20/8/14

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW




TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW

C O N T E N T S


No. 154/14                                                                            20.08.14
1.Ozersay: We approved UN Secretary-General’s new special adviser; Regional cooperation is a must; Give and take should start in September 
2. The self-styled health minister wants Interpol to interfere upon suspicions for human organ trafficking at illegal YDU’s hospital
3. Turkish Minister of Health to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Oncology Hospital in the breakaway regime
4. Talat: Negotiators came to a deadlock; Eroglu is playing with time
5. Elcil: “Turkey turned the Cyprus negotiation process into a game of responsibilities”
6. FootballTennis World Championship to take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24 of October
7. Turkey’s Yildiz: “Turkey to send floating power ship to Gaza”
8. Gul: “Davutoglu likely to be next PM”
9. At least 25 more police officers detained in wiretapping probe
10. Erdogan government expands ban on media coverage for public event


1. Ozersay: We approved UN Secretary-General’s new special adviser; Regional cooperation is a must; Give and take should start in September    
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that Mr Espen Barth Eide from Norway will be appointed to the post of UN Secretary-General’s special adviser for Cyprus, previously held by Alexander Downer, and that this appointment is expected to give impetus to the negotiations. The Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay stated yesterday that the Turkish Cypriot side has given its approval for the appointment of Eide, whose name had been submitted to the two sides by the UN Secretary-General. The leak of Eide’s name to the Greek Cypriot press before the Greek Cypriot side to announce its reply to the UN Secretary-General’s proposal was described by Ozersay as “lacking seriousness”.

Ozersay said that according to the UN rules of procedure, the UNSG should submit the name of his new special adviser to the Security Council and then announce it himself.  

Meanwhile, in statements to Kibris, Ozersay argued that developing a “regional cooperation model” in parallel to the negotiations is a must. He claimed that acquiring the Turkish Cypriots’ consent for the regional cooperation, which will bring stability in Eastern Mediterranean and prosperity to the two sides, is absolutely necessary.

Arguing that the cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, transports, water and natural gas could be further diversified, Ozersay alleged that Pafos was the area with the most ‘no’ votes to the Annan Plan, but it could start supporting the solution when income increases as a result the cooperation.

Ozersay noted that this cooperation could be materialized without harming the positions of the sides at the negotiating table. He said that such relations would require “a temporary consensus which will not cause recognition” and would be introduced “through the modus vivendi method”.  

Furthermore, according to Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (20.08.14), Ozersay visited their offices yesterday. In statements there, he said that before visiting Vatan he had met with the UNSG’s representative in Cyprus, Lisa Buttenheim who told him that the name of the new special adviser should have been announced by the UNSG and expressed her dissatisfaction with the fact that the information leaked to the Greek Cypriot press. Ozersay alleged that the leaks during the negotiations harm the process and decrease trust between the sides which is in any case problematic.

Ozersay expressed the view that the give and take in the negotiations should start in the beginning of September so that the process is led to an end. He argued that the UN officials also agree with this view and said that Buttenheim told him that the UN wants to offer its help to the process and this is why it will appoint a new special adviser. 
(I/Ts.)

2. The self-styled health minister wants Interpol to interfere upon suspicions for human organ trafficking at illegal YDU’s hospital     
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (20.08.14) reports that Ahmet Gulle, self-styled minister of health of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that upon suspicions that human organ trafficking was conducted between Israeli receptors and Ukrainian donors at the illegal Near East University’s (YDU) hospital, a team from his “ministry” visited the hospital for inspection, but the administration of the hospital prevented it from doing so.

In statements yesterday at a press conference, Gulle noted the “health ministry” sent a letter to the self-styled attorney general’s office filing a complaint and demanded for the “security forces” to carry out an investigation on the issue. He said that they asked for Interpol to be involved in this investigation.

He noted that the administration of the hospital told the “ministry” team to leave and come back the next day and added that when the team went back the next day it observed deficiencies especially as regards the personnel and lack of the necessary infrastructure for organ transplant.

Gulle referred to the “protocol” signed between the regime and the “YDU” hospital in 2010 and noted that there are problems in their cooperation. He said that there is a disagreement as regards the invoices and added that the hospital has not sent any invoices to the “ministry” since November 2011. He noted that the “protocol” could not continue to be in effect.

Moreover, Yeni Duzen reports that the chairwoman of the Turkish Cypriot Physicians’ Union, Dr. Filiz Basim has said that they found out that the “YDU” hospital was preparing to carry out a kidney transplant and added that the Israeli receptor and the Ukrainian donor had a criminal record in Turkey and other countries of the world.

