Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-05-26

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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] Eide expresses the view that the developments during the past couple of days will not shadow the progress in the negotiations

[02] Akinci had a telephone conversation with Biden; "Anastasiades behaved impulsively"

[03] Burcu argues that no one can put an embargo to Akinci participating in any dinner he wants

[04] Talat alleges that President Anastasiades has reacted "exaggeratedly"

[05] Reactions on President Anastasiades' stance in Istanbul continue

[06] Afrika: Racism is escalating after Ertugrulogu taking "office"

[07] Turkes continues as Cyprus Affairs Minister

[08] New Turkish EU Minister: EU is not sole option for Turkey

[09] ?Yildirim whistling in the wind?

[10] MHP says Party to hold extraordinary convention on 10 July ?Bahceli will be a candidate again

[11] CHP leader rules out possibility of referendum on presidential system

[12] Amnesty International Secretary-General: "EU turned blind eye to Turkey's human rights violations"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Eide expresses the view that the developments during the past couple of days will not shadow the progress in the negotiations

In statements after the 1,5 hour meeting, Eide evaluated the postponement of the meeting between the leaders planned for tomorrow and said: "This is not a desired situation. I do not want to overestimate or underestimate the issue".

Noting that they should work together on this issue, Eide expressed the view that it will not be allowed to the developments of the past couple of days to shadow the progress achieved until now in the negotiations and recalled the commitment of the two leaders for a solution within 2016.

Referring to the telephone conversation of the US Vice President Joe Biden with the community leaders, Eide underlined the importance of the international community's support to the process.

Describing his meeting with Akinci as "useful", Eide said that he also raised the issue of the decision taken by the breakaway regime to limit the access to the religious places of worship in the occupied area of the island. Eide noted that there is a concern because of the above-mentioned decision and added that the limitation of the access to churches will be contrary to the spirit of the rapprochement between the two communities. He said that he asked for Akinci's support in the direction of changing this decision.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci had a telephone conversation with Biden; "Anastasiades behaved impulsively"

According to the paper, the conversation had been planned before the above-mentioned crisis for evaluating the results of the parliamentary elections in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus. "Reliable sources" told the paper that Biden praised Akinci for his "sincere and determined stance" in the negotiations and expressed his satisfaction with Akinci's "effective decisions".

As the paper claims further, the two men discussed also the decision of President Anastasiades not to participate in the meeting with Akinci planned for Friday, 27 May, within the framework of the Cyprus negotiations, and agreed that "this impulsive behavior" by President Anastasiades derives from his stress because of the results of the parliamentary elections.

Akinci explained in detail the latest developments in the negotiating process and told Biden that he was ready to achieve a solution the soonest by intensifying the process.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Burcu argues that no one can put an embargo to Akinci participating in any dinner he wants

"Our president is ready to double the effort exerted aiming at reaching a solution the soonest in Cyprus. He calls on the Greek Cypriot leadership to act with the same manner and not with impulsive reactions [?] It is in our esteemed president's discretion in which dinner invitations he will participate. No one has the right to put embargo to this".

Furthermore, Burcu described as "very important" every day and hour of the process until the end of 2016, noting that this is a time period of seven months for taking a result in the ongoing negotiations with the aim of establishing a federal Cyprus and materializing the target which the two community leaders announced to the public.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Talat alleges that President Anastasiades has reacted "exaggeratedly"

In statements during a meeting with journalists yesterday, Talat alleged that with this reaction President Anastasiades is possibly pursuing "new gains". Talat said that he would understand the reaction, if it was limited only to not participating in the dinner, but the postponement of the negotiations is "an exaggerated reaction". Talat argued that President Anastasiades had an aim for behaving in this manner and this aim will be revealed within the forthcoming days. "The possibility of making an attack for obtaining an advantage is very high", he claimed alleging: "Some will enter into action. I think that he is considering that he will obtain a new gain. I also lived these things many times in the past".

Arguing that Erdogan invited Akinci to a dinner and not to the summit through the back door, Talat said that UNSG is the head of an organization which works for the solution of the Cyprus problem and meets with all sides.

Talat alleged that the invitation was announced in the last minute because they most probably wanted to keep it secret and added: "If it had been announced beforehand, it would have many impacts. Once, there were elections in the south. Therefore, problems could be experienced. If Akinci's visit was known beforehand, the Greek Cypriot side could have made high level initiatives and would have prevented him".

Replying to a question, Talat said that it would be better if Akinci called President Anastasiades before visiting Istanbul and informed him that he would go there. He added that during his term at the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community, he had telephone conversations with former President Christofias in various times.

Replying to another question, he argued that Ahmet Davutoglu had been very interested in the Cyprus problem when he was Foreign Minister and Prime Minister and wanted the solution very much. Pointing out that Davutoglu had a great contribution in the preparation of a package of proposals submitted by the Turkish side in the negotiations in 2010, Talat alleged that there were many things which the Turkish side could not accept then, but they accepted them and forced Turkey to accept them as well. Referring to the possibility of Turkey changing its Cyprus policy, Talat recalled that before 2004 Turkey had been following a different policy. He said that because of the Cyprus problem, Turkey is facing difficulties not only as regards its accession process to the EU but in its relations with the whole world.

