Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 15-12-22

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 said that the Turkish Cypriot "people" see their security in Turkey's guarantees

[02] Burcu: There is no preparation for an unofficial five party conference in Davos

[03] Ozgurgun condemned recent statements by President Anastasiades

[04] Contradictory statements by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot building contractors

[05] A Chinese village is constructed in occupied Trikomo area

[06] Davutoglu stated that Turkey and Israel achieved progress on the normalization of their ties

[07] Turkish Deputies called for the resumption of the Kurdish peace process

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci said that the Turkish Cypriot "people" see their security in Turkey's guarantees

Akinci further said that until to reach that day, especially the bizonality and the political equality should be sorted out and added: "We covered a distance, but it did not finish. There are more paths that we will walk in front of us and let us constitute the other important principles of this agreement. Besides, Turkey has also a saying in the guarantees, when that day comes, we will discuss it in a five-party conference. The Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side and the three guarantor countries will altogether evaluate these".

(DPs)

[02] Burcu: There is no preparation for an unofficial five party conference in Davos

It was written in the Greek Cypriot press that UN special envoy Espen Barth Eide is trying to organize an unofficial five party conference in order to bring together the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities with guarantor powers Turkey, Greece, and Great Britain to discuss the guarantee issue during the World Economic Forum, which will be held in Davos between 20-23 January, 2016.

Burcu said that "Davos is an economic forum", adding that Eide has not informed them officially on the above mentioned efforts. Burcu noted that Akinci will go to Davos to carry out contacts on the side-lines of the World Economic Forum, however his programme has not become clear yet.

Asked to comment whether Akinci will have high official meetings or not in Davos, Burcu said: "We want to have high official contacts in every ground and in every opportunity. If these opportunities occur, we will use them".

(DPs)

[03] Ozgurgun condemned recent statements by President Anastasiades

Commenting in a written statement the recent statement made by President Anastasiades that "the areas provided in the Annan Plan to be returned to the Greek Cypriots could in no way be changed and that this is a sine qua non", Ozgurgun said that such statements affect negatively the negotiation process and caused anger to the Turkish Cypriot "people", whose hopes towards a possible agreement have been reduced.

"Such statements which affect negatively the negotiation process, reminds to the Turkish Cypriots that the Greek Cypriot's mentality has not changed and will not change and that the Greek Cypriots would continue ignoring the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people in the island, their security, their freedoms, rights and benefits".

Ozgurgun added that it is naturally for the "people" to wonder how a fair and viable agreement is possible to be reached with the Greek Cypriots by March, when they have no goodwill and are narrow-minded.

(AK)

[04] Contradictory statements by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot building contractors

Noting that there is a potential of 100 billion euro in Cyprus, Yenigun said that they could help in the development of Cyprus by conveying the experience they gained from their international activities. He noted:

"We hope that an agreement will be reached adopted by both communities. There are a lot of works to be done in Cyprus after the solution. There are places which are inert for a long time. A move in tourism may be made. The infrastructure works will be carried out".

Yenigun said that in case of a solution, their target is to cooperate in many projects such as the renovation in the occupied fenced off city of Varosha and other places which are inert.

Meanwhile, Cafer Gurcafer, chairman of the KTIMB, told Kibris that the Turkish Cypriot building contractors had not signed any agreement with the Turkish building contractors for reconstructing the occupied fenced off city of Varosha, like the Turkish press reported yesterday. He said that Varosha is not specifically mentioned in the agreement protocol they signed with the Turkish building contractors, adding that they had signed a protocol for the reconstruction of Varosha and the Green Line with the Cyprus Contractors' Union (OSEOK).

Gurcafer stated that they are trying to turn this protocol into a part of the agreement which will be signed and submitted to referendum in the end of the negotiations. He added: "Cooperation will be made with the Greek Cypriot contractors in the works in Varosha and the buffer zone. The details of the cooperation with the Turkish contractors have not yet been determined".

