The "president" of the "Chamber of Turkish Cypriot Agricultural Engineers" Mehmet Ercilasun was also present at the meeting.

Speaking during the meeting, the President of the Chamber of Turkish Agricultural Engineers Ozden Gungor said that a decision was taken to hold the International Agricultural Engineers Union's 2018 General Congress, held every four years, in occupied Keryneia under the theme "Sustainable Life for Children."

He said their aim at the International Agricultural Engineers Union which had been established by scientists, was to develop sustainable biological production systems which protected the environment and benefited the public.

On his part, Ak?nc? said that work being carried out in different fields in the "country" and in the world for a sustainable world area of great importance.

Welcoming the decision to hold the union's congress in occupied Keryneia he said he was following the work being carried out by the chambers closely.

The Chamber of Turkish Agricultural Engineers delegation also held a meeting with the so-called foreign minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu.

Speaking during the visit, Gungor provided information about the International Agricultural Engineers Union World Congress which will be held in occupied Keryneia.

Ertugruloglu said that "they always feel pleased to host international events in the TRNC and as the foreign ministry we are ready to provide the necessary support for the success of the congress".

Thanking the Chamber of Turkish Agricultural Engineers for the support they provided to the "Chamber of Turkish Cypriot Agricultural Engineers", Ertugruloglu wished success for the congress.

[03] Izcan: "Akdag's statements prove once again AKP's real intentions on the Cyprus problem"

"Such statements prove once again the real intentions of the AKP government", stated Izcan.

Also, commenting on the recent statements made by so-called prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun who spoke about a "two-state" solution in Cyprus, Izcan condemned these statements stating that they are also a proof of UBP's policy on the Cyprus problem. Izcan called on all the supporters of the federal solution in Cyprus to unite and extend their struggle against the non-solution supporters and against the policies aiming at the demolishment of the Turkish Cypriot community.

(AK)

[04] KTOS visited the Cyprus Ombudsman on the issue of granting Cypriot citizenship to mixed marriages' children

KTOS said in a statement issued about the meeting that this is a violation of the Cyprus Constitution, adding that since 1974, 17,000 mixed marriages took place and many children born in these marriages were not granted the citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus. It also stated that the applications made on this issue are returned back without the subject being discussed. It also claimed that many children are kept hostages of these politics adding that this is an injustice that violates the human rights of the children.

Commenting on the issue, Afrika notes that the initiative taken by KTOS should have been taken by Turkish Cypriot political parties.

(CS)

[05] "Celebrations for the 34th anniversary of the UDI" took place in Baku with the presence of Azeri Deputies

According to the paper, the "representative of the TRNC" in Baku, Ufuk Turganer hosted the event. Also, the chairman of the Diaspora State Committee of Azerbaijan, Nazim Ibrahimov, the Turkish Ambassador in Baku, Erkan Ozoral, Azeri Deputies, businessmen and others were among the participants.

Speaking during the event, the Azeri Deputy Hikmet Babaoglu pointed out to the importance of the "TRNC's participation" in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC) under the observer status. He further described the "TRNC as a center of education and tourism".

(AK)

[06] Turkish MGK described the PKK/PYD's ethnic cleansing in Syria as "unacceptable"

The Council met under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. A written statement was released after the meeting.

"PKK/PYD/YPG terrorist organization's efforts to carry out a covert ethnic cleansing by changing the demographic structure of Syria is against international law and human rights, and, therefore, it is unacceptable," the statement said.

Turkey will continue to take every necessary measure at the Turkey-Syria border area to ensure its own security, the Council further said.

The statement said also that the Turkish Armed Forces were successfully continuing their "observer mission" in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone.

"It is observed that peace and security will literally be achieved when this mission is carried out near western Aleppo and Afrin," it added.

The statement also commented on the recent incident during a NATO drill in Norway involving a civilian Norwegian official who depicted the Turkish President as an "enemy collaborator".

The statement said that such events harm the solidarity principle of NATO, which forms the basis of the alliance.

"It is expected that investigations by Norwegian and NATO authorities would be expanded to include the echelons responsible," it said.

The statement said also that circles who try to use NATO for their own goals should not be permitted, adding that developments linked to the incident would be followed closely.

It added that such type of hostile attitudes and expressions against Turkish Republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and President Erdogan were unacceptable.

On Nov. 17, Turkey withdrew its 40 soldiers from NATO's Trident Javelin exercise in Norway after a civilian Norwegian official depicted President Erdogan as an "enemy collaborator".

A portrait of Ataturk was also shown in the "hostile leader list" during a computer-assisted exercise of the drill.

[07] Kilicdaroglu reveals proofs saying that Erdogan's relatives sent millions of dollars to a foreign company

"We have all the records of this company," Kilicdaroglu said on November 28 addressing his group at Parliament. "We also have all the documents of the financial transactions."

Kilicdaroglu said that Bellway Limited was founded on August 1, 2011, with S?tk? Ayan as its sole board member and "a one pound sterling founding capital."

"There are official records showing that it belongs to him both from Turkey and from the Isle of Man," he said, adding that the company was transferred to Kaz?m Oztas on November 15, 2011.

