Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-06-09

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] Nami: Give and take will definitely be realized in Geneva

[02] Albayrak: "We will commence our first drilling in the Mediterranean before the end of this year"

[03] Ozgurgun stated that Geneva is the last stop for the Cyprus problem while distributing plots to 164 persons at occupied villages

[04] "56 TRNC citizenships were granted by the council of ministers"

[05] A "proposal to clear the criminal record for those who are not TRNC citizens"

[06] Turkey to fund the construction of 400km of roads to the breakaway regime until 2020

[07] HP: "The population of Keryneia has reached to 150 thousands"

[08] Figures by so-called minister Atun on the occupation regime's "local industry"

[09] The Safa Group of Companies to "establish a new university" in the occupied area of Cyprus

[10] A draft bill to adjust Turkey's Constitution to referendum changes

[11] Court issues fifth prison sentence for former HDP co-leader Yuksekdag

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Nami: Give and take will definitely be realized in Geneva

In an exclusive interview with illegal TAK news agency, Nami described the forthcoming Geneva Conference as "a crucial meeting where difficult decisions will be taken" and claimed that the Five-Party International Conference in Geneva will be a roof under which all issues will comprehensively discussed and an effort to reach a result will be exerted.

Nami said that the agenda during the five party form of the conference with the participation of the guarantor powers will be the security and the guarantees and that the other issues which remain open will be discussed by the sides in an interdependent manner.

Referring to the statement made by the UNSG after his recent meeting with the leaders, Nami alleged that the order of the issues which is in this joint statement is not a priority order and that the wording used in this joint statement has put forward the chapters of Governance, Property and Territory because more political will is needed on these issues.

Nami noted that the document, which UNSG's Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barh Eide will prepare, will be based on the technical work done at Mont Pelerin and that the duty assigned to Eide is to gather the documents which include the views of the sides on these issues, their evaluations – if there are any – and include them into a document. "This will only secure that the discussion which will be held at the conference will be held with a more productive manner and a common understanding", he claimed adding that the common document will not be a result of shuttle diplomacy between the sides on the chapter of the Security and Guarantees. "The negotiation of the issue, the give and take, that this, whatever will happen, will happen in Geneva", he said.

Noting that a give and take will definitely take place because the sides covered the distance which would be covered though negotiations without any give and take within every issue itself, Nami argued: "It is very well known which issues remain open and why. What is left is to exhibit political will and materialize the comprehensive solution, by taking difficult decisions, if needed".

Nami further argued that the Turkish side was satisfied with the stance exhibited by President Anastasiades in New York accepting to go to Geneva without preconditions.

Replying to a question regarding the influence of the presidential elections in the Republic of Cyprus in 2018 in taking the above-mentioned difficult decisions, Nami said: "The other side has an election process. Other processes also exist. Other processes which interest the Turkish side, like the hydrocarbon processes, also exist. During the next year elections are provided for here with us. This is why we should see these and reach a comprehensive solution without being attached on these timetables".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Albayrak: "We will commence our first drilling in the Mediterranean before the end of this year"

According to information obtained by the paper, Álbayrak arrived in the occupied airport of Tymbou ("Ercan") in the occupied area of Cyprus with a private plane and from there he flew to Barbaros vessel with a military helicopter.

In a short statement to the press on Barbaros vessel, Albayrak said that Turkey will be more active in research and drilling activities in the region. He also announced that Turkey spent 55 billion dollars on energy and this is hardly the one and a half of its current account deficit.

Stressing that there are great potentials in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, Albayrak said: "There is an important potential in the Eastern Mediterranean. We, as Turkey, will be involved in this, with both a drilling platform and a research".

Meanwhile, Albayrak, who was accompanied by self-styled minister of economy and energy Sunat Atun during the visit on the vessel, attended an iftar fast-breaking meal with the soldiers, the personnel, Atun and the Undersecretary of Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez.

Albayrak also made some statements regarding the activities of Barbaros. Explaining that the vessel has completed two thirds of its 3D seismic research activities, which is approximately one thousand 695 square metre, off the coast of occupied Famagusta, Albayrak noted: "We estimate, accordingly to the new information we obtained, that at this moment the speed goes really well and we will complete by the end of this month all 3D seismic research activities in the area despite the fact that our plan was until July 10. Immediately after, our Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa vessel will continue new 3D seismic research activities from here to the central Mediterranean and we estimate that it will complete its seismic research in two or three areas until by the end of this year. (…) We hope that within this year we will buy our own vessel and we will commence the drilling in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. (…) we will commence our first drilling for natural resources in the Mediterranean before the end of this year."

(DPs)

[03] Ozgurgun stated that Geneva is the last stop for the Cyprus problem while distributing plots to 164 persons at occupied villages

He made these claims during a ceremony where he "distributed" rural plots to 164 persons in the occupied villages of Lythrangomi, Leonarisso and Vasili.

Ozgurgun stated that the Turkish Cypriot side will participate in the Geneva summit for the Cyprus problem. However he expressed his pessimism over the results because as he claimed "the desires of the Greek Cypriots and Greece for enosis, as well as the dreams they make for the territory of the TRNC have not seized".

"Geneva is the last stop. It is not possible for an agreement to be reached while the Greek Cypriots continue with their dreams for enosis and for extinctions of the Turkish Cypriots", Ozgurgun alleged.

Claiming that these dreams that the Greek Cypriots have as well as the latest developments of the Cyprus problem worry them very much, Ozgurgun alleged: "We want an equal, just and permanent agreement. Geneva is the last stop. If a solution is not reached the people of the TRNC must continue with their way. We believe that there is nothing after the summit".

