Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-12-08

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: The Turkish Cypriots see their safety with Turkish guarantees

[02] Akinci said that he has not given a date regarding the Cyprus settlement

[03] Critical document on property revealed by Havadis

[04] Statements by Akinci on Havadis' report regarding the property issue

[05] The so-called assembly launched discussions on the "TRNC's 2016 budget"

[06] YKP attended the "Balkan Network Conference" of the EL in Sofia

[07] Russian Ambassador summoned by Turkish MFA over Bosphorus photograph

[08] Turkey pulls out 350 troops from Turkish-Iraqi borders after tension with Baghdad

[09] Columnist Semih Idiz: "Turkey's totally failed Middle East policy"

[10] Turkey's Deputy PM: Turkish economy risks losing $9 billion over Russia crisis

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: The Turkish Cypriots see their safety with Turkish guarantees

Akinci made these statements speaking to the illegal Turkish Cypriot agency (TAK) where he evaluated the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.

He stated that the efforts are continuing for reaching a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality as it is was stated in the February 11, 2014 Common Statement. Stating that any settlement to be reached on the island had to safeguard the EU principles and the political equality of the two sides, Akinci said: "In addition to the EU principles, the UN parameters are extremely important for us".

He went on and stated that a necessary principle for the Turkish Cypriot side is the bi-communal element which, as he said, would allow the Turkish Cypriots to rule their own constituent state in their own area and have clear majority in terms of population and land ownership.

He said that the Greek Cypriots should not feel that they are under threat; however, the sensitivities of the Turkish Cypriots should also be respected. Akinci stated that a solution in which the Turkish Cypriots will feel secured should be reached and added that it is necessary to reach an agreement on the other chapters first.

He said that a five party conference will be necessary when the time comes for the issue of guarantees since this is an issue that concerned the three guarantor powers. "This is one of the reasons why the issue has been left to the end of the talks as it concerns the 3 guarantor countries. Any changes in the system of guarantees will above all require their approval" Akinci stated.

He repeated his conviction that a solution could be reached in the coming months and a referendum to take place, provided the current climate of goodwill continues.

Akinci however pointed out that there are still issues which needed to be resolved, including the territory issue which had yet to be discussed in detail. "But if there is the will it is possible that progress can be made on this issue as well", he stated.

On the issue of citizenship, Akinci said that the "TRNC citizens" would become citizens of a united federal Cyprus and the EU. "The number of citizenships could not be limited by percentages", he argued

(CS)

[02] Akinci said that he has not given a date regarding the Cyprus settlement

Replying to questions in a working breakfast with journalists during the weekend, Akinci reiterated that in case there is a political will and goodwill, a solution can be reached within months. Akinci reminded that during his election campaign he gave two promises; the first one was that he will endeavour for solution and the second one was that he will protect the rights of their Turkish citizens. He added that he will keep both his promises.

Asked to comment whether he will not meet any other foreign officials who visit Cyprus if they do not meet him at his office after the incident with Lavrov's visit to Cyprus, Akinci said: "Of course, this question is unnecessary".

(DPs)

[03] Critical document on property revealed by Havadis

According to the document, it is envisaged that around 60,000 Greek Cypriots will return to soil that it will remain in the state that will stay in the north while 100,000 Greek Cypriots will settle in the soil that will be returned. This figure was included in the Annan Plan as well.

In addition, in case a property which is located in the north is not demanded by anyone, then after a certain period, it will be registered to the name of the user of the property. For controversial properties, the fund of the Compensation Property Commission will be activated. A property which will not be demanded by anyone and it is not used by anyone, will come under the jurisdiction of the Committee.

The paper also writes that there are five critical articles on the document regarding the use of soil in the northern state by Greek Cypriots:

[01] The Greek Cypriot owner of the property can use the choice of compensation and sell the property to the user.

[02] The owner of the property can choose to exchange his property.

[03] If the owner does not want to reclaim his property immediately, the user could have a long term rental deal.

[04] If the owner of the property applies for his property immediately, the user will be given an alternative.

[05] The user will be given compensation for the money he spent for improving the property of the owner.

