Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-04-22

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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] Agreement on the 2016-18 "economic protocol" was reportedly reached during Turkes' illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus

[02] Ozgurgun: The new "government" is able to meet all its financial responsibilities

[03] Evkaf administration claims that 14% of the properties in Cyprus belongs to them

[04] BKP warned that any wrong steps on the territory and population issues may lead the Cyprus negotiation process to a deadlock

[05] Columnist: If no solution is reached, the population in the occupied area will exceed the population in the government-controlled area

[06] Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir convicted of stealing ?34 million extradited to Turkey from the UK

[07] "IUSARC" to organize "search and rescue games" in the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] Direct flights from Gaziantep to the "TRNC" to be launched soon

[09] NATO chief: Turkey's efforts to stop smugglers crucial

[10] Turkey's Ergenekon plot case overturned by top court of appeals

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Agreement on the 2016-18 "economic protocol" was reportedly reached during Turkes' illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus

In statements after a meeting with the new self-styled prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun and "deputy prime minister" Serdar Denktas, Turkes said that the Cyprus negotiations are going well and that Turkey is satisfied with the fact that self-sacrificing efforts are exerted for the solution of the Cyprus problem, noting that they want a result to be reached for the wellbeing, freedom, interests and the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot community.

Turkes noted that he had earlier met with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who briefed him on the ongoing negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Referring to the establishment of the new "government", Turkes described as an "important step" for the Cyprus negotiations and the everyday life in the occupied area of Cyprus the fact that the "government" was established within a short period of time. Turkes expressed his satisfaction with this as "Cyprus citizen".

In his statements, Ozgurgun recalled that they worked together with Turkes at the Council of Europe. He argued that they see and know that in every period they can succeed by working in cooperation, harmony and coordination with "motherland Turkey" and expressed the belief that the forthcoming period will be "much more positive and productive".

Ozgurgun said that they know that if this cooperation and harmony continues Turkey and the "TRNC" will look at the future with hope and without facing any problems both in the negotiations and in the internal issues. He argued that in this sense they know that the developments will be much more speedy and productive during the new period.

Afterwards Turkes met also with the members of the new "cabinet".

Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (22.04.16) refers to Turkes' illegal visit under the title "Turkes came, the finance relaxed". Noting that Turkes will stay in the occupied area of Cyprus until Saturday, the paper reports that according to some allegations, at the backstage of the Turkish official's visit to the island an agreement was reached on the issue of the "economic protocol" to be signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime for the period 2016-18 and that Turkey will give financial aid to the regime for paying the salaries and its other expenses.

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (22.04.16) reports that Turkes met at a dinner with representatives of the real sector of the economy in the occupied area of Cyprus. The Turkish "ambassador" to occupied Nicosia, Derya Kanbay and members of the new "cabinet" also attended the dinner.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Ozgurgun: The new "government" is able to meet all its financial responsibilities

He went on and added that the salaries of the "civil servants" as well as a big part of other payments will be taken care within the current month.

Ozgurgun also stated that the new "government" will present its program to the "assembly" today and added that on Wednesday the "government' will ask for "confidence vote". He also stated that despite the "coalition" government having only 23 "deputies" they expect that they will receive the consenting vote of the independent "deputies".

In addition, illegal Bayrak television (22.04.16) broadcast that Ozgurgun read out the "government program" for the National Unity Party-Democrat Party coalition in "parliament" today.

According to the program, "the UBP-DP government will continue to support efforts to reach a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of political equality despite being critical of the Greek Cypriot side's stance on the issue. The program however points out that any settlement to be reached on the Cyprus problem must ensure the continuation of Turkey's effective guarantees and must seek to protect the Turkish-Greek balance in the region. It says that the solution must also preserve the socio-economic structure established over the years on both sides of the island, keeping the forced movement of people to a minimum.

The property issue must be solved mainly through compensation, exchange or limited restitution. The bi-zonal nature of a settlement must not be watered down through 'special status areas' the program states.

