,
particularly the military, police and judiciary, and this coup attempt, which
cost the lives of 161 people, mostly civilians, and wounded almost 1,500 people.
However, the U.S. has been insistent in following US policy concerning
Gülen's extradition, despite several activities by his movement that are being
investigated by U.S. authorities.
Speaking
at the funeral of Professor İlhan Varank on Sunday, the brother of President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's chief advisor Mustafa Varank, Erdogan said that Turkey
will send a written request to the US and the EU to extradite fugitive Gülenists
who are on the run. He said that the FETÖ (the Fetullah Terrorist
Organization) spread like a cancer within the state and assured that Gülenists
will be removed from every position including the military and
judiciary.
Also
addressing a crowd late Saturday, he urged US President Barack Obama to
extradite "terrorist leader and coup plotter" Gülen to Turkey. "I hereby call
on US President Obama to extradite that person living on a 400-acre compound in
Pennsylvania," he added.
Regarding
the extradition issue, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke with US
Secretary of State John Kerry by phone Saturday about the judicial process for
Gülen's extradition. Earlier on Saturday, Kerry said the United States will
help Turkey investigate the failed coup and invited Ankara to share the evidence
it has against Gülen.
Speaking
in Luxembourg, Kerry said Washington had not yet received a formal extradition
request for Gülen, and added: "We fully anticipate that there will be questions
raised about Mr Gülen."
Meanwhile,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 16.07.16), under the title “Turkey-US
ties face another test over Gülen after coup attempt”, reported that the
foiled coup attempt will likely introduce yet another source of tension between
Ankara and Washington, as the former named U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah
Gülen as the mastermind of the mutiny, with calls to its key ally for his
extradition.
As
usual it was President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who appeared as the most outspoken
in making the call to the U.S., in a statement on July 16.
(…)
“I
do not see any country that would stand behind this man, this leader of the
terrorist gang, especially after last night. A country that would stand
behind this man is no friend to Turkey. It would even be a hostile act against
Turkey,” Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım told reporters on July
16.
Both
Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry announced in the early hours of the coup
attempt that the U.S. supported Turkey’s democratically-elected government,
making clear they were standing with the Turkish
government.
The
critical tone in Ankara against the U.S. reached another dimension on late July
16, as Labour Minister Süleyman Soylu openly accused Washington of being behind
the coup attempt.
“America
is behind the coup. Some magazines published there were involved [in staging the
coup] for the last couple of months,” Soylu told private broadcaster Habertürk,
without specifying what publications these were. Apart from being a member of
the government, Soylu is also known as a close associate of Erdoğan.
A
phone conversation between Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Kerry also took
place, most likely after Soylu made his statement, as Kerry raised the issue
during the talk.
The
Justice Ministry has long been working on a dossier on Gülen to send to the U.S.
and there were reports last week that it was fully prepared and ready to be
dispatched to Washington through diplomatic channels.
Justice
Minister Bekir Bozdağ, however, stressed on July 17 that the dossier would be
updated with the coup attempt organized by the Gülenist group before being sent
to Washington for his extradition. “I am not of the opinion that the U.S. will
continue to harbour a person who acts against Turkey any longer after this
point,” Bozdağ said. “That would cause huge harm to its
credibility.”
2.
Erdogan: The Turkish government will discuss reintroduction of death penalty
with opposition
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 17.07.16), President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
has vowed that the government will discuss with the opposition reintroducing the
death penalty in Turkey, following the failed military coup attempt of July
15.
“Our
government will discuss [the death penalty] with the opposition. My brothers, we
know and hear your demand both as the government and the state”, Erdogan said,
addressing a crowd gathered in front of his residence in Istanbul on July
17.
Speaking
earlier on private broadcaster CNN Türk, Deputy Prime Minister Numan
Kurtulmuş said that politics could “not remain insensitive to social
sensitivities”, adding that there is a “shared demand” on the issue of the
death penalty following the failed coup.
