Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-11-15

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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] Eroglu: "no honourable people succumb to those who set eye on their sovereignty and state, because of some problems"

[02] Atalay: the Greek Cypriots want to change the parameters and the basis of the negotiations

[03] Atalay: if a solution is not found in Cyprus, Turkey might take other steps

[04] Ertug: There is a deadlock at the joint declaration

[05] Nami: The Greek Cypriot side took some steps to accommodate our sensitivities

[06] Vice President of TBMM: We oppose to the return of Varosha and the withdrawal of Turkish army

[07] Columnist Sener Levent writes about missing persons remains which were thrown in the sea by a special Turkish team

[08] The breakaway regime and FYROM will cooperate on tourism sector

[09] Eroglu met with Lord Sheikh and Baroness Scott and other visitors

[10] Kibris Postasi is the newest paper in Cyprus

[11] Turkish Deputy PM Arinc mulls retirement from politics

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: "no honourable people succumb to those who set eye on their sovereignty and state, because of some problems"

Eroglu alleged that the concept of "state" is a very old one for the Turkish Cypriots and argued that they are "a people that had come to the island together with the Ottoman Empire, its strength and power".

Eroglu invited President Anastasiades to the negotiating table claiming that the necessary basis for the continuation of the talks exists. He alleged: "What we need to settle is to be saved from the tie on our foot called 'Cyprus problem' and take the place we deserve in the world. For this reason we have been focused insistently on bringing our Greek Cypriot friends to the table and sign an agreement in the first quarter of 2014. I have been patient for eight months and tried not to enter into a quarrel of mutual blaming through the press with Mr Anastasiades, but in front of the fact that he did not notice this, I have to say some realities to our people on this historic anniversary. Unfortunately, until now we have not seen the necessary cooperation spirit and solution mentality on the Greek Cypriot leader for settling the Cyprus problem. In spite of the fact that the manifesto put forward by Mr Anastasiades during the pre-election period was very negative, we hoped that after coming to duty he would come to reason. This did not happen?

We are waiting at the table, but the Greek Cypriot leader Anastasides goes to the Archbishop, who says that he does not want a single Turkish soldier in Cyprus, that he will never leave northern Cyprus to us and that they will continue their struggle. We have conveyed to the UN that we could meet with him, if he wants, in order for preparing a joint statement, but Mr Anastasiades preferred meeting with his friends at EOKA house?"

Eroglu noted that as Turkish Cypriot side they have said that the negotiations could resume without a joint statement and wondered which UN resolution provides for a joint statement for the continuation of the negotiations. Eroglu went on and alleged that President Anastasiades "attacks" him and in his name attacks the Turkish Cypriots with "insults", because "I support our sovereignty, I say that we will not allow for Turkey's active and effective guarantees and bi-zonality to be touched and I stress that a new state will be established".

Eroglu claimed: "From here, from this historic ceremony I call on him once more: Mr Anastasiades, we are ready to discuss all these issues, immediately, tomorrow at the table. Stop waiting for help from the gas, from the EU, stop waiting that one day some people among us will succumb to your wishes, understand the realities in Cyprus and come to the negotiating table. There is absolutely no Turkish Cypriot who will say yes to the so-called solution which is in your mind? Come and let us immediately realize the visits of our special representatives to Ankara and Athens in mutual and equal conditions. Do not make wrong calculations. TRNC and motherland Turkey are in full unity of views and targets. Come and after the negotiations reach a certain point, let us take a step forward for the conclusion of the issue with an agreement at meetings in which the three guarantor powers, Turkey, Greece and Britain will also participate. In our negotiating understanding there is no such thing as registering the wishes of the Greek Cypriot side before sitting at the negotiating table, leaving our wishes for later and beg saying 'give this, we want that'? The necessary basis for continuing the negotiations exists?"

Eroglu alleged that entering under the umbrella of the Republic of Cyprus, in spite of all the developments after 1960, would be a historic and irreversible mistake. He reiterated that what should be established is a new partnership. He argued that if there is no agreement "because the stance of the Greek Cypriots does not change", the world should listen to what the Turkish Cypriots are saying and not leave them to be victimized.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Atalay: the Greek Cypriots want to change the parameters and the basis of the negotiations

Atalay said that their common target is to reach the soonest an agreement which will be guarantying "the equal status of the Turkish Cypriot people, who are one of the two partners of the island". He added that this target is among the priorities of the Turkish foreign policy.

"As guarantor power in Cyprus, we wish for the negotiations, which are expected to resume, to result in a just and lasting solution that will have as basis the essential founding will of the two peoples, their political equality and their being co-owners of the island and we are ready to offer any contribution for their successful result", he said.

Referring to the issue of the joint statement, Atalay alleged that an agreement could not be reached for almost two months because of "the demands of the Greek Cypriot side aiming at changing the basis and the parameters of the negotiations".

