Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-07-02

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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 continues his contacts in Brussels

[02] Turkish Foreign Ministry undergoes major reshuffle; Turkey replaced its "ambassador" in the occupied area of Cyprus

[03] French Minister of State for European Affairs who is visiting Cyprus will meet with Akinci

[04] CTP launched contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus searching for coalition partners

[05] Reduction in hotel occupancy is the breakaway regime

[06] Illegal universities represented the "TRNC" in conferences in Russia and the Netherlands

[07] AKP candidate Ismet Yilmaz became Turkey's Parliament Speaker

[08] Turkey's exports decrease by 8 % in first half of 2015

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci continues his contacts in Brussels

Speaking at a joint press conference with Schultz, Akinci argued that the Turkish Cypriots do not approve the continuation of the current situation and want a solution for the future generations. He expressed the belief that they are on the right track for the solution [of the Cyprus problem] adding that the Turkish Cypriots want a solution because they have been outside the international law for many years.

He noted: "We have another reason for the solution. This is the fact that the Turkish Cypriots remained outside the international law for many years. We want our community to be a part and a partner of the EU. We want to be a part of the international law and order. Therefore, we are struggling for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on political equality which will protect the interests of both communities".

Arguing that they are approaching a result in the negotiations, Akinci said: "We are approaching the final target which is the comprehensive solution, I believe that the EP will support this process like it did in the past".

In his statements, Schultz said that the negotiations are being held in an "intensive, friendly and open to new ideas environment" and expressed the EP's satisfaction with the steps taken towards a comprehensive solution wishing success to Akinci in his new duties. "We will do everything we can for the successful conclusion of the negotiations", he noted describing as an opportunity the fact that both leaders are in favor of a bi-communal, bi-zonal solution based on political equality. "Both communities are being administrated by leaders who have supported the Annan solution plan [submitted to referendum in 2004] and these persons are struggling for the reunification of the country", he said adding that "we want to see a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution".

In his meeting with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, Akinci discussed the further advancement of their relations [the EU relations with the Turkish Cypriots] in all fields so that the Turkish Cypriots are prepared to join the EU. They discussed also the contribution of the comprehensive solution in Cyprus to the regional stability. It was also argued that the advancement of the relations of the Turkish Cypriots with the EU will contribute to the solution process.

Meanwhile, within the framework of his contacts in Brussels, Akinci met yesterday with Syed Kamall, President of the European Conservatives' and Reformists' Group in the EP, Rebecca Harms, Co-Chairperson of the Greens' Group, Fank Engel, Luxembourgian MEP with the European People's Party and Henry Malosse, Chairman of the European Economy and Social Committee.

It was noted that at a working breakfast with Malosse they discussed the development of the committee's relations with the Turkish Cypriot civic organizations and the benefits of their participation in the EU institutions.

In the meetings with the representatives of the groups in the EP, the Turkish Cypriots asked for their support in the solution process and the participation of the Turkish Cypriots as observers at the EP.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Turkish Foreign Ministry undergoes major reshuffle; Turkey replaced its "ambassador" in the occupied area of Cyprus

With a decree published in the Official Gazette on July 1, a veteran career diplomat, Ambassador Derya Kanbay, has been "posted" to Nicosia shortly after the long-stalled U.N.-brokered peace talks, which are seen as the best chance in years to reunify Cyprus after four decades of division, were launched on May 15.

Kanbay's predecessor, senior economy bureaucrat Halil Ibrahim Akca, was "posted" to the island specifically at that time because of the Turkish government's strong desire for the implementation of austerity measures aimed at a dramatic reform of the Turkish Cyprus economy.

Kanbay, who served as Ambassador in Iraq and Slovenia in the past, was most recently working as the head of Board of Audition at the Foreign Ministry headquarters.

As for Y?lmaz, with this reshuffle, he has been promoted to the title of Ambassador. It is the first time that he will represent the Republic of Turkey as its top diplomat in a capital city, Tajikistan's Dushanbe.

With the decree, 16 Ambassadors have been posted to the Ankara headquarters, while 24 Ambassadors have been posted to various countries, either as Ambassadors or permanent representatives to international organizations.

Among them, Ali Sait Ak?n, who most recently served as Turkey's consul general in Libya's Benghazi, has been appointed to a key post, becoming the country's Ambassador to Afghanistan.

