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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-09-05
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
No.168/13
5/9/2013
[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS
[01] Eroglu: territory will be discussed at the last stage of the Cyprus
talks; He will convey to UN a letter by Turkish Cypriot physicians on
Cyprus' hydrocarbon resources
[02] Ozgurgun: expecting an agreement on the Cyprus problem is a "very
na?ve expectation"
[03] Columnist assesses why the territory issue is a headache for the
Turkish side in the negotiations
[04] BKP: recent promotions in the "police" showed the existence of a
militarist regime in occupied Cyprus
[05] International Conference on New Directions in Business to be held
in occupied Cyprus
[06] European Association of Plastic Surgeons chairman to participate
in Turkish Cypriot Plastic Reconstruction Surgical congress
[07] Turkish PM Erdogan arrives in Russia; he slams Putin over Syria
ahead of G-20 talks
[08] Turkey sends military reinforcements to Syrian border
[09] Turkish FM calls for more international support for Syrian refugees
who reached half a million in Turkey
[10] Turkey sends envoy back to Egypt
[11] Main Order of Ecumenical Patriarchate criticizing the possible
reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque
[01] Eroglu: territory will be discussed at the last stage of the Cyprus
talks; He will convey to UN a letter by Turkish Cypriot physicians on
Cyprus' hydrocarbon resources
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the
Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has said that the territory is the
chapter which will be discussed at the last stage of the negotiations
for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. Responding to a question
yesterday during a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot Physicians' Union,
Eroglu alleged: "We have persuaded the UN Secretary-General and we
have managed to include in the registers of the United Nations that
the issue of the territory will be discussed at the very last stage,
after an agreement is reached on the other issues".
Eroglu said that a step on this issue was taken at the Geneva meeting
[between the community leaders and the UN Secretary-General] where
criteria had been put. He alleged that the discussion of the territory
before the other issues are solved, would worry the people and cause
many difficulties.
Alleging that in this case the existing economic difficulties could
increase, Eroglu claimed that during the negotiations on the territory
issue "a path which will satisfy the Turkish Cypriots as well and not
only the Greek Cypriots should be followed".
Eroglu alleged that the statements by President Anastasiades on the
territory were made in an effort to "get rid of the 'yes' vote to the
Annan Plan". He went on and reiterated the allegation that the discussion
of the territory after an agreement is reached on the other issues and
before a four-party or a five-party summit, was a proposal accepted by
the UN Secretary-General.
Eroglu said that the issue of energy is one of the important subjects
in Eastern Mediterranean and "sensitivity should be shown" on this issue.
Arguing that most of the times the wars in the Middle East happened
because of the oil, Eroglu alleged that he does not wish this to happen
and claimed that the matter could be settled without a problem in case
the Greek Cypriots "act in harmony with the sensitivities which have
been put forward".
Eroglu reiterated that the Turkish side had proposed through the UN
Secretary-General that Cyprus' hydrocarbon resources should be marketed
over Turkey, even without finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, but
the Greek Cypriots rejected this proposal. Eroglu argued that he worries
that the "waters in the Mediterranean will be warmed up" because of the
dialogue and the military maneuvers of the Greek Cypriots with Israel.
Noting that former President Christofias had stated that the Turkish
Cypriots have also rights on the Cypriot natural gas, Eroglu alleged
that if President Anastasiades continues to have the same mentality
there will be no problem.
Eroglu said that a chapter on Cyprus' natural resources will exist in the
negotiations which will resume in October after their visit to New York.
Meanwhile, the Physicians' Union gave a letter to Eroglu on Cyprus'
hydrocarbon resources asking from him to convey it to the UN. Eroglu
promised that he would convey the letter the soonest.
(I/Ts.)
[02] Ozgurgun: expecting an agreement on the Cyprus problem is a "very
na?ve expectation"
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the
Huseyin Ozgurgun, leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), has alleged
that expecting an agreement on the Cyprus problem is "a very na?ve
expectation". In statements to Turkish Anatolia news agency yesterday,
Ozgurgun recalled that he had worked on the Cyprus problem both as
self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied
area of Cyprus and as a member of the Council of Europe.
Describing as "figment of the imagination" the expectation for an
agreement of "two founding states with equal status", Ozgurgun alleged
that the Greek Cypriots say it clearly that "the Republic of Cyprus
exists" and that they could give "one or two minority rights" to the
Turkish Cypriots. "Neither the Turkish Cypriots nor Turkey could accept
such agreement", he said and added, inter alia, the following: "I know
that the south [Translator's note: this is how he describes the Republic
of Cyprus] will not go further than this point. For which agreement we
are taking about in such environment? The Cyprus problem is not on the
world's agenda?"
