Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-05-08

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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] Eide met with Akinci; Ban sent a congratulatory message to Akinci

[02] Todd: Britain is ready to assist in the efforts of the Cyprus settlement

[03] Milliyet reveals preconditions for the opening of Varosha

[04] Bozkir: There is an important momentum in Cyprus

[05] Nami is carrying out contacts in Berlin

[06] Cavusoglu disregards Mediterranean gas deal

[07] Eide visited the "director of the religious affairs department"

[08] Turkey condemns Luxembourg over genocide bid, withdraws envoy

[09] June 7 could be Erdogan's first defeat

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eide met with Akinci; Ban sent a congratulatory message to Akinci

Self-styled foreign ministry undersecretary Erhan Ercin, "presidential spokesman" Baris Burcu, the member of the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team Gunes Onar and the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Cyprus Lisa Buttenheim were also present at the meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Eide said that they had a fruitful meeting with Akinci and added that there is a positive atmosphere on both sides of the island.

Stating that preparations are continuing for the dinner which will take place on Monday, the 11th of May with the participation of both leaders, he said addition to this how the negotiations will be conducted was discussed during the meeting. Noting that details of the negotiations will be announced after Monday's dinner, he said all his contacts throughout the week were positive.

"There is a positive atmosphere on both sides for making use of the current momentum" Eide said.

Explaining that they had the opportunity to discuss Akinci's recent visit to Ankara, the UN Envoy said that it was pleasing to see that Akinci's visit was successful. He also added that it is an important development to see Ankara openly supporting a solution in Cyprus.

Asked how long he will stay in the island, Eide said that in the coming period he will be visiting Cyprus more frequently, as he wants to be more active.

Meanwhile the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon sent a letter to Akinci congratulating him on his election victory.

According to a written statement issued by Burcu, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon sincerely congratulated Ak?nc? for his election victory and spoke of the considerable momentum towards a comprehensive solution that emerged.

Ban also shared Akinci's conviction that substantive progress can be achieved in the peace talks by the end of the year.

Ban also expressed the UN's commitment towards working closely with Ak?nc? and his team and in the same manner with the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades and his team as well.

(DPs)

[02] Todd: Britain is ready to assist in the efforts of the Cyprus settlement

During the meeting with Todd, the "presidential spokesman" Baris Burcu, the self-styled foreign ministry undersecretary Erhan Ercin, as well as officials from the British High Commission were also present.

Replying to the paper's questions, Todd said that he is optimistic for the solution of the Cyprus problem, adding that his optimism is attributed to two reasons. First, he is a diplomat and the diplomats have to believe that they can solve problems. Secondly, Todd referred to the statement made by the UNSG's Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide that there is an opportunity moment for a solution in Cyprus, adding that a huge potential is for this among the Cypriots in the island.

Todd expressed his government's support to the ongoing process as well as its readiness to assist in efforts to reach a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem. He also reminded that Britain's Minister for Europe David Lidington spoke last week with Akinci over the phone.

Noting that United Kingdom is always involved with the Cyprus issue, Todd said that Britain always takes its responsibilities seriously, not only as a guarantor country, but also as member of the UN Security Council.

Stating that London has a close interest on the Cyprus issue for both sentimental and humanitarian reasons, Todd said that they have a history of the past and there are close family relations and ties between the British and the Cypriots, for this reason it is really important for them those who live in this country.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (08.05.15), under the title "Again behind closed doors", reports that the first diplomats who visited Akinci after his election were the US Ambassador and the British High Commissioner. Particularly, the paper reports that the US Ambassador Koenig visited Akinci the day before Akinci's visit to Ankara. The interesting thing is what has been discussed behind these closed doors, but like in the old days and now there is not any detailed briefing regarding these contacts.

(DPs)

[03] Milliyet reveals preconditions for the opening of Varosha

According to the paper, in order for Varosha to be opened then the illegal Tymbou airport should be opened for international flights and the Famagusta port to be opened as well. In addition, the agreement for direct trade must be applied. In case the government of the Republic of Cyprus agrees on these conditions, then Ankara is ready to allow a group of UN specialists to enter Varosha under the supervision of Turkish authorities, according to the paper.

(CS)

[04] Bozkir: There is an important momentum in Cyprus

Replying to reporters' questions in Istanbul, Bozkir said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had an important meeting with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and added that within this framework the Cyprus talks will resume.

Bozkir further said: "From the very beginning, there is not the slightest difference from Turkey's point of view on the points that we talked. We have always supported that all the elements for the solution of the Cyprus problem should be used. We were against to the use of some elements for the opening of chapters and being transferred to the EU process. If we would have done this, some chapters may have opened and the process (Turkey's EU progress) would have proceeded very fast, but the Cyprus problem would have never been solved. For this reason, we have reached to the point that the necessary elements should be used at this moment for the solution. There is not the slightest difference of opinion between the Turkish President and our brother President who lives in the TRNC (translator's note: the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci) and these negotiations will be conducted by feeling on their side Turkey. However, this is not a problem that will be solved by two persons or two states. The guarantor countries Greece, Britain, the UN and the EU have a lot of responsibility. There is an important momentum at this moment."

