Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-04-07

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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: Solving 'little' Cyprus' problem will contribute to regional peace

[02] Akinci met with Turkes and Gul

[03] Turkes says Turkey will continue "helping" the breakaway regime in Cyprus aiming at a "competitive economy"

[04] The UBP and the DP have reportedly agreed to a great extent on establishing a "coalition government"

[05] Talat: An UBP-DP "coalition government" will sabotage the Cyprus negotiations

[06] Ozyigit says that the only thing missing from the "economic protocol" is the appointment of a "governor" from Turkey

[07] KTOEOS criticized the "economic protocol" by saying that it is oppressive towards the Turkish Cypriots

[08] Turkish Cypriot columnist says that the plan of annexing the occupied area of Cyprus to Turkey is becoming more evident these days

[09] Columnist describes as "the second monopoly" the project of bringing electricity from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus

[10] The "Near East University" will attend the IATEFL meeting in Birmingham

[11] Energy firms eyeing consortium to carry Israeli gas through Turkey

[12] Director of OME argued that Cyprus' tendering on the 6th, 8th and 10th parcels was a "diplomatic mistake"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: Solving 'little' Cyprus' problem will contribute to regional peace

Delivering a speech at the 19th Eurasian Economic Summit organized by the Marmara Group Foundation, Akinci said: "Nowadays, incidents do not only affect the country where it happens, it affects everywhere. An economic crisis in a country affects other countries too and a bomb that explodes in a society [hurts] our hearts, if not our bodies".

Akinci said that a just and federal solution to the Cyprus issue will not only allow for the two communities of the island to reach a peaceful and prosperous future but will also allow for a regional cooperation to be reached.

[02] Akinci met with Turkes and Gul

Speaking after his meeting with Turkes before holding a longer meeting with the participation of their respective delegations, Akinci said that Turkes had conveyed to him the Turkish government's unhappiness over claims that it was behind the collapse of the "coalition government" in the "TRNC". He said that "Turkes had told him that it was out of the question for the Turkish government to interfere with the creation or dissolution of governments in the TRNC and that they would be happy with any government model that emerges".

"Mr Turkes strongly denied any involvement of the Turkish government. This has made us happy", Akinci said.

Pointing out that governments in Turkey in the past had meddled in the "TRNC's domestic politics" and had tried to influence the "government's set up", Akinci said: "We all experienced this in the past but many years have passed. I too hope that we will not experience such things again. This is my expectation and that of the Turkish Cypriot people".

Akinci also said that the Turkish government's preference is a government model that will contribute to the "president's" (editor's note: Turkish Cypriot leader) efforts in the negotiations process and which will not create problems.

Akinci also stated that he had found the opportunity to discuss the ongoing Cyprus negotiations process and the pending "economic protocol" with Turkes.

He further said that the Turkish Cypriot "people" need to be able to stand on their own two feet, to administer themself successfully and to have a sustainable economy, all which he added is possible through a healthy dialogue with Turkey.

Also touching upon his meeting with the former Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Akinci said that they found the opportunity to evaluate the latest situation in the Cyprus talks. He said that Gul's interest in the Cyprus problem, which goes back to his term in active politics, continues.

[03] Turkes says Turkey will continue "helping" the breakaway regime in Cyprus aiming at a "competitive economy"

Addressing the 9th Eurasian Economic Forum held in Istanbul, Turkes referred also to the Cyprus talks and said: "We are aware of the importance of the negotiating process for the TRNC. I want to once more confirm that our government is and will continue being by the Turks of Cyprus side".

Turkes said that regardless of the Cyprus negotiations, Turkey is determined to continue granting to the "TRNC" any kind of "financial, economic and social aid".

(I/Ts.)

[04] The UBP and the DP have reportedly agreed to a great extent on establishing a "coalition government"

It is noted that after agreeing to a great extent on the issue of the "economic protocol" to be signed with Turkey, the two leaders held a bargain on the distribution of the "ministries", on which they agreed on an UBP proposal that the DP will take three "ministries".

The paper writes that Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has also proposed three "ministries" to the DP, five for his party and two for the Social Democracy Party (TDP), which is reportedly divided in two on the issue of whether it should participate in a "coalition government".

Meanwhile, according to Turkish Cypriot daily Democrat Bakis (07.04.16), DP's mouthpiece, Denktas said yesterday that he held meetings with both the UBP and CTP and the discussions were mostly shaped on the "economic protocol" to be signed with Turkey. He noted that in case they reach an agreement on this "protocol", they will evaluate the issue tonight at the DP's assembly. He said that they will discuss later the name of the party with which they will establish a "coalition".

