Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-05-29

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] Eroglu: The issue of Varosha was closed before the arrival of Biden

[02] Ozersay addressed a conference in Paris

[03] Kasif describes Toros' statements as "unfortunate"

[04] Sener Elcil evaluates the EP's elections: "We knew the result"

[05] Turkish Cypriot columnist assesses the results of the EP elections; A Federal Republic of Cyprus is inevitable

[06] Columnist assesses the "constitutional amendments" prepared by the breakaway regime

[07] Two beaches in occupied Vasilia are for "sale" on the internet

[08] Cavusoglu called on the EU to lift the political obstacles from opening new chapters

[09] EU has not been the most reliable partner for Turkey: Finnish head of Parliament

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: The issue of Varosha was closed before the arrival of Biden

Noting that issues and views of the Turkish Cypriot side were brought during the meeting, Eroglu argued that Biden did not use the expression "you will hand out Varosha. You should do it". He went on: "We put our views on this issue in an openly and clearly way. The issue of Varosha was brought to us by the US Ambassador even before the arrival of Biden. We put our views at the meeting with the Ambassador. He (US Ambassador) took our views and went to Anastasiades. For this reason, the issue of Varosha was closed even before the arrival of Biden. The Ambassador put in an open and clear way that a compromise on this issue is not possible and that the uncompromising side on the Varosha issue is the Greek Cypriot side. This is the reason for not opening the issue of Varosha while we were holding a meeting with Biden. However, when esteemed Anastasiades raised this issue during the dinner, we put our objections and we said that Varosha and Famagusta are an issue which satisfies only the Greek Cypriot side. For this reason, we said that an issue, which is under the chapter 'Territory', is not possible to be given to the Greek Cypriot side at a time where the negotiations have started."

Commenting on President Anastasiades' statement in Brussels that there may be a solution in 2015, Eroglu said: "What does this mean? It is the continuation of the negotiations in an open end way." Eroglu also said that the aim of all is the solution, adding that time is shrinking and that he told this to Biden. Eroglu also said: "My aim is to get results and bring them into a conclusion in the referendum. There is not a meaning of wasting time with the Confidence Building Measures."

[02] Ozersay addressed a conference in Paris

Ozersay alleged that even though there is no comprehensive solution on the island the "Greek Cypriot government", as he described the government of the Republic of Cyprus, "is treated as the only legal government of the island, the Greek Cypriot side became full member of the EU and permission is given for the unilateral use by the Greek Cypriots of the natural wealth which everyone accepts that belongs to the Turkish Cypriots as well".

Ozersay argued that the abnormal status quo in Cyprus is treated as if it is normal. He alleged: "I am not saying it to accuse the Greek Cypriot community. I am saying it to emphasize that the most important obstacle in front of finding a comprehensive solution is this approach exhibited by the international community. As long as this treatment continues, the question of why the Greek Cypriot community should share with the Turkish Cypriots the powers and the wealth it uses today remains unanswered. It is within this scope that if the transfer of the hydrocarbon resources to the international markets is bound on the condition of taking the consent of the Turkish Cypriots, of having a cooperation between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots on this issue or of finding a comprehensive solution, it will be possible to see positive and concrete developments on many fields soon in Cyprus. Otherwise, I think that the hydrocarbon resources will not be helpful for the solution, but an obstacle".

Ozersay argued that in spite of some "technical problems" which exist in the negotiating process, it is possible to have a positive result, but alleged that this passes through the international community's re-examining its political vision for Cyprus.

Referring to the issue of confidence building measures (CBM) and the occupied fenced off city of Varosha, Ozersay claimed that if the CBM are not planned in a manner that will help the solution, these would not contribute in nothing else than making more permanent the current abnormal situation on the island. "Therefore, the CBM could serve to building confidence provided that are related to the comprehensive solution and are balanced", he added alleging that otherwise we will have two parallel procedures which "poison each other".

According to the paper, yesterday afternoon, Ozersay explained in a close-door meeting at the French International Relations Institute (IFRI) the latest developments in the negotiations and the steps that should be taken for creating an effective process.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Kasif describes Toros' statements as "unfortunate"

In his statement Kasif said that the above statement by Toros is "unfortunate" and added: "The Greek Cypriot administration which is connected with the Green Line Regulations carries out trade. An agreement may be reached in the communication sector as well. However, this statement was made without consulting us".