Referring to the newly established so-called "coalition government",
Ozgurgun argued that the Republican Turkish Party ? United Forces (CTP-
BG) and the Democratic Party ? National Forces (DP-UG) "have established
a government only for the sake of establishing a government". Noting that
the Turkish Cypriots have "serious problems", Ozgurgun argued that the
new "government" started its term of duty with a "very dangerous game"
by saying that "if we fail, this will happen because Turkey does not
want us". He went on and said: "However, they have already been in the
government for four months. Did Turkey not help? Therefore this government
is a government which is born dead".
Ozgurgun argued also that the self-styled deputy prime minister and
chairman of the DP-UG, Serdar Denktas has never accepted that the
strongest and most fundamental party of the right is the UBP and added
that if Denktas had accepted this there would have been a unification
of his party with the UBP. "His worry is to become leader of the right
and leader of the country", he said referring to Denktas adding that
"a leader occurs spontaneously, not in this manner".
Ozgurgun said that the UBP has entered into a period of restructuring
after the "elections" of the 28th of July, that they are a strong party
and that their door is open to everyone.
Referring to the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu, he noted that those who
say that Eroglu is not an UBP member are distorting reality. Expressing
their respect to Eroglu, he said that as the "main opposition" party
they will be positively consulting and cooperating with Eroglu.
(I/Ts.)
[03] Columnist assesses why the territory issue is a headache for the
Turkish side in the negotiations
Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (05.09.13), Esref
Cetinel refers to the information that the Greek Cypriot side wants the
negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem to resume with
the territory issue in October and reports, inter alia, the following:
"?There is no handicap, but after that there will be no reason which
will necessitate the negotiations, because when the territory issue is
discussed the Greek Cypriot properties' in the north and the Turkish
Cypriot properties' in the south 'exchange, compensation, and return
to their first owner and the redetermination of the north-south borders
will come onto the agenda?"
Cetinel argues that these issues will require work which will take
years and because the constitutional issues will be postponed, the Greek
Cypriots will use the fact that they are internationally recognized and
"continue being the only state on the island".
"?Moreover, because the 'territory' issue will be at the table, both
Nicosia's and Ankara's field of making political maneuvers will become
totally narrow", he says adding: "However, let us accept that we will
have a very big headache with the negotiations on the territory which
we will not be able to avoid one day".
According to Cetinel, deadlocks will be created, because since 1974 the
occupied Greek Cypriot properties have been distributed and passed from
the one hand to the other. He goes on and says, inter alia, the following:
"?While on the one hand the looting of properties of the Greek Cypriots
in the north, which was and should have been considered 'illegal', was
continuing, on the other hand these illegalities have been legalized in
time with title deeds given by the state!
The sacredness and the justice of the 1974 peace operation [Translator's
note: this is how he describes the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus] was
greatly shadowed by this 'indecency and looting' which included those who
seized Greek Cypriot property by saying that they were holders of right in
spite of the fact that they had sold their property in the south and those
who came from Turkey who had been thoughtlessly given houses and land?
We have written this many times after 1974. When you distribute, as
if it is an auction, Greek Cypriot properties to citizens except for
our refugees from the south, who were holders of right, at least put
the following legal restriction: 'for any reason it cannot be sold,
transferred, and allotted to others without permission'. Why we were
thinking like that? Because the Greek Cypriot properties obtained after
1974 belonged to the state?"
Explaining how they secured unjust profits from the occupied Greek Cypriot
properties, Cetinel says: "?They invented the points! They gave title
deeds! They allotted villages, lands to people dislocated from Turkey and
afterwards they issued title deeds for them. And they [Translator's note:
the Turkish settlers] sold them and transferred them for few money. Have
the properties of the Greek Cypriots become unearned income? ?
And let us ask now: who has the right to sell whose property? Moreover,
how these title deeds have been given to people who have not shed even a
single drop of sweat on this land? It is known that during the past few
months, more than 70 thousand citizens from Turkey left the TRNC. When
they left, what have they done with these properties for which they
had title deeds? If they sold them and transferred them, could it not
be asked with what right they did this? Because some people transfer
to Turkey what they have been earning for 40 years here, they have
negatively influenced the accumulation of capital in the country?"
(I/Ts.)
[04] BKP: recent promotions in the "police" showed the existence of a
militarist regime in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.09.13) reports that Izzet
Izcan, chairman of the United Cyprus party (BKP), has said that the
developments as regards the recent promotions in the "police" "are an
indication of the irregularity in the country and militarist regime"
which is dominated by the army. In a written statement issued yesterday,
Izcan noted that the promotions were made in an "unjust and arbitrary
manner" and that the self-styled government had no say in these. "The
developments regarding the promotions in police show who possesses power
in the country", he added, noting that the "government" has no power to
impose sanctions on the "police".
