Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-12-21

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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] Turkish Cypriot politicians sent messages for "Struggle and Martyrs Remembrance Week"

[02] Denktas: "I am more positive than yesterday about the invitation to Geneva"

[03] The political situation in Turkey led to the increase of real estate sales in the breakaway regime

[04] Columnist argues that the "UBP-DP government" implements Turkey's policy to grant more "citizenships" in the occupied area of Cyprus

[05] Russia, Turkey and Iran agree on joint Syria action

[06] Turkey, Russia know Gulenists behind envoy's assassination, FM Cavusoglu tells Kerry

[07] Turkish opposition on Karlov's murder

[08] CHP: Gov't-led charter changes bring constitutional dictatorship

[09] BKP and YKP attended the 5th Congress of EL

[10] Three high-ranking army officers in the occupied area of Cyprus under detention for FETO links

[11] The trade of fish farm products between the occupation regime and the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus will reportedly launch as of 2017

[12] First road tunnel under Istanbul's Bosphorus opens

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Turkish Cypriot politicians sent messages for "Struggle and Martyrs Remembrance Week"

Akinci participated in a laying ceremony at the "Martyrs Monument" in the occupied part of Lefkosia and wrote the following in a special book:

"We once again remember with respect all of those who lost their lives 53 years ago on the 21st December 1963. You unselfishly sacrificed your lives so that our community could live in peace, freedom and happiness. If we are able to look into the future in these lands in security it is because of your great sacrifices" Akinci stated and added that no one wanted new martyrs or missing persons. "We want to establish a good future on this island, one in which future generations can live in peace, happiness, equality, security and prosperity" he wrote, adding that such a future is only possible on the grounds laid by the sacrifices' of the martyrs.

Democrat Bakis (21.12.16) reports that in a statement for the same occasion, "prime minister" Huseyin Ozgurgun said the following: "The Turkish Cypriot people have repeatedly proven their constructive and self- sacrificing manner for a fair and permanent solution in Cyprus"

"We commemorate all of our martyrs who lost their lives for the sake of their motherland. The date of 21 December 1963 passed into the history as a "Bloody Noel" and it is a reality for the Turkish Cypriots which could not be forgotten. [?] Despite these miseries and separation from loved ones, many of whom are still missing, as the Turkish Cypriot people, we never lost our belief. We have continued our determination to become a more powerful state for the next generations", he claimed.

On his part, former Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu alleged that the Turkish Cypriot people are able to call "North Cyprus" their homeland, that they established a state to live in safety , and that they can look to the future with hope despite some troubles, all because of the epic struggle between 21-25 December 1963.

The chairman of the Democratic Party, "deputy prime minister" and "minister of finance" Serdar Denktas, has called on everyone to oppose to a solution plan that will dilute Turkey's active and effective guarantees in Cyprus.

Issuing a message within the framework of the "21st-25th December national struggle and martyrs' week", Denktas has stated that the Cyprus problem has entered into a serious and critical period, claiming the following: "It is the time to follow the developments and be on the alert. We should oppose strongly to a plan that will dilute the guarantorship and will weaken our political equality and sovereignty".

Denktas also reiterated that any solution plan should safeguard the Turkish Cypriot's rights and interests in order for them not to experience the same incidents as in the past.

[02] Denktas: "I am more positive than yesterday about the invitation to Geneva"

In statements to illegal Bayrak television, Denktas said that although he has not read out all documents yet, Akinci's gesture on this issue made him see more positively the issue of his participation to the Cyprus summit in Geneva.

(AK)

[03] The political situation in Turkey led to the increase of real estate sales in the breakaway regime

According to the paper, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot "real estate agents" Hasan Sungur stated that sales have reached the highest point since 2008. As he stated, the main reasons for these development are the fact that many Turkish citizens wants to buy a house in the occupied area due to the political situation in Turkey and also the development in education since many students prefer to buy rather than to rent a house when they decide to study in the breakaway regime.

"Real estate agents" speaking to the paper said that the interest for buying property is very high in occupied Keryneia and that Turkish investors show great interest for down town projects. They also claimed that they sell houses even before they are finished and that due to the Cyprus negotiations properties with "Turkish title deeds" are preferred. However, this year in occupied Keryneia there was an "exposure" of sales even for "equal value" properties as the Greek properties that were given by the regime as an "exchange" to the Turkish Cypriot properties are called.

(CS)

[04] Columnist argues that the "UBP-DP government" implements Turkey's policy to grant more "citizensships" in the occupied area of Cyprus

Ozdag, inter alia, writes: "Before our politicians were exposed to this issue often, sometimes this pressure was revealed orally in some official meetings. The matter of Turkish officials asking in meetings with any TRNC official 'why don't you make more citizens?' should be scrutinized what is the meaning behind this line.

Why do they want to make more citizens? Why are these people not been encouraged towards the 'white identity'.

According to official sources that I obtained, CTP (Republican Turkish Party) , which was holding an important ministry like the interior ministry, a total of 3,916 persons became citizens in three years.