Kasif went on and said that it is natural for "north Cyprus" which communicates globally to establish telephone communication with the "south", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, he, however, said that in order for this to be arranged, it is necessary first for a series of talks to take place in order to reach to an agreement".

Kasif said that it would be better if these statements were made after speaking first with the technical groups and the related with communication departments. He added that no technical problems exist for telephone connection with the "south" and stressed that what it is necessary to be done first by the technical groups, is to study the issue from the economic, political and legal aspect, and then to reach to an agreement.

(AK)

[04] Sener Elcil evaluates the EP's elections: "We knew the result"

In his statements Elcil, inter alia, said that after the crisis experienced during last Sunday's elections, they were expecting that the participation to the elections would be at the lowest level.

Elcil said that the political parties were exerting efforts months ago in order for no participation to exist in the elections and added that with the incidents which were experienced, they realized once more what the Cyprus problem is. Elcil added the following: "We always say this, that the Greek Cypriot leadership which holds the Republic of Cyprus under invasion since 1963, does not want to share it. The Turkish Cypriot side's will is two separate states. The strange aspect of this issue is that the Greek Cypriot side has as a basis the UN decision since the 4th of March 1964. This decision has been supported by Turkey as well".

Elcil went on and accused, Eroglu, Talat, Yorgancioglu, Kutlay Erk and some "deputies" of the Republican Turkish Party for making statements which are in favor of "division", since as he said, they were calling, until the last day of the elections, the "people" not to vote.

Commenting on the increase of the percentages of votes for ELAM in the "south", as he called the Republic of Cyprus, Elcil said that racism exists in every place that economic difficulties are experienced.

(AK)

[05] Turkish Cypriot columnist assesses the results of the EP elections; A Federal Republic of Cyprus is inevitable

"?The serious increase of the votes of ELAM in the south is the most impressive fact of the EP election. The hard efforts of the administrators of the state to 'cut' the Turkish Cypriot voters are as dangerous as the votes taken by ELAM. However, looking at what happened, being afraid of ELAM's votes, being fed up with the behavior of the Greek Cypriot fascist state and saying 'no one could live together with the Greek Cypriots', is fifty times fifty more fascistic and racist than ELAM! ?

In absolute no period of my life since I remember myself, I believed, [or] I was deceived by the racist propaganda which is used by fascism for maintaining the status quo and which unfortunately I cannot deny that is successful. The Greeks, the Armenians, the Maronites, the Latins, the people from Philippines, Pakistan, Romania, Poland, France, Bulgaria, Britain, Japan are my brothers and I can live with all of them. And my enemy is fascism which gains from their brotherhood. In am not interested in those who have sold the property they left in the south, afterwards became rich with the benefit secured from the property belonging to Greek Cypriots in the north and then said 'the Greek Cypriots do not want me, this is the proof'.

Once, if the Cyprus problem is not solved, we have no chance of being able to say that the lands on which we live 'are my land'. If you do not have land, how will you have a state? ? The Greek Cypriots will not abandon their lands. They will not abandon the human rights. If there is not solution, the Greek Cypriots will file more lawsuits and they will win. And we will continue sitting on the edge of a false structure and be Turkey's material for propaganda.

The Greek Cypriot community is very conservative, a very orthodox community. It is true, it does not want to share the political equality. However, because the situation is this, I do not want to go and take its passport when this suits me and enjoy myself on the illegal profit. The main thing is the solution and my state. The Federal Republic of Cyprus which has a place in the international law is inevitable? Only the fact that all of you, without exceptions, take this document which you call 'Greek Cypriot Passport' is a proof that I am right.

Of course, I respect your right to establish a separate state, to sustain a separate state. I just explain that this is not a solution. The solution is nothing else than giving to our Greek Cypriot brothers as much land as possible, respecting their right to return back and taking political equality in return of this?

