Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 12-08-14

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu reveals that the Turkish side wants the negotiations to stop in order to be able to ask for the recognition of the breakaway regime

[02] Eroglu addresses the handover ceremony of the so-called security forces command

[03] The second phase of the Turkish invasion to Cyprus was celebrated in the breakaway regime

[04] Columnist: the opening of occupied Varosha on the basis of international law should be considered

[05] French Foreign Minister to pay one-day visit to Turkey on August 17

[06] Turkish President: Syria's OIC membership could be suspended

[07] Abducted Turkish deputy may be freed according to CHP sources

[08] Time for tenders applications

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu reveals that the Turkish side wants the negotiations to stop in order to be able to ask for the recognition of the breakaway regime

Asked about the efforts for finding a solution in Cyprus, Eroglu said that no one asks him about the course of the negotiations now in Cyprus and argued that the inhabitants of the occupied area of Cyprus have lost their hope that a solution will be reached and that Turkey will join the European Union.

When asked whether he believed in the solution, Eroglu alleged that he tried to have this hope because he was at the negotiating table, but reiterated the claim that President Christofias deceived the world for two years that he wanted a solution, but actually he negotiated without thinking of reaching a solution. Eroglu went on and argued: The discussion for two separate states has started in the south as well. Therefore, the Turkish Cypriot people have also stopped hoping for a solution. The same view prevails in the Greek Cypriot people as well. Here only some political parties do not abandon this [the solution], because they related the reason of their existence to the solution.

Asked whether he agreed with the view that neither the Greek nor the Turkish side believe that a solution will be reached, but both sides continue being at the negotiating table in order to avoid taking the responsibility of abandoning the negotiations, Eroglu alleged, inter alia, the following:

Of course, this is what the Greek Cypriots are doing, because the Greek Cypriots are members of the EU, they are term presidents now, they are members of the UN and of course they have a power. I do not have a power and the Greek Cypriots do not want to share that power. However, they do not want to leave the negotiating table and become the side to be blamed. All their efforts are to remain at the negotiating table and to keep us there. I remained for two years at the negotiating table and put many proposals onto the table. However, they have only one thing in their head. The Republic of Cyprus and the Greek majority administrating the Turkish minority The Greek Cypriots plan that our relations with Turkey could be deteriorated, our economy will worsen and we will need the Greek Cypriots and accept living under the name of Republic of Cyprus. They have no problem to sit at the negotiating table. However, we cannot ask for recognition as long as we are at the negotiating table. A situation such as withdrawal of the UN Peace Keeping Force from here cannot come onto the agenda. The biggest fear of the Greek Cypriots is the withdrawal of the UN Peace Keeping Force from here because they know that the course towards two states could not be stopped when the peace keeping force goes away.

Eroglu said he was tired of the negotiations and argued that they should have an end like everything else has an end. He added: For this reason I say that a final date should be put to the negotiations. All aspects of the Cyprus problem have been discussed, have been debated. The Greek Cypriots dream is the returning to the pre-1974 period and we try to explain that this is not possible any more. The whole issue is this.

Asked to comment on the view which exists in Turkey that the Turkish Cypriots are lazy, do not produce and Turkey sends them a lot of money every year, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriots are not lazy and that the money sent by Turkey is used for infrastructure and for closing the budget deficit. He added: Everybody works but it is true that we have not come to the position of being self-sufficient. Think where we had been before 1974 and where we have come. Think that we are a country the majority of which consist of refugees. The first think we did after 1974 was to accept refugees. We settled to the north the Turks of the south and we accepted population from Turkey as well. Both those who came from the south and from Turkey came with their luggage. We gave housing and working places to these people according to their profession

When he was told that Democratic Rally Party (DISY) chairman Nikos Anastasiades is expected to be elected President of the Republic in February 2013 and asked whether he was optimistic about the negotiating process after the presidential elections, Eroglu noted that he could not say that he was very optimistic about the process, because President Christofias gave nothing in the negotiations, but the policy of the Greek Cypriots is to take back whatever Christofias gave away.

Asked whether they have made any preparations on the issue of occupied fenced city of Varosha, which is kept close for being used as trump card in the negotiations, Eroglu replied: We have some thoughts but we are keeping them for ourselves for the time being. We say that Varosha is a part of the comprehensive solution, but of course Varosha cannot remain like this for 100 years. We will evaluate how our thoughts will be put into practice and what the timing will be according to the course of the negotiations.

