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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-08-05Cyprus 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-03-05.08.2019 No. 145/19 03-05.08.2019 Content[A] Turkish Cypriot Press
[B] Turkish Press
[A] Turkish Cypriot Press[01] The essence of the Cyprus problem, natural gas and CBM on the agenda on 9 August, says AkinciTurkish Cypriot newspaper K?br?s (05.08.19) reports that in an interview with the paper, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has sent a message to President Anastasiades, arguing that the time has come to decide on the Cyprus problem, that we "play the extra time" and that if what he called the rights of the Turkish Cypriots were not given, a non-solution in Cyprus would become permanent.Referring to his meeting with President Anastasiades on 9 August, Akinci said that "we are going with an open agenda" and argued that "there are no prejudices and preconditions". He alleged that the Greek Cypriot side should clarify its intention and added that the meeting on 9 August would be decisive for the future of the negotiations. Akinci said that the "essence of the matter", "the natural gas issue" and "new confidence building measures (CBM)" would be on the agenda on 9 August, adding that their target was to bring up a road map, which would lead the sides to a five-party conference. Akinci claimed also the following: "[ ] We want a federation. If what we make will be a federation, we will learn to share the authority, the powers and the wealth. On 9 August we will see how the situation is. On that day confidence building measures will also come onto the agenda. Because we have implemented the old ones, we will discuss new measures. For example, the issue of a car insurance which could be used on both sides exists. Our commercial vehicles' crossing to the south or people coming and going more often to Hala Sultan, Apostolos [Saint] Barnabas and Apostolos Andreas could be ensured. We could convey to Mr Anastasiades the proposal for establishing a committee on sports. It will be very good, if we find a way for the young people to meet through sports. [ ] We have passed since a long time the point of taking decisions in Cyprus. To put it in another way, the game is over and the extra time is being played. The extra time is also part of the game. The Cyprus problem is not like a football game, but only for the sake of comparison, even though the duration is 90 minutes, a five-minute extra time is given. We do not have another 90 minutes before us. If the stance of the Greek Cypriot side which says that 'I cannot accept the equal rights of the Turkish Cypriots under any circumstances, you will conform your behavior to our majority and consent to minority rights' continues or if there is insistence on this, we will officially register the division of the island. [ ] The UNSG says that we should continue more wisely, with the justification that failure would be a disaster. The Secretary General wants for the terms of reference to be settled the soonest. He does not want us to strive in vain. He is ready to meet with us in September during the UN General Assembly. This is not planning for a three-party meeting. There will be separate meetings. If there is going to be a three party meeting, we will plan it together. [ ]" (I/Ts.) [02] Ozersay on Varosha and natural gasIllegal Bayrak (05.08.19 https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=ozersay-on-maras-issue-2 publishes an interview of the self-styled foreign minister Kudret Ozersay who said that no step should be taken towards including the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades on the process of opening of the closed city of Varosha, during the informal leaders' meeting, to be held on the 9th of August.In an interview with TAK News Agency, Ozersay said the following: "The Greek Cypriot press reported that Anastasiades will bring the issue of the closed city of Varosha to the agenda of the meeting and demand the establishment of a committee on this issue. This is not acceptable for us, the TRNC government. The two sides for many years and several times had discussed whether the issue of the closed city of Varosha could be a confidence building measure, however no conclusion could be reached due to the firm position of the Greek Cypriot side. Now, we cannot accept to go round in the same circles. It is out of question for us to accept anything that would disrupt the process and include the Greek Cypriot side to the Varosha process while we, as the government, have started to take a step on the issue of the closed city of Varosha", he stated. Stating that the government will act in a way not to harm the property rights in the closed city of Varosha, Ozersay however claimed that there was no need to give the control of the closed city of Varosha to the UN in order to protect these rights. Alleging that they will not give the control of the closed city of Varosha to the UN, he said they did not approve the statements saying that we should act according to the UN resolutions on the Varosha issue after 45 years. "In any case, it was not us but the Greek Cypriot side which has been producing policies by leaning back on the unfair decisions taken by the UN Security Council with political reasons. In other words, it is the Greek Cypriot side's thesis to act according to the UN regulations on relying the issue of closed city of Varosha. I hope Ak?nc? during the meeting on the 9th of August will not allow the Varosha issue to be taken up with an understanding that according to the UN resolutions the closed city of Varosha should be given to the control of the UN. The Greek Cypriot side, as claimed by the Greek Cypriot press, should not be included in the process through a committee or other similar procedures. It's been understood that the Greek Cypriot leader will attend the meeting with this understanding. We as the government do not approve this. This cannot be for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot people and we cannot accept such a thing" Ozersay said. "The property rights of the previous owners are protected through several decisions, such as return, compensation or exchange, which are being taken by the Immovable Property Commission in the TRNC and recognised by the European Court of Human Rights" Ozersay said adding that the same situation was valid for the closed city of Varosha and that there was no need to give the control of closed city of Varosha to the UN in order to protect the property rights of the people. Explaining that the decisions taken by the UN Security Council were either binding or advisory, Ozersay said: "The decisions taken under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter are binding and are about international peace and security. However, the decisions taken under Chapter 6 are about the solution of disagreements through peaceful methods and are not binding. Some UN Security Council regulations openly indicate under which UN chapter the decision was taken. However, if this is not written openly you can look at the matter and other articles of the decision and understand if the regulation is binding or not. The UN Security Council's decisions on the closed city of Varosha were taken under Chapter 6 and are not binding when the issue and its characteristics and the expressions used in the related decision are taken into consideration." "Did the Greek Cypriot side accept and implement the decisions taken by the UN Security Council which approves the UN Secretary General's report who has been properly defying the political equality and bi-zonality at the negotiating table for many years? Did the Greek Cypriot side implement the bi-zonality which defines the need for both peoples to have the majority of population and property within their founding states?" Ozersay asked and said no one should attempt to tie the Turkish Cypriot side's hands on the Varosha issue while the Greek Cypriot side did not abide by the decisions taken by the UN Security Council for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriots". In addition, Illegal Bayrak (05.08.19
https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=natural-gas-issues-3) also reports
that Ozersay evaluated the latest proposal put forward by President
Anastasiades that an ineffective and unauthorised bi-communal committee
should be set up to deal with the natural gas issue surrounding the
island.
