TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
03/17
04.01.17
1.
Akinci to meet with Erdogan tomorrow
2.
Obama condemned Istanbul nightclub attack, discussed Cyprus talks with
Erdogan
3.
Cavusoglu to meet new UN chief Guterres for Syria and Cyprus
talks
4.
Ertugruloglu accused Anastasiades of trying to change the format of the Geneva
summit
5.
CTP leader went to Ankara for talks on the Cyprus
problem
6.
Members of the negotiation team of Eroglu will be part of the UBP’s delegation
which will attend the Geneva talks
7.
Reactions to the “deportation” of Turkish fashion designer Barbaros
Sansal
8.
A protest against KTOS took place yesterday in the occupied area of
Cyprus
9.
Reports say that the three members of CTP who resigned from the party will join
the TKP
10.
Turkey identifies Daesh terrorist who carried out the Istanbul nightclub
attack
11.
Yildirim called on Trump to end ‘shameful’ Obama policy on
PYD
12.
Another pro-Kurdish HDP Deputy detained
13.
Turkish Lira at new low record due to inflation, security
concerns
1.
Akinci to meet with Erdogan tomorrow
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 04.01.17), the Turkish Cypriot side is
intensifying preparations ahead of the Geneva meetings between the two sides, in
the context of the UN-sponsored peace talks for a Cyprus
settlement.
Turkish
Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will be travelling to Ankara tomorrow where he
will be meeting with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The upcoming
conference on Cyprus will be discussed at the working
meeting.
Akinci
and his accompanying delegation will be departing from the occupied airport of
Tymbou at 10am tomorrow morning.
2.
Obama condemned Istanbul nightclub attack, discussed Cyprus talks with
Erdogan
According
to Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (online, 04.01.17), U.S. President Barack Obama
extended his condolences to Turkey over recent terror attacks in the country,
while reaffirming that the U.S. will continue to cooperate with the country in
the fight against terror.
In
a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Obama condemned the Daesh
terror attack on a popular nightclub in Istanbul on New Year's Eve as well as
the PKK terror attack in Kayseri on Dec 17.
Conveying
his condolences to the families of the victims killed in the attacks, the U.S.
President wished a speedy recovery those injured and said that the U.S. will
continue working alongside its NATO ally in the fight against
terror.
Obama
also praised Turkey's efforts to extend the ceasefire in Syria to the whole
country as well as its efforts to start political dialogue and negotiations
between the opposition and the Assad regime.
The
two leaders also discussed the latest advances made in Iraq and Syria in the
fight against Daesh, and agreed that Turkey and the U.S. should maintain close
cooperation on the issue.
The
two also touched upon the upcoming Cyprus reunification talks, expressing hope
for a unified, bizonal and bicommunal solution. The Cyprus meeting will take
place in Geneva on January 12.
3.
Cavusoglu to meet new UN chief Guterres for Syria and Cyprus
talks
According
to Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (online, 03.01.17), Turkey’s Foreign
Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will travel to New York for a meeting with the newly
appointed United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres. In the meeting, the civil war
in Syria and the negotiations in Cyprus will be high on the agenda.
In
a statement released from the Foreign Ministry, it was said that Cavusoglu
will travel to the US on Jan. 5 to meet the new Secretary General. Guterres
took over the duty from Ban Ki-moon on Jan. 1.
The
Ministry said in the statement that Cavusoglu will also discuss other regional
issues and developments with the new UN leader.
4.
Ertugruloglu accused Anastasiades of trying to change the format of the
Geneva summit
According
to illegal Bayrak television (online, 04.01.17), the self-styled foreign
minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu has accused the Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades
of trying to change the format of the talks set to take place in Geneva next
week, adding that such an attempt is
unacceptable.
In
a written statement issued yesterday, Ertugruloglu said that Anastasiades
insisted that the conference on Cyprus will not be a five party conference but a
four party conference to be attended by the Republic of Cyprus and the three
guarantor countries, Turkey, Greece and the UK.
Claiming
that Anastasiades chose to ignore the official agreement reached and instead
tried to change the meeting’s format to suit his own interpretation and
preference, Ertugruloglu alleged: “This is in direct contradiction with the
Bürgenstock format and the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary
General”.
Ertugruloglu
further claimed that such an attempt, made intentionally only days before the
Geneva talks, aimed at preventing any chances of reaching a successful
conclusion from the summit.
“The agreement reached between the two leaders on December 1st and announced by
the UN clearly states which parties or countries will be taking part in the
5-party conference”, he alleged.
