4/10/13

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW




TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW

C O N T E N T S


No. 188/13                                                                                                    04.10.13
1. Sabah claims that Erdogan proposed to Ban Ki-moon to solve the Cyprus problem within 3 months
2. Bagis said no country gives its reportedly land in exchange of the opening a chapter
3. Eroglu met with the American Ambassador
4. Record numbers for Greek Cypriots who apply to the “Compensation committee”
5. The breakaway regime postponed the granting of “citizenships”
6. Denktas stressed the importance of carrying out student exchange programs with Turkic countries
7. Twenty four news villas are built in occupied Belllapais area
8. A Green Hospital Complex will be built in the occupied Cyprus
9. Davutoglu: Turkey’s accession to the EU key to Europe energy security
10. Turkish Parliament passes Syria motion amid opposition

1. Sabah claims that Erdogan proposed to Ban Ki-moon to solve the Cyprus problem within 3 months
Under the title “Let’s solve the 50 years problem within 3 months”, Turkish daily Sabah (04.10.13) carries the following report by Mehmet Nayir that Turkey’s Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan made a proposal to UN General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon to solve the Cyprus problem in 3 months. As a result of this proposal made in the sidelines of G-20 meeting, a timetable has appeared with a consensus of mutual visits by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot special representatives to Ankara and Athens respectively.

“While the first indications of a new process regarding the Cyprus have appeared, information regarding the backstage of the process has started to be clarified. According to this, a proposal conveyed by Erdogan to UNSG Ban Ki-moon “let’s solve the Cyprus problem, which enters its 50 years, in 3 months” during the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, initiated a new diplomatic traffic for solution in the island.

The diplomatic traffic initiated by Erdogan, continued with the meeting between Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos last week in New York. Both Ministers agreed for the solution in Cyprus that the special representatives of Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to visit Ankara and Athens. Besides these visits that will be held in this month, Davutoglu will also go to Athens.”

The paper writes that according to diplomatic sources, Turkey asked for a precise timetable for the negotiations. “The framework for a solution at the negotiations, which have been continued until today, has been defined. The negotiations resuming in October may finish until the end of the year”, the diplomatic source said.  In case the natural gas is equally shared within the two communities and taking under consideration that the oilfields of natural gas may be the reason for peace instead of conflict, Turkey will give the green light of the gas to go to Turkey, Diplomatic sources mentioned that the natural gas found in the region is an impulsive force for new negotiations and added: “The biggest market of consuming the natural gas is Turkey and Europe with a pipeline through Turkey. Turkey may be the most important departure point of gas in the region. This may form one of the most important chapters of the new negotiations.”

According to the paper, energy bureaucrats claim that energy may play a role at the Cyprus settlement and the natural gas may be a motivation for peace in the region.


2. Bagis said no country gives its reportedly land in exchange of the opening a chapter
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (03.10.13), Turkey's EU Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator EgemenBagis, speaking in the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union in Brussels on Thursday, asked: “which country has given its land to open a new chapter,” and criticized Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades by saying, “Behave yourself” after he demanded the opening of the fenced off town of occupied Varosha.

Evaluating Anastasiades' demand for the opening of the fenced off town of occupied Varoshain Cyprus to encompass within the Greek Cypriot administration in exchange for opening the chapters of "Judiciary and Fundamental Rights” and “Justice, Freedom and Security”, Bagis said "Turkey would not give its land for opening chapters (in accession process to EU) nor for the EU membership."

Criticizing EU Commission for the publishing date of Turkey's progress report, Bagis said this date October 16, coincided with Turkey's religious holiday claiming that thisis disrespect to Turkey.

Bagis said: "We have informed EU about the issue and objected to the publishing date, as they would be uncomfortable with publishing their progress report at Christmas time."

"We emphasized that we are not comfortable with this date in terms of our values and we perceived this as disrespect," Bagis said.

3. Eroglu met with the American Ambassador
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.10.13) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader DervisEroglu met with the American Ambassador to Lefkosia John Koening.

Eroglu’s special representative Osman Ertug and his undersecretary HasanGungor were also presented at the meeting. No statements were made.
4. Record numbers for Greek Cypriots who apply to the “Compensation committee”
Under the title “Record of applications”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (04.10.13) reports that the chairman of the “Compensation Committee” in the occupied area of Cyprus, GungorGunkan, stated that the number of Greek Cypriots who apply to the committee has reached record numbers.

Gungan stated that 671 of the application are for Varosha noting that the committee rejects applications for properties that are located in military areas.

He went on and added that since 2011 due to the economic crisis the applications to the committee have been increased. The applications are made by the new generation of Greek Cypriots who do not know their places in occupied Cyprus.

