Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-08-01

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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 claimed that the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus put an end to the Crusades

[02] Reactions to the intention of a Turkish Cypriot to return Greek Cypriot property to its legal owners

[03] The breakaway regime worries about the Ebola virus

[04] Ozyigit: The works are being done by the "embassy" and not by the "government"

[05] Tunali says that the SDP is an alternative for all parties; SDP's views on the Cyprus problem

[06] In total 90 Jehovah witnesses live in the occupied area of Cyprus

[07] Yildiz denies claim on petrol trade with ISIL

[08] Thirty one police officers in Turkey face charges over "monitoring private lives"

[09] Survey in Turkey shows that Erdogan's popularity in four out of seven Middle East countries has dropped

[10] Columnist assesses figures showing increasing human rights violations in Turkey

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu claimed that the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus put an end to the Crusades

According to the paper, the 1st of August is celebrated as "Communal Resistance Day" and also marks "the 38th anniversary of the Security Forces Commandership, the 56th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Resistance Organization (TMT) and the 443rd anniversary of the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottomans."

Commenting on the issue, Eroglu claimed that the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus put an end to the Crusades. He went on and alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are at the negotiation table having the expectation of a permanent and viable solution after the Greek Cypriot "neighbors" abandon their vision of "enosis" with Greece.

[02] Reactions to the intention of a Turkish Cypriot to return Greek Cypriot property to its legal owners

The paper writes that journalists from the government-controlled area of the island called the paper asking for contacting Ozer. "We hope that the real owners of the properties in Voni and Palekythro will soon appear", notes the paper and adds: "Of course everyone is very curious of what the stance of our administration will be on this issue. (?) No one until now did this. Think. Our Immovable Property Compensation Commission is purchasing the properties of Greek Cypriots by paying money. Eray Ozer, however, will give the property he possesses without waiting for anything in return (?) He should be applauded".

Afrika writes that this news was commented a lot yesterday on the internet. A person named Ozer Duru wrote the following on Facebook:

"The statue of this man should be built. However, this ineffective and shortsighted administration could even throw this man into prison?Bravo to the man". Another person named Mustafa Serdengecti wrote the following: "Even if he gives [the property], will the TRNC, which has the mentality of a conqueror, give it? It will take [the property] from him and give it to another clean conqueror Muslim. Will it ever give it to its owner?"

The paper concludes: "We are also very curious how this incident, which is something happening for the first time in our looting history, will end. Let it be an example to those who say that 'what is taken with blood cannot be given away at the table'".

(I/Ts.)

[03] The breakaway regime worries about the Ebola virus

Gulle said that measures are already in place since two months ago in hospitals and health centers in the occupied area of Cyprus however he said that no measures have been taken at the crossing points and "entry points". He said that plans were made so that as of September 1st measures will be taken there as well.

Reporting on the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (01.08.14) writes that the breakaway regime remains silent on the issue of Ebola out brake, despite that fact that hundreds of West African students are expected to arrive during the weeks in the occupied area of Cyprus for studying of for tourism purposes.

The self-styled "ministry of health" has just released an announcement for persons who were going to travel to West African countries back in April. Speaking to the paper, the "director of pathology department", Emine Gulluelli said that no precautions are taken yet as the issue is not yet on the "health ministry's" agenda.

[04] Ozyigit: The works are being done by the "embassy" and not by the "government"

[05] Tunali says that the SDP is an alternative for all parties; SDP's views on the Cyprus problem

"There is a view which we have been supporting for many years. The communities have been separated into two parts. Thoughts exist for two states and a central government. We are not opposed to this. However, these negotiations are not productive. Anastasiades shares the negotiations with his people. We have to also share the stage to which the negotiations have come. There is no transparency. Look at Morfou area. Not even a single house is built. Those who die are buried in Nicosia. There is nothing worse than uncertainty. If the highest organ does not raise people's awareness on the issue of where the negotiations are heading to, when tomorrow the day for referendum comes, the people will make their comment like they said no to the constitution. We will do whatever we can for the return of the Cypriots who live in Turkey and third countries of the world. Rural plots of land are distributed in this country. We will encourage people to come. We will give a rural plot of land to them, to their children and secure that they will make investments. The Turkish Cypriot population abroad is more than 500 thousands. If even 10 thousands of them come, the economy will be revived".

The paper recalls that Tunali was known as sympathizer of the National Unity Party (UBP) and that he then joined the Democratic Party (DP), which he afterwards abandoned. When the paper asked Tunali why he felt the need to establish a new party, he argued that he is a person who grew up in the left and during his university years he was representative of the [current main opposition in Turkey] Republican People's Party (CHP) in Ayranci area. He said that when he returned to Cyprus he played football in the team of Cetinkaya. "People older than us told us that we have to stop being leftist, otherwise we would definitely not get any job", he noted and added: "We became sympathizers of the UBP and the next day we started working". He said that he was never active in the UBP and when the nine members of the party left and established the DP, he joined them and became active within the DP. He argued that they represented the social democrat views within the DP and that they started being isolated within the party, where 3-5 persons ruled.

Tunali said that the 25-26 member council of the SDP is ready and that within 15-20 days they will form the committee and the central administrative council and they will elect the general secretary, the vice president and the president of the party.

(I/Ts.)

[06] In total 90 Jehovah witnesses live in the occupied area of Cyprus

As the paper writes, 60 out of them live in occupied Lefkosia while the rest of them in occupied Famagusta.

According to the paper, most of the Jehovah Witnesses are Turkish Cypriots while some of them are Turks from Turkey, British, African and

Turkmens.

The Jehovah Withnesses are gathering according to the paper from time to time to the occupied Neapoli village where their headquarters are located and they pray.

