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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-03-05Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 05.03.19 Contents[A] Turkish Cypriot Press
[B] Turkish Press
[A] Turkish Cypriot Press[01] Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly arrived in the breakaway regimeTurkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (05.03.19 http://www.kibrispostasi.com/c36-TURKIYE/n278501-sentop-kktc-ziyareti-oncesi-konustu-kibris-konusunda-gorus-a ) reports that the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mustafa Sentop arrived at the breakaway regime this morning.Sentop was welcomed at illegal Ercan airport by the "speaker of the assembly" Teberruken Ulucay, the "ambassador of Turkey" in the breakaway regime Ali Murat Basceri and other "officials". As part of his contacts in the occupied area of Cyprus, Sentop will meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, "prime minister" Tufan Erhurman and Ulucay. Speaking before his departure at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, the newly elected Parliamentary Speaker said that "he was holding his visit to the TRNC in line with a longstanding tradition of state officials conducting their first trip abroad to the TRNC and Azerbaijan". As he stated, the aim of his visit to the "TRNC" is to exchange views as regards the steps to be taken in the coming period on the Cyprus problem. Reporting on the same issue, illegal Bayrak (05.03.19
http://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=sentop-in-trnc ) broadcast that Sentop
who arrived in the breakaway regime this morning with an accompanying
delegation of MPs, first visited the "tomb of Dr. Faz?l Kucuk and the
TMT Monument where Rauf Raif Denktas's Mausoleum is also located".
Sentop then met with Ak?nc?. The Cyprus Problem topped the discussions
at the meeting held at the "presidential palace".
Speaking during the visit, Sentop said that "Cyprus was a national cause
for Turkey and that the Republic of Turkey had shown the world that it
will do everything to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish
Cypriot people".
He claimed that the Greek Cypriot side was to blame for the failure of
negotiations aimed at reaching a solution, alleging that the Turkish
side had done its part for a settlement.
He also said that "the Turkish Cypriots will never accept becoming a
minority within a Greek Cypriot state".
The Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly also said that new
ideas were needed for the solution of the Cyprus Problem, adding that
"the most important thing was for the Greek Cypriot side to accept
political equality".
Ak?nc? highlighted the importance of cooperation between their two
respective "parliaments".
On the Cyprus Problem, Akinci reminded that the Turkish Cypriot side
would continue to defend its rights on the island.
"We need to produce ideas where everyone cooperates and will win" said
Ak?nc?, claiming that the political and legal rights of the Turkish
Cypriot people had been usurped since 1963.
He said that "Turkish Cypriots were not a minority and would never accept
becoming a minority".
Ak?nc? claimed that the Greek Cypriot side was playing a game with the
aim of continuing the status quo. "We should not be deceived by these
games and continue this struggle together with Turkey" he said.
Following his meeting with Akinci, the Turkish Parliamentary Speaker
paid separate visits to Ulucay and Erhurman.
Sentop will leave later in the evening after completing his contacts.
As part of his contacts, Husejin met with the "minister of national
education and culture" Cemal Ozyigit.
Ozyigit and Husejin exchanged views on the education systems in both
"countries" and the works and projects being carried out during the
meeting.
They also discussed and exchanged views on what steps could be taken
to enable cooperation between the two "ministries" in the fields of
education and culture.
According to information released by the so-called prime ministry's press
and public relations bureau, Erdogan will depart from the occupied area
of Cyprus tomorrow and is expected to return on Sunday, the 10th of
March after completing his "contacts" in London.
As part of his contacts, Erhurman will attend the screening of a
documentary on the life of the first Turkish Cypriot female journalist
Bedia Okan Goreli which will be organized by the "TRNC Representative
Office in London".
A reception will also be held as part of the event which will be held
tomorrow.
On Thursday, the 7th of March, Erhurman will first come together with
the Turkish Cypriot businesspeople and then will attend a public event
for Turkish Cypriots residing in London.
The chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO) Turgay
Deniz, the "chairman" of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry ("KTSO"
Candan Avunduk, the "chairman" of the "Turkish Cypriot contractors
association" Cafer Gurcafer and the "chairman" of the "Turkish Cypriots'
Hoteliers association union" Dimag Cag?ner will also attend and address
the event.
Erhurman will attend further an event organized by the Turkish Women's
Philanthropic Association of England on Friday, the 8th of March to mark
International Women's Day and will also hold a meeting with "chairmen
of the Turkish Cypriot associations in London" later in the evening.
As part of his other contacts, he will also meet with the Federation of
Turkish Cypriot Students and university students studying in the UK.
