Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-09-25

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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: Akinci's statements have been distorted by circles that oppose the solution

[02] Akinci met with the "Turkish businessmen council" of Australia

[03] Anastasiades sent a congratulatory message to the Turkish Cypriots for the Kurban Bayram Feast

[04] The water from Turkey started to flow in the occupied area of Cyprus

[05] Illegal Tymbou airport will be busy during the Bayram period

[06] The "KTFF" has been invited to attend a World Cup in Abkhazia

[07] HDP co-chair suggests AKP should use 'May God forgive me' as election slogan

[08] Editorial views on Erdogan's change of stance on Al-Asad's involvement in Syria's transition period

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Burcu: Akinci's statements have been distorted by circles that oppose the solution

In a written statement issued yesterday, Burcu expressed the view that these circles are trying to both "poison" the solution process and harm Akinci's image. Referring to Akinci's recent statements on the energy issue during a briefing to civilian organizations, Burcu added that interpreting these statements as a threat against the Greek Cypriot side is an "intentional attempt which will not produce a result". He said that Akinci's determination for a solution and the peace language he uses is known by everyone.

Burcu recalled that Akinci said that the energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean could play the role of a "catalyst" and create new opportunities for the countries of the region. He added:

"Our president, who noted that the priority is peace in Cyprus, pointed out that in case a solution is reached and the Turkish-Israeli relations are improved, it could be useful for all sides to unite the gas of Israel and Cyprus and transfer it to Europe through Turkey. Recalling that conflicts happen in the Middle East for many years, the esteemed president emphasized that reason and logic require this; otherwise the energy resources could constitute a threat and even cause wars. Trying to interpret these expressions of our president as a stance threatening the Greek Cypriot side is an intentional initiative which will not give results."

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci met with the "Turkish businessmen council" of Australia

According to information acquired by the press office of the so-called presidency, Mustafa invited Akinci to visit Australia and stated that there are around 50,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Australia.

For his part, Akinci thanked Mustafa for their visit in the occupied area of Cyprus and wished him success in his work.

(AK)

[03] Anastasiades sent a congratulatory message to the Turkish Cypriots for the Kurban Bayram Feast

President Nicos Anastasiades who is in New York, has tweeted a message to the Turkish Cypriots, both written in Turkish and Greek language. Following is the message: "I sincerely wish you all, a Happy Bayram".

(AK)

[04] The water from Turkey started to flow in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to the "general directorate of state hydraulic works", the water started to flow at the occupied coast of Kyreneia. It is reported that the water will be used after cleaning the inside of the water pipes, so the water will flow to the coasts for a while more. The water, which will flow from Mersin, will leak to the dam in occupied Panagra. From there, the water will be distributed to the occupied part of Nicosia.

According to the paper, an "official ceremony" is scheduled for October 29 for the arrival of water. It is also expected that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the ceremony.

Self-styled minister of public works, environment and culture Kutlu Evren, evaluating the arrival of the water to Milliyet paper, said: "A miracle is performed. Water is the world's most valuable asset. It is huge event the water from motherland Turkey to arrive in north Cyprus (translator's note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus). Evren also said that the water will increase the investments and will develop the agriculture in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus. He repeated that they can offer water to the Greek Cypriots under the name "peace water".

(DPs)

[05] Illegal Tymbou airport will be busy during the Bayram period

The so called civil aviation office traffic department head Ali Uzunyayla stated to the paper that Ercan airport would be busy this week until the weekend because of the Bayram period. Uzunyayla said on Thursday there were 80 flights taking off and landing; 79 to 70 on Friday, 80 on Saturday and 110 flights taking off and landing on Sunday. Due to the increased number of flights being serviced, the intense traffic could flow over onto Monday.

[06] The "KTFF" has been invited to attend a World Cup in Abkhazia

The World Cup is to be organized by CONIFA in 2016 and all the members of the CONIFA which are not members of FIFA were invited.

The paper points out that the "KTFF" must inform the CONIFA whether it will attend the event or not by October 31, 2015.

(AK)

[07] HDP co-chair suggests AKP should use 'May God forgive me' as election slogan

Turkey's Supreme Election Board (YSK) ruled to ban the AKP's planned campaign jingle for the Nov. 1 snap election, on the grounds that "Bismillah" is a religious term and thus legally cannot be used for electioneering.

Speaking to reporters, Demirtas touched on the recent resignation of HDP ministers from the interim government, saying it was a "joint decision" and the text of their announcement was drafted together.

"Our party joined the government to show that we are not part of a situation lacking solutions. But the AKP did not endorse anyone else," he stated.

Meanwhile, responding to claims that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) forced locals in some south-eastern provinces to vote for the HDP, Demirtas called on citizens to inform the party if anyone is forced to vote for it out of fear.