Of course, this figure includes also granting citizenships by naturalization, meaning the citizenship was granted due to the fact that a person of the family is citizen or with marriage?

The main conspicuous is the number of the citizenships granted by the political will and political power.

796 persons obtained citizenship with the approval of the ministry in the last three years when CTP was in power (including 2013).

The most notably of these is the figure in 2013?

I draw your attention that until the 2013 fall, UBP (National Unity Party) was in office solitarily. And UBP granted citizenships with 'ministerial approval' to 350 persons in that year.

In the later years, we see that this figure was regressing, 74 in 2014, and 281 in 2015.

Here I have to say this; obtaining citizenship with 'ministerial approval' stems from gaining the right due to working permission.

It means that during the period that CTP was in the office, citizenships were granted only to persons with 12 seals (working permission) and on the condition that they will fill the 12th year.

Once more, it is possible to see from the data regarding the citizenships; only 91 persons became citizens with a ministerial approval until February, 2016. During the period that CTP was in power, the number of persons who obtained the citizenship with the ministerial approval was quite a little. In 2013, they were only 44 persons (UBP was in power for the half of the year), in 2014, 19 persons, in 2015, 23 and in 2016 only 3. It means that during the period 2013-2016, a total of 90 persons were grated the citizenship with decision of the council of ministers.

I want you attention on the year 2013 and before? when UBP was in office alone?

For example, in 2012, 425 persons became citizens with a ministerial approval.

(?)

From 2004 since today, the number of women who obtained the citizenship through a marriage with a TRNC citizen was 6,378 and in the same period the number of men who obtained the citizenship through a marriage with a TRNC citizen was 3,825? In other words, from 2004 until today a total of 10203 persons were granted citizenship through marriage.

(?)

The issue here is that the family of the person, who obtained citizenship, also obtained citizenship, so the figure of citizenship goes up.

For example, the number of those who obtained a parallel citizenship gaining the advantage of being "wife/husband and child" to those who got citizenship with a ministerial approval from 2004 until today is 4,480?

(?)

According to the period that CTP was is power, the right to apply for a citizenship was acknowledged by those who had at least 12 consecutive years working permit.

The number of those who had consecutive working permit as from December 2015 was 20,762 persons?.

How many persons have 12 consecutive working permit and expect to obtain citizenship? 221?

(?)

Let us return to the matter, why the Turkish officials insist that 'more citizenships should be granted'.

(?)

Even if we don't say it officially, Turkey asks to grant citizenship to those with working permit of 6 consecutive years. This demand was conveyed to the government officials as unofficially when CTP was in power.

The number of those who have working permit for 6 years (by December 2015) in our country as Turkey demanded is 8,627? If we add and the number for 2016, then this number naturally increases?

I draw your attention to this, granting citizenship to these 8,627 persons then with their wives/husbands and their children this number will increase to 34,500!

At this moment, the UBP power, grants citizenships to those who have 11 consecutive working permits. This is the implemented policy.

As you understand, the number of persons who have at least 11 consecutive working permits are around to 1,000?

(?)

Of course, this figure (1,000) is the citizenships that are granted by ministerial approval. There are also those who are granted with a decision of council of ministers? The number of those is still a mystery!... we see in every incoming official gazette that a package after a package of granting new citizenships.

However, it is estimated by sources closed to the government that this number approaches to 500. Within six months, if you add the 1,000 citizenships with ministerial approval and the 500 with a decision of council of ministers, then it reaches to 1,500.

1,500 citizenships easily arise to 5,000 counting their families.

(?)

It is not difficult to say that the policy of the Turkish officials 'to make more citizens' coincides with the political implementation of the UBP-DP coalition government. (?)"

(DPs)

[05] Russia, Turkey and Iran agree on joint Syria action

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Dec. 20 that Russia, Iran and Turkey were ready to act as guarantors in a peace deal between the Syrian government and the opposition.

Lavrov told reporters in Moscow after a tripartite meeting that the three ?inisters had signed a joint statement which states that Russia, Iran and Turkey "express their willingness to help the Syrian government and the opposition draft an agreement and act as its guarantors."

The meeting came one day after Russian Ambassador to Ankara Andrey Karlov was assassinated at an art exhibition in the capital by a policeman who shouted: "Don't forget Aleppo! Don't forget Syria!"

Speaking after Lavrov, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey would continue its efforts for a political solution in Syria, for the widening of a cease-fire across the country and for the interrupted supply of humanitarian aid.

The three ?inisters gathered in Moscow to discuss the situation in Syria and the evacuations in Aleppo.

Prior to Lavrov's announcement, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, said on Dec. 20 that Russian experts had drawn up a "Moscow Declaration" that amounted to a roadmap to end the Syria crisis and that he hoped that Turkey and Iran could support the document.

Shoigu, speaking at meetings in Moscow with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts, said the document was aimed at achieving a cease-fire in Syria.

"All previous attempts by the United States and its partners to agree on coordinated actions were doomed to failure. None of them wielded real influence over the situation on the ground," said Shoigu.