While expressing support to initiatives aimed at building confidence between the two sides, Ozgurgun stated that the new "government" will work towards the implementation of Confidence Building measures.

Also touching upon the issue of hydrocarbons, the "government program" states that "the natural resources of the island can and should be used for cooperation and not be turned into a source of conflict".

It says that the "government" in cooperation will do all it can to defend and protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots if any attempts are made to usurp their rights.

According to the "program", the two parties are also vowing to undertake a series of reforms, infrastructural projects and privatizations as stated in the 2016-2018 economic protocol, and to prepare the Turkish Cypriot and "TRNC institutions" for EU membership.

These efforts also include enhancing and developing cooperation and relations with Turkey as well as international organizations such as the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the European Union.

(CS)

[03] Evkaf administration claims that 14% of the properties in Cyprus belongs to them

According to a research presented in a press conference yesterday, the 14% of the Cyprus property belonged to the Evkaf administration before 1878, however, the rate of the actual use by the Evkaf administration fell to 6 per thousand during the era of the British colony and the Cyprus Republic.

As part of the "Evaluation and Research project of the Cyprus Evkaf Properties", which lasted seven years, and examined the Evkaf administration from 1571 to 1974, it is reported that 2,443 registers and 8 million documents were revised.

According to the research, the number of the known Evkaf properties is 608, but generally there are in Cyprus 2,220. In the research, the constructions which offer community services like mosques, schools and fountains were mapped.

Prof. Dr Ibrahim Benter, director of the Evkaf administration, announced that as a result of this research, they will take legal action in Cyprus and at the international courts for their properties. He added that the documents they obtained will be useful in every aspect and one benefit will be at the ongoing Cyprus talks. Benter also said that they should be ready when the property issue will be discussed at the Cyprus talks and the Evkaf financial inventory will be asked. He argued that in order to reach a just agreement, they should claim the properties of Evkaf with evidence based on the international law.

Claiming that "there is a declaratory ruling of the court that the properties in Varosha (translator's note: the fenced off town of Varosha) is an Evkaf property", Benter argued that in order to be able to file a claim at the ECHR, there should be an effective domestic remedy both in "TRNC" and in "South Cyprus".

The director of the project Dr Nazif Ozturk, for his part, also alleged that 14% of the property in Cyprus belongs to the Evkaf administration, adding that the known number of mosques is 190, however the real number of mosques is 400 and most of them are in "South Cyprus".

(DPs)

[04] BKP warned that any wrong steps on the territory and population issues may lead the Cyprus negotiation process to a deadlock

Sonustun also argued that wrong steps were made on the "citizenship" issue. Pointing out that the two leaders had reached to an agreement on the population issue and that they had closed this chapter, Sonustun warned that the granting of new "citizenships" would be a very dangerous step. "This would blow up an issue into which an agreement was reached", Sonustun added.

"The Turkish Cypriot community will exert efforts with its democratic will in order to abolish the possibility of granting new citizenships", Sonustun also said.

(AK)

[05] Columnist: If no solution is reached, the population in the occupied area will exceed the population in the government-controlled area

The columnist argues the following:

"Our Greek Cypriot neighbors always look for things they had not accepted in the Cyprus problem. Between the first and the second operation on 20 July 1974, the Turkish side had proposed a solution on the basis of cantons. The Greek Cypriot side did not accept it. If it had, the situation which would have been created on the island would be very different. In the more recent past, [there was] the Annan Plan. The Turkish Cypriots accepted the Annan Plan. The Greek Cypriots said 'OHI' [Translator's note: it means 'no' in Greek]. If they said yes and the Annan Plan was implemented with two yes votes, Cyprus would be very different now than the current Cyprus.

The population issue is the nightmare of the Greek Cypriots. I understand their fears. However, one should not have to be a political future teller in order to say that if there is no solution, there will be a boom in the population of northern Cyprus with new citizenships, not with births. It is definite that the reactions by the Turkish Cypriots against the new citizenships will not be able to prevent them.