The total number of Jehovah Witnesses in the Republic of Cyprus is approximately 2,500 writes the paper.

[07] Yildiz denies claim on petrol trade with ISIL

Mehmet Ali Ediboglu, a Deputy from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) previously claimed that Turkey bought $800 million of petrol from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.

Yildiz said on Wednesday in an Eid-ul Fitr celebration event in Kayseri organized by the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) the following: "While Turkey is trying to be stronger in the region, and putting forth its 2023 goal, some people claimed that we bought petrol from ISIL, from Iraq, from Al-Nusra in Syria. This claim is completely groundless, even a lie, a slander. This is an issue relevant to discrediting Turkey. Everyone surely knows that we certainly will not incite on it".

"We are not in any way involved in the deterioration of Turkey's stability and the imposition of the guardianship; no matter what the excuse", Yildiz added.

[08] Thirty one police officers in Turkey face charges over "monitoring private lives"

According to Turkish authorities, the suspects detained on charges of "illegal wiretapping, spying and fraud" in an operation on July 22 had been monitoring the private lives of the people they allegedly wiretapped illegally.

A total of 31 police officers were arrested earlier this week after 115 police officers were detained in overnight raids July 22 on charges of illegal wiretapping, spying and fraud.

The investigation came after two corruption probes into high-profile figures from political and business circles was interpreted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as an operation aimed at toppling the government.

The transcripts of the private conversations were being kept on over 32,000 pages in 37 folders, the study has revealed. In addition, the suspects also recorded the meetings of Selam Tevhid probe suspects with other men and women and took photographs of those meetings.

(?)

The file on the illegal wiretapping suspects also included the transcripts of phone conversations by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hakan Fidan, head of National Intelligence Agency (MIT). Fidan's 123 conversations were recorded as part of the Selam-Tevhid organization probe.

Erdogan's phone talks with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on November 26, 2013, Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh on November 28, 2013, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on December 3, 2013, were also recorded and included in the Selam-Tevhid probe.

[09] Survey in Turkey shows that Erdogan's popularity in four out of seven Middle East countries has dropped

(?)

The poll found respondents evenly split on Erdogan, with 48% saying he has a good influence on the country and the same percentage saying he has a bad one. The survey polled 1,001 people from April 11-May 16 and has a margin of error of 4.5% points.

A slim majority ? 51%-- is dissatisfied with the country's direction, while 44% said they are satisfied. However, Pew noted that while opinion has been split on this issue over the past four years," prior to 2011, the mood in Turkey was much more negative, with clear majorities expressing dissatisfaction with the country's direction" each year between 2002 and 2010.

Also, 50% of those interviewed in the Pew survey viewed the economy as being good, while 46% said it was bad.

On the Istanbul's Gezi Park protests, 49% of the respondents said they supported the protests while 40% opposed them.

The survey also shows that the support for Erdogan has dropped significantly in four out of seven Middle Eastern countries since last year.

According to a statement released by Pew regarding the survey, 75% of its participants from Jordan had a favorable view of Erdogan in a survey conducted last year, but in the poll conducted recently, it is only 60%. "Support dropped even further in Egypt (-26 points). Turkey had been a strong supporter of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his now-outlawed Islamist Muslim Brotherhood," the statement stated.

Regarding the public perception of Erdogan in Tunisia and Lebanon, Pew's statement said: "Opinions of Erdogan have held relatively steady in Tunisia and Lebanon since last year. In Lebanon, Erdogan's support is bolstered by Sunni Muslims (76% favorable) and Christians (58%). Erdogan himself is a Sunni Muslim, as are the majority of Muslims in Turkey. Only one in ten Lebanese Shiite Muslims have a positive view of him."

The Pew statement said that its survey has shown that 16% of Israeli participants have a positive opinion of Erdogan. "This includes only 8% of Israeli Jews. On the other hand, 62 % of Israeli Arabs have a favorable impression of Turkey's leader.

Support for Erdogan has also dropped in the Palestinian territories since 2013 (-19 points).

[10] Columnist assesses figures showing increasing human rights violations in Turkey

"In a statement on June 26, the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV) and the Human Rights Association (IHD) indicated that 5,848 people suffered from police violence last week in Turkey and that official complaints against them went unpunished. The Baran Tursun Foundation keeps a tally of incidents of police violence and the consequences which have become an undeniable part of daily life. The statistics provided by baransav.com are hair-raising. 'Until late May 2013, which was the beginning of the Gezi Park incidents, police officers were held responsible for the death of 135 people, 27 of which occurred in police stations. This figure rose to 160 people by May 2014. In 2007, the reconfigured Law on Police Duties and Authorities was introduced as a bill geared toward public order, but it actually turned the police into an army to interfere in public events. This army of police power has been staging a frontal assault on caring people who raise their voices against violations of rights and they have used disproportionate violence on protesters. Those who perceived the police as a 'protectionist power' before the Gezi Park protests have started to perceive it as a 'power of repression and intimidation' after the said protests.

With the paramilitary security squads already tyrannizing people and the government's plan to turn the gendarmerie into a sort of rural police, we are about to have a full-fledged police state. In this connection, I would like to announce the establishment of the Ali Ihsan Korkmaz Foundation.

(?)

According to a recent report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), we spent $19.1 billion on arms in 2013. Turkey ranked 16th in terms of military expenditures in 2012. It rose to 14th place in 2013. Bravo! Turkey allocated 2.3% of its national income to arms spending in the past and in the last 10 years, this figure rose to 13%. There is more. In 2013, the sum spent on domestic security, including riot vehicles and tear gas amounted to $14.8 billion. Thus, a total of some $32 billion was spent on security expenditures, which accounted for 4.1% of the national income. Compare this figure with 1.9% spent for the justice system and 3.2% for education".

(?) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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