Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-10-25

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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] Cavusoglu said that they evaluated with Kotzias the steps to be taken regarding the Cyprus problem

[02] Fifty two more "TRNC citizenships"

[03] Surveys showed that "no party will come to power alone in the upcoming elections"

[04] "Early elections" may be held on January 14

[05] Candan and Ozcenk attends a PACE's meeting in London

[06] More data by Berova on the number of the "universities" and the number of "students" in the occupation regime; statements by Akinci

[07] Ertugruloglu claims that the regime has 27 "representation offices"

[08] The college of theology will not close

[09] Syrian refugees were condemned to seven days in prison

[10] Cavusoglu met with Kotzias in Ankara; Turkey urges Greece not to become refuge for FETO

[11] Erdogan: "Turkish military's Idlib operation almost completed, next is Afrin"

[12] Turkey's Energy Minister announced plans to start construction at Akkuyu nuclear power plant by the end of the year

[13] Name of Meral Aksener's party revealed

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Cavusoglu said that they evaluated with Kotzias the steps to be taken regarding the Cyprus problem

Cavusoglu stated after the meeting that the Cyprus problem was among the issues discussed during the meeting. He said that no results were achieved at the Crans Montana Summit and claimed that Turkey played a very constructive role during the Cyprus talks, focusing on finding a solution.

"We believe that we showed how sincere we are in Crans Montana but unfortunately there was no result during the talks hold there", he stated, adding that they evaluated with Nikos Kotzias the steps to be taken regarding the Cyprus problem. He also said that the solution of the Cyprus problem will benefit all parties.

(CS)

[02] Fifty two more "TRNC citizenships"

The paper reports: "The council of ministers granted 'exceptional' and 'mandatory' citizenships to 52 more persons with the justification of the article 9, paragraph (1), clause (c) of the citizenship law". It further reported that 52 new "TRNC citizenships", which were confirmed in a meeting of the "council of ministers" on October 10 and 17, were published in the "official gazette" dated October 23, 2017.

The names of the persons who obtained the "TRNC citizenship" were also published in the paper.

(DPs)

[03] Surveys showed that "no party will come to power alone in the upcoming elections"

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (25.10.17) reports that Murat Gezici, owner of the company, evaluating the results of the survey, said that comparing to a survey held by Gezici in May, the National Unity Party (UBP) succeeded to pull itself together. He explained that UBP started to make good use of its strong organizational structure as well as its "governmental potentials". He added that the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has also started to recover, in spite of the fact that it is far from its power in the previous "elections".

Meanwhile, Gezici said that the survey results show that the People's Party (HP) is the party that is affected more by the vote fluctuation in the center. Despite the fact that Kudret Ozersay is a strong name, the party has a weak appearance compared to the other parties. It is the first party among the undecided voters. Finally, there is a decrease in its votes in the recent polls.

According to Gezici's results, the DP seems unable to pass the threshold, while the TDP seems to have overcome its problems and preserves a percentage higher than 10%.

The paper also publishes the results of the Gezici survey in May 217 comparing the recent results by including the distribution of undecided and mixed votes in the following table, when the voters asked which party they will vote in the "elections":

Party Name Distribution of undecided and mixed votes (%) May 2017 Distribution of undecided and mixed votes (%) October 2017

National Unity (UBP) 23,4 31,1

Republican Turkish (CTP) 18,1 22,3

People's (HP) 30,8 21,2

Social Democracy (TDP) 10,2 11,2

Communal Liberation (TKP-YG) 2,2 1,3

Democratic (DP) 7,8 4,8

Revival (YDP) 4,8 6,3

United Cyprus (BKP) 1,2 1,0

New Cyprus (YKP) 1,5 0,8

Mixed vote - -

Undecided-I will not vote - -

Total 100 100

Columnist Mert Ozdag, writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (25.10.17) reports that two surveys announced their results on the "elections" in October.

The results of the survey conducted by the Centre for Migration, Identity, and Rights Studies (CMIRS) showed that TKP, BKP and YDP were unable to pass the threshold. The results are the following:

Party name (%)

UBP 34,9

CTP 29,2

HP 16,3

TDP 8,1

TKP - YG 3,3

DP 6,2

YDP 0,6

BKP 1,5

Commenting on the results, Ozdag wrote that according to the results of both surveys the Revival Party (YDP) is the new surprise. He explained that according to CMIRS, YDP does not pass the threshold, while in the Gezici survey, YDP gets 6,3%.

