Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-11-17

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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 briefed the Turkish Cypriot political parties on the Cyprus talks

[02] Akinci's advisor: The Turkish Cypriots should give some land and gain the world

[03] The British Ambassador to Ankara will meet with Akinci

[04] Turkey's Deputy PM: "Turkey's guarantees on Cyprus are a red line"

[05] CHP urged the AKP government no to give concessions on core issues on the Cyprus problem

[06] Hurriyet's correspondent in Washington argues that the Obama administration will take important steps on the Cyprus issue

[07] Diyalog: "Fifty five thousand Greek Cypriots will return"

[08] The "UDI" was "celebrated" in Doha and Budapest

[09] Promotion campaign for "TRNC" tourism in the Netherlands and Belgium

[10] The breakaway regime granted four more "citizenships"

[11] Two entertainment zones will be created in the occupied area of Cyprus

[12] Erdogan asked the release of Morsi; He warned Europe over terrorism

[13] Police detained Van Mayor in Turkey's southeast

[14] Turkish military to hire 30,000 new personnel after post-coup discharges

[15] "The end of the line for Turkey and the EU"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci briefed the Turkish Cypriot political parties on the Cyprus talks

In statements after the meeting, Huseyin Ozgurgun, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime and chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP), said he has doubts as to whether the Greek Cypriot side wants an agreement on the basis of an equal partnership with the Turkish Cypriots. Arguing that this is the agreement which the Turkish Cypriot side is looking for, he alleged that "if we came until here and could not have a result, this is a reflection of the Greek Cypriot side's lack of will". He claimed that in order for having a result, the Greek Cypriot side should take steps on the issues on which it did not agree until today. Ozgurgun argued that a respond should come [from the Greek Cypriot side] to the so-called openings made by Akinci during the negotiations between 7 and 11 November in Switzerland. He said that he will not give details on the content of these openings and he does not want to make any comment on these.

In his statements, Serdar Denktas, chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) and self-styled deputy prime minister of the illegal regime, alleged that they saw clearly that the insincerity and the lack of will of the Greek Cypriot side continues. "We have the view that the same situation will continue to exist after a possible solution", he claimed and added that the "uncertainty" should not continue after the end of 2016 and wished for the "people" to be patient until the end of this year.

Tufan Erhurman, newly elected president of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), alleged that President Anastasiades "has things to do" during the negotiations which will resume on 20 November. He claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side took important steps and similar steps should be taken by President Anastasiades. He said that he will not refer to the content of what he called as openings of the Turkish Cypriot side, but added: "We are relaxed at the point that the Turkish Cypriot side has exhibited courage and creativity".

Cemal Ozyigit, chairman of the Social Democracy Party (DP), has argued that it is the first time in the negotiating process that the Turkish Cypriot side "went so forward" in the negotiations with the capacity and courage" of its own leader and alleged that the Greek Cypriot side was a little bit frightened from this "capability and courage". He wished for the Greek Cypriot side to return to Switzerland with creative proposals.

Under the title "According to all of them, the ball is on Anastasiades", Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (17.11.16) reports that the Turkish Cypriot political party leaders did not share with the public the information given to them by Akinci and made no negative assessment as regards what are called as "Akinci's openings".

In its column "The Hero of the Day", Afrika refers especially to Ozgurgun's statements and reports that he did not share with the public the information given by Akinci, "but from his statements it is understood that Ozgurgun has no objection to the openings made by Akinci and that he is satisfied with them". "What about the solution? He has no hope for this", notes the paper.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Akinci's advisor: The Turkish Cypriots should give some land and gain the world

Speaking at the "committee", Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci's advisor, Gurdal Hudaoglu said that the "TRNC" remained outside the globalization and added that "by taking land we lost the world". He described as important for the Turkish Cypriots to achieve an agreement which will ensure that "they will gain the world in return for some land".

Hudaoglu argued that no agreement was reached on the issue of the "emotional bond" as regards the property chapter and added that according to a legal view derogations might not be needed on some issues. He said that no details were discussed on the issue of the map and that Akinci acts according to his statements. Arguing that perhaps President Anastasiades is being prepared for making an opening, Hudaoglu expressed the view that the recent statements by Archbishop Chrysostomos might be related to this opening. Referring to the economy, he said that the Turkish Cypriot economy will be receiving financial aid until it becomes 85% of the Greek Cypriot economy.

Speaking at the same meeting, Asim Akansoy, "deputy" with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), said that the Turkish Cypriots should make some concessions on the territory issue in return to the gains they have achieved in the governance and power sharing chapter and described as very important to protect the "communal unity" on the issue of the map. "Living in peace in this geographical area, passes through a system reconciled with Turkey", he alleged and added that the drawbacks of the Greek Cypriots should be understood.