Ertugruloglu
also claimed that the current negotiations process held under the auspices of
the Secretary General’s Good Office’s Mission are held on the basis of equality
and did not envisage any preconditions.
He
concluded by alleging that the UN should not remain silent over such attempts to
derail the upcoming Geneva talks.
5.
CTP leader went to Ankara for talks on the Cyprus
problem
Turkish
Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (04.01.17) reports that the chairman of the
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhurman went to Ankara yesterday.
According
to the paper, Erhurman will hold meetings with officials of the Turkish
Government and of the main opposition party regarding the Cyprus
talks.
He
is escorted by “Morphou deputies” Mehmet Caglar and Armagan
Candan.
(CS)
6.
Members of the negotiation team of Eroglu will be part of the UBP’s
delegation which will attend the Geneva talks
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (04.01.17) reports that besides so-called
minister of foreign affairs Tahsin Ertugruloglu, and the “deputy foreign
minister” Mustafa Lakatamyali, Osman Ertug, Ergun Olgun, and Oguzhan Hasipoglu
will also go to Geneva for the new phase of the Cyprus talks starting on January
9.
Ertug,
Olgun and Hasipoglu participated in the negotiation team of the former Turkish
Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and will be part of the National Unity Party’s
(UBP) delegation which will attend the Geneva talks. As the paper notes the UBP
delegation will consist of 15 persons, including the above mentioned
politicians.
(CS)
7.
Reactions to the “deportation” of Turkish fashion designer Barbaros
Sansal
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.01.17) reports that Turkish well-known
fashion designer Barbaros Sansal, who had been “deported” from the
occupied area of Cyprus because of a video he shared on the Internet after the
recent attack in the Reina Night Club in Istanbul, was taken to court
yesterday in Turkey accused of inciting hatred and enmity to the people and
insulting the people. The court ordered Sansal’s arrest.
Meanwhile,
in a statement regarding Sansal’s “deportation”, self-styled interior
minister, Kutlu Evren argued that they implemented the “law” and did what
was required. He said that they “deported” Sansal, because he had “insulted
Turkey using excessive expressions”.
Turkish
Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, the chairman of the Republican Turkish Party
(CTP), Tufan Erhurman, the chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), Cemal
Ozyigit, the chairman of the People’s Party (HP), Kudret Ozersay, the New Cyprus
Party (YKP) and the Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP) issued statements commenting on
the issue.
Akinci
said that they should not allow hatred, enmity and the lynching
culture
and added that in spite of the fact that he cannot approve Sansal’s words which
caused reactions, they should be puzzled by the fact that the “deportation”
implemented by the “ministry of interior” based on a past decision led to
lynching at the airport.
Erhurman
noted that
he watched Sansal’s video and he does not approve of what he had said, but
the “government” cannot act without having the “law” as legal ground.
Ozyigit
said that they do not approve the attacks against Sansal and criticized the
“government”.
Ozersay
pointed out that the culture of lynching has no place in a “state of rule of
law”
and wondered whether Sansal was “deported” or “extradited” upon a request of his
state, i.e. Turkey.
The
YKP
expressed its support to Sansal and to Turkish Cypriot primary school teachers’
trade union (KTOS) for the attacks they suffer and called on everyone to
common action against “reactionary movements” and “fascism” in order to protect
peace, democracy and human rights and freedoms.
The
KSP criticized the “government” and called on the political parties and
organizations to convene and take urgent measures,
noting that it plans on visiting parties and organizations to this end.
Turkish
Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (04.01.17) reports that Serdar
Denktas, “deputy prime minister” of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of the Republic of Cyprus, said yesterday that it is not the “council of
ministers” which decided to “deport” Sansal and added that he was informed about
the decision from television. He noted that he will ask to be briefed during
a meeting of the “cabinet” and expressed the view that it is not right for
anyone to suffer this kind of attacks for any reason.
(I/Ts.)
8.
A protest against KTOS took place yesterday in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (04.01.17) reports that the so-called
initiative “Say stop” has organized yesterday a march and a protest in front of
the “primary school teacher’s trade union” (KTOS) offices, protesting for the
calendar of the union for 2017.
The
protesters were shouting slogans such as “Sener do not be confused, do not
exhaust our patience”, “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain Turkish”, “trade union
resign”, “traitors shall go to the south”, “we are the descendants of Arpaslan
Turkes” and other.
In
a written statement, the teacher Naziye Beyoglu on behalf of the “initiative”
condemned strongly KTOS for the calendar, alleging that it has unilaterally
misinterpreted the Turkish Cypriot history.
