Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-06-28

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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 evaluated normalization of bilateral relations of Turkey with Israel and Russia

[02] Kurtulmus said that Turkey will continue to offer aid to the breakaway regime solution or not solution

[03] Turkey and Israel signed deal to normalize ties

[04] Turkey and Russia take step to mend ties; a phone conversation between Erdogan and Putin on June 29

[05] Cavusoglu accepted Russia's invitation to attend BESC meeting in Sochi

[06] Columnists comment on Turkey-Israel rapprochement

[07] Milliyet argues that Turkey will become an energy bridge

[08] Chapter 33 of Turkey's EU accession process to be opened on Thursday

[09] Distribution of the water from Turkey started in the occupied area of Cyprus

[10] Economic aid from Turkey to the breakaway regime for 2016 will be 927 million Turkish Lira

[11] Cittaslow assembly will be held in the occupied area of Cyprus in 2019

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci evaluated normalization of bilateral relations of Turkey with Israel and Russia

Akinci, who issued a written statement said that in case a solution is reached in Cyprus, transporting the region's natural gas via Turkey was the most feasible project.

Evaluating the agreement reached between Turkey and Israel as well as the rapprochement with Russia, Akinci said that the normalization of relations with both countries was a welcoming development, not only in terms of bi-lateral relations but also for the region which was struggling with greater problems.

"More importantly the normalization of Turkish-Israeli relations brings with it new opportunities for cooperation regarding the natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean which I attach great importance to" said Ak?nc?.

"As the president, who conducts the negotiations on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots, my priority is to achieve a federal settlement in which the two peoples on the island can live in equality, freedom and security. I would like to underline that we must always keep in close perspective the benefits and contributions such a solution will bring for regional stability", he said.

[02] Kurtulmus said that Turkey will continue to offer aid to the breakaway regime solution or not solution

Speaking to the press after a meeting of the Turkish Council of Ministers, Kurtulmus said that Deputy Prime Minister Responsible for Cyprus Affairs Tugrul Turkes, informed the Council on Turkey-"TRNC" relations and added that in the framework of this presentation the financial aid of Turkey to the breakaway regime was examined.

He said that Turkey has a national responsibility to offer aid to the "TRNC" and expressed the hope that until the end of the current year a new situation will emerge for the breakaway regime. He also said that in case a solution is reached, Turkey's aid will take another form. He, however, said that that they also discussed ways so that Turkey will continue to offer aid to the "TRNC" with a new and more powerful vision in case no agreement is reached in the negotiations or in case the existence of two separate communities is not accepted in Cyprus.

He went on adding that the negotiations will continue until the beginning of the new year and said that the issue of security and of the territorial adjustment are two very important issues for Turkey.

(CS)

[03] Turkey and Israel signed deal to normalize ties

The director-general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, Dore Gold, signed the deal in Tel Aviv, private broadcaster CNN Turk has reported, while Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu signed the accord for the Turkish side in Ankara, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

Turkish and Israeli Prime Ministers announced on June 27 that a deal to bring an end to the strained ties between the two countries had been reached and a deal would be signed on June 28.

Relations between Turkey and Israel had come to a halt after Israeli commandoes killed 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists on the Mavi Marmara aid flotilla in May 2010, as activists tried to breach an Israel's Gaza blockade.

According to the deal, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation to the relatives of the Mavi Marmara victims.

In exchange for the compensation, all claims against Israeli soldiers in Turkey will be dropped. As the deal will be an international agreement approved by the parliament, it will be positioned above domestic law and all charges against Israeli navy officers will need to be dropped.

Turkey obtained aid concessions to reach Palestine, with a vessel carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid setting off on July 1 from Turkey to Israel's Ashdod port.

While Turkish Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m said the embargo on Gaza would "largely be lifted under the leadership of Turkey," Israeli Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m said that his country's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip would remain following the agreement.

The construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water was also among the deals agreed upon in the accord.

