Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 13-05-27

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Turkey's Yildiz reiterated Turkey's proposal for Cyprus, Israel, Iraq to sell their hydrocarbon reserves to Europe via a pipeline to pass from Turkey

[02] The eight expelled "deputies" will cooperate with the DP

[03] The "motion of censure" against the "ruling" UBP will be discussed on May 30

[04] New data for the granting of citizenship: Ten thousand new "voters" in the last four years in the breakaway regime

[05] CTP a founding member of the newly established Progressive Alliance

[06] The 51st EU-Turkey Association Council to convene today in Brussels; A Turkish official invited some member states not to be hiding behind the Cyprus problem

[07] A cooperation protocol will be signed between "YDU" and Crimea State University

[08] The breakaway regime imports daily goods from Turkey valued 2.64 million dollars

[09] Chrysokavas ancient burial ground opened to public

[10] A new museum has opened in occupied Lefkosia

[11] Kucuk attended the foundation laying ceremony for new road project in the occupied Famagusta-Trikomo districts

[12] Davutoglu discussed Syria with US, UAE and Saudi Arabian counterparts; he stated that Turkey and the USA have a plan B on Syria if Geneva meeting fails

[13] Erdogan to pay an official visit to Morocco in early June

[14] Turkey's Y?ld?z signed several cooperation agreements on energy in Sudan

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Turkey's Yildiz reiterated Turkey's proposal for Cyprus, Israel, Iraq to sell their hydrocarbon reserves to Europe via a pipeline to pass from Turkey

"Energy-hungry Turkey has offered to cooperate with its oil and gas-rich southern neighbors for the exploration and transportation of their hydrocarbon products to world markets via Turkey. It has particularly called out to Israel and Cyprus, which recently had problems over the legality of the licenses issued for petroleum exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

'Israeli officials, local officials in Greek Cyprus, as they called the Republic of Cyprus, and representatives of the 'TRNC' [as the occupation regime is called], they have all agreed on one reality: The natural gas to be produced from this region will get its utmost feasibility by a pipeline that will pass through Turkey. All relevant figures prove this idea,' Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z told the Hurriyet Daily News in a comprehensive interview outlining the Turkish government's energy policies regarding oil and gas reserves of its southern neighbors.

Y?ld?z held substantial meetings with acting Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman and U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy for energy issues Carlos Pascual, last week in Washington. The meetings were crucially important as the two allies found themselves on opposite sides on a number of issues related to Baghdad-Ankara tension over the latter's growing interest in making deals with the Kurdistan Regional Government and to the Turkey-Cyprus quarrel over the 'Greek Cypriot government's' ambitious moves for oil exploration in the disputed areas of the Mediterranean.

Although Y?ld?z underlines that Turkey appears to be the best route for these countries to flow their products to world markets, he is doing his best to show that Turkey is not in a position to abuse its geographical advantage in its potential talks with its neighbors.

'Turkey does not say 'Well, you are obliged to pass through our territories, so let's talk over this.' It adopts a very realistic approach,' he said. 'Instead,' Y?ld?z continued: 'Turkey says it's open to any sort of projects with the accomplishment of political stability in the region'.

Subtitle: Opportunity is there: Cypriot reserves

The political stability the energy minister referred to concerns the decades-old Cyprus problem which could not be solved despite numerous mediation efforts by the United Nations. There are floating ideas that recently discovered oil and gas reserves off the island could set an opportunity for Turkish and Greek Cypriots to resolve their differences and agree on a peace plan.

'I agree that opportunity is there. But this should have legality,' Y?ld?z said, adding that the current status of the Greek Cypriot oil explorations in the Mediterranean was illegal as there was no deal among the countries who have coastlines on the definition of economic exclusive zones.

'When will they become legal? As put by our Prime Minister, they won't become legal until these reserves are shared by the entire island. Will works be legal when [reserves are] shared? Yes'.

Subtitle: 'US confirms Turkey's rightfulness'

The involvement of foreign energy companies from many western countries including the United States, makes the situation a little more complicated as Turkey said it would not allow those companies operating on the island to do business in its territories.

Y?ld?z said he made clear to his American counterparts the Turkish position regarding Greek Cyprus's (as they refer to the Republic of Cyprus) operations and underlined that 'We have seen that not only our correctness but also our rightfulness is being confirmed [by the U.S.]'.

Subtitle: Iraqi model for Cyprus

For Y?ld?z, the position Turkey has adopted in Cyprus's energy bid is not very different from his stance regarding northern Iraqi reserves.

'The reasonableness and consistency of what we are saying about Iraq [with regard its oil and gas reserves] should also be valid for Cyprus. Or vice versa. These two issues are mutually supportive', he said.