3.
Greece begins extradition of Turkish coup
soldiers
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.07.16), Greece initiated extradition
procedures against eight Turkish military officers who fled in a helicopter
following a failed coup attempt, the Turkish Prime Ministry said
Sunday.
Greek
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim late
Sunday, confirming that the extradition process had begun, the Ministry said in
a statement.
Tsipras
congratulated the Turkish citizens and their government on efforts to render the
attempted coup unsuccessful, acknowledging the "importance for the whole region
of maintaining the constitutional democratic regime and stability in Turkey".
The Greek Prime Minister also reiterated the support of his government and
people, the statement said.
Yildirim
thanked Tsipras for the sensitivity and support of the Greek government in the
process.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that in a telephone conversation with
Tsipras the previous night, the Greek leader told him that the Turkish officers
would be returned within 10 to 15 days.
The
Black Hawk helicopter used in the attempted escape was returned Saturday to
Turkey.
4.
6,000 alleged coup plotters arrested across Turkey
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.07.16), at least 6,000 people have been
arrested across Turkey over alleged ties to Friday’s coup attempt, Justice
Minister Bekir Bozdag said Sunday.
The
government previously said around 3,000 military personnel had been arrested and
last night a senior prosecutor ordered the arrest of nearly 2,750 judges accused
of links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization alleged to be behind the
coup.
“The
legal process will continue,” Bozdag said on state-run broadcaster TRT. “This
will be the most extensive case ever seen in Turkey’s history”. He
promised that those involved in the failed coup would “pay the
price”.
Bozdag
repeated President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for the U.S. to extradite Gulen.
“Protecting [Gulen] will weaken the U.S.’s position and damage its reputation,”
he said. “I presume the U.S. will not back someone who carried out these acts
against Turkey.”
Suspects
are being charged with “membership to an armed terrorist organization” and
“attempting to overthrow the government of the Turkish Republic using force and
violence or attempting to completely or partially hinder its function.”
Moreover,
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 18.07.16) reports that the Ankara
Governor's Office also announced on July 17 that 149 police personnel were
suspended from their duties for having links to the coup
attempt.
The
arrest warrants target two members of the Constitutional Court, Alparslan Altan
and Erdal Tercan, 48 members of the Council of State, and 140 members of the
Supreme Court of Appeals.
The
detention of 2,745 judicial and administrative judges and prosecutors was
ordered after they were suspended from duty by the Supreme Council of Judges and
Prosecutors (HSYK) early on June 16.
Many
commanders have also been detained and some of them were later
arrested.
Among
the most significant names detained was the chief military assistant to Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Col. Ali Yazıcı; the commander of the 2nd Army,
Gen. Adem Huduti; the executive officer and Malatya Garrison Commander Avni
Angun; and the commander of the 3rd Army, Gen. Erdal
Öztürk.
Air
Forces Commander Akın Öztürk was also detained on suspicion of masterminding the
coup attempt, according to multiple reports.
In
addition, Adana İncirlik 10th Adana Tanker Base Commander Gen. Bekir Ercan was
among those detained.
The
jets that hit Ankara were reportedly supported by Turkish tanker aircrafts based
at the İncirlik Air Base, which is also being used by the U.S.-led coalition in
the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL).
Police
also detained eight Air Force generals suspected of being appointed to the top
“coup command posts” if the failed attempt had succeeded, at Istanbul’s Sabiha
Gökçen Airport late on July 16.
Also,
in the Aegean province of İzmir, Aegean Army Deputy Commander Brig. Mamduh
Hakbilken and Foça Marine Amphibious Force Brigadier Commander Commodore Halil
İbrahim Yıldız were among those detained.
5.
Cavusoglu spoke to 34 counterparts since coup attempt
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.07.16), since the defeat of Friday’s failed
coup, Turkey’s Foreign Minister has carried out intensive telephone diplomacy
with dozens of top diplomats from around the world, including his counterparts,
as well as leaders from powerful international blocs and
organizations.
