Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-11-22

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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] The self-styled foreign ministry reacted against the bi-lateral agreement signed between Egypt and the Republic of Cyprus

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covered the Cyprus-Greece-Egypt meeting in Nicosia

[03] UK High Commissioner to Ankara Moore on Cyprus

[04] Siber participates at the Asian Parliamentarian Assembly

[05] Ertugruloglu held contacts in Poland

[06] Ozgurgun alleges that the Greek Cypriots are behind criticism on the issues of granting "citizenships" and plots of land

[07] The occupied area's constructions sector will be promoted in Azerbaijan

[08] Turkey to promote 'peace and development' in Asia

[09] Court sentences daily Cumhuriyet journalist Oguz Guven to three years in jail on terror charges

[10] "The Zarrab case and its consequences"

[11] Turkish lira hits record low against dollar on strains in US ties

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The self-styled foreign ministry reacted against the bi-lateral agreement signed between Egypt and the Republic of Cyprus

In a statement issued yesterday, the "foreign ministry" accused the Republic of Cyprus and Egypt "of usurping power through unlawful means".

It alleged that "the Greek Cypriot side, with the impact of the upcoming elections in south Cyprus had speeded up its unilateral acts without taking into account the rights of the Turkish Cypriots".

It claimed that "both the Greek Cypriot and the current Egyptian administration had seized power through unlawful actions and were now claiming the island's natural resources".

The statement said that "the Turkish Cypriots also had rights", adding that no unilateral steps could be taken on the issue of energy in their absence.

"While using this opportunity to remind that the Turkish Cypriots have equal and undeniable rights over the resources in question, the TRNC Foreign Ministry stresses that any steps to be taken on the issue of energy cannot be taken in the absence of the Turkish Cypriot side. We will like to point out that reciprocal steps will be taken in the region together with motherland Turkey to protect our rights and interests," the statement claimed adding that "it is nothing more than an attempt to legitimize the Greek Cypriot illegal actions which were an extension of their usurping mentality".

"We want to underline that efforts to create alliances on the island and in the area in general by excluding the Turkish Cypriots and motherland Turkey won't bear any results" the statement claimed.

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press covered the Cyprus-Greece-Egypt meeting in Nicosia

Kibris: "Hydrocarbon friendship by Greece, south Cyprus and Egypt"

Afrika: "The seats are empty" – The paper reports that addressing the Cyprus House of Representatives, the Egyptian President said that the seats of the Turkish Cypriot Deputies remain empty since 1963. This is the first time that a foreign President said this, notes the paper adding that political analysts commented on this reference describing it is as "a formula of returning to the Republic of Cyprus".

Havadis: "They challenged Turkey"

Halkin Sesi: "Multiple agreements during the three-party summit" – The paper reports that agreements in the fields of hydrocarbons, tourism and security were signed.

Star Kibris: "Three party alliance in energy"

Volkan: "The alliance of evil" – The paper reports that in a statement issued by the self-styled foreign ministry of the regime it is alleged that the agreements signed in the field of energy "are in no way binding for the TRNC".

Ozgur Volkan: "This agreement is in no way binding for the Turks"

Kibris Postasi: Above the title: "Tsipras in south Cyprus"- Title: "'With the three-party cooperation we have become a stability factor in the area of southeastern Mediterranean'"

Yeni Bakis: Above the title: "[…] Anastasiades spoke in an optimistic manner after the meeting" – Title: "'It will constitute an example for the area'"

Diyalog: "Three-party cooperation is being developed"

Demokrat Bakis: "'It will be considered null and void by us'".

Detay: "The foreign ministry was contented with considering it null and void this time!"

(I/Ts.)

[03] UK High Ambassador to Ankara Moore on Cyprus

Speaking at Ankara's Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Moore touched upon the Cyprus problem

Responding to a question as to whether or not the UK had a B plan for Cyprus, the British Ambassador said that he wanted very much to see a settlement in Cyprus.

"We were very close to achieving a settlement in negotiations held in Crans-Montana. Turkey played a very constructive role. Coming to the question as to whether or not we have a B-plan, that is not up to us" he said.

Stressing that it was the Cypriots which needed to decide the future of the island, Moore said that no one should expect the UK to present a B-plan.

"Our duty and responsibility is to support the progress achieved by the two communities in the process led by the US. The ultimate decision must belong to the Cypriots. There is nothing the guarantor countries Great Britain, Turkey and Greece can do in Cyprus as long as the two sides do not reach to an agreement" he said.

