Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-03-27

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

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Tatar continues defaming the Republic of Cyprus in statements to foreign and local media

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the economic crisis in the government-controlled area of Cyprus

[03] How the Turkish press covers the economic crisis in the government controlled area

[04] Turkey halts energy deals with Italian Eni over Cyprus dispute

[05] Airlines may suspend their flights to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

[06] Turkish Cypriot businessmen may attend a business trip of MUSIAD

[07] Ozgurgun said that they will take an initiative against the Congo Ambassador in Athens who made statements defaming the illegal universities

[08] The economic crisis has allegedly influenced the crossings and the employment of Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled area

[09] Erdogan: "Israel apology to shift Mideast balances"

[10] TSK denies PKK militants withdrawal from Turkey

[11] Barzani signals an energy deal between Ankara and the so-called KRG; CHP censures a motion against Davutoglu

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Tatar continues defaming the Republic of Cyprus in statements to foreign and local media

Tatar argued that the EU had been annoyed by both the so-called money laundering in the government-controlled area of Cyprus and the area's allegedly becoming "an offshore and tax paradise". Tatar expressed the view that behind the recent developments is not only the rescue package for Cyprus, but also the wish of putting an end to the "illegal money" from Russia and other countries.

Noting that the "haircut" of the deposits in the banks was something that happened for the first time, Tatar said that this caused concern in other EU countries.

Tatar argued that at least three thousand persons will remain unemployed, the corporate tax rate will be increased to the level which exists in Malta and the economy will shrink by 10%.

Tatar alleged the following: "The Greek Cypriot side has gone back to the pre-1974 period. All these problems derive from the unilateral accession of the Greek Cypriots into the EU. They are paying the price of the injustice they have committed against the TRNC. Many people will unfortunately remain unemployed by the measures which are taken in corroded south Cyprus and I think that in the end of the day the Greek Cypriots might regret that they entered into the EU".

Tatar alleged that the Russians could seize the deposits of the Greek Cypriots in Russia and added that the eyes of the whole world are turned on Cyprus. He noted that in this framework they try to strengthen the "TRNC".

Meanwhile, in statements to Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (27.03.13), Tatar alleged that there have been money transfers between the Russians and the Greek Cypriots that the EU was not approving. "This annoyed the EU", he claimed alleging that "the EU took its revenge from south Cyprus which did not obey the rules".

Noting that the number of the unemployed persons in the government-controlled area of the island will exceed 40 thousands, Tatar argued that the only rescue of Cyprus would be by adopting its own currency, taking the risk of devaluation. He said that the demand for jobs that might come from Greek Cypriots could not be met by the breakaway regime, which has allegedly the responsibility to secure jobs for its own people. "Greek Cypriots coming and working here is extraordinary", he argued.

Responding to a question as to whether it was possible for Russian capital to flow into the occupied area of Cyprus, Tatar argued that their doors are open to all legal initiatives and added that they are also open to Greek Cypriots and foreigners living in the government-controlled area who might want to open accounts in banks in the occupied area of the island. "Our door is open to everyone who obeys our rules", he noted.

(I/Ts.)

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covers the economic crisis in the government-controlled area of Cyprus

Under the title "'Go home'", Kibris reports that thousands of students gathered in front of the House of Representatives yesterday, marched towards the Presidential Palace and expressed their "grudge against the EU".

Under the title "Rage prevails in the streets", Havadis reports that students and bank employees protested in the streets yesterday.

Ortam reports that "after the acceptance of the Eurogroup's severe conditions in the south part of Cyprus the banks came face to face with their clients". The paper notes that protests started against the "trustees" appointed for Laiki Bank and the Bank of Cyprus and that the director and the administrative council of the Bank of Cyprus resigned. The paper refers also to statements by the Finance Minister Sarris that the "haircut" of the deposits might reach 40% and notes that the banks will remain close until tomorrow.

Kibrisli covers the developments under the title "Trustee for the Greek Cypriot banks!"

Vatan writes that "Things do not calm down in south Cyprus" and Volkan that "Greek Cypriot young people went out in the streets".

HalkinSesi refers to "Pain and rage", YeniDuzen to "Indignation" and Heberdar to "Riot".

Noting that "absolutely nothing will be as it had used to be", Afrika covers the developments under the title "The storm in the south does not stop".

Under the title "The EU took its revenge", Star Kibris publishes statements made on the issue by the self-styled finance minister of the regime, Ersin Tatar.

(I/Ts.)

[03] How the Turkish press covers the economic crisis in the government controlled area

Under the title "Police protection for the Greek Cypriot banks", Milliyet reports in its front page that the whole country is waiting for the banks to open tomorrow. It also claims that people avoided replying to the papers question about the crisis, saying that this is an internal problem.

