Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 18-01-30

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CONTENTS

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] DP decided to establish "coalition" with the CTP, HP and TDP – Statements on the Cyprus problem

[02] Five persons were arrested yesterday by the so-called police for the incidents against Afrika newspaper; nine more persons are reportedly wanted

[03] Akinci considered the "police" report on the incidents against Afrika newspaper to be deficient

[04] AKP's youth chairman describes as "terrorists" those who participated in the "Peace and Democracy March"

[05] The "Istanbul Technical university" campus in the breakaway regime started money collection campaign for the Turkish armed forces

[06] Trainer of the Turkish National Taekwondo team was arrested in the breakaway regime carrying a small amount of drugs

[07] Turkish Foreign Minister slams European Parliament official over "PKK remarks"

[08] More than 300 persons detained in Turkey over 'terror propaganda' on social media amid Afrin operation

[09] "As Russia hosts talks for the future of Syria…"

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] DP decided to establish "coalition" with the CTP, HP and TDP – Statements on the Cyprus problem

In statements after the decision, DP's chairman, Serdar Denktas said that the National Unity Party (UBP) had offered them more "ministries" and more "possibilities", but the DP did not chose the three-party "coalition government" with the UBP and the settlers' Revival Party (YDP). Denktas noted that the "crisis of trust" which exists in the DP towards the UBP has played a role in taking this decision. After DP's decision, the CTP and HP convened and approved the establishment of a four-party "coalition government". The TDP is expected to convene today.

After these developments, UBP's chairman, Huseyin Ozgurgun is expected to return the "duty" of establishing a "government" and the Turkish Cypriot leader will give it to CTP's chairman Tufan Erhurman.

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (30.01.18) reports that in his statements Denktas referred also to the Cyprus problem and said that the four parties will preserve their views and that the "government", including the "minister of foreign affairs", will not be interfering in the Cyprus problem. "The four parties will not make a statement on behalf of the government that the commencement of the talks is good or bad, but each party will be able to express its own views either separately or in the parliament", he said adding that the "government" will be concerned with internal matters and not with the Cyprus problem. "Coalitions cannot complete five years. If we work in harmony, it will go five years, God willing", he argued.

Referring to their relations with Turkey, Denktas said that all "governments" should have "good relations" with Turkey and clarified that "having good relations" does mean that they will say "yes" to whatever Ankara wants, but they will understand what Ankara wants and if this cannot be done they will explain why it cannot be done and how it could be done. He also claimed that the "government's" duty is to proceed together with Turkey.

Yeni Duzen refers also to statements made by CTP's chairman Tufan Erhurman who said that the four parties reached a consensus on the Cyprus problem. He also noted that differences exist in the policies of the four parties regarding the Cyprus problem, that the Turkish Cypriot leader is responsible for carrying out the negotiations and that the "government" will work in coordination with Akinci.

Meanwhile, Kibris reports that according to the agreement reached between the four parties, Huseyin Angolemli from the TDP will be given the post of the "speaker of the assembly". It is also said that the distribution of the "ministries" will be as follows: The CTP will be granted the "prime ministry" and the "ministries" of agriculture, health and environment, and economy. The "deputy prime minister" and the "ministers" of internal affairs, communications and public works, and foreign affairs will come from the HP. The TDP will take the "ministries" of education and labor and social insurance, while the DP the "ministries" of finance and tourism.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Five persons were arrested yesterday by the so-called police for the incidents against Afrika newspaper; nine more persons are reportedly wanted

The five persons arrested are facing charges for "riot", "unlawful congregation", "intentional harm" and "criminal trespassing" and they are expected to be proceeded today in front of a "court". Among those being arrested is Mehmet Ipek the "chairman" of the so-called brotherhood, solidarity and culture association of the settlers from Alexandretta (Hatay) area and Unit Tas, worker at the "municipality" of occupied Famagusta.

Moreover, according to information, nine more persons are wanted.

The paper adds further that the relatives of the arrested persons organized yesterday a protest I front of the "police headquarters" in the occupied part of Lefkosia. Among the participants at the protest was also Erhan Arikli, chairman of the Turkish settlers' Revival Party (YDP), who claimed that they do not approve the violence used against Afrika newspaper. He further claimed that "the police implements a double standard policy on this issue, since when similar incidents occurred in the past it did not conduct similar investigation". "Let them give us a reply on this and then to execute our friends if they want", Arikli alleged.

(AK)

[03] Akinci considered the "police" report on the incidents against Afrika newspaper to be deficient

In a letter sent to the "police", Akinci asks at which stage the "legal procedure" as regards the persons involved in the attack against Afrika newspaper is and why the "police" delayed to interfere in the incidents, which were turned into violence, in spite of his warnings. Moreover, Akinci points out that the persons who climbed on the "assembly's' roof were the same with the attackers against Afrika and asks why these persons have not been arrested after their first attack.

(I/Ts.)

[04] AKP's youth chairman describes as "terrorists" those who participated in the "Peace and Democracy March"

(I/Ts.)

