TURKISH CYPRIOT AND
TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.
196/13 16.10.13
1. Turks calculated that they will buy all occupied Greek Cypriot
properties in 96 years
2.
Crowded mosques for Feast of Sacrifice prayers in occupied Cyprus
3.
Cleric asks for Hagia Sophia to be used as a mosque
4.
Davutoglu spoke to US and French counterpart about Syrian
5.
Arinc: military service to be reduced next month
1. Turks calculated that they will buy all occupied Greek Cypriot
properties in 96 years
Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot
daily HalkinSesi newspaper (16.10.13) reports that the sum of 138 million 593
thousand and 591 pound sterling has been paid as compensation until today to
Greek Cypriots, who had been forced to abandon their property in the occupied
northern part of Cyprus due to the Turkish invasion in 1974 and afterwards
applied to the so-called Immovable Property Commission established by Turkey.
The paper publishes an interview with
GungorGunkan, chairman of the above-mentioned Commission, who said that at the
moment they have around 5.400 applications before them and added that the
number of the applications is continuously increasing.
In statements to GAZETE360 online news
portal, Gunkan noted that as of 9 October, the number of the applications in
the Commission is 5387. According to
Gunkan, only 569 out of the above-mentioned applications have been solved. He
said that 671 applications which have not been examined yet, concern properties
in the occupied closed city of Varosha. He noted that they are telling those
who apply for their occupied property in Varosha that the situation and the
status of this city is part of the comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem
and that the Commission would act having this as starting point.
Gunkan said that in the beginning, the
“normal property owners” had been visiting the Commission, but now they are
passing away and their inheritors started coming. He noted that the young and
middle aged people are saying that they do not even know where their property
is and that they only want to take their money and go away.
When asked whether these properties are
becoming Turkish properties and whether they will be mentioned as Greek
properties in the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem,
Gunkan replied: “They are becoming Turkish. That is, this means that in a
possible solution this will not be mentioned as Greek land. I believe that we,
this commission, will have great influence here on the issue of territory and
property. According to a proportional calculation we have made, I am saying it
as plain logic, if things go the way they are, we found that we will finish
this job in 96 years. However, this is an enormous financial burden. Certainly,
it cannot continue like this. I hope that the Cyprus problem will be solved
with a political solution”.
Replying to another question, Gunkan said
that all the properties in the occupied area of Cyprus, including the military
zones, are under the responsibility of the so-called Immovable Property
Commission and added that the army informs the commission about his views
concerning properties in military zones, but because most of the cases concern
compensation of Greek Cypriot property that is located in military zones, the
problem cease to exist when the Greek Cypriot properties are purchased by the
Commission .
Gunkan said that from time to time they
have been hearing allegations that gangs are securing profit over the “land
which has become Turkish”, but this does not concern the Commission. “The rest
is an issue of the ministry of interior and the housing”, he argued, adding
that the Commission’s job is to produce solutions for people who have
complaints.
(I/Ts.)
2. Crowded
mosques for Feast of Sacrifice prayers in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper
(16.10.13) reports that the mosques in occupied Cyprus were over crowded for
the prayers of the KurbanBayram (Feast of Sacrifice).
According to Kibris, the people who wanted
to pray for the feast were so many, that they prayed in the mosques’ yards. It
also publishes pictures of the persons praying.
In addition, Kibris writes that despite the
warnings issued by the “veterinary department”, the animals which were used for
the sacrifice custom were not butchered according to hygienic rules but were
butchered at the people’s houses and in middle of the streets.
3. Cleric
asks for Hagia Sophia to be used as a mosque
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
16.10.13) reported that the chief cleric of Istanbul’s historical Sultanahmet
Mosque requested the transformation of the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque
during Eid prayers on Oct. 15, saying that his own mosque was becoming
increasingly crowded.
“Sultanahmet Mosque overflowed with people
today, but Hagia Sophia was deprived from the community. Hagia Sophia should be
allowed to operate as a mosque. I hereby voice our request [to the government]
on behalf of you,” said Mustafa Akgul to those gathered.
“[Democracy] Packages are being announced
and our brothers are voicing their demands via them,” Akgul added, referring to
the democratization package unveiled by Prime Minister RecepTayyipErdoğan on
Sept. 30.
The sermon came after the Eid prayer led by
the Deputy of Religious Affairs Director HasanKamilYılmaz.
The status of Hagia Sophia has come under
increasing scrutiny in recent years, with a number of campaigns to open it for
Muslim prayers being initiated, despite claims that this would be disrespectful
to the building’s past as a church.
4. Davutoglu
spoke to US and French counterpart about Syrian
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency
(15.10.13), Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he spoke to US and
French counterparts on phone about preparations for a planned international
peace conference on Syria, as well as latest developments in the country.
Speaking at an Eid celebration in the
central province of Konya, Davutoglu said he once again told US Secretary of
State John Kerry and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius that the
international community should fulfil its responsibility as soon as possible.
He added his diplomacy would accelerate in the days following the Eid.
Asked about the date for the conference,
dubbed as the Geneva II, was not determined yet, adding efforts continued to
hold it in November. Davutoglu also said that it was distressing to see attacks
continue in Syria despite the Eid.
About the abducted Turkish pilots in
Lebanon, Davutoglu said Monday he expressed his sorrow to Lebanese Prime
Minister NajibMiqati and Parliament Speaker NabihBerri on phone that the pilots
are away from home during the Eid.
He also emphasized that they were
continuously putting effort for the pilots to arrive home safely and that they
were in continuous contact with Lebanese authorities.
Two Turkish Airlines pilots, who were
abducted since August 9 in Lebanon, appeared Monday on Lebanese TV channel in
good health.
5. Arinc:
military service to be reduced next month
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily
News (online, 15.10.13), Deputy Prime Minister BulentArinc has announced that
the legislation reducing the duration of compulsory military service from 15 to
12 months, will be introduced next month.
“Preliminary studies on this issue have
been conducted for a while. I think it will be legislated within the next
month. Starting from next month, privates who served for at least 12 months
will be immediately released. New conscripts will serve for 12 months
accordingly,” Arinc told reporters on Oct. 15.
Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan revealed
on Oct. 4 that a study was going on the issue of shortening military service.
The General Staff announced the following
day an agreement had been reached with the government to shorten the compulsory
military service of male citizens from 15 to 12 months, adding the duration of
the short term military service - to which university students can apply -
would remain six months. If the plan is enacted before the start of the new year,
nearly 280,000 soldiers of the 379,352 who are currently serving in the army
will benefit from an early discharge, according to the new regulation.
Around 40,000 soldiers, who have completed
12 months of military service, will be discharged as soon as the legislation is
approved by Parliament and published in the Official Gazette.
In 2012, the General Staff began to
implement a new system to fight against terrorism by forming and assigning
special teams of professional soldiers to conflict areas. A 50,000-place
capacity was created for the post, however only 1,500 professional border
troops were appointed due to the low level of applications.
“Professional army” members were offered a
monthly salary of 3,100 Turkish Liras and an additional 7,000 liras of
compensation for every year they serve in the military.
Refusing the obligatory military service
due to conscientious objection is illegal in Turkey and punishable with
imprisonment by law.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
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