Evaluating the results of the parliamentary elections in the government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus, Talat said that ELAM is a party which should have been banned during the solution process of the Cyprus problem. He noted that racist parties should not be active in the United Cyprus and added that "we will be divided until the establishment of peace is completed and the discrimination that 'this is Turk and this is Greek' is not applied". "Under these conditions the action of racist parties should be prohibited", he argued.

Referring to the issue of the withdrawal or the decrease of the number of the Turkish occupation troops, he alleged that it is dangerous to discuss such issues now and added: "The army will in any way go away as soon as a solution is reached. It is best if we focus on the solution".

(I/Ts.)

[05] Reactions on President Anastasiades' stance in Istanbul continue

Ozyigit added that what are important, is the negotiation process and the solution and for this reason as he said, it is of vital importance to stay away from any kind of behaviors that could affect negatively the process.

Ozyigit described also as a mistake the suspension of the scheduled leaders' meeting and argued that in the current process, tensions should be avoided. He also called all sides to prevail common sense and added that they should not forget that the non-solution brings damages to all Cypriots.

Also, in a written statement, the leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Izzet Izcan, described as unacceptable and distressing the fact that the Global Humanitarian Summit which took place in Turkey and which should supposed to be "an opportunity for the peace and solution in Cyprus", had eventually turned to a crisis.

Izcan called the two leaders to be sincere between each other and avoid giving opportunities to those who are against the solution.

Izcan called further the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to behave more carefully. "Both leaders of the sides should behave sincerely and be committed to the goal for the establishment of a United Federal Cyprus, since, the circles which support the status quo and are against the solution, try to create chaos and prevent the unity with provocative actions", added Izcan.

Moreover, the New Cyprus Party (YKP), commenting on this situation also in a written statement, argued that the "deep state in Turkey and the foreign ministry exert efforts again to sabotage the negotiation process".

The statement added that this move by Turkey is "an operation which aims to force Anastasiades to walk away from the negotiating table". It also added that Akinci's visit to Turkey has taken place under instructions.

The statements also condemned the leaders of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Social Democracy Party (TDP) for supporting Akinci in this development and described their stance as unacceptable.

Also, commenting on the development, Ersin Tatar, "deputy" with the National Unity Party (UBP, evaluated in a written statement the results of the parliamentary elections which took place in the government controled areas of the Republic of Cyprus and the incidents occurred in Istanbul and argued that the "goal of the Greek Cypriot leadership is to take out Turkey from Cyprus and to dominate the Turkish Cypriots".

"The Turkish Cypriot people and the president are not Anastasiade's puppets", Tatar claimed and added that they should themselves seal their fate.

Tatat alleged also that Anastasiades withdrawal from the negotiating table indicates that the "picture is not rosy", as it is presented in the Turkish Cypriot side.

Meanwhile, Osman Ertug on behalf of the "Pentadaktylos group" expressed support to the Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci to attend the dinner hosted by Erdogan, describing, at the same time his meeting with the UN's Secretary General as a "right initiative".

Ertug argued that Anastasiades decision not to attend the dinner hosted by Erdogan and the scheduled meeting with Akinci, is contrary to the diplomatic customary practices and does not comply with goodwill.

(?)

(AK)

[06] Afrika: Racism is escalating after Ertugrulogu taking "office"

According to Afrika the "police" threatened to arrest the Greek Cypriots who gathered at the place that the event was organized and forced them to leave.

Senel Elcil, member of the organization committee of the event asked for Akinci to step in on the issue but the paper writes that even the efforts of the Turkish Cypriot leader to the so-called security forces were without result.

According to Afrika, racism was escalated after Tahsin Ertugruloglu took over the post of the "foreign minister" in the new "coalition government" between the National Unity Party and the Democratic Party and notes that similar restrictions against the participation of Greek Cypriots in events in the occupied area were usual in the past but were lifted in recent years. "But these practices came back", the paper notes.

(CS)

[07] Turkes continues as Cyprus Affairs Minister

The announcement of the distribution of roles within the new Turkish government came late May 25 after the first meeting of Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m that was held under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential office. The decision was later published in the Official Gazette early May 26.

[08] New Turkish EU Minister: EU is not sole option for Turkey

Celik, who replaced Volkan Bozkir in the new cabinet named by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, also told reporters that Turkey wanted the EU to drop its "double standards" in the fight against terrorism.

Celik made the comments in a ceremony in which he took over the post from Bozkir. Turkey-EU ties have been tense over the bloc's demand that Ankara fulfill all 72 agreed criteria ? including a controversial one on terrorism ? in order to lift visa obligations for Turkish citizens, as part of the deal on Turkey readmitting refugees to Europe.

Commenting on the issue, Hurriyet's columnist Murat Yetkin writes the following under the title: "Does the EU have another option on migrants?