Cagatay Erciyes, outgoing permanent representative of Turkey to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has been posted as Ambassador to Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (02.07.15) reports that Akca, who will be replaced by Kanbay, will be appointed at the Secretariat of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). It is expected to start his new duty on August 14, 2015.

The paper reports that it is estimated that Kanbay will start his new duty in the occupied part of Nicosia at the beginning of August.

(AK/ DPs)

[03] French Minister of State for European Affairs who is visiting Cyprus will meet with Akinci

According to the paper, Desir will meet today with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and later he will meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Commenting on the issue, Akinci's spokesman Baris Burcu stated that the meeting between Akinci and Desir is taking place following the high level contacts of Akinci in Brussels and added that this meeting is another addition towards safeguarding the efforts for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

(CS)

[04] CTP launched contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus searching for coalition partners

The CTP delegation visited first the National Unity Party (UBP). Making a statement to the press before the meeting, Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of CTP-BG said that the coalition "government" would hand in its resignation to the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Ak?nc?, after his return to the island.

"We are searching for a coalition partner that can assist us in overcoming the problems of the country" said Talat and expressed the need for the new "government" to be formed and be shaped around a federation instead of a confederation.

The leader of the National Unity Party Huseyin Ozgurgun expressed the need for a reform "government" to be established and said: "As the opposition we tried to fulfill our duties. If a reform government is going to be established we will give our support regardless of whether we will be a partner of the government or remain as an opposition party".

The CTP delegation's next visit was to the Social Democratic Party (TDP).

Speaking there, Talat said that during the meeting they will exchange views on the issue of a new "government" and other issues on the agenda with TDP officials.

For his part, the leader of TDP Cemal Ozyigit expressed readiness for taking part in a structure which will lead the country to early "elections" by passing the vital "laws".

He also added that the current structure of the "parliament" was not suitable for a reform "government".

In the afternoon the delegation visited the Democratic Party-National Forces. (DP).

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam (02.07.15) reports that during the meeting with the CTP delegation, the leader of the Democratic Party ? National Forces (DP-UG) Serdar Denktas said that he thinks because they know each other they should not prolong this process for a long time. He added that although this is a troubled period they can overcome the problems. Denktas concluded by saying that they will discuss the issue and they will brief them soon.

(AK/ DPs)

[05] Reduction in hotel occupancy is the breakaway regime

According to information by the "Turkish Cypriot hoteliers union" the occupancy for the five starts hotels is 65% which is 31% decrease compared to the same period last year. However, the occupancy in small hotels is 41% while it was 15% in the same period last year.

The "union" also stated that the number of British tourists who visit the breakaway regime was reduced from 19% to 13%.

(CS)

[06] Illegal universities represented the "TRNC" in conferences in Russia and the Netherlands

Arikli, who represented the "TRNC" (translator's note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) presented a notice in the conference and had bilateral meetings with academicians from USA, Japan, Russia, Turkey, India, Korea, Italy, Bulgaria, Kirgizstan, Azerbaijan and Moldova. He briefed them regarding his "university" and the "TRNC".

The paper reports that the educational specialist from "GAU" Serdal Isiktas accompanied Arikli during the conference.

Meanwhile, the paper also reports that the so-called vice head of department of finance and banking of the faculty of economics and administrative sciences of illegal Near East University ("YDU") Assist. Prof. Dr Turgut Tursoy, represented the "YDU" at the 25th International Business Information Management Association (IBIMA) Conference titled as: "Innovation Vision 2020: from Regional Development Sustainability to Global Economic Growth" in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is also reported that this was the first time that someone had attended this conference from Cyprus and that Tursoy discussed issues related to the crises that occurred in Turkey in 2000; causing reforms to be made involving dynamic relationships of the stock certificate market and macroeconomic variables in the short and long run, alongside improvements in the irregularities.

It is reminded that the accepted articles in the IBIMA Conference are issued as Conference Proceedings in Thomson Reuters (ISI) and Elsevier-Scopus.

(DPs)

[07] AKP candidate Ismet Yilmaz became Turkey's Parliament Speaker

Y?lmaz received 258 votes while Deniz Baykal, from the Republican People's Party (CHP), garnered 182 votes in the last round, as none of four candidates from four political parties could attain a simple majority in the third round on July 1st. Only Y?lmaz and Baykal remained in the last round as Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Dengir Mir Mehmet F?rat from the Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) were eliminated in the third round.

In his first remarks delivered in Parliament after being elected to his new post, Y?lmaz said: "Our nation has been expecting a new Constitution soon from the 25th term of Parliament. The economic and democratic level that our country has reached today makes a new Constitution an obligation for all of us".

