26/9/14

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW




TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW

C O N T E N T S


No. 181/14                                                                                        26.09.14
1. Eroglu will ask from the UNSG his more active involvement in the Cyprus talks
2. Eroglu met with the Azeri Foreign Minister
3. Nami’s contacts at the sidelines of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in NY
4. Biden and Erdogan agreed to continue their close consultations
5. Self-styled minister of environment: “We are not able to administrate the water that will be transferred from Turkey
6. The “Coordination Organization for Hallumi product” held its first meeting
7. CTP participated in the general assembly of the British Labour Party
8. Foreign athletes to attend the 14th Dr FazilKucuk sport games in the occupied area of Cyprus

1. Eroglu will ask from the UNSG his more active involvement in the Cyprus talks
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (26.09.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, DervisEroglu has said that during his meeting with the UN Secretary-General in New York, he will ask for the UN’s more active involvement in the Cyprus negotiations and the organization of “one or two summits”. When asked by Kibris correspondent in New York what he will ask from the UNSG during their meeting on Saturday, Eroglu replied: “I will ask from him to be more actively involved now. Secondly, if he is available, we will ask for further intensifying the negotiations with one or two summits and come to a point of taking a result”.
Asked whether there is a prejudice in the world against the Turkish Cypriots, Eroglu argued: “Unfortunately, the world does not recognize us. The world knows us as far as the governments of Turkey promote us and could carry our problems and experiences. We cannot make our voice heard because we are a non-recognized state…”

Claiming that Turkey’s importance has increased due to the instability in the Middle East, Eroglu alleged: “There are some things which the governments of Turkey should do at this point. Because an agreement which could be accepted by the Turkish Cypriot people is in Turkey’s benefit. Therefore, I think that within the framework of this cooperation, Turkey could bring the TRNC reality onto the agenda and the injustices”.

Asked whether he believed that they could contribute in finding a solution if President Anastasiades thought of the interests of the Turkish Cypriots and he thought of the interests of the Greek Cypriots, Eroglu noted that he has repeatedly said that no solution could be reached if only one “people’s” interests were considered and alleged that they never thought that only the Turkish Cypriots have rights. He reiterated the allegation that we could reach a solution by taking into consideration the “realities”, which happened before 1974 and the developments during the 40 years which passed since then.

Responding to a question as regards the UNSG’s Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, Eroglu said that Eide has recently been appointed and needs to know the Cyprus problem. Eroglu added: “He had not been interested in the Cyprus problem before. He has surely started studying files. In any case, we gave him files, when we met him”.       
(I/Ts.)

2. Eroglu met with the Azeri Foreign Minister
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (26.09.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, DervisEroglu met yesterday in New York with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, ElmarMemmedyarov. In statements after the meeting, Eroglu said that Memmedyarov told him that Azerbaijan will be standing by the Turkish Cypriots’ side. He described their half-hour meeting as “very sincere” and said thatthey discussed the situation in the occupied area of Cyprus and the efforts for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Noting that they exchanged views on the Karabah issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Eroglu added: “It is extremely important for us to have a friend and brother-country such as Azerbaijan. Especially because they are an Islamic Cooperation Organization’s (ICO) member-state and some countries oppose to us being at ICO with the observer status as Turkish Cypriot State, we said that we want their support on this issue”.

Eroglu said that he had told the Azeri Minister that he is in favor of an agreement in Cyprus which will easily be approved by the Turkish Cypriot “people” and added: “The Azeri Minister said that he is with us and that we have to be in dialogue. We are all Turks and therefore we have to help each other. They said that they are by our side and they share our views”.  

Meanwhile, Eroglu and his delegation participated in a dinner hosted last night by the Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan at TURKEV Foundation in New York.
(I/Ts.)

3. Nami’s contacts at the sidelines of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in NY
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (26.09.14) reports that the self-styled minister of foreign affairs OzdilNami claimed that the Greek Cypriots try to prevent him from carrying out contacts with officials from foreign states and organizations, adding that their energy is required for the efforts for a Cyprus settlement.

Within the framework of his contacts at the sidelines of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Nami met yesterday with ShamilAleskerov, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) of which the “TRNC” is an observing member., AbdirrahmanDualehBeileh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, and Stefan Fule, the outgoing EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy.

During the meeting with Fule, Nami said that they discussed what the “South Cyprus” should do on the issue of the full membership into the EU. He also expressed his concern regarding the transfer of the Turkish Cypriot Task Force from the Directorate-General for Enlargement of the European Commission where it currently exists, to the Directorate-General for Regional Policy.

Nami noted that he will carry out a series of contacts with members of the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) and foreign officials. He will also give an interview to Al Jazeera and will also address the General Assembly of the OIC. He will meet with some think-tanks and give a lecture to a university.