Ferdi Sabit Soyer, "deputy" with the CTP, argued that the five-party conference will be very important for the negotiating process and "light for the solution" will be born. Soyer said that the cost of the solution will be higher than the cost of the non-solution for the Turkish Cypriots and added that the security should be searched in the economy and not in the tanks and the guns.

Huseyin Angolemli, "deputy" with the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said that the conditions in the Cyprus problem are matured and that economic reasons, such as the natural gas, bring us closer to the solution.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper (17.11.16) reports that referring to Soyer's statement that the security is in the economy and not in the guns, so-called independent deputy Hasan Tacoy told an anecdote as to how the Green Line had been drawn and argued that "diplomatic power passes through the power of guns". He noted that he is worried because of what he reads in the minutes, where Akinci refers to a "multi-lateral conference", something which Tacoy described as "dangerous jargon". He alleged that derogations are needed on the issues of the population and the property and expressed his concern about a statement reportedly made by UNSG Special Adviser for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide that the Turkish Cypriots should digest that after a possible solution they might not de facto be the majority in the north.

Finally, Mustafa Arabacioglu, "deputy" with the Democratic Party (DP), said that the GDP of the Greek Cypriots is higher than the GDP of the Turkish Cypriots and that in case of a solution the Greek Cypriots will be dominant as regards the population and the economy, something which will be reflected in the properties. Arabacioglu asked what steps are planned for those who will "lose their properties".

(I/Ts.)

[03] The British Ambassador to Ankara will meet with Akinci

Sources told the paper that Ambassador Moore had also visited Cyprus last year in order to be briefed and exchange views on the Cyprus problem and that the current visit has the same aim.

One of the questions which is raised, adds the paper, is why Moore and not the British High Commissioner to Nicosia Mathew Kidd is the one who will meet with Akinci. Moreover, because of the timing of the visit, this is assessed as "a sounding of the ground" by Britain in view of the second round of the talks in Switzerland.

"It is known that even though Britain as guarantor power has not expressed a view in favor of the guarantees, it left a door open for the continuation of its guarantees, in case both sides want this", claims Kibris.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Turkey's Deputy PM: "Turkey's guarantees on Cyprus are a red line"

Speaking at a ceremony for the celebrations of the 33rd anniversary from the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) of Turkey's subordinate administration in the occupied area of Cyprus in Ankara, Canikli said: "The Turkish Cypriots should be ease. Turkey will continue to use its duty as guarantor country in the most powerful way until the end for the security of the Turkish Cypriots".

Stressing that Turkey will continue its support to the "TRNC" for security and economy, Canikli argued that Turkey's guarantees are a red line for them and they cannot make concessions on this.

(DPs)

[05] CHP urged the AKP government no to give concessions on core issues on the Cyprus problem

"Issues concerning treaties of guarantee and alliance should not be left as the last issues [to agree on]. They need to be discussed first. If you persist on [the status of] guarantor [countries] after discussing issues of territory, property, power sharing and governance, then you risk being labelled as the party that opposes a solution," Y?lmaz told reporters at a press conference on November 16, calling for a general assessment on the reunification process with the participation of all political parties.

Criticizing recent Turkish government statements, Y?lmaz said that using the word "concession" was unfortunate at a time when negotiations are ongoing. "If the process breaks down, what will remain in people's memories are the concessions that Turkey and the TRNC accepted," claimed Yilmaz.

"The Cyprus issue is one of Turkey's 'national causes'," Y?lmaz said, stressing that it therefore requires an assessment with the inclusion of all political parties. "After all, it's very probable that the government will call on us to share the cost if they end up hitting the wall tomorrow," he added.

Meanwhile, Yilmaz also blasted the government for using tension between Ankara and the EU as an excuse to redesign the judiciary, the military, and the state bureaucracy according to its own views. He accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of deliberately distancing itself from Brussels in order to continue its attempt to reach one-man rule.

"Negotiations are already frozen. You can't even open a chapter. Deciding to [suspend the accession process] at such a period, by taking the EU's threats seriously and responding to their provocative moves, will only damage Turkey," Y?lmaz said.

[06] Hurriyet's correspondent in Washington argues that the Obama administration will take important steps on the Cyprus issue

On the Cyprus issue, Tanis writes the following: "The two communal leaders in Cyprus will continue the negotiations in Switzerland this weekend. The USA is planning the Cyrpus settlement to be cemented by the end of the year due to the duty changes in the UN and the presidential elections of the Greek Cypriot sector in 2018. The fact that the Obama administration left the duty of the Cyprus dossier to Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US State Department, renders two upcoming critical months. An American high level officer told the paper that 'Turkey needs the 33 thousand Turkish soldiers that are in the island in different place. For example, Syria.' He also noted that Obama administration hinted that it will support the withdrawal of the Turkish soldiers from the island. However, on the issues of compensations, Washington said that they would support the Turkish side. US President Barack Obama, during his visit in Athens, said: 'I think there is a window of opportunity for an agreed settlement of the Cyprus problem for the next weeks or months', adding that transitional periods of adjustment may exist on the Cyprus issue."