Asked whether the National Unity Party (UBP) is being dissolved after he left the leadership of the party, Eroglu argued that he was trying to create an UBP mission by embracing everybody, but the chairman who succeeded him tried to create a more personal team. He noted that he had shared with self-styled prime minister Irsen Kucuk his view that this strategy would divide the party, but Kucuk had an old habit to personalize politics. Therefore, argued Eroglu, problems are experienced within the UBP, which had taken 44% during the last elections, but the public opinion polls show that it fell to 30-34%.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Eroglu addresses the handover ceremony of the so-called security forces command

In his speech Eroglu argued that no one has the right to ask from the Turkish Cypriots to sacrifice their motherland and their security. He reiterated the allegation that the Turkish Cypriots have given a struggle in order to come to the point they are today and even though they face problems they are not so naive to abandon their state, sovereignty, freedom, and security.

Noting that the process after the presidential elections in the Republic of Cyprus will be very critical, Eroglu alleged: Either the Greek Cypriots will come to the correct path, that is the path of the solution based on the realities, or the Turkish Cypriot people will take the necessary steps without waiting too much. We cannot risk our future.

Eroglu claimed that the Greek Cypriot side does not want a solution based on the realities and dreams of returning to the pre-1974 period in Cyprus by using some mistakes which could be committed. He argued that some powerful and influential countries in the UN and the EU ignore the intransigence of the Greek Cypriots and support them, because of their interests.

Moreover, illegal Bayrak television (13.08.12, online) reported that the commander of the Turkish occupation armys 39th Mechanized Infantry Division major general Omer Pac handed over yesterday the command of his division to major general Ibrahim Yilmaz during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the 39th Mechanized Infantry Command.

(I/Ts.)

[03] The second phase of the Turkish invasion to Cyprus was celebrated in the breakaway regime

In addition, the paper writes that in statements the Cyprus National Council, (Tr. note: a right wing organization which is an umbrella for various nationalist organizations in occupied Cyprus) said that the permanent aim of the Turkish Cypriots which is served with devotion, is to safeguard the recognition of the TRNC, as it called the breakaway regime. We must fight and use all our resources towards this direction, the Council said.

[04] Columnist: the opening of occupied Varosha on the basis of international law should be considered

Giving life again to a city abandoned to collapse for half a century is an extremely vital step not only for Famagusta, but for the hope of the entire island and the future generations. When the hopes for a solution are at such a dark point, making a move on the basis of international law for the opening of Varosha will create a new page of gains, not a loss of a joker from the political point of view. This issue is at least an issue worthy of consideration. And the opposition parties as well should be able to stop saying that Varosha is a part of the comprehensive solution, something which they learnt by heart, and produce a policy with a vision on this issue. These are what came to my mind after reading some news published in Milliyet saying that a fund of 100 billion Euros is needed for rebuilding Varosha. Serdar Atai of the Initiative for Famagusta thinks that this number is too high. In the last study carried out in 2008 by a group of German experts, it is pointed out that the predicted number is three billion Euros

The columnist concludes by saying that the longer Varosha remains closed the more the cost of rebuilding it will be increased.

(I/Ts.)

[05] French Foreign Minister to pay one-day visit to Turkey on August 17

According to diplomatic sources, during his one-day visit Fabius will travel to the south-eastern province of Kilis where Syrian citizens were staying after they escaped from the violence in their country.

The French Minister will later meet Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara.

Prior to his visit to Turkey, Fabius will travel to Jordan and Lebanon to discuss recent incidents in Syria.

[06] Turkish President: Syria's OIC membership could be suspended

Speaking to reporters at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Gul said that the OIC summit would focus on the situation in Syria which was getting worse every day as well as impacts of the crisis on regional and international peace and security.

Gul said that he expected that the OIC summit would give a strong message for end of bloodshed in Syria and the start of a transition process as soon as possible. Within this scope, Syria's OIC membership could be suspended, he said.

Arab League had suspended Syria's membership last November, Gul recalled.

The summit would also discuss flow of Syrian refugees to neighbouring countries, he said, adding that the number of Syrians staying in Turkey exceeded 55,000.

