Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-09-13

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

CONTENTS

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci met with Siber, Ozgurgun and Denktas; They expect an "objective" Cyprus report by the UN

[02] Columnist describes Prime Ministers Tsipras and Yildirim as the "UN's last trump card" on Cyprus

[03] Akinci due to Istanbul

[04] Siber reacted over Denktas' statement that they will not adopt the winter time in the "TRNC"

[05] Reactions by "trade unions" on the "decision" not to adopt the winter time in the "TRNC"

[06] Saner to hold contacts in Turkey

[07] Celik and Cavusoglu on the demands of freezing German arms export to Turkey

[08] Lawyers of two Turkish hunger-striking educators detained ahead of first hearing

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci met with Siber, Ozgurgun and Denktas; They expect an "objective" Cyprus report by the UN

In statements after he meeting with Akinci, Siber argued that they expect from the UNSG Antonio Guterres to "reflect the situation in a concrete manner" in his report on Cyprus and they want the report to be "objective". Noting that the negotiating process had been held with the participation on the UNSG and other observers, Siber said that a solution based on the UN parameters of bi-zonality, bi-communality and political equality could not be achieved. She argued that the "realities" on this issue had been repeatedly expressed by her, Akinci the political party leaders and neutral observers. She alleged the following:

"The prevailing view in the Greek Cypriot side is in the continuation of the status quo. This is what we all think. Therefore, the UN report is very important for us. […] We have a communal entity. Community does not mean a mass of people. Community is a structure with its democracy, judiciary and parliamentary system. The UN must respect the existence of this structure and build institutional relations with us, because with this behaviour the other side is invited for not considering us as equals in any partnership or solution".

Siber alleged also that they should act in order for the existence of the Turkish Cypriots as community is respected by the world and for the lifting of the so-called isolation and "embargoes" allegedly implemented on them. "We expect from the UN that the report will be objective in this direction", she claimed.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the "government" after a working lunch with Akinci, Ozgurgun said that they will once more evaluate the situation with Akinci after the latter's contacts in New York and argued that the next week's meeting will be the first after it had allegedly been seen that the Greek Cypriot side was not ready for a solution on the basis of the UN parameters in spite of all efforts exerted with good will. He alleged: "This is the first point which should be stressed here, because the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey offered every support and made openings for reaching a solution within the framework of these parameters with all their good will. However, the Greek Cypriot side clearly showed that it is not ready on this issue. The contacts in New York will be held within this framework".

(I/Ts.)

[02] Columnist describes Prime Ministers Tsipras and Yildirim as the "UN's last trump card" on Cyprus

Noting that the time of the meeting between the UNSG and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in New York has not been announced yet, Ekmekci expresses the view that nothing will come out from this meeting and that Akinci will once more explain to the UNSG the Turkish Cypriot position and will for finding a solution and ask for the UN to remain active on the issue.

The columnist notes that Akinci thinks that President Anastasiades is regulating his actions according to the 2018 presidential elections and adds that Akinci does not wish a meeting with President Anastasiades for the Cyprus negotiations during this period. In this sense Akinci has "closed the shop" until the elections, he says, arguing that President Anastasiades also does not want such a meeting.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Akinci due to Istanbul

According to a press release by his office, Akinci will address the business people at the conference tomorrow.

During his address Akinci will evaluate the latest situation reached on the Cyprus issue following the collapse of the Cyprus talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

The President of the TOBB Rifat Hisarc?kl?oglu, the President of the IKV Ayhan Zeytinoglu and the Chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Fikri Toros will deliver the opening speeches at the conference.

[04] Siber reacted over Denktas' statement that they will not adopt the winter time in the "TRNC"

Commenting on these statements after her meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci yesterday, Siber stated that she has discussed the issue with Akinci and added: "We have to discuss the issue, we have to discuss and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this issue and exchange views with government officials. The reality is this: It is not healthy for our children to go to school in the darkness in the early morning hours. The experts say this", Siber stressed.

(AK)

[05] Reactions by "trade unions" on the "decision" not to adopt the winter time in the "TRNC"

All "trade unions" condemned in their statements the "decision of the government not to implement the winter time" and described this "decision" as an "imposition". The trade unions called everyone in the "TRNC" to support their common struggle for resistance, underlining that the continuation of the summer time will cause serious problems and dangers not only for the "workers in the public sector" and the students but also for all the "workers" in the "country". The "trade unions" supported further that this "decision" will increase also the risk for traffic accidents.