Bozkir also said that the parameters of the Cyprus problem are clear and the solution is easier than the solution of the problems in Syria and Ukraine.

Asked to comment on whether there is Plan B, Bozkir said that they should first look how the Plan A goes before the Plan B. He added that at this moment, the Annan plan is a plan which faded away and the Cyprus settlement is possible between the newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader within the framework of the parameters announced in the joint declaration of February 11, 2014.

Bozkir also expressed his hope that there will be results and both sides will give positive vote in the referenda, so when there is such atmosphere, there is not time for thinking Plan B. "Of course, in all diplomatic strategies, there are plans B,C and D. But first we should understand what the current situation is", Bozkir said.

(DPs)

[05] Nami is carrying out contacts in Berlin

According to a press release by the "information office", Nami will have a series of high level contacts with the German Government authorities and will return to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus on Friday.

(DPs)

[06] Cavusoglu disregards Mediterranean gas deal

His comments came on Thursday after Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reached agreement on energy development during a trilateral summit in Cyprus on April 29.

Cavusoglu told reporters on Thursday after meeting with the Turkish consul generals in the German city of Munich: "No agreement or restriction in which Turkey is not involved is valid in the eastern Mediterranean". He said Turkey will not allow any exploration efforts in the sea and said "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" in relation to the deal struck between the three.

(DPs)

[07] Eide visited the "director of the religious affairs department"

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Eide stressed that religion can play an important role in establishing a dialogue between the two sides and reaching a comprehensive solution on the Cyprus problem.

On his part, Atalay stated that they support the on-going process carried out by the two leaders in Cyprus and added that the religious leaders of the island can play a constructive role for mutual respect, co-existence and peace between the communities of the island. He also stated that they support the joint declaration signed between the two leaders in Cyprus and added that Erdogan's latest statements as regards the Cyprus problem shows Ankara's strong commitment for a solution.

Asked to comment on the transfer of administration of Islamic sites of the Republic of Cyprus to the Evkaf Administration, in the framework of the confident building measures announced by President Anastasiades, Atalay said that the issue will certainly be taken up by the two leaders in Cyprus.

(CS)

[08] Turkey condemns Luxembourg over genocide bid, withdraws envoy

The Turkish Foreign Ministry recalled Turkish Ambassador to Luxembourg Levent Sahinkaya for consultation and summoned Luxembourg's Ambassador to Turkey, Arlette Conzemius, to express Turkey's disturbance with the Resolution.

There are seven world capitals now without Turkish ambassadors over the issue.

[09] June 7 could be Erdogan's first defeat

"There is only one month left until the June 7 parliamentary elections in Turkey. This election will probably be the most critical one since the first free multiparty elections in Turkey in 1950, because President Tayyip Erdogan has shifted his focus away from electing a new parliament and government to introducing a strong presidential system to replace the parliamentary system through a constitution change after the elections.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been carrying out the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) election campaign. A victory for the AKP of a simple majority of 276 seats in the 550-seat Turkish Parliament may not be enough to pass Erdogan's strong presidency-based constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority (367 seats). A three-fifths (330 seats) majority would be able to take the constitutional change to a referendum.

Erdogan does not want to risk getting below 330 seats for two main reasons:

1- He believes that this is his chance to achieve a strong-presidency with executive power and fewer checks and balances.

2- If he cannot achieve this goal, it could mark the first defeat in his political life since he co-established the AKP in 2000.

For these two reasons, Erdogan is carrying out a parallel campaign with that of Prime Minister Davutoglu, in order to support the AKP. This is despite the clear statement in the constitution that the president must remain non-partisan.

His campaign is not strictly in the form of the AKP election campaign. Instead it takes the form of "opening ceremonies" for various facilities in cities across the country, or "gatherings" with professional groups. During the speeches he makes in those ceremonies, he attacks the opposition parties even more harshly than Davutoglu does, telling people not to believe the opposition's promises. He never forgets to add that although "there is a party in his heart" he could not say so. He says that of course he is taking sides: He is "siding with the people." This is one of the most populist cliches in Turkish politics.

The opposition parties accuse Erdogan of violating the constitution and exploiting citizens' tax money - using presidential funds and facilities such as planes, helicopters, buses, limousines and the presidential palace - for AKP purposes. Accusing the Supreme Election Board (YSK) of becoming "identical to Erdogan," Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahceli has vowed to turn the new palace that Erdogan built at a cost of more than $1.1 billion into a museum. Selahattin Demirtas, the co-chairman of the Kurdish problem focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), has vowed that if they get into parliament they will do everything possible to conduct the necessary parliamentary audits in order to make Erdogan pay back every penny that he has spent for the AKP's election campaign.

However, Erdogan does not seem too affected by these criticisms. Thinking that it could be "now or never," with or without the constitution, he is stepping up his campaign with an increasingly Islamic tone every other day in order to avoid his first ever political defeat on June 7." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/ AM)

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