Ozdag further reports that there will be a new "coalition government", since no party will come to power alone.

Meanwhile, the results of GEZICI survey on December 2016 were the following:

National Unity (UBP): 26%

Republican Turkish (CTP): 16%

People's (HP): 38%

Democratic (DP): 5,2%

(DPs)

[04] "Early elections" may be held on January 14

According to the paper, the so-called "higher election committee" suggested the new date because there is a lot of work to be done due to the new "election law" and because of the "new year holidays".

Speaking to Kibris, the head of the so-called parliamentary committee of law, political and foreign affairs Izlem Gurcag, stated that the postponement of the "elections" is possible, but nothing is determined or "official" yet. She also stated that there was not any proposal submitted to the "committee", adding that the "will" for conducting "early elections" will not be lost if the date of the "elections" is postponed for one week later.

(CS)

[05] Candan and Ozcenk attends a PACE's meeting in London

After concluding their contacts in London, Ozcenk and Caglar will return on October 29 in the occupied area of Cyprus.

(DPs)

[06] More data by Berova on the number of the "universities" and the number of "students" in the occupation regime; statements by Akinci

According to Berova, from the 100,629 students, 13,365 are Turkish Cypriots, 55,890 are students from Turkey and 31,374 are students coming from third countries.

In his message, Berova described the "higher education in the TRNC as an indispensable value", claiming that they will continue undertaking steps for the development of the "higher education".

Also, the same paper writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met yesterday with the chairman of the so-called higher education planning evaluation, accreditation and coordination council ("YODAK"), Akile Buke and the "members of the administration board".

Speaking during the meeting, Akinci stated that the number of "universities" in the "TRNC" has reached to 16, adding that there are a lot of universities expecting for "permission" for their "establishment. He further alleged that "there is no problem regarding the opening of universities provided that they offer qualitative education and not quantitative".

(AK)

[07] Ertugruloglu claims that the regime has 27 "representation offices"

Ertugruloglu replied yesterday at the "assembly" to criticism by Zeki Celer, self-styled deputy with the Social Democracy Party (TDP), who argued that the "lobbying activities" of the "TRNC" are insufficient and referred to the financial problems faced by their "representation offices" abroad and the insufficient number of their personnel.

Celer said that lobbying is important for them and added: "If the problem is financial we can solve it with communal mobilization provided that there is transparency. […] Lobbying must be a policy of the state not only of the foreign ministry". He also argued that those who visit the occupied area of Cyprus are not sufficiently briefed within the framework of lobbying.

Ertugruloglu replied that the "budget" of the "ministry" is not sufficient as it is only 1% of the general "budget" adding that he has been saying this for years. He noted that their "representation offices" cannot buy vehicles because of financial difficulties and added that the number of the employees in each "representation office" should be increased at least to four. He also said that they cannot hire personnel in the "ministry" since 2008 adding that six persons are employed in the "information office", six in the "promotion office' and 25 in the "foreign affairs department". According to Ertugruloglu, they should hire 20 persons before the "election ban" starts.

(I/Ts.)

[08] The college of theology will not close

The chairman of the so-called Cyprus association of science, art and ethics, Hikmet Kaynarca thanked the "court" for this decision and alleged that "justice was served even with delay". He claimed that this was an ideological case and that they knew that the college would not be closed, but it was difficult to explain this to their students.

The chairperson of KTOEOS, Selma Eylem said that they will evaluate with their lawyers this decision, which she described as "interesting". She noted that they will continue their struggle.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Syrian refugees were condemned to seven days in prison

Yesterday the Syrian refugees, except for two 16 and 17 year old persons, were taken to "court", which found them guilty and sentenced them to seven days in prison. The case was postponed for 27 October in order for discussions to be carried out for sending the refugees to the UN High Commission in the Republic of Cyprus.

(I/Ts.)

[10] Cavusoglu met with Kotzias in Ankara; Turkey urges Greece not to become refuge for FETO

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias, Cavusoglu said that since last year's defeated coup attempt in Turkey, 995 Turkish citizens have applied for asylum in Greece.