Beyoglu
called also the teachers in the occupied area of Cyprus to protect their
“union”, stating the following: “Τhe trade union is yours. It is a union
belonging to the teachers, and not a political one. So, protect
it”.
(AK)
9.
Reports say that the three members of CTP who resigned from the party will
join the TKP
Turkish
Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.01.17) writes that it is reportedly said that
Sonay Adem, Ali Gulle and Ibrahim Korhan who have been resigned recently from
the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) will join the Communal Liberation Party
(TKP).
Sonay
Adem was (former “deputy”), Ali Gulle was (former “deputy” and chairman of
Dev-Is trade union) and Ibrahim Korhan (leading CTP member).
In
statements to the paper, Ibrahim Korhan said: “We have not resigned from CTP
with the aim to join TKP” and added that they have not had any contacts with
other parties yet. In spite of Korhan’ statements, the paper writes that Mehmet
Davulcu, one of the founding members of the TKP has stated the opposite.
Davulcu
explained that the founding member of TKP, Mehmet Cakici met with Adem, Gulle
and Korhan for dinner the night before yesterday and stated that the party’s
door is open for all three former members of CTP.
(AK)
10.
Turkey identifies Daesh terrorist who carried out the Istanbul nightclub
attack
According
to Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (online, 04.01.17), the Turkish authorities
have identified the Istanbul nightclub attacker, who ruthlessly killed 39 people
on New Year's Day, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on
Wednesday.
Speaking
on Anadolu Agency's Editor's Desk, Cavusoglu said that the identity of the
terrorist has been established, but did not name him or give more details and
added that works conducted to reveal more details on the attack are
continuing.
11.
Yildirim called on Trump to end ‘shameful’ Obama policy on
PYD
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 03.01.17),Turkish Prime
Minister Binali Yildirim has called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to end
the Obama administration’s “shameful” policy toward Turkey over the Syrian
Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) forces.
“The
world talks about Daesh [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – ISIL] but it
does not fight [against it]. It is only Turkey that fights against Daesh. The
United States and others do nothing. They just supply the PYD with weapons”,
said Yildirim on Jan. 3, in a weekly parliamentary address to his ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) members.
“What
we expect from the new administration is to bring an end to this shame,”
Yildirim said, referring to Trump, who will assume the presidency from President
Barack Obama on Jan. 20.
“We
do not hold the new administration responsible for this situation, because it
was the achievement of the Obama administration,” he added.
Turkey
and the U.S. are at odds over the designation of the PYD and its military wing,
the People’s Protection Unit (YPG). While Turkey sees them as terror
organizations due to their ties with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), the U.S. designates the PKK as a terror organization but does not regard
the PYD and YPG the same, seeing them instead as partners in the fight against
ISIL.
On
Dec. 29, 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the U.S. of
directly supplying the PYD with weapons.
12.
Another pro-Kurdish HDP Deputy detained
Turkish
daily Milliyet (04.01.17) reports that a lawmaker from the Kurdish Peoples’
Democratic Party (HDP) was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly “insulting a public
officer”, a public prosecutor said.
According
to Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor’s office, Ziya Pir had also been sought
for failing to answer a summons linked to a counter-terrorism
investigation.
Turkish
lawmakers have long enjoyed legal immunity, but that was reconsidered after five
HDP Deputies made an alleged “declaration of autonomy” during a meeting of
a terror group affiliated with the party in the Kurdish region in southeastern
Turkey.
(…)
Thousands
of officials from the HDP have been detained since 2015. Turkey detained 200 HDP
members following the December 10 attack in Istanbul.
The
government accuses the HDP of having links to the PKK, a charge that the HDP
denies.
13.
Turkish Lira at new low record due to inflation, security
concerns
According
to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 04.01.17), the Turkish Lira hit a
fresh low record on Jan. 3.
The
Lira traded almost at 3.6 per dollar, down 1.4%, after sharp rises in food and
drink prices pushed Turkish inflation to 1.64% in December for an annualized
8.53%.
That
further soured sentiment towards Turkish assets, already battered by a series of
terror attacks in recent months, including a New Year’s Day mass
shooting.
Worries
about a slowdown in the economy and plans for an executive presidency have also
undermined confidence. The security situation also makes it unlikely that
tourism, a key part of the economy, will recover in
2017.
---------------------------------------------------
TURKISH
AFFAIRS SECTION
(DPs
/ AM)
