Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-12-17

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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] Nami evaluated the Cyprus problem and his "ministry's work"; The occupation regime to open more "representation offices abroad"

[02] Affronts against Dogus Derya after her statement saying that Greek Cypriot women were raped in 1974

[03] Akinci and Izcan oppose the construction of a nuclear power plant in Akkuyu

[04] "Turkish Cypriot Businessmen Association" (ISAD) calls for the re-launching of Cyprus negotiation

[05] Open letter of the chairman of the "Turkish Cypriot Football Federation" for the efforts for re-unification of football in Cyprus

[06] KTOS and KTOEOS: the newly established National Justice Party an extension of AKP

[07] Women's organization of CTP participated in the Women Council of the Socialist International in Geneva

[08] Cavusoglu slams EU over journalist detention criticism

[09] Kilicdaroglu: "Turkey's current rulers aspire membership to Shanghai Five, not to the EU"

[10] "Erdogan has no right to deprive Turkish people of EU membership"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Nami evaluated the Cyprus problem and his "ministry's work"; The occupation regime to open more "representation offices abroad"

Referring to his "ministry's work", Nami said that 2014 had been a very busy year and this would continue in 2015, as he said, since "more representation offices would open up abroad".

On the Cyprus issue, Nami said that all circles must stand by the joint statement that was agreed upon by the two sides and alleged that the Greek Cypriot leader, as he called President Nikos Anastasiades, has come to the negotiating table with strategic plans which had led to the crisis at the talks.

He claimed that the fact that the Greek Cypriot leader has not accepted previous convergences at the talks is also a part of his mentality.

Referring to the issue of hydrocarbons, Nami said that everything can be overcome through good will.

Explaining that the Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa research vessel will complete its works at the end of this month, Nami said that the Greek Cypriot side's efforts at sea will also be completed shortly and noted that the rise in tensions in the region should decrease soon. "Therefore there is a possibility that the leaders may return to the negotiating table", said Nami adding that he believed a window of opportunity existed to overcome the deadlocks that are being experienced.

He also called the international actors to say stop to the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, and persuade them to return to the negotiating table. He alleged that everyone, apart from the Greek Cypriot side wants the negotiations to resume.

[02] Affronts against Dogus Derya after her statement saying that Greek Cypriot women were raped in 1974

Among those who affronted Derya are the chairman of the Turkish settlers from Alexandretta, Bertan Zaroglu, the former "minister" of agriculture of the regime, Kenan Akin [known for the murder of Solomos Solomou during the incidents in Deryneia village in 1996] and the chairman of continuing late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas' ideas, Latif Akca.

According to the paper, Akin said for Derya on Facebook that "she is a poor woman who could not have her share as a woman and wants to be raped". A person named Rifat Yildiz wrote for Derya that "How old was she then? If she had been raped, she would not have talked like this". Another person named Kemal Ozkan Cakiror wrote: "This woman went beyond the line. I wish for one of the soldiers to rape her and close her mouth".

Meanwhile, Derya said that she is preparing to file a lawsuit against some former "deputies" and representatives of nationalist organizations who used all these insulting words for her.

Furthermore, persons and organizations expressed their support yesterday to Derya. According to Havadis, CTP's women organization condemned the attack against its member, who, they said, "is not alone" in this. They said that they will not remain silent in front of the circles, who call for war and are reminiscent of fascism, pointing out that war brought suffering and pain to both communities, which were actually defeated in that war.

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (17.12.14) reports that Mustafa Akinci, candidate in the forthcoming "elections", also expressed support to Derya, noting that "we must not be afraid of facing the truth" and described as "ugly swearwords" the insults against Derya. Akinci wrote on his social media account the following: "Another traumatic reality of wars is the raping of women. Wars have happened in Cyprus and all these were experienced. Many Greek Cypriot women experienced pregnancies which they did not want and were forced to make abortions. Those of us who were grown-ups in the 1974 period know this reality".

