Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-01-20

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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] Akinci meets Davutoglu in Davos

[02] Positive reactions to reported initiative by President Anastasiades for including the Turkish language among the official EU languages

[03] A MHP proposal in Turkey's Parliament to investigate the Cyprus talks was rejected

[04] The German Ambassador to Ankara is hopeful for a positive result in Cyprus this year

[05] Turkish Minister of Water Eroglu: "TRNC must decide on water"

[06] Toros held contacts in Antalya; He called Turkish businessmen to invest in Cyprus

[07] The Islamic State members who conducted the terrorist attack in Paris had acquired "visa" from the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] Three thousand persons have gone to hospital within the last week due to the flu virus

[09] Bozk?r to meet with European officials in Strasburg to discuss Turkey's EU bid

[10] Turkey is reportedly close to a deal with Cairo to normalize their ties and recognize Sisi in exchange for Brotherhood pardon

[11] The ECHR fined Turkey for 2007 raid of Nokta magazine

[12] The weeks-long curfew in Turkey's south-eastern Silopi town has been partly lifted

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci meets Davutoglu in Davos

In statements to Kibris after the meeting, Akinci said that Turkey's role in the solution to be found is great and added: "Turkey's support is always by our side". He noted that with Davutoglu they discussed the developments in the negotiating process.

Cenk Gurcag, director of Akinci's "office", Ayda Soylu, so-called representative of the breakaway regime in Geneva, Mehmet Simsek, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Babacan, Turkish former Minister of Economy and Feridun Snirlioglu, Undersecretary at the Turkish Foreign Ministry attended the meeting.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Positive reactions to reported initiative by President Anastasiades for including the Turkish language among the official EU languages

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (20.01.16) reports that the reactions to the development are positive in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Armagan Candan, self-styed deputy with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) told the paper that the issue is very important and a serious development for the Turkish Cypriots. He noted that next week they will raise the issue during their contacts with EU officials and will have the opportunity to directly reiterate their view that the Turkish language should become an official language of the Union without waiting a solution to be reached to the Cyprus problem.

Furthermore, Hamza Ersan Saner, "deputy" with the National Unity Party (UBP), argued that the Greek Cypriots did what they should have done years ago, but in spite of this, having good intention is positive. He claimed that this should have been done since 2004 together with the accession of the "Greek Cypriots", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, to the EU.

Finally, Ali Erel, chairman of the Cyprus EU Association, said that this step will have a lot of benefits and Turkey will also benefit from this. He noted that both Turks and Turkish Cypriots will have the opportunity to be employed in the EU.

(I/Ts.)

[03] A MHP proposal in Turkey's Parliament to investigate the Cyprus talks was rejected

The MHP Deputy Umit Ozdag argued that "the TRNC committee (translator's note: as he refers to the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team) discussed for a 'federal state' instead of a 'founding state' by creating a political and legal framework that will lead the TRNC citizens to the minority position". Ozdag reiterated his view that the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team is weak and inexperienced in certain issues. He added that the existence of a Turkish state should not be sacrificed for Turkey's EU full membership.

Replying to Ozdag, the Deputy with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Yildiz Seferinoglu said that the negotiation process has entered a critical stage and added that diversity of views on the property issue is still continuing. Seferinoglu noted that the negotiation process is followed by the Turkish government in a sensitive way.

Ozturk Yilmaz, Deputy with the Republican Turkish Party (CHP), speaking in favour of the proposal said that it is natural the issues regarding Cyprus to be discussed in the Parliament. Explaining that a well-intentioned picture is displayed that there will be a solution in Cyprus very soon, Yilmaz argued: "We don't have a road map on the Cyprus issue. I don't recognize the Greek Cypriot administration (translator's note: he refers to the Republic of Cyprus), but we don't do the necessary for the non-recognition. Is there anybody who believes that there will be a solution?". Showing in a map the places that the Greek Cypriots want, Yilmaz claimed that the issue is much behind of the Annan plan.

(DPs)

[04] The German Ambassador to Ankara is hopeful for a positive result in Cyprus this year

During a briefing at the Embassy, Erdmann was asked whether Germany will exert any effort for lifting the blockade put by the Republic of Cyprus in Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU [Translator's note: Because of the island's occupation by Turkey]. He replied: "We are expecting with hope the Cyprus negotiations to be concluded positively this year and we are following the issue with an extremely optimistic approach".

