TURKISH
CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C
O N T E N T S
No.
242/15 18.12.2015
1. Akinci: We have to ensure that
the Greek Cypriot “no” vote of 2004 turns into “yes” and the Turkish Cypriot
“yes” remains unchanged
2. Korkmazhan: Granting “citizenship” to another 26,500
persons shows insincerity and torpedoes the negotiating process
3. Akin alleges that he did not kill Solomou on the
Turkish flagpole in Deryneia in 1996, but he would kill if a similar incident
happened now
4. A delegation of Silifke Chamber of Commerce and Industry
visited the breakaway regime seeking for cooperation possibilities
5. Ozgur: Turkish Cypriots must
stand on their own two feet
6. Turkish official: Turkey, Israel in talks, may reach
deal soon
7. Soldiers use heavy weaponry in Southeast ops, 25 PKK
members killed
8. Turkish PM in Brussels ahead of EU summit
9. Putin: Russia not to halt Akkuyu nuclear power plant
in Turkey
1. Akinci: We have to ensure that the Greek Cypriot
“no” vote of 2004 turns into “yes” and the Turkish Cypriot “yes” remains
unchanged
Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (18.12.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has said that they do not
want the situation experienced during the Annan Plan to be repeated and added
that “we have to produce such an agreement that both the Greek Cypriots’ ‘no’
vote turns into ‘yes’ and the Turkish Cypriots’ ‘yes’ vote remains unchanged”.
In statements
yesterday during a meeting with a delegation from Turkey’s Building
Constructors Union, Akinci noted that this is not an easy job, that they are
expecting it to be a difficult process and that the road they follow has ups
and downs, but the picture is neither black nor rosy.
The chairman of the Turkish Building Constructors’
Union,Mithat Yenigun said that they visited the occupied area of Cyprus to sign
a protocol of cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot Building Constructors. He noted that they wish to establish consortiums and
spread all over the world, adding that they are active in 104 countries until
now.
Akinci said that
this cooperation bears exceptional importance during this period for Cyprus,
that the process of building Cyprus’ future is being experienced and that all
they wish is for the negotiations to be concluded with a peace agreement
acceptable by both sides.
He noted that
they realize that new horizons will open with the early solution of the Cyprus
problem and that Turkey’s EU accession process will be speeded up. He argued
that Turkey’s good relations with the EU benefit Cyprus as well.
Akinci expressed the view that if a reasonable way is
found for exploiting the energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean
everybody will win and if a mistake is committed restlessness will be
experienced. He argued that the reasonable way is for
the Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to be united and transferred to Europe
through Turkey.
Referring to the
water transferred to the occupied area of Cyprus from Turkey, Akinci described
it as “a new scenario by which all sides may gain”.
(I/Ts.)
2.
Korkmazhan: Granting “citizenship” to another 26,500 persons shows
insincerity and torpedoes the negotiating process
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (18.12.15)
reports that the general secretary of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Abdullah
Korkmazhan argued that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and the
self-styled coalition government of the breakaway regime in the occupied area
of the Republic of Cyprus has not denied the allegations that Turkey wants them
to grant 26,500 new citizenships in the occupied area of Cyprus, adding that
26,500 new “citizenships” will torpedo the negotiation process.
In a written statement, Korkmazhan said
that the negotiation process aiming for a Cyprus settlement is at the most
critical stage and added that while the sides have reached an agreement and
accepted proposals presented by the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the
population and the “citizenships”, the continuation of distribution new
“citizenships” reveals the insincerity of those who say they want a solution.
Korkmazhan said that the efforts of
changing the demographic structure of the Turkish Cypriots and the population
transfer system should end.
(DPs)
3. Akin alleges that he did not kill Solomou on the
Turkish flagpole in Deryneia in 1996, but he would kill if a similar incident
happened now
Turkish Cypriot
daily Star Kibris newspaper (18.12.15) reports that Kenan Akin, former minister of agriculture of the breakaway regime
in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has alleged that he had no relation with the killing of Greek Cypriot
SolomosSolomou, who tried to bring down the Turkish flag on 14 August 1996 in
Deryneia village’s buffer zone, but “if a similar incident happened today, I
would personally do that act”.
In statements
yesterday to Ada TV, Akin, who is currently member of the party council of the
Democratic Party – National Forces, said that he is still wanted by Interpol with a Red Bulletin and added: “I
said it then as well. Come and take my gun for a ballistic control. […] If such a thing happened to our flag today,
I would personally do this, because he violated my borders. […] The flag is our honor, our pride. I am not
ashamed of being accused of such a crime. However, our police, our army,
our security forces were there. I said that the person who had given the order
for Solomou to be shot was a deputy then. In fact, great confusion was created
because I had said the name. He even became so helpless to be able to react
afterwards. […]”
(I/Ts.)
4. A delegation of Silifke Chamber of Commerce and Industry
visited the breakaway regime seeking for cooperation possibilities
Illegal
Bayrak television (17.12.15) broadcast that a delegation of the Silifke Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by the
Chamber’s President Nurettin Kaynar paid an illegal visit to the breakaway
regime and met separately with the “speaker of the parliament” Sibel Siber
and “prime minister” Omer Kalyoncu.
Speaking
during the visits, Kaynar said that they
were looking for cooperation possibilities in the occupied area of Cyprus. On
her part Sibel touched upon the importance of such visits and said that “visiting
the TRNC and observing the trading opportunities here would make a difference”.
Touching upon the difficulties in the trade caused by the non-recognition of
the “TRNC”, Siber said that these hardships could be overcome through mutual
steps to be taken.