(CS)

[04] "56 TRNC citizenships were granted by the council of ministers"

The names of those who "obtained" the "TRNC citizenship" were published in the "official gazette" with date June 5-6, 2017.

(DPs)

[05] A "proposal to clear the criminal record for those who are not TRNC citizens"

According to Gunduz's proposal, you should not be a "TRNC citizen" in order to clear your criminal record. Those who live in the occupied area of Cyprus with "working permission", "business establishment permission" or "permanent residence permit" and they are not "TRNC citizens", can apply to clear their criminal record.

The paper writes that while the opposition and the NGO's make complaints for the extremely increase of "granting citizenships", a step was taken in order to "clear the criminal records", which prevent many foreigners to obtain the "citizenship". According to the "law", the people, who have a criminal record, cannot obtain the "TRNC citizenship".

Some political circles argued that the principal aim of "law proposal to clear the criminal record" is to remove the obstacle for those who cannot become "TRNC citizens" because of their "criminal record".

(DPs)

[06] Turkey to fund the construction of 400km of roads to the breakaway regime until 2020

Speaking after the meeting, Arslan stated that their aim is the construction of a 400-km ïf roads in the "TRNC" until 2020. As he said, within the framework of the "TRNC highway master plan" 225 km of dual carriage ways and 145 km of single lane roads were aimed to be completed by 2020, adding that 45 million TL grant was allocated for this year.

He also stated that in 11 years, between 2004-2015, "300 million US Dollars in funds were allocated and numerous investments were supported by Turkey with the aim of completing the "TRNC' highway network", improving air and marine transportation and further developing the communications infrastructure.

He also stated that "Turkey attached great importance to enable the Turkish Cypriots to look into their future with confidence as well as to improve their level of development".

On his part, Durust conveyed the "TRNC's needs" for the construction of the occupied Lapithos- Karavas dual carriage way.

(CS)

[07] HP: "The population of Keryneia has reached to 150 thousands"

Pointing out in the statement that the traffic problem becomes more serious every passing day, the HP supported that if counting the population of occupied Keryneia (tourists, students and soldiers), the number has reached to 150 thousands. "This figure,is more than twice than the percentage the current infrastructure of Keryneia can tolerate", HP said.

(AK)

[08] Figures by so-called minister Atun on the occupation regime's "local industry"

"Our goal is for the touristic facilities is the consumption of 100% local products", Atun alleged, adding that they are determined to achieve this.

Claiming that the coverage ratio of the "internal production imports" has been increased from 4% to 7%, Atun alleged that the weight of the industrial sector related with the "Gross domestic product" ("GDP") raised from 8% to 13%. "This is a very important development", Atun said.

(…)

(AK)

[09] The Safa Group of Companies to "establish a new university" in the occupied area of Cyprus

The Safa Group belongs to the known businessman Ali Osmen Safa, owner of the Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris.

The "university" which belongs to Safa Group, has taken last year the "preliminary permissions" from the so-called ministry of education and the so-called higher education planning evaluation, accreditation and coordination council ("YODAK") for its "establishment" and it has already launched contacts with the UK's Edinburg university in order to be able to provide double diplomats.

In this framework, writes the paper, two academic directors of the Edinburg Napier public University, Grant MacKerron and Murray Mac Callum, visited the occupation regime and held contacts with the owner of Safa Group, Ali Ozmen Safa, the so-called foreign minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu and the so-called minister of education Ozdemir Berova.

[10] A draft bill to adjust Turkey's Constitution to referendum changes

The bill would change 132 articles in line with 16 adjustment laws passed in the referendum, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The bill proposes changes to laws including the Military Code of Justice, the Judges and Prosecutors Law, and laws on the Constitutional Court, Council of State, and Supreme Court.

After being reviewed by the Cabinet, the bill is set to be sent to Parliament.

Under the changes, military personnel will be tried in civil courts. In addition, the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors is set to be renamed the Council of Judges and Prosecutors.

Under the changes, the Constitutional Court will have the jurisdiction to try the President; Parliament Speaker; Government Ministers; Members of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and Council State; chief public prosecutors and their deputies; members of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors; the president and members of the Court of Auditors; and the chief of General Staff and branch commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces.

The constitutional changes were first passed by Parliament in an 18-article bill in January, and then approved in a referendum on April 16.

The changes hand wide-ranging executive powers to the President and eliminate the post of Prime Minister, and also allow the President to retain ties to a political party. Other changes include lowering the minimum age for parliamentary candidates to 18 and increasing the number of Deputies to 600.

[11] Court issues fifth prison sentence for former HDP co-leader Yuksekdag

Yuksekdag was sentenced to one year in prison by a court in a case she was accused of "overtly insulting the government of the Turkish Republic," in its final hearing at the Adana 11th Criminal Court on June 7.

She was charged over a press statement and a speech she gave in the southern province of Adana in October 2015.

Yuksekdag's lawyer in court said she had used the same expressions in speeches she delivered in Parliament, demanding she be convicted within her parliamentary immunity.

Yuksekdag was also sentenced to 18 months in prison for "making propaganda for a terrorist organization" in an interview she gave with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

On June 6, the court ruled that Yuksekdag would be charged based on a march she attended in Koln, Germany to protest Turkish air strikes and that her interview with Deutsche Welle was a criminal offense.

This is the fifth sentence Yuksekdag has received and is still being charged in 22 other cases. Four of the five convictions were jail sentences while one was a fine.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.pio.gov.cy

(DPs / AM)

Copyright (C) 2017 Press and Information Office, All rights reserved.

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