According to illegal Bayrak television (17.09.19-https://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=cyprus-issue-53), Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said that Turkey will support the Turkish Cypriot “people” until the very end.

Speaking during his visit to Azerbaijan, Oktay made statements regarding the Cyprus problem to Anadolu Agency.

Claiming that the Greek Cypriot side had unilaterally become a member of the European Union even though they did not deserve to, Oktay said that the Greek Cypriot side was now trying to take unilateral steps on the hydrocarbon resources issue.

“The Greek Cypriot side is taking unilateral steps and allowing for countries that should not even be named to come to the region and are carrying out efforts so that they can prevent the Turkish Cypriot people from benefitting from the resources” said Oktay.

Explaining that this was an approach that disregarded the Turkish Cypriot “people” all together, Oktay said that they could not stand by and watch idly what was going on. “We as Turkey are clarifying our stance. We will support the Turkish Cypriot people until the very end. We will never allow anyone to unfairly treat the Turkish Cypriot people especially in regards to the natural resources on the island. We are giving clear messages on this issue. No matter what the cost may be. We are giving crystal clear messages on this issue”, said Oktay.

2. Yavuz drilling vessel has completed its first phase of work off Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Kibris Postasi (18.09.19) reports that Turkey’s second drilling vessel Yavuz has completed its first stage of oil and natural gas exploration activities in the open off the coast of Cyprus and has moved to the Turkish port of Tasucu, in the Slifke province of Mersin.

According to the paper, the drilling vessel is waiting for replenishment off Tasucu port and it will be clear whether it will move or not off Cyprus from the instructions, it will get after completing its preparations.

(DPs)

3. Akinci met with a British MP

According to illegal Bayrak television (18.09.19-https://www.brtk.net/cumhurbaskani-akinci-ingiliz-isci-partisi-milletvekili-hamiltonu-kabul-etti/), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met today with the British MP of the Labour Party, Fabian Hamilton.

The meeting took place at the so-called presidential palace at 10.00am. During the meeting, an exchange of view was made on the Cyprus problem and the UK’s Brexit process.

(AK)

4. Erhurman asks for effective participation in all decision-making

Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Yeni Duzen (18.09.19) reports that Tufan Erhurman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), sharing his views on his social media account on political equality, one of the important issues of the Cyprus talks, said that “political equality and effective participation in decision-making are not negative in terms of a functional state structure, it is its basic guarantee, adding that the debate on political equality needs to be ruled out.

Noting that the main concern raised of the Greek Cypriot side that the search for at least one positive vote from both communities in each decision in the federal state will block the mechanism of the state and destroy the functional state structure, is not valid Erhurman added: “In fact, the decisions of the federal state in a bi-communal federation reflect indeed the will of both communities”. He further argued that “if a decision of the federal state reflect the will of only one of the two communities, this will inevitably create problems from the point of recognizing and implementing these decisions by the community whose will is not reflected in these decisions and it will increasingly cultivate the perception that the federal state belongs to only one community”. He also argued that “functionality is only possible if both communities willingly adapt the decisions of the federal state”,

Claiming that political equality and effective participation in the decisions are the basic guarantee of a functional state structure, Erhurman added: “After Crans Montana, what needs to be done under the circumstances is to contribute to the resumption of a result-oriented and a non-open-ended negotiation process. For this, the debate regarding ‘political equality’, which is very clear what it means in the UN acquis, needs to be ruled out”. He also said that the United Nations Security Council is aware of this, adding: “In its decision no. 2483 dated July 25, 2019, it needed to re-emphasize the issue and once again made clear its position on political equality. The meaning of political equality was referred to in paragraph 4 of Resolution 716 of 1991.”

(DPs)

5. Akinci handed the flag which was stolen from Lyssi village

Turkish Cypriot daily Kıbrıs Postası (18.09.19) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci handed to Sozer Ozkaramehmet the director of the primary school of Lyssi the flag and the picture of Rauf Denktas that were stolen on September 8 by a young Greek Cypriot. According to the paper, Akinci kissed the flag before handing it to the school director.

Speaking during the ceremony, Akinci claimed that some researcher show that fanatism has spread among the Greek Cypriot youth and said that they still remember the attacks against Turkish Cypriots and their vehicles in the “south”. Referring to the event in Lyssi he said the reaction created was justified and said that the apology issued by the young boy’s family was very important.

On his part, the director of the primary school stated that they have never taught the young Turkish Cypriots “to attack religious symbols or the flag and the values of the Greek Cypriots” and called on the Greek Cypriot side to re-evaluate its educational system. He also said that it is important that the flag and the picture were handed although they are not the same ones that were stolen.

Reporting on the issue, Güneş (18.09.19) wonders if this is a “game of peace”, noting that the flag and the picture handed are not the same that were stolen, claiming that the Greek Cypriots “burned the original flag and the picture”. In addition, a columnist of the paper claims that the news about the apology issued by the father of the young Greek Cypriot are false and that the truth is that he wrote in a social media account that his son took revenge for Tassos Issaac’s and Solomos Solomou’s death.

