Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 18-10-23

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Nami: Even deeper and comprehensive relations will be established with Turkey in the field of energy

[02] Turkey's Defence Minister threatens

[03] Kalin: "Turkey will never abandon its rights in Eastern Mediterranean - Turkey's vessels will continue drillings"

[04] Sener Levent's lawsuit against Erdogan was rejected

[05] The Lefkonoiko airport is turned into a ghost structure

[06] Immunity of UBP "deputy" was lifted

[B] Turkish Press

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Cavusoglu alleges that the Greek Cypriots saw that Turkey will not allow their "games" in Eastern Mediterranean

[02] Kalin: "Khashoggi issue does not concern only Riyadh and Ankara"

[03] Celik: "Khashoggi's death is a 'monstrously planned' murder"

[04] Erdogan: "Local polls may bring the end of Turkey's main opposition"

[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Nami: Even deeper and comprehensive relations will be established with Turkey in the field of energy

Nami, who made a statement to Ankara Anatolia news agency, said that it is too early to say anything regarding the natural gas and the oil reserves in the Mediterranean.

Nami said that the availability of petroleum and natural gas in the sea is also important.

"Neither us nor the Greek Cypriot side has the necessary data to make a clear statement yet. However, we know that Israel has reached important resources especially in the region between Cyprus and Egypt. We know Egypt has found resources in its own exclusive economic areas. Therefore we think that there is great possibility to be found in the areas that belongs to Cyprus as well", he stated.

He went on adding that "TRNC" and Turkey are moving forward to alternative projects and said that serious potentials regarding natural gas occur after TANAP for Turkey.

Nami said that the "TRNC" has very important potentials as regards renewable energy and said that the talks with various firms located in Turkey regarding this issue continue. "Therefore in the coming period even deeper and comprehensive relations will be established between Turkey and the TRNC", he said.

Evaluating the so-called harassment against Barbaros seismic ship, Nami said that the ship continues its activities as were planned in the region. He said that the necessary attempts were made so that the tension not to be increased.

He said that Turkey behaved within the authority given to the country by the international law and that the Greek ships should abandon their harassments before the way is paved for any unfortunate event.

Nami said that the activities between Turkey and the "TRNC" in the field of energy will continue and added that there are signed agreements between the two "countries". As he said, the Turkish Cypriots made collaboration with Turkey to make researches in common areas and added that as the Greek Cypriot side has the right to do this kind of agreements with US, Italian and French firms, it is natural for them (the Turkish Cypriots) to make agreements with Turkey in order to protect their rights and interests in the region.

(CS)

[02] Turkey's Defence Minister threatens

Speaking during a military drill in town Polatli, Akar further said: "No fait accompli or step taken against Turkey in Cyprus, the Aegean or the Eastern Mediterranean will be permitted. Everybody should know that any project in the Aegean or Mediterranean, of which Turkey and the TRNC are not included, does not have a chance to survive. Everybody should give up and avoid the provocation that will endanger the region".

Claiming that Turkey intends to continue pursuing its goals in the region, Akar argued that their Armed Forces will continue to protect Turkey's rights and interests in the Aegean and in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as "TRNC's" rights and interests and will be the guarantee of peace and security on the island of Cyprus in line with the international guarantees and the Treaty of Alliance. Akar concluded by threatening: "Nobody should doubt it and let everyone do their account accordingly".

(DPs)

[03] Kalin: "Turkey will never abandon its rights in Eastern Mediterranean - Turkey's vessels will continue drillings"

"There are some conditions required by the international law regarding the exclusive economic zones on the point of the sovereignty rights here, the territorial waters", he said and alleged: "Especially the Greek Cypriot side and from time to time Greece make some assessments taking as basis some maps which they have drawn themselves by saying 'this is our area' without reaching an agreement".