He claimed: "In the ongoing efforts for a joint statement which will be made for the first meeting of the leaders, the Turkish Cypriot side has also done its bit for reaching the target of the solution in cooperation with the UN. Our wish on this issue is for the resumption of the negotiations from the point they had been left without losing any more time and go to referendum in the first months of 2014. In this road, which the UN Secretary-General sees as the last move, Turkey will offer any kind of support to the Turkish Cypriots".

Atalay went on and argued that while the political solution of the Cyprus problem is expected, they could not accept approaches which relate all the activities of the "TRNC" to the solution and say that everything should be postponed.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Atalay: if a solution is not found in Cyprus, Turkey might take other steps

Atalay arrived yesterday in the occupied area of Cyprus in order to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the anniversary of breakaway regime's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). In his statements at Esenboga airport before his departure, Atalay said that there is an activity recently on the Cyprus problem, that the process goes well and that the UN, Greece and Turkey have undertaken a more active role in this process. He alleged that from the very beginning, Turkey has wanted a solution based on justice and that this is the policy of the "TRNC" as well.

"We are determined on the issue of reaching a solution regarding Cyprus. However, if this does not happen, Turkey might take other steps. We do not want these problems to continue eternally", he added.

After arriving in the occupied area of Cyprus, Atalay met separately with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, the "speaker" of the so-called assembly, Sibel Siber and the self-styled prime minister of the regime, Ozkan Yorgancioglu.

In statements during his meeting with Eroglu, Atalay said that he is accompanied by experts who will discuss with technical committees of the breakaway regime the point at which the "economic program" has reached. Atalay noted that they will do whatever they can for the "TRNC" to further develop economically and develop its "democracy".

In his turn, Eroglu said that all countries might face economic problems and added that they are trying to overcome their problems together with their motherland Turkey.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Eroglu alleged that they were trying to resume the negotiations process, but the Greek Cypriot side "is playing with time". He argued that the world should see these "realities" and alleged: "Time has come for them to warn the Greek Cypriots".

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (15.11.13) wonders whether they are heading "towards privatization step by step" and reports that Atalay "attracted attention with his crowded delegation". The paper notes that the crowded technical team is expected to work on the issue of privatizations. It is said that priority will be given to the telecommunication and electricity "departments".

According to the paper, referring to the Cyprus problem, Atalay claimed that they will always play a constructive role in the negotiations process, but if the "delaying tactics" of the Greek Cypriots continue, they will be "freer in alternative policies".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Ertug: There is a deadlock at the joint declaration

Replying to a question, Ertug said that they met with Lisa M. Buttenheim, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, and her team on Wednesday and informed them that they have reached a deadlock on the issue of the "joint declaration".

Noting that they discussed views and proposals during the meeting, Ertug reiterated once more that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to sit at the negotiation table without a joint declaration, as Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has announced it in several occasions.

Asked to comment whether he will meet with Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, Ertug said that there has not been any notification by the UN on this issue.

[05] Nami: The Greek Cypriot side took some steps to accommodate our sensitivities

In a meeting with the a group of visiting journalists from the Ankara-based Diplomacy Correspondents Association (DMD), Ozdil claimed that the Greek Cypriots were attempting to broaden the scope of the joint statement by inserting sensitive chapters of upcoming negotiations.

When asked about Turkish Cypriots' possible reaction if the talks fail to settle the decades-old issue, Nami said that the Cyprus question had exhausted the international community and the United Nations, adding: "The first U.N. resolution on Cyprus was taken in March 1964. That makes a half century. A lot of time, a lot of money has been wasted. The U.N. also says 'enough is enough.'"

On the same issue, illegal Bayrak television (online, 14.11.13) broadcast that Nami met with a delegation of foreign journalists, who are in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the anniversary of breakaway regime's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Diplomacy Correspondents from various Turkish media institutions were also among the groups of foreign journalists.

During the visit Nami briefed the foreign journalists regarding the latest phase reached on the Cyprus problem and said: "We have reached an important phase". He added that the so-called coalition government gives great importance to their public and the international community being kept informed regarding the Cyprus negotiations process.

[06] Vice President of TBMM: We oppose to the return of Varosha and the withdrawal of Turkish army

During the meeting, Yorgancioglu said that the Turkish Cypriots have given many fights in order to come to this point, noting that they have also rights on the natural sources wealth.

Yakut, for his part, stressed that Turkey always supports the Turkish Cypriots on the negotiation process of the Cyprus talks. He added that the return of the fenced off town of occupied Varosha and the withdrawal of the Turkish army from the island prior to the Cyprus settlement, is unacceptable.

[07] Columnist Sener Levent writes about missing persons remains which were thrown in the sea by a special Turkish team

Levent, who notes that he got his information by a witness of the facts he reports about, writes that panic and uneasiness were created in Turkey after the establishment of the Missing Persons Committe in Cyprus; therefore a decision was made by Turkey to destroy the mass graves of 1974. They sent a special team for this reason in order to find and destroy the mass graves, he notes.

