TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
247/15 29.12.2015
1. Turkish Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry says they
have agreed with the regime’s “officials” on the water administration
2. Talat: “The crisis occurred on the water
administration could be transformed to any other crisis”
3. Kalyoncu: We will face problems unless an “economic
protocol” with Turkey is signed; Disagreements on the water administration
4. Reactions to the water administration crisis
5. Columnist: Ankara’s stance forced me to say “take
your water and walk away”
6. Asim Idris the new general secretary of TDP
7. Sertoglu on the process with CFA
8. Probe opened for HDP co-chair Demirtas over his
“autonomy remarks”; Reaction statements by Davutoglu and other opposition party
officials
9. HDP filed a complaint with ECtHR against Turkey
over curfews
10. Kalin: “Progress in talks with Israel for
compensation”
11. 17-year-old arrested in Turkey for ‘insulting
Erdogan’
1. Turkish Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry says
they have agreed with the regime’s “officials” on the water administration
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.12.15)
reports that Turkey’s Forestry and Water
Affairs’ Ministry, has announced that a delegation from the Ministry composed
of its Deputy Undersecretary and the general director of the State Water
Affairs’ Department (DSI) had visited the occupied area of Cyprus on 24
December 2015 and met with the regime’s self-styled finance minister and
another delegation.
In a written statement issued by the Ministry
yesterday, it is noted that during the
visit they agreed that the water transferred from Turkey to the occupied area
of Cyprus with undersea pipelines will be operated through the
Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model and will be administrated by DSI for a
transitional period. It was recalled that the issue had been also discussed
on 1 December 2015 during Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s illegal visit to the
island together with Deputy Prime Minister, Tugrul Turkes and Forestry and
Water Affairs’ Minister Veysel Eroglu.
The Ministry said that water is still being transferred
to the dam in occupied Panagra village area and denied allegations published in
the press that the water is thrown into the sea. According to the statement, this water feeds the underground water
resources and in case “the TRNC side decides, the water could immediately be
given to Nicosia”.
The statement further recalled that according to the
“framework agreement” signed between Turkey and the breakaway regime on 19 July
2010, the water from Turkey will be stored in Panagra dam and the remaining
installations, such as treatment facilities, elevation centers, water tanks and
distribution networks, will be built by the breakaway regime.
It
argues thatbecause the regime delayed in building these installations, upon
Eroglu’s suggestion and the then Prime Minister Erdogan’s instructions, the DSI
has invited tenders and completed two elevation centers, a treatment facility
for drinking water, water tanks and 477-kilometer long distribution pipelines.
The Ministry said: “During the opening of the project
on 17 October 2015 by our esteemed President of the Republic, the operation of
the water was discussed, the issue of renovating the drinking water
infrastructure within the cities came onto the agenda because of inadequate
infrastructure and a suggestion was submitted by our Minister esteemed Veysel
Eroglu that the infrastructure investments and the operation could be conducted
by DSI for a certain period. A high level delegation from the TRNC
administration said that it would have visited Turkey the following week for
discussing the issue, but this did not happen […]”
(I/Ts.)
2.Talat: “The crisis occurred on the water
administration could be transformed to any other crisis”
Under the front-page title: “Warning crisis”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (29.12.15)
reports that the chairman of the Republican Turkish Party-United Forces
(CTP-BG) Mehmet Ali Talat, in statements to Kanal Sim television channel in the
occupied area of Cyprus, referred, inter alia, to the crisis occurred regarding
the issue of the administration of water transferred from Turkey and said that
they disagree with Turkey regarding the water administration.
Stating
that the crisis occurred on this issue could be transformed to any other crisis,
he added: “If this government falls off, then we don’t know if we will be able
to form another one in this setting. (…) I don’t know how much we can afford to
this pressure [referring to the economic difficulties] and how much we can
resist to this with our government partners”, Talat said.
He
further added that the real risk they confront is the possibility of the
non-signing of the economic protocol with Turkey and subsequently the risk of
not being able to pay the 13rd salary.
Stating
that there is not any scheduled visit by the so-called prime minister Omer
Kalyoncu to Ankara yet, Talat said that the “premier” would go to Ankara only
if an agreement is reached on the issue of the water and the economic protocol.