Ozersay alleged that this proposal was nothing more than trying to
sweeten up the Turkish Cypriots and added that this was unacceptable.
Ozeray said that if an effective and authorised committee is to be
established to deal with the natural gas issue only then will they
"as the government" take certain steps.
"But the Greek Cypriot leader will dilute this recommendation and tie it
to a comprehensive solution on the island therefore the committee will
be ineffective and unauthorised and there will be no clear management and
sharing taking place and they will pacify our natural gas activities. We
shouldn't enter into rules of engagement" said Ozersay.
Alleging that the activities carried out by the Turkish Cypriots on the
field regarding the natural gas issue had in fact changed the unfavourable
position created in the eastern Mediterranean and had assisted in creating
a balance, Ozersay said that these efforts should not be sacrificed for
a new "never ending barren negotiations process".
"In 2015 a covert moratorium had been declared and the two sides were
going to shelve their efforts on the natural gas issue. What happened? The
Greek Cypriot leader Anastasiades who had made certain promises broke
these promises, signed an agreement with foreign companies and continued
drilling efforts" said.
"Now they are talking about a new moratorium. We had made a similar
agreement in the past and considering they did not stick to this agreement
we must learn from our mistakes" Ozersay claimed.
The official opening of the conference will be realised with an inaugural
speech by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
During the first day of the conference the Turkish Minister for Culture
and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Ozersay, Uzbekistan Foreign Minister
Abdulaziz Kamilov and Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi will deliver
speeches to the ambassadors.
"Ozersay is expected to inform the ambassadors regarding the Cyprus issue
and the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean", according
to Bayrak.
Reporting further on the conference, Bayrak (03.08.19
https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=11th-ambassadors-conference-in-turkey)
broadcast that the Ambassadors Conference, organized annually by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey since 2008, is being held this
year between the 3rd and 9th of August in Ankara and Samsun with the
participation of Turkish ambassadors serving at home and abroad.
The ambassadors will receive the instructions of Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, review recent developments and trends of relevance to
Turkish foreign policy, discuss current challenges and opportunities
and evaluate the priorities for the upcoming period in a comprehensive
manner. In this framework, the ambassadors will meet Parliament Speaker
Mustafa Sentop, members of the Presidential Cabinet and senior public
officials. High-level foreign dignitaries will also address the
ambassadors.
The ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said foreign ministers of Jordan and
Uzbekistan, as well as the Ukrainian president will attend the conference.
Sungur claimed that the Greek Cypriot side does not accept any kind of
agreement that respects the security and rights of the Turkish Cypriot
"people", adding: "Therefore, we believe that the fenced off town of
Varosha should not be kept any longer closed and we, as the Turkish
Cypriot association of real estate agents, approve of the policy of the
opening for settlement under Turkish Cypriot administration through the
application of the immovable property commission".
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot weekly newspaper Cyprus Today (03.08.19)
reports that a war of words erupted in Cyprus on the fenced-off town of
Varosha. Ersin Tatar, self-styled prime minster of the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of Cyprus, claimed that "Varosha is Ottoman land
pillaged due to mistakes during British rule" and "it was time to open
it under Turkish administration".
Moreover, the paper reports that Ibrahim Benter, head of the Evkaf
religious foundation (Vakiflar), dismisses claims that ownership of all
the Vakiflar land in Cyprus including Varosha had been relinquished
following agreement spelled out in a part of a 1960 British colonial
letter headed "Financial Assistance to the Turkish community". The letter
stated that £1.5 million was being paid "by way of a grant for the Turkish
community in Cyprus to be used for education, the development of Vakif
property and cultural and other like purposes". Benter also argued that
although the two former leaders had accepted the £1.5 million, claims
that it meant they had accepted transfer of the ownership of Evkaf land
were "baseless".