[06] Turkey, Russia know Gulenists behind envoy's assassination, FM Cavusoglu tells Kerry

The sources said that the top diplomat told Kerry "Both Turkey and Russia know the Gulenist Terror Cult (FETO) was behind Russian envoy Andrey Karlov's assassination." The ?mbassador was killed during a speech at an exhibition in Ankara on Monday by a gunman dressed as a guard.

FETO is run by a fugitive named Fetullah Gulen who lives in self-imposed exile in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in rural Pennsylvania. Through his middlemen and militants embedded in the key institutions of the state and the military, the top terrorist tried to overthrow Turkey's democratically elected governments in the December 17-25 operations and the July 15 military coup bid, which both failed.

"Mr. Cavusoglu also briefed his counterpart regarding the attack, and Mr. Kerry conveyed his condolences," the sources added.

The sources also added that the parties discussed the Turkey-Russia-Iran trilateral summit which took place earlier in the same day.

"Mr. Cavusoglu also gave his counterpart information regarding the Cyprus peace talks upon Mr. Kerry's question," the sources said.

[07] Turkish opposition on Karlov's murder

"The connections, if there are any, of the assassin who shot the Russian ?mbassador should be brought to light. It must be enlightened as to whom he was used by," he said.

Noting that he believed that the relations between Turkey and Russia were "established, permanent and deep," Bahceli said relations "cannot be sacrificed to terrorism."

In addition, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu stated that he conveyed his condolences to the family of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov, and called on the government to uncover the ties of the murderer.

"The fact that the person who killed Karlov was a police officer is also a point that we need to stress," he said on the same day in a speech at his party's group meeting, referring to the gunman Mevlut Mert Altintas, a police officer who was reportedly off-duty on that day.

"Another point we need to keep in mind is that he was not captured alive. He was killed. Why did you not catch him alive?" Kilicdaroglu said, calling on the government to investigate the links that led the killer to commit the crime.

[08] CHP: Gov't-led charter changes bring constitutional dictatorship

"We will not allow it to happen," Kilicdaroglu told his party on Dec. 20 after listing seven possible outcomes of the amendment, which was submitted to a panel on Dec. 10.

"If it is enacted, we will create a dictatorship by the Constitution. We will create a dictator who touches everything and cannot be touched," he said.

He cited other possible outcomes as follows:

"Second, Turkey will be pulled away from a democratic regime and will be directed toward an authoritarian regime. Third, no citizen will have security of property, life or law; everything will be delivered into the hands of a dictator. Fourth, there will be no power to supervise the administration; tyranny will prevail. Fifth, a person will become a government, a parliament, and a court; the legislative, executive and jurisdiction will be convened in one hand. Sixth, an unauthorized, incapable and symbolic parliament will emerge. Seventh, we will bury parliament in a grave and consign democracy to history."

Kilicdaroglu's comments came the same day as the parliamentary commission was set to start debating the constitutional amendment. He said he advised his party members in the commission to oppose each statement but not convey any advisory motion.

[09] BKP and YKP attended the 5th Congress of EL

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (21.12.16) reports that the New Cyprus Party (YKP) was also represented at the 5th Congress of the European Left by Murat Kanatli, executive secretary of the party. The party attended the party under the status of observer.

(AK)

[10] Three high-ranking army officers in the occupied area of Cyprus under detention for FETO links

The paper writes that the names and the rank of the army officers are not known yet.

According to reports published by Turkish media, the investigations and operations continue in Turkey against suspects with FETO links.

(?)

(AK)

[11] The trade of fish farm products between the occupation regime and the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus will reportedly launch as of 2017

According to the paper, as of the beginning of 2017, the selling of fish farm products from "north Cyprus" to the "south" will be launched.

In statements to the paper on the issue, Cigdem Aksu, responsible for trade and business development of the KTTO, explained that the inspections and controls at the fish farm production facilities had been launched on 2010. He recalled that the process had stopped due to the oil spill which was experienced near the AKSA facilities. In spite of this, she said, experts support in their reports that the equipment can be recuperate and submitted proposals towards this direction.

(AK)

[12] First road tunnel under Istanbul's Bosphorus opens

The tunnel is slated to open to service early on Dec. 21 for a 15 Turkish Lira ($4.2) entrance fee until the beginning of 2017.

"The toll fees which will be collected until this date will be offered to martyrs' families," stated Erdogan in his speech at the ceremony, also thanking officials and companies for their efforts for the project.

The project is being constructed using a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model that will ultimately cost $1.2 billion. Some $960 million of the amount was provided through international loans, while the remaining amount was financed by the project holders Yapi Merkezi and SK E&K. The project was contracted in 2009 through a joint Turkish-Korean venture later named Eurasia Tunnel Operation Construction and Investment (ATAS). After the completion of the project, the company will run the tunnel for the next 24 years and five months, when the tunnel's operational rights will be transferred to the state.

Erdogan noted that the project would make a contribution of around 150-180 million liras to the Treasury annually for a 24-year term.

The 3.34-km tunnel crossing under the sea, which is also dubbed as the "Istanbul Straight Road Crossing Project," will connect the two continents for a second time under the water. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/AM)

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