On
his part Kalyoncu stated that such visits provide a basis for increasing various partnerships. Reminding
that the Cyprus negotiation process is continuing, he said: “Whether or not the
Cyprus issue will be resolved, the Turkish Cypriot people will become stronger
as a result of such possible partnerships to be established.” Kalyoncu also mentioned the problems being
experienced in exporting and touched upon the importance of openings on the
issue.
5. Ozgur: Turkish Cypriots
must stand on their own two feet
Illegal Bayrak (18.12.15) broadcast that self-styled
finance minister Birikim Ozgur said that they were working towards creating a
system within which the Turkish Cypriots could stand on their own two feet.
“I am addressing you as a minister of a state which is
dependent on foreign assistance. We are doing politics to resolve this
situation. We are carrying out a political struggle to create the conditions
where the Turkish Cypriots will be able to stand on their own feet and the
system we build will become self-sufficient. It is only natural that on the
domestic front this is being conducted as a political struggle. When talking about
foreign-source dependency; the conditions which are needed to maintain
financial sustainability depends on economic growth. Of course this requires a
process” Ozgur said.
He added that they have been working towards resolving
the “public” finances’ dependence on
foreign sources.
Ozgur also stressed the importance of developing trade
and economic relations between Cyprus and Turkey but warned that the Turkish
Cypriots should not be bypassed while doing this.“We want Turkey-Cyprus
relations to develop. We want the formation of economic mutual dependency
relations to start before a solution. We have a demand; we don’t want the
Turkish Cypriot people to be bypassed while trade and economic relations are
developing between Turkey and Cyprus. The participation of Turkish Cypriots in this
process is critically important for us. It could
directly affect our social and political distinction” Ozgur added.
6. Turkish official: Turkey, Israel in talks, may reach
deal soon
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (18.12.15) reports that
a Turkish government official has confirmed Hurriyet Daily News that Israeli
and Turkish officials held talks in Switzerland over the broken ties and may
reach a deal soon.
"We
have not reached an agreement yet," the official said on Dec. 17 while
responding to a question on reports which said the two countries reached a
preliminary deal. "But (talks) may bear results soon," the official
said.
Talks
with Israel have been ongoing for some time, Turkish prime ministry officials
told Hurriyet Daily News, adding that talks were continuing in a positive
manner, but no consensus was reached.
Israel
and Turkey have reached a preliminary agreement to normalize relations,
including the return of ambassadors to both countries, Reuters quoted an Israeli
official as saying earlier on Dec 17.
A
Turkish foreign ministry official told Hurriyet Daily News that the two
countries have come to an understanding. The official said thatForeign Ministry
Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu represented Turkey at the talks in
Switzerland and he returned to Turkey.
According
to Reuters, a preliminary deal was reached during a recent meeting in
Switzerland between the incoming head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency,
Yossi Cohen, Israeli envoy Joseph Ciechanover and Sinirlioglu, the official
said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A
spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment and
there was no immediate comment from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, it said.
Under
the preliminary agreement, according to the report, Israel will establish a
compensation fund to address the killing by Israeli marines of 10 Turks aboard
an aid ship that tried to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2010,
the official said. Turkey would then drop all claims against Israel, the report
said.
The Israel-Turkey
alliance ties deteriorated after the incident.
Efforts
to reconcile the countries, including in a 2013 phone call between Erdogan and
Netanyahu that was brokered by U.S. President Barack Obama, have yet to yield a
final deal restoring full diplomatic ties.
7. Soldiers use heavy weaponry in Southeast ops, 25
PKK members killed
Turkish
daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (18.12.15) reports that Turkish gendarmerie special operations teams
have been employing heavy weapons during ongoing operations in tense
southeastern districts such as Cizre, Silopi and Sur, with the military announcing
on Thursday that 25 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members have been killed during operations.
The
Sur district of the southeastern province of Diyarbakir has seen some of the
most severe fighting in the region, with clashes and frequent day-long curfews
imposed in the district since late July. During clashes on Thursday, two police
officers were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals. Elsewhere in the city,
militants threw handmade explosives under an armoured police truck, triggering
a brief confrontation between police and fleeing assailants.
The
operations in the Sur district of Diyarbakir and the Cizre and Silopi districts
of Sirnak province are being jointly conducted by gendarmerie units and police
officers. Regular gunshots can be heard day and night in those districts.
8. Turkish PM in Brussels ahead of EU summit
Turkish
Hurriyet Daily News (18.12.15) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
held meetings with the leaders of Germany and several other nations in Brussels
on Dec. 17 before a full EU summit to discuss the recent cooperation deal
struck between Turkey and the EU.
Davutoglu
told reporters in Brussels that all leaders have “strongly supported” the Turkish
government’s initiatives on the migrant issue. He also praised German
Chancellor Angela Merkel for her strong leadership on the issue and for taking
the initiatives on relations between Turkey and the Europe.
The
meeting, held at the Austrian Embassy in Brussels before a broader EU summit,
was attended by nearly a dozen European leaders, including Merkel, who is
counting on Ankara to stem the flow of hundreds thousands of Syrians from
Turkey into Greece and then to Germany and other EU countries.
9.
Putin: Russia not to halt Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey
Turkish daily Sabah (online, 17.12.15)
reports that Russian President Vladimir
Putin said on Thursday that Russia's decision to participate in the
construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey would be based on
purely commercial considerations.
"Questions about this project should be decided on a corporate
level ... We will not take a single step that would damage our own economic
interests", Putin told his annual news conference.
Putin also said that contrary to current
media reports, Russia did not invest $3.5 billion in the construction of the
Akkuyu nuclear power plant.
Last week, various media agencies
claimed Russia's nuclear agency Rosatom had halted construction work at the
Akkuyu plant, but this was immediately refuted by the company itself and the
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.
PM Davutoglu also Monday said that there is no
reason to halt the planned nuclear power plant with Russia.
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