He said that the EU Commission suggested the opening of chapters 23 and 24 for Turkey and added that the final decision for this belongs to the member states.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Turkish Minister of Water Eroglu: "TRNC must decide on water"

Speaking to the Ankara Anatolia news agency on the water transfer project yesterday, Eroglu said that "TRNC officials" had yet to decide as to who will manage the water.

Stating that they will solve the issue by next week, Eroglu said: "Together with Tugrul Turkes and colleagues we will solve this issue. The water is ready and I feel bad that we haven't been able to put it to use. We could pump the water to Lefkosia (editor's note: the occupied part of Lefkosia) today but it is still unclear as to who is going to manage the water. The 'TRNC officials' haven't made a decision yet. We are asking them to arrive at a decision as soon as possible. This is the essence of the issue, there is no other problem".

Also providing information about the project, he said that the water is already flowing into the Alakopru and occupied Panagra dams, adding that the potable water treatment facility is also completed.

Eroglu also said that one of the Turkish Cypriot political parties opposed the idea of handing the management of the water to a private company through a tender.

[06] Toros held contacts in Antalya; He called Turkish businessmen to invest in Cyprus

Speaking during the meeting with the group of businessmen, Toros informed them about the latest stage of the Cyprus negotiation talks and evaluated the existing investment opportunities.

Supporting that Cyprus is in a historic critical point, Toros alleged that the solution of the Cyprus problem is closer than ever before and expressed the belief that numerous opportunities would arise for cooperation in several fields, such as in tourism, construction sector, the communications, aviation, energy and other.

Toros added further that investments prior to the solution would strengthen the Turkish Cypriot side's hand and position at the negotiation table. "A possible solution in Cyprus will be beneficial not only for Cyprus but also for Turkey and the countries in the region", Toros said.

Meanwhile, according to the paper, Toros met also with the chairman and the members of the Chamber of Industry and Trade of Antalya.

Speaking during the meeting, Toros informed the members of the Chamber about the investment climate in Cyprus and the investment opportunities that exist in Cyprus.

Expressing the Chamber's positions towards the benefits and the advantages of a possible solution in Cyprus, Toros said that there is a ground for mutual cooperation between the Turkish Cypriot businessmen and businessmen in Antalya in the fields of agriculture, tourism, industry and the building trade sector.

Referring to the issue of the launching of speed ferryboat lines between the "TRNC" and Antalya, Toros said that this will bring synergy in the tourism sector not only prior to the solution period but also after the solution.

(AK)

[07] The Islamic State members who conducted the terrorist attack in Paris had acquired "visa" from the occupied area of Cyprus

According to this information, reference to the breakaway regime is made in the indictment prepared by Istanbul's Attorney General's Office within the framework of the investigation as regards the Islamic State. From the tapes which have come to the light it is understood that a false visa was taken from the occupied area of Cyprus.

In the telephone conversations, the following advice is given for a terrorist named Musab: "Let him go to Cyprus. It is 100 Liras to go and come back with a plane. Yes, upon my word, they are going to Cyprus to have their passports stamped and come".

It is said that efforts had been exerted to send Musab to France from Turkey six months before the Paris attack for holding surveillance and that he was granted "visa" for a fake passport. It is recalled that 153 persons had died in the Islamic State's attack in Paris on 13 November 2015.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Three thousand persons have gone to hospital within the last week due to the flu virus

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (20.01.16), Izbul announced also that they have discussed with the illegal universities in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus that foreign students should register only with a valid health report or they will have exams from the "health ministry". He also said that since September 2015, they have 7 cases of tuberculosis. Four of the cases were persons from 3rd world countries and the rest three from Turkey.

(DPs)

[09] Bozk?r to meet with European officials in Strasburg to discuss Turkey's EU bid

Bozk?r will meet with the CoE Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland, the President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio and the EP rapporteur for Turkey, Kati Piri.

The EU revived Turkey's membership bid on December 14, 2015, by opening Chapter 17 on economic and monetary policy in relation to necessary reforms Turkey would need to make. In addition, the EU has conditional plans to open Chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security with Turkey.

However, Piri said on December 15 that there were urgently needed reforms in basic human rights and the rule of law in Turkey.

Following his visit to Strasbourg, Bozk?r will accompany Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on his visit to Berlin to attend the first Turkey-Germany Intergovernmental Strategic Consultations.

