TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
240/16
14.12.2016
1.
Akinci: There is no need for the Permanent Five to participate in a conference
for Cyprus in Geneva
2.
Izcan: “Democracy the only way out for the attacks against
Turkey”
3.
Cavusoglu says some members of European Parliament 'support the same ideology'
as PKK
4.
Turkey detains over 550 suspects in anti-terror sweep
5.
Turkey’s PM meets opposition chairmen except HDP to discuss anti-terror
fight
6.
Turkish Deputy PM: Preparations for final operation on Syria’s al-Bab
underway
7.
Eight more “TRNC citizenships” were granted and seven were
annulled
8.
Turkish Parliament speaker meets parties after punches fly at General
Assembly
9.
Turkey becomes Black Sea Economic Cooperation
President
10.
An ancient tomb was discovered in the occupied village of
Vatili
11.
The walls in the occupied part of Nicosia are under the risk of
collapsing
12.
A cable-railway to be established in occupied Lapithos
1.
Akinci: There is no need for the Permanent Five to participate in a
conference for Cyprus in Geneva
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (14.12.16) reports that Turkish Cypriot
leader, Mustafa Akinci has closed the door to the participation of the five
permanent members of the UN Security Council (Permanent Five) in the
international conference on the Cyprus problem planned for January 2017 in
Geneva. In statements last night after meeting with President Anastasiades
in the buffer zone within the framework of the Cyprus talks, Akinci claimed
that there is no need for any formation other than the EU to be present in
Geneva. He argued that the agreement regarding this conference and the
participants are very clear and it does not need to be further broadened.
“The
UN is already engaged and the UN Security Council supports the procedure”, he
said arguing that the only exception could be the EU, which could be present at
the conference in the same manner it had been at Burgenstock in 2004. He
alleged that there will be absolutely no problem if we remain committed to a
form of conference like the one in Burgenstock and added:
“You
know, within the framework of the agreement we reached on 1 December, there will
be a meeting on 9 January in Geneva. The two sides will be meeting until 11
January. After that the five-party conference will start as of 12 January”.
Akinci
noted that another element of the agreement is that the negotiators will be
holding intensive meetings by 9 January in an effort to close the pending issues
by achieving new convergences and that the process between 9 and 12 January will
be held without any preconditions.
Akinci
said that the negotiators discussed issues such as the federal laws, the
jurisdiction, the powers of the federal government, the relations between the
federal government and the constituent states, the foreign relations, the police
and the work of the EU ad hoc committee. He said that they decided to hold a
few meetings with President Anastasiades by 9 January and they will probably
meet on 20 or 22 December and once or twice in January before going to Geneva.
Wishing
for the differences to be minimized, Akinci said that everybody knows that
some issues will remain pending by 9 January and some of them may remain open
after 12 January as well, but the framework of the guidelines of a solution will
come up. He added: “However, what we are looking for is a comprehensive
solution. We will try to achieve this by filling up the content of this
framework. If everything goes well and the negotiations which we will
conduct between 9 and 11 January and our work after 12 January with the
participation of the guarantor powers give fruits, many issues regarding the
federal laws, the constitution and the implementation [of the solution] will be
concluded within α few months in 2017. A few months after this, there will
be a preparation period for our people and the other community within the
framework of a preparatory period for a possible referendum. […]”.
Asked
to comment on the different terminology used by the sides regarding the
international conference in Geneva, Akinci argued that the agreement
announced by the UN was very clear and referred to a conference with the
participation of the three guarantor powers as of 12 January. “There is
one more sentence. And it says that in case it is needed and according to the
needs, interested parties may be invited. This will happen if both sides agree
and if there is a need”, he claimed.
According
to Akinci, during his recent visit to Brussels, reference was made to the
participation of the EU in the conference. He said that the EU was present in
Burgenstock with Commissioner Verhaegen and claimed: “This time Mrs Mogerini
or Junker may come. In which capacity however? Not as
participant”.
Noting
that the two communities will discuss five chapters, but the issue of security
and guarantees, except for the two communities, concerns also the three
guarantor powers which had signed the treaty, Akinci argued: “Therefore, the
participants are known. We are referring to a process which will be broadened
with the participation of the two communities, their leaderships and the three
guarantor powers”.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Izcan: “Democracy the only way out for the attacks against
Turkey”
Turkish
Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (14.12.16) reports that Izzet Izcan, the chairman
of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) condemned the terrorist attacks against Turkey
and expressed his worries for similar attacks that take place around the
country.
He
went on to add that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the only way
out of the current situation in Turkey. He also said that the problems are not
solved with terrorism and added that the reasons that caused terrorism must be
faced in order for these attacks to stop.
