Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-08-02

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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 met with Lord Balfe

[02] Self-styled ambassador Kanbay announces anti-Gulen operations in the occupied area of Cyprus

[03] Turkish Cypriot daily publishes a so-called "road map" for a solution in Cyprus

[04] New generals were appointed in command of the Turkish occupation army in Cyprus

[05] Denktas said that he does not believe than an outcome would be reached at the Cyprus talks

[06] Reddediyoruz Platform is organizing a demonstration tomorrow

[07] "Supporting Turkish democracy" rally to be held in the breakaway regime

[08] Tatar calls on Akinci to conduct "serious struggle" towards the Greek Cypriots

[09] The Social Democrat Party (SDP) said that the breakaway regime will become Turkey's 82nd province

[10] Erdogan invites party leaders to huge anti-coup rally

[11] Turkish lawmakers in US to brief regarding the failed coup

[12] Top US military officer reiterates support for Turkish democracy

[13] Turkish FM hits back at Austrian counterpart on Twitter

[14] Coup attempt cost Turkey's economy $100 billion

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci met with Lord Balfe

Akinci's Special Adviser for Political Affairs and History Meltem Onurkan Samani and Special Adviser for Diplomacy and the EU Erhan Ercin were also present during the meeting.

No statement was made to the press before or after the meeting.

[02] Self-styled ambassador Kanbay announces anti-Gulen operations in the occupied area of Cyprus

"We have for a long time been cooperating and working with the TRNC government to eliminate, to prohibit their actions", added Kanbay in statements to Anatolia news agency.

Noting that they are expecting the influence of the coup in the "administration" of the breakaway regime and his own work to be at the minimum level, Kanbay said that he does not see a very serious negative influence at the moment.

Recalling that after the coup attempt, the breakaway regime has included Feto in the list of the terrorist organizations and prohibited its activities, he noted that they will continue together their actions for eliminating this organization's personnel and structure.

He alleged that the declaration of an extraordinary situation in Turkey does not aim at restraining normal life and preventing human rights, but at bringing to surface the members of Gulen's organization which existed in the state and eliminate them.

Kanbay said that there will be no obstacle for the Turkish academicians who work in the "universities" that operate in the occupied area of Cyprus and that some "positive projects", economic and commercial activities between Turkey and the occupied area of Cyprus are continuing without a change. He announced that there might be some dismissals regarding these projects within the forthcoming period, but they will not influence the work they are carrying out here. "We are continuing our efforts for the development and advancement of the TRNC in the fields of education, culture and commerce", he said adding that there will be no stop or postponement in these efforts and that all of them are doing whatever they can for life to continue as usual in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Referring to the Cyprus negotiations, Kanbay claimed that the coup attempt will not create any negative development or obstacle for the negotiations and alleged that as the state and the government of Turkey they hope that the negotiations will reach a positive result. He argued that the "most appropriate conditions for the negotiations to result to a lasting agreement and a viable solution exist" and described the solution of the Cyprus problem as "important" from the point of view of strengthening stability and peace in Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and protecting Turkey's political and economic interests in this area.

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (02.08.16) refers to the issue and recalls statements made by Huseyin Ozgurgun, the self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, who had said that they had no concrete information regarding activities of the Feto organization in the occupied area of the island. Pointing out that Kanbay's statements are completely different than those made by Ozgurgun, the paper wonders who we should believe: "the puppet prime minister or the governor who is dressed like an ambassador?"

(I/Ts.)

[03] Turkish Cypriot daily publishes a so-called "road map" for a solution in Cyprus

Citing information by diplomatic sources, the paper writes that during the seven crucial meetings from 23 August until 14 September, all issues will be discussed again with the aim of minimizing the obstacles. The target is for going to New York with the negotiating teams after 14 September and for holding a Cyprus summit with the UNSG.

According to the paper's information, more than 90% of the issues have been agreed on four chapters, except the territory and the guarantees, and in case the two sides reach an agreement, the aim is for a five-party international conference to be convened in the first week of November for the discussion of the issues of the guarantees and security. It is considered that a "framework agreement" will come up from this five-party conference. After this "framework agreement", a detailed plan will be prepared, the people will be informed about this plan and a referendum will be conducted within March 2017 the latest.