(I/Ts.)

[05] Talat: An UBP-DP "coalition government" will sabotage the Cyprus negotiations

Arguing that "they" have "broken DP's wings", Talat added: "[?] Thus only five deputies will be able to participate in the coalition with the UBP and because it will not be very strong in this coalition, an Eroglu-DP government will actually be established with support from the outside and it will sabotage the Cyprus problem. And [it will do it] immediately. In five minutes, in one day it will sabotage it. It will grant a lot of citizenships, thousands of citizenships, the negotiating table will fall into pieces [?]"

Talat said that the "economic protocol" with Turkey includes 2-3 vital issues which cannot be accepted by his party: the provisions for the "electricity authority" (KIB-TEK), the "state planning organization" (DPO) and the "judiciary". He added: "The increase of the retirement age is a necessity, otherwise the retirement funds will not be able to bear the burden. In any case this was our demand also". Talat noted that they agreed with the UBP and wrote down their agreement. He said that when their delegation visited Turkey, the representatives of the UBP said that the objections put forward by the Turkish bureaucrats were right. "However, here we agreed", he noted.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Ozyigit says that the only thing missing from the "economic protocol" is the appointment of a "governor" from Turkey

Ozyigit said that if some are looking for persons to sign the "economic protocol" having the mentality "let us take the money and distribute it" and if their aim is to give away the "electricity authority", the communications and the ports, leaving the employees without a trade union and forcing them to migrate, the TDP will not participate in "such a scenario".

Noting that the TDP will not participate in a formation which will mortgage the future of the Turkish Cypriots, Ozyigit pointed out that if they will join the new "coalition", a "way out program" should be prepared for the development of the "country" and not an "economic package".

(I/Ts.)

[07] KTOEOS criticized the "economic protocol" by saying that it is oppressive towards the Turkish Cypriots

In a written statement, Gokcebel suggests that the "country" is facing a new imposition, adding that it (the economic protocol) is a new written and oppressive model of acceptance policies to the Turkish Cypriot community in the political, cultural, social, energy, education, and jurisdiction fields. Gokcebel further said that the "economic protocol" is the same and even more oppressive of what the IMF has imposed to some countries.

Noting that with promises of economic stability, productivity and restructure as it is said in the "economic protocol 2016-18" they are trying in reality to complete the steps of a political, ideological, rent-seeking structure, Gokcebel argued that "the management of institutions like the army, central bank, police and the fire department are completely seized and the people will become more poor than the previous protocols".

Noting that with the new "laws" in the "country" they want to create an "open-air prison", Gokcebel said that the "parliament" and the "government" have become a hostage of the illegal Turkish embassy in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Gokcebel further said that if this "protocol" is imposed on the "people" then even the Cyprus talks will be ended, adding that this package is not economic is completely ideological and political.

(DPs)

[08] Turkish Cypriot columnist says that the plan of annexing the occupied area of Cyprus to Turkey is becoming more evident these days

"We are passing through days in which the project of binding the TRNC to Turkey is continuously becoming more evident. In the water project, the electricity project and the content of the economic program the accession of these lands to Turkey, turning them into a province is becoming more evident. The breaking point of Turkey's domination, which covered a pretty long distance for this end, has long since been exceeded. The transfer of population which in years doubled the local population, the exploitation of this place's resources afterwards without giving anything in return and the fact that the state and the people are always in debt in the end are clearly showing the bankruptcy course. Regardless of how many elections we will hold, of how many governments we will establish, our 'independent and free' will has suffered from erosion. [?]

Finding a solution to the Cyprus problem in this environment is becoming difficult. It is evident that Turkey lacks of will and wants to implement its 'own plan'. If this place is 'annexed', something except for 'protests' to the UN or the EU should not be expected. [?]"

Furthermore, Azgin republishes an excerpt from an article published by Turkish columnist Ayse Nur in Turkish daily Radikal newspaper on 14 October 2012 regarding the process of Turkey annexing Alexandretta.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Columnist describes as "the second monopoly" the project of bringing electricity from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus

"The electricity in the TRNC is expensive. It is not trustworthy. It is cut off often. [?] The TRNC's laws on the energy issue are outdated. These do not give permission to solar and wind power. These aim at repelling the investors, not attracting them.

KIB-TEK, which is the official electricity authority, is a rotten, corrupt institution. [?]