"Nobody should vote for us out of fear. Nobody should insult the voter. If anyone says they voted in fear, they should tell us so that we can do whatever is necessary," he said.

The HDP co-chair also said the constitutionally impartial President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should continue his controversial "election campaigning," just as he did before the June 7 election. "Last time, we defeated both you and the AKP," Demirtas said.

[08] Editorial views on Erdogan's change of stance on Al-Asad's involvement in Syria's transition period

"It was actually first written in the Geneva settlement on Syria that the incumbent Bashar al-Assad government is a party in efforts to end the four-year-long civil war there and perhaps establish a "new Syria."

But Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan never acknowledged this in public. Erdogan never mentioned the possibility of involving al-Assad in the process of reshaping Syria, because he saw the Syrian president as the only source of the problems - until yesterday.

After the Feast of Sacrifice prayer in an Istanbul mosque on the morning of Sept. 24, Erdogan said that "perhaps" al-Assad could be involved in a "transition" to a new Syria but he should play no role thereafter. A Syria without al-Assad has been a slogan for a number of Western governments, the U.S. for example, but Turkey has insisted that the timing of al-Assad's removal should come at the beginning of the "transition" period, not at the end of it.

This has been the first public statement of Erdogan acknowledging the possibility, or even the need, to include al-Assad in the "transition" period. So far both he and Prime Minister (formerly foreign minister) Ahmet Davutoglu have promoted the idea of removing al-Assad from power first and then conducting the transition as envisaged in the Geneva understanding.

It is worth considering Erdogan's statement together with three developments in order to better understand this apparent change of stance.

Firstly, he made this remark upon his return from Moscow, where he was invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the re-opening ceremony of the city's Central Mosque on Sept. 23. Erdogan and Putin had a meeting there and Syria was among the issues they discussed. Importantly, right before the meeting the Kremlin told the press that Russia had nothing to talk with anyone about on the future of Syria, because it was down to the Syrian people, (as if there could be free elections in Syria under the circumstances). It was clear that Putin wanted to pre-empt Erdogan's possible suggestions about withdrawing Russia's U.N. veto on moves on Syria, for example for establishing a "security zone" by the Turkish border.

Secondly, Erdogan's shift coincided with a statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that the West should consider talking to al-Assad for a settlement. This was the voice of the European Union, which is struggling with a flood of Syrian refugees, (though Turkey has been struggling with a much greater number of refugees for years).

Thirdly, it took place just before PM Davutoglu's departure to New York on the afternoon of Sept. 24 for the U.N. General Assembly sessions, where he was due to promote Turkey's Syria policy, including the need to remove al-Assad and asking for solidarity in handling the refugee situation. After all, Ankara's justification for a possible "security zone" is related to accommodating and protecting the refugees who would like to return to their homes in Syria. It was so important for him that - despite the will of Erdogan who, according to whispers in Ankara, asked him to concentrate instead on the Nov. 1 election - Davutoglu opted to devote a precious week of his campaign to promoting his Syria policy. Now will he defend this new position as voiced by Erdogan?

The reason for Erdogan's shift could be read behind the lines of his words yesterday. He suggested that al-Assad wanted a "boutique," (meaning a smaller, lesser) Syria, referring to a much speculated Nusayri/Alawite state in the west of Syria with access to the Mediterranean Sea, controlling only around 15% of Syria's current territory including cities like Damascus, Latakia, Tartus, Hama and Homs. Turkey does not want Syria to officially disintegrate, which is why Erdogan said he had told Putin about the importance of Syria's unity. If the country disintegrates, a large chunk of Sunni territory would be controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and there would be a Kurdish state by the Turkish border. There is no need to say that both disturb Ankara.

It is also clear that Putin's decision to escalate his support for al-Assad, sending additional war planes (to the Latakia air base), war ships (organizing a naval exercise), and even "trainers," in addition to its military base in the Syrian port of Tartus, came after Erdogan reached an agreement with U.S. President Barack Obama in July about opening up Turkey's strategic Incirlik air base for the U.S.-led coalition campaign against the ISIL.

??????

It seems that Russia and the Syrian government's other staunch supporter, Iran, have given the message with their body language that they would settle for a lesser but tightly controlled Syria. Turkey and the West would be more harmed by the consequences of this. Russia has played a similar game in Ukraine, knowing that the U.S. would not get into an armed conflict with Russia over Ukraine. There, the Kremlin got most - though perhaps not all - of what it wanted.

With Turkey publicly acknowledging the possibility of keeping al-Assad (at least) for the "transition" period, the U.S. and the EU may now have more room to manoeuvre in the Syrian theatre." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/ LF)

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