[04] Turkey and Russia take step to mend ties; a phone conversation between Erdogan and Putin on June 29

The Kremlin said on June 27 that Putin received a letter from Erdogan that was later confirmed by the Turkish presidency that said Ankara and Moscow had "agreed to take necessary steps to improve the relationship".

"I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the Russian pilot who died and I say: 'I'm sorry'," Erdogan said in the letter, according to the Kremlin.

"The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with whom Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations", it said, adding Erdogan "expressed his desire to resolve the situation connected to the downing of a Russian military aircraft". The Kremlin said Erdogan also said that Turkey was ready to react together with Russia against the crisis in the region and fight terrorism.

The letter was confirmed by Erdogan's chief foreign policy adviser, Ibrahim Kal?n, later in the day through a statement.

The letter follows a series of goodwill gestures from Turkey to Russia in a bid to normalize the bilateral relationship that has been severely hit due to heavy trade and tourism sanctions imposed by Moscow.

Earlier in the day, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m heralded "good developments" with Russia as he said they would be announced in the near future. "Both the Turkish and Russian people want an end to this crisis. They both believe [this crisis] is nonsense. What falls on us as governments is to meet this expectation of our peoples without delay. There are good developments in this direction and we'll soon announce them to our people," Y?ld?r?m told reporters on June 27.

Earlier in the day Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus touched on prospected normalization with Russia as well, saying, "There are increasing signs that bilateral tension between Turkey and Russia is softening."

"We are observing some signs of a softening of the relationship following letters sent to the Russian authorities from our President and Prime Minister," Kurtulmus told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting on June 27.

Erdogan and Y?ld?rm sent congratulatory letters to their counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, to mark the occasion of Russia's national holiday on June 12.

Kurtulmus said one positive signal was given after this by the Russian government, which re-installed working permits for Turkish nationals to be recruited by Turkish companies operating in Russia.

Meanwhile, HDN (online, 28.06.16) reports that Erdogan will conduct a phone conversation with Putin on either June 29 or June 30, Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m has said.

"A phone conversation will be held between Putin and President on Wednesday or Thursday regarding the Turkey-Russia relationship," Y?ld?r?m told TRT late on June 27.

"'If only the incident [the downing of a Russian jet] had never happened,' we say. We have expressed our sadness. The de facto process to end the crisis has begun. That will be followed by relations in the economic field. We will [pretend that] the incidents within the six months never happened and continue on our way," Y?ld?r?m said.

Turkish presidential sources have said Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a "thank you call" to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at 12 p.m. on June 29, private broadcaster CNN Turk has reported.

[05] Cavusoglu accepted Russia's invitation to attend BESC meeting in Sochi

According to reports, Cavusoglu accepted Russia's invitation to attend the meeting and could also hold a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Although the format of the meeting does not allow for bilateral meetings, Russia is ready to hold such a meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasiliy Nebenzya Nebenzya said on June 23. "We are not running away or hiding from anyone" and are open to all discussions, he added.

[06] Columnists comment on Turkey-Israel rapprochement

Yetkin further writes: "In the morning hours of June 27, before the Turkish-Israeli deal was officially announced, the diplomatic backstage was hit by another big piece of news. Something was cooking on the Turco-Russian front. A statement could be expected from Moscow at 14.00 GMT (4 p.m. in both Moscow and Ankara). That statement could be a sign for more positive developments within the week.

Indeed, a statement was made by Kremlin as expected. It said President Erdogan had sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. (?)

This letter is the most important indication so far for a normalization of relations. Because right after the announcement in Moscow, Ankara announced that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had accepted the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to join the Black Sea Economic Cooperation meetings in Sochi on July 1. There may be some other steps in between before then, according to diplomatic sources.

Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) government seem to be trying to recover from the diplomatic regression in recent years, which has resulted in Turkey losing friends in the neighbourhood. There is a tendency within the AK Party circles to link these recovery attempts to the stepping down of former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who used to be Erdogan's foreign policy right hand man.

In Turkish diplomatic circles, speculation over the next steps now focuses on Cyprus, the visa deal with the European Union, and perhaps Egypt as a more distant probability. But due to the fact that Erdogan has proposed working together with Putin on 'regional crises and terrorism', Syria might also come into the picture. Of course, that would depend on the deal with Russia, if that ends up becoming a reality like the deal with Israel."