Everybody knows that the electricity problem will not be solved with KIB-TEK. There are other things which are also known by everybody: Such as that the AKP government wants to divide and privatize KIB-TEK, to bring electricity to the island from Turkey with underwater cables and to have this job done by a company named AKSA. AKSA is the only private sector electricity producer on the island. It has installations in the west around Famagusta operating with big profit margin. As I found out from company sources, AKSA, which is one of the big electricity producers in Turkey and one of the companies which the AKP loves, wants to drag an undersea cable to Cyprus from its power plant near Antalya and become the only electricity producer, supplier and distributor in the entire TRNC. The AKP is ready to have it [AKSA] make this job. The project has not been materialized until today because there is resistance within the trade unions and the political parties on the electricity issue, like it happened on the water issue. The AKP has broken this resistance on the water and came to the stage of establishing a water monopoly on the island (and a depot of an unearned income). [?]"

The columnist notes that he does not know when, but one day the electricity monopoly will also be established. He adds that both AKSA and Turkey's self-styled embassy in the occupied part of Nicosia are advertising this by arguing that when the electricity from Turkey comes, the price of electricity will decrease to the half of the existing one.

Pointing out that the AKP government wants the electricity production, supply and distribution to be carried out by the same company, the columnist notes that this will be tantamount to establishing a monopoly on the island in this field and thus the prices will come to the level they are today and they will even exceed it.

"In a place where there is no competition, the prices increase and the quality falls", he recalls referring to a basic rule of the free market. Munir says that Turkey has a law which prevents monopoly and established a "Competition Committee" in 1997. Noting that there is no such "law" in the occupied area of Cyprus, Munir argues that if the project of bringing electricity from Turkey is prepared properly, the price will fall to the one fourth of the existing one. He argues:

"Studying the directives of the European Union on the energy issue and preparing a project in harmony to these directives is enough for achieving this result. According to these directives, the same company cannot transfer and produce the energy. [?]"

Munir concludes his column by describing a model of electricity transfer, production and distribution in the occupied area of Cyprus in harmony to the EU directives.

(I/Ts.)

[10] The "Near East University" will attend the IATEFL meeting in Birmingham

(DPs)

[11] Energy firms eyeing consortium to carry Israeli gas through Turkey

"We plan to establish a buyer consortium [to carry Israeli gas to Europe through Turkey]. Each consortium member will take some gas in this plan. At least 15 companies have contacted us so far and voiced their intention to become a part of this planned consortium," he said in an exclusive interview with daily Hurriyet.

The holders of rights in Israeli's natural gas reservoir have been in contact with Turkish companies for months, including Turcas, concerning exports of Israeli gas.

Aksoy noted it was not possible for a single company to deal with such big exports, adding that the estimated 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Israeli gas could be taken on an annual basis by sharing the risks with reliable partners. "Potential consortium partners that have contacted us are composed of companies which utilize or distribute gas. Namely, they are active players in the sector. A constructive buyer consortium needs to be established," he said.

"In these projects, the construction process lasts the shortest period of time. Political discussions, the issuance of intergovernmental agreements or the financial feasibility issues take a much longer time.

Regarding Israeli gas, some bilateral agreements may be required between Turkey and Israel, between Israel and Cyprus, and between Cyprus and Turkey. In resolving long-term regional problems, the planned pipeline may play a role. If the parties want and the required political environment is created, the gas may reach Turkey by 2021," he added.

"The less dependent a country becomes on a sole provider, the lower gas costs it faces. Europe wants to decrease the share of Gazprom in its gas market by opening their gas market more and increasing their liquefied natural gas [LNG] sources? Turkey needs to do the same. Turkey has been connected to Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan by pipelines. There are two other sources to maximize the pipelined gas potential: The eastern Mediterranean and Iraq? The inflow of natural gas via six or more pipelines from five suppliers rather than four pipelines from three suppliers will enable Turkey to gain a much bigger bargaining position in gas price talks. We believe eastern Mediterranean gas will be a huge chance for Turkey on the road to becoming an energy hub," he said.

Aksoy noted that this did not mean eastern Mediterranean gas is an alternative to Russian gas. "Russia is a big and reliable gas supplier, I believe. Russia did not cut the gas flow to Turkey during the Cold War, the Ukraine crisis and even following the jet crisis. Russia did not cut the gas flow to Europe either? Why should [Turkey] however not reduce the costs? We need to diversify our resources one way or another. If Turkey takes 8-10 bcm gas from the eastern Mediterranean and 5-10 bcm from Iraq, the risks will be dispersed and key opportunities will be unleashed on the road to opening the energy markets in Turkey," he added.

[12] Director of OME argued that Cyprus' tendering on the 6th, 8th and 10th parcels was a "diplomatic mistake".

Karbuz also described Cyprus' tendering on the 6th, 8th and 10th parcels as a "diplomatic mistake".

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