Diplomatic
sources said that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has spoken with 34 of his
counterparts, including Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev and
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
Cavusoglu
also received telephone calls from the EU’s High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy, the US Secretary of State, and the Foreign
Ministers of Germany, Britain, France, Greece, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,
Ukraine, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Canada, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia,
Morocco, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Libya, Lebanon, Hungary,
Macedonia, Malta, Rwanda, Jordan, Yemen, New Zealand, Qatar, and the United Arab
Emirates.
Turkey’s
top diplomat also spoke to the heads of NATO, the Council of Europe, and the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
All
the senior officials told Cavusoglu that they support Turkish democracy, its
elected government, and its institutions. They expressed their solidarity with
Turkey and restated that coup attempts are
unacceptable.
For
his part, Cavusoglu thanked the officials for standing with the Turkish people
and government. Sources said that Cavusoglu would continue to conduct intensive
telephone diplomacy.
6.
Akinci on the coup attempt in Turkey: Its failure caused great satisfaction
within the Turkish Cypriots
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.07.16) reported that Turkish Cypriot
leader Mustafa Akinci has said that the failure of the coup attempt in Turkey
caused great satisfaction within the Turkish Cypriots, adding that the
incidents once more showed very clearly how important freedom, democracy and the
human rights are.
In
a second written statement issued on Saturday on the developments in Turkey,
Akinci noted that they were saddened about the loss of lives during the coup,
arguing that attempting to obtain by the use of armed force the institutions
formed with people’s will is a result of “an old and outdated mentality which
has no place in the modern time”.
Akinci
expressed the view that the solidarity and determination exhibited by the
Turkish people, media and political parties against the coup showed that the
“dark coups era in Turkey belongs to the past”.
Akinci
underlined the vital importance for the Turkish Cypriots of Turkey’s development
as a modern, democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law.
“Turkey’s stability and tranquillity in democracy is a big necessity for the
entire region”, he argued.
(I/Ts.)
7.
Ozgurgun due to Turkey to meet with Yildirim; Ozgurgun condemned the military
coup
Turkish
Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (18.07.16) reports that so-called prime
minister Huseyin Ozgurgun held a telephone conversation with his Turkish
“counterpart” Binali Yildirim with whom they evaluated the recent developments
in Turkey after the military coup attempt in Turkey. Both have agreed that it
was an attempt to abolish the democracy in Turkey.
Also,
Ozgurgun and Yildirim have decided to meet in Ankara on July
26.
Also,
issuing a written statement on behalf of the “government” about the military
coup attempt in Turkey, Ozgurgun condemned strongly the military coup attempt
which took place on Friday night and argued that the Turkish nation, flag and
the national will had proved once again to the international community that they
will not permit a gateway to the rebels”.
(…)Ozgurgun
also underlined the fact that Turkey is a democratic, modern state governed by
the rule of law.
(AK)
8.
All political party leaders and trade unions condemned the military coup
attempt in Turkey
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (18.07.16) reports that all political
party leaders, the “speaker” of the so-callled assembly and representatives of
several NGO’s, trade unions and organizations condemned in separate written
statements the military coup attempt in Turkey.
Issuing
a written statement on the issue, the “speaker” of the so-called assembly
Sibel Siber condemned strongly the coup attempt in Turkey and said that those
who carried out the military coup are anti-democratic units who do not respect
the people’s political will and who aimed to harm the democratic values, human
rights and the state of the rule of law.
Sibel
held also a phone conversation with the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Ismail
Kahraman to whom she expressed their condolences.
Also,
in a separate statement, the leader of the Democratic Party (DP) Serdar
Denktas pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot people’s prosperity and welfare can
be achieved only with a strong and stable Turkish Republic.
