Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-07-23

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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] Burcu criticized the response of the Greek Cypriot side to Akinci's proposal

[02] Cavusoglu stated that alternative solutions should be seek for the Cyprus problem

[03] Tatar met with the leader of the Turkish Felicity Party

[04] Statements by Tatar on the "interim economic protocol"

[05] A conservative theological Lyceum to be opened in the occupied area of Cyprus

[B] Turkish Press

[01] Tatar: "Turkey's stand upright stance give us power"

[02] Kalin: "Turkey urges US and the EU to address its security concerns"; He rebuked the EU accepting the Republic of Cyprus as a member state

[03] Cavusoglu: "Readmission agreement with EU no longer functional"

[04] Russia and Turkey continue talks on joint S-400 production

[05] Turkey's Defense Minister Akar met with Jeffrey

[06] Turkey and Indonesia sign MoU on social sectors

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[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Burcu criticized the response of the Greek Cypriot side to Akinci's proposal

Illegal Bayrak (23.07.19 https://www.brtk.net/burcuhaklarimiz-rum-yonetiminin-insafina-terk-edilemez/) reports that Baris Burcu, the spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, criticized the answer of the Greek Cypriot side to the proposal made by Akinci to form a joint committee to co-manage the island's hydrocarbon reserves.

"It was out of the question for the Greek Cypriots to act unilaterally on the island's natural resources which the Turkish Cypriots have equal rights over until a comprehensive settlement is reached", he claimed.

Burcu issued a written statement today after Anastasiades's official response to Ak?nc?'s proposal was delivered to Ak?nc?'s office.

He said that the Greek Cypriot leader, in his official response, had cited his reason to reject the proposal on the grounds that there was a convergence between the two sides to deal with the issue of hydrocarbons after a comprehensive settlement within the framework of a federal authority.

"Anastasiades claims that the Greek Cypriot side already recognizes the rights of the Turkish Cypriots over the island's hydrocarbons and the need to co-manage them in the event of a settlement. However as it is known, a settlement does not exist and there is currently no joint federal structure to deal with this issue," he said.

Burcu said that another misperception in Anastasiades' letter was the claim that Turkish Cypriots' rights will be safeguarded with the hydrocarbons fund.

"This claim is not convincing. It must be understood that the Turkish Cypriots have a say in all phases and processes of hydrocarbon activities," he alleged.

Burcu added that any fund to be set up needed to be decided together with the Turkish Cypriot side.

"Akinci's proposal included the establishment of a fund. One-sided decisions and creating funds by excluding the Turkish Cypriot side does not give us a sense of guarantee because our rights cannot be left to the mercy of the Greek Cypriots" he stated/

Burcu also said that Akinci wished to discuss this matter as well as other issues in a sincere and constructive spirit when he meets with the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades on August 9.

"We believe that it is everyone's responsibility to reduce tensions in an attempt to open the way for positive developments that will be for the benefit of all sides in Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot side has always acted with the sense of responsibility and will continue to do so," he concluded.

[02] Cavusoglu stated that alternative solutions should be seek for the Cyprus problem

Turkish Cypriot daily "Gunes"(23.07.19) reports that the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu referring to the issue of the five-party meeting stated that is not possible the Cyprus negotiations to continue from the point they were left in Crans Montana, as regards Federation.

He made these statements speaking to Turkish TCRT channel.

Cavusoglu claimed that President Nicos Anastasiades told him that two states solution is the best solution in Cyprus because theGreek Cypriots do not want to share anything with the Turkish Cypriots.

"We said that Crans Montana was the last effort for a federal solution. […] We as the Republic of Turkeydid our last negotiation for a federation. Other alternatives must be examined now", he stated adding that it is important to hear the real views of Anastasiades. "Is Anastadiades the one who will determine everything? No, we have opinions as well", he stated.

Referring to Cavusoglu's statement, Turkish Cypriot daily "Hakikat", (23.07.19) reports that Cavusoglu stated that Turkey was ready to cooperate in order to resolve the dispute over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean. "We want normalization of relations with Greece," he added.

He also claimed that while Turkey supports resource sharing, the Greek Cypriot side does not want to share resources with anyone.

He went on and urged the EU to mediate on the issue and stated that Turkey currently has drilling vessels in the area. "We don't want anyone questioning the rights on our own continental shelf," he said. No further energy exploration or drilling ships are necessary in the eastern Mediterranean for now, Cavusoglu said.

