Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review-01.11.19
No. 728
Content
1. Ozersay: “Government” agrees there are no conditions for a federal Cyprus solution
2. Ozersay says no joint work or meeting was held with Akinci for the Berlin summit
3. Tatar: “Coalition government backs a two-state solution in Cyprus”
4. Denktas: “We have serious concerns regarding the tripartite meeting”
5. CTP general secretary: “The two-state solution under the EU’s umbrella is unrealistic”
8. Human remains of two persons found in occupied Lefkosia
9. Teachers reacted over the appointment of a teacher wearing a headscarf
10. Italian experts expected for the plane crash in the occupied area of Cyprus
1. Erdogan: “Safe zones in Syria most livable”
2. Turkey summons French Ambassador over anti-Turkey Syria resolution
3. Cavusoglu discusses with Pompeo US House Armenia bill and Syria developments
4. Erdogan praises cooperation with Georgia
5. Former HDP leader Demirtaş remains in prison despite new release order
A. Turkish Cypriot Press
1. Ozersay: “Government” agrees there are no conditions for a federal Cyprus solution
Turkish Cypriot illegal Bayrak in Turkish (31.10.19, https://www.brtk.net/ozersayhukumette-kibris-konusunda-fikir-birligi-var/) broadcasts that Kudret Ozersay, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that because of the agreement within the “government”, they could “easily and strongly” advocate that “a change of paradigm is needed” today in the Cyprus problem. He further argued that “this is inevitable” and that “the necessary conditions and requirements for a federal partnership do not exist”.
Addressing a meeting of the “council of ministers” with the “people’ in occupied Keryneia yesterday, Ozersay argued that power in foreign policy passed through “harmony within the government” and added that there had been no common policy on the Cyprus problem during the previous “four-party coalition government”.
Ozersay claimed that a “different new vision and paradigm” in the Cyprus problem should be supported by a more active diplomacy in a manner by which the Turkish Cypriot side’s voice was heart internationally. He argued that this could not happen only by holding negotiations and that the voice of the Turkish Cypriots should be heard in all international platforms in a way that “it is understood by the world”. He added the following:
“In this way we can promote the government’s policy. Both in the Cyprus problem and the natural gas issue as well as in the vision we have exhibited regarding the opening of closed Varosha, a change of paradigm is in question and this attracts attention. The various players of the international community feel the need to turn and have a look”.
Ozersay further said that the “good and healthy relations” with Turkey were among the “government’s” priorities. Noting that Turkey was their “strategic partner” for years, he expressed the view that a stance which causes tension and polarization in society on this issue was not a “healthy approach”. He claimed that they could have a relation with Turkey within which they could “stand erect” without quarrelling and being offended.
(I/Ts.)
2. Ozersay says no joint work or meeting was held with Akinci for the Berlin summit
Turkish Cypriot newspaper Haberci (01.11.19) reports that Kudret Ozersay, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that until now they had not worked jointly and held no meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci as regards the tripartite summit to be held on 25 November in Berlin, between the two community leaders and the UNSG Antonio Guterres. In an exclusive interview with a team of Haberci journalists, Ozersay referred also to the report sent by Akinci to the UNSG and said that he had not seen the report yet.
Asked to comment on the meeting in Berlin and to say whether this was an informal one, Ozersay argued that perhaps what they attempted to say with the word “informal” was that an informal five-party conference could be held. He claimed: “If there is a wish and an informal form, this will help in a different model which will be discussed outside federation. In diplomacy and negotiations, if you do not want a document to become your position, but you want to take the pulse of the other side, you can call this a non-paper, an informal paper or an informal meeting”.
Referring to the issue of the occupied fenced-off city of Varosha, Ozersay said that they tried to explain their policy during their recent visit to New York. He reiterated the view that the fact that the city remained closed violated human rights and added that they back the decision regarding the return of the occupied fenced-off city to its “former inhabitants” and held consultations on this basis. According to Ozersay, the self-styled electricity authority was working as regards the electric lines in the fenced-off city. He said that their steps regarding Varosha continued.
Referring to the relations of the Turkish Cypriots with Turkey, he underlined the importance of dialogue arguing that this was an important issue. “The skill is to fight, but to be able to direct Turkey’s Cyprus policy and serve the country within the framework of common interests”, he argued.
(I/Ts.)
3. Tatar: “Coalition government backs a two-state solution in Cyprus”
Turkish Cypriot daily Güneş (01.11.19) reports that so-called prime minister Ersin Tatar stated that the “coalition government of the National Unity Party-People’s Party” is in favour of a two-state solution in Cyprus, contrary to the stance of Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci who supports that there is no other choice than an agreed solution based on a federation.
