Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-06-25

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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] Burcu: The agreed issues in the negotiations are the majority; The issue of guarantees will be discussed

[02] Yildirim's visit to the occupied area of Cyprus caused a crisis

[03] Talat appoints Kalyoncu to form new "cabinet"

[04] Turkish Cypriots see the illegal Turkish settlers as one of the biggest obstacles for the solution of the Cyprus problem

[05] "The military zone obstacle"

[06] Gagauzian "president" visits the breakaway regime

[07] The unemployment in the occupied area of Cyprus has been increased by 23%

[08] Emine Dizdarli appointed as "ombudsman"

[09] Election of parliament Speaker to test waters for coalition talks ?all parties except AKP announced their candidates

[10] Turkey's Foreign Minister Cavusoglu confirms efforts for normalization of ties to Israel

[11] Turkish, Russian officials discuss Middle East in Ankara

[12] "Gezi" salutes mark opening of Turkey's new parliament

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Burcu: The agreed issues in the negotiations are the majority; The issue of guarantees will be discussed

Burcu described as "AA Documents", that is "Akinci ? Anastasiades documents", the comprehensive document produced in the end of all the work that has been done, adding, however, that it is not possible to say that agreement has been reached on all chapters, in spite of the fact that a comprehensive document was produced.

Burcu said that Akinci carries out the negotiating process in three dimensions: The first is "the cultural transformation of the commitment and the will of the communities to peace". The second is the confidence building measures and the third is "a comprehensive solution for the creation of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal structure based on political equality".

Burcu noted that the language of peace used by Akinci in this process, the emphasis he gives on [Cyprus being the two communities'] common country and his statements that the Greek Cypriots should be seen as future partners not enemies, are very positively received by the people and this could be seen in the support offered to the social activities of the leaders.

Burcu said that in spite of the fact that there is no timetable in the negotiations, all issues are on the table and a speedy and productive process is foreseen. He noted that on the chapter of the "territory", they worked only on the criteria for territorial adjustments and no maps or percentages were discussed. On the chapter of "security and guarantees" only the issue of internal security was taken up, he added noting that no detailed screening on the issue of guarantees was carried out because they have no right to make any arrangements on this agreement without having the signature of all parties concerned. He said that everybody's common wish is for a meeting to be held in September in New York on the issue of guarantees rather than on an "interim agreement".

Responding to a question, he said that the issue of guarantees will be discussed, but "after the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots cover certain distance on certain chapters". He noted that the territorial adjustments, the percentages and even the treaty of guarantees will come on to the agenda, adding that "these are not taboos". "They are not untouchable issues, but the discussion of these issues has been postponed a little within the framework of being more productive and showing more respect to the international law", he added.

Burcu argued that they share a common vision with Turkey for the solution and that President Anastasiades made use of the newly created climate and contributes positively to the process by developing a common language and a vision focused on the solution.

He argued that holding a multi-party meeting in New York in September is the wish of all sides that expect a solution to be reached, but there is no agreement or timetable on this issue.

Referring to the stance of Akinci regarding the confidence building measures (CBM), Burcu said that the CBMs should create confidence and there is no need to commit new mistakes, new points of conflict for the sake of new CBMs. He noted that the sides considered appropriate to form a common list of CBMs instead of separate measures. He added that the measures should provide equal and maximum benefit to both communities, and be speedily applicable and practical.

Asked to comment on the fact that the issue of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha is not discussed within the framework of the CBMs, Burcu responded that the issue is generally evaluated and has not entered under any chapter of measures. He noted that Varosha is an important issue but cannot open from the one day to the other. "A feasibility study should be held first and a team could be formed for this, but the developments experienced in the process are creating the hope that we could acquire overall possibilities without needing this", he added.

Referring to the fundamental aim of the process, Burcu said: "The fundamental aim of the negotiating process is a bi-zonal, bi-communal united Cyprus based on political equality being an EU member, taking as basis the prosperity, happiness and safety of both communities. This is our fundamental aim. We are very relaxed on the issue of the ground of the negotiations, because president Akinci accepted and supported all the agreements reached until today and stated that he would continue on their basis".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Yildirim's visit to the occupied area of Cyprus caused a crisis

According to the paper, Yildirim who had an appointment to meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci with the precondition that he would also meet with the chairman of the self-styled Turkish Cypriot football federation ("KTFF") Hasan Sertoglu, has been postponed by Akinci, since Yildirim didn't go to the appointment with Sertoglu and neglected to inform him. Yildirim met only with the chairman of the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) Mehmet Ali Talat.