"On December 15, 2011, Ziya Ilgen, the brother-in-law of [President] Erdogan, sent $2.5 million to the Bellway Ltd., while Mustafa Erdogan, the [President's] brother, sent $2.5 million. Why did your brother send $2.5 million there?" Kilicdaroglu asked, going on to list all the transactions in the documents.

"On December 26 2011 Ziya Ilgen sent $1.25 million and Mustafa Erdogan sent $1.25 million. On December 27, 2011 Osman Ketenci, the father-in-law of Burak Erdogan, sent $1.25 million. On December 27, 2011 Mustafa Gundogan, a former executive assistant, sent $1.25 million. On December 28, 2011 Mustafa Gundogan sent $250,000. On December 28, 2011 Osman Ketenci sent $1 million. On Dec. 29, 2011 Ahmet Burak Erdogan, the son, sent $1.45 million. On January 4 2012 Ahmet Burak Erdogan sent $2.3 million," he said.

"We have the SWIFT documents of these transactions … We also have bank receipts," K?licdaroglu added, amid chants of "Erdogan resign" from attendees of the group meeting.

The revelations came after the CHP leader challenged President Erdogan on November 21 about the off-shore accounts of his close circle.

(…)

In response Erdogan on November 26 called on K?licdaroglu to reveal documents of his accusations, saying that if proven he would resign.

"If Tayyip Erdogan has a single penny abroad, he should prove it. If proven, I will not stay in this Presidential post for even one minute," he said.

"In which off-shore bank does Tayyip Erdogan have an account? Prove it. If you cannot prove it, you yourself will have to quit politics. If you do, I will quit politics and quit my post in the presidency," he added.

(…)

Meanwhile, Ahmet Ozel, a lawyer for Erdogan, has said that the documents publicized on November 28 by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu on off-shore accounts linked to Erdogan are "fake," describing the allegations as "lies."

Ozel also urged Kilicdaroglu to "immediately" hand the documents to the prosecutor's office and file a criminal complaint if necessary.

[08] Erdogan says CHP has become Turkey's 'main treason party'

"It's very unfortunate to observe the CHP rapidly sliding into a status of the main treason party because of this person [K?l?cdaroglu]," Erdogan said in a weekly address to his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) parliamentary group on November 28.

Tension between the two parties escalated once again after Kilicdaroglu accused Erdogan and his family of having offshore bank accounts worth of millions of dollars last week. On November 28, Erdogan repeated his challenge to K?l?cdaroglu to either prove his claims or resign from his position, vowing to do the same if the CHP leader can prove that he or his family members have money abroad.

"He made such claims in the past and probably will repeat them again. Can he prove these with documents? No," he said, criticizing the CHP leader for revisiting claims he could never prove in the past.

"In such a sensitive period, when we try to pursue positive politics and try to be inclusive, the head of the main opposition is behaving in a disreputable way. The only thing he has done since becoming the head of his party is slander. It's not just about me and my family, he and his party side with whoever is attacking Turkey," Erdogan said.

He further claimed that the CHP leader has been "taking the side of the EU, the U.S., Syria or any other country in the world when Turkey has disagreements with them.

"They have just one policy: Say and do whatever is the opposite of what we and the AK Party does," Erdogan said.

(…)

[09] Y?ld?r?m says AKP may ally with MHP in the forthcoming election

"Certainly, in order to secure stability and single-handed powerful rule, with greater support, we could form such an alliance [with the MHP]. The aim is 50-percent-plus-one, not more," Y?ld?r?m told reporters on November 28 during an official visit to the United Kingdom.

"We think like the MHP on many subjects. We already made a de facto alliance in the constitutional amendment process [on a presidential system] for the preparation of the amendment, its approval in Parliament, the referendum campaign, and in defending it. We almost worked together with each other until the [referendum]," he said.

"The MHP has made positive contributions in many regulations, especially on national matters," Y?ld?r?m added, particularly praising the party's stance following the July 2016 coup attempt.

As current legislation does not allow any formal pre-election alliances between two political parties, Yildirim hinted that necessary changes can be made to the Political Parties Law and the Election Law.

"Why would we not act together with a party that we already act together with in many subjects? There are no obstacles to this," he said.

Meanwhile, responding to questions concerning recent statement from the Pentagon saying it is reviewing "adjustments" in weapon supplies to the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), Y?ld?r?m said that Ankara pays more attention to the words of U.S. President Donald Trump. "Our addressee is the President of the U.S. It is his words that are binding. If institutions talk against each other, that is their problem," Y?ld?r?m said.

"We have expressed our thoughts and inconveniences on every occasion and we will continue to do so," he said.

[10] Detention warrants issued for 360 FETO-linked suspects in military

According to reports, the operation was launched based on warrants issued by Istanbul Prosecutor's Office after discovery of new evidence.

The suspects include 333 soldiers and 27 FETO "imams," involved in the military structure.

The reports noted that 216 of the suspects were soldiers actively serving in the military.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

https://www.pio.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio2013.nsf/All/EDB254ABD6F3EAE1C225816F00425E83?OpenDocument

(AK / AM)

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