Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-03-09

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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: The agreement will be a partnership formed by two sovereign states; If you give Varosha today, they will ask for another place tomorrow

[02] Nami: Greek Cypriot mentality torpedoes the efforts for a solution

[03] Veysel Eroglu to promote the "TRNC water transfer project" at the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea

[04] "Near East University hospital" will provide health services to 200,000 tourists

[05] The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran visited the illegal GAU university

[06] Data on the imports and exports of the breakaway regime for 2014

[07] Thirty TV stations and 44 radio stations operate in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

[08] Turkey's Foreign Ministry reacted on Greek Defence Minister's statement on the Cyprus problem

[09] Columnist views a power game between Erdogan and Davutoglu in AKP

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eroglu: The agreement will be a partnership formed by two sovereign states; If you give Varosha today, they will ask for another place tomorrow

In statements during a visit to occupied villages in Keryneia area, Eroglu claimed that the joint declaration of 11 February 2014 says that sovereignty derives from the "two peoples" and added: "This is sine qua non for us".

Eroglu reiterated that he became "candidate" in the forthcoming "presidential elections" on 19 April in order to conclude the Cyprus problem within two years. He argued that the Greek Cypriot leader is currently not at the table, but within the forthcoming period the negotiations will definitely resume. "I am still at the table and I will be there until 18 April", he alleged.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (08.03.15) reported that in statements to Turkish CNN-Turk television, Eroglu argued that his mission is not to settle the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha, but to solve the Cyprus problem. Asked why he is against the return of Varosha [to his legal owners], Eroglu replied: "My aim is not to solve the Varosha issue. It is to comprehensively solve the problem. One colleague says: 'Let us open Varosha, it will contribute to the economy'. Another says 'let it open under our control'. When we refer to the continuation of the negotiations on the one hand and we open Varosha under our control on the other, there will be no negotiating table left. Another says 'let us give it'. In such a case, it will be tantamount to you accepting a crime of war, as the Greek Cypriots allege. [?] My mission is to solve the Cyprus problem, not Varosha. You will give Varosha today and tomorrow they will ask for other places and this salami policy will continue. There will be no solution with this method".

Asked whether he has any expectations from the newly elected Greek Prime Minister Tsipras, Eroglu said he had no expectations and argued that whoever comes to power in Greece, the way Greece sees the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots will not change.

Asked about the role of the UN and the EU in the solution, Eroglu argued that "we cannot agree today [on the island] because of the mistakes committed by these two organizations". "The main responsible for not having an agreement today on the island is the UN Security Council and the EU. The UNSC has five permanent members. Three of them are in favour of the Greek Cypriots. While the situation is like this, why should the Greek Cypriots want an agreement?"

(I/Ts.)

[02] Nami: Greek Cypriot mentality torpedoes the efforts for a solution

On the issue of the explorations for oil and natural gas in the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone, Nami claimed: "Even if the resources found are of the anticipated quantity, their extraction and usage for the benefit of the Cypriots is a process of perhaps ten years. That is, we are face to face with a mentality which torpedoes the efforts for a solution, the efforts for peace today because of an issue which is not fully known whether it will bring a profit after ten years".

Furthermore, Nami referred to the so-called isolation allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots and reiterated the view that "no justified reason is left" for this "isolation" to continue. He argued: "There is absolutely no justified reason left for the big international organizations to keep the Turkish Cypriots under isolation. All countries have taken decisions saying that they should establish bilateral or multilateral relations with the Turkish Cypriots. We want the implementation of these decisions. We have waited for ten years and there is still no concrete step. Only the Republic of Turkey has taken concrete steps against this isolation. However, other states should also join in. We have big expectations especially from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states on this issue".

Nami said that during his recent visits to Jeddah, Oman and Qatar, he met with the OIC's general secretary and held other "good contacts" during which he reiterated the demand of lifting of "isolation" as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (08.03.15), Nami also referred again to these visits to Gulf countries and said that they will take the necessary steps with their businessmen and industrialists for developing their cooperation with these countries, especially in the field of economy. He noted that they held important discussions on issues such as the marketing, in these countries, of products produced in the occupied northern part of Cyprus and securing tourists and investments. Replying to a question on the issue of exports of halloumi-hellim cheese to these countries, Nami said that they export halloumi to Kuwait, but not to Qatar or Oman and "there is no reason" for not exporting halloumi there.