Issuing a written statement after the above developments and after meeting with Yildirim, Talat condemned Yildirim's stance and said that this do not comply with seriousness. "The fact that the Turkish officials who are coming from Turkey do not respect and take into consideration the Turkish Cypriot organizations and do not show the necessary care to their ties with these organizations, is an unacceptable situation. The incident occurred with the chairman of the KTFF is a great misbehavior", Talat said.

Commenting also on the issue, Sertoglu in a separate statement described Yildirim's stance as a great immodesty and explained that in spite of the fact that they arranged an appointment in order to meet with the chairman of Fenerbahce, he did not come to the meeting. Sertoglu said that his stance by Yildirim is a great disrespect to both the Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriot organizations. He also thanked Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci for the sensitivity he has shown on the issue. Sertoglu thanked also Talat for his stance adding that Talat was deceived.

A reaction over Yildirim's misbehavior was also expressed by the "Turkish Cypriot Football players association". Issuing a written statement, the "association" described Yildirim's stance as disrespecting and inappropriate.

Meanwhile, the paper writes that Yildirim is allegedly visiting the "TRNC" in order to undertake efforts to buy a bank and a "university" in the "TRNC". According to the paper, it was made known that Yildirim visited yesterday the "Central Bank headquarters" with the aim to lift the "bureaucratic obstacles" and a regulation that exists in the "TRNC", which prevents the Turkish clubs to establish "banks" and "universities" in the "country".

Moreover, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (25.06.15) invoking reliable sources reports that Yildirim has visited the "TRNC" with the aim to establish a bank under the name (FB) or to buy the bank called Deniz Bank which belongs to Kani and Erhan Kanioglulari.

(AK)

[03] Talat appoints Kalyoncu to form new "cabinet"

Talat stated that the party assembly had agreed to give the duty to Kalyoncu. After Kalyoncu holds the necessary discussions, he will hand over the list to the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci for his endorsement. Talat also indicated that Kalyoncu would be meeting with the political parties next week.

[04] Turkish Cypriots see the illegal Turkish settlers as one of the biggest obstacles for the solution of the Cyprus problem

In the decision of the general assembly it is said that the Association "sees as one of the biggest obstacles in front of a lasting peace in Cyprus the accumulation of population from Turkey in the north part of Cyprus, as a result of the continuing status quo" in the island.

"The policies of transfer of population which are being implemented in many variations are on the one hand negatively influencing the lasting solution to the Cyprus problem and on the other are eliminating the will of the Turkish Cypriot community by turning it into a minority in its own country", the decision says adding:

"The sovereign powers, which on the one hand say that 'we want peace in Cyprus' and on the other threaten the communal existence of the Turkish Cypriots by imposing on them assimilation policies, and are de facto colonizing 37% of Cyprus' territory, must understand that they cannot carry out together two understandings, policies in Cyprus which are completely opposite to each other".

The decision under the title "peace will be the common gain of the Cypriots" asks for the non-solution in Cyprus to end the soonest.

(I/Ts.)

[05] "The military zone obstacle"

The columnist reports: "Is it true? Unfortunately it is. Some agreements reached between the leaders with the aim of creating confidence, are facing the military zone obstacle. In the end, it will be settled and solutions will be produced with the approval of the military. However, the essence of the issue is not whether it will be settled or not. The issue is that a problem of authority is seriously experienced in areas which are de facto under the control of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). [?]"

Noting that this is a situation experienced for decades, the columnist wonders what would happen if the authorities of the breakaway regime attempted to make any arrangement in the fenced off military zones in spite of the objections of the Turkish occupation army.

"Are these fenced off areas not a part of your state the establishment of which you declared on 15 November 1983 and you insist today that should be a politically equal founder of a possible agreement", asks Tugyan and recalls that "a serious part of the TRNC territory is surrounded with wires of the TAF", which according to "article 10" of the occupation regime's "constitution" provides the "defense of the country".

