This year the Turkish nation celebrates the 103rd anniversary of the "victory in Canakkale".

Within the framework of the "celebration", Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Ak?nc?, the so-called Turkish ambassador to the occupied part of Lefkosia Derya Kanbay and the "Commander of the Turkish Cypriot peace forces major general" Y?lmaz Y?ld?r?m then signed the special book.

Ak?nc? wrote in the special book that "The Turkish Cypriots could live freely as a community on this island today as a result of great sacrifices of the martyrs".

"You had sacrificed your lives at a young age so that we could live in peace and harmony without being subjected to the tyranny of others", Ak?nc? wrote, adding: "The biggest responsibility is to continue further developing the democracy and economy in the TRNC and to remove youngsters concern for the future. We as a side which always desired the two peoples on the island to live in peace, equality freedom and security demand from the Greek Cypriot administration to give up the negative attitude and behaviour which cause disappointment. If this understanding which is not constructive undergoes a serious change then a new hope will rise for a solution. We will continue our way by maintaining the progress and development of the Turkish Cypriot people and without completely c losing the door for possible developments. We once again remember the martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that we could reach these days with respect" Ak?nc? alleged.

(?)

[08] "Two thousand citizenships under the microscope"

"We will re-establish the trust towards the state", she claimed arguing: "While people, who have been working legally here for almost twenty years, made all their investments here and raised their children here, were not granted citizenship in spite of the fact that they fulfill the conditions mentioned in the law, there are citizenships granted without meeting any condition of the law, only because of securing benefits".

Replying to a question, she said that people who have been granted "citizenship" according to the "law" do not need to worry, adding that "it is out of the question for our government to annul citizenships granted according to the law".

Asked whether their examination and investigation will concern only the latest UBP-DP "government" period, Baybars noted that in the self-styled government's "coalition protocol" it is clearly said that they will examine not only the "citizenship" issue but also "any kind of corruption, irregularity" regardless of when these have taken place.

(I/Ts.)

[09] Ozersay and Ozgurgun support Turkish operation in Arfin

Speaking to Dogan News agency (DHA), Ozersay said that Turkey has shown once again that it is the most important actor in the region, which has to be taken into consideration.

Claiming that Turkey held a just military operation in Afrin in order to protect its territorial integrity and its security, Ozersay expressed his satisfaction for the result of this operation.

Moreover, Huseyin Ozgurgun, leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), greeted also the siege of Afrin by Turkish military forces.

(DPs)

[10] Tension and arrests during Newroz celebrations in the occupied area of Cyprus

The paper also reports that "as like every year, thousands of people gathered in the occupied park in Trikomo to celebrate Newroz. However, this year tension was created due to fact that the celebrations were held under the shadow of the police. The police was examining all the bags of the participants at the entrance of the park and detained six persons".

According to the paper, the police interfered when a group of students from the "European University of Lefka" (LAU) were chanting slogans in Kurdish.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (19.03.18) reports that eight persons were arrested.

The paper also reports that Tufan Erhurman, self-styled prime minister, called at his office the "chief of police", Suleyman Manavoglu and discussed the issue. After the meeting, Erhurman said that "three persons will be taken to court due to violent resistance to the police, the two, who were distributing books, were released without charges and the rests were released after being charged".

(DPs)

[11] Turkish Cypriots living in the UK vie positively the new project that encourages their return to Cyprus

The paper writes that Turkish Cypriot businessmen who live in the UK and make an annual profit of 5 billion TL are open to make investments especially in the field of tourism in the breakaway regime.

Kibris further reports that it is estimated that around 300,000 Turkish Cypriots live currently in the UK and they are members both of the Conservative and the Labour Party. There are 34 Turkish Cypriots who are members of municipality councils in various areas of London.

(CS)

[12] Columnist: "Mustafa Akinci is in the wrong path"

"[?] The Greek Cypriot side's negative stance has a big share of [responsibility] in the failure. This is an undeniable reality. However, there is a bitter reality from our point of view as well. And this is the fact that the negotiations were interrupted and were substituted by the gas crisis. The 'people from Limassol' (Akinci and Anastasiades), who in the near past were meeting drinking zivania [Translator's note: A traditional Cypriot alcoholic drink] and saying beautiful things to each other, now are making very hurtful statements and accuse each other.

Diplomacy disappeared. The possibility of war is being debated in our seas in which warships are running wild now. This situation harms the Turkish Cypriots who want a solution. Because, the non-solution is against the Turkish Cypriots.

With a simple statement: We have not elected Mustafa Akinci in order to explain to us how intransigent the Greek Cypriot side is. We also have not elected him in order to be closed in the palace and not meet anyone and save the day by going to a few openings every now and then and say to us that we need to continue our way 'by improving this order of things. We especially do not want to see him as the leader who turns away from a simple social dinner, the organization of which is attempted for the recommencement of the negotiations. Mustafa Akinci is in the wrong path. Our duty is to warn him".

(I/Ts.)

[13] "North Cyprus was represented at MITT 2018"

According to a press release by the "ministry of tourism", "officials from the ministry and representatives of the tourism sector held meetings with international tourism agents by promoting cultural, eco, health and other alternatives of tourism".

(DPs)

[14] Erdogan announced that the Turkish military took entire control of Afrin city center

"The units entered Afrin at 8:30 a.m. on March 18, and the Syrian city was under control on the 58th day of the operation, with Turkish and FSA flags raised", Erdogan said, speaking at the commemoration ceremony of the Gallipoli Campaign during World War One in the north-western Canakkale province.

"Turkey will immediately take the necessary steps to make sure the residents of the city are able to return to their homes as soon as possible", he said.

"The terror corridor has been broken on four fronts," Erdogan said, referring to attempts by the People's Protection Units (YPG) to establish a corridor along the border with Turkey.

The operation has taken the "utmost care to protect civilians" because the army does not aim to make an "intervention, but achieve peace" and "eradicate terrorist groups," Erdogan said, noting that Turkey would take all necessary steps to rebuild Afrin's infrastructure while clearing any signs of "terrorists" from the city. "We will take all necessary steps to bring the people of the region living in our country or other places back to their homes as soon as possible," he said.

Turkey launched "Operation Olive Branch" in Syria's Afrin district on Jan. 20 to clear the region of the YPG, a group Ankara sees as a terror organization for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Erdogan said that a total of 3,603 militants have been "neutralized" since the beginning of the operation.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to refer to injured, killed, captured and surrendered militants.

(?)

[15] Bahceli re-elected as opposition MHP leader

In a vote held during the party's 12th ordinary congress in Ankara, Bahceli was re-elected opposition party leader. He was alone in the running.

Bahceli received a total of 1,167 valid votes.

He has been leading the party since July 1997.

In a telegram, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Bahceli on his re-election as the opposition party leader, a statement from the Presidency said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also congratulated Bahceli in a phone call, according to Prime Ministry sources. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/ AM)

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