The AKP group provided full support to its candidate in both the third and fourth rounds, but the victory came thanks to the MHP's decision not to vote for Baykal. The support of the CHP group as well as around 50 votes from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) was insufficient to elect Baykal, the temporary speaker of the parliament, for the country's number two place in the state protocol.

The MHP's indirect support to the AKP's candidate drew fierce criticisms from both the CHP and the HDP, which accused the nationalist party of acting like the crutch of the ruling party. The two opposition party executives also implied that such a composition revealed the potential partners of a coalition government.

"The result has been presented to the AKP on a golden plate by the leader of a party," said Haluk Koc, Spokesperson for the CHP.

Extending congratulations to Y?lmaz, Koc said that he expected that the new Parliamentary Speaker's conduct would be "in line with rules of democracy," unlike the previous Parliamentary Speakers.

"Some debates took place after the election. This manner shows that the message given by people on June 7 could not been interpreted. Narrow-sighted and cowardly politics will not resolve problems," Koc said. "Partners for the coalition showed up."

HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas echoed Koc's summation of the MHP's stance and the results. "One more time, there is a Speaker who has been elected by a single party's votes. I wish the opposition could accomplish this, but the MHP has presented the seat of the Parliament Speaker as a gift to the AKP. I say 'congratulations' to the MHP," Demirtas said in bitter remarks.

Demirtas went further by describing a potential partnership in forming a government between the AKP and MHP as a "war coalition" because of their similar rhetoric and lines over the developments in Syria. The HDP's co-leader said the HDP would perform its duty to oppose the match.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, however, dismissed the opposition's claims that Parliamentary Speaker's election was a sign of a coalition between the AKP and the MHP, saying: "This election has nothing to do with coalition scenarios. Everything took place in legitimacy. There was not even a tiny discussion while some tensions were obviously expected," Davutoglu said.

(?)

Referring to the upcoming process of negotiations for forming a coalition, Davutoglu said that he will be holding talks with all three parties. "For us, the parliamentary Speaker election is not the same as the coalition process. If I would have said that this is a signal, then I would have opposed what I have earlier alluded to. However, today's environment has actually offered opportunities for an assessment of different coalition options", Davutoglu stated.

Who is Ismet Y?lmaz?

Y?lmaz, 54, graduated from the Department of Machinery of the Istanbul Maritime Academy (now Maritime Faculty of the Istanbul Technical University).

Y?lmaz studied at the World Maritime University in Sweden where he was granted an MSc on "Technical Management of Shipping Companies" and an MA from Marmara University's Institute of Social Sciences. Y?lmaz also holds a PhD in private law from Ankara University's Institute of Social Sciences.

Y?lmaz was elected to Parliament for the first time in the June 2011 election as a Deputy representing his hometown of Sivas. He was appointed as Defense Minister of the 61st Turkish government in July 2011.

[08] Turkey's exports decrease by 8 % in first half of 2015

The country's exports decreased by 6.4% to $11.7 billion in June compared to the same month of 2014. The year-on-year exports stood at $150.8 billion, according to the TIM data.

"A decrease of some 18% in euro-U.S. dollar parity in June from the same month of 2014 led to around a $1.2 billion loss in Turkey's monthly exports. The loss upon the forex changes reached $6.8 billion in the first half of the year," said TIM President Mehmet Buyukeksi.

He said that the country's exports decreased by 6.4% in June on the dollar basis, but increased by 5.4% on the amount basis compared to the same month of the previous year.

He also noted that Turkey's exports to the European Union regressed by 5.5% on the dollar basis, but increased by 14.7% on the euro basis.

Buyukeksi said that exporters expected better results in the second half of the year. "The Greek crisis' effect on our exports will be limited. If the crisis, however, spills over into some other European countries with high debt levels, such as Italy, Portugal or Spain, the situation will be worsening", he said.

The highest level of exports was made to Germany, Britain, Iraq, Italy and France in June, but the exports to these countries regressed by 8% on average, according to the TIM data.

The automotive sector made the highest exports in June, with around $2 billion worth of exports, but the export volume of the sector decreased by 2.7% compared to the same month of 2014. Other champion export sectors were the ready-made textiles sector and the chemical products sector.

In the first half of the year, the highest exports were also made by the automotive sector, which made $10.5 billion worth of exports. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

(AC/ AM)

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