Levent also writes that there is a connection between these incidents and the murder of the Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adali in 1996.

"The team that came from Turkey started working immediately in order to find and to destroy the mass graves of the Greek Cypriots. First of all they started looking for people who knew about the places that these graves existed. This operation took place secretly. Massive Greek Cypriot slaughters took place in the village Maratha, Aloa and Sandalari. Murdering of Greek Cypriot prisoners of war, children or eldest, were made by angry Turkish soldiers and by some Turkish Cypriots. Everyone that knew about the issue indicated the place the mass graves were located to the special team that came from Turkey, in Afania, Tzaos, Assia, Bekoy and everywhere else that these mass graves were located. They even went to Varosha which is fenced for years. It is said that the remains of some persons which were murder, were in Varosha and these persons were buried in some water pools [?]. The remains of these persons were exhumed from the mass graves and were loaded up to trucks. And after, they were thrown to the sea. Here, they whisper it in our ears after years. If all these are true, then those who are looking for them (the missing persons) they are looking in vain. They will never find them", Levent writes.

He goes on and writes about the events related to Apostolos Varvavas and notes that everybody thinks that in the church yard there was a treasure, therefore the yard was excavated for this reason. Levent writes that this is not true:

"A mass grave was located there, the witness says. And they went there with the special team that came from Turkey. Actually, the persons buried were not killed there, but were transferred to that area. So what about Kutlu Adali? It is said that Adali knew about the decision taken in Turley and about the operations undertaken. That is why he started to dig up in the Apostolos Varnavas story. He wrote about this issue in his newspaper articles. It is also said that the military command invited him to its headquarters and warned him on this issue. Kutlu did not pay attention to these threads. He was not the kind of man to be afraid of these threads. Therefore they took the final decision for him as well and they murdered him in front of his house. They did not give him the chance to reveal the secret of Apostolos Varnavas [?] It was not a treasure there were seeking in Apostolos Varnavas, they were seeking for mass graves. There is no way to know the remains of how many missing persons were thrown in the sea. We only know that they will be not found ever. In order to remember them we can build an "unknown victim" monument. And we can look at this and feel ashamed. Because even this is not enough to offer forgiveness".

[08] The breakaway regime and FYROM will cooperate on tourism sector

During the visit the men discussed ways to cooperate and develop tourism between the two "countries".

Denktas especially focused on what can be done to increase the flow of tourists from FYROM to the "TRNC" in 2014.

Upon this a decision was taken that in February 2014 a campaign would commence with the participation of the two "ministers" from the two "countries" that would enable the flow of tourists to the two "countries".

Meanwhile the Republic of Turkey's Skopje Ambassador gave a dinner in honour of Serdar Denktas.

[09] Eroglu met with Lord Sheikh and Baroness Scott and other visitors

He then had a meeting with the 1st Army Commander of the Turkish occupation Forces General Ahmet Turmus, the Republican People's Party (CHP) vice president Yakup Akkaya and the vice president of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) Huseyin Kul separately.

Later, Eroglu met with the Vice President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Sadik Yakut and Lord Mohamed Iltaf Sheikh and Baroness Rosalinda Carlos Scott.

Eroglu informed the visitors regarding his views on the Cyprus problem.

He claimed that although the world was aware of the Greek Cypriot side's intransigence on the Cyprus problem they were remaining quiet on the issue, adding that "hopefully one day they will acknowledge their righteousness".

Eroglu argued: "We have the same belief with Turkey that the Cyprus problem has been going on for too long. If the other side displays good will then a solution can be found".

Finally, he noted that the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" [Editors' note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus] was established with the support of motherland Turkey and would continue to exist with the same support.

[10] Kibris Postasi is the newest paper in Cyprus

[11] Turkish Deputy PM Arinc mulls retirement from politics

"I have repeatedly said that I need to put an end to active politics. Every politician should at some point leave active politics, or at least have a break," Arinc told reporters Nov. 14 in Istanbul.

"For the last three to four years, I have praised the three-term rule in our party," he added, referring to the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) regulations that say party members cannot hold their posts for more than three terms.

The Deputy Prime Minister said he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren, but this was not the only reason for his decision. "Maybe I will find time to rest, refresh, read more and spend more time on social issues ? When I put an end to active politics, and if Allah allows me time, of course I would love to spend time with my grandchildren, maybe help them with their education," Arinc said.

When asked about the recent rift between himself and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which stemmed from their different views of the recent mixed-sex student housing controversy, Arinc said he had no problems with any politicians.

He said he would be accompanying Erdogan in the much-anticipated Diyarbak?r meeting over the weekend.

"The Prime Minister has invited me, and God willing we will go together. The people of that region are people we love very much. We will be together with those beautiful people in central Diyarbak?r, and its districts Ergani and Bismil. I hope it will be a useful trip," he added.

Prime Minister Erdogan will attend ceremonies in Diyarbak?r and will meet Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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