Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-07-27

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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] Ak?nc? met with Mogherini

[02] Burcu on the negotiations: Too early to talk about land and property

[03] CTP-UBP "coalition government" gets a confidence vote

[04] Tatar criticizes the "government programme" regarding the Cyprus issue

[05] The number of Turkish origin students in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus is increased

[06] Robot football team of illegal YDU participated in the 11th championship organized by FIFA in China

[07] Famous singer Sean Paul participated in a concert at occupied Agios Epiktitos village

[08] Turkey launches new air strikes and calls for a NATO extraordinary meeting; PKK threats to end ceasefire

[09] Erdogan held a phone conversation with Putin: "Turkey is determined to fight against ISIS, PKK"

[10] Merkel and Mongerini urged Turkey to keep the Kurdish peace process alive

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Ak?nc? met with Mogherini

In a short statement after his meeting with Mogherini, Akinci said that he had found the opportunity to evaluate the latest stage reached on the Cyprus problem and that Mogherini had reaffirmed the EU's continuing support to the Cyprus negotiations process.

"The EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was also in the island and now Ms. Mogherini is here and the dialogue they are establishing with the Turkish Cypriot side is very important and we hope that it will continue", Akinci also added.

[02] Burcu on the negotiations: Too early to talk about land and property

Speaking to illegal Bayrak, Burcu stated that both sides agree that there is progress on the negotiations, however is too early to speak about progress on the chapters of land and property; however, he said the committees which work on the issue managed to have a wide progress. He reminded that there are three elements on the property issue: Determine the criteria of the areas which will be regulated in the property issue, the percentile and the names of the villages. As he said, for the first element the efforts will be intensified but as regards the other two, it will be discussed later.

Asked to comment on Christodoulides' statements that the name of the new state has not been discussed yet and no decision on this respect was taken, Burcu said that Akinci replied on a question on the issue and said that the name "Union of a Federal Cyprus" was one of the possible names for the new state after a solution.

Also commenting on Eide's statements that it is important the two sides in Cyprus to be conscious that the solution but be a European solution, Burcu stated that the Common Statement of February 11, determines that the solution should be based on bi-zonallity, bi-communality and political equality. "We said that we accept every European solution which will not be against these principles", he stated.

(CS)

[03] CTP-UBP "coalition government" gets a confidence vote

According to the paper, 35 "deputies" voted in favor of the new "council of ministers" giving the self-styled government the necessary vote of confidence. The paper also reports that 9 "deputies" voted against and 6 "deputies" did not participated in the session.

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (26.07.15) reports that on Saturday the self-styled assembly convened for 12 hours to discuss the CTP-UBP "government program" and adds that the efforts for forming a "government" were received with strong criticism by the opposition.

The paper writes that Serdar Denktas, the leader of the Democratic Party stated that the new government is "an evil government" and accused the "Turkish embassy" in the occupied part of Lefkosia of being directly involved in the establishment of the new "government".

On his part, self-styled deputy with the Social Democracy Party (TDP) Mehmet Cakici stated that CTP - UBP were accusing each other yesterday and today are establishing a "government". Cekici stated that before discussing the program of the "government" they should discuss the way the "government" was established and added that it was established with the assistance of Turkey.

(CS)

[04] Tatar criticizes the "government programme" regarding the Cyprus issue

Noting that one of the most important issues in the "government programme" is the negotiation process for the Cyprus problem, Tatar said that only the position of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) was adopted, which is the single sovereignty and single representation. He explained that important issues like the continuation of Turkey's guarantees, the Turkish settlers who came in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus after 1974, the property issue and the timetable for the talks are not covered in the programme.

(DPs)

[05] The number of Turkish origin students in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus is increased

The paper published the following comparison table with the number of students who enrolled in the illegal universities in 2014 and 2015:

2014 2015

"YDU" ("Near East University"): 1854 "YDU":2955

"DAU" ("East Mediterranean University"):2029 "DAU":2110

"GAU" ("Girne American University"):1549 "GAU":1893

"UKU" ("International Cyprus University"): 1233 "UKU":1788

"LAU" ("Lefke European University"):1145 "LAU":1739

"GU" ("Keryneia University"):00 "GU":98

"LIU" (Nicosia British University"):00 "LIU":61

"KSBU" (Cyprus Social Science university"):00 "KSBU":60

"AKU" ("Mediterranean Karpasia University"): 00 "AKU":36

(DPs)

[06] Robot football team of illegal YDU participated in the 11th championship organized by FIFA in China

According to the paper, 18 universities participated in the championship and illegal YDU team ranked 11th.

Speaking to the paper, Ahmet Cagman, the director of the innovation center of YDU stated that next year's championship will be held in Germany and efforts are exerted so that the 2017 championship to be held in the "TRNC".

(CS)

[07] Famous singer Sean Paul participated in a concert at occupied Agios Epiktitos village

Paul participated in a concert at the Cornaro Beach Club, in occupied Agios Epiktitos village.

The paper writes that despite the efforts exerted by many Greek Cypriot circles to prevent the artist to arrive in the breakaway regime, Paul visited the "TRNC" and gave the concert as it was planned.

(CS)

[08] Turkey launches new air strikes and calls for a NATO extraordinary meeting; PKK threats to end ceasefire

Turkey has launched a two-pronged "anti-terror" cross-border offensive against ISIL jihadists and PKK militants after a wave of violence in the country, pounding their positions with air strikes and artillery.

Protests meanwhile raged in a flashpoint district of Istanbul after raids against suspected militants earlier in the week, leaving one policeman dead.