[03] Tatar met with the leader of the Turkish Felicity Party

Illegal Bayrak (22.07.19 https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=tatar-receives-karamollaoglu) reports that the so-called prime minister Ersin Tatar held a meeting with the leader of the Turkish Felicity Party Temel Karamollaoglu and his accompanied delegation.

Tatar said during the meeting that it was out of the question to have a partnership state with the Greek Cypriots. "We should not give in to the pressures" he said and claimed that "Turkey by using its rights stemming from guarantee and alliance agreements realized the peace operation in 1974", as he called the Turkish invasion.

"The 1974 peace operation is a result of 1960 agreements. Two different states were formed after the operation and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continues to exist" Tatar claimed.

He also alleged that there is an international game intended to be played today. "The current game is that the Turkish Cypriots will enter to the European Union roof however the Greek Cypriots will be the majority. The name will be a federation but in real it will be a unitary state. They will have the hegemony and Turkey will be excluded. They will accept us to the EU but who is in the EU? Greece. The Turkish nation should not be deceived at this stage. We should not allow this to happen just for the sake of short gains otherwise our state which we had started in 1960 and established in 1974 will be lost" Tatar alleged.

"It is obvious that we will not have a solution on the basis of a partnership state. The Greek Cypriots had not shown such an intention over the last 50 years. They are also acting alone on the hydrocarbon issue and have rejected Mr. Ak?nc?'s proposal. Neither the government nor my own political party believe that the Greek Cypriots would accept a partnership agreement. If they had said yes to the Annan Plan then Turkey would leave the island. The latest efforts are aimed at ending the guarantee system", he argued.

[04] Statements by Tatar on the "interim economic protocol"

According to illegal Bayrak television (23.07.19-https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=tatar-briefs-press-on-interim-economic-protocol), so-called prime minister Ersin Tatar held a press conference today on the "interim financial and economic cooperation protocol signed" on Saturday.

The "protocol which covers the period until the end of 2019 was signed by visiting" Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and him.

The "protocol envisages the release of 750 million TL in financial assistance to the TRNC as well as a series of reforms for the public sector".

Speaking to reporters, Tatar alleged that an amount of 750 million TL will be used for a number of incomplete infrastructure projects and to repair certain roads which were damaged due to heavy rains this winter.

He claimed that "a more detailed agreement will be signed once the bureaucratic and technical work is completed".

Underlining the importance of Turkey's support for the development of the "TRNC", Tatar said that Turkey's support would continue.

"For this we thank Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and motherland Turkey," he said.

Tatar further alleged that "the work on economic structural reforms will continue and that the government is working to use funds in the most efficient way.

Tatar expressed the view that "the 750 million TL will breathe some relief to the economy".

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (23.07.19) under the title: "Bitter recipe of the protocol", reports that some "provisions of the protocol" which was "signed between Turkey and the TRNC" on July 20, have become known. According to the paper, some of the "provisions of the protocol" are the following:

-"Additional rights and interest of the workers in the public sector will not be provided;

-No employment of temporary workers will take place until the end of 2019;

-The amount to be paid as overtime will not exceed the amount which was paid in 2018;

-all collective labour agreements of public organizations should first be approved by the finance ministry prior to be signed;

-there will be a saving of 10% of all allowances, except from the salaries;

- Tenders will open with the built-operate transfer model for the telecommunication department and the ports;

-Privatization of the vehicle inspection stations;

-Restructure of the cooperative central bank and the state will meet the debts of the cooperative central bank;

-The production, communication and distribution in the 'Turkish Cypriot electricity authority' which will be privatized, will be decomposed and the expenses of the personnel will be reduced";

-the debt amount in the agriculture sector will not be transferred to the 2020 budget".

Commenting on the "provisions of the protocol" which were kept secret in purpose, the general secretary of the New Cyprus Party (YKP) Murat Kanatli condemned strongly the so-called government, supporting that they achieved to learn in details the "provisions of the protocol", adding that it is necessary for the public opinion to be informed about it.

Expressing worries over the "protocol", Kanatli is opposed to the "imposed protocols" by Turkey, as he described it and said that they would continue resisting on Turkey's impositions to the "TRNC", aiming to increase the "community's' dependency by Turkey".

(AK)

[05] A conservative theological Lyceum to be opened in the occupied area of Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (23.07.19) reports that a theological lyceum will be established in the occupied area of Cyprus after an agreement in education was signed between the "ministry of education" of the breakaway regime and the Ministry of Education of Turkey.

