Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-12-14

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: There is no need for the Permanent Five to participate in a conference for Cyprus in Geneva

[02] Izcan: "Democracy the only way out for the attacks against Turkey"

[03] Cavusoglu says some members of European Parliament 'support the same ideology' as PKK

[04] Turkey detains over 550 suspects in anti-terror sweep

[05] Turkey's PM meets opposition chairmen except HDP to discuss anti-terror fight

[06] Turkish Deputy PM: Preparations for final operation on Syria's al-Bab underway

[07] Eight more "TRNC citizenships" were granted and seven were annulled

[08] Turkish Parliament speaker meets parties after punches fly at General Assembly

[09] Turkey becomes Black Sea Economic Cooperation President

[10] An ancient tomb was discovered in the occupied village of Vatili

[11] The walls in the occupied part of Nicosia are under the risk of collapsing

[12] A cable-railway to be established in occupied Lapithos

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: There is no need for the Permanent Five to participate in a conference for Cyprus in Geneva

"The UN is already engaged and the UN Security Council supports the procedure", he said arguing that the only exception could be the EU, which could be present at the conference in the same manner it had been at Burgenstock in 2004. He alleged that there will be absolutely no problem if we remain committed to a form of conference like the one in Burgenstock and added:

"You know, within the framework of the agreement we reached on 1 December, there will be a meeting on 9 January in Geneva. The two sides will be meeting until 11 January. After that the five-party conference will start as of 12 January".

Akinci noted that another element of the agreement is that the negotiators will be holding intensive meetings by 9 January in an effort to close the pending issues by achieving new convergences and that the process between 9 and 12 January will be held without any preconditions.

Akinci said that the negotiators discussed issues such as the federal laws, the jurisdiction, the powers of the federal government, the relations between the federal government and the constituent states, the foreign relations, the police and the work of the EU ad hoc committee. He said that they decided to hold a few meetings with President Anastasiades by 9 January and they will probably meet on 20 or 22 December and once or twice in January before going to Geneva.

Wishing for the differences to be minimized, Akinci said that everybody knows that some issues will remain pending by 9 January and some of them may remain open after 12 January as well, but the framework of the guidelines of a solution will come up. He added: "However, what we are looking for is a comprehensive solution. We will try to achieve this by filling up the content of this framework. If everything goes well and the negotiations which we will conduct between 9 and 11 January and our work after 12 January with the participation of the guarantor powers give fruits, many issues regarding the federal laws, the constitution and the implementation [of the solution] will be concluded within á few months in 2017. A few months after this, there will be a preparation period for our people and the other community within the framework of a preparatory period for a possible referendum. […]".

Asked to comment on the different terminology used by the sides regarding the international conference in Geneva, Akinci argued that the agreement announced by the UN was very clear and referred to a conference with the participation of the three guarantor powers as of 12 January. "There is one more sentence. And it says that in case it is needed and according to the needs, interested parties may be invited. This will happen if both sides agree and if there is a need", he claimed.

According to Akinci, during his recent visit to Brussels, reference was made to the participation of the EU in the conference. He said that the EU was present in Burgenstock with Commissioner Verhaegen and claimed: "This time Mrs Mogerini or Junker may come. In which capacity however? Not as participant".

Noting that the two communities will discuss five chapters, but the issue of security and guarantees, except for the two communities, concerns also the three guarantor powers which had signed the treaty, Akinci argued: "Therefore, the participants are known. We are referring to a process which will be broadened with the participation of the two communities, their leaderships and the three guarantor powers".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Izcan: "Democracy the only way out for the attacks against Turkey"

He went on to add that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the only way out of the current situation in Turkey. He also said that the problems are not solved with terrorism and added that the reasons that caused terrorism must be faced in order for these attacks to stop.

"The ruling of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) which slaughters democracy and human rights is the reason for the violence and terrorism", he stated.

(CS)

[03] Cavusoglu says some members of European Parliament 'support the same ideology' as PKK

Speaking at a news conference with the Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, Cavusoglu said: "If you support the same ideology [as the PKK], if it requires terrorism, then go to the mountain [referring to the PKK's Qandil Mountain base in Iraq]."

Cavusoglu said there should be a difference drawn between politicians and terrorists.

Referring to a recent meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, Cavusoglu said Turkey also expected a fair approach from rapporteurs and European bodies. "They should consider Turkey an equal partner", he said, adding: "We want to get results now".

Cavusoglu said Turkey had been making great efforts to stop persecution in Aleppo and Syria and in this regard had continued its diplomatic contacts with Iran, Russia and other countries.

Czech Republic Foreign Minister Zaoralek expressed his condolences to Turkey for those martyred in the Saturday terrorist attacks in Istanbul.

Referring also to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO, which is believed to have organized the coup attempt in Turkey, he said the Czech Republic was one of the first counties to condemn the July 15 violence.

[04] Turkey detains over 550 suspects in anti-terror sweep

Anti-terror operations, which began Monday, were carried out in 28 provinces to detain the suspects that included members of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who had allegedly participated in activities organized by the PKK terrorist organization and spread propaganda on its behalf, the ministry said in a statement.

The suspects included HDP officials from Adana, Balikkesir, Sanliurfa, Mersin, Manisa, Eskisehir and Gaziantep.