He went on and claimed: "When our research vessel, our Barbaros vessel, our Fatih vessel carries out drillings in the Mediterranean in a distance of 10, 20 or 30 miles from our borders for example, they assess this as violation and try to take some steps themselves. A violation is out of the question, because anyway we do not accept such imaginary or fancied boundaries. What we are saying from the very beginning is the development of a sharing model which will be taking as basis the common interests of both sides in Eastern Mediterranean, that is, in the economic zone around Cyprus, the Turkish and the Greek Cypriot side. While the Greek Cypriot side […] can carry our drillings by creating an actual or a de facto situation, it is anyway unthinkable for Turkey to avoid this. Secondly, I am saying this regardless of the solution process in Cyprus, whatever the r esult which will come up from this is, Turkey will not abandon its natural rights in Eastern Mediterranean, its rights deriving from the international law. The Greek Cypriot side should know the following: Any possession there, either this is a drilling or it regards other issues, without taking Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots into consideration, into account will neither be acceptable from the point of view of the international law nor it will be possible for us to allow such a thing. Therefore, our scientific research vessels, Fatih, Barbaros and others will continue their drilling works in the area, just like they did until today. The necessary measures have always been taken for this and they will continue to be taken".

Referring to a possible new military base in the occupied area of Cyprus, Kalin said that "it is out of the question such a separate base, but as you know, some updates are carried out from time to time, such as improving the logistic conditions of our soldiers there". "Of course, some arrangements can be made within this framework", he added.

(I/Ts.)

[04] Sener Levent's lawsuit against Erdogan was rejected

According to the "decision", "senior judge" Avcioglu argued that the state leaders have a judicial immunity and the grounds of Levent's lawsuit were inconclusive.

In a statement to the press after the "court decision", Sener Levent said that he will meet with lawyers in "south Cyprus" (government controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus) and in the ECHR, adding that if it is possible, he would file a lawsuit in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus or in the ECHR.

Levent further said: "The legal procedure in our own country has been completed. We want to take the decision read by the judge to the ECHR and to see whether the foreign state leaders can be sued or not."

(DPs)

[05] The Lefkonoiko airport is turned into a ghost structure

The illegal airport, in which no planes have landed since 2004, has turned into ghost structure, writes the paper noting that the "state" lost more than 135 million TL in rents while the damages for abandoning the airport are beyond measure.

(CS)

[06] Immunity of UBP "deputy" was lifted

The paper writes that the "attorney general" prepared 30 separate "law suits" against Caluda who is accused of causing a 230,000 TL damage to the "state".

After this development, the way was paved for a "trial" against Caluda.

According to Yeni Duzen 34 "deputies" voted in favor of lifting Caluda's immunity, 8 of which come from his party, 6 "deputies" voted no and 10 refrained from voting.

(CS)

[B] Turkish Press

[01] Cavusoglu alleges that the Greek Cypriots saw that Turkey will not allow their "games" in Eastern Mediterranean

"In the end, if reserves exist around the island, if both sides have rights on these reserves, they should be shared. This is our grievance", he claimed and reiterated the Turkish allegation that during the Crans Montana negotiations everybody saw that the Greek Cypriots were not ready for a federal solution.

"What we want now before a new process to start? What we will be negotiating for? First we will determine this", he argued.

Cavusoglu said that they meet with all sides in the occupied area of Cyprus and agreed that some preparations should be made. "I look at the island. They are carrying out cheap politics. You know that, unfortunately, there are some groups which are maintaining enmity against Turkey", he claimed. Cavusoglu further alleged that they do not exclude any group and do not impose any solution proposal or system.

He argued: "No one can accept one more failure. Especially, we cannot accept it. If there will be a negotiation, it should be result oriented. Its framework should be known and we should reach a result now".

Cavusoglu went on by suggesting to Greece to meet with the "TRNC", as he called the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.

Asked about Turkey's reaction in case Greece extended its territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles, Cavusoglu alleged that "Greece makes such statements from time to time to cause tension" and that "populism is always in front of realities for them". "The expectation of the public opinion is in this direction. The public opinion in us is reasonable", he claimed alleging that Turkey is in favor of solving the problems in the Aegean in a peaceful manner, but "whenever Greece attempted to create tension, we gave the necessary response". "When the time comes, we put them in their place", he argued claiming that Greece should think how they could solve these problems instead of causing tension.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Kalin: "Khashoggi issue does not concern only Riyadh and Ankara"

"The issue is to shed light on an atrocious murder," he added.

