TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
169/16
06.09.2016
1.
Turkish Cypriot member of a Technical Committee complained that the Cyprus
authorities do not cooperate for “handing over” Turkish Cypriot
criminals
2.
Denktas asks Akinci if he can trust Anastasiades and the Greek
Cypriots
3.
Denktas wonders about the distribution of EU funding in the occupied area of
Cyprus
4.
Measures to revise the breakaway regime by the “ministry of
tourism”
5.
Data by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce regarding potatoes trade on the
framework of the Green Line regulation
6.
The Turkish Cypriot side has not started yet the infrastructure work for the
road of the Deryneia crossing point
7.
EU on diplomatic push to get migrant deal with Turkey into
gear
8.
Court orders HDP Deputies to be present at Kurdish Communities Union
trials
9.
Yıldırım:
14,000 teachers to be suspended over suspected PKK
links
10.
Pro Erdogan daily argues that “90% of Turks doesn't count on the
US”
1.
Turkish Cypriot member of a Technical Committee complained that the Cyprus
authorities do not cooperate for “handing over” Turkish Cypriot
criminals
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.16) reports that the Turkish Cypriot team
leader of the Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters lawyer Hakki
Onen said that there was an exchange of information with the Greek Cypriot side
on criminal issues, however, the Greek Cypriot side did not take any steps on
“handing over” the Turkish Cypriot criminals who escaped to “South Cyprus”
(translator’s note: the government controlled area of the Republic of
Cyprus).
Onen,
speaking to the illegal TAK news agency, said that as of now they have requested
the return of the 19 Turkish Cypriots, who had fled to “South Cyprus” after
committing crimes in the “Turkish side” (translator’s note: the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus) mainly on drugs issues, but the Greek Cypriot side is
refusing to “hand them over” by saying “I cannot hand over my
citizens”.
Noting
that a figure of 3,391 cases of cooperation between the two sides on criminal
matters as reported in the Greek Cypriot press is fairly accurate, Onen added
that this figure does not include the verbal exchange of information between the
two sides on emergency issues. Then he gave an example of a Greek Cypriot surfer
who was lost in Protaras recently. The surfer entered the occupied area through
a military zone and was “handed over” to the Cyprus Authorities.
Onen
complained that despite the exchange of information, the Greek Cypriot side does
not assist for “handing over” the criminals.
(DPs)
2.
Denktas asks Akinci if he can trust Anastasiades and the Greek
Cypriots
Turkish
Cypriot daily Demokrat Bakis newspaper (06.09.16) reports that the self-styled
deputy prime minister and minister of finance Serdar Denktas said that there is
“information pollution” in the course of the ongoing negotiation process aiming
to find a solution on the Cyprus problem.
Evaluating
the Cyprus talks on his Facebook account, Denktas argued that the Turkish
Cypriot “people” are worrying over the negotiation process considering the
statements by President Anastasiades and some articles in the Greek Cypriot
press, despite the statements of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci “Do
not worry”.
Denktas
directed the following question to Akinci: “We trust you, but can you believe
and trust Anastasiades and the majority of the Greek
Cypriots?”
Denktas
further said: “Our president tells us ‘do not believe Anastasiades’ statements
and the reports in the Greek Cypriot media’. Anastasiades says that the
articles, which were rejected in the Annan plan, are corrected, there are
improvements in the 1960 Constitution and there will be no soldier in the
island. We believe the statement of our own president and we do not believe or
trust the reports in the Greek Cypriot media and their leaders’ statements.
(…)”
Serdar
even wonders what it will happen if both communities vote yes to a plan and then
they will have to face a harsh reality. He concluded: “As you know; when this
moment comes, Turkey, in whom we make complain in every step, will not be able
to be there”.
(DPs)
3.
Denktas wonders about the distribution of EU funding in the occupied area of
Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (06.09.16) reports that “deputy prime minister
and minister of finance” Serdar Denktas, has criticized the former Turkish
Cypriot head of the EU Coordinator Center in the occupied area of Cyprus, Erhan
Ercin, regarding the distribution of EU funding in the breakaway regime.
According
to the paper, Denktas stated that the amount of 7,5 million Euro was given to
non-governmental or civil society organizations and said that they have the
right to know the reason why this amount was given to the organizations. He also
said that a list of each organization that received the EU money as well as the
exact amount of money every organization has received should be given to the
press the soonest possible.
(CS)
4.
Measures to revise the breakaway regime by the “ministry of
tourism”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.16) reports that Fikri Ataoglu,
self-styled minister of tourism and environment stated that they will take steps
in order to revive the winter tourism in the breakaway regime.
Ataoglu
argued that for this reason they aim to bring tourists from Scotland, Northern
Ireland and Denmark with the co-operation of the Turkish Airlines. As he said
the co-operation will include flights and advertisements and added that flights
will start to be conducted very soon.
He
went on adding that the recent improvement in Russia-Turkey relations will lead
to the increase of Russian tourists to Turkey, and give them the chance to visit
also the breakaway regime. Ataoglu also said that flights from Ukraine will also
start to take place.
According
to Ataoglu the breakaway regime is planning to participate in 21 tourism fairs
in 2017 and will also start advertising in ten countries, among them Germany,
UK, Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan.
(CS)
5.
Data by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce regarding potatoes trade on
the framework of the Green Line regulation
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.16) reports that according to data
received by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, 1,292 tons of potatoes were
sent to the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus in the framework of the Green
Line regulation between January 2016 until September 2017.
According
to the data, potatoes worth 323,000 Euro were exported.