[10] Turkey is reportedly close to a deal with Cairo to normalize their ties and recognize Sisi in exchange for Brotherhood pardon

According to Cumhuriyet, Ankara and Cairo are working on a framework and officials who are familiar with the content of deliberations and negotiations say they are close to a deal.

Riyadh has put all its clout behind reconciliation between Turkey and Egypt at a time of a resurgent Iran, with which Saudi Arabia has severed diplomatic relations. As part of the deal, Turkey will recognize the Sisi administration and Egypt will not carry out executions of Muslim Brotherhood members who were sentenced to death en masse last year.

"Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also among countries that contributed to the mediation efforts", the report says.

After a sharp deterioration in relations with Russia after Turkey downed a Russian jet in late November, Ankara has faced possible isolation in regional affairs as Moscow has intensified pressure on third countries to downgrade ties with Turkey. That has prompted the Turkish government to seek to forge new alliances in the region and to end icy relations with a number of countries including Israel and Egypt to multiply its diplomatic interaction.

Turkish and Israeli officials are working to bring about reconciliation between the two countries after five years of estrangement. The move has become publicly known when President Erdogan announced the ongoing diplomatic efforts and even praised them, saying that Turkey and Israel need each other in the region.

(?).

Observers of the Turkey-Egypt talks have said that if the framework for a deal is finalized before April, then Sisi could attend a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, where Egypt will hand over its term Presidency to Turkey.

Relations between Turkey and the UAE are also getting warmer, with the latter preparing to assign a new Ambassador to Ankara, a position that has been vacant since 2013 in protest of Turkey's strong opposition to the military coup in Egypt, which was supported by the UAE.

[11] The ECHR fined Turkey for 2007 raid of Nokta magazine

The top Human Rights Court said that the search conducted in the office of the magazine and the seizure of documents and computers upon a military court ruling in 2007, violated Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which deals with freedom of expression, in its ruling over the application filed by the managers of the magazine at the time.

The "principle assuring the confidentiality of the news sources of journalists was also violated", the ECHR said.

In 2007, the magazine highlighted on its cover a claim that the Turkish military had categorized journalists in a list as pro-military and anti-military groups, and that the magazine had obtained the list in question. A police raid was conducted to seize all news sources afterwards upon a military court ruling issued following an order from the Turkish General Staff (TSK).

"The article published by the weekly newspaper Nokta, on the basis of 'confidential' military documents about a system for classifying the media on the basis of whether they were 'favorable' or 'unfavorable' to the armed forces, was capable of contributing to public debate," the ECHR said, citing Article 10 of the convention.

"The interference with the journalists' right to freedom of expression, especially their right to impart information, had not been proportionate to the legitimate aim sought, had not met a pressing social need and had not therefore been necessary in a democratic society," it added.

The ECHR ordered the Turkish state to pay Ahmet Alper Gormus, then-editor-in-chief of Nokta, 2,750 euros and the magazine's then-managing editors, Ahmet Hasim Akman and Mehmet Ferda Balancar, 1,650 euros each.

Turkey was also ordered to pay Nokta's then investigative reporters Ahmet S?k and Banu Uzpeder 850 euros each in line in its judgment and the magazine's other investigative reporter, Nevzat Cicek, 500 euros.

[12] The weeks-long curfew in Turkey's south-eastern Silopi town has been partly lifted

The curfew partly lifted early on Tuesday morning. The Turkish military said on Monday that a total of 136 PKK members have been killed in Silopi since the counter-terror operations began in December 15 -- one day after the establishment of the curfew.

Governor Ali Ihsan Su said that the operations against PKK members, who use ditches and barricades to keep police and soldiers out of certain neighborhoods, had been successful and public order had been restored in Silopi. "All barriers and ditches have been removed, terrorists have been neutralized, and peace has been restored," Su told reporters, adding that a total of 518 barriers and 270 ditches had been removed and 800 makeshift explosives defused in the town.

"The security forces also seized a large amount of ammunition, long-barreled rifles, handguns, rocket launchers, hand grenades, makeshift explosives as well as written documents," he added.

The governor cautioned the public to stay "vigilant" and inform security forces of "suspicious" activity.

The governor's office announced on Monday that the ongoing military curfew in the town was going to be lifted between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day as of Tuesday. The curfew will still be in place from 6 p.m. until 5 a.m., the statement added. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(AK / AM)

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