Kalin said further that Turkey has been carrying out "sensitive and comprehensive" investigation on the case of Khashoggi, who had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

"The stance of our President [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] is very clear since the beginning. Nothing will remain hidden regarding this incident," Kalin added.

He reminded reporters also that Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the Khashoggi case, fight against terrorism and latest developments in Syria in Sunday's phone call.

"Trump thanked our President over the Idlib deal and said: 'You prevented a major humanitarian disaster via this deal in Idlib, where 3.5 million people live'," Kalin said.

About the latest developments on the Turkey-U.S. joint patrol in Syria's Manbij, Kalin said: "U.S. officials have started taking necessary steps to accelerate the process.

"The ongoing joint training in [Turkey's southeastern province] Gaziantep will be completed in the upcoming days and joint patrols around Manbij will start soon."

The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of terrorist YPG/PKK forces from the city in Aleppo province, northern Syria to stabilize the region.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken 40,000 lives, including many women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.

Kalin also said that Turkey expects the U.S. to remove sanctions "as soon as possible" so as to contribute to normalization of bilateral ties.

He added that some issues remain a problem between Ankara and Washington, particularly the fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

He said that Turkey expects the U.S. to take concrete steps regarding FETO, PYD and PKK.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt in Turkey on July 25, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

(…)

[03] Celik: "Khashoggi's death is a 'monstrously planned' murder"

Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Celik said that the suspects took great effort to cover up the journalist's death. "Hopefully everything will be uncovered and those responsible will be punished so no one will dare to think such things again," Celik said.

Celik also said claims of negotiations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia as part of the investigation into Khashoggi's killing were unethical, adding it was Turkey's responsibility to uncover the truth about the case.

Also, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday he would reveal the "truth" about the Khashoggi case on Tuesday while Turkish officials vowed to pursue the case after Saudi Arabia's admission of guilt.

"We seek justice and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth. This is not an ordinary case. I will make statements on Tuesday at the AK Party parliamentary group meeting. The incident will be revealed entirely," said Erdogan.

(…)

[04] Erdogan: "Local polls may bring the end of Turkey's main opposition"

"This is because the person who is heading the main opposition is not just a trouble for the nation, but also for the CHP. We need to save the CHP from this person," Erdogan said at a training program of the women's branch of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) at its headquarters in Ankara.

"Some friends [of mine] say 'It is to your benefit that he [K?l?cdaroglu] stays at that position.' Despite losing every election, you [K?l?cdaroglu] are still entering elections. Is there a bigger democracy than this?" Erdogan said.

(…)Erdogan also accused CHP officials of using a "discriminatory" language against Syrian refugees in Turkey. "By targeting the oppressed, using chauvinistic statements and discriminatory words befitting fully the CHP, they think that they will garner more votes. They have utilized every kind of lie to provoke this nation… But, whatever they do, the result of the March 2019 elections will be the same. Hopefully, they will experience the same fiasco again," he said.

"We have not committed any discrimination [towards Syrian refugees]. The number [of Syrian refugees] is four million in total [in Turkey]. The EU has not given the funds it should have given us, this is not important for us. What is important is what we have done. We have made a spending of $33 billion until now [for Syrian refugees], whereas the amount they [the EU] have given us is $1.75 billion. Whether it comes from them or not, we will continue to be the host [of the refugees]," Erdogan said.

Erdogan added that the number of women Mayors of the AKP was "not enough," calling for an increase and that the number of women Mayors should reflect the proportion of women in the country's population. "The AKP has eight women Mayors. This is not enough. Our desire is to reflect a proportional picture in accordance with the population," Erdogan said.

"A politics that ignores, sidelines or wastes the potential and power of women does not stand a chance in Turkey," he said.

"Those who exclude women or view them just as 'showpieces' are doomed to fail in politics", he said.

Erdogan added that the AKP's women's branch has already started preparing for the upcoming local elections. "The full reflection of the results of the June 24 parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkey will be related to the success of the upcoming local elections" set to be held on March 31, 2019, Erdogan added.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/AM)

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