Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-07-13

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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: "The five party conference should not hang over to 2017"

[02] Nuland met with Akinci

[03] Plumer: All Greek Cypriot prisoners of war who were transferred to Turkey in 1974 returned back to the island

[04] Cavusoglu on the water issue

[05] Reports suggest that military parades in the breakaway regime to be a thing of the past

[06] CTP "deputy" evaluates the UN draft report as balanced

[07] "Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences" launched its circulation in the occupied area of Cyprus

[08] Occupied Ayios Sergios "municipality" participated in the "Turkic World Municipalities Union" meeting

[09] Opposition party leaders in Turkey call for a referendum on offering citizenship to Syrians

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: "The five party conference should not hang over to 2017"

"The issues of security and guarantees should be discussed at a five party conference", he argued saying that "the period which will start as of September until December is a time period during which we should discuss these issues" and that "the five party conference should definitely not hang over to 2017".

Referring to the meeting held yesterday, Akinci said that it was a detailed work, that they slowly-slowly started discussing technical issues and that they discussed totally eight issues, four of which were under the economy chapter and the rest under the EU chapter.

Akinci said that on the economy chapter the issues are discussed in such detail that even the VAT percentages are taken up and that the final target after the necessary transitional periods will be similar VAT rates for the entire island. He noted that they also discussed the resources to be given by the federal budget to the founding states and the percentage of the contribution to the Turkish Cypriot founding state, which will be financially weaker. He said that convergences were achieved but some differences still remain. "The technical committees will continue discussing the points on which disagreement still exists, but I believe that these issues will not continue to be matters which prevent our way", he added and expressed the belief that they should work more for overcoming the problematic issues in the forthcoming process.

"We believe that when we enter into the issue of territory and guarantees, we should reach the point of ending this issue in a way by continuously meeting", he claimed and argued: "If we do not succeed, we should be able to sincerely say to our people that we solved these points, but we could somehow not overcome the differences between us on this important point".

Akinci said that the federal executive, judiciary and legislative powers will be discussed during the meeting between the leaders on 22 July and the negotiations will continue on 26 July with the issue of internal security and on 29 July with the discussion of the territory "in a form of brain storming" without discussing names of places, percentages and maps.

Asked what will happen in the process following the 29 July meeting, Akinci replied that if they work effectively and successfully during the remaining limited period of time, they could achieve a solution by the end of the year. He added: "Our target to turn 2016 into the year of the solution still continues. In our view, this is an attainable target, but it depends on how effective the forthcoming process will be and how much the sides will come close to each other. On 29 July we will discuss the following program but August is a month for vacations especially in Europe and south Cyprus. Therefore, there will definitely be a two week break in August, but I hope that as of the second half of August and in the following months we will be able to materialize a very serious working program again".

Asked to comment on the UNSG's recent report regarding the UNFICYP, Akinci claimed that what is lacking from the report is that it does not say who is responsible for the non-materialization of the confidence building measures (CBM), why these measures have not been materialized and which source of the problem is. Akinci expressed the view that if the report remains as it is, it will be unjust for the Turkish Cypriot side and added that he would say this to the UNSG's special Adviser Espen Barth Eide during a meeting they would have (13.07.16).

Replying to another question, Akinci said that if other CBMs come onto the agenda the Turkish Cypriots will not avoid them, but wondered whether it would be more correct to implement now the CBMs agreed in the first place.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Nuland met with Akinci

The paper writes that Nuland met with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. Following the end of the meeting she made a short statement: "I had good meetings. Everyone is working intensively. We must continue the intensive work", she said.

(CS)

[03] Plumer: All Greek Cypriot prisoners of war who were transferred to Turkey in 1974 returned back to the island

"They have all returned to the island, we obtained this information by the Red Cross and it exists in the archives", she stated.

Referring to the issue of the excavation in occupied Ashia village, Plumer stated that the village has been included to the excavation program with the support of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. "As soon as we start the necessary technical work we will share with the public the date of the excavations' beginning", she stated.