(I/Ts.)

[04] New generals were appointed in command of the Turkish occupation army in Cyprus

The paper also writes that Brigadier General Erol Saner is appointed as commander of the 39th Merchandised Division in the occupied area of Cyprus and Brigadier General Faruk Yilkdirim as commander of the 28th Merchandised Infantry Division.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (02.08.16) reports that General Pac had served as commander of the 39th Merchandised Division in the occupied area of Cyprus during the period 2010-2012. Under the title "He is silently saying farewell", Havadis writes also that Bozkurt has surprisingly asked to be retired and yesterday paid farewell visits to Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci, the "speaker" of the "assembly" Siber and "prime minister" Ozgurgun.

Havadis' director Basaran Duzgun writes in his column today that Bozkurt's name was in the list of those who would continue their duty after the coup attempt in Turkey, but yesterday he "untimely and unexpectedly started" paying farewell visits. He notes that some newspapers and television stations had argued that Bozkurt would be dismissed, but no one reacted to this information.

The same columnist recalls also that the army had been bound to political authorities in Turkey after the coup of 15 July and notes that the same situation is valid for the occupation forces in Cyprus, the so-called security forces and the so-called police of the regime. The "small difference", he notes, is that the occupation army, the "security forces" and the regime's "police" are bound to the political authorities of Turkey and not to the self-styled government.

(I/Ts.)

[05] Denktas said that he does not believe than an outcome would be reached at the Cyprus talks

Speaking during an event organized by the Democratic Party (DP), Denktas expressed his view that the UN could put forward a document that contains a conciliation formula that it believes may work. He claimed that while the Greek Cypriot side during the negotiations process is quite comfortably and clearly displaying its stance, the Turkish Cypriot sides' negotiating team's approach is "the Turkish Cypriot side needs a solution otherwise we will go under".

He said that as the "government" they have not and will not take any initiatives that would sabotage Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci's negotiations process and that they had informed him of this as well. "We as the government are ready to assist the negotiations process if they want our help, but the agreement to emerge will go to a referendum and the two parties will decide separately whether or not they will support the solution document that will emerge", Denktas added.

"When the time comes if our sensitivities have not been overcome then we will speak with the public and reveal the traps that remain and will try to convince them to reject the agreement", Denktas concluded.

[06] Reddediyoruz Platform is organizing a demonstration tomorrow

The decision of the "court" will be announced on August 5.

The marching will be held in the occupied part of Lefkosia and the demonstration will take place in front of the so-called assembly.

(CS)

[07] "Supporting Turkish democracy" rally to be held in the breakaway regime

According to the paper, this is a demonstration of support towards Turkey's democracy and towards the Turkish people by the "daughter land".

Reporting on the same issue, Afrika writes that the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Social Democrat Party (SDP) stated that they fully support the rally and will participate in it.

(CS)

[08] Tatar calls on Akinci to conduct "serious struggle" towards the Greek Cypriots

Tatar who issued a written statement said that Akinci should do so "serious as regards the various steps taken by the Greek Cypriots on the issue of the natural gas who "ignore both the Turkish Cypriots and the negotiation procedure", as he claimed.

He went on and added that the third round of licenses has been completed recently and that in 2017 steps will be taken for launching new drillings. Akinci should react towards these developments, Tatar said.

He also claimed that the Greek Cypriot side does not exert efforts for reaching a solution by the end of 2016 and at the same time asks for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the island.

(CS)

[09] The Social Democrat Party (SDP) said that the breakaway regime will become Turkey's 82nd province

The party's chairman Tozun Tunali stated that Turkey's activities at the occupied area of Cyprus are increased because the "government" is having a not serious stance and added that soon the "TRNC" will become Turkey's 82nd province.

(CS)

[10] Erdogan invites party leaders to huge anti-coup rally

Presidential sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said the letters signed by the presidential secretary general, Fahri Kasirga, were sent to the respective secretaries general of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) chairman, Binali Yildirim, as well as Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli.

The letter hailed the "courageous and determined resistance" of the Turkish nation which helped defeat the July 15 coup attempt by "a group of Fetullah Gulen terrorists in the Turkish Armed Forces, disguised in military uniform."