“We
feel pleased from the fact that democracy in Turkey continue to exist”, Denktas
said, expressing also his condolences to the families of the people who died
during the coup.
Moreover,
the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in a separate statement underlines that
any attempt to seize power with force and with illegal method is “unacceptable”.
Expressing
deep sorrow over the loss of lives during the military coup attempt in Turkey,
the CTP welcomed all opposition parties’ common stance in Turkey over the coup
attempt and expressed hope that democracy will prevail in Turkey.
At
the same time, the Social Democracy Party (TDP) leader Cemal Ozyigit
described the military coup attempt in Turkey as worrisome.
Ozyigit
underlined that no military regime under any circumstances can be considered as
an alternative for coming to power. Condemning strongly the military coup
attempt in Turkey, Ozyigit stressed the need for democracy, peace, justice and
freedom to prevail in Turkey.
Moreover,
Izzet Izcan, leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) condemned the military
coup and said that as BKP they are strongly opposed to the military coups.
Supporting that the after the military coup Erdogan’s power will be strengthened
even more, Izcan said that the result of the military coup attempt is the
weakening of the democracy in Turkey. He also supported that the coup attempt
will give an advantage to Erdogan over the Presidential system and argued that
Erdogan and the AKP will try to utilize these developments in order to lead the
country to early elections. “What Turkey need is neither monarchy nor coup
attempts. Turkey needs a modern state of the rule of law and a multi-party
parliamentary system that will prevail democracy and implement the
Constitution”, added Izcan.
Also,
the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) in
separate written statements, condemned strongly the terrorist attacks and the
coup attempt in Turkey and called the Turkish President, the Prime Minister and
all the political parties represented in the Turkish National Assembly to join
their forces and resist to protect the democratic values in Turkey.
The
KSP underlined also in its statement that the incidents occurred in Turkey
cannot be considered only as an internal problem of Turkey but it is a problem
deriving from the global economic crisis. The KSP warned that more disasters are
expecting Turkey in the future.
Also,
several trade unions in the occupied area of Cyprus as well as other
“organizations” condemned strongly the coup attempt in Turkey expressing their
solidarity to the Turkish government and the Turkish nation.
(…)
(AK)
9.
Four Turkish Cypriot students were taken into custody after the failure of
the coup in Turkey
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.07.16) reported that four Turkish
Cypriot young students of the Military Lyceum of Istanbul’s Cengenkoy were
included in the 80 students who have been taken into custody within the
framework of an operation after the failure of the coup attempt in Turkey.
The students have reportedly participated in the coup attempt considering that
it was a manoeuvre.
The
self-styled presidency of the regime and the so-called security forces command
have undertaken an initiative for the release of the four young Turkish
Cypriots. The “representation office” of the regime in Istanbul reached the
students and found out that they are well and innocent. It is said that the
four Turkish Cypriots will be released after the procedure is over.
(I/Ts.)
10.
The occupation regime decided to simplify the “celebrations” for the Turkish
invasion in Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (18.07.16) reports that due to the
military coup attempt in Turkey, the “celebrations” on the occasion of the
Turkish invasion in Cyprus on July 20 will be simplified.
According
to the paper, several receptions and concerts were cancelled while as it was
made known, there will not be any representation by Turkey on a highest level.
Also,
in a meeting last week headed by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, it
has been decided that the “celebrations events” on the occasion of the July 20
will take place as of this year and from now on with no tanks, F16 airplanes and
heavy military vehicles.
On
the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (18.07.16)
under the front page title: “Minimize on the 20th of July
celebrations”, reports that Akinci held a meeting with the “commanders” of the
so-called Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Command (KTBK) where they decided to
reduce to the minimum the “20th of July celebrations”.
In
this framework, the traditional and already planned for the July 20th
acrobatic show of the Turkish acrobatic airplanes known as “Turkish Stars” has
been postponed.
(AK)
11.