(…)
(AK)
3. Kalyoncu: We will face problems unless an
“economic protocol” with Turkeyis signed; Disagreements on the water
administration
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.12.15)
reports that Omer Kalyoncu,
self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of
Cyprus, has said that they thought that
they were at the same point with their “coalition partner”, the National Unity
Party (UBP), when they were signing their “coalition
protocol”, but afterwards they saw that things are not like that and now they
are trying to overcome the problem.
Addressing the self-styled assembly of the regime
yesterday, Kalyoncu argued that there was a misunderstanding, that they decided
together to form a “coalition” and they will take all the other decisions
together.
Noting that the discussions on signing a “financial
protocol” with Turkey are continuing, Kalyoncu said: “We are referring to a TRNC people and state which are hostages of the
status quo. If we do not sign an economic protocol with Turkey once every three
years, we will experience economic problems. The Turkish Cypriots are not
the only ones who created this”.
Expressing
the view that they should get out of this status, Kalyoncu said that they are
“outside the world” and with an agreement [in the Cyprus problem], they will
join the world. He said that
the issue of the territory has not been discussed yet in the Cyprus
negotiations and therefore, the concessions to be given are not known.
Referring to the discussions for signing an “economic
protocol” with Turkey [for the period 2016-2018], Kalyoncu said that the “protocol’ is ready to a great extent and
added that the farmers will be paid when the 13th salary is paid.
Replying to Kalyoncu, UBP “deputy” Nazim Cavusogludescribed the above statements as
“threats”. “We cannot accept the prime minister’s approach which is like a
threat. This does not coincide with the
partnership understanding. We will decide together both on the matter of
the people and water issue”, he said.
(I/Ts.)
4. Reactions to the water administration
crisis
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (29.12.15)
reports that the Social Democracy Party
(TDP) has expressed its support to the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) stance
on the issue of the administration of the water from Turkey by a “water board”
and a company named BESKI, established by the “municipalities”.
The chairman of the party, Cemal Ozyigit, however, wondered whether what had been rejected by the
CTP’ committee was Turkey’s proposal or an interim formula suggested by the
CTP’s “ministers”. Describing CTP’’s decision as “appropriate”, Ozyigit
said that if the CTP thinks like the TDP and supports the establishment of a
water board which together with BESKI will administrate, distribute and control
the water and shows a determined stance for this, the TDP will stand by the
CTP’s side.
The general secretary of the Cyprus Socialist Party (KSP), Mehmet Birinci said that they do not
think that the CTP is sincere and added that the Turkish Cypriots are not free
and independent. “As long as we are not sovereign, as long as we are not
taking the decisions here alone, all these are only for the show”, he noted.
The member of the
New Cyprus Party’s (YKP) executive council, Murat Kanatli described the
situation as “performing a Karagoz show [Translator’s note: A traditional
shadow show]”. He said that if the CTP
was sincere, it should have taken steps for strengthening the “water board” and
BESKI.
Finally, according to Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper
(29.12.15), Sener Elcil, general
secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers’ Trade Union (KTOS),
said that the water project is not for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot
community, but promotes the interests of companies which support the Justice
and Development Party (AKP).
“Turkey is threatening the government with its
contribution to the budget which is not enough for even its own population”,
noted Elcil in a written statement referring to the illegal Turkish settlers in
the occupied area of the island. This “exploitation policy” based on the
mentality that “those who give the money give the orders as well” shows that
Turkey does not value the people living in Cyprus, but only the island’s
territory, he argued.
(I/Ts.)
5. Columnist: Ankara’s stance forced me to say
“take your water and walk away”
Writing in his column in Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
Postasi newspaper (29.12.15), columnist
Levent Ozadam criticizes Turkey’s stance on the issue of the administration of
the water transferred to the occupied area with undersea pipelines and the
statement issued yesterday by the Turkish Ministry of Forestry and Water
Affairs.