Speaking yesterday during a meeting of the “members of the council of ministers” with the “people” in occupied Keryneia, Tatar said that his “coalition partner in the government and foreign minister” Kudret Ozersay, experienced some difficulties with his previous “coalition partners in the four party-coalition government”. According to Tatar, Ozersay had different positions on these issues, but today, Tatar said, Ozersay can express his positions openly on issues related with the two-state solution, the “opening of Maras” and the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, according to illegal Bayrak television (31.10.19-https://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=tatar-evaluates-1st-year), so-called prime minister Tatar, issuing a message on the occasion of completing one year since undertaking the National Unity Party (UBP) leadership, alleged that “each of his efforts aims to ensure that the Turkish Cypriot people will happily move forward in prosperity and security in the future”.
“We have made a serious assessment of the situation for the first time and turned it into a party decision that a two-state solution for Cyprus should come to the agenda and have included it in the government program”, Tatar claimed.
Referring to the so-called presidential elections, Tatar expressed the belief that they will “emerge victorious in accordance with the public’s expectations”.
“When the time comes, our party assembly will pay heed to what the people and the party’s grassroots want and will take the necessary decisions. We will act in accordance with these decisions,” Tatar added.
4. Denktas: “We have serious concerns regarding the tripartite meeting”
Turkish Cypriot illegal Bayrak in Turkish (01.11.19, https://www.brtk.net/denktasuclu-gorusmeyle-ilgili-ciddi-kaygilarimiz-vardir/) broadcasts that Serdar Denktas, self-styled deputy of the Democratic Party (DP), has said that they had “serious concerns” regarding the tripartite meeting to be held on 25 November in Berlin between the two community leaders and the UNSG Antonio Guterres. This is because “the Berlin meeting bears the risk of once more postponing the efforts for finding ways to live as an honourable community and of drugging us into processes, the end of which is unknown and waste our time”, the DP leader added.
In a written statement issued today, Denktas said that the target of the tripartite meeting was to “go beyond” the agreements achieved until today, make progress on the issues on which agreement had not been reached and create the conditions for a possible five-party conference. “In brief, it is again an experiment of what was attempted in the past”, he claimed adding that he did not hope or observe that the Greek Cypriot demands would change in Berlin. He argued that we should accept that the process which had been going on with interruptions since 1968 gave no results and “both sides should be open to new ideas and work on new models”.
Expressing the view that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had not the luxury to reject participating in a meeting that will be held with the participation of the UNSG, Denktas argued that Akinci should explain that the process should not aim at forming the terms of reference and should not be a continuation of the Crans Montana Conference. “Crans Montana and similar processes have wasted a lot of time for the Turkish Cypriots”, he claimed.
“The problem is not in the federal model, but in the structure of thought which the Greek Cypriot leadership represents”, he alleged and reiterated the Turkish view that the Greek Cypriots were not able to see the Turkish Cypriots as equals, to share power with them and see them as co-owners of the island.
Arguing that the Turkish Cypriots should demand from the EU, the UN and the international community to force the Greek Cypriot leadership to take steps “which will bring it to a solution oriented thought structure”, Denktas expressed the view that we should discuss what could be done for “a step by step, piece by piece solution”. “It is time to turn a new page”, he alleged.
(I/Ts.)
5. CTP general secretary: “The two-state solution under the EU’s umbrella is unrealistic”
Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Kibris Postasi (01.11.19), under the title “As long as the problems remain unsolved, the Turkish Cypriot people have less hope and tolerance”, reports that the general secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Erdogan Sorakin, said that the problematic issues in Crans Montana such as the rotating presidency, the effective participation in decision-making processes, guarantees and political equality should be overcome. He further said that it is important for these issues to be addressed, because as long as they remain unsolved, it is becoming harder to reach a solution and as a result, the Turkish Cypriot “people” are losing their hope and their tolerance is lowering.
Commenting on the upcoming tripartite meeting in Berlin, at Turkish Cypriot private channel Kibris Postasi TV, Sorakin said that that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is more effective than the former UNSG Ban Ki-moon. He added that it is not known whether a decision for a five-party meeting will come out of the tripartite meeting. Noting that although they try to form the terms of reference, Sorakin argued that they have been determined already. He further explained that the joint declaration of 11 February 2014 and the June 30 Guterres framework are the documents to constitute the pre-conditions of the terms of reference.
Evaluating the position of the “coalition government” on the Cyprus issue, Sorakin reminded that no other system has been discussed than the federal system and added: “The two-state solution under the EU’s umbrella stands as an alternative option, but it is unrealistic. The negotiation process has been going on for 50 years and no other system outside the federal system has been discussed. All the documents in the past envisage a federation to be established on the federal ground”.
Noting that the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean are part of the Cyprus issue, Sorakin said that there is serious [natural gas] reserve in the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean can be solved through a comprehensive solution. “However, Turkey cannot be left of the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean”, he stressed.