Recalling that the "police" are bound to the "security forces command",
Izcan expressed the view that it is absolutely necessary for the "police"
to be bound to civilian "authority" and described as "inability" the
statement made by self-styled prime minister Yorganciolu who said that
those who feel that have been unjustly treated should apply to "court". He
said that the "government" should make the necessary amendments in the
"constitution" and remove the director of the "police" from his duties.
Kibris (05.09.13) reports also that referring to the same issue, Cemal
Ozyigit, general secretary of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said
that the developments showed once more that it is absolutely necessary
to secure the transfer of power to the civilians and democratization in
the "country". In a statement issued yesterday, Ozyigit noted that the
"police" is bound to the "prime minister's office" only on paper and
described as unacceptable the fact that the "prime minister" was not
aware of the promotions.
(I/Ts.)
[05] International Conference on New Directions in Business to be held
in occupied Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the
Communication and Economic Faculty of the illegal Eastern Mediterranean
University (DAU) is organizing the 2013 International Conference on New
Directions in Business, Management, Finance and Economics.
The conference will take place between 12-14 of September in occupied
Cyprus.
According to the paper 111 participants from the following countries
will participate in the conference: Turkey, Iran, North Africa, Albania,
Check Republic, Jordan, Leetonia, Libya, Malaysia, Slovakia and Thailand.
[06] European Association of Plastic Surgeons chairman to participate
in Turkish Cypriot Plastic Reconstruction Surgical congress
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the 11th
Congress of the Turkish Cypriot Plastic Reconstruction Surgical Union will
be held in Acapulco Hotel in occupied Keryneia between 12-15 of September.
According to the paper, the chairman of the European Association of
Plastic Surgeons will participate in the congress. His name is not
mentioned.
[07] Turkish PM Erdogan arrives in Russia; he slams Putin over Syria
ahead of G-20 talks
Ankara Anatolia news agency (05.09.13) reports that Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Saint Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday
to participate in G20 meetings scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Turkish PM Erdogan is welcomed by Turkey's Russia Ambassador Aydin Sezgin
and other officials. Deputy PM Ali Babacan, Treasury Minister Mehmet
Simsek, AK Party Deputy Chairman Mevlut Cavusoglu, and Prime Ministry
Undersecretary Efkan Ala accompany Turkish PM Erdogan.
World leaders from most developed 20 countries will participate in
meetings to discuss the economic outlook on Thursday, but the real agenda
is expected to focus on the probable intervention in Syria. During the
meetings, The Turkish premier is expected to hold talks with US President
Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the latest
developments in Syria. Turkey is in favor of punitive strike against
the Syrian regime for its use of chemical gas against civilians.
In addition, Turkish daily Zaman newspaper (05.09.13) reports that
Erdogan has criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to
rule out military action against the Syrian regime if it is proved to
be responsible for a chemical attack as too little, too late in the face
of the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
When reporters questioned him on the latest Syrian developments, Erdogan
said he has been having difficulty understanding Putin's statement that
Russia could act with the West if presented with convincing evidence
that the Assad regime carried out a chemical attack that killed over
1,300 people.
"You will kill people with planes and this won't be a crime. But when
you kill with chemicals, then this is a crime. First we should decide
if killing is a crime or not. ? You won't call the killing of 100,000
people a crime, but when 1,300 or 130 people are killed, you say you will
stand by the UN if the use of chemical weapons is proven. This strikes
me as odd," Erdogan said, stressing that the Syrian civil war drew the
attention of the international community only after the chemical attack.
Reiterating that Turkey has no doubt that chemical weapons were used in
the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, Erdogan said that the whole world had seen
the footage of little children's dead bodies. "If you watch the footage
[of the children] carefully, you can see that there is no blood or bullet
wound and realize they were killed by chemical bombs. The Syrian regime
approved the use of chemicals but put the blame on the opposition,"
Erdogan said, arguing that there is no need to debate whether chemical
weapons were used in Syria.
The Turkish Prime Minister said that US President Barack Obama's decision
to request congressional approval for military action in Syria could be
seen as an "internal policy decision" and a sign of Obama's confidence.
Several Turkish dailies, citing statements from Putin's foreign policy
adviser, Yuri Ushakov, reported on Tuesday that the meeting between
Putin and Erdogan will be a "brief talk."
Erdogan also addressed Syria's threat of armed retaliation against
Turkey. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal Miqdad, said recently
that if the intervention goes ahead, Syria would strike not only Israel
but also Jordan and Turkey.
Erdogan said: "Syria is suffering from a serious management problem. I
have no idea what the Assad [regime] relies on while making such
statements. Turkey is ready for a possible attack. Is Syria ready for
such a thing? I don't know."
[08] Turkey sends military reinforcements to Syrian border
Turkish daily Today's Zaman newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the Turkish
military dispatched additional troops and weapons to the Syrian border
on Wednesday as international powers are set to gather at the G-20 summit
over the weekend to discuss a possible Syria intervention.