"And you have absolutely no say on these areas", she notes and concludes:

"The constitutional ground is the defense of the country. If the issue is the defense of the country, your country is defensed in your name, not in spite of you. Do not do this. This is arbitrariness. These lands either belong to the TRNC and are TRNC lands or belong to the TAF and are TAF lands. If we agree on the first one, the TRNC authorities are obliged to claim a say on these lands. If we say 'no the situation is the second one', then we have to confess the name of this in the literature without being ashamed. I am sure that the evaluation of both different situations will take us to a point much more advanced from our current ambiguous situation and will create more healthy grounds for the solution of both the military zone trouble and of the Cyprus problem".

(I/Ts.)

[06] Gagauzian "president" visits the breakaway regime

Speaking during the visit Ulah, who is heading a delegation, said that the aim of her visit to the TRNC is to expand relations between the two "countries". Ulah invited Sibel to visit Gagauzia and stated: "We should develop economic relations, mainly in the field of agriculture".

On her part, Siber welcomed the delegation from Gagauzia and stressed the importance of developing relations between Gagauzia and the breakaway regime.

[07] The unemployment in the occupied area of Cyprus has been increased by 23%

According to the paper, the number of registered unemployed persons last year was 850 while this year is 1051. According to the figures, there is an increase of 23% to the unemployment rate.

Also, according to the same figures, the number of the active registered men who applied to the "department of labor" for work was 505, while the women were 546.

(?)

(AK)

[08] Emine Dizdarli appointed as "ombudsman"

Dizdarli will take over as "ombudsman" in the new judicial year.

[09] Election of parliament Speaker to test waters for coalition talks ?all parties except AKP announced their candidates

The Republican People's Party (CHP) has nominated its former party leader and Antalya Deputy Deniz Baykal for the post of parliament Speaker, following the CHP's Central Executive Board (MYK) decision on Wednesday morning under the chairmanship of CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has named Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the former head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) who ran for President in August 2014, as its choice for parliament Speaker.

The People's Democratic Party's (HDP) chose Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat as the candidate for the post of parliament Speaker.

To the surprise of many, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has not yet announced its candidate for parliament Speaker, whereas in previous elections for the post, the party had acted first in the announcement of its candidate.

In a televised program on CNN Turk on Wednesday, veteran journalist Taha Akyol, highlighting that the election process of the parliament Speaker will provide a hint of how the new government will be formed, argued that if the AK Party supports the CHP's candidate Baykal to be elected as Speaker, it would imply that the AK Party and the CHP will form the new government.

Rumors have also emerged that the AK party seeks to add 18 Deputies from other parties to its ranks in order to obtain a single majority in the Parliament.

[10] Turkey's Foreign Minister Cavusoglu confirms efforts for normalization of ties to Israel

According to the Israeli Haaretz daily, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu held a meeting with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Dore Gold in Rome seemingly to resume talks about a reconciliation agreement between the two states after ties have remained frozen for over a year.

[11] Turkish, Russian officials discuss Middle East in Ankara

Though not seeing eye-to-eye in certain developments in the Middle East, especially concerning Syria, both Ankara and Moscow are careful not to harm bilateral ties over disagreements about regional issues. Turkey backs moderate Syrian rebel groups in their struggle against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Russia maintains an unyielding stance supporting Assad.

[12] "Gezi" salutes mark opening of Turkey's new parliament

During the oath-taking ceremony in parliament on June 23, Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputies Ali Haydar Hakverdi, Gamze Akkus Ilgezdi and Hilmi Yarayici raised their left fists in the air on the rostrum in honor of Gezi.

During the oath-taking ceremony, two MPs from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) were also in the spotlight in relation to Gezi.

The Gezi protests had begun in 2013 as an effort to stop bulldozers from razing the central Istanbul park, one of the few green spaces left in the city's Taksim neighborhood, to build a shopping mall. Analysts say Gezi sowed the seeds for alternative political movements to develop and affected Turkey's largest parties. The main opposition CHP organized primary elections to select its Deputy candidates, which paved the way for the nomination of grassroots-supported figures such as Hakverdi. The HDP, meanwhile, entered parliament on a left-wing platform that included a number of protester demands, despite the skepticism of some of its leading figures toward elements of the Gezi protests during their infancy. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/ AM)

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