(DPs)
6. Erdogan meets Guterres
According to illegal Bayrak television(01.11.19-https://www.brtk.net/erdogan-ile-guterres-bir-araya-geldi/), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met today in Istanbul with UN’s Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the chairman of the Turkish Affairs Committee at the National Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, and Turkey’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Feridun Sinirlioglu, were also present at the meeting which lasted for an hour. The meeting was closed to the press.
(AK)
7. Akar reiterates that Turkey will not allow for their rights and Turkish Cypriot rights to be harmed
Turkish Cypriot daily Haberatör (01.11.19) reports that Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, in statement yesterday during an inspection visit he held in military border units in Turkey, reiterated once again that Turkey will never allow the rights of their Turkish Cypriot brothers to be harmed.
“Under no circumstances, we are not in favor or support an aggressive stance; we are in favor of good-neighborhood ties. We have said that by all means we will never allow Turkey’s or our Turkish Cypriot brothers’ rights to be harmed and we will continue to say this”, Akar said.
Stating that they continue with their activities in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus, Akar added the following: “We will continue intensively our activities, day and night in order to protect our rights and interests especially in the Eastern Mediterranean. We are by no means in favour of an aggressive stance, we back good-neighborhood ties and we respect international law and bilateral agreements. But, we have said before and we will continue to say that we will not allow the other side to harm either Turkey’s rights or the rights of our Turkish Cypriot brothers. We are determined on this. This is not a threat, nor a weakness when we say that we respect international agreements and international law. Our interlocutors should understand this well”, Akar further said.
(AK)
8. Human remains of two persons found in occupied Lefkosia
Under the title “Step by step to track the missing persons”, Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Havadis (01.11.19) reports that the Turkish Cypriot member of the Committee of Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) Gulden Plumer Kucuk said that the remains of two persons were exhumed on Thursday, October 31, near to Tekke Bahcesi [Translator’s note: an area in the occupied part of Lefkosia’s walled town near the Kyrenia Gate], while the exhumations by CMP have started a week ago and are going on.
Speaking to “Turkish Cypriot news agency TAK”, Kucuk said that the remains of another 24 persons have been located since the beginning of 2019, and after their identification, it would be clear whether the remains are belong to missing persons.
Noting that “permission was granted by the Turkish side for excavations on 30 different locations and 33 coordinates within military areas, in June, 2019”, Kucuk added that a new permit has been granted for a site in Deryneia close to the area where previous excavations took place. Explaining that this was not the first time the CMP was conducting work in fenced-off military areas, she further said: “Cooperation with the Turkish military authorities is good and the military officials are always helpful to the CMP’s works”.
Stressing that the Committee is racing against time, Kucuk explained that the landscape is constantly changing, new buildings are constructed everywhere, roads are being built and these are some of the difficulties they face.
Kucuk concluded by saying that they may not be able to find everyone, but we need at least to reach a point where we can provide everyone with information.
(DPs)
9. Teachers reacted over the appointment of a teacher wearing a headscarf
Under the banner headline “Whatever Turkey has, we are going to have here”, Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Afrika (01.11.19), at its front page, reports that the teachers at the high school “Lapta Yavuz” in the occupied village Lapithos refused to do lessons in protest for the appointment of a maths teacher wearing a headscarf by the “ministry of education”. Due to the crisis, the “ministry” called back the teacher, but it was not announced whether the appointment of the teacher wearing a headscarf was cancelled or not.
(DPs)
10. Italian experts expected for the plane crash in the occupied area of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Düzen (01.11.19) reports that Zeki Ziya, chairman of the so-called air sports federation, has stated that they had contacted the Italian I.C.P. Company, manufacturer of Ventura aircraft which had crashed recently in occupied Lefkoniko area, and that officials of the said company were expected to visit the occupied area of Cyprus. Ziya told the paper yesterday that a detailed statement would be issued after the investigations.
Meanwhile, the paper reports that the funerals of the two pilots who had lost their lives in the accident were held yesterday. Serkan Ozcezarli was buried in occupied Trahoni village and Hakan Cetinkaya in his hometown, Afyonkarahisar in Turkey.
(I/Ts.)
B. Turkish Press
1. Erdogan: “Safe zones in Syria most livable”
Ankara Anatolia news agency (01.11.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkeys-erdogan-safe-zones-in-syria-most-livable/1632454) reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Thursday that the safe zones established as a result of lengthy efforts and sacrifices are the most peaceful and livable places in Syria today.
"Turkey was left alone at nearly every step taken during the Syrian crisis," Erdogan said at a gathering in Istanbul.
Erdogan stressed those who did nothing except erecting barbed wires for Syrian refugees in the last eight years, continue blocking efforts to ease "homesickness" of the refugees.
He reiterated that Turkey's expenditure on refugees for period of over 8.5 years has exceeded $40 billion, while support from the EU through NGOs was €3 billion ($3.3 billion) only.