The paper, which notes that the government of Tayyip Erdogan is continuing to transfer its religious fanatics to the breakaway regime, also reports that the school will start operating and accept its first students in the next academic year of 2019-2020.

(CS)

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[B] Turkish Press

[01] Tatar: "Turkey's stand upright stance give us power"

Turkish Cypriot daily Sabah (23.07.19) under the front-page title: "Turkey's stand upright stance give us power", reports on statements by so-called prime minister Ersin Tatar in an exclusive interview to the paper, where he evaluated the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the Cyprus problem.

Referring to the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar alleged that there is an international coalition in front of them, which aims as he claimed to incarcerate Turkey in Anatolia and take Cyprus. "However, Turkey has proved that it is an ambitious country in the region, with its policy it destroyed the conspiracy and stood upright protecting the TRNC, by reiterating that it would not make concessions to its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean", Tatar said.

Pointing out that as long as Turkey is standing upright protecting the "TRNC" and the "Turkish Cypriots' rights and interest in the Eastern Mediterranean, this is an indication that the blue island, is very important", Tatar argued.

Referring to the latest statements made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "if considered necessary Ayse will go again on vacations in Cyprus", Tatar said that these statements show Turkey's determination and decisiveness and gives them moral support.

On the hydrocarbon issue, Tatar claimed that the Turkish Cypriot "people" is determined to act hundred percent in full cooperation with Turkey.

On the issue of the opening of the fenced off city of Varosha for residence, Tatar claimed that there are title deeds proving that Varosha is a Turkish property and argued that if Varosha opens, this would bring wealth to the area.

(AK)

[02] Kalin: "Turkey urges US and the EU to address its security concerns"; He rebuked the EU accepting the Republic of Cyprus as a member state

Ankara Anatolia news agency (22.07.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/turkey-urges-us-eu-to-address-its-security-concerns/1538701) reported that Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesman of the Turkish Presidency, in statements to Bloomberg on Monday, rebuked the EU on the Cyprus issue, saying that the bloc accepted the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he referred to the Republic of Cyprus, as a full member without resolving the issue.

"The EU not only violated its own principles but also committed a great injustice against the Turkish Cypriots," said Kalin.

"Most recently, the Turkish Cypriot side's offer to establish a regime of fair and equal share of resources in the eastern Mediterranean has again been rejected," he added.

Kalin asserted that Turkey is not moving away from the West or any other part of the world but expanding and diversifying its foreign-policy options. "But it is being pushed away at the expense of the security and integrity of NATO.

"Instead of instrumentalizing Turkey for their short-term interests, our Western friends and allies need to treat Turkey as an equal partner and address its security concerns in a serious manner," he said.

Kalin said the accusations against Turkey include President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's alleged authoritarianism and Ankara undermining the NATO alliance.

"These charges are baseless. They point to a profound failure of understanding and a deliberate dismissal of Turkey's legitimate security concerns, the regional dynamics in which it operates and the larger geopolitical realities," Kalin wrote.

"The claim that Turkey is no longer a reliable NATO ally is groundless," said Kalin, adding that Turkey plays a crucial role in all major NATO missions, from Kosovo and Bosnia to Lebanon and Afghanistan.

(…)Kalin said further that Turkey's security concerns are ignored in a systematic manner and criticized the U.S. and European countries for their insufficient support for Ankara against the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind a bloody defeated coup in 2016.

"Today, both the PKK and the Gulenists work freely out of Western countries. Turkey's repeated requests for the extradition of the members of these terrorist networks have fallen on deaf ears," said Kalin.

On the purchase of the S-400 missile defense system, Kalin said: "The Russian air defense system became not a choice but a necessity for Turkey".

[03] Cavusoglu: "Readmission agreement with EU no longer functional"

Turkish daily Sabah (23.07.19-https://www.dailysabah.com/eu-affairs/2019/07/23/readmission-agreement-with-eu-no-longer-functional-ankara-says) reports that Ankara announced that the readmission deal with the European Union signed in April 2016 to find a solution to the influx of refugees heading to the European Union, will no longer be functional as long as the bloc continues not to fulfill its promise of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

"We will not wait at the EU's door. The readmission agreement and visa-free deal will be put into effect at the same time," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said yesterday in a TV interview and added that Turkey has decided to suspend its commitments in the deal.