On Saturday, Erhurman will hold a meeting with the London Solidarity
Association before watching a football match between U16 young mixed
football teams of the Turkish Community Football Federation.
In the evening, he will attend the "Turkish Cypriot Awards Ceremony"
Ball to be organized by the "Turkish Cypriot Trust UK".
The "undersecretary of the prime ministry: Berkan Tokar, the "private
secretary" Mustafa Erguven and the "director of the prime ministry press
and public relations directorate" Ahmet Muratoglu will accompany Erhurman
in London.
Elcil told the paper that they had categorized the applications and that
they had come across various cases, such as children from a marriage
between a Turkish Cypriot and a Palestinian and 32 children from two
Turkish Cypriot parents, who could not take the citizenship of the
Republic of Cyprus.
Elcil said that they had held a meeting with Minister of Interior
Constantinos Petrides on 21 August 2018 with positive results and that
after the meeting a unit was established in the Ministry to deal with
the issue. Elcil noted that they had also met with Foreign Minister
Nikos Christodoulides, who told them that he would offer them the help
they needed. "We were told that the giving of citizenship to children
who were born in Cyprus from mixed marriages held abroad would start",
he said adding that the trade unions had received 437 such applications
and 92 persons having this status had directly applied to the authorities
of the Republic of Cyprus.
Moreover, Elcil said that the trade unions had undertaken some initiatives
internationally, that the Dutch Mastery University had prepared a report
on the issue and that the trade unions had exchanged letters with EU
member countries. He also noted that they had conveyed the issue to the UN
Committee on Human Rights and that their positions were supported by the
US, the UK and Argentina. "While we are carrying out lobbying activities,
we also continue the legal examination of the issue. If there is not
a move on the issue in the future, we will carry the issue to court",
he concluded.
(I/Ts.)
"They are seemingly in an alliance against the People's Alliance and
joined together against me. However, what actually brings them together
is that they are afraid of the power Turkey will have when the country
reaches its 2023 goals," Erdogan said.
The People's Alliance he was referring to is formed by his AK Party and
the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
Erdogan has long criticized the Nation Alliance, accusing the CHP
and IP of being supported by the PKK and the Gulenist Terror Group
(FETO). Erdogan also said that the CHP has the support of the pro-PKK
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for the upcoming elections, a party
which has failed to acknowledge the PKK as a terrorist group.
"The party [HDP] under control of the separatist group [PKK] did not
nominate mayoral candidates in many municipalities. They are supporting
CHP's candidates. Similarly, they are discussing how to share the
administrations in many municipalities," Erdogan said, adding that the
people, "particularly the CHP voters" will teach a lesson to "those who
put CHP to the situation it is in today."
The HDP is known for its support of autonomy in regions where large
Kurdish populations live. Some of its members have also been charged
or accused of having links to the PKK terrorist organization. Its
former co-leader, Selahattin Demirtas, was arrested in November 2016
over terrorist propaganda. Many of its members have often voiced overt
support for the PKK.
The HDP announced previously that it would not nominate mayoral candidates
in seven major municipalities, including Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. The
decision raised questions about a possible secret alliance between the
CHP and the HDP; both parties have denied such claims.
"We need a national stance in politics. You cannot do politics with
those counting on terrorist groups," Erdogan added.
Erdogan further continued and also played video clips showing HDP
officials declaring their support for the PKK. He went on adding that
Turkey will not let any terrorist groups survive within the country's
borders and that they will be eliminated sooner or later. Erdogan also
pointed to an HDP official's remarks about supporting their own party's
candidates in "Kurdistan," during a joint event with CHP's mayoral
candidate in Istanbul's Sisli district. "Is there a region in Turkey
called Kurdistan?" Erdogan asked, "No, there is not."
"If you really want a Kurdistan, there is one in northern Iraq, goodbye
to you. There is no such region in Turkey," he said, calling on voters
to support his party during speeches in both Zonguldak and Bart?n and
supporting that the opposition parties have failed to put forward projects
needed for the municipalities and the people.
According to the Interior Ministry, 30,709 people have been taken into
custody for their links to the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) since its
members tried to seize power in a coup attempt in July 2016.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday in Ankara, Ministry Spokesman
Ismail Catakl? said that security forces "processed" 511,646 people
on FETO-related charges over three years following the coup attempt
that killed 251 people. "The process" refers to detentions and
investigations. A total of 30,709 among them were arrested and are
still in custody awaiting hearings in their cases or the start of their
trials. Catakl? said that another 19,329 people were convicted of FETO
membership and related crimes. "We continue our fight against FETO with
determination," the Spokesman added.