The Turkish army earlier on July 26 blamed PKK militants for a deadly car bomb attack that killed two of its soldiers in the Kurdish-dominated southeast, as a fragile truce risked collapsing.

Ankara started its campaign on July 24 against ISIL targets in Syria but then expanded it to PKK rebels in neighboring northern Iraq who are themselves bitterly opposed to the jihadists.

Meanwhile the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that Turkey, NATO's only majority Muslim member, called a meeting of Ambassadors of NATO states on Tuesday for talks on the violence and its military operations.

"NATO allies follow developments very closely and stand in solidarity with Turkey", NATO said in another statement.

Ankara invoked a clause from NATO's founding treaty that allows any member to request a meeting of all 28 NATO Ambassadors "whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened."

The Article 4 of the Washington Treaty invoked by Turkey has been employed only rarely and usually by Ankara -- it was invoked by Turkey also in 2003 over the Iraq war, in 2012 for the Syria war and by Poland in 2014 over the Ukraine crisis.

Meanwhile, the tensions across the country are high, with police routinely using water cannons to disperse nightly protests in Istanbul and other cities denouncing ISIL and the government's policies on Syria.

Turkish police and protesters on July 26 engaged in new clashes in the flashpoint Istanbul district of Gazi, where a leftist activist was killed during police raids earlier this week, leaving one policeman dead.

Turkish security forces have since Friday rounded up at least 851 suspected members of ISIL, the PKK and the Marxist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front (DHKP-C) across the country on the grounds that they pose a threat to the state, the Anatolia news agency said.

Moreover, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has said that the ceasefire between it and the Turkish government has "lost its meaning" after the Turkish army's airstrikes against PKK camps in northern Iraq.

"The ceasefire has lost its meaning with the intense air bombardments that have been carried out," said a statement by the People's Defense Forces (HPG), the military wing of the PKK.

In addition, Turkish daily Sabah (25.07.15-online in English) reported that the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has slammed recent operations targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its affiliates, arguing that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) plans to "set the country on fire" to secure a landslide victory in a possible snap election.

"It is a plan to set the country on fire, in order for the government to secure a single-party government in a snap election, by creating a militaristic and nationalist climate -- while creating an impression as if it is conducting a comprehensive fight against terrorism," a statement from the HDP said on Saturday.

"Military assaults and bombings, political operations and pressure should be stopped immediately. We have no problem that cannot be solved through negotiation," the statement added.

(?)

[09] Erdogan held a phone conversation with Putin: "Turkey is determined to fight against ISIS, PKK"

Discussing the growing terrorism problem in the region, the two Presidents also evaluated Turkey's recent operations.

Erdogan described ISIS as "a virus spreading all across the region" and stated that Turkey would fight against all terror organizations to the very end.

Reminding that Turkey has informed the UN Security Council, in light of article 51 of the UN Charter, about the steps taken to fight against ISIS, Erdogan called on the international community to make an effort to establish a transitional government fully-supported by the public.

He also stressed that the fight against the PKK would continue unless the terror group brings an end to its terror attacks in the country.

Stating that cooperation in combatting terrorism was essential, the Russian President also conveyed condolences to the families of Turkish victims killed in the recent terror attacks.

The Presidential sources also stated that Erdogan and Putin agreed to hold a bilateral meeting in November's G-20 Summit in Antalya, while also expressing the wish to cooperate closely on regional issues.

Erdogan later on Sunday also had a separate phone conversation with Iraqi President Fuad Masum at the request of Iraq, presidential sources said.

In the 30 minute conversation, the Iraqi President also gave his condolences to the families of Turkish victims killed in the recent terror attacks.

Masum agreed with Erdogan's determined manner in the fight against terrorism and said that the violence the PKK instigates badly affects peace in the region.

(?)

[10] Merkel and Mongerini urged Turkey to keep the Kurdish peace process alive

Merkel assured Davutoglu of the "solidarity and support of Germany in the fight against terrorism" but also recalled "the principle of proportionality in the implementation of necessary measures".

The Chancellor appealed to the Turkish Premier "not to give up the peace process with the Kurds but to continue it despite all the difficulties," Merkel's spokesman Georg Streiter said in a statement.

(?)

Merkel's office said that Davutoglu had informed her of "the actions of the Turkish government in the fight against terrorism following the attack in Suruc and other terrorist attacks against Turkish security forces."

(?)

Merkel and Davutoglu also agreed on a close cooperation between their Foreign and Defense Ministries in the battle against jihadists, and between their Interior Ministers on handling the refugee crisis sparked by conflict in Syria and Iraq, Streiter said.

Also, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Federica Mogherini, voiced support for Turkey's ongoing operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria and outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) camps in Iraq, while emphasizing the utmost need for keeping the Kurdish peace process alive.

Speaking over the phone with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on July 25, Mogherini offered the EU's condolences to the Turkish government and the families of the victims in Suruv and of other recent attacks against police and military officers.

Mogherini reaffirmed support for Turkey's efforts to step up on ISIL and fight any form of terrorism.

"At the same time, Federica Mogherini underlined the fundamental importance of keeping the settlement process with Kurdish people alive and on track. Terrorist groups must not spoil the process and the cease-fire must be preserved. Any action taken should avoid the risk of endangering the cease-fire and the Kurdish peace process that remains the best opportunity in a generation to solve a conflict that has claimed far too many lives. The Turkish government has shown in recent year's courage, firm intention and wisdom in bringing forward a political process that is the only means of reaching a stable solution to the conflict, for the sake of all the Turkish people. The EU will keep supporting the government on this path," Mogherini said. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(AC/ AM)

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