"Turkey's new European Union Affairs Minister Omer Celik said on May 25 that integrating with the EU was "not Turkey's only option." This does not mean that Turkey could get integrated with or form other unions similar to the EU: There isn't one in sight anyway. [?] Still, becoming a member of the EU remains Turkey's official strategy. In fact it is the only strategy that has been approved by Parliament as a "national program" for years.

[?] Turkish governments (not just this one) and a majority of Turkish citizens are fed up with new problems being raised by the EU whenever progress is made on the Turkish side, ever since the first accession agreement in 1963. No one in Turkey truly believes that the EU will take in Turkey any time soon, including those who support the idea for the good of Turkish democracy, rights and freedoms, and the economy. But even some in Turkey who are against full integration with the EU are in favor of being anchored by it. Around half of Turkish exports, particularly those with high added value, go to EU member countries. What's more, since the EU started to go cold on Turkey from the mid-2000s, moves taken for the democratization of politics and the economy started to shatter.

It is true that Turkey has survived so far without being a member of the EU, so it is also true that the EU is not the country's only option. But it is true that the EU remains Turkey's best option.

[?]

The fact is that there is no alternative option in sight for the EU, other than implementing the deal with Turkey on immigration. German Chancellor Angela Merkel can see that. It is obvious from her statements after meeting with Erdogan in Istanbul on May 23 that she does not want to break the ties between Turkey and the EU. She wants a solution, knowing that if the agreement falls through EU governments are likely to face much bigger problems than providing visa-free travel to Turkish citizens."

[09] "Yildirim whistling in the wind"

"After having been appointed Turkey's new Prime Minister by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in what will no doubt go down in history as Turkey's first civilian coup, Binali Yildirim suggested it was time to start improving Turkey's seriously damaged ties with the world.

"Turkey has a lot of problems. We have regional problems. The conflicts taking place in our region and the EU, Cyprus, Caucasus increase the importance of our country in our region. We are aware of it. So what will we do? Very simple: We'll increase the number of our friends and we'll decrease the number of our enemies," Yildirim told Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputies after Erdogan approved his cabinet.

There are a couple of problems with Yildirim's remarks, though. First, they suggest that Turkey is on the verge of a new era in its international relations, which clearly is not. Second, his remarks suggest that his government has the power to do "increase the number of Turkey's friends," which clearly does not.

[?]

The whole world also knows what Yildirim's role as the new Prime Minister will be, and how much influence he will have in determining policy.

He was brought in, after all, not to put forward new ideas and take fresh initiatives, but to carry out Erdogan's directives to the letter. Otherwise there would be no point to getting rid of Ahmet Davutoglu. Put bluntly, whatever Yildirim may say, the world's eyes will not be on him, but on his boss, Erdogan, to see if Ankara is really on verge of a serious change in the foreign policy domain.

[?]

We have to take Yildirim's words after Erdogan endorsed his cabinet, therefore, with a big pinch of salt. He was probably trying to simply create the impression that Turkey is about to enter a new and better era, in order to inject some hope in a public wary of Ankara's international isolation.

He must know, though, that this is not going to happen unless Erdogan decides it should and openly start promoting this line. Otherwise, Yildirim is merely whistling in the wind."

[10] MHP says party to hold extraordinary convention on 10 July ?Bahceli will be a candidate again

In a written statement, Devlet Bahceli said: "Our party will hold an extraordinary congress along with an election on July 10, 2016, Sunday, at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall." Bahceli also made it clear that he will remain in the race for the top slot. "Whoever declares to run for the MHP chair, he or she will have to compete with me," he said.

[11] CHP leader rules out possibility of referendum on presidential system

"I don't think it will pass. Nationalist Movement Party and Peoples' Democratic Party is against it. We have already declared that we were against it. Therefore, I don't think they have a chance to see 330 [votes]," Kilicdaroglu said during an interview on news channel NTV on May 25.

Kilicdaroglu also dismissed suggestions that such a referendum would attract popular support.

Kilicdaroglu said his party was ready for any snap election if the government opts for such a move, vowing it is "ready for all circumstances." "If the government wants, it can call for an early election. We are ready for all circumstances," Kilicdaroglu said.

[12] Amnesty International Secretary-General: "EU turned blind eye to Turkey's human rights violations"

"Europe particularly has double standards. Now that they want something from Turkey, they have turned a blind eye to human rights problems inside Turkey," Shetty said in an interview with Dogan News Agency (DHA) on May 24.

"The overall concern on the refugee problem is less with Turkey; it is much more with Europe which is outsourcing its problem to Turkey," he said, reiterating that Europe was a signatory of the refugee convention. "Europe has to take each asylum seeker case by case... They lecture the whole world about human rights and the first time there is a real test for them, they are not living up to all their claims," he said.

Shetty also noted that Turkey had been "generous" by keeping borders open for several years. However, he said the country's policy had changed. "The problem started in the last part of 2015, when the policy on Syrian refugees completely changed," he added.

"Now the borders are closed, they in fact shoot at people who are coming across; pushing people back and if anybody gets through, they put them into detention centers, even after the refugee deal? The EU is pushing refugees to Turkey but you can no longer say that Turkey is a safe country for refugees," Shetty said. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS / AM)

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