A growing political stalemate between Ankara and Baghdad under the leadership of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had implications for Turkish companies operating in southern Iraq that pushed Turkey to seek more substantial energy deals with the KRG.

'Signing a protocol and an agreement are different things. Agreements are inter-governmental,' Y?ld?z explained while clarifying a recent deal between a Turkish state company and the U.S. giant Exxon for exploring oil in northern Iraq.

'The idea that state companies cannot make commercial contracts is wrong. They can make them,' he said. Pointing out that 39 companies from 19 different countries had already made similar deals and although central Iraqi government did not recognize them, it started to receive 83% of revenues out of these projects as a result of their revenue sharing agreement with the KRG, Y?ld?z said: 'This means an indirect recognition of these commercial contracts.'

Subtitle: Ready to talk with Baghdad

Giving some clues as to how he introduced the situation in Iraq to his American counterparts, Y?ld?z preferred to use the concept of normalization in Iraq that would help to resolve all standing problems. 'What's the goal of Iraq? Increasing its current 2.7 million barrels per day oil production to 7 million.

This is very good. You have oil and gas and you want to use them for your needs. But you cannot. This is abnormal,' he said. The normal thing was to use them and to transport them to world markets, he stressed, adding Turkey was ready to contribute to them. 'What's wrong with that?' asked the minister.

Washington's concern was that Turkey's interest in northern Iraq would cause the division of Iraq, according to Y?ld?z. 'What we have told them is this: On the contrary, Iraq would be divided if we do not show this interest. Iraq would not get divided as long as it becomes normalized. It would be divided if it would become abnormal. We are creating formulas for the normalization of Iraq.'

For Y?ld?z, an Iraq which would increase its annual revenues up to $300 billion, three times more than current figures, and which would share it accordingly, would not face the risk of partition.

Y?ld?z said turkey was ready to discuss these issues with Iraq whenever they requested.

Subtitle: Turkey's interest will not go

According to him, Washington well understood Turkey's position. 'They [Americans] have realized that there is nothing abnormal about the point we have arrived at [in the northern Iraq]. What we are discussing [with the U.S] now is legality [of Turkey's deals] and not their rightness. What we are doing in Iraq is the right thing from the perspective of international relations and of neighborhood. I must confess that the problem of legality will be resolved only after the hydrocarbon law is passed in Iraq.'

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Subtitle: Israel: Political feasibility needed

When it comes to cooperating with Israel on its energy projects, Y?ld?z drew attention to the fact that first there was a need for political feasibility to talk about these projects' technical feasibility. The Minister recalled that there were signs of this political feasibility after Israel apologized to Turkey but he wanted to underline that these projects could never be presented as the reasons for this apology. 'They may well be the consequences of this apology,' he stressed".

[02] The eight expelled "deputies" will cooperate with the DP

According to the Turkish Cypriot press, this movement has caused the UBP to become a "minority government" with only 22 "deputies".

Under the title "UBP has turned upside down", Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika (27.05.13), in its front page, reports that the 8 "deputies", who were expelled by the disciplinary committee of the UBP, preferred to resign from the party.

According to the paper, the 8 "deputies" will submit this morning their resignation from the UBP in the "assembly".

The "deputy" Ahmet Kasif, speaking in a press conference held yesterday on behalf of the 8 expelled "deputies", accused Irsen Kucuk - leader of the UBP and self-styled prime minister ? of transforming the UBP to the Social Development Party (TAP). TAP is the party that Kucuk established when he abandoned the UBP.

Kasif also announced that the meetings with the DP are being continued in a positive way and they will participate in the "elections" under the same roof.

Kucuk described this behaviour of the 8 expelled "deputies" to cooperate with the political parties of the opposition as a black stain in the political history of Cyprus.

Meanwhile, the column "A letter from Africa" in Turkish daily Afrika (27.05.13), under the title "AKP dividing the UBP has paved the way for CTP", writes that the fight, which has started in UBP and has resulted the resignation of the 8 "deputies", is a product of the AKP (Justice and Development Party). The real architect of this operation is AKP, the column writes. It also argues that the AKP has decided to erase Eroglu from the political scene, because they didn't agree with him, adding that in order to achieve this, they should first underrate the UBP. Now that the UBP has lost its power, the chance of CTP (Republican Turkish Party) to be first has increased, so the way for Talat to be the next "president" has been paved, the column argues.

[03] The "motion of censure" against the "ruling" UBP will be discussed on May 30

The "TRNC assembly speaker", Hasan Bozer, in a statement made in the "assembly", said that it has been decided with the majority of votes that the "motion of censure" will be discussed on May 30.