She said that there is a law in Israel as regards the organ transplants and if the persons are relatives the transplant is held free of charge. She noted: “The fact that the receptor in the transplant was Israeli and the donor Ukrainian caused us some suspicions. It was not possible for them to be relatives. Furthermore, we found out that because the kidney of the Ukrainian donor was not matching, another person was found and appeared in his place”.

Dr. Besim added that it is said that the donor was 28 years old and the receptor 75 and pointed out that it would not be correct to carry out an organ transplant of in this case.

She noted that they talked to the Turkish Ministry of health which warned them on the issue. She recalled that organ transplant is held in Turkey in case the persons are relatives.

Finally, Ahmet Savasan, member of “YDU” hospital’s administrative council, said that in 2012 the hospital had acquired a “document” saying that it could carry out organ transplants and added that during the previous “minister of health’s” term of office two cases had been sent to their hospital by the “state” for kidney transplantation. He noted that within that period they conducted heart transplant four times and that their personnel have been trained for two years both abroad and in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Referring to Gulle’s accusations, he said that the two persons are both Ukrainian. He noted that they are expecting from Turkey the approval of the certificate that they are relatives and added that if the result is positive, they will carry out two transplants. He said that the process was not kept secret.
(I/Ts.)

3. Turkish Minister of Health to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Oncology Hospital in the breakaway regime
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that the Turkish Minister of Health Mehmet Muzezzinoglu will participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Oncology Hospital in the breakaway regime.The ceremony will take place on Friday, 22 of August.

According to the paper, the Oncology hospital will be part of the Dr Burhan Nalbantoglui “state” hospital which is located in occupied Lefkosia.

4. Talat: Negotiators came to a deadlock; Eroglu is playing with time
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that the Cyprus negotiations came to a deadlock and accused the current Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu of playing with time.

Talat, who was speaking on a television program, said that Eroglu just wants time to pass not a solution to be found, adding that the stalemate of the negotiations is in line to Eroglu’s wishes. He also said that the negotiations can get impetus after the “presidential election” of 2015.

He went on to accuse the Greek Cypriot side of creating obstacles to  solution, adding that it is possible to convince the international community to exert pressure to the Greek Cypriots in order to change their attitude. However, he said, in order for this to be done a pro-solution leader with a pro-solution vision is needed in the Turkish Cypriot side.

5.Elcil: “Turkey turned the Cyprus negotiation process into a game of responsibilities”
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (20.08.14) reports that Sener Elcil, general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS) in a written statement yesterday stressed that Turkey,  and those who represent it, with the foreign police they follow and their stance towards the Cyprus negotiation process, have turned the process into a game of responsibilities.

Accusing the AKP government of insincerity when stating that “we are one step ahead” on the Cyprus problem, Elcil said that AKP policy aims to render the status quo in Cyprus permanent and to seize the natural resources which belong to the Republic of Cyprus, which is a partnership state.

Elcil in his statements also accused the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu of stating on the one hand that “in six months there will be an agreement and by the end of the year, peace”, and on the other hand that “Morfou, Maras and Agios Sergios cannot be given”. He added that Eroglu continues to mislead the “people”.
AK

6. FootballTennis World Championship to take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24 of October
Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (20.08.14) reports that the Football Tennis World Championship will take place in the breakaway regime between 19-24 of October, 2014.

According to the paper, more than 300 athletes from 32 countries will participate in the championship. 



7. Turkey’s Yildiz: “Turkey to send floating power ship to Gaza”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.08.14) reported that Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yıldız in statements during a press conference with the chairman of the Palestinian Energy Authority (PEA), Omar Kittaneh in Ankara yesterday, stated that a Turkish firm is awaiting Israel’s approval to send a 100-megawatt (MW) floating power plant to Palestine.

“Turkey will build power plants in Palestine in the long term, but as a quick solution, Turkey will send a 100-megawatt power-generating ship from Basra to Gaza offshore through the private sector in about two to three months,” Yildiz said, adding, however, that Israel should first lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip to allow for power to be delivered to the city.

“This can only be realized if the blockade’s energy aspect is eased,” he said, noting that both the arrival of the ship and the delivery of 220,000 tons of fuel needed to be exempted from the country’s eight-year blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Yildiz said that Palestine has spoken with Israel regarding the issue and has not received a negative answer yet.

The Minister also said that he believes that “Israel’s attitude toward energy in Gaza will be different than its current position since having access to energy is a humanitarian issue.”

“In the medium and long term Turkey is willing to help Palestine on the reconstruction of transmission lines, technical equipment, transmitters, transformer and poles as well as the creation of a master plan by lending engineering and material support”, he added.

Kittaneh thanked Turkey for its support, saying they had been in touch with Turkish companies for short- and long-term solutions to solve energy problems.