"All of them should be investigated to see how many are members of FETO," the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, Cavusoglu stressed.

Cavusoglu said that they believe Greece will not tolerate traitors, despite its courts refusing to extradite eight former soldiers suspected of involvement in the defeated coup attempt. "We have not lost our hope completely," he said.

Cavusoglu further stated that eight FETO putschists and two other FETO traitors who were involved in an attempt to assassinate Turkey's President had fled to Greece.

(…)Cavusoglu also criticized his counterpart for calling the Turkish minority of Greece's Western Thrace region a "Muslim minority". "Nikos calls it a 'Muslim minority.' OK, but there are also other [non-Turkish] Muslim minorities in Greece. Why do you have difficulty accepting that they are Turks?", Cavusoglu wondered.

"There are also the European Court of Human Rights [ECHR] decisions. These must be implemented," Cavusoglu stressed.

(…)Kotzias, for his part, said that he was a victim of the 1967 coup in Greece and he still remembers his trials in military court. "I do not like coups," Kotzias said.

He explained that he was in Mongolia when the July 15, 2016 coup attempt took place in Turkey and that he returned the same day to Greece, and that they expressed support to Turkey's democratic institutions.

"Whoever raises a weapon against democracy [in Turkey] should be brought before the justice of the Turkish Republic," he stressed.

But issues of granting asylum in Greece are made by the judiciary, not the government, Kotzias added, explaining that court decisions may be liked or not, should be respected by everyone.

[11] Erdogan: "Turkish military's Idlib operation almost completed, next is Afrin"

"Our operation in Idlib is nearly complete. Ahead of us is Afrin. These are threats to us and we will never make concessions to such threats," Erdogan told the parliamentary group of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) on October 24.

Turkey launched the operation in Idlib on October 8 as part of the three-way Astana Process deal with Russia and Iran aiming to establish de-escalation zones in Syria. The army had announced on Oct. 13 that it had set its first observation spot in the neighbouring country, the first of an expected total 14 spots to monitor the ongoing ceasefire between the Syrian regime and opposition groups.

"We have always said: 'We could come suddenly one night.' Indeed, we could hit suddenly one night," Erdogan said, using a phrase that has become popular among Turkish nationalists.

He also repeated his strongly worded criticisms against the United States over its support to the YPG, implying that the group has taken control of oil wells in southern Syria with the help of the U.S.

(…)

[12] Turkey's Energy Minister announced plans to start construction at Akkuyu nuclear power plant by the end of the year

The Akkuyu nuclear power plant, a crucial component of Turkish-Russian cooperation, could see the launch of construction by the end of the year, stated the Energy and Natural Resources Minister Albayrak during a meeting he held with Russian state-owned atomic energy company Rosatom Director-General Likhachev.

According to a report in Turkey's Haberturk newspaper, the meeting resulted in an agreement to speed up bureaucratic procedures and start construction at Akkuyu in the southern province of Mersin.

Albayrak said that no bureaucratic hurdles stand in the way of the Akkuyu project, adding that construction should begin before the end of this year after the necessary procedures have been accelerated.

Akkuyu Nukleer A.S., 49% of which belongs to the Turkish consortium CKK and 51% to Rosatom, has begun to lay the groundwork for the first unit, which has a capacity of 200 megawatts (MWs).

[13] Name of Meral Aksener's party revealed

A split in the MHP during the April 16 constitutional referendum on shifting to an executive presidential system speeded up the foundation of the new party, after MHP head Devlet Bahceli supported the changes pushed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Despite splits in the MHP, the party's official backing helped the "yes" campaign secure a narrow win in the referendum. Aksener and her followers campaigned for a "no" vote and have accused Bahceli of standing too close to the government.

In addition, reporting on the same issue, Turkish daily Sozcu (25.10.17) writes that 200 prominent citizens and politicians consisting of the founding members of the new party announced the main notes of its program.

According to the program, the party considers the most dangerous enemy to be the "internal enemy" and condemns the July 15 coup in Turkey and supports Atataurk's principles on education. The party also notes that it will take under consideration the EU principles on issues like censorship in Turkey.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.pio.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio2013.nsf/indexel/indexel?OpenDocument

(AK / ΑΜ)

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