Therefore, if you believe that you have the right to establish and sustain a separate state and you insist on this, go and tell this to Turkey first. However, Do not try, for example, to call 'separatists' those who defend the same right there?"

(I/Ts.)

[06] Columnist assesses the "constitutional amendments" prepared by the breakaway regime

He reports that yesterday he had the opportunity to study in detail these amendments and found out that two of them are "very dangerous". The one, he says, is the fourth amendment of so-called article 12 regarding the minorities. He goes on and argues, inter alia, the following:

"?According to this proposal: 'Persons who belong to ethnic or religious minorities cannot be deprived from the right of living their culture together with the other members of their groups, to openly declare and implement their religion and use their own language?'

This seems like a very na?ve and innocent expression, does it not? If you ask who the minorities in this country are, you receive only one answer: The Greeks and the Maronites. However, no, this is not the situation. Allow me to explain. In 2012 the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Committee had conducted a study financed by the EU regarding the minorities in our country?"

He goes on and writes that according to this study, in parallel to the "Christian minorities", "non-Christian minorities" also exist in the occupied area of Cyprus and these people are the Roma, the Alevites and the Kurds. He notes that according to the report all these "minorities" live under oppression in the occupied area of Cyprus, adding that the 10.000 Alevites cannot express themselves and have no places to exercise their religion, while the Kurds are considered as "thread" and are "monitored" in the occupied area of Cyprus, because of the situation in Turkey.

Arikli reports that with the amendment of "article" 90 of the "constitution", effort is exerted to make the jurisprudences and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as "national law" of the regime, in spite of the fact that the latter is not a member of the ECHR and it is not represented in any of its institutions.

The columnist says that he is sure that those who have prepared these amendments do not know these details and adds that he has no other objection to the amendments other than these two points.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Two beaches in occupied Vasilia are for "sale" on the internet

Sahap Asikoglu, self-styled undersecretary of the ministry of economy, tourism, culture and sports, said that they have no information regarding the issue and they will investigate it. He added that this issue has no connection with the "ministry". He also added that if the land is a private property there is nothing they can do, but if the land is allocated then it will immediately be cancelled.

[08] Cavusoglu called on the EU to lift the political obstacles from opening new chapters

Addressing a meeting of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), Cavusoglu called on the EU to be clearer to them, adding: "We should do our duties, our reforms, but you should lift the political obstacles in front of us". Cavusoglu said that since 2005 only 14 chapters have been opened, adding that none of these have been closed because of the political obstacles even if the closure criteria are fulfilled. He claimed that 17 chapters are prevented due to political reasons and 14 chapters from these are prevented due to the Cyprus problem. Cavusoglu said: "Despite the resumption of the Cyprus talks and the constructive stance of Turkey, the Cyprus problem is being put continuously as an obstacle at the negotiation process."

Noting that the European countries are looking for other energy routes in order to reduce the dependence from Russia, Cavusoglu claimed that all alternative routes emerge from Turkey, adding that Turkey can play a very important role on this. However, he said, the energy chapter, which is so important, is not possible to be opened due to the obstacles put by the Greek Cypriot administration, as he referred to the Republic of Cyprus. Cavusoglu said that there are two reasons for this; the first one is that the power of the EU is not enough to persuade a small country or the EU countries are hiding behind it. He concluded by saying: "We will see the answer to this after the solution of the Cyprus problem".

[09] EU has not been the most reliable partner for Turkey: Finnish head of Parliament

"We know there have been problems both concerning the attitude of the European Union and some of the member states. Some member states put obstacles on the way. The attitude has gone back and forth on the European side," Hein?luoma said.

Hein?luoma is paying an official visit to Turkey in order to meet parliamentary Speaker Cemil Cicek to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the official relations between Turkey and Finland.

"Finland is a very keen supporter of Turkey's EU membership. We hope to see Turkey as a member state of the EU," Hein?luoma said.

Hein?luoma stressed at the same time that the most important thing is the strong commitment on Turkey's side to be a member state. "It is crucial for Turkey that these negotiations go on. I hope the problems that we have seen on the EU side, will not be any obstacle for the Turkish side to go on and try to do this work", he added. Hein?luoma also drew attention to the importance of press freedom and human rights issues. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

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