The letter also touted the "strong stance" shown by the parties in the name of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law both during and in the coup bid's aftermath, which has become a symbol of people coming from all walks of life standing united to "protect the country and the future of its people".

The massive rally was announced by Erdogan on Saturday, is billed as an event that will attract participation from citizens, political leaders, top military officers, musicians, and athletes. "Let the nation be there together, accelerating the process of normalization is extremely important for our country", Erdogan said.

[11] Turkish lawmakers in US to brief regarding the failed coup

The team will meet with senior U.S. officials and it is expected that Turkey's extradition request for the coup plot's mastermind, Fetullah Terror Organization's (FETO) leader Fetullah Gulen, will be high on the agenda.

The group on Monday visited the Turkish embassy in Washington DC, where they were briefed on the latest developments between the two countries following the overthrow attempt. They also met with Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Leslie Caldwell.

A joint group from the Justice and State Departments is currently analysing the extradition request.

The Turkish lawmakers will later meet with the foreign press and visit the Foundation for Political Economic and Social Research (SETA) think tank.

On Tuesday, they will meet with Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and will separately meet representatives of the Atlantic Council and Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tanks.

During the U.S. visit, the group will also make a trip to New York.

The visiting team consists of the head of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and the Justice and Development (AK) Party's Malatya lawmaker Taha Ozhan, Kahramanmaras lawmaker Mahir Unal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul lawmaker Oguz Kaan Salici and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Erzurum lawmaker Kamil Aydin.

[12] Top US military officer reiterates support for Turkish democracy

According to a statement posted on the ministry's website, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford strongly condemned the recent coup attempt which martyred more than 230 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.

Dunford reiterated that the U.S. was in full support of the democratic system in Turkey, and would continue to cooperate with Turkey in all areas, including the military, said the statement.

During the meeting, Yildirim underlined the significance of the "open and determined" stance the U.S. adopted against the coup bid, which he said was "the biggest threat ever against Turkish democracy and the Turkish people".

Yildirim also reiterated Ankara's expectation that Washington extradite Fetullah Gulen.

Earlier, Dunford visited the Parliament building with his Turkish counterpart Gen. Hulusi Akar and was shown the bombed areas of the building. He also met with Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman.

[13] Turkish FM hits back at Austrian counterpart on Twitter

Writing about a recent interview that Cavusoglu gave to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Austrian Foreign Minister tweeted "I do not accept Cavusoglu's ultimatum and turn it back. The EU cannot proceed with dependencies and must protect its borders".

In the interview, Cavusoglu had said, "We [Turkey] will have to take a step back from the readmission deal and March 18 agreement if visa-free travel is not granted to Turkish citizens". He added that Turkey is expecting an exact date from the EU for visa-free Schengen zone travel and the EU should not see this as a threat.

Replying to Kurtz's tweet, Cavusoglu later said, "Das ist nicht [This is not] ultimatum Sebastian, it is my opinion. Freedom of expression, my friend".

[14] Coup attempt cost Turkey's economy $100 billion

"When we consider all those warplanes, helicopters, weapons, bombs and buildings, the cost is 300 billion liras at minimum according to our prior calculations. The exact cost may likely increase when the detailed calculations are made. There will also be various costs in the medium-term. For instance, many orders from abroad have been cancelled. Many foreigners have halted their Turkey visits. The coup plotters have unfortunately created a Turkey image as if it were a third world country. People who see tanks in the streets and the Parliament bombed will not come to Turkey. All of these create costs in the medium-term", Tufenkci said in a meeting with a group of journalists in Ankara.

Meanwhile, Ankara Anatolia news agency (02.08.16) reports that Prime Minister Binali Yildirim alleged late Monday that Turkey and its economy are stronger than before the recent deadly coup attempt. "Our economy is still as steady as a rock. There was not even a minor economic shock. But, this situation disturbed some sides", Yildirim claimed during a teleconference in Ankara.

Those unnerved included Standard and Poor's, that decided to cut Turkey's rating. That decision depicts the company's "bias", Yildirim alleged. "They downgraded Turkey's rate. Let it be, let them drop Turkey's rating. But we do not stand still with the help of their rate", he added. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.pio.gov.cy

(DPs /AM)

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