Meanwhile, Kibris Postasi announced that it has decided that as of today it will not publish statements made by persons who affronted Derya.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (17.12.14) refers to the issue under the banner front-page title "Rapists" and argued that those who wrote all these about Derya must immediately be sent away from the occupied area of Cyprus.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Akinci and Izcan oppose the construction of a nuclear power plant in Akkuyu

In a statement issued yesterday, Akinci noted that he is in favor of the use of renewable energy sources instead of being dependent on oil and recalled that some countries, such as Germany for example, are planning to stop using nuclear power plants after a certain period. Akinci reminded also of the tsunami that occurred in Japan and caused a leak from a nuclear power plant and many people lost their lives.

Meanwhile, Izzet Izcan, chairman of the United Cyprus Party (BKP), issued a statement yesterday asking from the Republican Turkish Party ? Democratic Party self-styled government of the regime to undertake an initiative for stopping the construction of the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu. Noting that the entire Cyprus will be under a "great danger" in case the nuclear power plant is built there, Izcan said that an area of 300 kilometers may suffer a catastrophe as a result of a possible accident. Underlining the threats for the environment by the nuclear wastes, Izcan called on all local and international environmental organization to carry out a common struggle against this threat. He also reminded of the accident at Fukushima power plant in Japan on 11 March 2011, and the price which Turkey had paid after the accident in Chernobyl in the 1980's.

(I/Ts.)

[04] "Turkish Cypriot Businessmen Association" (ISAD) calls for the re-launching of Cyprus negotiation

Speaking on behalf of ISAD, Metin Sadi stated that if the hydrocarbons that were discovered in the region are used in cooperation between the two sides, this will be beneficial for both of them. He also expressed the belief that if the two leaders return to the negotiation table a solution can be reached within six months.

[05] Open letter of the chairman of the "Turkish Cypriot Football Federation" for the efforts for re-unification of football in Cyprus

Sertoglu writes in his letter the following: "After 60 years of separation, the ambition is clear since the Turkish-Cypriot football community clearly expressed its goal to regain the position it had in the CFA/KOP before 1955, with all our obligations and all our rights. The CFA/KOP is also ours! Everyone should know that the CFA/KOP, whose founders we are, does not only belong to Greek Cypriots. It is ours as well! Far from me to ignore or to forget the past, its sufferings, its injustices, its lingering sour memories, the lack of trust ? on both sides ? but football with its general trans-generational appeal can and should play its role to bridge the gaps between our two communities and restart the relations which existed", he stated.

He also noted in his letter that he cannot ignore the resistances or all the political and legal issues which represent so many hurdles, so many "red lines", blocking the two communities from doing things together again or even slowing down the best initiatives from both sides. "But we have no choice other than overcoming them. Our duty is to contribute to the rapprochement of our youth by spreading seeds of peace", he stated.

[06] KTOS and KTOEOS: the newly established National Justice Party an extension of AKP

The two trade unions noted that the newly established party is an extension of AKP and called on it to reveal its financial sources.

[07] Women's organization of CTP participated in the Women Council of the Socialist International in Geneva

The paper writes that the general secretary of CHP's women organization Sibel Sorakin and CTP's educational secretary Emel Kisi represented the party in the council.

[08] Cavusoglu slams EU over journalist detention criticism

"The EU harshly criticized the legal process after seeing that some journalists were taken into custody, and there were some threats directed against us about stopping the negotiation process. The EU's approach is not sincere. It's at variance with the candid process we have established recently [between Turkey and the EU]", Cavusoglu said.

"Everyone can express dismay over the arrest of journalists and wish to see a transparent judicial process. But we cannot accept such heavy criticism against Turkey and its government after the beginning of a judicial process," Cavusoglu added.

Cavusoglu said that according to the chief prosecutor, the detained senior media figures were not being investigated for their journalistic activities, but rather for allegedly being part of a "crime syndicate."

He also denounced a letter penned by a representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which called for the release of the detained journalists.