Plumer went on and added that the issue of missing people is an extremely sensitive and humanitarian issue and called on the press to behave towards it with responsibility and sensitivity.

(CS)

[04] Cavusoglu on the water issue

Cavusoglu evaluated the transitional period of the water brought to the "TRNC" as part of the water supply project.

(?)Referring to the discussions regarding the pricing of water, Cavusoglu said that the "government "on behalf of the "municipalities" will purchase the water for 2.30 TL per ton from the Turkish State Hydraulic Works (DSI).

He underlined that the "government" will not force the "municipalities" to adopt a single price policy.

[05] Reports suggest that military parades in the breakaway regime to be a thing of the past

The paper argues that this year's military parade and "standard ceremonies" for the celebration of the Turkish invasion on July 20 will be the last ones. It goes on writing that the cost of the parades as well as the reaction of the public for the roads that are closed for rehearsals, made the "government" to start thinking of new ways for "celebrating".

Referring to the same sources, the paper writes that changes will be made in other events connected with the "celebrations", like the laying of wreaths in monuments and the receptions organized.

(CS)

[06] CTP "deputy" evaluates the UN draft report as balanced

Evaluating the draft copy of the UNSG Ban Ki-moon's report, Sahali noted that it is not possible the report to please everyone, adding however that this report was balanced. There was, as he argues, a restrained optimism.

(DPs)

[07] "Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences" launched its circulation in the occupied area of Cyprus

Speaking at the press conference, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot medical association Filiz Besim referred to the problems of the health sector. She stressed that the health system in the occupied area has collapsed.

(DPs)

[08] Occupied Ayios Sergios "municipality" participated in the "Turkic World Municipalities Union" meeting

Speaking to the paper, Demir stated that they tried to find ways for co-operation between the "municipalities" and that they made steps towards strengthening their "bilateral relations".

(CS)

[09] Opposition party leaders in Turkey call for a referendum on offering citizenship to Syrians

"What is the reason are you giving Syrians citizenship? If you insist on it, you always talk about the 'national will,' so let's ask the people," Kilicdaroglu said adding that Turkey should rebuild houses demolished in Syria rather than giving homes in Turkey to Syrians.

Meanwhile, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas has called on President Erdogan to hold a referendum on his suggestion to grant citizenship to Syrian migrants, arguing that such a plan would only "ignite further racism" against Syrians in Turkey, who number up to three million.

"They are using Syrians as a tool of domestic politics. First of all, the President has no such jurisdiction to decide on this by himself. But if he trusts himself so much, then OK let's take it to a referendum," said Demirtas.

"Without convincing the people and by only fueling the racist, chauvinistic wave against our Syrian brothers by fueling nationalism, you cannot solve this issue," he added, saying racism will be triggered more when people are told that Syrians would be granted citizenship due to inequality, poverty, and unemployment in Turkey.

Demirtas also warned that there are concerns in Turkey's east about the "geographic annexation" of migrants, and he slammed plans to grant state Housing Administration of Turkey (TOKI) homes to Syrians becoming Turkish citizens, saying that such a move would not be based on any existing law.

(?)

On the same issue, the leader of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli has criticized Erdogan over his remarks on offering citizenship to Syrians who are taking refuge in Turkey.

"The issues regarding citizenship are not in the authority of the Presidency. Turkish citizenship is not a title that is left to the will of the Presidency," Bahceli said during the parliamentary group meeting of his party on July 12, as he added that "the social dilemmas caused by Syrians threaten the peace of society."

"We can share our bread, show the generosity of the Turkish nation and provide humanitarian help to the ones who need it; we don't object to any of these. Bringing citizenship to the agenda with the calculation of votes is irresponsible. If there were TOKI [the Housing Development Administration of Turkey] houses that could be given to the Syrians, why weren't they given to the noble children of this nation?" Bahceli asked.

(?) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(AK/ AM)

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