(DPs)

[07] Diyalog: "Fifty five thousand Greek Cypriots will return"

According to information cited by the paper, the Greek Cypriot side asked for the return of non-inhabited areas such as the occupied fenced-off city of Varosha and the buffer zone as of the very first day of the solution. It also asked for the coastlines to be adjusted according to the size of the constituent states. "This proposal means that 28% of the TRNC's coastline, which is currently 57%, will pass to the Greek Cypriots", argues the paper.

(I/Ts.)

[08] The "UDI" was "celebrated" in Doha and Budapest

According to a statement issued by the "information department", among the participants at the reception were the Turkish Ambassador to Doha, Ahmet Demirok, foreign diplomats and Ambassadors of other countries, as well as several Qatari and Turkish businessmen.

Speaking during the reception, Plumer expressed support to the "just cause" of the "TRNC" and underlined the important ties that exist between the two "countries".

Plumer further pointed out to the important visit of the so-called foreign minister of the occupation regime to Qatar during the past two years and stressed the need to evaluate the existing potentials for the development of the bilateral ties in the fields of "trade" and "economy".

Plumer also called the Qatari businessmen to invest in the "TRNC".

Meanwhile, the same paper writes that a similar reception was organized also in Budapest, Hungary by the "representative" of the occupation regime in Hungary Selda Cimen.

Among the participants at the reception were Turkey's Ambassador to Budapest, Undersecretary Alattin Temur, and many Hungarian politicians, and scientists.

Speaking during the reception, Cimen described the 15th of November 1983, as an important step towards the "independence" of the Turkish Cypriots and claimed that during the last 33 years "all necessary democratic institutions" were established in the "TRNC". Cimen added that the occupation regime has "24 representation offices and embassies" worldwide, adding that 9 out of them are in Europe. She also said that there are 14 "universities" in the "TRNC" with more than of 90 thousand students.

(AK)

[09] Promotion campaign for "TRNC" tourism in the Netherlands and Belgium

Within the framework of the so-called tourism and environment ministry's activities of advertisements, image and promoting, the "council of ministers" authorized the "ministry" as part of the "public procurement regulation" to be able to pay 500 thousands euro needed for the "protocol" which was signed between the "ministry" and the "Graphica Werbeagentur Gmbh" in order to increase the tourists from the Netherlands and Belgium.

(DPs)

[10] The breakaway regime granted four more "citizenships"

In the meeting dated October 25, 2016, the "council of ministers" granted "citizenship" to Hakan Baris Teksoz, born in Ankara in 1974, Harun Gulmez, born in Izmir in 1971, to Dr Renate Qureshi, born in Austria in 1951 and to Dr Abdul Wahab Qureshi, born in Austria, in 1945.

The "citizenships" were "granted" according to "article 9(1) (B) of the "civil code".

(DPs)

[11] Two entertainment zones will be created in the occupied area of Cyprus

Ataoglu further said that the "town planning department" has launched works for determining the suitable land.

Meanwhile, Ataoglu will fly to Azerbaijan on November 30 for promotion works on tourism.

(DPs)

[12] Erdogan asked the release of Morsi; He warned Europe over terrorism

"A just process has not been implemented for Morsi and his friends. Their immediate release is what really should occur, not just a retrial for Morsi and his companions," Erdogan said.

Following his recent criticisms toward European countries with regards to the fight against PKK, Erdogan once more lashed out at Germany and Belgium.

"They express counter-terrorism efforts but we are no longer leaning toward such expressions. We want action," Erdogan said following a question about the recent visit of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Ankara on November 15.

"I have given 4,000 files to Chancellor [Angela Merkel] previously. In a meeting about five months ago, she said the number of those files had increased to 4,500. According to records we have, six cases were completed in the German Parliament, their own statement indicates. An official accompanying Foreign Minister said yesterday that 90 cases were finalized. He found it strange. It reveals how sloppy they are in handling this," Erdogan said.

"If you take this that loose for that long, tomorrow it will turn back on you like a boomerang. It will hit Germany, too. I have no doubt about it," he added.

Erdogan also criticized Belgium for protecting PKK and Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETO) members. "Belgium is now an important center of this. It is an important center for not just the PKK but FETO as well," he said, reiterating his argument that this would cause further troubles for Belgium, hinting at a bombing attack in Brussels on March 22.

"Belgium is a very important country because the European Parliament is there. The population of civil servants is very dense there. They have to be more sensitive about that. But they are not. What happened, they have faced a very serious terror attack just recently. But it will continue. Today us, tomorrow you," Erdogan said.