Noting that it is not “appropriate behavior” for
Ankara to cut the financial aid by which the 13th salaries and the
farmers would be paid, Ozadam refers to a “conspiracy theory” that crossed his
mind. He says, inter alia, the following:
“[…] Remember
the 2004 Annan Plan process. A banking crisis came up and a raid was conducted
into the assembly. Now we have a new referendum before us. It is possible to be
submitted before us in the first six months of 2016! And the citizens
started making up conspiracy theories. They
wonder whether all these incidents are happening for making people’s life
miserable and bring them to the point of uprising and vote yes! What kind
of a statement was that! Turkey’s
Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs issued a statement yesterday. ‘Let
the TRNC say yes and the water will flow to Nicosia’, it says! That is, it is a covered up threat. It
is a shame, it is a sin. You should give this water to get Nicosia, Famagusta
drowned in the water instead of letting it flow into the sea. […] What kind of
mentality is this! Even I came to the point of saying ‘take your water and walk away’ now…”
(I/Ts.)
6.Asim Idris the new general secretary of TDP
Turkish daily Haberal Kibrisli (29.12.15) reports that
the central committee of the Social
Democracy Party (TDP) convened yesterday and elected its members.
According to the paper, Asim Idris, former organization secretary of the party and former
“minister of education and sports” has been elected as general secretary of the
TDP.
(AK)
7.Sertoglu on the process with CFA
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (29.12.15)
reports on statements by Hasan Sertoglu,
“chairman” of the so-called Turkish Cypriot football federation (“KTFF”) who
evaluated to the paper several issues including the process with the Cyprus
Football Association (CFA or KOP).
Referring
to the progress achieved in the process with CFA, Sertoglu said that the most
important problem in the process is the difficulties that the chairman of CFA,
Mr. Koutsokoumnis experiences with the Church and the Greek Cypriot political
party leaders who put negative pressure on him.
Sertoglu
expressed the belief that if the process with CFA was depended only on
Koutsokoumnis, then positive steps would be taken by so far. “In spite of the
fact that the people in the north support the process, the pressure exerted in
the south by the Church and some Greek Cypriot politicians torpedoed the
process and left it in stagnancy.
Stating that he does not expect for the process with
CFA to be intensified until next February where the election of the President
of FIFA will take place, Sertoglu recalled that both leaders in the island are
aware of the process.
(…)
(AK)
8.Probe opened for HDP co-chair Demirtas over his
“autonomy remarks”; Reaction statements by Davutoglu and other opposition party
officials
Turkish daily Sabah (28.12.15) reported that the Ankara Public Prosecutor's Office
launched on Monday an investigation into the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)
co-chair Selahattin Demirtas over 'autonomy' comments.
Demirtas,
speaking to an umbrella group called the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) in
the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Sunday, said that his party would
support calls for regional autonomy in the southeast.
On
Sunday, the Democratic Society Congress adopted a 14-article declaration,
emphasizing the necessity of creation of autonomous regions in Turkey, mainly
inhabited by Kurds.
Demirtas
announced his support for the declaration saying: "Hopefully, our
addresses will once again read and listen to this declaration calmly, and see
that in fact regional autonomy offers a very important opportunity for everyone
in terms of living together."
Moreover, Demirtas defended the PKK organization's
efforts to set up trenches and barricades in southeastern cities.
Earlier this week, Diyarbakır's chief public
prosecutor launched a legal probe into similar remarks made earlier by the HDP
leader.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu criticized Demirtas on
Monday after his 'autonomy' comments.
Speaking before flying to Belgrade for an official
visit to Serbia, Davutoglu said: “I will never talk with anyone who brings
Turkey's unity and integrity to the table”.
Davutoglu
said that he will meet with everyone to establish Turkey's future peacefully
except those who are against the country's unity.
The
Premier also said that HDP voters should be aware that it is not "a
truthful political party," claiming that its "disguised intentions"
have been revealed.
The
opposition parties Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) have also lashed out at the HDP for demanding autonomous regions in
Turkey's southeast region.
Reacting
to this call, CHP Vice Chairman Mehmet Bekaroglu said on Monday that his party
does not approve of Demirtas's statements, finding them odd. "It is very
important that HDP is represented in the parliament. For the solution of the
problem, HDP and Demirtas need to support the parliament base, peaceful ways,
and democratic methods", Bekaroglu said.