"You are talking about the separation of powers and independence of the judiciary, but at the same time you order the executive branch to release the detainees", he said.

(?)

Meanwhile, according to a statement from Turkey's EU Affairs Ministry, EU Minister Volkan Bozk?r informed Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn about the recent detention wave during a phone call on December 15.

The statement said that Bozk?r told his counterpart that the detained persons were not being investigated because of their written or oral expressions, stressing that freedom of the press in Turkey must not be harmed.

[09] Kilicdaroglu: "Turkey's current rulers aspire membership to Shanghai Five, not to the EU"

"Which one of these countries has democracy? Is there democracy in China, in Russia? A will to disclaim democracy is being openly declared [in Turkey]. Changing this grave picture is in our hands" K?l?cdaroglu said. "Turkey is on a different route now. We are in a process during which corruption is being legitimized. The European Union is out, the Shanghai Five is in", he added.

"There is a big game played with Turkey. It is in front of our eyes, but we can't see it", K?l?cdaroglu stated and repeated his call for people, regardless of their political views, to unite under the CHP to "save democracy."

The CHP head urged TUGIAD to speak out against the government's "undemocratic moves".

"A country where the press is not free will not a have a free society either. Your door will be knocked on in the early morning and you will be taken into custody by the police. The private sector is timid. Turkey can grow only if the private sector can move freely", he said.

"If you say 'recent legal amendments are correct, arresting people just on the grounds of reasonable suspicion is right, and the Middle East is enough for us,' then this current order will continue. But if you embrace the rule of law, a social state and a free media, then your address is the EU. We will continue to speak up on all these issues", Kilicdaroglu said.

He added that the responsibility to protect democratic achievements did not solely fall on the shoulders of the opposition, stressing that business leaders also had a share in the struggle.

"You also have the responsibility. We'll fight all together. There are elections in 2015 and we should make our democracy, a first-class democracy", he said.

[10] "Erdogan has no right to deprive Turkish people of EU membership"

For many, the operation launched against the Gulen community on December 14, only three days before marking the first anniversary of the commencement of a massive corruption and graft probe that dealt a huge blow to the government's credibility, is a pure attempt to take revenge against its one-time closest ally.

One of the objectives of this operation would be to distract public attention from corruption-related developments on the first anniversary of December 17 and to shift the country's agenda to the so-called threats against national security. The detention of Dumanl?, the editor-in-chief of one of Turkey's leading newspapers, would also serve to intimidate other dissident journalists, (while further damaging freedom of expression).

The operation would also help the government build its pre-election campaign once again, basing it on the fight against the so-called "parallel structure" by highlighting the Gulen community's alleged threats against national security. From this perspective, one could argue that December 14 marked the launching of the AKP's election campaign, which will continue in due course with other waves of operations.

This is not the first time that the AKP has done something similar. It is just repetition of what it did before the March local elections. Citing a virtual threat against national security, the government imposed a blanket ban on Twitter, YouTube and other use of social media, while also amending a number of laws that would effectively end the implementation of the principle of separation of powers.

These moves have drawn serious criticism from the European Union and the United States, but this criticism has had little leverage on the government, because quarreling with the EU is in fact to the advantage of the AKP, whose grassroots feel no immediate need to reach contemporary democratic standards.

Erdogan and the AKP government are doing the same thing again. They are wasting Turkey's democratic achievements over the last two decades for their own domestic political purposes, at the expense of degrading the country's status to a league of countries ruled by authoritarian leaders.

Turkey has become a country where media offices are raided, prominent journalists are arrested on arbitrary charges, the rule of law is often ignored, and democracy is under serious threat.

One of the few remaining links that connects Turkey to the real, contemporary world is the country's direction toward EU membership. Erdogan might feel that it's useless, but he has no right to speak on behalf of the entire nation and its future generations. He has no right to deprive the Turkish people of EU membership, even though this membership will not happen under his rule". TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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