Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-07

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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 argues that there could be no solution without Turkey's guarantees

[02] Akinci: "No one should expect us to put life on hold while seeking a settlement to the Cyprus problem"

[03] Cavusoglu: "Our hope for a solution in Cyprus is increased"

[04] Talat: "Water issue is solved with the signing of the deal in Ankara"

[05] Ozersay argues that they could not postpone life in occupied Cyprus because of the Cyprus negotiations

[06] The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce announces the regime's competitiveness report

[07] Self-styled minister of education said that he will give permission for the establishment of a new university in occupied Trikomo

[08] Turkish government takes down oppositionist Zaman paper

[09] Turkish Parliament to discuss lifting HDP Deputies' immunity

[10] Turkish army kills 1,250 militants in southeast

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci argues that there could be no solution without Turkey's guarantees

Akinci said that the sides should not try to convince each other on the security issue and alleged that the Greek Cypriots should not perceive as threat the guarantee of the security of the Turkish Cypriots by Turkey. "When we ask to feel secure, it is no need for our safety to be considered as a reason for constituting a threat for the other side", he argued and alleged that the threat by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot "people" to the "other side" has not been created without any reason in 1963 and 1974 and that the 'dream of enosis' [Translator's note: the unification with Greece] and the Akritas plan lay behind any "undesirable development". He further alleged that every action by Turkey definitely had a reason, claiming that if the Greek junta had not carried out a coup on 15 July 1974, Turkey would not have invaded the island five days later.

Akinci expressed the view that conveying natural gas and Israeli electricity to Europe through Turkey and cooperating in the use of the water from Turkey in the entire island could create a new understanding and paradigm on the security issues.

Akinci said that the issues of guarantees and security have not been discussed in detail in the negotiations and added that these will be discussed at a five-party conference in the very end with the participation of Turkey, Greece, and the United Kingdom. He noted that until then they will determine what will be guaranteed.

Akinci further said that the Turkish Cypriots, inspired by what they lived and experienced, are searching for a common ground which could be considered as reasonable and acceptable by both sides. "Of course we are doing this in consultation with Turkey", he added noting that as Turkish Cypriots want their security and will continue wanting this until the end, "because we are the side which is numerically fewer".

Akinci also expressed the view that if a bi-zonal, bi-communal agreement acceptable by both sides comes up, Turkey's guarantees will continue for the Turkish Cypriots in order for this agreement to be accepted and a formula by which the Greek Cypriots will not perceive this as a threat could be agreed.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci: "No one should expect us to put life on hold while seeking a settlement to the Cyprus problem"

Mustafa Akinci stated that "no one should expect life in north Cyprus to be put on hold while seeking a settlement to the Cyprus problem".

He was responding to an earlier statement by President Nicos Anastasiadias that new investments in occupied Morfou would bring the end of the current negotiations process. Akinci said that the Greek Cypriot leader's latest statement is untimely, adding that they have been made at a time when the territory issue had not yet been discussed.

He said that if the Greek Cypriots were looking for someone to blame then they should remember the 2004 referendum.

Akinci said there is an agreement with Anastasiades not to discuss names, percentages, maps, security and the issue of guarantees until the end of the current process: "This was a joint decision?this is something that had been agreed upon by the two sides within the framework of the negotiations process".

Stating that it was not possible to accept negotiations on the territory chapter to be held through the media, Akinci said that he would give the same response to Anastasiadis at their next meeting should the Greek Cypriot side bring up the issue again.

Pointing out that it was not his desire to enter a blame game but that he had felt obligated to speak up on the issue; Akinci expressed the hope that their interlocutors display the same sensitivity on such issues in the future.

[03] Cavusoglu: "Our hope for a solution in Cyprus is increased"

He made these statements speaking at the Turkish Assembly during the discussion for his Ministry's budget for 2016.

Cavusoglu stated that their hope for a solution has increased. "The negotiations are continuing, there are difficult issues but I believe that we can get through this", he stated.

(CS)

[04] Talat: "Water issue is solved with the signing of the deal in Ankara"

Speaking during a tour to occupied Dikomo, the CTP leader said that the water issue had been solved with the signing of the deal in Ankara earlier this week.

Stating that there were other steps to be taken on the water issue now, Talat said that an investment project and tender was needed to be prepared and launched. Explaining that the water from Turkey will now start to be pumped into municipalities' water tanks, the CTP leader reminded that the water's management and control will be completely under the authority of the breakaway regime.