On the same issue, according to the website of the “foreign ministry” of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, at the meeting with the Somalian Foreign Minister, Nami conveyed information to him pertaining to the latest stage reached at the Cyprus issue, as well as education opportunities in the “TRNC”.

Nami also kindly requested that Beileh convey the Turkish Cypriot position at various platforms where Turkish Cypriots are not able to be represented.

Expressing his content for having met with “foreign minister” Nami, the Somali Foreign Minister stated that until recently, Somalia had been more occupied with domestic matters but is now dealing increasingly with international affairs and would therefore be honoured to establish closer relations with the Turkish Cypriots. Beileh also thanked Nami for the education opportunities that the “TRNC” has provided to his country’s youths.

Beileh also stated to Nami that he will bring up the position of the Turkish Cypriots, who are the brothers of Somalia, and their desire for peace and solution at all possible platforms and that the relations between their two “countries” will continue to develop.

Meanwhile, the paper reports that Nami said that there are at the moment 51 Somali students in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, adding that they discussed how they can increase this number.

Moreover, according to the website of the “ministry”, in addition to providing Secretary General Aleskerov with information on the most recent developments of the ongoing negotiation process in Cyprus, Nami underlined that developing relations with the ECO would be greatly beneficial, both to member countries, as well as the “Turkish Cypriot economy”. Nami also claimed that the water and electrical energy to be obtained from Turkey in the near future will bring new investments opportunities and called on entrepreneurs from ECO member countries to invest in the “TRNC”.

ECO Secretary General Aleskerov expressed his content for meeting with Nami and emphasized that he is in favour of improving the economic relations between ECO member countries and the “TRNC”, underlining that in order to accomplish this, the communication between the “TRNC” and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of ECO member countries must be developed. 

4. Biden and Erdogan agreed to continue their close consultations
Turkish daily Sabah (online, 26.09.14) reports that U.S. President Barack Obama called Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan on Thursday, at the last day of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, to discuss the recent situation in the Middle East and the fight against ISIS.

According to presidential sources, the leaders reiterated their intention to advance their already strong cooperation in the fight against terrorist organizations in the region and the threat posed by ISIS and agreed to take together necessary steps to stabilize Syria.

Obama also praised Turkey's effort of hosting the massive influx of refugees who fled from ISIS, including tens of thousands this week alone and underlined the importance of cooperation to solve the increasing refugee problem in the region.

Erdogan also met with US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday in New York, over a request by Biden. In the meeting, which lasted for one and a half hours, Biden and Erdogan agreed to continue their consultations

5. Self-styled minister of environment: “We are not able to administrate the water that will be transferred from Turkey
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (26.09.14) reports that HamitBakirci, the self-styled minister of environment and natural resources stated that the breakaway regime is not able to administrate the water that will be transferred from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus.

Speaking to the paper, Bakirci stated that neither the “municipalities” not his “ministry” have the capacity to administrative the water project. He said that his wish is that the breakaway regime was able to use and administrate all the natural sources. However he said as a “state” they are not in a position of having the necessary companies and the infrastructure to do so.

6.The “Coordination Organization for Hallumi product” held its first meeting
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (26.09.14) reports that the “Coordination Organization for Hallumi” which was established in the occupied area of Cyprus in the framework of the “state policy” aiming to protect and develop hallumi cheese, held yesterday its first meeting in the so-called “prime ministry’s office”.

The meeting took place under the “chairmanship” of AlpayAfsaroglu “undersecretary of the prime ministry”. The organization will carry out works regarding the “registration of hallumi product in non-EU export markets”.

The “Coordination Organization for Hallumi” has been established in September 3 with a decision of the “council of ministers” after a demand by several NGO organizations in the occupied area of Cyprus.
(AK)

7. CTP participated in the general assembly of the British Labour Party
Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (26.09.14) reports that a delegation of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) participated in the general assembly of the British Labour Party which took place in Manchester, UK.

ArmaganCandan, CTP’s “MP” and foreign relations secretary along with IlkerKilic, member of the CTP London organization participated in the assembly and had a meeting with Ed Miliband the leader of the Labour Party.

They also met with the shadow foreign minister Douglas Alexander, the shadow minister of European affairs Gareth Thomas and with Deputy Andy Love.  They also met with PerayAhmet, Emine Ibrahim and Mete Coban the Turkish Cypriot politicians who were elected as members of the London Municipality with the Labour Party. Finally they met with the former UN Special Envoy for Cyprus Alexander Downer.

8.Foreign athletes to attend the 14th Dr FazilKucuk sport games in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily YeniDuzen newspaper (26.09.14) reports that the 14th Dr FazilKucuk Sport Games will be launched in the occupied area of Cyprus today.
According to the paper, athletes from several countries such as Turkey, the “TRNC”, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Slovenia and Nigeria will attend the games.
(AK)

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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION