Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-05-16

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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] Turkey's TPAO to carry out oil exploration activities in the occupied Karpassia as well

[02] Kucuk gave the message to Feltman that 2013 is the right time for a solution

[03] "EU looks to Turkey to help 'Greek Cyprus'"

[04] An international conference of ETUCE will be held in occupied Famagusta

[05] The breakaway regime opened 6 tourism promotion offices

[06] The Association of Turkish Cypriot Doctors was granted the observer status of FEMS

[07] Statistic figures about the tourists in the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] The breakaway regime grant more "citizenships" to Turkish citizens

[09] More increases were implemented in the occupied area of Cyprus; reactions by several trade unions

[10] A change at the "e-passports" at the "nationality" section

[11] History books in Turkey to be revised

[12] Turkey hosts international oil & gas congress; Turkey plans to buy a third oil exploration vessel

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Turkey's TPAO to carry out oil exploration activities in the occupied Karpassia as well

According to the paper, the company announced that it has carried out yesterday seismic research in the peninsula of occupied Karpassia. The information was confirmed by Ahmet Captug, responsible of TPAO for the Eastern Mediterranean region.

In exclusive statements to the paper, Ahmet Captug referred to the oil exploration activities of TPAO in the occupied area of Cyprus which are being carried out for one year now; adding that they, at the moment, also carry out works in the area between Apostolos Andreas Cape-Golden Beach. Stating that the works they carried out are seismic research works before to proceed to the drill, Captug said that he is not able to give any information yet whether they will find out and explore oil or not. Captug, however added that they are hopeful about the issue of oil to be found there.

AK

[02] Kucuk gave the message to Feltman that 2013 is the right time for a solution

During the meeting, Kucuk said that they support the efforts of the UN to achieve progress in Cyprus until the end of 2013. He added: "We, as Turkish Cypriot side, believe that the Cyprus problem can be solved within the year 2013". Furthermore, Kucuk argued that 2013 is the right time for a solution.

The paper also reports that diplomatic circles in New York evaluated the realization of Kucuk's meeting as gain acceleration of the process in the Cyprus problem, adding that that Cyprus problem is now in the agenda of Turkey, and at the same period, international players as UN, NATO and the EU have put again in their agenda the Cyprus problem, and Washington with London are also more active.

Noting that the Cyprus problem is in a point that influences negatively the international relations, the diplomatic sources argued that international institutions as UN, NATO and the EU cannot contribute to the process of democratization of different countries, which are geographically closed to the Cyprus, because of the Cyprus problem. The same sources claimed that the efforts for a Cyprus settlement within 2013 will be increased, adding that the initiatives of Ankara that this is the right time for a solution have started to give results.

[03] "EU looks to Turkey to help 'Greek Cyprus'"

"The EU's economic affairs commissioner Olli Rehn is calling for the reunification of Cyprus as a way out for the Greek Cypriot economy, which experts predict will contract by 13% over the next two years.

'It is worth recalling that the reunification of the island would give a major boost to the economic and social development of Cyprus,' Rehn told members of the European Parliament on May 8, according to Euobserver.com.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who heads the Greens in the European Parliament, came out recently with a similar statement, reprimanding the EU for not insisting on a reunification clause in the bailout package for Greek Cyprus. 'Turkish investors will only invest in Cyprus when there's a reunification,' he was quoted by the media saying.

There is more than one bitter irony here, the main one being that EU officials are now looking to Turkey as one of the ways out for a crisis-stricken member. This must be hard to swallow for Greek Cypriots who are said to be extremely wary of current calls for a settlement to the Cyprus problem, believing that the Turkish side will take advantage of their woes. Euobserver.com also quoted Fiona Mullen, an analyst with the Nicosia-based Sapienta Economics, who said: 'The dominant discourse in the mainstream [Greek Cypriot] media is: 'We don't want to be blackmailed into accepting a solution that we find to be unacceptable.''

That path, however, appears clear for a growing number of EU officials, even if it is not for Greek Cypriots, who are today seriously traumatized. What Rehn and Cohn-Bendit, and others like them, are saying in effect, is that Turkey, whose economy continues to grow, should be availed of by Greek Cyprus as it seeks a way out of its current situation.

The reunification that EU officials are plugging now will of course mean a power sharing settlement to the Cyprus problem, based on a bi-communal and bi-zonal arrangement in which the two communities enjoy political equality. But the Greek Cypriots rejected this formula a decade ago when they went to a referendum on the Annan Plan.

Defunct as that plan may be, it nevertheless encapsulates the basic tenets that any settlement has to include. Judging by what Mullen and others are saying, however, minds have not changed much in the south of the island in this respect since the Annan Plan was rejected.

What has changed fundamentally, however, is not just the economic situation of Greek Cypriots. Today their deep resentment is focused more on the EU, which they hoped when they joined a decade ago would not only enrich them further ? given that their per capita income was already high ? but, much more crucially, would also give them serious leverage over Turkey.

The unfair treatment meted out by the EU to the Turkish Cypriots, despite the fact that they accepted the Annan Plan in line with EU expectations, appeared to encourage them in this expectation too. But then the 'knife touched the bone,' to quote a Turkish saying, and Greek Cyprus started becoming an expensive proposition for Europe.

Today, more and more EU officials are singing a different tune on Greek Cyprus's EU membership, with much regret being aired over this. Greek Cypriots would never have predicted, of course, that 10 years after joining their EU membership would turn out to be the real bane of their lives.

It is logical, however, for them to look to Turkey at a time like this, and aim for a settlement that is not based on brinkmanship or one-upmanship. They will most likely find an interlocutor in Turkey that is not a 'blackmailer,' but rather is cooperative, since an equitable settlement on Cyprus also serves the interests of Ankara and the Turkish Cypriots.

The hope is that once their trauma is over this will become more apparent to Greek Cypriots, given the way balances are changing, not just in Europe, but also in the Eastern Mediterranean. Otherwise, it will be a case of, 'You go your way, and I'll go mine,' which would be of no benefit to anyone".

[04] An international conference of ETUCE will be held in occupied Famagusta

[05] The breakaway regime opened 6 tourism promotion offices

According to the decision of the so-called council of ministers, they had to open these offices, so they could play a more active role in these towns.

[06] The Association of Turkish Cypriot Doctors was granted the observer status of FEMS

The Chairman of the KTTB Ozdemir Berova, in a written statement, said that the application of the Association of Turkish Cypriot Doctors dated 26 January 2013 to become members of the FEMS was approved by the board of FEMS for the status of observer, during the General Assembly of FEMS, which was held in Budapest, between 10-11 May 2013.

The paper reports that the KTTB attended the General Assembly of FEMS in Budapest.

[07] Statistic figures about the tourists in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to statistic figures given by the "ministry", the number of foreign passengers in the occupied areas of Cyprus during 2009 was 37,637, while, during the first four months of 2013 this numbers has reached to 68,528.

The same increase has been observed also to the total number of passengers since during 2009 this number was 218.645 while during 2013 was determined to be 339.557.

The statement by the "ministry" said also that during the first four months of 2013, charter flights were conducted to the occupied area of Cyprus from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Iran, Belgium, the UK, Slovenia and Denmark.

The statement adds that by the end of 2013, charter flights will be launched from 3 Scandinavian countries and from 1 country from the Centre Europe.

The statement said also that during the period January-April 2013, 180.775 tourists had visited the occupied area of Cyprus.

(...).

AK

[08] The breakaway regime grant more "citizenships" to Turkish citizens

[09] More increases were implemented in the occupied area of Cyprus; reactions by several trade unions

Comparing the prices of fuel oil, the paper writes that the price of 95 octane per litre in 2008 was 1.90 TL, while in 2013 it has reached to 3.25 TL. Also, the liquefied petroleum gas price in 2008 was 19TL while in 2013, 36.5 TL. The electricity price per Kw in 2008 was 0.38TL while in 2013 is 0.52TL.

The paper writes that the above mentioned increase of prices in the occupied area of Cyprus caused the reaction of several trade unions.

HUR-Is trade Union, demanded the withdrawal of the increases on prices especially on bread and fuels.

Commenting also on the increase on the prices, Alican Kabakci, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Farmer's Union accused the so-called UBP government in the occupied area of Cyprus for the problems experienced, calling the so-called government to resign.

Kabakci called the opposition group inside the UBP party to submit a "motion of censure" against the UBP government and asked also from the other opposition parties to support this.

Stating that the only remedy to find solution to their problems is the "early elections", Kabakci added in his statements that nothing has been left for the "UBP government" to offer to the community.

Similar statements were also made by TURK-Sen trade union as well as the "Consumer's Association" which called the so-called government to resign.

AK

[10] A change at the "e-passports" at the "nationality"section

[11] History books in Turkey to be revised

The Board of Education and Discipline is working on a revision of the content of history textbooks, Avc? said at a symposium in Istanbul on May 15. "The Board of Education and Discipline is conducting a rooted study regarding all history education".

"History textbooks will be revised," said Avc?. "The board is working comprehensively on removing the remarks that discriminate between us instead of uniting us and to write textbooks that include the success of all peoples," said Avc?.

"I cannot tell you item by item, but all history textbooks are being revised one by one. They will complete each other in a coherent way," Avc? told reporters upon questions.

Avc? also said there were many elements in history textbooks that disturbed him; however he declined to give an example of this. "You will see them [disturbing remarks] when we correct them. It will be an open-ended study", Avci also added.

(?)

[12] Turkey hosts international oil & gas congress; Turkey plans to buy a third oil exploration vessel

"We aim to be one of the world's top ten economies in 2023. To that end, the Energy Ministry develops its strategies in line with this vision. Our vision is to play an active role not only within the boundaries of Turkey but in the world as well. And this requires competition not protectionism," said Murat Mercan, Turkey's deputy energy minister.

Mercan also stated that Turkey grew rapidly in the past decade, adding: "Our country had just one oil exploration ship ten years ago but today we are preparing to receive a third one."

The congress is organized jointly by UCTEA (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), Chamber of Geophysical Engineers (CGE), UCTEA Chamber of Petroleum Engineers (CPE) and the Turkish Association of Petroleum Geologists (TAPG). It will last till May 17 in the Turkish capital, Ankara. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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