[05] The "Istanbul Technical university" campus in the breakaway regime started money collection campaign for the Turkish armed forces

The illegal university decided to cut part of its employees' salary for the period February-July and will donate the money to an institution for the welfare of the Turkish armed forces.

(CS)

[06] Trainer of the Turkish National Taekwondo team was arrested in the breakaway regime carrying a small amount of drugs

The Turkish National Taekwondo team is illegally visiting the breakaway regime for plays between the two "teams".

(CS)

[07] Turkish Foreign Minister slams European Parliament official over "PKK remarks"

"They have appointed one PKK sympathizer lady for a country of 80 million. I only say 'lady' out of courtesy. I told her about the situation for two hours," Cavusoglu said in a TV program on the state-run channel TRT.

"She didn't write down anything I said, but put down everything the PKK said in her report. We should not take a rapporteur like this seriously," he added.

In an interview with a news portal published on Jan. 28, Piri said: "For us, the PKK and its variations are not a threat. There are no attacks of the PKK in the Netherlands, Belgium or France."

On the current Turkish-led military operation in northwestern Syria, Cavusoglu said: "In 'Operation Olive Branch,' we have been very strong both in the field and at the table. We have both breathed down the terrorists' necks in the field and done what had to be done in terms of diplomacy."

Cavusoglu, stressing that the operation is being held in line with international law and supports Syria's territorial integrity, said he has swiftly informed the world since the beginning of the operation.

"Everyone has seen how serious Turkey is with this operation. The friends and countries we call allies, the so-called allies, the YPG's [People's Protection Units] supporters, and the neighbors have seen it. We have no doubt about the steps we can take in the days to come," he added.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched "Operation Olive Branch" to remove YPG militants from the northwestern Afrin district of Syria.

[08] More than 300 persons detained in Turkey over 'terror propaganda' on social media amid Afrin operation

The anti-cybercrime branch of Turkey's police department reportedly launched legal proceedings against 208 suspects after inspecting a total of 571 social media accounts.

In addition, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (30.01.18 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/detention-warrants-issued-for-11-members-of-turkish-medical-associations-central-council-126483) reports that eleven members of the Turkish Medical Association's (TTB) central council, including head Rasit Tukel, were detained on Jan. 30 for their statement criticizing the Turkish military's "Operation Olive Branch," launched to remove the People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Syrian district of Afrin.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued detention warrants for the 11 members of the council early on Jan. 30.

The prosecutor said police in the capital, Ankara, had started legal proceedings on Jan. 30morning and search-and-detention operations were going on in eight provinces.

[09] "As Russia hosts talks for the future of Syria…"

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinion/murat-yetkin/as-russia-hosts-talks-for-the-future-of-syria-126477) publishes the following article by Murat Yetkin:

"The "National Dialogue" talks for the future of civil war-hit Syria, scheduled for Jan. 29-30, are currently being held in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Nearly 1,600 names representing different groups in Syria are taking part in the conference. According to a draft communique leaked to the media by Russian sources, the "New Syria" is foreseen as a "secular, democratic country in which all groups, except those involved in terrorism, are represented."

But there is no consensus yet among the three sponsors of the meetings - Russia, Turkey and Iran - on the definition of "terrorist groups." Russia considers as terrorists all groups named in United Nations resolutions: Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In addition to those, Turkey considers the People's Protection Units (YPG), the U.S.'s partner against ISIL, a terrorist group. The YPG is the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has carried out an armed campaign against Turkey for over three decades.

Thanks to Turkish diplomatic persistence and the recently started "Operation Olive Branch" against the YPG/PKK stronghold of Afrin, in northwest Syria near the Turkish border, the YPG and its political wing the Democratic Union Party (PYD) have not been invited to the Sochi talks. Meanwhile, some of the Kurdish groups who had been invited to Sochi without any Turkish objection said they would not join the meeting in protest at the Turkish military campaign.

The operation against the YPG stronghold in Syria would not be possible without Russian consent. Turkish planes could not use Syrian air space and Turkish troops could be targeted by the Syrian military if not for Russian influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also knows that he owes his chair and perhaps his life to the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that before the military operation in Afrin, contact was maintained with Damascus via Moscow. Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m also recently said it would be impossible to ignore the al-Assad regime in the solution-seeking process. So far President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has firmly advocated excluding al-Assad and his regime from any interim process, but now there is an understanding that Ankara could accept a transition period in which al-Assad does not have a leading role in the "New Syria."

The Sochi talks are important. The U.N., the EU and the U.S. are all observing the talks and will likely use them as a threshold for the Geneva talks, which all parties agree will provide the real ground for a political solution.

In the fluid politics of the Middle East partners and alliances can change in the blink of an eye. No one can guarantee that the current positions of state and non-state actors will remain in place until the Geneva talks kick off. Nevertheless, the Sochi conference could provide a good general idea about what will happen next in Syria."

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(CS/ AM)

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

Constantia Soteriou

Press and Information Officer -Turkish Press Section

P.I.O. | Ministry of Interior | Republic of Cyprus

*: 1456, Nicosia, Cyprus | (: +357 22801162 | 7: +357 22 666123

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