Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-10-03

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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] Akinci says that his meeting with UNSG in NY has achieved its purpose

[02] Akar reiterates that Cyprus is Turkey's national cause

[03] Ozersay announced that "social residences" would be built in the fenced off city of Varosha

[04] Ustel: "Our aim is for the two million tourists to become two billion"

[05] Arikli claims that his party would be a "key party" at the forthcoming "presidential elections"

[B] Turkish Press

[01] Akar: 'Turkey won't tolerate stalling over Syria safe zone'

[02] Turkey and Russia relations boosted via energy projects

[03] Turkey's annual inflation rate falls to 9.26% in September

[04] Turkey to provide 7,000 Syrians with jobs in liberated Euphrates Shield region

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[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Akinci says that his meeting with UNSG in NY has achieved its purpose

According to illegal Bayrak television (03.10.19, https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=akinci-returns-from-ny), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said that, contrary to claims of various circles his meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York had achieved its purpose. "We expected the Secretary-General (UNSG) to take on a new initiative in a willing and determined manner. We saw that he was ready to do so," he added.

Speaking to reporters yesterday at "Ercan airport" [editor's note: occupied airport of Tymbou] on his return from New York, Akinci said that the UN Secretary-General told him that rising tensions in the region should be a source of concern for both communities on the island, adding: "The current tensions due to hydrocarbons could escalate into something bigger which was why working for a solution is vital both for Cyprus and the region. The Secretary-General does not think differently from us on this issue."

Regarding the issue of a tripartite meeting, Akinci said that Guterres had informed the Turkish Cypriot side prior to New York that a tripartite meeting would not take place. "The secretary-general had not planned a tripartite meeting during his busy schedule. It wasn't foreseen," he added.

Noting that such a meeting could take place in October or November, Akinci said: "Such a meeting could either take place in New York again or somewhere in Europe to coincide with his planned visit to the region".

Akinci also pointed out that he found the Secretary-General very eager and determined to launch a new initiative in Cyprus. "The fact that a date has not been set might create some sense of ambiguity but this is far from the truth," he said, adding that either a tripartite or five-party meeting was most likely to take place before the end of the year.

Akinci also expressed his discomfort from the Greek Cypriot leader's latest statements, stating that they were not helpful, claiming: "He is engaging in a blame game despite saying he would not. He claims that we had reached an agreement on the terms of reference on August 9 and that we later backed out."

Akinci argued that this was not true and the only thing they agreed on August 9 was that the procedure ought to be results oriented and not an open-ended one, adding: "There was no agreement to a document on August 9, so there was no backing down on a document that does not exist".

He also wondered why Lute stayed in Cyprus for a week in September if there was an agreement on August 9.

The day Anastasiades will accept the Guterres Framework of June 30, 2017 and commit to the convergences concerning effective participation of the Turkish Cypriots in decision-making processes will be the day there will be an agreement on the terms of reference, he added.

[02] Akar reiterates that Cyprus is Turkey's national cause

According to illegal Bayrak television (03.10.19, https://www.brtk.net/?englishposts=akar-on-cyprus-problem), Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2019-2020 academic year for the National Defence University, claimed that Ankara supported a lasting and comprehensive solution in Cyprus and added that this was the only way peace, stability and prosperity could be achieved on the island.

Akar reiterated that Cyprus was Turkey's national cause and that it will continue to defend its rights and the Turkish Cypriots' rights to the very end.

On the issue of hydrocarbons, Akar said that Ankara's position was in favour of the just distribution of the island's resources, adding: "We shall continue to defend the rights of our Turkish Cypriot brothers just as we did back in 1974 as a guarantor country".

[03] Ozersay announced that "social residences" would be built in the fenced off city of Varosha

Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan (03.10.19) reports that so-called foreign minister and "deputy prime minister", Kudret Ozersay, in statements yesterday after a "ministerial council" announced, inter alia, that part of the "decision taken by the council" is to implement a "project for the construction of social residences" in the fenced off city of Varosha. Ozersay claimed further that they had already found the place where the project will be implemented.

Ozersay announced further that the "council of ministers decided to provide incentives to several tourist firms". He also said that it was "decided that the resource to be used for the construction of the first part of the road between Keryneia-Karavas would be separated from the "budget of local resources".

He went on adding that the "government is on the preparation of a new regulation envisaging the imposition of taxes to casinos, and the monitoring of betting offices".

(AK)

[04] Ustel: "Our aim is for the two million tourists to become two billion"

Turkish Cypriot Daily Hakikat (03.10.19) reports that so-called minister of tourism and environment Unal Ustel, speaking to Hakikat Web TV, alleged that with the "slogan: Let's make the two million tourists become two billion", they have set as a goal to increase the number of tourists who are "visiting the TRNC".

Referring to the problem experienced in the tourism sector as a result of the non-recognition of the "TRNC", Ustel expressed their determination to find solutions. He explained that the "government" provides incentives to tourists who want to visit the "TRNC" by covering the extra expenses they need to pay for flight tickets, since there are not direct flights.

Ustel alleged further that besides the campaigns they carry out in Turkey and specifically in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir for the promotion of the "TRNC", they would further expanded to the UK. "I will be travelling to the UK on November 8 accompanied by a delegation, with the aim to re-launch advertisement and promotion campaigns there. We are thinking to prepare for several fairs as well. All these initiatives would be made of course with the full consultation and cooperation of the Turkish Minister of Tourism", Ustel further argued.

