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

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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] Junker will meet Akinci and Turkish Cypriot political party leaders

[02] Kalyoncu announces the breakaway regime's new "cabinet" after meeting Akinci

[03] Denktas: The CTP-UBP "coalition government" has been formed after "strong suggestions" by Turkey

[04] Sucuoglu: Turkey has not exerted pressure for the establishment of a CTP-UBP "coalition government"

[05] Ustel may be candidate for UBP's leadership

[06] "Water project's" launching date postponed for August

[07] Akinci expressed the need to find ways towards integrating the Turkish Cypriot youth with the world

[08] Efforts that the illegal YDU's basketball team which participates in Turkey's league to play its home matches in the breakaway regime

[09] Bahceli wants to stay out of coalition; HDP urges end to violence before coalition talks with AKP

[10] Columnist believes that the absence of Turkey's government treated as opportunity to "fine tune" its foreign policy

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Junker will meet Akinci and Turkish Cypriot political party leaders

Burcu noted that after the meeting, Akinci will introduce Junker to representatives of the Turkish Cypriot political parties that possess "seats" in the "assembly" of the breakaway regime.

Burcu said that afterwards, Akinci will have a joint lunch with Junker and President Anastasiades at the Home of Cooperation in the buffer zone in Nicosia. Akinci will be accompanied by Burcu and Erhan Ercin, "undersecretary" at the self-styled foreign ministry and member of Akinci's negotiating team.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Kalyoncu announces the breakaway regime's new "cabinet" after meeting Akinci

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Kalyoncu said that Akinci approved the "cabinet". The names of the members of the "cabinet" are the following:

"prime minister" - Omer Kalyoncu (CTP)

"foreign minister" ? Emine Colak (CTP)

"finance minister" ? Hasan Basoglu (CTP)

"health minister" ? Salih Izbul (CTP)

"food, agriculture and natural resources minister" ? Onder Sennaroglu (CTP)

"interior and labour minister" ? Aziz Gurpinar (CTP)

"economy, trade and industry minister" ? Sunat Atun (UBP)

"transport minister" ? Tahsin Ertugruloglu (UBP)

"education minister" ? Kemal Durust (UBP)

"tourism minister" ? Faiz Sucuoglu (UBP)

"public works and environment minister" - Kutlu Evren (UBP)

(I/Ts.)

[03] Denktas: The CTP-UBP "coalition government" has been formed after "strong suggestions" by Turkey

Denktas said that everyone says that such a "suggestion" was made by Turkey's "embassy" and "aid delegation" and added: "While everyone is talking about it, I do not hesitate to openly state it. It is obvious that a suggestion in this direction has been made [?] When we talk about Turkey's suggestion here, as I said, this is its embassy here and the aid delegation. I do not know to which extend the information that they do not want me is correct, but actually I also do not want the aid delegation. Therefore, this is a mutual problem. We have actually included our views as regards the aid delegation in our program as well. If we are not wanted because we said this, let us actually be not wanted, because this does not sadden us".

Denktas argued that CTP and UBP have the same approach and that through the establishment of a CTP-UBP "coalition government" an opportunity will be created for everyone to see that these two parties are the same.

Furthermore, Denktas pointed out to the accusations made by the two parties against each other until today and expressed the view that the "government' will not last for long and that "early elections" will be held. "It is obvious that a strong suggestion has come", he noted.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Sucuoglu: Turkey has not exerted pressure for the establishment of a CTP-UBP "coalition government"

Sucuoglu said, inter alia, the following: "The Republic of Turkey wishes that the two big parties are in a coalition during such a crucial period, but it has not exerted pressure. This is a situation which came up with the two parties own will. The way of reason is one. In the end, we are heading to a crucial process. A process during which the two big parties will be in power is creating a serious control and support mechanism on the issue of the negotiations. [?]"

He noted that in case of a "coalition" with the Democratic Party (DP) they would have had 26 "seats" in the "assembly" and they would not have been in the position of materializing reforms and taking radical decisions. 'We can do a lot with 39 deputies", he said.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Ustel may be candidate for UBP's leadership

Ustel noted that he may be candidate for the leadership of his party at the general assembly of UBP that will be held on October 31.

[06] "Water project's" launching date postponed for August

Cinar stated that it is impossible to reach the 20 July goal since the weather was not helpful at all during the procedure for the construction of the project. As he said the works for constructing the sea pipes still continue and only 61.5 km out of the 80km-length pipe line has been completed.

He also stated that the lines for the water distribution in the occupied part of Lefkosia have been completed but lines in other parts of the occupied area of Cyprus are still under construction.

(CS)

[07] Akinci expressed the need to find ways towards integrating the Turkish Cypriot youth with the world

Akinci also pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot youth should be integrated with the world in all fields.