Nami recalled a statement by a Greek Cypriot official saying that if the Turkish side does not renew its NAVTEX, the negotiations may resume after the "elections" of 19 April. Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot side will renew its NAVTEX which ends on 6 April, Nami replied that "everything must be balanced" and "if they also do not renew [their NAVTEX] and postpone it for this or that reason, we will show the same reaction to this". "However, if they continue their works in the area, we will show the same reaction to this as well", he added arguing that the position of the Turkish side has not changed since December and if the Greek Cypriots [Translator's note: This is how he describes the Republic of Cyprus] interrupt their explorations, the Turkish Cypriots will do the same.

Asked to comment on the statement made by the Turkish Prime Minsiter regarding the need for a "Ban Ki-moon Plan" for the solution of the Cyprus problem, Nami said that the Annan Plan was the result of long-lasting negotiations and components have been registered in UN records. "Therefore, when reference is made to a Ban Plan, Ban is not the one who will write it. This is a process?"

Nami reiterated the view of the Turkish side that the communities should agree on the issues they can and the rest of the issues should be settled with UN arbitration, if this is possible. He alleged: "Most probably in some issues such arbitration will be needed. We are ready for this as well. As long as a plan is produced, reconciliation is reached, a plan supported by both leaders is submitted to referendum and the Cyprus problem ends [?]".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Veysel Eroglu to promote the "TRNC water transfer project" at the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea

According to the paper, Eroglu will also represent Turkey at the "Water Showcase" competition which will take place in the framework of the Forum and will promote and present during the competition the "TRNC water transfer project".

The competition will declare the three best innovated projects globally.

According to the paper, voters will be able to vote for the "TRNC water transfer project" at the link:

http://eng.worldwaterforum7.org/forum/showcase

(AK)

[04] "Near East University hospital" will provide health services to 200,000 tourists

According to the agreement, a road map to medical tourism has been prepared. The "Near East University hospital" assures that it will provide health services to 200 thousands tourists.

Meanwhile, the paper reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited the pavilion of the "Near East University hospital" in the ITB fair in Berlin. Cavusoglu expressed his satisfaction that the "NEU hospital" promotes the possibility of providing services for medical tourism.

(DPs)

[05] The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran visited the illegal GAU university

In statements after the meeting, Prof. Dr Sadik Ulker, "vice rector" of the illegal GAU, referred to how the embassy of Iran has so far shown its appreciation of the "TRNC's universities" and informed the Ambassador that totally 150 students from Iran study at the "TRNC's universities".

Moreover, Zabib referred to the "deep cultural ties" between the two "countries" and said that in spite of the fact that Iran has been living under embargoes for 25 years, it still ranks among the first ten countries in the fields of biotechnical and nanotechnology.

Zabib also stated that they are ready to provide any kind of support to the Iranian community and Iranian students in "GAU".

(AK)

[06] Data on the imports and exports of the breakaway regime for 2014

According to data provided by the occupation regime's "Trade Department", some 64.7% of imports came from Turkey. Meanwhile, imports from non-EU countries have increased by 4.6% and reached 21.1% until November 2014, while an increase on imports from Middle East countries has been observed as well.

Meanwhile, according to the figures, exports to Turkey during 2014 have increased by 6.3 points and reached 58.5%

(AK)

[07] Thirty TV stations and 44 radio stations operate in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus

The YYK also announced that the board's aim is not to impose penalties to radio and TV stations, but to increase the quality of broadcasting to the people, because they believe in democracy and polyphony.

(DPs)

[08] Turkey's Foreign Ministry reacted on Greek Defence Minister's statement on the Cyprus problem

"We invite the Greek Government to display common sense and to control these irresponsible actions as soon as possible", the Ministry said in a press release.