[04] Statements by Akinci on Havadis' report regarding the property issue

Explaining that the negotiating teams of the two sides are continuing to work on determining the criteria for settling the property issue, Akinci called on the public not to pay attention to such reports in the press regarding the property issue.

Speaking during a meeting this morning, Akinci clarified reports that emerged in the press regarding a formula for settling the property dispute. "We are trying to do what is best for our people. The people should listen to what we have to say. In the end it will be the people who will decide", he added.

Stating that such documents are frequently exchanged as part of the negotiations process, Akinci said that he cannot comment on the press reports since he did not find the opportunity to examine the documents published in the press and added: "I need to examine if the documents published are in fact genuine. We send copies of these documents to the parliament but we are not under any obligation to explain them to anyone".

Akinci also argued that 'first application' is different from 'first right of say'. "Of course the first application will be made by the owner of the property. This is only natural. I believe that some will be demanding compensation at the very beginning. But it doesn't mean that when the first title deed owner wants his or her property back that there will be restitution. This issue will be solved entirely through the criteria to be determined", Akinci added.

Akinci also claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side from the very beginning has been insisting that the majority of property ownership in the Turkish Cypriot constituent state should belong to the Turkish Cypriots and added: "This is clearly stated in standing UN parameters agreed at the beginning of the 90s".

[05] The so-called assembly launched discussions on the "TRNC's 2016 budget"

Speaking during the meeting, Ozgur said that the discussions for the "TRNC's 2016 budget" will continue until December 18 and added that the "budget" envisaged to be 4 billion 515 million TL.

Stating that in the next days they will proceed to the signing of the new economic protocol for 2016 together with Turkey, Ozgur explained that the new economic protocol will include reforms aiming to create an economic structure in the "TRNC" which will be able to stand on its own feet and at the same time to reduce the budget deficit.

Ozgur said that the budget deficit for 2016 will be 373 million 312 thousand 880 TL and added that their goal is to cover it through indigenous resources. Ozgur added that 24.36% of the foreseen revenues in the "2016 budget" derive from investments and credits from Turkey.

Commenting on the speech made by the so-called minister of finance, "prime minister" Omer Kalyoncu said that the "TRNC budget" is the "people's budget" and its aim is to increase their prosperity.

Stressing the need to produce policies which would take into account the present situation and the realities in the "country", Kalyoncu said that they should not take temporary measures.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) Serdar Denktas said that they are distressed over the goals of the "2016 budget" and added that although his party will support the steps of the "government" to make reforms, they will vote against the approval of the "budget".

Moreover, Mehmet Cakici, "deputy" with the Social Democracy Party (TDP) said that the "2016 budget" constitutes the continuation of the status quo and added that his party will oppose to the price hikes. "We will oppose to the budget since its aim is not the growth", Cakici said and criticized the so-called government for not making reforms and for following wrong policies.

(AK)

[06] YKP attended the "Balkan Network Conference" of the EL in Sofia

Other political parties and organizations from Slovenia, Serbia and Bulgaria attended also the conference.

Issuing a written statement about the issue, the YKP said that the party will attend also the next meeting of the EL which will take place in Greece next year.

The statement added that Kanatli made a presentation during the conference under the title: "The recent political and socio-economic developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East".

(AK)

[07] Russian Ambassador summoned by Turkish MFA over Bosphorus photograph

In an hour-long meeting, Andrey Karlov was told the incident -- in which the Russian sailor appeared to aim the shoulder-fired launcher as the ship passed through the Bosphorus -- was a breach of the Montreux Convention.

According to a Turkish diplomatic source, Burak Ozugergin, the general director of bilateral political affairs with responsibility for maritime matters, told Karlov acts "which are not in line either with the letter or spirit of the Montreux Convention or international law and that have nothing to do with the passage itself" are not to be repeated.

Karlov said that he will convey the message "in full" to Moscow.

[08] Turkey pulls out 350 troops from Turkish-Iraqi borders after tension with Baghdad

Sources told the paper that the troops were waiting on the border and will be sent to Iraq if Ankara and Baghdad agreed on the issue.