[04] New data for the granting of citizenship: Ten thousand new "voters" in the last four years in the breakaway regime

Nolan said that the persons who turned eighteen during this period obtaining a "right to vote" are included in this number. He also said that due to the "citizenship" granting, the number of "voters" is expected to rise even more.

The paper further publishes the numbers of "voters" in the previous years which are as follows:

Year "Voters"

2008 157.302

2009 161.373

2013 171.588

In addition, the paper also writes that Ahmet Kaptan, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot "Public" Servants Trade Union (KTAMS) stated that during the last four days "citizenships" were granted to 215 persons. He also said by tomorrow (tr. note, on Sunday) the "TRNC citizenships" will be granted to 100 more persons.

Reporting on the same issue Afrika (25.05.13) writes that the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union (KTOS) protested on Friday against the illegal granting of the "citizenship".

In statements about the issue, the general secretary of KTOS Sener Elcil stated that the "TRNC citizenship" is distributed in the breakaway regime because of the forthcoming 'elections" and added that this developments is part of the efforts made by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey to save the National Unity Party (UBP).

[05] CTP a founding member of the newly established Progressive Alliance

According to the paper, the Progressive Alliance was established during the conference, which is a political international founded by political parties currently or formerly members of the Socialist International and that CTP became one of the founder members of the new alliance.

Leftist political parties from more than 70 countries participated in the conference, according to Yeni Duzen.

[06] The 51st EU-Turkey Association Council to convene today in Brussels; A Turkish official invited some member states not to be hiding behind the Cyprus problem

The draft EU position paper, viewed by Sunday's Zaman, which the EU will present to the Turkish delegation at the meeting on Monday, has a tone that is distinctively more positive in comparison to ones submitted in previous years. Nevertheless, that will not stop the Turkish side from pushing aggressively for concrete action from the EU to put the accession process back on track.

"The main issue that will come up during this meeting is the obstructionist attitude in the EU, mostly by a minority group, that prevents the progress in the EU-Turkey talks," Haluk Ozdalga, Deputy Chairman of the EU Harmonization Commission in Parliament and member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), told Sunday's Zaman. "The EU must understand that it can't impose its own will through deadlocked talks on the divided island of Cyprus. The excuse some member states use, to hide behind the Cyprus issue, is no longer a valid argument," he added.

The draft position paper accentuates the Cyprus problem, however, asking Turkey to open its sea and air ports to the ships and planes of "Greek Cyprus", as the Republic of Cyprus is called by the paper, without delay, while expressing concerns about threats made by Turkey towards member countries. The EU also makes clear in the document that "Greek Cyprus" is considered to have the right as a sovereign state per international law to exploit natural resources in the Mediterranean, something which Turkey and the "TRNC" dispute.

(?)

Turkey is also gearing up for a new round of talks in Cyprus under UN mediation, and the issue was discussed during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington. Ankara believes the natural gas potential in offshore areas around the island, may be enough incentive for a last push for unification.

An almost three-year hiatus on chapter openings in accession talks is the lingering complaint from the Turkish side. So far, only 13 out of a total of 35 chapters have been opened in the accession talks, with one provisionally closed. Eighteen chapters have been frozen -- eight by the EU, because of Turkey's refusal to allow "Greek Cypriot" ships to use Turkish ports in response to the EU's refusal to have direct trade with Turkish Cypriots, and the remaining 10 by the governments of "Greek Cyprus" and France.

"What we expect is to have at least Chapter 22, which is on regional policy and coordination of structural instruments, opened in the near term," Umut Oran, Deputy chairman of both the main opposition Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) and the EU Harmonization Commission in Parliament, told Sunday's Zaman. "We also desire Chapter 23 on the judiciary and fundamental rights and Chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security to be opened to upgrade standards for fundamental rights and freedoms in Turkey," he added.

Turkey wants to hasten the opening of these chapters as it has been undergoing a major overhaul in judicial reform and its constitution. Yet both chapters remain blocked due to veto by the Greek Cypriots.

(?)

The subject of visa liberalization will also come up during the Brussels' meeting on Monday. There is growing mistrust on both sides as to whether the visa liberalization talks will actually lead to a visa waiver for Turkish nationals at the end of the process. The EU insists that Turkey needs to sign a readmission agreement before the visa liberalization roadmap will be put into action. Turkey, which initialed the agreement, has shied away from signing before seeing some kind of light at the end of the tunnel, saying that visa simplification ought to be put into action first before moving on the signing and ratification of the agreement.