(?)
FETO is already implicated in two coup attempts dating back to 2013 when
prosecutors, judges and police chiefs tried to implicate people close
to the government in a graft probe based on trumped-up charges. Turkey
launched a crackdown on the group's members then, but FETO continues
wielding immense power in the country with thousands of followers. A
state of emergency declared in the aftermath of the coup attempt sped
up the crackdown on the terrorist group. Police, largely cleared of FETO
sympathizers, carry out almost daily operations to capture secret members
of the group among them, in the army and other agencies. Twenty-five
people, including active-duty soldiers, were detained in yesterday's
operations in 19 cities. The suspects were identified through an
investigation into their contact with fellow FETO members via payphones,
a commonly used method to secretly communicate for the group. More than
780 operati ons were carried out in the past two years to capture FETO
suspects in "payphone operations," and 11,153 people were detained,
while 4,324 of them were arrested.
Ismail Catakl? also spoke about investigations into Bylock, an encrypted
messaging app exclusively used and believed to be developed by FETO
members. He said investigators found 4,676 new Bylock users in the
investigation that already identified more than 95,000 users. Bylock
investigations started prior to the coup attempt but gained significance
after the coup attempt with deciphered messages revealing secret messages
pointing to an imminent coup. More than 79,337 people faced legal process
in Bylock investigations, Catakl? said.
Separately, 1,953 people were detained in 139 operations against
"gaybubet" houses of FETO. Gaybubet, which means absence, refers to safe
houses used by group members as hideouts after the coup attempt.
The terrorist group, which evolved from a congregation of Fetullah
Gulen's followers, is accused of pursuing a sinister agenda by posing as a
religious group with an emphasis on charity work for years. Investigations
have revealed that the group was planting its men and women in every
institution at least since 1980s, from the army to law enforcement, from
judiciary to bureaucracy before its first coup attempts in 2013. Disguised
with code names, secretive correspondences and a distinct secular
lifestyle worlds away from what FETO promotes as religious life, its
members easily infiltrated places they ultimately aimed to take over.
According to the survey's results, AKP's Binali Yildirimi is the leading
candidate in Istanbul with 52.1% of votes after the distribution of
the undecided voters. Second is the candidate of the Nation Alliance
(Millet Ittifak), the candidate of the Republican's People Party (CHP),
Ekrem Imamoglu with 46.6%.
In Ankara, the candidate of the People's Alliance (Cumhur Ittifak),
the candidate of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Mehmet Ozhaseki
is the leading candidate again with 51.8% after the distribution of the
undecided voters. The candidate of the opposition alliance, Mansur Yavas,
CHP's candidate, receives 46.3%.
In Manisa, the candidate of the People's Alliance, the National Movement
Party (MHP) candidate, Cengiz Ergun, receives 64.2% after the distribution
of the undecided voters and his opponent of the Nation Alliance, the
candidate of the Good Party (IP) Orkun Siktasli got 33.1%.
In Aydin, the candidate of the AKP Mustafa Savas with the People's
Alliance receives 52.3% after the distribution of the undecided voters
and his opponent Ozlem Cercioglu with 46.8%.
In Antalya, AKP's candidate Menderes Tevfik receives 52.2% and his
opponent CHP's candidate Muhittin Bocek 47.1%
In Hatay, AKP's candidate Ibrahim Guler receives 55.8% and his opponent
CHP's candidate Lutfu Savas 43.3%
In Balikesir, AKP's candidate Yucel Yilmaz receives 55.8% and his opponent
CHP's candidate Ismail Ok 42.4%.
In Adana, MHP's candidate Huseyin Sozlu receives 56.1% and his opponent
CHP's candidate Zeydan Karalar 43.2%.
On the same issue, columnist Abdulkadir
Selvi, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet (05.03.19,
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/abdulkadir-selvi/anketlerden-secimlere-iliskin-onemli-sinyal-41137912),
reports that one of the most important opinion poll company of Turkey
argues that the outcome of this election will be determined by those
who will not cast a vote.
According to a survey conducted by OPTIMAR Research Company between 24-26
February in 26 districts interviewing 1500 people, 20.2% responded that
they are still undecided. Of the people who responded they would not vote,
asked about the reason, 30% of the respondents said that they think the
elections are unreliable, 28.2% said that they are not satisfied with
the candidate their party supports and the biggest rate, 41.8% do not
feel close to any party.
