Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-06-30

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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] Akinci: We have entered into the core issues, we achieved some developments

[02] Akinci's statement before departing to Brussels

[03] The "Immovable Property Commission" is unable to make payments; the issue to be discussed in an extraordinary meeting of the "assembly"

[04] Tatar announced his candidacy for UBP's leadership

[05] UBP to support a protest to be organized by the Community Platform in the occupied area of Cyprus

[06] Turkey's MGK expressed concerns over 'demographic change and terror actions' in northern Syria

[07] Putin gave Turkey an ultimatum on Syria: If you get in you are not getting out

[08] Kilicdaroglu warned the Turkish government that a possible military intervention into Syria would have a high cost for Turkey

[09] Atalay: "Party's grassroots base supports AK Party-MHP coalition"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: We have entered into the core issues, we achieved some developments

Recalling that the negotiators have prepared a comprehensive document determining where the sides stand on all issues, Akinci said: "Now we have intensified our efforts in order to lead the process to a comprehensive solution which will be accepted by both sides by starting from the core issues that have not been resolved yet".

Akinci noted that they have determined the new working fields until their next meeting and added that the negotiators will meet three times a week and the work on these issues will continue during the next meeting of the leaders on 10 July.

Explaining the method they implemented during the meeting, Akinci said that they first held a face to face meeting with President Anastasiades, afterwards continued working with the negotiators and the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide and at the third stage they held a meeting with the participation of the delegations. Arguing that this method is productive, Akinci said that they understand each other better, find the opportunity to enter more in depth into the problems and have achieved progress within this framework.

Akinci said that they examined the implementation of the confidence building measures which they had decided during their previous meeting and determined that "progress is achieved on the decisions we have taken". "In short I can say that our meeting today was productive. I can say that progress was achieved", he noted.

Asked on which issues progress was achieved, he replied: "The issues of governance, property and the criteria of the territory were negotiated. Evaluations were made on these issues. Progress was achieved on some fields, but as you understand it would not be in harmony with the understanding of the negotiations to mention specific details of these issues. I do not want to conduce to any speculations on this issue".

Replying to another question, Akinci said that during their next meeting the leaders may continue discussing the same chapters or they will be open to issues which the negotiators will bring in front of them for producing political decisions. He noted, however, that there are some issues which may lead the process into deadlock and cause misunderstandings, if are raised. He added: "Therefore we are trying to discuss everything timely. This is the reason why I referred to criteria on the territory. The names of the villages, the percentages, and the maps are still not at the point to be discussed today. Of course, the day of this will also come. However, first it is an issue of going step by step to that point. We are trying to do this".

Akinci said that everything published in the Greek Cypriot press should not be accepted as correct and denied the information that he accepted a federation with powerful central government. He noted that they have been all along saying that they accept a federation composed by two founding states with a central administration which will have every power that is necessary and the residual powers should be left to the federal states, within the framework of the joint declaration of 11 February 2014. "There will be an authorization within reasonable measures, that is, we do not talk of a unitary state, but we do not talk of confederation as well", he added and continued: "Therefore, if you refer to a structure with very strong center, this will take you closer to the unitary state. On the contrary, if the center [of the structure] is very weak, this will take you closer to confederation. However, our target is federation. A bi-zonal, bi-communal federal system, the framework of which has been drawn on 11 February 2014, but came until today from the 1977-79 Agreements and was included in many documents of UN Secretary-Generals until today".

Asked whether he believes that sufficient progress could be achieved by September, Akinci said that he wants this to happen, but he does not know whether it will happen, pointing out that they have two meetings planned for July but no meeting after that, but the negotiators will be meeting three times every week. He noted that the leaders will take the necessary political decisions and open new fields for the negotiators so that the process proceeds, when things are produced [by the negotiators]. He said that there is no agreement that, for example, a meeting will be held in September with the participation of the guarantors in New York, after serious progress is achieved in "our internal issues". "However, this is a target. You can think about it as an unannounced target", he added arguing that this is what the UN officials think, but this is related to what the sides will do by that date.

