Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-01-30

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] The Italian President reportedly said that Turkey belongs to Europe and that Cyprus accession created difficulties to Turkey's EU bid

[02] Eroglu: Guarantees are sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriots

[03] Self-styled foreign ministry: The efforts for the Turkish Cypriot voting in the EP elections are unacceptable

[04] Bryza: Eastern Mediterranean's natural gas could be carried to Europe through Turkey

[05] Kasif refuted Turkish reports on the name of the new airline firm to be established in the occupied area of Cyprus

[06] Denktas will run for the Democratic Party's leadership

[07] Erdogan to visit Germany on February 4

[08] Turkey voices will to expand energy deals with Iran during Erdogan's visit

[09] Erdogan says he will wait to see the interest rate hike's impact before stepping in

[10] Turkey's population exceeds 76 million; median age of the population 30.4 years

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The Italian President reportedly said that Turkey belongs to Europe and that Cyprus accession created difficulties to Turkey's EU bid

He made these statements during a joint press conference with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul who is currently paying an official visit to Italy.

"Turkey belongs to Europe, and the global security map also confirms this," said the Italian President, as he slammed other European countries for raising obstacles to Turkey's path to accession. According to Today's Zaman, Napolitano was referring to the Republic of Cyprus and France when he made the following statement: "The decision to start negotiations [with Turkey] was taken unanimously. However, after this decision, some events happened that we don't agree on. Some European countries affected the negotiation process negatively by blocking the chapters and slowing their opening: "Speaking about the obstacles on Turkey's path towards the EU, the Italian President talked about Greek Cyprus' status and said that granting EU membership to Greek Cyprus has made things hard for Turkey", Today's Zaman wrote.

Reporting on the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (30.01.14) reports that Napolitano further said that unfortunately while they were prepared for the integrity of Cyprus, the Annan Plan was not approved and this was the result of a complicated situation.

[02] Eroglu: Guarantees are sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriots

In statements to Ada television, Eroglu argued that Turkey had accepted to reduce the number of its troops in Cyprus to 650 in the Annan Plan for the "sake of having an agreement". Noting that Turkey left the issue of discussing this matter every year open, Eroglu claimed: "Turkey's guarantees is valid for us. The discussion of whether the number of troops will be reduced is another issue. The continuation of the guarantees is one of our indispensable conditions".

Eroglu reiterated the allegation that a joint declaration is not necessary for the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations, arguing that former Turkish Cypriot leader Talat had also said this. "In the end we met at a common point", he added. When he was reminded of the fact that Talat had made two different statements on this issue, Eroglu replied that when you talk a lot, one day you forget something you had said the other day. "Therefore, Mr Talat talks too much. If you are on television three times a week and you issue statements four times, one week you may forget what you had said in a previous program. If, however, he is at the point he recently said, he said the truth. There is really absolutely no need for a text of a joint declaration", he argued.

Eroglu referred also to the decision of the government of the Republic of Cyprus to facilitate the Turkish Cypriots' using their right to vote and being elected during the European Parliament (EP) elections. He alleged that "entering into EP elections under the Greek Cypriots will be tantamount to recognizing the Republic of Cyprus". He claimed that this is "a trick of the Greek Cypriots", who will go to the EU and say that they have given to the Turkish Cypriots the right to vote and be elected, but the latter have not accepted it and therefore they cannot demand other rights. "I do not believe that my people will be deceived", he argued.

Eroglu referred to the meetings between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties and said that this of course can happen, but when the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) holds contacts in the government-controlled area of Cyprus, it would be better if these contacts were held by the general secretary or the "MPs" of the party and not by the "prime minister" and the "minister of foreign affairs" of the regime.

Referring to the issue of the natural gas in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, Eroglu argued that the Greek Cypriots are not positive to the idea of this gas to be transferred through Turkey, with or without a solution to the Cyprus problem. Israel, he claimed, is positive to this idea. Referring to the military manoeuvres jointly carried out in the area by the Republic of Cyprus and Israel, Eroglu argued that both Israel and the Greek Cypriots should stop the tricks, because "the more the waters get warm, the more troubles will be in the area".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Self-styled foreign ministry: The efforts for the Turkish Cypriot voting in the EP elections are unacceptable

In a statement issued yesterday, the self-styled ministry said that they have been struggling for many years for their representation at the EP and added that the issue, on which all their political parties agree and they will never give concessions, is the election of the Turkish Cypriot representatives by the Turkish Cypriots themselves.

The statement argued that the two "peoples" of Cyprus, as it called the two communities, have always been voting with two separate voters' lists and candidates' lists and expressed the view that "this has constituted one of the most fundamental elements of the 1960 Constitution".