“The
ruling of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) which slaughters democracy and
human rights is the reason for the violence and terrorism”, he
stated.
(CS)
3.
Cavusoglu says some members of European Parliament 'support the same
ideology' as PKK
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.12.16), Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu said on Tuesday some members of the European Parliament have sympathy
with the PKK and support its ideology.
Speaking
at a news conference with the Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Lubomir
Zaoralek, Cavusoglu said: “If you support the same ideology [as the PKK], if
it requires terrorism, then go to the mountain [referring to the PKK’s Qandil
Mountain base in Iraq].”
Cavusoglu
said there should be a difference drawn between politicians and
terrorists.
Referring
to a recent meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, Cavusoglu said Turkey also expected
a fair approach from rapporteurs and European bodies. “They should consider
Turkey an equal partner”, he said, adding: “We want to get results
now”.
Cavusoglu
said Turkey had been making great efforts to stop persecution in Aleppo and
Syria and in this regard had continued its diplomatic contacts with Iran, Russia
and other countries.
Czech
Republic Foreign Minister Zaoralek expressed his condolences to Turkey for those
martyred in the Saturday terrorist attacks in Istanbul.
Referring
also to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO, which is believed to have
organized the coup attempt in Turkey, he said the Czech Republic was one of the
first counties to condemn the July 15 violence.
4.
Turkey detains over 550 suspects in anti-terror
sweep
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (online, 13.12.16), a total of 568 people have
been arrested across Turkey on terrorism charges since Monday, the Interior
Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Anti-terror
operations, which began Monday, were carried out in 28 provinces to detain the
suspects that included members of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party
(HDP), who had allegedly participated in activities organized by the PKK
terrorist organization and spread propaganda on its behalf, the ministry said in
a statement.
The
suspects included HDP officials from Adana, Balikkesir, Sanliurfa, Mersin,
Manisa, Eskisehir and Gaziantep.
The
government has repeatedly accused the HDP of having links to the PKK, which is
listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and
EU.
Separately,
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Tuesday security forces have hit PKK’s
major drug trade, which is the PKK's biggest source of
income.
5.
Turkey’s PM meets opposition chairmen except HDP to discuss anti-terror
fight
According
to Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (online, 14.12.16), Turkey’s Prime Minister
Binali Yıldırım is hosting the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)
chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet
Bahceli at Cankaya Prime Ministry office, to discuss anti-terror fight following
the recent PKK-led terror attack in Istanbul, which killed 44 people and injured
over 150 others.
Opposition
chairmen had accepted Yildirim's invitation to hold a meeting following the
recent terror attacks.
In
a statement released following a central executive board committee earlier on
Wednesday, CHP said that the party is ready to provide support to the
government in its fight against terrorism.
6.
Turkish Deputy PM: Preparations for final operation on Syria’s al-Bab
underway
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 13.12.16), preparations for a
final operation by Turkey-backed rebels on the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL)-controlled city of al-Bab in northern Syria are underway, Turkish
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said after a cabinet meeting Ankara on
December 12.
“[Preparations]
over al-Bab has come to its final stage. The city has been encircled and
preparations for an operation to deal a death blow are being made. I hope this
part of the al-Bab campaign will be finalized soon,” Kurtulmus stated.
Turkish
troops and its Syrian opposition allies kicked off an offensive aiming to lay
siege to the city of al-Bab over the weekend following weeks of a standstill in
the operation after besieging the west of the ISIL-controlled city in northern
Aleppo province.
Nearly
1,000 ditches and a large number of improvised explosives and mines left by ISIL
in al-Bab have decelerated the entry of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA)
into the city, Turkish security forces told Hurriyet Daily News on Dec. 12.
Capturing
al-Bab from ISIL is part of Turkey’s Euphrates Shield Operation that was
launched on August 24.
7.
Eight more “TRNC citizenships” were granted and seven were
annulled
Turkish
Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (14.12.16) reports that according to the
“official gazette” issued on December 9, 2016, the so-called council of
ministers continue to distribute “new citizenships”. While the “council of
ministers” considered imperative to grant new “citizenships” pointing out
“article 9 (1) ( c ) of the civil code”, did not give any explanations of the
“reason” of the imperativeness.
The
paper reports that the “council of ministers” with a decision on November 21 and
28, 2016, confirmed the “citizenships” of more eight people.
Meanwhile,
the “council of ministers” with a decision on November 28, 2016, annulled the
“citizenships” of 7 persons, who were granted “citizenship” by the “coalition
government” of UBP-DP (National Unity Party – Democratic Party), because they
were brought to trial by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP).