In
addition, the paper writes that the self-styled minister of agriculture and
natural resources Nazım Cavusoglu held a meeting with members of the board of
the Potato Growers’ Association led by Ahmet Yesilada and stated that the rights
of the Turkish Cypriots stemming from the Green Line Regulation should be
implemented without any impediment.
The
recent protest staged against a Greek Cypriot businessman by various Greek
Cypriot groups for importing potatoes from the occupied area of Cyprus was also
taken up during the meeting.
Cavusoglu
further said that they were doing all they could to protect potato production,
mainly through subsidies and incentives.
6.
The Turkish Cypriot side has not started yet the infrastructure work for the
road of the Deryneia crossing point
According
to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (06.09.16), the works for the road
construction of the 2.7 km road in the occupied north side of the Deryneia
crossing point is launched. However, the works regarding the infrastructure of
the road regarding electricity, water and computer, lines which has to be done
by the Turkish Cypriot side with its own resources has not started yet and has
become the reason for worries.
Dr
Okan Dagli, spokesman of the Famagusta Initiative, stressed that it is not
possible to construct the road without making first the necessary
infrastructure.
(DPs)
7.
EU on diplomatic push to get migrant deal with Turkey into
gear
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (06.09.16) reports that EU
officials have begun to visit the Turkish capital of Ankara with increased
frequency in an effort to repair the recent damage in ties, which became
strained after the July 15 failed coup attempt and the process of visa
liberalization for Turkish citizens to the bloc stalled.
EU
foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is set to travel to Turkey on Sept. 9,
as the EU pushes to keep its migrant deal with Ankara back on track. Mogherini
and Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, will attend a
High-Level Political Dialogue meeting between the EU and Turkey in Ankara.
The
EU’s stance following the July 15 failed coup attempt, visa liberalization,
negotiations between the union and Turkey for the latter’s EU membership and
Cyprus talks will be on the agenda of the meeting, according to
sources.
Brussels
and Ankara are in talks to prevent putting the migrant deal in jeopardy, EU
sources told Hurriyet Daily News.
Turkey
reportedly accepted delaying the visa liberalization to the end of the year,
instead of the previously announced Oct. 1.
Meanwhile,
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will pay a visit to Strasbourg on Sept. 7 for
the meeting of ministers’ Deputies aiming to hold an exchange of views.
Also
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit Ankara on Sept.
9.
8.
Court orders HDP Deputies to be present at Kurdish Communities Union
trials
Turkish
daily Sabah (06.09.16) reports that Diyarbakır Second High Criminal Court has
made the decision to forcefully bring eight Deputies from the Peoples'
Democratic Party (HDP) to court, including the party's group Deputy Chairman
Caglar Demirel, as part of the trial against the Kurdish Communities Union
(KCK), an umbrella organization that encompasses PKK.
A
trial against the HDP Deputies, Osman Baydemir, Dirayet Tasdemir, Caglar
Demirel, Selma Irmak, Ahmet Yildirim, Besime Konca, Alican Onlu, and Nadir
Yildirim, began after the constitutional changes were made to lift the
immunities of some Deputies in Parliament.
The
court made the decision to forcefully bring the Deputies to court after the
defendant Deputies' attorney attended the trial in the absence of the Deputies
on Nov. 1, 2015. The court file also includes an arrest warrant against 21
others involved in KCK activities.
9.
Yıldırım:
14,000 teachers to be suspended over suspected PKK
links
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (06.09.16) reports that up to 14,000 teachers will be
suspended over their suspected links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) in the east and south of Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has
announced.
“It
is estimated that a total of 14,000 teachers are on duty in the region who have
had certain types of connections to terror,” Yıldırım told representatives of
nongovernmental organizations and opinion leaders in the south eastern province
of Diyarbakır late on Sept. 4, adding that they would be suspended as a
“precaution.”
“Of
the 14,000, how many of them have connections to terrorist organizations will be
revealed with investigations and examinations. We’ve talked to our Education
Ministry and all of the suspected teachers will be suspended and they won’t be
assigned in the new term,” he added.
The
Prime Minister also said the teachers who are going to be suspended over
suspected links to the PKK will experience the same things as the ones suspended
for alleged links to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), believed to
have orchestrated the July 15 coup attempt.
Saying
new teachers would be assigned to the region, Yıldırım added that the government
would also crack down on public personnel linked to terror.
10.
Pro-Erdogan daily argues that “90% of Turks doesn't count on the
US”
Turkish
daily Yeni Safak (06.09.16) reports that a new research conducted by Turkish
MAK Research Company has revealed that 90 % of Turkey doesn't count on the
United States, which is supposed to be Turkey's strategic ally.
Conducted
with 2,700 people, the research showed that 71 % of the participants are eager
to vote for Recep Tayyip Erdogan as President again.
Also,
72 % of total participants consider the 65th government of Turkey successful, in
its fight against the coupist Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) after the
coup bid of July 15.
Only
10 % said that Turkey should fight against FETO terrorists more efficiently,
while 18 % is undecided.
Almost
all of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) voters told the
survey taker that they would vote for AK Party again, while 82 % of the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), 34 % of the Republican People's Party (CHP)
and 36 % of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) voters expressed their support to AK
Party following the coup bid.
The
majority of the participants also supported the Turkish government over the
Euphrates Shield operation, as 78 % of the total participants said they support
the Turkey-supported operation in Syria, while 8 % is undecided.
Turkey
has been intensively fighting against the terrorist group in Turkey and Syria;
particularly the FETO, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and its affiliated
groups, and Daesh.
Since
the July 15 coup bid, Turkey has been attempting to clear all the FETO
terrorists from the many Turkish institutions they infiltrated.
Also,
the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) initiated the operation named "Euphrates Shield"
against the terror group on August 24.
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
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/AM)