Under the title "Mess in southern Cyprus", Radikal reports that after the rescue package and the statements by the Ministry of Finance that Cyprus will not abandon the euro, 1.500 students demonstrated yesterday.

Hurriyet reports on the same issue under the title "15 billion euro will go away", publishes statements by Minister of Finance Michalis Sarris who said that upon the opening of the banks, 15 billion euro will go away from Cyprus.

The paper also publishes statements of Archbishop Chrysostomos B who said that the Cyprus Church lost a big amount of money due to the haircut.

Taraf (26.03.13) reports on the same issue under the title "Cyprus was convinced by threads" and writes that President Anastasiades was bargaining for ten hours with Troika.

[04] Turkey halts energy deals with Italian Eni over Cyprus dispute

"Turkey has decided to suspend energy projects with Italian giant Eni in retaliation against the company's involvement in oil and gas drilling off the coast of Greek Cyprus [Trans. note: government controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus], Anatolia news agency quoted Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z as saying today.

'We have decided not to work with Eni in Turkey, including suspending their ongoing projects,' Taner Yildiz said.

Turkey had repeatedly declared in the past that it would cut cooperation with companies that are involved in disputed Mediterranean fuel exploration and production with Greek Cyprus.

Turkey said it will reconsider Eni's investments in Turkey if the Italian energy company cooperates with Greek Cyprus in exploring oil fields in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Yildiz said last year.

Eni has a share in the Samsun-Ceyhan, the crude pipeline planned to span Turkey from the Black Sea province of Samsun to the oil hub Ceyhan in the south. Eni, Russia's Rosneft and Transneft and Turkey's Calik are partners in the project.

Yildiz said today that Turkey might consider cancelling the Samsun-Ceyhan deal.

'I don't know whether Calik will find a new partner or not but we might suspend the project if they prefer to continue their partnership with Eni,' he said during a televised interview.

Eni is also a partner to the Blue Stream, a transport system running beneath the Black Sea that supplies Russian natural gas to Turkey. With a transport capacity of 16 billion cubic meters annually, it is the main Russian natural gas link to Turkey and owned and operated by Blue Stream Pipeline Company BV (BSPC), a joint venture between Eni and Russian Gazprom. (?)"

[05] Airlines may suspend their flights to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

According to the paper, the top managers of the three airlines held a joint press conference yesterday at Merit hotel in the occupied part of Lefkosia, where they reacted to the new price policy at the illegal airport of Tymbou. They stressed that with this new policy the "TRNC is squeezing its own leg", adding that they will also sabotage the air carrying agent, which contributes to the 90% of their economy. It is also reported that the illegal airport of Tymbou is the most expensive airport from all airports in Turkey.

SertacHaybat, General Director of Pegasus airlines, said that it is not correct to increase the service prices without increasing also the service quality in the airport. He also said that they are against the privatization of the airport, adding that that they were not informed on this issue.

[06] Turkish Cypriot businessmen may attend a business trip of MUSIAD

[07] Ozgurgun said that they will take an initiative against the Congo Ambassador in Athens who made statements defaming the illegal universities

Ozgurgun, who held a meeting yesterday with a delegation of GAUalleged that the statements aimed to deliberately hurt the breakaway regime and GAU and claimed that the Greek Cypriot side watches anxiously the developments concerning education in the occupied area of Cyprus.

He went on and added that "as foreign ministry" they will undertake an initiative on the issue and said that it is unacceptable that such statements to be issued by an Embassy.

[08] The economic crisis has allegedly influenced the crossings and the employment of Turkish Cypriots in the government-controlled area

Moreover, citing statements by Mehmet Seyis, chairman of Dev-Is trade union, the paper reports that the number of the Turkish Cypriots employed in the government-controlled area is "scarcely any". The paper writes that this number had once reached seven thousands and decreased to around 1.500 last May.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Erdogan: "Israel apology to shift Mideast balances"

Addressing his lawmakers yesterday at the Parliament Erdogan said: "The point we have arrived at as a result of our consultations with all our brothers in Palestine and peripheral countries is increasing our responsibility with regard to solving the Palestinian question and thus is bringing about a new equation". Erdogan added that Israel agreed to begin cooperation with Turkey on carrying out talks with Palestine for the Middle East peace process.

He said that all his regional interlocutors, including Khaled Mashaal of the Hamas, admit that a new era has begun in the Middle East in what they all call after Turkish victory on Israeli apology.

Erdogan outlined the details of his phone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama that brought about the long-expected Israeli apology to Turkey over the killings of nine Turkish citizens on board of the Mavi Marmara vessel which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Erdogan said his conversation with Netanyahu took place in the presence of Obama.