The statement alleged that the Turkish Cypriots should be represented at the EP in the way they are represented at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The statement claimed also that the measures announced by the Republic of Cyprus are "only for the show" and aim at nullifying the pressures exerted by the Turkish Cypriots and "degrade the communal rights of the Turkish Cypriots to individual rights".

Arguing that their "people" will not support such measures, the statement said that they will never support arrangements which harm the Turkish Cypriot communal rights and will continue their struggle in the direction of the reflection of their will at international and national level.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Bryza: Eastern Mediterranean's natural gas could be carried to Europe through Turkey

In statements to Kibrisli, Bryza argued that the Turkish Cypriots should also undertake an active role in works in the field of energy in the Mediterranean. He said that the Turkish Cypriots are obliged in the end to play a role in the determination of the economic future of Cyprus and added that this role "should be determined the soonest".

Bryza said that Turkas Energy is closely interested in the explorations for oil in Eastern Mediterranean and in transferring the natural gas from there to Turkey. He noted that the cost of such pipeline will be 2.5 billion US dollars and the pipeline from Israel's Leviathan area to Turkey's Mersin area through Cyprus will be 470-kilometer long. Israeli businessmen are positive to this idea, while the Cypriot officials are keeping a distance, he added.

He noted: "There is enough natural gas for the pipeline in Eastern Mediterranean. And as Turkas we hope that we will build a pipeline from Israel to Turkey. Furthermore, a natural gas terminal based in Cyprus or Israel is being considered. I think that this will be politically impossible. The relations between Turkey and Israel are known. Perhaps there is Jordan or Egypt, but I think that this will also be politically impossible…"

(I/Ts.)

[05] Kasif refuted Turkish reports on the name of the new airline firm to be established in the occupied area of Cyprus

Evaluating reports in the Turkish press that the "TRNC" is establishing "Karpaz Havayollari" (Karpass Airways) and that flights will begin next April, Kasif stated that work is in progress for the establishment of a new airline firm, but "there is still no plan a or b as regards to the name". As Kasif said, he is not informed about the issue and noted that there is still no application submitted at the "ministry" about this. As he further indicated, the last permission given by the so-called ministry was to "Bora Jet".

[06] Denktas will run for the Democratic Party's leadership

Denktas is the current leader of DP.

[07] Erdogan to visit Germany on February 4

[08] Turkey voices will to expand energy deals with Iran during Erdogan's visit

"It is obvious that we import crude oil and gas from Iran, which are strategic energy sources, and will be able to increase the volume of these imports," Erdogan said in Tehran.

In addition, Today's Zaman (30.01.14) reports that Erdogan has said that Iran is like his "second home." Erdogan met with Iranian President Hasan Rohani, First Vice President Ishaq Jahangir and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday. He also met with other Iranian officials.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry official has confirmed to Today's Zaman that an agreement on establishing a High-level Cooperation Council mechanism between Turkey and Iran was signed between Rohani and Erdogan.

At the joint press conference, the prime minister emphasized that he hopes the year 2014 will be a milestone for both countries and that the trade volume will reach $30 billion by the end of 2015, pointing out that due to the economic sanctions on Iran, the trade volume with Iran plummeted to $13.8 billion in 2013 from $21.8 billion in 2012.

[09] Erdogan says he will wait to see the interest rate hike's impact before stepping in

"It falls to me to be patient for a while," Erdogan said answering reporters' questions about the massive interest rate hike that the Central Bank announced at midnight on January 28.

Erdogan has been vocal in his opposition to any interest rate hike recently, raising questions about the independence of the Bank, which has refrained from raising rates despite the steep slide of the Turkish currency. Repeating that he has always opposed raising interest rates, Erdogan said his government would wait to see where things are going before stepping in. Erdogan repeated his view that raising interest rates is not the only available tool.

[10] Turkey's population exceeds 76 million; median age of the population 30.4 years

The population increased by around one million between 2012 and 2013. Men make up 50.2% of the total and women make up 49.8% according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The annual population growth rate increased to 13.7 per thousand last year, from 12% per thousand in 2012.

According to the figures, a majority of Turkey's population - 14.1 million people, or 18.5% of the total population - lives in Istanbul. The city's population, increased by 2.2% from 2012 to 2013. More than 36% of Turkey's total population lives in five cities: Istanbul, Ankara (5 million), Izmir (4 million), Bursa (2.7 million) and Antalya (2.1 million) respectively.

Meanwhile, the median age of the population increased slightly, from 30.1 in 2012 to 30.4 in 2013. While the median age was 29.8 for males, it was 31 for females.

.----------------------------------------------------

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

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