(CS)

6. Sucuoglu provides data on the number of illegal workers in the occupied area of Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (18.09.19) reports that so-called minister of labour and social insurance Faiz Sucuoglu stated that the “work amnesty bill” which was prepared with the aim to prevent illegal workers will “pass into law” as soon as the so-called assembly opens.

In statements yesterday to a program broadcast by illegal BRT, Sucuoglu said that they would not be restricted only to the amnesty issue, but they would undertake steps in order to suspend for some time the arrival of workers from third countries.

Pointing out that around 9,000 people who are “illegal workers” in the “TRNC” are homeless and sleep in the gardens, Sucuoglu added the following: “In 2010 the workers from third countries were 2917, in 2018 this number reached 14,657. This is a six-fold increase. Also, the number of workers from Turkey in 2010 were 27, 792 and in 2018 were 33,255. There is a six- fold increase on the number of workers from third countries”, Sucuoglu said.

(AK)

7. Data on the number of students at secondary schools in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to illegal Bayrak television (17.09.19-https://www.brtk.net/?english_posts=secondary-schools-open-today) so-called ministry of national education and culture said in a written statement that secondary school and high school students began the 2019-2020 school year today.

According to information released the “ministry”, 18 thousand students that are receiving their education from 32 schools that operate within the “department of secondary education” and 3 thousand 500 students that are receiving their education at the “vocational technical education department and high schools” began the 2019-2020 school year this morning.

(…)

B. Turkish Press

1. Main opposition CHP leader slams gov't over Syria policy

Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (18.09.19 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/main-opposition-chp-leader-slams-govt-over-syria- policy-146645) reports that main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçaroğlu has slammed the government’s foreign policy in Syria, saying Turkey is now stuck in Idlib, between two super powers.

“The blood of Muslims is being shed in Syria. Muslims are killing each other. Who is handing out the arms? U.S. [gives arms] to one side, Russia to the other, saying ‘here you go, kill each other.’ Why is Turkey being an instrument to this?” Kılıçdaroğlu said on Sept. 17.

The CHP leader’s remarks came during a speech in western Denizli as he was visiting the party’s municipalities in the province.

“What are we doing in the Middle East swamp? Who drove us here? We need to question these,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

He added that questioning the foreign policy is not a matter of partisanship, but rather, concerns the national interests of Turkey.

“Now, we are stuck in Idlib. There is [U.S. President Donald] Trump on one side and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin on the other. It will not be a surprise if 3.5 million Syrians [in Idlib] knock on Turkey’s door,” he said.

The Syrians only escape from the war-torn country is Turkey, yet the latter is in no position to host 3.5 million more refugees, according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

“What kind of foreign policy is this? How is this serving the nation’s interests? Our children are unemployed, but we give $40 billion [to Syrians]. Why?” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

According to official figures, Turkey is hosting over 3.6 million Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, yet the real figures are different, the CHP head claimed.

“The number of Syrians [in Turkey] is over 5 million. We know this,” he said. “Everybody should mull this over.”

However, Turks should not blame Syrians, given that they escaped from the war, Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“We get mad at them, why? You should be mad at the ones who brought them here,” he said.

Turkey is a powerful country in the Middle East and has the capability to invest in the region, yet is having economic troubles, according to the CHP leader.

“There is an unemployed person in every household. We have 8.5 unemployed people. In my view of politics, if a father is unable to give his child pocket money, he will not be able to sleep that night. You cannot ignore such a tragedy,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu once again brought up the issue of a government decree to transfer the right to operate the national tank factory to BMC Turkish-Qatari venture for 25 years, saying “a nation’s arms factory is a nation’s honor.”

“Those supporting the ruling party, give me an example from the globe. Who would make benefits of a national arms factory available to another country?” he said.

2. Turkey to speed up efforts for EU visa liberalization

Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.09.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-to-speed-up-efforts-for-eu-visa-liberalization/1586883) reports that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan published a circular on Wednesday in the Official Gazette on accelerating the country’s efforts to meet criteria for the process of visa liberalization dialogue with the European Union.

Erdogan recalled that the dialogue started simultaneously with a readmission agreement that was signed on Dec. 16, 2013.

“In order to ensure the completion of visa liberalization for our citizens, it is necessary to accelerate the efforts to meet the criteria registered in the Visa Liberalization Roadmap and to ensure the continuity of the efforts which are confirmed to have been met by the European Commission,” the circular said.

It also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the institutions in this process.

In December 2013, the EU and Turkey launched the dialogue in order to eliminate the visa obligation currently imposed on Turkish citizens traveling to the Schengen area for a short-term visit.

3. 138 FETO terror suspects in Turkey and the occupation regime to appear before court

Ankara Anatolia news agency (18.09.19-https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-138-feto-terror-suspects-to-appear-before-court/1586125) reports that 138 suspects across Turkey and the “TRNC” will appear before court over suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, Turkish judicial sources said on Tuesday.

Prosecutors in Istanbul issued warrants for 223 on-duty soldiers from land, air, navy, gendarmerie and coast guard forces, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

While police teams have detained 168 suspects, the court has released 30 of them, the source said, adding that the remaining 138 suspects will appear before the court on charges of "being a member of armed terrorist organization".

Security forces continue to search for 55 fugitive suspects.

(…)

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(AK/EH)