In February, Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said that the Cyprus problem remains a subject of invasion and occupation for the Greek government, criticizing the presence of the Turkish seismic vessel Barbaros in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, calling it a provocation.

"It is clear that the continuation of these irresponsible actions will not serve any purpose other than increasing tensions in Turkish and Greek relations and in the Aegean", Turkish statement said.

"It is also obvious that this attitude will harm efforts towards improving bilateral relations between the two countries and the settlement of disputes in the Aegean".

It is also stressed in the statement that Turkey is determined to protect her rights and interests in the Aegean "by taking measures within the framework of international law".

(DPs)

[09] Columnist views a power game between Erdogan and Davutoglu in AKP

"Erdogan is gathering the cabinet today, March 9, for the second time since he assumed power last August, before the dust has even settled on the debates after the first such meeting chaired by Erdogan on January 19.

The first meeting was quite tense. Before an eight-and-a-half hour meeting, at which the President was briefed on six key items, Erdogan and Davutoglu had an 80-minute one-to-one meeting, after which Davutoglu did not even try to hide his tension from the cameras as they entered the room together. He sat with a long face in the line with the other ministers ? not sharing the head of the table which is an acknowledgement to his position ? as all former Prime Ministers have been allowed to do.

But the tension between the two had started almost a month before that meeting, when Erdogan's unofficial adviser, former Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, took the liberty to go public and announce that the President would call Davutoglu's cabinet for a meeting.

(?)

After that, Erdogan reportedly started to complain that Davutoglu was doing things ? such as drafting laws - without acquiring his consent in advance. These actions are perfectly constitutional but apparently not acceptable for Erdogan.

Then came the resignation of Hakan Fidan, who was head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Despite being a key figure in talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in pursuit of a political settlement to Turkey's chronic Kurdish problem, it had been rumoured for some time that he would resign, join the AK Party, and probably become Davutoglu's Foreign Minister after the elections. If of course, this was approved by the President.

Everyone thought that this was by Erdogan and Davutoglu's joint plan, until Erdogan's outburst on Feb. 8, the day after Fidan's resignation, saying that he resigned after Davutoglu's wish and despite his own objections.

That constituted major damage in Erdogan's imperious image, ironically inflicted by and to himself, which confused the AK Party group in parliament about who would be chooseing the names for the candidate list of the June election. Would it be Erdogan, as it used to be, or would it be Davutoglu, who holds all the legal power?

The essence of this power game should not be missed: It is about the ultra-presidential model with vague separation of powers and weak checks-and-balances that Erdogan promotes, through passing a new constitution after the election. Neither Davutoglu, nor the AK Party government that Erdogan was leading for many years, have publicly supported that model yet, according to which there would be no place for a Prime Minister and the Parliament's role would be reduced to simply rubber stamping the President's decisions.

As we get closer to the June 7 elections and still hear no support for the presidential system from Davutoglu (in addition to affairs like the Fidan resignation and the row over the Central Bank's interest rates), Erdogan is raising the bar of his target. He is aiming for the support of 400 deputies in the 550-seat parliament, which seems far from realistic given Turkey's fragmented political spectrum, and he recently brought the name of former President Abdullah Gul back to the power game.

By raising Gul's name, Erdogan wanted to tell Davutoglu that he is not without an alternative, and the alternative is a much stronger name than the Prime Minister. But Erdogan made the call in such a way that it sounded like Gul needed Erdogan's approval to be a candidate in the elections, as if he had actually asked for it. This could cause further confusion within the AK Party about who is in charge now and who will be in the future.

Davutoglu, meanwhile, is trying to keep his calm and do what he has to do in terms of government affairs, avoiding confronting the President in public.

It all proves that Davutoglu is not just a sitting target as perhaps Erdogan thought he was when hand-picking him in order to cut Gul's path back to the AK Party before the presidential election last August. Now, Davutoglu is certainly a key player, in contrast with his original image.

The power game within the AK Party is likely to become more exciting as soon as Gul's decision for his candidacy is clear". TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

(DPs/ SPS)

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