TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
CONTENTS
No. 04/14
08.01.14
1. Eroglu will meet Erdogan and Gul in Ankara
2. Nami: Serious convergences exist between the sides on the joint
declaration
3. TUSIAD will hold contacts in the occupied part of Nicosia
4. Columnist reveals the Turkish side’s intentions for a two-state
solution in the Cyprus problem
5. A special 50th anniversary postal stamp
6. Turkey’s exports to the occupied area of Cyprus reached one billion
dollars in 2013
7. A second wave of dismissals amid graft probe
8. Erdogan: My deputyship adventure ends this term
9. Five released Kurdish lawmakers take oath in Turkish Parliament
10. Turkish military prosecutors dismiss investigation into Uludere
massacre
1. Eroglu will meet Erdogan and Gul in Ankara
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (08.01.14) reports that the Turkish
Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said that within the forthcoming days he
will visit Ankara where he will hold some “consultations” on the Cyprus
problem with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
In statements yesterday during a visit to a civilian organization, Eroglu
argued that an agreement to be reached on the Cyprus problem should
be based on sound foundations and reiterated that the continuation of
Turkey’s active and effective guarantees is the first precondition in order for
the Turkish Cypriots’ living “in tranquillity and security under the roof which will
be established”. “The second precondition is the partnership state to be
established by two founding states”, he argued noting that this is the issue
on which they mostly debate with the Greek Cypriots.
Eroglu asked once more the lifting of the so-called embargoes allegedly
implemented on the Turkish Cypriots and alleged that the UN and the EU
have committed two historic mistakes. The one, he claimed, was UN Security
Council’s Resolution of 4 March 1964 in which “the Greek Cypriots” were
allegedly recognized as the Republic of Cyprus. He alleged that the second
“mistake” was the accession of Cyprus into the EU. He argued that these two
so-called “historic mistakes” carried “the intransigence of the Greek Cypriots
until today”.
Meanwhile, in statements during a meeting at his office, Eroglu argued that
no agreement on the Cyprus problem could be reached with “exchange
of papers” without sitting at the negotiating table. Eroglu said that the
Turkish side has made its last proposal on the issue of the “joint
declaration”. He argued that their “paper” should be taken as basis and
claimed that “a viable agreement could emerge only by sitting at the
negotiating table with such a paper”.
Referring to the information that a “short text” could be prepared instead of a
joint declaration before the resumption of the negotiations, Eroglu said: “What
will be included in this text called ‘short text’? We have spoken with the UN
Secretary-General. This is our last paper”.
Eroglu said he had heard that the UN Secretary-General’s special
adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer will come to the island on 12
January, but there has been no request for a meeting with him until now.
(I/Ts.)
2. Nami: Serious convergences exist between the sides on the joint
declaration
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (08.01.14) reports that Ozdil Nami,
self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
the Republic of Cyprus, has argued that serious convergences exist
between the sides on the issue of the joint declaration, that progress
has been achieved compared to the first day of the talks and that only
minor differences remain.
In statements to Kibris, Nami noted that the issue of single sovereignty,
single citizenship and single international identity has been included in
the joint statement in a way acceptable by both sides. He added that
expressions such as “residual powers, internal citizenship, founding
states” are included in this text. He argued that when the UN SecretaryGeneral’s special adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer will come to the
island, a result could be reached on the joint statement, adding that there
is no issue which could not be solved.
He said that demands, regarding which efforts had been exerted for their
inclusion in the joint declaration and constituted a problem, have been
removed. As such demands he described “the presence of an EU expert at
the negotiating table”, “the return of Varosha before the negotiations” and the
guarantees.
Nami claimed that it would not be difficult to find a formula on the issue
of the “sovereignty” and argued that this formula could be saying that
“neither the one nor the other side could use alone the single
sovereignty”.
Nami claimed that many problems experienced in the “country” are derived
from the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and added that his
“ministry” has the mission of developing their relations with the world. He said
that as “ministry” they are not interested only in the Cyprus problem, but they
have also established a “unit” on the economy and launched meetings with
civilian organizations and businessmen. He said that they are exploring
how their “representations” aboard could contribute in their economy.
Nami said that after he overtook his “duties”, their contacts abroad increased
and added that he had held contacts with officials from the Islamic
Cooperation Organization, the European Commission and the Economic
Cooperation Organization. He noted that he is pleased with the fact that many
ambassadors, who come to the island, visit his so-called ministry in order to
be briefed on the Cyprus problem.
(I/Ts.)
3. TUSIAD will hold contacts in the occupied part of Nicosia
Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (08.01.14) reports that a delegation
from the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) under
Muharrem Yilmaz, the chairman of its board of directors, will visit the
occupied part of Nicosia tomorrow. During their one-day visit, the Turkish
businessmen will be hosted by the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen Association
(ISAD) and hold contacts regarding the negotiations process in the
Cyprus problem.
The delegation is expected to meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis
Eroglu, the self-styled prime minister of the regime, Ozkan Yorgancioglu and
the so-called minister of foreign affairs, Ozdil Nami.
Furthermore, within the framework of the visit, TUSIAD and ISAD will
issue a declaration together with Greek Cypriot and Greek businessmen
associations supporting the solution process in Cyprus.
(I/Ts.)