The government has repeatedly accused the HDP of having links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU.

Separately, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Tuesday security forces have hit PKK's major drug trade, which is the PKK's biggest source of income.

[05] Turkey's PM meets opposition chairmen except HDP to discuss anti-terror fight

Opposition chairmen had accepted Yildirim's invitation to hold a meeting following the recent terror attacks.

In a statement released following a central executive board committee earlier on Wednesday, CHP said that the party is ready to provide support to the government in its fight against terrorism.

[06] Turkish Deputy PM: Preparations for final operation on Syria's al-Bab underway

"[Preparations] over al-Bab has come to its final stage. The city has been encircled and preparations for an operation to deal a death blow are being made. I hope this part of the al-Bab campaign will be finalized soon," Kurtulmus stated.

Turkish troops and its Syrian opposition allies kicked off an offensive aiming to lay siege to the city of al-Bab over the weekend following weeks of a standstill in the operation after besieging the west of the ISIL-controlled city in northern Aleppo province.

Nearly 1,000 ditches and a large number of improvised explosives and mines left by ISIL in al-Bab have decelerated the entry of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) into the city, Turkish security forces told Hurriyet Daily News on Dec. 12.

Capturing al-Bab from ISIL is part of Turkey's Euphrates Shield Operation that was launched on August 24.

[07] Eight more "TRNC citizenships" were granted and seven were annulled

The paper reports that the "council of ministers" with a decision on November 21 and 28, 2016, confirmed the "citizenships" of more eight people.

Meanwhile, the "council of ministers" with a decision on November 28, 2016, annulled the "citizenships" of 7 persons, who were granted "citizenship" by the "coalition government" of UBP-DP (National Unity Party – Democratic Party), because they were brought to trial by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP).

The paper publishes the name of those who were granted "citizenships" and those whose "citizenship" was annulled.

(DPs)

[08] Turkish Parliament speaker meets parties after punches fly at General Assembly

Along with the heightened tension at parliament meetings, jailed deputies were also on the agenda of the meeting, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Kahraman convened the group deputy chairpersons of all parties after budget talks at Parliament witnessed a fist fight between ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MPs.

The 45-minute meeting was attended by parliament's deputy speakers Ahmet Ayd?n, Ayse Nur Bahcekap?l? and Pervin Buldan, along with the AKP group deputy chairpersons Mustafa Elitas, Naci Bostanc? and Ilknur Inceoz, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Group Deputy Chair Ozgur Ozel, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Group Deputy Chair Erhan Usta and HDP Mus deputy Ahmet Y?ld?r?m.

During the meeting, Kahraman asked the HDP's Buldan, due to chair the Dec. 13 session in the General Assembly, to remove pictures of imprisoned lawmakers from the HDP's chairs at the Parliament, Anadolu Agency reported.

After Buldan refused this demand, the CHP's Ozel defended the placement of the pictures. "If a lawmaker has committed a crime, it has to be proven. But if there is no guilt, there should be no such thing as arrested deputies", he added.

Ozel also asked for a solution to be found on the problem of detained lawmakers, to which Kahraman responded that the Parliamentary Speaker's Office is working on a "comprehensive study" to allow the Deputies to participate in legislative activities.

Tension rose during budget talks on Dec. 12, when AKP lawmakers accused HDP representatives of not distancing themselves from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The temperature rose further after the HDP deputies referred to their party's jailed Deputies and asked the AKP group to investigate corruption allegations against its own party members.

Ten Kurdish issue-focused HDP lawmakers are currently in jail on terror charges, in addition to party co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag. In their absence, the HDP group has placed pictures of the imprisoned lawmakers on their seats at parliament.

[09] Turkey becomes Black Sea Economic Cooperation President

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz took the role on behalf of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. "Our presidency comes with the 25th anniversary of the organization with a meeting in Istanbul in June. One of our priorities will be finalizing the process of the reforms that has been started in the organization so it could be more effective," said Yildiz.

Established in 1992, the BSEC calls itself a "multilateral political and economic initiative" aimed at peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region.

The organization consists of 11 members; Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Romania, Greece and Bulgaria hold dual membership of the EU and BSEC.

The next BSEC General Assembly will be held in June 2017 in Turkey.

[10] An ancient tomb was discovered in the occupied village of Vatili

According to the paper, the ancient tomb was discovered by accident after the collapse of the road in the village. The ancient tomb belongs to the Cipro Classic Period. Inside the tomb, several ceramics, jewellery and jugs were found.

In a statement on the issue, the so-called antiquities and museums department announced that another ancient tomb was discovered in the same area in the past and stated that they will continue excavation works in this area.

(AK)

[11] The walls in the occupied part of Nicosia are under the risk of collapsing

In statements on the issue, Dr Serkan Ilseven, "member of the administration board" of "CEKOVA", warned about a possible demolition of the walls since a forest has been created near the walls and if the trees continue to grow, this would endanger the future of the walls.

Ilseven asked for measures to be taken by the so-called antiquities department in order to find a solution the soonest possible.

(AK)

[12] A cable-railway to be established in occupied Lapithos

According to the paper, the cable-railway line will start and finish at occupied Vasileia village and the beach near occupied Lapithos.

(CS) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.pio.gov.cy

(DPs/ICh)

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article