TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA
REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No.
143/16
29.07.2016
1. Ozgurgun: “There is nothing to discuss on territory, security and
guarantees issues without the participation of the guarantor
countries”
2. Reaction on the decision for the breakaway regime to be included
in Turkey’s internal flights
3. Erdogan approved the “legislative article” on the restoration of
the cultural heritage belonging to the “Vakif Foundations” in the occupied area
of Cyprus
4. An agreement has been reached between Ankara and the breakaway
regime regarding agricultural and water issues
5. Turkish Cypriot military students
released
6. Intel, military chiefs may be tied to Turkish
President
7. Turkey's council opts to keep military chief
unchanged
8. Turkey tells Germany to extradite Gulen-linked
judges
9. Data by the "State Planning Organization" shows that the breakaway
regime is becoming poorer
10. Figures by the “department of information technologies and
communication”
1. Ozgurgun: “There is nothing to discuss on territory, security
and guarantees issues without the participation of the guarantor
countries”
Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (29.07.16) reports that
so-called prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun evaluated to Ankara Anatolia’s
correspondent in the occupied area of Cyprus the latest developments on the
Cyprus negotiation process and the works carried out by the occupation regime
after the military coup attempt in Turkey concerning the FETO organization.
Referring to the ongoing Cyprus negotiation process, Ozgurgun stated
that the two leaders are sitting on the negotiation table with the aim to reach
a solution the soonest possible and added that both side’s willingness and
determination is necessary in order for this to happen.
Alleging that we will be closer to a solution if the “guarantees, the
bi-zonality, the equality of the two people and the two equal founding states”
will become accepted, Ozgurgun claimed that it seems until so far that “south
Cyprus” does not have this mindset.
Recalling that if no solution is found by the end of the year the
Turkish Cypriot community will continue its own path, Ozgurgun sent the message
to the two leaders that there is nothing to discuss about the territory,
guarantees and security issues without the participation of the guarantor
countries.
Arguing that the Turkish Cypriot “people” will not accept any
solution that will not include Turkey’s active and effective guarantees,
Ozgurgun called the Greek Cypriot side to accept this reality.
On the FETO organization, Ozgurgun recalled that the “TRNC” has
included the organization in its terrorist list and all their activities were
banned. “Our police and our security forces are inspecting even the most basic
reports that were filed. If the organizations is linked with the TRNC, this
would be found out, but until so far, we have no evidence for such a thing”,
Ozgurgun said.
(…)
(AK)
2. Reaction on the decision for the breakaway regime to be
included in Turkey’s internal flights
Under the title “We have become internal flights”, Turkish Cypriot
daily Afrika newspaper (29.07.16) refers to the statements that “prime minister”
Huseyin Ozgurgun made during his recent visit to Ankara, that the breakaway
regime will be included in the internal flights of Turkey, in the framework
of the measures taken during the transition period after the failed July 15 coup
in Turkey.
Noting that the northern part of Cyprus is under Turkish occupation
for 42 years now, Afrika writes that this just constitutes another step towards
the unification of Cyprus with Turkey.
Commenting on the issue, self-styled minister of tourism Fikri
Ataoglu, stated in Yeni Duzen (29.07.16) that a proposal was made on the issue;
however he said nothing was clarified on the subject yet.
On its part the paper wonders what would happen in case this change
is adopted: “There will be no passport controls on flights between Turkey and
the “TRNC” as like in the internal flights? Apart of Turkish, could other flight
land at Ercan (illegal Tympou airport)?”, writes the paper.
(CS)
3. Erdogan approved the “legislative article” on the restoration
of the cultural heritage belonging to the “Vakif Foundations” in the occupied
area of Cyprus
Under the title: “The restoration of the cultural heritage of our
country’s foundations in Turkey’s agenda”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris
newspaper (29.07.16) reports that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
approved the agreements with several countries in the fields of economy,
technology and education which are included in the 9th legislative
article.
According to this, the article numbered 6727 refers to the
approval of the “agreement” between the Republic of Turkey and the “TRNC” to
carry out restoration works on the cultural heritage of the “Vakif Foundations”
in the “TRNC” .
Also, the article numbered 6729 refers to the approval of the
“supplementary agreement” of the “inter-governmental agreement between the
Republic of Turkey and the TRNC for the mutual recognition of their founding
universities”.
(AK)
4. An agreement has been reached between Ankara and the breakaway
regime regarding agricultural and water issues
Illegal Bayrak television (29.07.16) reports that the “minister of
agriculture and natural resources” Nazım Çavuşoğlu speaking to BRT announced
that an agreement has been reached in Ankara regarding agricultural and water
issues.
Drawing attention to the importance of sustainability, Çavuşoğlu
referred to the drought conditions in the breakaway regime and said that they
had come to an agreement with the Turkish government so that drought will not be
an obstacle to production and it will be sustainable.
He said that a working group is formed between the two “countries” to
work on this issue.
He said that they also discussed the details of the second phase of
the 256 kilometre pipeline that will allow the water that has arrived from
Turkey to reach all corners of the occupied area of
Cyprus.
Touching upon the occupied Morfou irrigation project, Çavuşoğlu said
that the government has approved the project that had been prepared but added
that they did not come to an agreement on the work that is taking place on the
Mesarya Irrigation Project.
He said they expressed their concerns regarding the project and
agreed that a separate committee would be formed between the two “countries” in
order to carry out sound workings.