"I talked to him and we have reviewed the text and confirmed the (apology) process. We have therefore accomplished this process in Obama's presence," Erdogan said, adding that this phone conversation has also been recorded alongside with written statements issued from all three sides. "We have made the process safe."

Erdogan repeated that they will closely follow the implementation of this deal and he would visit Gaza and the West Bank in April in order to witness the blockade imposed by the Israeli government. "Turkey will continue to do its best for the reconstruction of Gaza and for overcoming humanitarian problems," he said, underlining that Turkey's approach towards the Israel will depend on Israeli fulfilment of its commitments.

(?)

President Abdullah Gul also made a statement on the Israeli apology during his joint press conference with visiting Cameroon President Paul Biya yesterday, depicting rather a more cautious stance. "Israel did what it had to do. Therefore I express my contentment of it," he said but he also added: "The issue is still very fresh, let's all wait. This is just a first step."

(?)

[10] TSK denies PKK militants withdrawal from Turkey

The Aksam daily claimed on Tuesday that the first group had crossed the Turkish border into northern Iraq under the surveillance of Turkish military jets. The General Staff in a written statement on Tuesday said that the report is untrue, noting that Turkish reconnaissance jets flew over 13 locations in northern Iraq on Tuesday for reconnaissance purposes only.

The statement also denied another news report which claimed that the Turkish military ceased its operations against the PKK three months ago. The General Staff said the military has been performing its duties as stipulated by law.

PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on PKK forces for a cease-fire and withdrawal from Turkey in a long-awaited historic announcement during the celebrations of Nevruz, a spring festival, in the south-eastern province of Diyarbakir last Thursday.

(?)

[11] Barzani signals an energy deal between Ankara and the so-called KRG; CHP censures a motion against Davutoglu

"We have started a process with Turkey and whatever we do, will end for the benefit of the whole of Iraq," Barzani told reporters yesterday, in response to a question on whether Turkey and the "KRG" were close to reaching a deal, which is objected to by both the United States and the central government in Baghdad. "Whatever we have done and whatever we will be doing is within the [Iraqi] constitutional framework," he said.

"The agreement with Turkey about energy is not a new one," Barzani added, in the wake of his meeting in Ankara with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also participated.

Officials from the Turkish Energy Ministry did not confirm that Turkey and the "KRG" had finalized an energy deal during Barzani's visit, despite speculations on the matter. "There are private sector deals," Y?ld?z told reporters, stressing that Turkey respected the unity of the Iraqi state.

When reminded of the U.S. objection to an energy deal between the "KRG" and Turkey exclusive of Baghdad, Y?ld?z again referred to the private sector. "The private sector cannot remain indifferent to projects in Iraq ? There are projects that we undertook two years ago. There are [oil and gas] areas in the east and west [of northern Iraq] that we will work on," he said.

A broad energy partnership between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds regarding the exploration and extension of oil-gas export pipelines from north Iraq to Turkish territory has been in effect since last year.

Meanwhile, the "KRG Prime Minister" also expressed support to Turkey's ongoing efforts to find the Kurdish issue a peaceful solution.

On the same issue, Turkish daily Today's Zaman (26.03.13) reported that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has presented a censure motion against Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu over an energy deal with "Iraq's autonomous Kurdish administration", saying it could lead to the disintegration of Iraq and spark instability in the Middle East.

Turkey and the "Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)" reached a deal in 2012 to build pipelines that will export oil and gas directly from fields in northern Iraq. The planned pipelines are reportedly due to become operational by 2014. The US is concerned that the growth of energy exports from northern Iraq to Turkey could further destabilize Iraq's already fragile politics. An Iraqi official recently warned that deeper energy cooperation between Turkey and the "KRG" could result in Iraq being split into two.

Aytun C?ray, a CHP Deputy, said that the partnership is a "project" coordinated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Davutoglu and Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z and said that it was clear that such a deal could lead to the disintegration of Iraq and Turkey and become a new source of instability in the Middle East.

C?ray, speaking at a news conference at Parliament on Monday, also said that the deal would benefit companies involved in the planned energy import from the "KRG"-run northern Iraq. "In sum, state privileges are being used to serve the interests of certain companies. Open and secret deals that might endanger our national security and result in the disintegration of Iraq and of our country have been signed," he said.

Prime Minister Erdogan, addressing a parliamentary meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party), played down the censure motion and said that the CHP was targeting the wrong person since the motion should have been directed at the Energy Minister and not the Foreign Minister.

The CHP has introduced censure motions against Davutoglu in the past, criticizing his "adventurist" policies in the Middle East, though none have succeeded. A censure motion needs to be approved by at least half of the deputies in Parliament. The AK Party controls 327 seats in the 550-member Parliament. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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