(…)"We did not provide all these services with any expectation, but as our human and moral responsibilities," he added.
Erdogan went on to say that unsolicited "advice" was the only support which Turkey received from the international community. "The mentality which considers a drop of oil more valuable than a drop of blood sees nothing but its own interest in Syria and around the world. When we look around, we see only humans, souls and life," he said, adding that this is what differentiates Turkey from others.
He also noted that the average life expectancy in Syria, which has suffered major devastations, has declined from 73 to 63.
2. Turkey summons French Ambassador over anti-Turkey Syria resolution
Turkish daily Sabah (01.11.19-https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2019/11/01/turkey-summons-french-ambassador-over-anti-turkey-syria-resolution) reports that Turkey summoned on Thursday the French Ambassador in the aftermath of a resolution by the French Parliament on Ankara's counterterrorism operation in northern Syria, diplomatic sources said.
Turkish authorities voiced their strong criticism to Charles Fries over the move by the French Senate and National Assembly on Operation Peace Spring, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.
France's Parliament on Wednesday approved unanimously a resolution condemning the operation which was launched on Oct. 9 to eliminate the terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.
The resolution, prompting an immediate end to the operation in northern Syria "reiterated France's unwavering support for the YPG operating under the name of SDF."
Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed in a written statement the decision, adding that: "We strongly condemn and reject decisions by the French Senate and National Assembly about Operation Peace Spring."
"It is obvious that France took this decision after its plan to establish a terrorist state in Syria failed," it said, adding that the French government and parliament had shown that they were on the side of the terrorists.
3. Cavusoglu discusses with Pompeo US House Armenia bill and Syria developments
Turkish daily Sabah (01.11.19-https://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2019/10/31/fm-cavusoglu-discusses-armenia-bill-in-us-house-syria-with-counterpart-pompeo) reports that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed the recent Armenia bill in the U.S. House of Representatives and developments in Syria with his U.S. counterpart, Mike Pompeo an official statement said late Thursday.
Ankara has condemned the U.S. resolution titled "Affirming the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide" that was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday, arguing that this decision was taken as a reprisal against Turkey's Operation Peace Spring and labeling the move as "worthless."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting a controversial resolution on 1915 events, as he slammed European countries for providing protection for PKK-linked groups to carry out their terrorist activities.
4. Erdogan praises cooperation with Georgia
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (31.10.19-http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-praises-cooperation-with-georgia-148157) reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the country's economic and strategic cooperation with Georgia.
"Unfortunately, our relations that we have maintained at the level of strategic partnership have been suspended. Today, with the instructions we give our foreign ministers, we will convene our strategic cooperation council as soon as possible," Erdogan told reporters at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on October 31.
"The joint energy and transportation projects that we have fulfilled together with our brother Azerbaijan have enabled us to create a zone of stability from the Caucasus to Anatolia," Erdogan said, referring to natural gas and railway projects completed by Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Erdogan went on to say that the two leaders confirmed their willingness to increase their trade volume from $1.5 billion as of the end of 2018 to $3 billion.
Erdogan said further that 2,200 Georgian soldiers received military education within the framework of ongoing military exercises between the two countries."Our efforts to maintain peace and stability in our common sea, the Black Sea, continue with the contributions of Georgia. In addition to our military contacts, we hope to establish tighter relations between our defense industry companies," he added.
Georgian Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia said for his part that Tbilisi is committed to further develop the existing strategic partnership. Stressing that Georgia attaches importance to cooperation on the energy corridor between the two countries, Gakharia said: "Turkey is a way to Europe for Georgia."
Gakharia said at the end of the meeting that he would officially invite Erdogan to Georgia in the near future.
5. Former HDP leader Demirtaş remains in prison despite new release order
According to the website (31.10.19-https://ahvalnews.com/selahattin-demirtas/former-hdp-leader-demirtas-remains-prison-despite-new-release-order), a Turkish court on Thursday ruled for the release of the jailed former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş, but a separate case against him will keep him imprisoned, secular opposition daily Cumhuriyet reported.
Demirtaş was arrested in November 2016 and has been held since then on various charges related to his alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group that has fought the Turkish state for Kurdish self-rule for decades.
An Ankara court on Sept. 2 ruled the conditional release of the top pro-Kurdish politician over charges of insulting the President, as the trial continues in the main case against him, in which prosecutors are seeking a sentence of up to 142 years.
Istanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court on Thursday ruled for the release of Demirtaş in a case that he was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison based on a judicial reform package unveiled earlier this month that allows the release of convicts who are charged for less than five years imprisonment, Cumhuriyet said.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) last year ordered the immediate release of Demirtaş, stating that his further confinement without any new evidence would amount to continued violations of Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(AK/ EH)
PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE