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The EU-Turkey Association Council is the highest decision-making body for relations between the EU and Turkey. The Turkish delegation at Monday's meeting will be headed by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, while Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Ireland will represent the EU Council, and Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, will represent the European Commission.

(?)

As usual, the EU-Turkey Association Council will evaluate the progress of the European Commission-led "positive agenda," and Turkey's progress on the acquis communautaire criteria -- which will be a survey of a range of issues including transparency and accountability in governance, corruption, trade union rights, minority rights, freedom of expression and civilian-military relations. It will also examine the coordination between Turkey and the EU in regions and countries ranging from Syria, the Middle East, North Africa, the western Balkans, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

[07] A cooperation protocol will be signed between "YDU" and Crimea State University

During his visit, Gunsel will carry out contacts on the fields of education and medicine. In addition to this, Gunsel will sign a cooperation protocol with the Crimea State University.

[08] The breakaway regime imports daily goods from Turkey

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (27.05.13) reports that the average value of goods that the breakaway regime imports daily from Turkey worth 2.64 million dollars.

The paper also writes that goods worth 317 million dollars were imported in four months from Turkey. The paper also writes that imports from Turkey were increase 0.57% for the first years of 2013 compared to the same period last year.

[09] Chrysokavas ancient burial ground opened to public

There has been criticism of the state of the Chrysokava area, about 1 Km east of occupied Kerynia Castle, which is overgrown with weeds and has been left scattered with debris.

A tourism official said work was now under way to register Chrysokava as an archaeological site and a clean ? up would take place.

The old quarries of Chrysokava were used as a burial ground by the island's earliest Christians, who constructed a rock-cut cemetery and catacombs, some of which were later converted into churches and decorated with frescoes.

The site, a rocky cape also home to the Chrysokava monastery, is believed to have supplied the building materials for the construction of the nearby yacht harbour and Kerynia Castle in the Lusignan and Venetian eras.

Former senior "Antiquities Department" official Tuncer Bagiskan told Cyprus Today he had visited the site, which was opened about six months ago, and was dismayed by is state.

He said: "When we are celebrating Museums week, it's really a pity to have an open-air museum covered in weeds.

"This area is a world-famous unique archaeological site".

Sahap Asikoglu, "under-secretary" of the so-called tourism, culture and environment ministry, said: "This has been an archaeological site since the 1800s. In 2004, we launched work to re-register it.

"We attach importance to this area, which is known as one of the first sites of the clans of Cyprus".

[10] A new museum has opened in occupied Lefkosia

Speaking at the inauguration, Kucuk highlighted the importance of preserving and maintaining historical artworks belonging to the island's Ottoman and religious heritage.

He said that the importance given to the Vak?flar Administration during his "government's term in office" was evident; adding that the policies carried out jointly with "motherland" Turkey, had started to yield important results.

He also said that their aim was to increase such restoration and renovation projects.

The Museum was established within the framework of a cooperation protocol signed between the Republic of Turkey Vakiflar Foundation, the so-called Turkish Embassy to occupied Lefkosia and the Turkish Cypriot's Vakiflar Foundation's General Directorate.

The restoration project was carried out under the watchful eye of the Turkish Cypriot's Vakiflar Foundation and the so-called department of antiquities and museums.

Valuable carpets, rugs, watches and written decrees from the Ottoman era that were found in the Vakiflar Foundation' storage depots and mosques are all on display at the museum.

[11] Kucuk attended the foundation laying ceremony for new road project in the occupied Famagusta-Trikomo districts

A general foundation laying ceremony took place for the Famagusta-new hospital dual carriage way and roundabout, the occupied Trikomo-Ardana road, the Kantara junction-Flamoudi road and the second stage of the occupied Gialousa-Rizokarpaso road yesterday.

Making a short statement during the ceremonies, the so-called minister for public works and communications Ersan Saner said that he was pleased with the developments in the country and added that when they came to duty in 2010, there was a total of 124 kilometers of dual carriageways in the "TRNC" and within three years they were able to double this number.

Irsen Kucuk for his part said that since 2010, they were continuing to take precautionary measures together with "motherland" Turkey, as he called Turkey, in order to modernize the country. "Thanks to the contributions from motherland Turkey and the good dialogue between the two countries, investments in the TRNC are increasing" Kucuk said, adding that works to improve the country were continuing.

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[12] Davutoglu discussed Syria with US, UAE and Saudi Arabian counterparts; he stated that Turkey and the USA have a plan B on Syria if Geneva meeting fails

Diplomatic sources said that Davutoglu discussed the Syria issue with his counterparts.