Erdogan and Putin agreed to a face-to-face meeting next
month
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (17.07.16), Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has arranged to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin within
weeks, Turkish presidential sources said Sunday.
The
agreement came in a telephone call from Putin in which he gave his support to
Turkey following Friday’s attempted coup.
According
to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Russian President said
that he stood by Turkey’s elected government and offered his condolences to the
victims of the failed coup.
The
leaders will meet in the first week of August, the source added. The meeting
will be the first face-to-face meeting between Erdogan and Putin since the
Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian jet over the Turkey-Syria border last
November.
12.
Turkish Cypriot columnist: Those who believed that the army in Turkey had
been under civilian power’s orders were mistaken
Under
the title “It must be an opportunity for democracy”, columnist Basaran
Duzgun reports in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (17.07.16) that
those who believed that “no coup could happen in Turkey any more” and that
the army had been under civilian powers’ orders were mistaken. Noting that
Turkey’s name has again been included in the list of the undeveloped
countries, the columnist argues that the price which Turkey will pay for
this bloody coup attempt will be very heavy.
“Even
in the very beginning many countries, including America, Russia and Britain,
have prohibited the journeys to Turkey”, notes Duzgun adding that the cruise
ships which have been carrying tens of thousands of tourists to Turkey are now
heading to Greece and probably no one will want to visit Turkey this summer
season. “An economy which stands still with the foreign investments will go
down”, argues the columnist wondering which investor comes to a country where
coups happen.
Duzgun
adds the following: “These are the economic parts of the issue. It also has a
political aspect which is the one we should actually look at. Democracy in
Turkey is experiencing serious problems for some period. AK Party’s and
Erdogan’s full dominance has been turned into a significant source of
tension. The intolerance to the opposition and the opposite views,
throwing journalists in prison with unsatisfactory pretexts and Erdogan’s
insistence to pass to the presidential system in spite of his full dominance are
important points of tension.
On
the other hand, images which remind of civil war in the east, the fight
to death with the Fethullah Gulen Community in the west, which is said to have
planned the coup attempt of last Friday night, the bloody coup attempt which
followed all these, people going out into the streets, lying under the tanks and
opposing to the coup are important of course.
However,
do you know what is more important?
It is to canalize these to the reconstruction of democracy. Let us hope
that this support by the people is used for constructing a modern democracy and
not for strengthening the one man’s rule […] otherwise things will be difficult
for all of us”.
(I/Ts.)
13.
Columnist Murat Yetkin wonders who and why now attempted a coup d’edat in
Turkey
Columnist
Murat Yetkin, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News newspaper (online,
18.07.16), under the title “Who did it? Why now? And other questions about the
coup attempt in Turkey”, publishes the following
commentary:
“The
failed military coup attempt in Turkey started on the evening of July 15,
leaving more than 200 killed, nearly 3,000 soldiers and almost as many judges
and prosecutors detained, and plenty of embarrassment for Turkey for being the
centre of talk about a military coup, (even if it failed and there remain a lot
of questions about it).
Here
are a few of those questions, as well as possible answers:
1)
Who did it? President Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and
many politicians from different parties were pretty quick to say that Fethullah
Gülen, the Islamist ideologue living in the U.S., was the mastermind of the
failed coup attack. The government calls Gülen members in the state the
“parallel structure organization within the state.” The military sources, who
are among the majority who stood against the junta, claim that some of them were
known or suspected sympathizers of Gülen. Reliable sources say “don’t bet on the
probability that he is not involved”, despite the fact that no direct link has
been proven so far (though it is early), and despite Gülen denying the
accusations.
2)
Why now? There are a few scenarios that are not very convincing. But
the one about the Supreme Military Council’s (YAŞ) meetings about retirements
and promotions, expected to take place at the end of July, might have a
point. Reliable sources talking to Hürriyet Daily News claimed that after
understanding there would be a purge against “parallel state” members within the
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), followers of Gülen decided to make this move as a
“last chance” to take the state apparatus under control.