(AK)

[05] Arikli claims that his party would be a "key party" at the forthcoming "presidential elections"

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Manset (03.10.19) reports that the leader of the Revival Settler's Party (YDP) in the occupied area of Cyprus, Erhan Arikli, supported that his party is a key party for the forthcoming "presidential elections". Arikli argued that they do not see positively the possibility of participating the elections with a common candidate with another party and added that they are exerting efforts for the party to have its own candidate.

Referring to the proposal of the former leader of the Democratic Party for "establishing an alliance within the assembly", Arikli said that the party gave the green light to this proposal.

Claiming that the party's percentage had a remarkable increase recently, Arikli alleged that they race against the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) to become the second party and argued that their goal is even to become the first party.

Meanwhile, in statements to illegal Bayrak television (03.10.19-https://www.brtk.net/arikliydp-olaganustu-kurultaya-gidiyor/) Arikli alleged that his party would hold an extraordinary congress by the end of December in order to take decisions ahead of the forthcoming "presidential elections". Claiming that according to several surveys conducted so far, YDP percentages have almost reached 20%, Arikli said that still this percentage is not sufficient. He added that they have to wait for the other parties to determine their candidates in order for the surveys to be reliable.

Arikli went on claiming that only in the current month the party has increased its members by 400 new members, supporting that 250 of them are people coming from the National Unity Party (UBP). (…)

(AK)

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[B] Turkish Press

[01] Akar: 'Turkey won't tolerate stalling over Syria safe zone'

According to Turkey's state news agency Anadolu (02.10.19, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/-turkey-wont-tolerate-stalling-over-syria-safe-zone-/1600324), if there is stalling or a delay in the process to set up a safe zone in northern Syria, Turkey is ready to single-handedly take the reins, Turkey's Defence Minister reiterated on Wednesday.

"We made our preparations. When necessary, we can take matters into our own hands," Hulusi Akar said at an opening ceremony for the fall term of Istanbul's National Defence University.

"We find it necessary to establish a safe zone, a peace corridor, free of heavy weapons and terrorists along the border some 30-40 kilometers deep into Syria, east of the Euphrates River," said Akar. "In the region, we started to perform air and land patrols with the U.S. and are working to establish base areas," he added.

Akar also said that these patrols will continue as long as they are in line with Turkey's goals and objectives. "As our President has stated, we will never allow the creation of a terrorist corridor in northern Syria, everybody should know that," he reiterated. (…)

[02] Turkey and Russia relations boosted via energy projects

According to Turkey's state news agency Anadolu (02.10.19, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/energy/general/turkey-russia-relations-boosted-via-energy-projects-/26838), Turkey and Russia's bilateral relationship has been elevated through long-term cooperation projects including the TurkStream natural gas pipeline project, and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Fatih Donmez, Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister said on Wednesday, during the Global Challenges and Trends in Renewable Energy Development session at Russian Energy Week conference in Moscow. (…)

Both the TurkStream natural gas pipeline project and the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) have formed the backbone of Turkey's regional energy politics. These projects have enhanced energy supply security of Turkey and Europe through both route and supply diversification, he said. (…)

"Political stability and good governance have eased the movements of private sector investments in the field of energy so Turkey can continue to be a safe harbour and a leading actor in its region for investments," he further said.

[03] Turkey's annual inflation rate falls to 9.26% in September

According to Turkish daily newspaper Sabah (03.10.19, https://www.dailysabah.com/economy/2019/10/03/turkeys-annual-inflation-rate-falls-to-926-in-september), Turkey's annual inflation rate fell to 9.26% in September, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced Thursday.

In September, the annual inflation went down 5.75% from 15.01% in August.

TurkStat data revealed that the figure dropped to single digit for the first time since July 2017.

The institution said the highest annual price increase was recorded in alcoholic beverages and tobacco with 43.86% in August.

"Health with 15.41%, miscellaneous goods and services with 14.98%, hotels, cafes and restaurants with 14.87% and education with 14.00% were the other main groups where high annual increases realized," it said. (…)

In September, TurkStat said consumer prices rose 0.99% month-on-month.

"The highest monthly increase was 2.15% in housing," it said, and added: "The highest monthly decrease was 0.60% in food and non-alcoholic beverages."

"In September 2019 within average prices of 418 items in the index, average prices of 42 items remained unchanged while average prices of 292 items increased and average prices of 84 items decreased," the institute said.

The official figures also showed that the 12-month average hike in consumer prices was 18.27% as of this September. (…)

[04] Turkey to provide 7,000 Syrians with jobs in liberated Euphrates Shield region

According to Turkish daily newspaper Yeni Safak (02.10.19, https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-to-provide-7000-syrians-with-jobs-in-liberated-euphrates-shield-region-3501999), Turkey is getting ready to implement a vital business project in the Euphrates Shield region, which was cleared from terrorist elements following a successful operation in 2016, that would result in creating 7,000 jobs for locals and kick start the economy.

An industrial zone, which consists of 700 workshops, will be created across a 15-hectare area. This number is expected to rise over time. (…)

The Çobanbey Industrial Zone will also be an exemplary model for the safe zone jointly created by the U.S. and Turkey. A large portion of the 700 workshops, which will cover 200 square meters, will be made up of shoe manufactures.

Additionally, textile, iron joinery, and plastic casting factories will be built. Furthermore, exports to and investments in the region are expected to be facilitated. So far, 650 businessmen have put their names down to be a part of the project, and this number is expected to double in the upcoming period. (…)

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(DPs / EH)

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