Muslim countries should support Syrian people's efforts for solution, he and added that Palestinian issue would also be taken up in the OIC summit.

In addition, Ankara Anatolia news agency (13.08.12) also reports that the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had a meeting with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in Jeddah on Monday. Davutoglu informed Ihsanoglu on his talks during his visit to Myanmar and Turkey's assistance to Muslims in Myanmar in the meeting.

Reporting on the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (14.08.12) reports that Davutoglu attended a meeting in Jeddah with foreign ministers from nine countries participating in the OIC summit. Davutoglu held bilateral talks with foreign ministers from Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Djibouti, Sudan, Senegal, Egypt and Jordan. In the meeting of foreign ministers, developments in Syria, Myanmar and Somalia were discussed.

Hurriyet further reports that OIC considers removing Syria membership and publishes statement of Ihsanoglu who said that OIC executive committee approved the move for Syrias suspension and a decision will be made at the meeting which starts in Mecca today.

[07] Abducted Turkish deputy may be freed according to CHP sources

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglus aide, Ali Kilic, said that they had received information that Aygun would be released. He did not elaborate on the exact time or place as it would not be correct to share this information.

Kilic is currently in Tunceli where Aygun is expected to be released. The CHP deputy was abducted by a group of PKK gunmen late on Sunday in the eastern province of Tunceli.

PKK has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Police and troops have launched an operation to locate the parliamentarian. Aygun was elected to Parliament from Tunceli, where he worked as a lawyer for 14 years. According to his personal website, his work focused on human rights abuses, such as the forcible evacuations of Kurdish villages to quell support for the PKK in rural areas, as well as cases of torture.

In addition, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (14.08.12) reports that PKK and the kidnapping of main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) deputy has drawn rebuff from both the ruling and opposition parties, as the CHP called on the government to make the necessary efforts for the safe rescue of their deputy.

Describing the incident as a security and intelligence scandal, CHP deputy chair and spokesperson Haluk Koc said the abduction of CHP Tunceli deputy Huseyin Aygun was a grave issue.

Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] and the ruling party are making attempts to cover this gravity. The prime minister says that everything is under their control, but this statement is not convincing. Terrorists have the ability to kidnap public officials. We unfortunately understand that there are some regions that cannot be controlled by the state, Koc said.

Erdogan phoned CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu to express his condemnation of the incident yesterday and said that security units were following the issue and exerting the utmost effort to secure the release of Aygun, according to prime ministry officials.

President Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff General Necdet Ozel and Parliament speaker Cemil Cicek also phoned Kilicdaroglu.

Gul said the kidnapping was an attack against Turkeys national will and said he appreciated the political parties common stand against the abduction.

Meanwhile, in a written statement the PKK announced that Aygun would be released as soon as possible, adding that the deputys life will be endangered if operations to rescue him continue.

According to statements made on Firat news website, the PKK claimed Aygun was a coordinator of the states special war policies and tactics against the PKK and that he was taken into custody upon extensive complaints from the public.

Parliaments Human Rights Commission, a commission of which Aygun is one of the members, condemned the incident in a written statement and defined the incident as an attack to the national will.

Moreover, commenting on the issue at Hurriyet (14.08.12) columnist Erdem Gunes writes that booming PKK abductions aim at showing off and citing political analysts writes that the kidnapping of Aygun in the eastern province of Tunceli shows efforts by the PKK to claim control of the region.

Gunes writes the following:

The PKK used to fight by using a hit and run method, but obviously this has turned into a policy of regional domination, Vahap Coskun a member of Dicle Universitys law department told the Hurriyet Daily News yesterday in a telephone interview. Kidnapping incidents increased rapidly in the last two years, and the target is generally civil servants, soldiers and bureaucrats. This approach aims to pull the government to the negotiation table and show that the PKK has the power of managing Turkeys agenda.

Since July 2011 the PKK has kidnapped 145 people compared to 154 abducted people recorded between 1990 and 2010, according to Human Rights Foundation (IHD) statistics, writes Gunes and quotes Yilmaz Ensaroglu, the law and human rights department director of the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) who said the PKK shot itself in the foot with its recent actions.

[08] Time for tenders applications for the illegal Tymvou airport has been prolonged for one month

http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

EI/

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article