4. Columnist reveals the Turkish side’s intentions for a two-state
solution in the Cyprus problem
Columnist Yusuf Kanli, writing in Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online,
08.01.14) under the title “Two states on Cyprus”, discloses the Turkish side’s
intention, in his following, inter alia, commentary, that the conclusion of the
Cyprus talks is the international recognition of the breakaway regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus:
“The continued deadlock in the Cyprus peace-making process and
uncompromising preconditions of the Greek Cypriots to kick off what they
already claim to be doomed to fail the new round of inter-communal talks
point at one highly probable culmination: The ‘de facto’ becoming the ‘de
jure’. That is the two-state reality on the land becoming the eventual
resolution
of
the
Cyprus
problem
with
both
states
accorded
international recognition.
(…)
A bitter compromise settlement on Cyprus requires the existence of political
will and responsible politics that will guide people to accept such painful
compromises for the sake of a common better future for the two peoples on
their joint homeland. In the absence of will, on either, side to create a
federation, insisting on establishing one is of course futile, as we have been
experiencing in Cyprus since federation jargon entered the semantics of the
process in late 1970s.
(…)
Now, not only Turkish Cypriots, international observers have started
talking of the need of a “velvet divorce” and the two states of the island
making a “divorce agreement” and uniting in the EU.”
5. A special 50th anniversary postal stamp
Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan (08.01.14) reports that a special 50th anniversary
stamp has already gone on sale by the so-called TRNC post department to
mark the 50th anniversary of the “Cyprus Turkish Postal Service” (“PTT”),
which was established on the 6th of January 1964.
6. Turkey’s exports to the occupied area of Cyprus reached one billion
dollars in 2013
Under the title “Imports from Turkey reached one billion dollars”, Turkish
Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (08.01.14) reports that the exports of
Turkey to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus increased by
2.7% in 2013 comparing to 2012 and reached 999 million and 600
thousand US dollars.
According to data published by the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM), the
“TRNC”, breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, is
in the 31st place on the list of the countries to which Turkey exports the most
products. Turkey’s exports to the occupied area of Cyprus constitute 0.7% of
its total exports.
(I/Ts.)
7. A second wave of dismissals amid graft probe
Under the title “Turkey removes police chiefs of 16 provinces amid graft
probe”, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 08.01.14) reported that Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government removed police chiefs of
at least 16 provinces overnight, Turkish media said, as part of a campaign
to appoint loyalists in a bid to what observers largely agree to cover up
a recent corruption investigation.
A day earlier, authorities purged hundreds of police officials, some of them
included members of the financial and organized crime, smuggling and antiterrorism units, and they were moved to traffic duties, according to the reports.
According to the Hurriyet daily, some 1,700 police have been dismissed or
reassigned in Istanbul and Ankara alone since the corruption investigations
became public.
On the same issue, TZ (online, 07.01.14) reported that in a second wave of
dismissals since the launch of a corruption probe rocked the
government last month, dozens of high-ranked bureaucrats were
dismissed from the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday, the Vatan daily has
reported.
Around 350 police officers were removed from their posts in Ankara
overnight on Monday, marking the biggest single reported police shakeup
since the launch of the corruption probe.
Meanwhile, TZ (online, 07.01.14) reported that twenty-five suspects, including
prominent Turkish State Railways (TCDD) port directors and businessmen,
were detained in simultaneous raids conducted in Izmir, İstanbul, Ankara, Van
and Hatay Tuesday morning as part of a tender rigging investigation launched
by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
The suspects are facing charges of giving and receiving bribes, tender
rigging, corruption, misconduct, embezzlement and aggravated fraud.
8. Erdogan: My deputyship adventure ends this term
According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (online, 07.01.14), Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dropped hints that he will not work to change a
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) bylaw that limits Deputies to three
consecutive terms in office.
Responding to reporters' questions in Tokyo on Tuesday, Erdogan said:
“This is my third term in office. It is the same for many of my colleagues
[AK Party members]. According to our party bylaws, our deputyship
adventure ends this term.”
The Prime Minister also told Japanese reporters that a politician does not
engage in politics solely in Parliament. “It is not right to think that a politician
will remain in Parliament until he dies,” he said. According to the Prime
Minister, politicians should quit their seats after completing three terms
in Parliament so that young people can also find a place to contribute in
politics.
9. Five released Kurdish lawmakers take oath in Turkish Parliament
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 07.01.14) reported that the Peace
and Democracy Party (BDP) Sanliurfa Deputy Ibrahim Ayhan, BDP Mardin
Deputy Gulser Yildirim, BDP Sirnak Deputies Selma Irmak and Faysal
Sariyildiz, as well as independent Deputy from Van Kemal Aktas have taken
their oaths in Parliament. All five Deputies were detained as part of the
Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) trial and were elected as lawmakers in the
June 2011 elections. However, they failed to take their oaths at the time
because they were under arrest.
10. Turkish military prosecutors dismiss investigation into Uludere
massacre
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (online, 07.01.14) reported that the General
Staff’s Military Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the investigation into
the Uludere/Roboski massacre, in which 34 civilians were killed in an air
strike, saying in its ruling military officers have made an “inevitable”
mistake while performing their duty.
The decision outraged relatives and lawyers as the Diyarbakir Bar Association
announced they will appeal to the European Court of Human Right if their
individual complaint to Turkey’s Constitutional Court bears no fruit.
The dismissal of the investigation also comes amid an ongoing Kurdish peace
process that seeks to bring a solution to the four-decade long conflict.
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