3)
Were other groups involved along with, potentially, Gülen’s followers?
This possibility is now being looked into by both government inspectors and the
in-house inspection of the military. There is a suspicion that some officers
were approached by the group to take part and agreed out of their dislike of
Erdogan.
4)
Was this a blow to the military’s credibility? Yes it was. The image of
the military as the most trusted institution in Turkey, acting within its
disciplined chain of command as the guardian of the country and the republic,
did not stand up this time. It is understood that there was a well and secretly
organized group with political aims that reached into the upper echelons of the
military, as well as penetrating the lower levels. The fact that his private
secretary, a colonel who took Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar hostage,
and the body guards of Air Force commander Abidin Ünal, who kidnapped him on
behalf of the plotters, are traumatic for the military, the government and the
people. The military is likely to undergo now under a significant
restructuring after the failed coup plot.
5)
Will the failed coup affect Turkey’s foreign and security policy? It is not
likely to affect Turkey’s foreign policy as long as NATO commitments are
fulfilled, but it may negatively affect the country’s security situation.
There are reports that some important Turkish anti-terrorism experts were killed
by the plotters in their raid on the Police Special Forces facilities in Gölbaşı
near Ankara, as well as elsewhere. That might also affect Turkey’s struggle
against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). There was also an attack on the National
Intelligence Agency (MİT) headquarters, though there have been no reports of
causalities there yet.
Among
those detained are 2nd Army Commander Gen. Adem Huduti, who was in charge of
security along the Syria and Iraq borders, Lt. Gen. Erdal Özturk of the 3rd
Corps in Istanbul, which is also the NATO contingency force, and the commander
of the strategic İncirlik Air Base used in the fight against ISIL in Syria by
the U.S.-led coalition.
6)
Was there an intelligence failure? Very likely. Deputy Foreign Minister Numan
Kurtulmuş said on CNN Türk on July 17 that they had heard nothing about such an
organization in advance and, had they known, they could have taken
precautions. That also puts both the police force under the Interior
Ministry and the MİT face-to-face with hard questions, as well as the military’s
own counter-intelligence.
7)
Was it a scenario constructed by Erdoğan? This is a claim spread on
social media as the coup attempt started to fail in the early hours of July 16.
It is a claim that found some support among some of the staunchest opponents
of Erdoğan who just want to see him gone, even if by anti-democratic means.
The claim has a lot missing without considering the huge risks associated with
such an operation, such as the possibility of military officers changing sides
along the way. One of Erdoğan’s closest aides, his PR and election campaign
advisor Erol Olçak, and his 16-year-old son were killed in the front line of
protesters. What’s more, Erdogan certainly would not like to see his authority,
especially in the military where he is proud of being the commander-in-chief,
denied.
8)
Will it change the political balances? Most likely. Erdoğan’s popularity has
increased, which might help him in his target of the constitutional fight for an
executive presidential system. On the other hand, it is understood that the
country is no garden of roses despite that obvious support. The immediate stance
of the opposition parties, the social democratic Republican People’s Party
(CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Kurdish problem-focused
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), against the coup attempt, together with the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti), was the first thing that all
parties in the Turkish Parliament have been united on for a long
time.
14.
The German Embassy to Nicosia to host a cocktail for the first time in the
occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.07.16) reported that the German
Ambassador to Nicosia Nikolai von Schoepff has met in occupied
Keryneia with the so-called mayor Nidai Gungordu and invited him to a
cocktail to be hosted for the first time by the Embassy in the occupied area of
Cyprus within the forthcoming days.
In
statements during the meeting Gungordu said that many German tourists visit
occupied Keryneia and many German citizens bought houses and live there.
Gungordu
invited the German Ambassador to the Olives Feast to be organized in occupied
Keryneia area in October.
(I/Ts.)
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/
AM)