On the same issue, columnist Erdal Saglam, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper (28.06.16) under the title "A positive step on the normalization with Israel", reports that the most positive result from the economic point of view is that the Eastern Mediterranean natural gas will be transferred to Europe through Turkey and added that it is known that this natural gas pipeline is one of the most important reasons for a political reconciliation.

Saglam argues that in order for this pipeline to be realized the Cyprus problem should also be solved, adding that despite the increase of hopes for a Cyprus settlement, the problems have been increased during the last months. He noted that it has been mentioned that with the pressure of the EU and the USA, everyone should be mobilized for a solution in Cyprus.

Meanwhile, columnist Ceyda Karan, writing in Turkish daily Cumhuriyet newspaper (27.06.16), under the title "Fragile Deal, Bruised Charisma", referred also to the natural gas as following: "Shipment of natural gas of one trillion metric cubic feet from Leviathan and Tamar fields together with natural gas from Aphrodite field in Cyprus to Europe via Turkey is being presented as the economic basis of the deal. The fact of the matter is that this is the trump card Israel is holding. At the moment, the gas deal is on hold following a ruling from the Israeli High Court. It is difficult to implement the project without resolving the Cyprus question. In other words, who knows when this will happen?"

(DPs)

[07] Milliyet argues that Turkey will become an energy bridge

Citing diplomatic sources, the efforts to sell the natural gas found in the Leviathan field to Europe from Cyprus through Turkey are being continued for a long time. These efforts were also discussed at the meeting of the National Security Council and the view that the most cost-efficient way was through Turkey was mentioned. The natural gas could be transferred to Turkey through underwater pipelines like the water project of transferring water from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus, the paper writes.

(DPs)

[08] Chapter 33 of Turkey's EU accession process to be opened on Thursday

Turkey's Ambassador to the EU, Selim Yenel, told Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) on Tuesday that the opening of Chapter 33 was significant since it is usually opened close to a country's membership, thus contributing to "keeping the accession process alive".

"A total of 16 chapters will have been opened after Chapter 33 opens this week," Yenel said, adding that there were still five chapters being blocked by the Greek Cypriot Administration (editor's note: as he refers to the Republic of Cyprus).

"If there is progress on the Cyprus issue, and a final resolution is reached, then these [five] chapters will be able to be promptly opened and membership negotiations will be back to their normal pace," he said.

Yenel also said that Turkish and EU officials would hold an intergovernmental conference on the opening of Chapter 33 on Thursday, with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Finance Minister Naci Agbal and EU Minister Omer Celik attending.

In addition to Chapter 33, Cavusoglu and Celik will also be discussing five key criteria for visa-free European access, Yenel said. "They will meet with the first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, after the intergovernmental conference in order to discuss the remaining five benchmarks. They will establish a roadmap in this regard. Our goal is to ensure visa liberalization at the earliest," Yenel added.

[09] Distribution of the water from Turkey started in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to the paper, the water started being distributed in occupied Famagusta. Today the water will also be distributed to occupied Morfou and all the other "municipalities" that signed the subscription agreement.

(CS)

[10] Economic aid from Turkey to the breakaway regime for 2016 will be 927 million Turkish Lira

According to the paper, the agreement of the economic protocol signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime on May 27, 2016, was approved by the "assembly" on June 20, 2016 and it will be implemented after it was published in the "official gazette". The protocol was also signed by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci.

(CS)

[11] Cittaslow assembly will be held in the occupied area of Cyprus in 2019

It received its membership certificate and Cittaslow flag officially making it a member.

With the membership of occupied Galatia village, together with occupied village Agios Sergios and occupied village Lefka now it has paved the way for the "TRNC" (editor's note: the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus) to be represented at the national level.

Meanwhile during the assembly, a decision was taken to hold the 2019 Cittaslow assembly in the "TRNC". TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(DPs/ ICh)

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