MHP
Secretary General İsmet Buyukataman said on Monday that his party too
disapproved Demirtas' 'autonomy' comments.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Buyukataman
said: "The political
representatives of the terrorist organization [HDP] are being impudent".
He
claimed that the recent situation showed that the HDP could never be
"Turkey's party", a title which the party declared as its motto and
vision during the last two parliamentary elections.
"They
can neither understand being Turkey's party nor living brotherly together with
our 78 million citizens nor the sensitivity of the nation on the country's
indivisible integrity," he said.
He alleged that HDP officials had become so reckless
that they now question the unitary structure of the Turkish state and the
description of a Turkish citizenship, adding they were being careless in talking
about "democratic autonomy".
He
also expressed his party's support for future legal steps by the government to
eradicate terror."As
MHP, we will support if there will be a sincere legal regulation," he
said.
Also, MHP group
acting chairman Oktay Vural, speaking in a press conference at the parliament
that HDP had dared to change the state's unitary structure with its 14-item
communique.
"They
obviously declared [their bid for] Kurdistan, a separate state and division. We
will never allow a shanty to be built within the Republic of Turkey,"
Vural said.
"Our
nation will also react to the dreamers of Kurdistan under the name of
self-governance, autonomy and initiative," he added.
9. HDP filed a complaint with ECtHR against Turkey
over curfews
According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (28.12.15), the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party
(HDP) has filed a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
against Turkey over frequent days-long curfews that the Turkish government has
enforced in southeastern towns since late July.
The
petition was filed by HDP Deputy co-chair Meral Danıs Bestas, who said in her
complaint that the curfews being imposed in southeastern Turkey have no legal
basis.
Bektas said thatthe
curfews are only possible during an Emergency Rule Region (OHAL) period or
martial law. “To do this [to be able to impose a curfew], the Cabinet must
declare a curfew as the Turkish Constitution clearly states. Without this, the
local governor's decision for the declaration of curfews is both against
Article 19 of the Constitution and Article 5 of the European Convention on
Human Rights [ECHR]. We are now witnessing the fact that Turkey does not
fulfill its requirements as a state with the rule of law,” Bektas wrote in the
complaint.
(…)
10. Kalin: “Progress in talks with Israel for
compensation”
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (28.12.15) reported that the Presidential spokesperson
İbrahim Kalın has said that progress was made with Israel on the issue of
compensation for Mavi Marmara victims, adding that Turkey had not changed its
three conditions for normalization of ties between the two countries.
“There
has been progress made about the second condition, the one with compensation,
but we have not reached a point where we can ink it,” Kalın told reporters on
December 28 at a press conference.
Kalın
reiterated that three conditions must be met by Israel for the normalization of
relations between the two countries and that Turkey will not take a step back
regarding the Palestinian cause.
He
said that Israel has met the first condition by apologizing to Turkey, and
added that two more demands were still on the table: compensation for Mavi
Marmara victims and the “lift or bend” of an embargo implemented by Israel on
Gaza Strip.
“There is also
the third condition. Lifting or easing the blockade on Gaza, namely to send
humanitarian aid going to Gaza,” said Kalın.
(…)
“Turkey
will continue to play its role until a two-state solution is reached, and the
Palestinian people have their own state. There cannot be permanent peace in the
region until the Palestinian problem is solved,” Kalın added.
(…)
11.17-year-old arrested in Turkey for ‘insulting
Erdogan’
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (28.12.15) reported
that a 17-year-old construction worker
in the Thracian province of Tekirdag was arrested on December 28 for
“insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media.
Police was informed of a boy identified only by the
initials F.E. who “insulted Erdogan” in a post he shared on his Facebook
account. F.E. was detained at his home in the Corlu district following a police
investigation into the post.
A
local court ruled for the arrest of F.E. on the grounds of “insulting Erdogan”
and he was transferred to Tekirdag closed prison.
Reports have said the investigation into the incident
is ongoing.
Since
Erdogan was elected as President last August, his lawyers have filed dozens of
cases against alleged “insults” targeting him.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK
/ AM)