Gurcafer said that they decided to cooperate with the Turkish contractors on the issue of making business abroad, the provision of technical knowledge and the potential which will come up after the solution of the Cyprus problem.

(I/Ts.)

[05] A Chinese village is constructed in occupied Trikomo area

Speaking to the paper, the chairman of Noyanlar Group Ahmet Noyan stated that the Chinese investor chose Cyprus because he believes in the solution process and because it considers the island to be a virgin beauty. On his part, the "mayor" of occupied Trikomo stated: "This is a big issue for us the world has started to notice us".

The paper further stated that six Chinese families have bought some of the villas that are already constructed in the area. It also writes that the Noyanlar Group is planning to open an office in Iran and Israel aiming for Russian customers.

Finally Milliyet writes that the fenced off Varosha city, who as it notes is expected to be opened after a solution is reached between the two sides of the island, and will open the way for many investment opportunities, is only 30 Km away from occupied Trikomo.

(CS)

[06] Davutoglu stated that Turkey and Israel achieved progress on the normalization of their ties

"There is a need to be cautious. The November 1 elections have had an impact on Israel's stance. They have relented in regards to certain issues when they saw that the AK Parti would stay in power until 2019," Davutoglu was quoted as saying by sources during a meeting of his party's highest decision-making body, the Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK), late on December 20.

"There is no deal with Israel yet but progress has been maintained," Davutoglu said.

(?)

"There are some positive steps that have been taken for the lifting of the blockade and the paying of compensation. They are not warm to totally lifting the blockage of Gaza but they have arrived at a point where they assume they can loosen the blockage for Turkey," Davutoglu told AKP's executives.

"They state that they might not prevent assistance sent to Palestine. As for the compensation, there are international standards on this matter; we seek harmony with these standards. There is flexibility on this issue, too, on the part of Israel", Davutoglu added.

But Davutoglu emphasized that a final deal was not guaranteed because Israel might eventually cease "fulfilling what falls on its shoulders."

Numerous efforts to normalize ties between Turkey and Israel have failed, including one initiated by U.S. President Barack Obama in March 2013. At the time, Israel bowed to a longstanding demand by Ankara, once a close strategic partner, to apologize formally for the deaths aboard the Mavi Marmara. However, an agreement to normalize relations has not been achieved.

(?) Moreover, a senior Turkish official, who requested anonymity, told reporters on December 18 that progress had been made on Turkey's key demands to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and compensation over the 2010 raid.

"We are close to a final framework" for a deal on the normalization of ties, said the official. "There is tangible, positive progress."

Earlier, Israeli officials revealed that Israel and Turkey held secret talks in Switzerland and had reached "understanding" to normalize ties that were downgraded following the deadly 2010 Israeli commando raid.

[07] Turkish Deputies called for the resumption of the Kurdish peace process

CHP Deputy Chairman Sezgin Tanr?kulu called on parties on December 21 to "open a new way in Parliament" for dialogue instead of clashes. "Turkey cannot solve the Kurdish problem with either ditches or tanks", Tanrikulu said, calling for a third way.

The Deputy delivered his remarks during a visit to the Sur district of southeastern Diyarbak?r province where security forces and the youth organization of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been clashing for weeks.

"The CHP is ready for dialogue for the resumption of talks", Tanr?kulu said, calling for the start of talks in Parliament.

Also, Orhan Miroglu, Deputy with the Ruling Justice and Development (AKP) also warned that the fight against terrorism was not possible with a lack of democracy.

Speaking at a press conference in Parliament on December 21, Miroglu said that they favored a "national consensus in Parliament."

"We want a discussion in Parliament and [support a] stance of all our political parties against terror and violence with a national consensus, rather than with symbolic, daily moves," Miroglu said.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), meanwhile, called for efforts that would bring "normal life" back to the areas affected by the sieges.

"The solution is never evacuation and depopulation of these cities. The solution is creating the environment for a return to normal life," Ayhan Bilgen, a spokesperson for the HDP, said at a press conference on December 21.

(?) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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

(AK / AM)

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