[05] Ozersay argues that they could not postpone life in occupied Cyprus because of the Cyprus negotiations

According to a statement issued by the party, Ozersay told the inhabitants of the above-mentioned villages that the unemployment and migration, which are experienced in the "west of the country", have reached an unbearable dimension. He alleged that while investments are necessary to overcome these problems, the approach of "postponing the life" by showing as pretext the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem could not be a correct approach.

Criticizing the approach of the Greek Cypriot leadership on this issue, Ozersay alleged: "Life continues for the Greek Cypriot side in spite of the negotiations. However, the leadership of the same community is trying to say to us do not make investments in these areas while the negotiations are continuing. What an insult, it is contrary to the nature of the negotiations to consider that they currently have in their pocket a certain area of this country".

Ozersay argued that the past "administrations" of the regime had indirectly supported this mentality, as they delayed investments and prevented people from taking roots on these lands.

Referring to the plans of HP for this area, Ozersay said that they are considering of implementing an action plan adding that planning is needed for the university campus and other installations in the area to be restructured for contributing in the economy. "We are preparing this", he noted adding that they do not accept the mentality that they should not invest on these lands until a solution to the Cyprus problem is reached.

(I/Ts.)

[06] The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce announces the regime's competitiveness report

The Turkish Cypriot economy is at the 121st place out of 141 countries as regards its competitiveness which was 3,56 points during the above-mentioned period. It is said that the occupied area of Cyprus could not catch up with countries such as Laos, Gabon, Tanzania and Guyana, which have much lower GDP comparing to the breakaway regime. During the past three periods the regime had been at the 123rd, 118th and 114th place respectively as regards its competitiveness.

According to the report, the reasons which negatively influence the Turkish Cypriot economy are the low savings ratio, the high budget deficit, the low growth of the GDP rate, the fluctuating inflation rate, etc.

Meanwhile, Kibris also writes commending on the report, Cemal Ozyigit, chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said that the data showed that the economy is not going well. "The numbers are an indicator of the fact that the community is getting poorer every day and the purchasing power is decreasing", he added.

(I/Ts.)

[07] Self-styled minister of education said that he will give permission for the establishment of a new university in occupied Trikomo

Durust went on and added that they also want to give permission for the construction of a new university in occupied Trikomo.

(CS)

[08] Turkish government takes down oppositionist Zaman paper

Turkish police fired tear gas and used water cannon on a crowd to forcibly enter the country's top-selling newspaper on Friday after a court ordered its confiscation.

The decision was issued by the Istanbul 6th Criminal Court of Peace at the request of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which claimed that the media group acted upon orders from what it called the "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY)," praising the group and helping it achieve its goals in its publications.

The prosecutor also claimed that the alleged terrorist group is cooperating with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) organization to topple the Turkish government and that high-level officials of the two groups have had meetings abroad. The court decision means that the entire management and the editorial board of Feza Media Group companies will be replaced by the three-member board named by the court.

The takeover of Zaman comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the government of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that he founded intensified pressure on the Turkish media.

In addition, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (05.03.16) reported that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated that his government played no part in a court decision to appoint trustees to the Zaman media group. "Our government has no bearing in this. The decisions judicial bodies have made will be implemented," told private broadcaster A Haber during a live broadcast on March 6 about a ruling issued by an Istanbul court that ordered the placement of the Feza Gazetecilik Media Group under the administration of a board of trustees.

"I made remarks on this yesterday. It is completely a legal process. No one should have hesitation about press freedom in Turkey," he said.

[09] Turkish Parliament to discuss lifting HDP Deputies' immunity

"We will evaluate all these [the summaries of proceedings] with our Parliament speaker and, if need be, with representatives from other political parties, after the budget [discussions]," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview on A Haber.

Meanwhile, the Diyarbakir Chief Prosecutor's Office drafted summaries of proceedings for HDP co-chairs Demirtas and Yuksekdag along with HDP Deputies Selma Irmak, Sirri Sureyya Onder and Ertugrul Kurkcu for their autonomy remarks at a meeting Diyarbakir late December 2015 and sent them to the Justice Ministry. The ministry later sent them to the Prime Ministry.

Demirtas alone is the subject to some 60 dossiers in Parliament calling for the lifting of his immunity, including some related to his calls for street protests, but as yet there have been no moves in the assembly to open the way for his prosecution.

[10] Turkish army kills 1,250 militants in southeast

There have been scores of security force causalities during counter-terrorism operations in the country's southeast, as well.

"We lost 219 of our security forces killed between July 20, 2015, and March 2, 2016," Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said during a parliamentary session late March 5 when asked to comment on casualties of Turkish security personnel since the collapse of peace talks between the government and the outlawed group in late July. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/AM)

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