Reinforcement units were sent from a military command in the southern
province of Gaziantep to Kilis province, bordering Syria. The military
convoy, which was escorted by the police, arrived in Kilis on Wednesday
afternoon.
The decision to send additional troops to the border is believed to be
related to a consignment of live ammunition that exploded as it was
being smuggled into Turkey on Tuesday, killing six people along the
border with Syria.
The Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD)
has built a field hospital and decontamination unit near the Oncup1nar
border gate on Syrian border in the southern province of Kilis to handle
with possible chemical threats from Syria, which is known to have a
large arsenal of chemical weapons.
A group of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN)
specialists, who work within AFAD, have been deployed in the region with
necessary technical equipment, writes the paper.
[09] Turkish FM calls for more international support for Syrian refugees
who reached half a million in Turkey
Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.09.13) reports that Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio
Guterres and foreign ministers of Syrian neighboring countries called for
'more international support' for Syrian refugees.
Foreign ministers of Syrian neighboring countries, which shelter Syrian
refugees, held a press conference at UN Geneva Office after they had
convened at UN Refugee Agency.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated that hundred percent of
the Syrian refugees escaped from attacks of Assad regime and the UN's
investigation committee waited for four days so as to enter the region
where chemical weapons were used, and the Assad regime continued to bomb
to destroy the evidences in the region.
In addition, Turkish daily Zaman newspaper (05.09.13) reports that the
total number of Syrian, refugees who have entered Turkey since the start
of the conflict in Syria has climbed to over 500,000, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry said.
"The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey has exceeded 500,000. Over
200,000 Syrians are currently being hosted in the 20 temporary sheltering
centers located in 20 provinces," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said,
via its official Twitter account Sept. 4.
The Foreign Ministry also said that 45,000 Syrian students were going
to school in Turkey according to official data. "A total of 5,638 Syrian
babies were born in our sheltering centers," the ministry also said.
[10] Turkey sends envoy back to Egypt
Ankara Anatolia news agency (04.09.13) reports that Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey had recalled its
ambassador to Egypt, Huseyin Avni Botsali, to discuss the Egyptian crisis,
adding that Botsali would currently return to Egypt, "but if anything
unexpected comes up in Egypt, we will assess his recalling again."
Before departing for Russia's St. Petersburg to attend the G-20 Summit
meeting, Turkish PM Erdogan held a press conference at Esenboga Airport
in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Turkey's ambassador to Egypt had previously been recalled to Ankara to
discuss recent developments in the Egyptian crisis following the military
coup on July 3 which ousted Egypt's first democratically elected president
Mohamed Morsi.
Responding to the question "Is there any normalization in relations
between Egypt and Turkey?," Erdogan stressed that they had recalled
Turkish Ambassador in Cairo Botsali to negotiate the recent status of
the Egyptian crisis.
"We did not take a step to close our embassy in Cairo, but only to discuss
what has been going on, what has been done and what will happen in Egypt,"
he said.
Erdogan also highlighted that if anything unexpected comes up in Egypt,
they would assess recalling the ambassador again.
Touching on the upcoming Egypt visit of a delegation from Turkey's main
opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkish Premier Erdogan said,
"there is nothing CHP could do, either in Iraq or Egypt."
Turkish Premier Erdogan noted that the CHP delegation could merely share
its experiences with Egyptian officials by saying "we made a military
coup like this before, we backed such coups" and by speculating on the
distinction between military coups and civilian ones.
[11] Main Order of Ecumenical Patriarchate criticizing the possible
reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (05.09.13) reports that the Order of
St. Andreas the Apostle Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate released
a statement criticizing the possible reconversion of the Hagia Sophia
Museum in Istanbul into a mosque.
The statement said that there was a possibility of the
"church-turned-mosque-turned-museum" in Istanbul being reconverted into a
mosque, as two previous cases of Hagia Sophia churches that were recently
in 0znik and Trabzon.
"There are now indications that certain factions are endeavoring to
cultivate in popular opinion the notion that Haghia Sophia of Istanbul,
the symbol of Christian faith, should be turned into a mosque," said
the statement released by the Order of St. Andreas, written by Nikolaos
Manginas.
The statement recalled that a Turkish citizen had submitted an application
a few months ago to the National Assembly for the conversion of the
Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate also criticized an article published in the
official magazine of Turkish Airlines, Skylife, in August 2013, which
was titled, "Hagia Sophia: The Sultans' Mosque," and which mentioned
the return of the museum into its former "spiritual aura," referring to
its days of serving as a mosque. The statement further said that the
article presented the history from a one-sided point of view and that
it was not acceptable.
"The selective presentation of the Church's true history, a history
that transformed nations and cultures, is unacceptable," the Ecumenical
Patriarchate added.
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