(DPs)
The "Blue Homeland" naval exercise demonstrates Turkey has become a
maritime power since it has been conducted by nationally built naval
elements, according to Gurdeniz. "The navy's strength does not come
from the number of its ships but from the industrial support behind it,"
Gurdeniz added, supporting that the center of gravity of the drill is the
eastern Mediterranean, as it harbors the biggest geopolitical challenges.
"Why is it that it has been the first time Turkey is holding a naval
exercise in the three surrounding seas?
It has been declared the biggest exercise ever in the history of the
Turkish Republic. Some 103 warships have participated, consisting of
multilateral and triservices, with the involvement of the Turkish Air
Force and the Turkish army. It has taken place as a manifestation against
the enlarging blocks against Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.
The three major geopolitical issues involving Turkey's future in the 21st
century are energy resources in the seabed, the future of the so-called
Kurdistan with a sea port, and the future of northern Cyprus.
The drill is taking place in the Black Sea as well. Should it be
interpreted as a message against Russia as well?
No, because Turkey's relations with Russia in the last couple of
years are considered to be in their best phase compared to the last
100 years. Turkey has never conducted a NATO exercise in the Black
Sea during the Cold War in order not to disturb the strategic balance
between Turkey and the Soviet Union. In addition, during this exercise,
Turkish warships will conduct port visits in every littoral country,
including Russia. If Russia had perceived it as an unfriendly gesture,
she would not have allowed it.
The center of gravity in the Blue Homeland exercise seems to be the
eastern Mediterranean; could this then be perceived as a message against
Turkey's NATO-ally Greece and others?
If a country targets your maritime interests, if they are targeting your
continental shelf rights, your exclusive economic zone (EEZ) rights and
try to grasp a chunk of your maritime jurisdiction areas, of course
you cannot distinctly target these countries but you can demonstrate
your stance.
In the years following the Gulenists' coup attempt, Turkey has been facing
big challenges from Greece and the 'Greek administration of southern
Cyprus' [Translator's note: as the Republic of Cyprus is called] as
well as from the United States and the European Union. They have almost
formed an opposing bloc against Turkey. This bloc is trying to impose
delimitation in the eastern Mediterranean, which is grasping almost more
than 100,000 square kilometers from Turkey.
When you look at the map from EU institutions, the delimitation on
these maps does not correspond to that of Turkey. Unfortunately, the
Turkish Foreign Ministry has not yet declared our continental shelf
or EEZ boundaries in the Mediterranean. They have only declared the
longitude of the eastern border west of Cyprus to the United Nations
via two votes in 2004 and 2012. Greece, Greek Cypriots, Egypt and Israel
do not recognize this. Together with the U.S., these two countries are
holding military exercises almost every month against Turkey. American
and European energy companies are holding exploration and exploitations
works on the illegally declared Greek Cypriot license zones that overlap
the Turkish Continental Shelf.
So would you argue that access to eastern Mediterranean resources is
being denied and that the "Blue Homeland" drill is a manifestation of
Turkey's stance?
Indeed. But it also goes beyond that. Blue Homeland has become
Turkey's maritime doctrine and it shows Turkey is becoming a maritime
power. Normally, Greeks have thought Turks are land people and believed
the sea belonged to them. For the first time in centuries, Turks are
saying, "we are now in the sea and we have a strong navy."
So, is it also a message to underline that it has become a naval power?
Turkey was already a naval power but it is now building its own
warships. We have our own indigenous defense industry satisfying most of
our defense needs. The Turkish Navy's strength is not coming from the
number of the ships but from the industrial support behind it. Press
releases underline the fact that the navy is conducting exercises with
nationally built ships.
Would you also say the exercise is a special message to Western powers
who do not want Turkey's access to energy sources?
Yes and they also do not want Turkey to join the maritime club of the
developed world. If you look at maritime civilizations, you will see that
almost all of the hegemonic states are maritime powers with imperial
heritage. This is a very exclusive club: England, France, the U.S.,
Japan, etc.
Turkey is striving to be a maritime state. The Turkish Navy has reached
the point only the maritime states can have and that is the main
reason behind the FETO action against the navy during the Ergenekon and
Sledgehammer cases. As you may recall, the main target was the Turkish
Navy at that time. After 2008, the Turkish Navy started to operate
permanently in the Indian Ocean.
While defining maritime powers, you used the term hegemonic powers. Does
Turkey aspire to be a hegemonic power?
We would not be a hegemonic power; we just want to safeguard our maritime
geopolitical rights as well as Turkish interests worldwide".
(?)
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/EH)
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