Meanwhile, the paper further reports that Greek Cypriot lawyer Achilleas
Demetriades weighed into the debate, saying that the money had been
paid into a joint account held by former Turkish Cypriot leaders Rauf
Denktas and Dr Fazil Kucuk on condition that no claim could be made on
the fenced-off town of Varosha, by them or by Turkey.
Asked to comment on peak season "Ercan flights" coming at more than
£500, Mr Ustel said: "This is expensive. We have been speaking with
my Turkish counterpart in Ankara and with Turkish Airlines officials,
and have requested that airport taxes be scrapped in order to help reduce
prices. The initiative was slammed, though, by critics, who said scrapping
airport taxes was not possible because they were privately managed a
claim countered by Mr Ustel who said he [did] not accept that 'nothing
can be done'".
In addition, the paper writes that accordingly, it was published
in the Official Gazette that there is a possibility for the "TRNC
representatives abroad" to be located in the buildings of the Turkish
embassies or consulates, according to the needs and local conditions.
According to the latest results there has been a total of 23.24% increase
compared to last year.
In addition Illegal Bayrak (03.08.19
https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=new-minimum-wage-2) also broadcast
that the new minimum wage has been set at 3 thousand 400tl gross and 2
thousand 958tl net a total of a 250tl increase.
The new minimum wage comes into effect as of the 1st of August.
Noting that Turkey's strategic vision is being preserved in the middle of
a geography where the armament remained the highest rate in the world,
Cavusoglu added: "The equivalent of this challenging geography at the
sea is the Eastern Mediterranean. We will not allow steps that ignore the
legitimate rights and the interests of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in
the Eastern Mediterranean, the junction of three continents of the world."
Recalling that after the Fatih drilling vessel, which started activities
in Turkey's "continental shelf", the Yavuz drilling ship also started
activities in the areas licensed by the "TRNC" [Trans. Note: the breakaway
regime in the occupied area of Cyprus] to Turkish Petroleum, Cavusoglu
claimed that the Turkish side supports a joint solution on the basis of
cooperation and the equal sharing of the wealth.
Claiming that for this reason, "the constructive proposals submitted by
the Turkish Cypriot authorities with good intentions should have been
appreciated", Cavusoglu added: "We will continue to defend the rights
of the TRNC and to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people". He
also said that the EU cannot act as a court in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He further claimed: "Cyprus is our national cause. The political equality
and the security of the Turkish Cypriot people is indispensable. On this
basis, we don't exclude any solution model. We also don't impose any
solution model. We negotiate in a result-oriented framework. But there is
no benefit in starting a new process for the sake of negotiating alone".
Noting that they want to see Greece as a partner on the basis of win-win
in all matters in the region, Cavusoglu said: "Our nation opens its
heart to those who extend their friendship to us. Let us work together
for the welfare of our people and our region. Let us turn the Eastern
Mediterranean into a basin of peace, prosperity and cooperation. So our
message to all those who are interested in the region is one: If you
cooperate with us, everyone wins".
(DPs)
Furthermore, Aksoy explained that this issue has two dimensions. "The
first one is the issue of limiting the scope of authority in the Eastern
Mediterranean and the second one is to guarantee the rights of Turkish
Cypriots. [
] Regarding the second dimension, as you know, Turkish
Cypriots are joint owners of the island and have equal rights. As long
as these rights are not guaranteed, we will continue our activities,"
Aksoy said. It was also mentioned that it is not necessary to wait for a
solution of the Cyprus dispute in this matter. "If Turkish Cypriots take
advantage of the natural resources when Greek Cypriots do, the problem
is solved."
"We entered Afrin, Jarablus, al-Bab. Now we will enter the (area) east of
the Euphrates. We shared this (information) with Russia and the U.S. As
long as harassment fire continues, we cannot remain silent," Erdogan
stressed. Ankara has been patient for some time, but that "patience has
an end," he added.
"Nearly 92,280 Syrians, including children, have been granted
citizenship. Among them, 47,000 are adults and 45,280 are children. Most
of them are teachers, engineers and qualified people who can make their
own living," Suleyman Soylu told reporters at a news briefing. He added
that 547,000 Syrians were currently living in Istanbul. "They have already
been given the permission to live in Istanbul. We are not registering
new ones. We only register university students or when they want to run
a business or there is a health issue in question," he said. He added
that only 7,000 Syrians were registered in Istanbul for humanitarian
reasons since January.
Soylu said out of 72,000 Afghan irregular migrants, 29,000 were returned
to their country.He added that Turkish security forces rounded up 177,654
irregular migrants as of July, adding that the number was 268,000 in
2018 and 175,752 in 2017. "As many as 12,474 irregular migrants were
detained in Istanbul between July 12-31," Soylu said.
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS/EH)
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