[04] Siber participates at the Asian Parliamentarian Assembly

During the opening ceremony and the gala dinner organized within the framework of the general assembly, Siber held bilateral meetings with Speakers of Parliament and heads of delegation from various countries. She underlined the importance of inter-parliamentary dialogue and argued that it should not be obstructed.

Siber is accompanied by Erdal Ozcenk, "deputy" with the National Unity Party, Ahmet Gulle, "deputy" with the Republican Turkish Party and Ahmet Muratoglu, "director" of her "office".

(I/Ts.)

[05] Ertugruloglu held contacts in Poland

According to statement issued by the so-called foreign ministry he held bi-lateral contacts, attended a conference and gave several interviews regarding the latest developments on the Cyprus problem.

During the conference, Ertugruloglu met with representatives of research institutions, universities and firms and also held a meeting with the former Polish Prime Minister and former President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek.

Later he met with the head of the Lodz Region Witold Stepien and other officials before moving on to the Polish capital Warsaw where he visited the Polish Parliament where he held meetings with Polish MPs and officials from the Polish Foreign Ministry.

(CS)

[06] Ozgurgun alleges that the Greek Cypriots are behind criticism on the issues of granting "citizenships" and plots of land

Alleging that the Republic of Cyprus sells citizenships, Ozgurgun claimed: "The citizenships we give, however, are within the framework of certain criteria. Willingly or unwillingly, I also think that the rural plots of land which we give are among 'those left to the south' in that famous map, which we have submitted in the Crans Montana and I, as the prime minister of the country, have not seen yet".

Referring to the "elections" to be held on 7 January, 2018, Ozgurgun stated that he will resign in case the UBP does not come at the first place and did not exclude cooperation with any other party after the "elections". He also said that in case he is the "prime minister", he will not become candidate for the "presidential elections" which will be held after two years (in 2020).

(I/Ts.)

[07] The occupied area's constructions sector will be promoted in Azerbaijan

A delegation headed by the union's chairman, Cafer Gurcafer will be visiting Azerbaijan between 6 and 10 December.

Within the framework of the promotion activities, Azeri Xazar TV channel has visited the occupied area of Cyprus and prepared a film, which includes the occupied area of Cyprus' historic and touristic places and promoted the building sector. The film will be broadcast for a period of four months on Xazar TV within the framework of the "Let it be my house" program.

(I/Ts.)

[08] Turkey to promote 'peace and development' in Asia

"The continuation of peace and development in Asia is significant for all of us. We, as Turkey, attach great importance to the preservation of peace, security, and stability in all of Asia, especially in the region of East Asia", he said.

His remarks came as he addressed the inaugural session of the 10th plenary session of the APA, which started Tuesday in Istanbul under the theme "Sustaining Peace and Development in Asia".

Delegations from Parliaments of 42 APA members, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, took part in the meeting.

The Turkish Parliament Speaker said the terms peace and development were highly connected. "Peace and development feed each other," he said.

"We are therefore calling on all friendly nations of Asia to take the necessary measures against FETO for their own safety and for the future of their country," he said.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Also addressing the inaugural session, the president of APA Nguon Nhel referred to Turkey taking over the APA presidency for the next two years and said: "I believe Turkey will play a more active and effective role" in order to ensure security, peace, prosperity and development for Asian people.

[09] Court sentences daily Cumhuriyet journalist Oguz Guven to three years in jail on terror charges

Back in May, an Istanbul court ordered Guven's arrest after he shared a tweet on the daily's Twitter account regarding the death of Denizli Chief Public Prosecutor Mustafa Alper, who was killed in a car accident in the southwestern province of Denizli. He was freed on June 14 but the prosecutor had sought up to 12 years in jail for him.

During the third hearing of the case at the Istanbul 28th High Criminal Court, Guven was found guilty of having ties with the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In his plea, Guven reportedly stated that the prosecutor in the case interpreted reports regarding the death of Alper as his own crime in the dictum.

"All I am guilty for is a word that had been written by mistake. This word was deleted 52 seconds after it was posted. They couldn't incriminate me by trying to guess my intent so they have directed a PKK accusation against me and they are trying to incriminate me for the news reports I publish on the [Cumhuriyet] website. Our job as a journalist is to report news and share it," Guven said, demanding his acquittal.

His lawyer, Tora Pekin, also demanded the journalist's acquittal, claiming that even the filing of such a case violated freedom of expression.