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (13.09.17) reports that there are serious disagreements and conflicts inside the "government" concerning the "decision not to adopt the winter time". Invoking reliable information, the paper writes that the so-called prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun and the so-called foreign minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu insist on the continuation of the summer time which the paper describes as "Saudi Arabia time", while, on the other hand, Serdar Denktas insists on the changing of the summer time.

The paper adds further that due to this dispute, Ozgurgun delayed to make statements on this issue. Yesterday, Denktas stated that the time will not change in the "country", adding that Ozgurgun will make further statements on this issue. The "public opinion" expects with anxiety what Ozgurgun will say on this issue, the paper writes.

(AK)

[06] Saner to hold contacts in Turkey

Saner will be returning to the occupied area of Cyprus on Saturday the 16th of September.

[07] Celik and Cavusoglu on the demands of freezing German arms export to Turkey

The decision prompted a swift reaction from Ankara, with Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik telling reporters on Sept. 12 that it weakens Ankara's fight against terrorism and makes Europe more vulnerable.

"We have put on hold all big requests [for arms exports] that Turkey has sent us and these are really not a few," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sept. 11 said during a panel discussion organized by German business daily Handelsblatt.

The comments came after a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Berlin said another German couple was believed to have been detained in Turkey on political charges.

Gabriel, a senior member of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition, pointed out that Berlin was obliged to send arms to a NATO ally, if requested. But he said this was currently not possible so that nearly all arms exports were put on ice.

Gabriel said there were only a few exemptions, such as if the government's decision was tied to international agreements or if the requested exports were about vehicles, not weapons.

Commenting on the move, Celik said during a meeting in London that "the German Foreign Minister must formulate his comments seriously".

"This decision will weaken Turkey's fight against terrorism, and weakening the Turkish fight would mean making Europe's future more vulnerable," Celik said, adding that the mentioned arms are being used in the struggle against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Germany must leave security issues out of political discussions".

In addition, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also said his German counterpart's statements on an arms embargo were "not appropriate" for a Foreign Minister.

Cavusoglu told reporters that Turkey found Merkel's stance more suitable, and added that attempts to drum up support by attacking Turkey ahead of Germany's election later this month would yield no result.

Relations between Ankara and Berlin have recently been at odds over a number of issues, particularly in the wake of the July 2016 failed coup.

Berlin's arms move came only one day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ankara has already paid a deposit to Moscow for the purchase of the S-400 anti-ballistic missile system, despite opposition from its NATO allies.

On the same issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency (online, 12.09.17) reports that Cavusoglu, responding to remarks by his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, told at a joint press conference in Ankara with his visiting Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif that "these kinds of approaches actually cause the strengthening of our own defence industry".

"In this sense we increase national and local production in all areas. We produce our own fighter jets and helicopters. Turkey is never desperate", Cavusoglu added.

Sales by top Turkish arms companies rose by more than 10% in 2015, according to an analysis released last December which also put Turkey's ASELSAN and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) among the world's top 100 arms firms.

[08] Lawyers of two Turkish hunger-striking educators detained ahead of first hearing

The People's Law Office ("Halk?n Hukuk Burosu) lawyers were taken into custody after simultaneous operations on early Sept. 12 across five cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, following a warrant from the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office also accusing the lawyers of "being members of a terrorist organization."

Nuriye Gulmen and Semih Ozakca began their hunger strike in April after being dismissed from their jobs with state of emergency decrees, demanding to be reinstated to their jobs. They were arrested on May 23, on the 75th day of their hunger strike, on terror charges.

Esra Ozakca, Semih Ozakca's wife, said all lawyers in the case were taken into custody two days before the educators' hearings, to be held on Sept. 14 at the Ankara 19th Heavy Criminal Court.

"Shortly before their first hearing, they were left without lawyers amid an already existing restriction on lawyer visits", Esra Ozakca said on the 114th day of her hunger strike, which she began to be in solidarity with the two educators.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu previously claimed that Gulmen and Ozakca had "organic ties" with the outlawed Revolutionary People's Liberation Party - Front (DHKP-C). TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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