The
paper publishes the name of those who were granted “citizenships” and those
whose “citizenship” was annulled.
(DPs)
8.
Turkish Parliament speaker meets parties after punches fly at General
Assembly
Turkish
daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 13.12.16) with the above tilte reports that
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman brought together the group Deputy
Chairpersons of all parties at Turkey’s parliament on Dec. 13, after fists flew
once again at the General Assembly on Dec. 12.
Along
with the heightened tension at parliament meetings, jailed deputies were also on
the agenda of the meeting, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Kahraman
convened the group deputy chairpersons of all parties after budget talks at
Parliament witnessed a fist fight between ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs.
The
45-minute meeting was attended by parliament’s deputy speakers Ahmet Aydın, Ayse
Nur Bahcekapılı and Pervin Buldan, along with the AKP group deputy chairpersons
Mustafa Elitas, Naci Bostancı and İlknur İnceöz, main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) Group Deputy Chair Özgür Özel, Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) Group Deputy Chair Erhan Usta and HDP Muş deputy Ahmet
Yıldırım.
During
the meeting, Kahraman asked the HDP’s Buldan, due to chair the Dec. 13 session
in the General Assembly, to remove pictures of imprisoned lawmakers from the
HDP’s chairs at the Parliament, Anadolu Agency reported.
After
Buldan refused this demand, the CHP’s Özel defended the placement of the
pictures. “If a lawmaker has committed a crime, it has to be proven. But if
there is no guilt, there should be no such thing as arrested deputies”, he
added.
Ozel
also asked for a solution to be found on the problem of detained lawmakers, to
which Kahraman responded that the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office is working on a
“comprehensive study” to allow the Deputies to participate in legislative
activities.
Tension
rose during budget talks on Dec. 12, when AKP lawmakers accused HDP
representatives of not distancing themselves from the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK). The temperature rose further after the HDP deputies
referred to their party’s jailed Deputies and asked the AKP group to investigate
corruption allegations against its own party members.
Ten
Kurdish issue-focused HDP lawmakers are currently in jail on terror charges, in
addition to party co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag. In their
absence, the HDP group has placed pictures of the imprisoned lawmakers on their
seats at parliament.
9.
Turkey becomes Black Sea Economic Cooperation
President
According
to Ankara Anatolia news agency (online, 13.12.16), Turkey took over the
six-month rotating presidency of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) from
Serbia on Tuesday.
Turkish
Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz took the role on behalf of Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu. "Our
presidency comes with the 25th anniversary of the organization with a meeting in
Istanbul in June. One of our priorities will be finalizing the process of the
reforms that has been started in the organization so it could be more
effective," said Yildiz.
Established
in 1992, the BSEC calls itself a “multilateral political and economic
initiative” aimed at peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea
region.
The
organization consists of 11 members; Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and
Ukraine.
Romania,
Greece and Bulgaria hold dual membership of the EU and
BSEC.
The
next BSEC General Assembly will be held in June 2017 in
Turkey.
10.
An ancient tomb was discovered in the occupied village of Vatili
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.12.16) reports that an ancient tomb of 2,300
years was discovered in the occupied Vatili village.
According
to the paper, the ancient tomb was discovered by accident after the collapse of
the road in the village. The ancient tomb belongs to the Cipro Classic Period.
Inside the tomb, several ceramics, jewellery and jugs were found.
In
a statement on the issue, the so-called antiquities and museums department
announced that another ancient tomb was discovered in the same area in the past
and stated that they will continue excavation works in this area.
(AK)
11.
The walls in the occupied part of Nicosia are under the risk of
collapsing
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.12.16) under the front-page title: “The walls
in Lefkosia are about to collapse, reports that the “foundation for the
protection of the environment” (“CEKOVA”) warned that the walls in the occupied
part of Lefkosia, between the “Keryneia gate” and the “presidential palace”, are
about to be collapse since there is a serious lack of care.
In
statements on the issue, Dr Serkan Ilseven, “member of the administration board”
of “CEKOVA”, warned about a possible demolition of the walls since a forest has
been created near the walls and if the trees continue to grow, this would
endanger the future of the walls.
Ilseven
asked for measures to be taken by the so-called antiquities department in order
to find a solution the soonest possible.
(AK)
12.
A cable-railway to be established in occupied
Lapithos
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (14.12.16) reports that according to the official
gazette of the breakaway regime the “council of ministers” decided to grant the
permission to the occupied Lapithos “municipality” for constructing a
cable-railway
According
to the paper, the cable-railway line will start and finish at occupied Vasileia
village and the beach near occupied Lapithos.
(CS)
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TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs/ICh)