(…)Cavusoglu also refuted speculation suggesting that there is a shift in Ankara's political and military alignment by saying that the removal of Turkey from NATO is not possible, adding that the country, however, will take new initiatives in foreign policy. "Waiting at the EU's door for 50 more years is not possible for Turkey. We will announce our new initiatives on foreign policy in the beginning of August," Cavusoglu added.

[04] Russia and Turkey continue talks on joint S-400 production

Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (22.07.19-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russia-turkey-continue-talks-on-joint-s-400-production-145156) reported that Moscow and Ankara are in talks regarding the joint production of parts of the S-400 air defense system, the head of Russian weapons exporting company Rostec said on July 22.

Turkey takes interest in the latest Russian combat modules, air defense systems of various ranges and anti-tank systems, Sergey Chemezov said in an interview with Anadolu Agency in Moscow.

According to him, the two countries are holding talks about possible Russian assistance to Turkey in creating a national long-range air defense system.

"Moscow and Ankara are holding consultations in the area of the licensed production of the S-400 air defense system component parts. Besides, Turkey is interested in the latest Russian combat modules, air defense systems of various ranges, as well as anti-tank systems. Negotiations are underway for Russia's help to Republic of Turkey in creating its national air defense and long-range missile defense systems," he said.

Chemezov recalled that Russia had accelerated the S-400 delivery to Turkey. "Such a practice in the world arms market is rare. But Russian industry confirmed its capabilities, and we go strictly by the schedule. First deliveries of the system component parts were carried out this month," he said.

Chemezov praised Turkey as "one of Russia's and Rostec's key partners". "We are ready for various formats of technological cooperation, including in such high-tech areas as the aerospace industry, helicopter construction, and energy," he said.

(…)

[05] Turkey's Defense Minister Akar met with Jeffrey

Ankara Anatolia news agency (22.07.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-us-talk-safe-zone-in-syria-defense-ministry/1538777) reported that Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with the U.S.' Syria Envoy James Jeffrey on Monday to discuss recent developments in Syria and establishing a safe zone there, the Defense Ministry announced.

After welcoming Jeffrey to Ankara for a two-day visit, Akar said that the planned safe zone east of the Euphrates River should be established jointly by Turkey and the U.S. in a coordinated manner.

On the presence of the terrorist groups PKK/YPG and Daesh, Akar said that their fortifications should be destroyed and heavy weapons collected.

(…)Akar reiterated that Turkey's fight in the region is not against a specific ethno-religious group like Kurds or Arabs but against terrorists of the PKK/YPG and Daesh and the conditions for Syrian refugees' return must be created.

The officials agreed at today's meeting that military delegations from both sides would kick off joint work at the Defense Ministry on Tuesday on establishing a safe zone, the ministry announced.

(…)

[06] Turkey and Indonesia sign MoU on social sectors

Ankara Anatolia news agency (22.07.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/turkey-indonesia-sign-mou-on-social-sectors/1538515) reported that Indonesia and Turkey on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding in Jakarta to cooperate in social rehabilitation, social security, disaster management, and welfare programs.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Turkish Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services Zehra Zumrut Selcuk and Indonesian Social Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita during Selcuk's three-day visit to Indonesia.

During the bilateral meeting, Kartasasmita said that Turkey showed its interest in studying Indonesia's social programs, one of which was the Hope Family Program (PKH) which has succeeded in reducing poverty. "We want to learn about the success story of the PKH program. We heard that Indonesia has succeeded in reducing poverty, which is something we really respect," he added.

The Ministers also agreed to send their senior officials to study welfare programs in both countries.

The two countries also agreed to cooperate on health insurance systems to strengthen the mechanism of domestic social organizations.

Separately, Indonesian Social Security Organizing Agency for Healthcare (BPJS) and Turkish health insurance agency Sosyal Guvenlik Kurumu (SGK) also signed an agreement on Monday to exchange expertise with an aim to further improve the service system.

Indonesia and Turkey have also agreed to strengthen bilateral labor cooperation by renewing a memorandum of understanding which ended in 2013.

Indonesian Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said that the step was a follow-up to Indonesian President Joko Widodo's recent bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

"The purpose of the courtesy call is to discuss the cooperation with the Turkish government, especially the re-discussion of the MoU that has ended," Minister Dhakiri told reporters after a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Family, Employment and Social Services, Selcuk.

He added that the renewal of the MoU was important in order to expand cooperation on labor issues that had not been included in the scope of collaboration in the earlier MoU.

(…)

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/AM)

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