Last week's Amman meeting, Syrian opposition meeting which was held in Istanbul, and the planned Geneva meeting which is expected to take place in June, were covered during their talks, sources added.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish daily Today's Zaman (25.05.13), Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in statements to a group of Turkish reporters on Friday, has said that Turkey and the US have an alternative option, a Plan B, if the upcoming Geneva meeting fails to provide a viable political solution to the two-year-old Syrian conflict.

Davutoglu spoke about the recent developments in Syria at a time when Ankara faces a great number of challenges with regard to the intractable crisis in the Middle Eastern country.

Denying criticism suggesting that Turkey -- which had faced accusations of favoring military option, an intervention in Syria by domestic criticism -- has shifted its Syria policy and has been forced to back initiatives for a diplomatic solution as result of strong pressure from the US and Russia, Davutoglu said that Turkey has always backed a diplomatic solution, adding that while other countries described the Bashar al-Assad regime as illegitimate from the very beginning, Turkey has struggled to persuade Assad to adopt a political solution for nine months.

Noting that Turkey has always been involved in diplomatic initiatives and efforts, Davutoglu asserted that Ankara is in contact with Iran, Russia and Arab and Western countries, working on formulas which contemplate the political future of Syria with or without Assad.

He stated that the formulas to be discussed in the second Geneva meeting were shaped during those diplomatic efforts and Ankara also contributed to their content.

Expressing his hopes ahead of the Geneva meeting, Davutoglu said Ankara and Washington synchronized their approach on Syria during the meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., on May 16. He, however, declined to elaborate on the details of a strategy, the Plan B, which has been developed by Turkey and the US as an alternative policy in case of a failure in the Geneva II conference.

Regarding the recent diplomatic efforts ahead of the conference, Davutoglu said that 11 countries, including Turkey, agreed on a common policy on May 22, during the Friends of Syria alliance meeting in Amman, that envisages the exclusion of Assad in the formation of a new transitional government that will bring in elements of the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition at the same time.

According to the proposal on which the countries agreed at the meeting in Amman, all powers and rights in the new transitional government should be transferred to those who "don't have blood on their hands."

Davutoglu, however, said if this formula, backed by Turkey for an enduring political solution, fails in the upcoming Geneva meeting, the type of support the 11 countries provide to the Syrian opposition will change, hinting that the international backers of Syrian National Council (SNC) would consider openly arming the opposition.

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"Tomorrow we won't be able to walk on the streets of Aleppo and Cairo if we stand by the Assad regime," the Davutoglu also said and rejected charges of "backing the wrong horse" in the Syria crisis, deeming such criticism itself unethical.

When asked about whether there has been a major failure in Turkish foreign policy regarding the prolonged Syrian crisis, Davutoglu expressed his dismay, saying that Turkey failed to predict the scale of violence that the Syrian regime and Assad could execute against their own people.

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[13] Erdogan to pay an official visit to Morocco in early June

"Erdogan's visit will bring strong momentum to state and individual relations between both countries and will present new opportunities for cooperation in many fields," said Lahbib Choubani, the Moroccan Minister in Charge of Relations with Parliament and Civil Society, before Erdogan's upcoming two-day visit to the North African country.

Choubani also emphasized that Turkey and Morocco will become equilibrant powers in their own regions after they achieve political stability, development and social peace in their respective countries.

Choubani, a Minister from the Moroccan Justice and Development Party (PJD) -- the largest coalition party in government which has the same name as Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) -- also said that the affiliation between both parties goes well beyond their names. "We share the same targets with the AK Party with regards to issues of peace, social justice, political stability and development. We would like to realize these targets not only in our country, but also in our region," he said, adding: "In the past, bilateral relations were interrupted even though we did not wish so. But Ankara and Rabat are making an effort to develop cooperation in every field," Choubani also said, underlining the deep historic ties between the two countries.

[14] Turkey's Y?ld?z signed several cooperation agreements on energy in Sudan

Yildiz came together with Sudan's Mining Minister Kamal Abdel Latif, Water Resources and Electricity Minister Tabita Botros Shokai, and Oil Minister Awad Al-Jaz.

Yildiz said that Turkey will back up the works of Sudan's master plan on electric. "We will back up the private sector representatives in energy sector, wind, sunny, and hydroelectric being at the first place, to make investments in Sudan," said Yildiz.

Minister Kamal Abdel Latif said that the relation between Turkey and Sudan went back a long way, and added that they will work more to improve the relations between two nations. "We would like to see Turkish businessmen more in Sudan. We also would like to benefit from Turkey's experience on industry, mining, and transportation sectors," said Abdel Latif. EI/ http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

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