The United States has reiterated its opposition to the deployment of any military forces inside Iraq without consent from the Iraqi government.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sent a letter to his Iraqi counterpart on December 6 informing him that his country would halt further transfers of troops to an area near Mosul, which is controlled by ISIL, after Baghdad threatened to appeal to the United Nations to force Turkey to withdraw its soldiers.

In his letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Davutoglu stopped short of agreeing to al-Abadi's demand to withdraw the currently deployed soldiers, although senior U.S. officials welcomed the "reported" withdrawal of Turkish forces.

[09] Columnist Semih Idiz: "Turkey's totally failed Middle East policy"

"President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is putting on a brave face and saying that Turkey has alternatives to Russia, both in terms of trade and energy supplies, not to mention the millions of Russian tourists who will most likely refuse to come to Turkey now.

'Who cares if they buy from us or not, other doors will open to us, as they already are', Erdogan said defiantly after Turkey downed the Russian jet and destroyed the delicately poised relationship between Ankara and Moscow.

Market analysts and energy experts, however, are not so sure that the confidence Erdogan is trying to project is justified. Whether they are vegetable farmers or contractors, Turks who are engaged in some form of business with Russia, for their part, are in a state of near-panic as a result of the crisis in Turkish-Russian ties. One only has to read what they are saying to the Turkish press to see this.

Meanwhile the pro-government media is full of reports about how Ankara is successfully establishing alternative energy sources to Russia, especially from Azerbaijan and Qatar, but analysts say these will take time to secure and will not meet Turkey's requirements even when they have been secured.

Let us assume for a moment, however, that Erdogan is right, and that Turkey will easily overcome the problems resulting from the crisis in ties with Russia. One has to question then why the government did not have the strategic foresight to establish these links in the past, rather than putting all its eggs in the Russian basket.

Despite the vast economic interests between the two countries, Ankara and Moscow have rarely been on the same page politically in terms of many international issues. They were always at odds over the Cyprus issue, for example, which is a national cause for Turkey. Recently the two countries have been in deep disagreement over sensitive issues like Crimea and Syria.

A sensible foreign policy would have been to reduce Turkey's dependence on Russia, which supplies no less than 54% of its natural gas, and to diversify its export markets given that the political problems between the two countries had the potential to boil over.

Previous governments, including the Justice and Development Party (AKP) for quite some time, ensured that relations with Moscow were kept relatively well, regardless of political differences, because it was clear that things were never as simple as Erdogan is trying to make them look now.

Blinded by their limited understanding of foreign policy and regional calculations grounded on their Islamist/Sunni outlook, Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu walked into traps they set internationally, by quixotically chasing after pipe-dreams, not the least of which was the assumption that Turkey was a natural leader for the Middle East.

Today, though, Turkey has no ties with Israel, no ties to speak of with Egypt, has alienated Iran and - as the last verbal sparring between Ankara and Baghdad over Turkey's deployment of troops north of Mosul shows - has strained ties with Iraq.

Until the AKP came to power Ankara also had a policy based on non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, let alone working for regime change in other countries. Erdogan and Davutoglu pulled all that down, arguing that Ankara's past foreign policy was based on a 'servile' understanding of Turkey's regional capacities.

They ended up 'poking out an eye while trying to trim an eyelash', as the Turkish saying goes. It soon became apparent that they never understood the basic dynamics of this part of the world and how the region views Turkey.

Having set out to reduce Turkey's 'servility', they increased Ankara's dependence on outside support for its security from regional threats. They also left Turkey hanging on the coattails of other powers in an effort to regain some of its lost regional influence.

All of this points to one thing: A totally failed Middle East policy."

[10] Turkey's Deputy PM: Turkish economy risks losing $9 billion over Russia crisis:

Simsek said that the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey and construction contracts with Russian companies had also significantly reduced. "There are 603,000 fewer [Russian] tourists," he said.

"We have always seen Russia as an important partner and have no intention to escalate the tensions any further," he said. "But if Russia continues to maintain this attitude.... all kinds of dissuasive measures will be taken," he warned. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

(DPs / AM)

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article