5. Turkish Cypriot military students
released
Illegal Bayrak television (29.07.16) reports that the self-styled
prime minister Hüseyin Özgürgün claimed that his initiatives during his visit
to Ankara towards the arrested 3 military students at the Kuleli Military High
School have paid off.
According to Bayrak, due to Ozgurgun’s initiatives, the 3 students,
who have “TRNC nationality” were among those arrested after the 15th of July
coup in Turkey.
Ozgurgun extended his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan and the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces General Hulisi Akar for
their involvement in the issue.
6. Intel, military chiefs may be tied to Turkish
President
Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (29.07.16) reports that the National
Intelligence Agency (MİT) and the Chief of General Staff of Turkey could be tied
to the presidency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly said,
Turkish broadcaster CNN Türk cited parliamentary sources.
Erdoğan reportedly made the remarks during Parliamentary Speaker
İsmail Kahraman and the members for the Bureau of the Grand National Assembly of
Turkey’s visit to the Presidential Palace.
MİT and the Turkish General Staff are currently under the Prime
Ministry’s control.
Such a change could help prevent further military coup attempts,
Erdoğan reportedly told the visiting group. The meeting came when the Supreme
Military Council (YAŞ) met to reshape the military, following a coup attempt on
July 15.
Meanwhile, President Erdoğan has appointed rectors to nine
universities, including Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ), Ankara
University and Gazi University.
7. Turkey's council opts to keep military chief
unchanged
Ankara Anatolia news agency (29.07.16) reports that Turkey’s Chief of
General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar will remain in office, according to the Supreme
Military Council’s (YAS) decisions announced late
Thursday.
In remarks made at a press briefing following a five-hour meeting of
the Supreme Military Council in the capital Ankara, presidential spokesman
Ibrahim Kalin said Land Forces Commander Gen. Salih Zeki Colak, Air Forces
Commander Gen. Abidin Unal, Naval Forces Commander Gen. Recep Bulent Bostanoglu,
and Fleet Commander Admiral Veysel Kosele were also going to keep their
respective posts.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler was
appointed the new Gendarmerie Commander while Guler’s previous post was given to
former First Army Commander Gen. Umit Dundar.
Gen. Musa Avsever is now the new First Army Commander while Gen.
Ismail Metin Temel is the Second Army Commander.
Third Army Commander Gen. Ismail Serdar Savas, and Aegean Army
Commander Gen. Abdullah Recep are also keeping their posts, Kalin
said.
Gen. Hasan Kucukakyuz was appointed the Commander of Combatant Air
Force and Air Missile Defense Command.
General Tahir Bekiroglu was appointed the Commander of Land Forces
Training and Doctrine Command.
Kalin added the council's decisions had been approved by President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the
meeting’s venue was -- in the wake of the July 15 failed coup -- changed for the
first time from General Staff headquarters to the Prime Minister's residence at
the Cankaya Palace.
8. Turkey tells Germany to extradite Gulen-linked
judges
Ankara Anatolia news agency (29.07.16) reports that Turkish Foreign
Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has criticized Germany for not extraditing suspects
linked to the U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen’s network to
Turkey.
In remarks made during an interview on Turkish television channel CNN
Turk Thursday, Cavusoglu said: "So there is something we want from Germany too.
Many prosecutors and judges of the parallel state structure [Gulen network]
escaped to Germany and Germany has to extradite them."
He added that ties between Turkey and U.S. would be affected if the
U.S. did not hand over Gulen to Turkey.
Gulen, who heads the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) according
to the Turkish government, has been residing in Pennsylvania since
1999.
"Our relations will be affected if the U.S. will not give us Gulen.
It is inevitable. We don't want to think about the bad scenarios," he
said.
9. Data by the "State Planning Organization" shows that the
breakaway regime is becoming poorer
Under the title “We are becoming poorer”, Turkish Cypriot daily
Halkin Sesi newspaper (29.07.16) publishes data by the "State Planning
Organization" (DPO).
According to the data the Gross Domestıc Product (GDP) of the
breakaway regıme for 2015 has been reduced up to 9,2% compared to 2014 and is
13,721 US dollars. In “south Cyprus”, writes the paper, referring to the
Republic of Cyprus, this amount is 26,000 US dollars, while the average in
European countries is 34,000.
(CS)
10. Figures by the “department of information technologies and
communication”
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (29.07.16) reports that
the “department of information technologies and communication” has announced
figures concerning the communication sector in the “TRNC” for the first quarter
of 2016.
According to the figures, the number of the registered subscribers
of cell phones in the “TRNC” during the above mentioned period has reached to
811, 815 while the number of active subscribers is 648, 698.
Also, the number of users of smart phones and tablets in the
occupied area of Cyprus has reached 288,000 showing a 151% increase comparing
with the same period of 2013.
The paper adds further that a remarkable increase was observed also
in the occupied area of Cyprus on the number of base stations. Currently,
there are totally 603 base stations in the “TRNC”, 184 in occupied Keryneia, 182
in the occupied part of Lefkosia, 115 in occupied Famagusta, 70 in occupied
Trikomo and 52 in occupied Morfou.
Moreover, as the paper writes, the net sales revenues in the sector
of the electronic communication has reached to 67, 69 million TL, showing an
increase of 2,5% if compared with the same period of the previous year.
(AK)
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TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
(CS /AM)