Relying to another question, Akinci said that the citizenship and other issues will be discussed when time comes. He added that the settlers, who have come to the occupied area of Cyprus since 1974, have been living here for 41 years and became one with this place, are always included in a separate category, they voted in the Annan Plan referendum and therefore there is absolutely no hesitation in Turkish Cypriot side's openings on this issue. Akinci recalled that in the past he had criticized the fact that people were brought from Turkey and were granted the "citizenship" to secure benefits for some political parties. He argued that this is wrong and it is out of the question for these things to be repeated now.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci's statement before departing to Brussels

Akinci stated that their aim is to become in the future a part of the European Union institutions under a federal roof and stated that their aim is for the Turkish Cypriots to take the place they deserve within the EU institutions, a goal which was not able to be reached for the last eleven years despite the Turkish Cypriot community saying yes to the referendum. As he said, this will be possible after the solution of the Cyprus problem. He went on and added that the Turkish Cypriot community wants to be connected with the EU not as a minority of some other existence but as one of the equal wings of the future federal state in Cyprus.

"We know what we want. We want a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution. We will be equal solution partners and we will be members of the EU within this framework", Akinci stated.

Akinci will meet with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and other EU officials. Akinci is escorted by "foreign ministry undersecretary" and member of the negotiation team Erhan Ercin, his secretary Cenk Gurcag and "presidential coordinator for foreign affairs" Deniz Birinci.

(CS)

[03] The "Immovable Property Commission" is unable to make payments; The issue to be discussed in an extraordinary meeting of the "assembly"

According to the paper, the "TMK", despite the decisions it takes and the solutions it founds concerning the property issue, it cannot make payments and pay compensations. The issue is expected to be discussed in an extraordinary meeting of the "assembly" today, writes the paper.

Speaking about the issue, Ferdi Sabit Soyer, "deputy" with the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces (CTP-BG) in occupied Famagusta, said, inter alia, that the "TMK" is an important step. He however, pointed out, that the "commission" is not able to make payments. "It is one among the resources that could find solutions to the property issue of the Cyprus problem. The expectation is that Turkey will make the payments. But how will Turkey make payments if you cannot fund? This is not only a problem of the government and the political parties; it is a much neglected issue", Soyer said.

(?)

(AK)

[04] Tatar announced his candidacy for UBP's leadership

Speaking during a televised program hosted by Gokan Alt?ner, Tatat said that he will be a candidate for UBP's leadership. "I have been evaluating the process for a long time, and I am not alone as I have been liaising with other members of the party", Tatar said.

"There are many who support my candidacy" said Tatar adding that democratization process of UBP should speed up.

[05] UBP to support a protest to be organized by the Community Platform in the occupied area of Cyprus

As the paper writes, the Communal Platform has announced that it will organize a protest, as a response to the "racist and narrow-minded voices" which are raised in "south Cyprus" by the "Greek Cypriot administration", as the Republic of Cyprus is called and the "Greek Cypriot church", especially in a period where the Cyprus negotiation process continues.

Issuing a written statement, Ozgurgun said that it is UBP's political responsibility and mission to support the protest and the rightful reactions of the protesters against the "Greek Cypriot church and administration' positions" concerning the "sensitive issue of guarantees and territory" and also concerning their demand for "our citizens who have the right of citizenship" to be sent back to the "motherland".

UBP underlined in the statement that the party will never give up and will always continue fighting for the sensitivities of the Turkish Cypriot "people" and for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of political equality.

(AK)

[06] Turkey's MGK expressed concerns over 'demographic change and terror actions' in northern Syria

Turkey's top security board has expressed concern over "demographic changes" in northern Syria to the advantage of Syrian Kurds and "terror acts" committed by jihadists against civilians, while avoiding giving a clear indication of a coming military intervention into its southern neighbor.

"The developments taking place in our southern neighbor, Syria, have been assessed in detail and additional measures taken along the border have been reviewed. Concerns over terror acts targeting the civilians in the region as well as attempts for demographic change have been voiced," according to the statement issued by the MGK.

The four-hour meeting took place amid growing rumblings from senior government officials that Turkey will not remain silent at the Democratic Union Party's (PYD) alleged removal of Arabs and Turkmens from Tel Abyad and nearby provinces so that more Kurds can be settled.

The MGK's statement also targeted the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) without naming it and highlighted its recent attacks in Kobane, a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria.