However, the court board ordered Guven's arrest on charges of "engaging with the FETO/PYD [Parallel State Structure] armed terror organization," sentencing him to one year and ten months in prison and another one year and two months for "publishing statements that legitimize the PKK/KCK [Kurdistan Communities Union] terror organization's violent methods or encourage applying those methods."

Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Guven once again dismissed the accusations, saying they were a sign of the times for Turkey in terms of press freedom and the judiciary.

"The decision reveals the current situation in Turkey. I described it as funny and laughed when I was arrested. Once again I will have to smile painfully," Guven said.

"For me the decision indicates a complete absence of the rule of law in Turkey. There is nothing more to say," he added.

[10] "The Zarrab case and its consequences"

"This week's latest excitement has given us yet another so-called "grand conspiracy" against Turkey.

"It is not just [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan," said ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Bekir Bozdag, a former justice minister. It is a grand plot against Turkey, he claimed.

This time the subject is Turkey's erstwhile poster boy of international trade and export. "I personally closed the current account deficit," Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab once boasted. Now he appears to be the cause of a new deficit.

The AKP has a depressing policy towards issues it cannot solve: "If you cannot make it better, make it worse." The same rule applies to everything, whether the collapsing education system, agricultural price hikes, or the construction boom. The motto is simple: Make it so bad and so big that everyone freaks out and jumps into your ship. This was the tactic thawt financial giants also used during the 2009 crisis. "Too big to fail" was the mistaken belief. Sadly this no longer applies to Turkish politics.

Let's be clear, no player is too big to fail at the international level. If the Zarrab case is so political, then why are presidential surrogates running around foreign media outlets attempting to make their case and not going to the court themselves? And if the case was not political, why did the Istanbul chief prosecutor feel the need to open an investigation on Preet Bharara?

All the signs concerning the Zarrab case coming from Ankara and Istanbul spell out deep fear and panic. The Turkish government thinks the Turkish people will accept their argument: "It-is-you-they-are-trying-in-court!-They-are-going-after-your-banks!-Your-president-and-your-money!" But not this time.

The Zarrab case has been incredibly badly handled by the AKP, Erdogan and the Justice Ministry. Now it is so bad they want everyone to fall with them into the mud. Banks can negotiate a deal and pay penalties if need be. Look at HSBC, Commerzbank, ING. Their executives did not go to jail despite sidestepping Iranian sanctions. Yet systematic shady money deals could prove more problematic.

Turkey still has a chance. First, its top politicians should stop talking. The pro-AKP newspaper and TV outlets should calm down, return to journalism, and read the indictment. With expert legal advice and indirect defense presence in the courtroom, Turkey could still steer clear of this case. For the ordinary U.S. citizen who sits on the juror bench, the Erdogan versus Fetullah Gulen (the U.S.-based cleric believed to be behind last year's coup attempt) affair is not a legal matter. They could not care less. Turkey could win this case if it treads carefully. If Zarrab can make a deal, why not Turkey?

But for that to happen, President Erdogan and his surrogates should appreciate the independence of the U.S. court system. Judges are never under political pressure and pro-AKP propaganda is a joke for them. The U.S. Justice Department has zero impact on cases that are before juries and judges. Unlike your "call-the-prosecutor" system in Ankara or Istanbul, they do not accept telephone calls from politicians.

With more panic come more mistakes. And the lira takes more hits.

[11] Turkish lira hits record low against dollar on strains in US ties

Tyrkey's Central Bank responded with emergency measures to tighten policy, although that failed to reverse the slide.

The lira's plunge has helped fuel inflation by driving up the cost of energy and other imports. Turkey imports almost all of its energy needs.

Worries about U.S. ties center around the trial of Turkish gold trader Reza Zarrab, who is accused of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran.

The Turkish government spokesman described the case on Nov. 20 as a "clear plot against Turkey" that lacks any legal basis.

The currency fell as far as 3.9780 to the dollar, eclipsing a previous record low of 3.9417 set in January. It was at 3.9541 at 1111 GMT, after the central bank's measures. Against the euro, the currency of some Turkey's major trading partners, it touched a record low of 4.6711.

The Central Bank said it would remove banks' borrowing limits on the interbank money market for overnight transactions, and increase their limit for the intraday liquidity facility -- both moves designed to shore up the currency.

An official from the bank said the weighted average cost of funding would be increased to 12.25 % on Nov. 22, up from 11.99 % on Nov. 20.

"All funding will be done via the late liquidity window," the official said, referring to the highest of its multiple interest rates, which it hiked to 12.25 % in April.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(CS / AM)

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