[13] Police detained Van Mayor in Turkey's southeast

Van Governor Ibrahim Tasyapan has been appointed to the mayorship of the province.

The Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Mayor of the city, Bekir Kaya, was detained early on November 17 along with four other municipal officials, as the Interior Ministry also announced that it had suspended from duty the DBP Mayors of Mardin and Siirt, Ahmet Turk and Tuncer Bak?rhan respectively.

Turk and Bak?rhan have been replaced by Interior Ministry officials. Bak?rhan was detained and arrested on November 16.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of the eastern city of Tunceli was also arrested on November 17, after being detained on November 16 as part of an anti-terror investigation. Mehmet Ali Bul was also from the DBP, a sister party of the Kurdish issue-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

(?)

Those detained have all been accused of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Earlier this month, 13 lawmakers from the HDP were arrested. Ten, including co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, remain under arrest awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges.

In October, the DBP co-mayors from Diyarbak?r, the largest city in the southeast, were arrested and jailed pending trial on terrorism charges.

[14] Turkish military to hire 30,000 new personnel after post-coup discharges

The Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it would speed up the process of hiring new personnel. Students fulfilling necessary conditions will be transferred from the relevant branches of universities and non-commissioned officer colleges to the Turkish Military Academy and the Turkish Naval Academy.

The recruitment plan foresees to hire 322 officers, 3,547 petty officers, 7,159 specialized sergeants and 11,907 professional privates; as well enrolling 3,491 new students in the Turkish Military Academy and 1,811 new students in military high schools.

[15] "The end of the line for Turkey and the EU"

"The European Union was never sincere with Turkey. It is still a mystery why it recognized Turkey as a candidate for full membership in 1999, and endorsed the start of negotiations in 2005. It probably believed Turkey could never fulfil the requirements and so there was no risk of appeasing it.

It did not take long though for Europe to show its true face, mostly thanks to Angela Merkel in Germany and Nicolas Sarkozy in France. Worried that Ankara might somehow fulfil the requirements, Merkel produced the "open-ended negotiations" formula.

She said she would allow membership talks to continue in the spirit of 'pacta sunt servanda' but could not promise Turkey that membership was guaranteed even if it fulfilled all the requirements.

What Merkel wanted was a 'special partnership,' which would not amount to full membership, but nevertheless have some perks for Turkey.

Sarkozy was not even that 'generous'. As far as he was (is) concerned, there was no place for Turkey in the EU because it is not a European country. Out of pragmatic considerations, he would allow for negotiations between Turkey and the EU to continue as long as the issues being negotiated did not pertain to full membership.

Europe's insincerity was exemplified once again recently by Britain's Boris Johnson. Having successfully used the topic of Turkey's membership as a scarecrow in order to push for Brexit, he later came out, after Brexit was secured, to say Britain supported Ankara's EU bid.

It's a wonder that Turkish governments put up with all this for so long. But here we come to the other side of the coin. Turkey was never sincere about its membership bid either. A superficially Westernized Turkish elite only desired this as they would membership in an exclusive club.

When it came to fulfilling the requirements for membership, though, Ankara always dragged its feet, especially with regards to issues relating to democracy, human rights and minority rights.

Ankara's argument for doing this was always the same. Turkey is a special case facing special threats and Europe had to understand this and not force things on it that it was incapable of doing. In other words Turkey always wanted membership on its own terms, not on the basis of EU criteria.

The fact that it is accused today of moving toward authoritarianism, and that we in this country are even debating a return of the death penalty, is enough to underscore just how sincere Ankara is about EU membership.

Given this overall picture, it is easy for Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to mount his high horse and blast the EU for its hypocrisy ? which no one denies exists. But what about the hypocrisy and insincerity Turkey demonstrated after it signed the Ankara Agreement in 1963, which was meant to result in full membership?

Had those who profess commitment to the progressive aspirations of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of our modern republic, been sincere, Turkey would not have squandered historic opportunities for integration with Europe, and the state of our ties with the EU today would not be what they are.

This is why President Recep Erdogan's call for a referendum to determine if Turkey will retain its EU membership perspective is not a bad idea, regardless of whether he is sincere about this call or not.

What such a referendum would produce is obvious at this stage. Turks, egged on by Erdogan, would say "end it once and for all." But at least the truth would be out and the pretence ended.

The simple fact is that the EU is not prepared today to admit a predominantly Muslim country, even if that country fulfils all the requirements, while an increasingly Islamized Turkey is not prepared to meet the democratic criteria for membership.

If Turkey and Europe pay a price for "Trexit" in ways they did not expect to, they will have to share the blame. If there is no price to be paid, then we will move to the next stage, whatever that is. At least Turkey's ties with Europe will be placed on a more honest footing". TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.pio.gov.cy

(AK/AM)

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