10/2/15

TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW



TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S


No. 27/15                                                                                           10.02.15
1. Nami: Todd spoke the truths; Schultz promised to bring the Direct Trade Regulation onto the EP’s agenda in 2015
2. Caglar: Siber has visited many countries promoting the “TRNC”
3. TDP carried out contacts in London with Socialist International; TDP seeks to become a member
4. Onurer: "Check-points are no different than 60's barricades"
5. One more case of British citizens who lost their property in the occupied area of Cyprus
6. Eroglu inaugurated a “District court” in occupied Trikomo
7. Erdogan tours Latin America
8. Erdogan takes control of his Twitter account; An anti-smoking message his first tweet

1. Nami: Todd spoke the truths; Schultz promised to bring the Direct Trade Regulation onto the EP’s agenda in 2015
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (10.02.15) reports that Ozdil Nami, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has alleged that the British High Commissioner in Nicosia, Ric Todd told the truths in his statements to a Greek Cypriot newspaper regarding the lifting of the so-called isolations allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots. In statements to Kibris, Nami said that reference to the “isolations” was made in former UN Secretary-General Koffi Annan’s report who alleged that the “yes” vote of the Turkish Cypriots in the 2004 referendum showed that the reasons of implementing isolations were unjust. He further noted that the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also drew attention to the “isolations” in his recent report.

Noting that in 2004 the EU General Affairs Council decided the ending of the “isolations”, Nami alleged that the reasons for not bringing the EU’s Direct Trade Regulation onto the agenda ceased to exist because of the stance of the Greek Cypriots in the negotiations.

The calls that the Turkish Cypriot side should not pay the price for the Cyprus problem are being evaluated more carefully and a discussion started (in the EU circles) as to what could be done”, claimed Nami alleging that the main target of the Turkish Cypriot side is the solution, but the Turkish Cypriots should not pay the price of the prolonging of the Cyprus talks.

Nami said that they are expecting the world to take a step on the issue of the “isolations” and that they are continuously exerting efforts on this issue.

Alleging that the President of the European Parliament (EP), Martin Schultz has told them that he would bring the issue of the Direct Trade Regulation onto the agenda EP’s general assembly in 2015, Nami said that the EU wants to evaluate all options before “twisting the arm” of its member-states which oppose to the above-mentioned regulation. Alleging that what he called as the fact that the Greek Cypriot side ignores the “isolations” caused annoyance within the EU, Nami claimed: “Our wish is for behaving more constructively on the issue of the isolations and produce a formula within the framework of respecting Cyprus’ single international identity. We were expecting them to permit the Turkish Cypriots’ using the name ‘hellim’, which is their fundamental right, instead of preventing this”.

Nami said that when Cyprus entered into the EU, the occupied area of the island was described as “area outside the control of the Republic of Cyprus” and alleged that this shows that the Greek Cypriots cannot conduct a control regarding the halloumi cheese in the occupied area of the island. “Formulas had been produced (on the issue of halloumi) and the issue had come to its final stage, but instead of cooperating, the Greek Cypriots tried to expand their sovereignty in the north”, he claimed.   

Referring to the production of halloumi cheese in Turkey, Nami criticized this and said that Turkey exports the same quantity of halloumi as the “TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus. He noted that the issue came onto the agenda during Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s recent illegal visit to the island and that Turkey agrees with the Turkish Cypriots on this issue. Nami expressed the belief that the necessary arrangements will be made on this issue.
(I/Ts.)      

2. Caglar: Siber has visited many countries promoting the “TRNC”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (10.02.15) reports that Mehmet Caglar, self-styled deputy with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), has said that the statement by Sibel Siber, candidate in the forthcoming “presidential elections”, who addressing a group of journalists from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in November 2014, had said “but we don’t want recognition”, was a statement made “as a result pressure”. Caglar was relying to criticism against Siber by the self-styled deputy with the National Unity Party (UBP), Tahsin Ertugruloglu.  

Caglar argued that as “speaker of the assembly”, Siber has visited many countries and carries out her duties properly. “Having the TRNC recognized is our duty of promoting the Turkish Cypriot people’s wish for peace, their wish for solution and their characteristics in culture and in every sense”, he argued noting that “we are doing this anyway”.

Caglar claimed that as “deputy” of the “TRNC”, he exhibits his pro-solution stance in all the meetings he goes with Ertugruloglu abroad and added that they work in harmony together. He noted that they participate in the meetings as “elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriots” and not as “deputies of the TRNC”, but this does not mean that they reject the “TRNC”. He alleged that they established the “TRNC” with the will of the Turkish Cypriots until finding a federal solution. He said that during the past some steps have been taken, but there was no official policy for the recognition of the “TRNC”.
(I/Ts.)