He also said that they asked Turkey to help soften Israel’s attitude regarding the issue and make a direct demand from Israel.

(…)Turkey’s Karadeniz Holding, which develops and operates energy-generating ships, confirmed that the Palestinian government has demanded support from the company.

“Palestine has made a request to one of Karadeniz Holding subsidiaries, Karkey, for the procurement of energy in order to meet the country’s urgent needs,” Karadeniz Holding Chairman Orhan Karadeniz stated in a statement released a few hours after the Minister’s announcement. “The project will be realized within the framework of a commercial agreement to be made with the Palestinian administration as part of other energy purchasing contracts.”

The company said it would take action after the necessary permission and approvals are received by all authorized international institutions, with the United Nations at the top.

“Following the completion of permission and approvals, within 120 days, a power ship from our fleet will sail to the country,” Karadeniz said. The company added that the technical and commercial negotiations were conducted during Kittaneh’s visit to Ankara.

8. Gul: “Davutoglu likely to be next PM”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (19.08.14) reported that the outgoing President Abdullah Gul is the highest level official who named Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as Turkey's next Prime Minister, two days before the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) announces its next leader.

Speaking to Ankara bureau chiefs of Turkish newspapers yesterday on the sidelines of his last farewell reception, Gul stated:  “As far as it seems, our Foreign Minister Ahmet Bey will take over (the Prime Ministry). You know that it’s me who introduce him to politics. I had appointed him as an ambassador”. 

President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan is yet to conclude his consultations with the party officials before officially announcing who will succeed him as Chairman and Prime Minister. Gül’s announcement came two days before the AKP convenes its Central Executive Board to finally decide on the issue.

Davutoglu was first appointed as the chief foreign policy advisor of Gul in his short Prime Ministry in early 2003. He continued to serve as advisor to both Erdogan and Gul until 2009 when he was appointed as the Foreign Minister. Davutoglu was elected to the Parliament in 2011 elections.

Gul underlined that he will not hesitate to share his experience and his knowledge with Davutoglu for his and subsequently Turkey’s success. On his plans after his term that ends on August 28, Gul said that he "will continue to serve for the well-being of the party as its founder".
(…)

9. At least 25 more police officers detained in wiretapping probe
According to Ankara Anatolia news agency (19.08.14) at least 25 more police officers have been detained in raids conducted as part of an investigation led by the İzmir Prosecutor’s Office over wiretapping claims.

Police conducted several operations in 13 provinces, including İzmir, Istanbul and Yalova, after receiving 50 complaints.

The Prosecutor’s Office announced in a statement yesterday that the list of detentions includes 32 people. Detained officers include former İzmir police Intelligence Deputy Head Hasan Ali Okan, who was appointed as the province of Batman’s police chief in 2011, but was removed during the purges that ensued following the December 17 and December 25, 2013 graft probes.

The statement also said the investigation was looking into wiretapping allegations against the İzmir Police Department between 2010 and 2013.
The new raids came three weeks after the arrests of 39 police officers, including former senior officials, in a probe into wiretapping claims. But many of the officers targeted were involved in the corruption probes and have interpreted the case as politically motivated.
(…)

10. Erdogan government expands ban on media coverage for public event
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (19.08.14) reported that some independent and critical media outlets in Turkey - including Zaman, the country's highest-circulation newspaper, and Cihan, the country's largest private news agency -- were denied accreditation to cover the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) extraordinary congress scheduled for August 27.

The congress will elect a new leader for the ruling party who will be tasked with forming the new Cabinet when President-elect and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan moves to the Cankaya presidential palace a day after the congress.

In addition to Zaman and Cihan, Today's Zaman, the Bugun daily, Samanyolu TV, Kanalturk and Bugun TV were also denied access to the congress.

In their last party congress in September 2012, the AK Party also refused access to critical media such as the Cumhuriyet, Aydınlık, Sözcü, Yeni Çağ, Evrensel and Birgün dailies. With the addition of new names to the banned list, the ruling party has expanded censorship in the coverage of a public event.

“The practice of denying media access to a public event represents the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on independent media in Turkey by an increasingly authoritarian government headed by Prime Minister Erdogan”, Today Zaman underlines.

(…)

The European Union criticized the Turkish ruling party's refusal to award accreditation to some newspapers to cover the party's fourth ordinary congress held in 2012, saying that such a practice has no place in a democratic society. “The right to freedom of expression also includes the right to receive and impart information, and selective accreditation of established media should not have a place in a transparent, democratic society,” Peter Stano, spokesman for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule, said.

Erdogan defended the ban and his refusal to issue press badges for a number of newspapers, all of which are critical of the party, saying that he was not obliged to do so.
(…)

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