Furthermore, the MGK underlined the insensitivity of the international community in providing assistance to Syrian refugees while reiterating Turkey's determination in continuing its efforts to heal the wounds of millions of Syrians seeking shelter on its soil.

[07] Putin gave Turkey an ultimatum on Syria: If you get in you are not getting out

Speaking during a Russian television program, Putin argued that Turkey is dealing with issues that are bigger than its size: "If you enter Syria, you will not be able to get out. You will not only find the Kurds and the Syrians there, you will come across us as well", Putin stated. He went on and accused Turkey of "playing neighbors" with ISIL, which is said to be an enemy of humanity for the last 2,5 years now and added: "I do not know what the relation between Turkey and ISIL is but I am openly saying that if Turley enters Syria, it will find us oppose it together with the Kurds and the Syrians", he stated.

Reporting on the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet (30.06.15) writes that in an action that was received as a warning by Ankara, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that there are some "foreign players" in the Syrian conflict, without naming any country and called on for focusing on diplomatic efforts and not to military operations to resolve the problem on the region. The paper notes that this warning came just before the urgently and important meeting of Turkey's National Security Council which was conveyed a day earlier than planned to discuss Syria developments.

In addition, the paper writes that Putin received yesterday the Syrian Foreign Minister Velid Muallim, who was holding talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. During the meeting, Putin suggested the forming of an international coalition against terrorism and ISIL in Syria consisting of Russia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, noting that Russia is ready to become a mediator to help ease the conflict in the region.

(CS)

[08] Kilicdaroglu warned the Turkish government that a possible military intervention into Syria would have a high cost for Turkey

Speaking in an interview with daily Hurriyet on Monday, Kilicdaroglu criticized the government for implementing policies that would strengthen its position and said: "I am warning you. Don't you dare".

"They have staged a merciless domestic policy also to this end. But the most dangerous one is turning foreign policy into an element of domestic politics. Unfortunately, the AKP [the Justice and Development Party] has done this. I am afraid it will continue doing so," he said, calling on the government to avoid such a policy. "As the head of the CHP, I am warning them not to drag Turkey into an adventure; it would have a high cost. And the people on the street, not the politicians, would pay such a bill."

Noting that the current government is an outgoing one, Kilicdaroglu stressed the fact that the President was speaking first about the issue was an indication that the government was still under the tutelage of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Now there is a temporary government; they should not forget about it. [There is a] discussion on intervention in Syria. And it is wrong. The one to speak first on the matter should be the Prime Minister, not the President", Kilicdaroglu stated. "This is not like sitting at your palace", Kilicdaroglu added referring to the newly built presidential palace in Ankara.

(?)

K?l?cdaroglu addressed the 40% of Turkish citizens that voted for the AKP and asked them to think about why Turkey is isolated from the world and why its reputation is being questioned.

"Preserving Turkey's reputation is not only my duty, but that of 77 million citizens of this country," he said.

"Syrians who have been forced to leave their homeland are also paying a heavy price", he added.

Kilicdaroglu pointed out that he had criticized the Syria policy of the government right from the start, dismissing claims that Turkey could be a playmaker in the Middle East. "You weren't able to become a playmaker but turned the country into a whipping boy," he said.

Kilicdarolu has also invited the government to consider the warning by former Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug, who recommended that Ankara solve the issue together with the Syrian government, with whom Turkey has cut ties.

[09] Atalay: "Party's grassroots base supports AK Party-MHP coalition"

In Turkey's June 7 general elections, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) received 40.66% of the votes, thereby claiming 258 seats in the Parliament, just 18 short to form a simple majority government. Since then, Turkey has been puzzled with coalition options.

Another point to be solved is the issue of election of a Parliamentary Speaker. The elections regarding this matter will take place on June 30. Candidates from four parties represented in Parliament will strive to get support from opposition parties.

Besir Atalay also touched upon the issue of the Parliamentary Speaker election, saying that the AK Party Deputies will vote for their own candidate, Ismet Y?lmaz. He said, "No other plan is of question."

Atalay also commented on potential military operation rumors into Syria's northern town of Jarabulus by Turkish Armed Forces against the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and said that the Turkish Armed Forces' entry into Syria is Turkey's last option, only when "there is no other way. There is no such plan on the table", according to Atalay, who said, "We are working on all other methods." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(AC/ AM)

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