3.TDP carried out contacts in London with Socialist International; TDP seeks to become a member
Under the front-page title: “TDP’s membership to Socialist International on its way”, Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (10.02.15) reports that a delegation of the Social Democracy Party (TDP) composed by its “chairman” Cemal Ozyigit, the “deputy” Huseyin Angolemli and the “assistant secretary, responsible for foreign affairs”, Deniz Birinci held contacts in London with the General Secretary of the Socialist International, Luis Ayala.
According to the paper, Ozyigit explained during their meeting with Ayala, the TDP’s positions and views on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem and stressed that as TDP, they support an urgent, viable and fair solution to the Cyprus problem.
Ozyigit explained that the solution to be found should be based on the UN parameters as included in the Joint Declaration signed by both communities on February 11, 2014. He pointed out that the solution should be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal Cyprus with one single sovereignty and one single international identity. 
Also speaking, Ayala said that he knows the Cyprus problem very well since he follows the developments very closely.
Stating that Socialist International is a big family, Ayala said that after TDP completes the necessary procedures for application of membership, they would like to evaluate the soonest possible its application.
Also speaking, Birinci pointed out that TDP pays a great importance to the issue of foreign relations and added that in this framework, they consider very important their membership to Socialist International, which has an important mission globally, as she said.
Birinci added that their goal is to complete the soonest possible all the necessary procedures for their application of membership.
AK

4. Onurer: "Check-points are no different than 60's barricades"
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (09.02.15) reported that the Cyprus Socialist Party’s (KSP) “presidential candidate” Mustafa Onurer likened the disruptions at the check points to the barricades in Cyprus between the years of 1964-67.
Onurer said that the only way to come over these kinds of problems was to struggle for the people of Cyprus. “People are forced to waste hours waiting to cross to the other side of their country and this is happening in the 21st century”, Onurer said. .
“This situation is the product of the imperialist powers and we have to struggle for a better future for our people. That is the only way to change these scenes that are similar to the situation during 1964-67”, he added.

5. One more case of British citizens who lost their property in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (10.02.15) in its column called “Letter from Afrika” reports on the case of a British couple who bought a residence in occupied Karmi village and writes that the couple has lost their house and the amount of 55 thousand sterling pounds which paid for the constructor’s debts.
According to the paper, the British citizen Graham Covlstock visited the paper yesterday and explained that in 2004, together with his wife Helen Letchford, they bought a residence in occupied Karmi village from a real estate’s company called Unwins Estates. The couple explained that the constructor of the residences was the well-known Gary Robb who went bankrupt and was wanted by the British police for drug smuggling. 
The paper writes that the British couple filed a lawsuit to the court and lost the case together with their house and all the money they paid.
AK
6.Eroglu inaugurated a “District court” in occupied Trikomo
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (09.02.15) reported that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu inaugurated in a special ceremony which took place in occupied Trikomo, the building of the occupied Trikomo (İskele)“district court”.
Speaking during the event, Eroglu stressed that the opening of the “İskele district court” will allow the cases to be heard and the “people” to receive justice sooner.
Praising theoccupied Trikomo area for becoming a fully functional district, Eroglu said that the “foundations of the republic” are becoming further rooted with the inauguration of new infrastructures every passing day.

7.Erdogan tours Latin America
Ankara Anadolu in English (10.02.15) reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his delegation arrived Monday in Bogota, Colombia, the first stop of his Latin American tour.
President Erdogan is accompanied by his wife and daughter, Emine and Sumeyye Erdogan, as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mehdi Eker, Culture and Tourism Minister Omer Celik and Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci.
Colombia is Erdogan's first stop of his Latin American tour, which will continue with visits to Cuba and Mexico.
Erdogan said on Sunday before departing from Istanbul that this will be the first visit of a Turkish President to Colombia, Cuba and Mexico.
Meanwhile, according to a statement from the Presidential Press Information Center, Erdogan will be the first Turkish President to visit Latin America since 1995.
It is expected that during these visits, bilateral, regional and global issues will be comprehensively discussed with representatives from each of the three countries, and various agreements will be signed regarding various areas.
"Furthermore, thanks to business council meetings that will be held in these countries, businessmen who accompany our President on this visit will have the opportunity to come together with local counterparts, evaluate business and investment projects and improve the development of current ones," the statement said.

8.Erdogan takes control of his Twitter account; An anti-smoking message his first tweet
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (09.02.15) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has personally sent his first tweet on February 9, giving an anti-smoking message.
The now-verified account, @RT_Erdogan, was originally opened in August 2009, and amassed over 5.7 million followers, mostly by sharing phrases from Erdogan’s public speeches with no additional comments.
Although he never clarified who was managing this account, Erdogan has voiced his displeasure with Twitter on several occasions in the past.  During the Gezi Park protests of June 2013, he described the micro blogging website as a “menace,” while in March 2014, Turkey blocked Twitter, hours after then-Prime Minister Erdogan vowed to “wipe out” the social media platform.
However, this has not kept the President from finally taking control of his account.
“Today is Feb. 9, World Quit Smoking Day. Be strong-willed and do not surrender to a cigarette,” Erdogan tweeted, after sharing a number of statistics about smoking-related deaths.
(..)


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