Years ago it was said that 'when the stage of the solution comes, the TRNC population will be 500 thousands'. The officials who came to northern Cyprus from Turkey ask questions in order to acquire information about the population when they travel. Some time ago, an official from Turkey asked about the population of the Keryneia coasts. When he received the reply 'it is around 60 thousands', he said that 'this coastline could bear a population exceeding the one million'. When the economic problems of northern Cyprus are discussed, the paucity of population is said to be the most important negative aspect. There are a lot of people who use more clear expressions and even say that 'you cannot administrate even the service sectors with this population'.

The foreign diplomats with whom we talk to are also as much closely interested in the citizenship issue in the north as the Greek Cypriots. I can very clearly write here as well what I say to them. 'If the solution is not materialized in 2017 the latest, the increase of the citizens in the TRNC will start with tens of thousands and continue increasingly. Let no one be surprised if after five years the population is by 100 thousand more than it is today. If there is no solution, the population of the north will exceed the population of south Cyprus in ten or fifteen years. And the world will digest somehow the new population structure'.

The CTP and even the UBP before the CTP put a stop on the issue of the new citizenships. [?] However, during all visits held to Turkey, the issue of the citizenship was always raised [even] when very different issues were discussed. When the citizenship issue came onto the agenda, our side avoided it somehow. [?] If there is no solution, no one will be able to resist to this, regardless of who is in the government in northern Cyprus. The most flexible citizenship legislation of the world will be materialized in northern Cyprus. Citizenship will be granted without even needing a Council of Ministers' decision by the book. One day the Greek Cypriot side will also accept the new population structure. And naturally they will not even talk about the 4:1 proportion".

(I/Ts.)

[06] Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir convicted of stealing ?34 million extradited to Turkey from the UK

Sources also said that Nadir, both a Turkish and Turkish Cypriot "citizen", is expected to leave for the breakaway regime where his family lives.

Nadir, who fled to the occupied area of Cyprus in 1993, returned to the UK in 2012 to face a trial over charges of false accounting and theft of 34 million pounds.

Nadir has reportedly given up his British citizenship in order to benefit from an extradition treaty between Turkey and the UK. In 2010, the UK sentenced Nadir to 10 years in prison. Sources further added that Nadir has benefited from the British law granting prisoners release on parole after serving half of the sentence.

[07] "IUSARC" to organize "search and rescue games" in the occupied area of Cyprus

The event will be organized between April 22-29 and totally 6 groups from 20 universities from 10 different countries, are expected to participate, writes the paper.

(AK)

[08] Direct flights from Gaziantep to the "TRNC" to be launched soon

According to statements made to Ankara Anatolia by Cemal Alyamac, director of the administration board of Alyamac Tourism, the flights will be carried out three times per week.

Alyamac explained that they have reached to an agreement with a private aviation company, the Onur Air, to carry out the flights, within the framework of their aim to attract more tourism.

(AK)

[09] NATO chief: Turkey's efforts to stop smugglers crucial

Stoltenberg paid a two-day visit to Ankara where he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz. This is the fourth time Stoltenberg has visited Ankara since he assumed his post in October 2014, and this time terrorism, illegal migration, NATO's expansion and the upcoming NATO summit were the major topics he discussed with Turkish officials.

Turkey plays a crucial role in fighting human trafficking on the Aegean Sea," he said. In addition, Ankara Anatolia news agency (22.04.16) reported that Erdogan met Stoltenberg at the presidential palace in Ankara on Thursday. According to presidential sources, Erdogan and Stoltenberg discussed Turkey-NATO ties as well as regional security issues.

[10] Turkey's Ergenekon plot case overturned by top court of appeals

The Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that the local court's recognition of the "Ergenekon Terror Organization" was not felicitous because it was not known when and by whom the "Ergenekon Terror Organization" was established. "Its crimes and hierarchic structure was not exposed" and "its leader was not evident," a senior judge said, while reading out the summary of the reasoned judgment at the final hearing of the appeal case on April 21.

The appeals court said the local court had failed to show "legal and actual links" between an armed attack at the Council of State and the Ergenekon case. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/AM)

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