Claiming that the Turkish Cypriot "people" face numerous political obstacles as a result of the non-solution on the island, he said that all their efforts are towards providing a comprehensive peace in Cyprus. "We are canalizing all our efforts towards reaching a solution as soon as possible. However life does not stop. While continuing with these efforts, it is also essential that we prepare ourselves for the period after a settlement is reached by doing whatever we can", Akinci added.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriots are unprepared for a post settlement environment in many aspects, he expressed the need to work on those areas and issues.

Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam (15.07.15) reports that Akinci met with the chairman of the "billiard federation of North Cyprus" Askin Burcu and the "billiard national team", which will take part in the European Billiard championship in Austria.

Burcu claimed that their "national team" has participated in the European championship since 2006 under the "TRNC flag" and with equal status with the Cyprus national team. He also said that they will sign a cooperation protocol with Turkey's Billiard Federation.

(DPs)

[08] Efforts that the illegal YDU's basketball team which participates in Turkey's league to play its home matches in the breakaway regime

Speaking to the paper, Gunsel stated they applied to FIFA for the issue but in case they receive a negative answer to their demand they will file a lawsuit since FIFA's constitution provides that sports should not be mixed with religion or politics.

(CS)

[09] Bahceli wants to stay out of coalition; HDP urges end to violence before coalition talks with AKP

"He [Bahceli] has once more confirmed that their approach is to not be in a government partnership, as they have previously stated on many occasions since June 7," Davutoglu, the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), told reporters after a meeting with Bahceli on July 14.

It was the second meeting in a first round of meetings initiated by Davutoglu after being given the mandate to form a new government by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 9.

Having voiced respect for the MHP leader's stance, Davutoglu, nonetheless, underlined the two leaders still exchanged views despite this negative response.

With his meeting with Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag scheduled for July 15, Davutoglu plans to complete the first round of talks before Eid al-Fitr, the three-day long Islamic holiday starting July 17.

Meanwhile, the paper reports that Demirtas urged both the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) and the military to ease tensions in the south-eastern Anatolian region following recent violent incidents, a day before he is set to meet Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as part of coalition talks.

"It's true that tension is high. But it's not the day to draw swords. I say this both to the KCK and to the government. No one should think of increasing the tension", Demirtas told journalists July 14.

Demirtas made his statement a day before his coalition talks with Davutoglu and expressed his hopes that the next government will seriously deal with the Kurdish peace process. "We are waiting to host the AKP delegation. We will share our own solutions on national and international problems," he said and added that mutual accusations made during election time have been left behind. "We will discuss everything with the AKP. We hope that tomorrow's meeting will pave the way for revival of the peace process. Our country deserves peace, not violence. We are not obliged to fight; the young people of this country do not deserve to die."

Adding that the HDP will meet the AKP delegation without prejudices, Demirtas said: "With or without the HDP, we believe the next government should move forward the peace talks." The three main principles of the HDP are peace, democracy and justice with its subtitles, Demirtas stressed.

[10] Columnist believes that absence of Turkey's government treated as opportunity to "fine tune" its foreign policy

The situation in Turkey, however, is a little different. The period between governments is being seen as an important opportunity to make 'fine adjustments' to those foreign policy areas that the AKP [Justice and Development Party] government had difficulty in demonstrating flexibility. The developments that have taken place in the brief period since the elections include elements that affirm this opinion.

The fight with ISIL: The most comprehensive talks between Turkey and the United States on this topic took place last week. During the talks, which lasted two days, they discussed Turkey's active participation in the anti-ISIL coalition that the United States is leading as well as the topic of US warplanes using Incirlik and other Turkish military facilities. (?)

Fine tuning the Al-Asad position: Thanks to the convergence achieved with the United States in the fight against ISIL, the position that Turkey had long defended saying, "First Al-Asad then ISIL" has undergone a partial change. Turkey had not been in favour of actively participating in the coalition, which did not see Al-Asad as the priority target, but has now opted to soften this rigid position. (?)

Dialogue with Israel: One important development after 7 June was the meeting of high-ranking Foreign Ministry officials from both countries in Rome. According to information obtained, the Mavi Marmara negotiators from both sides are going to get together again after the talks in Rome and put the reparations agreement that had been agreed on earlier into effect. (?)

One field that Turkey cares about a great deal and has hopes for is the Cyprus talks. Turkey predicts that a referendum would be held for the establishment of a new partnership state on the island in the first quarter of next year and it is taking care to pursue a line that is not going to adversely affect the extremely delicate process. During this period, in which Greece is unable to put much weight behind Cyprus because of its own economic woes, Turkey is making do with providing silent but decisive support. It is also continuing to make the international community accept its thesis that these talks are the final talks, and is doing so in a quiet and non-threatening voice.

(?)

From what can be seen in these developments, the 'fine tuning' so long expected in Turkey's foreign policy is coming at a time when Turkey is being managed without a government. This fine tuning may be treated as a situation that frees the hand of the AKP government, which has been unable to make any moves because it has bound itself too much to its rigid Syria policy." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(DPs/ LF)

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