He also stated that the properties for which the committee pays compensation are becoming “TRNC property”.

5. The breakaway regime postponed the granting of “citizenships”
Under the title: “Stopping in the citizenships”, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (04.10.13) reports that the self-styled minister of interior TeberrukenUlucay speaking to the “assembly” yesterday said that until the new “citizenship law” to be finalized, the granting of “citizenships” in the breakaway regime is stopped.

He said that the new “law” will ease everyone, that its rules will be clear and that no one will be victimized.

The paper also writes that the "TMT Turkish Cypriot resistance fighters' association" criticized Ulucay and stated that this development will effect negatively the economy of the breakaway regime and will also weaken the position of the Turkish Cypriots as regards the solution process. It also the announced its own criteria regarding the granting of “TRNC citizenship”
6. Denktas stressed the importance of carrying out student exchange programs with Turkic countries
According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 03.10.13), self-styled deputy prime minister and the minister of economy, tourism, culture and sports SerdarDenktas returned to the occupied area of Cyprus after completing his contacts in Ankara.
Denktas attended the 31st term Meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of Turkish Speaking Countries in Ankara.

Speaking during the meeting which was hosted by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Omer Celik, Denktas stressed the importance of the student exchange program.

He said the best work to be done within the Turkic World is to carry out student exchange programs which would bring together the future leaders.

He claimed that although the breakaway regime is within the EU borders, it is continuing its existence with the support of Turkey.He expressed the belief that the student exchange program will further strengthen the “TRNC”.

7. Twenty four news villas are built in occupied Belllapais area
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (04.10.13) reports that the Ozyalcin Group of companies announced the launching of a Bellapais Project in a press conference in occupied Cyprus.

The project, which provides the building of 24 villas in the area, will be completed soon.

8. A Green Hospital Complex will be built in the occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli (04.10.13) reports that YavuzTunc, adviser of the Rector of Bilim University (Turkey) announced yesterday a project, which will be based on the cooperation amongst the illegal Girne American University (“GAU”), Bilim University and Florence Nightingale Hospitals on the bases of European Union Health Structures General Criteria and Joint Commission International (JCI) health institutions accreditations criteria, to run the first of Green Hospital Complex in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus. This cooperated project will commence a new era in Health Systems and Services, the paper reports.

Noting that there is no problem with the already signed protocol, YavuzTunc said that they will proceed with the project. He added that they aim to lay the foundation for the project in a ceremony, which will be held during the celebrations of the unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus next month.

9. Davutoglu: Turkey’s accession to the EU key to Europe energy security
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.10.13), Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking at an international forum on energy security in the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia on Thursday, said that Turkey's accession to the European Union will contribute to bolstering energy security in Europe,

He said the country hosting the forum and Turkey started their EU negotiations at the same time but the former became a member in July this year, while the latter is delayed in a negotiation process that prevents even energy matters, among many others, from being discussed under the relevant chapter.

"We are ready to work with EU. We hope they will understand one day that the path to energy security, passes through Turkey's full membership," Davutoglu said.

During his visit, Turkish Foreign Minister met with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, Croatian Foreign Minister VesnaPusic, Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister ZlatkoLagumdzija, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.

10. Turkish Parliament passes Syria motion amid opposition
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 03.10.13) with the above title reported that Parliament renewed Oct. 3 the government’s authorization to send troops into Syria after a tense session in which the opposition parties fiercely criticized the ruling party’s interventionist foreign policy and tolerance for the appearance of al-Qaeda-linked groups on Turkey’s border.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voted in favour of the motion, while the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) voted against the motion.

“What we want is not war but to stop ongoing war,” Defence Minister IsmetYilmaz said in his address to Parliament before the vote. “All sorts of precautions for the security of our country and people are being taken within the frame of new rules of engagement and in the face security risks posed from Syria.”

Recalling that Turkish jets downed a Syrian helicopter that violated Turkish airspace on Sept. 16, Yilmaz said Turkey would not hesitate to use its rights flowing from international law if such violations re-occur.

The Turkish Parliament had authorized the government to stage cross-border actions against Syria last year after a Turkish reconnaissance jet was downed by Syrian security forces on June 22 and after a number of Turkish citizens were killed by bullets and shells coming from across the Syrian border.

The motion was extended primarily because of Damascus’ alleged use of chemical weapons on Aug. 21 in an attack that killed more than 1,400 civilians, the potential influx of Syrian refugees into Turkey and the killings of at least 71 Turkish citizens so far due to unrest in the Arab republic.

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