Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-02-01

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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] The so-called foreign ministry on UNFICYP extension

[02] Colak calls on Qatari businessmen to invest in the occupied area of Cyprus

[03] Colak says that she worries about the energy summits held by Cyprus and Greece and the statements made by Foreign Minister Kasoulides

[04] Candan evaluated their contacts in Brussels

[05] Figures on the number of foreign workers in the occupied area of Cyprus

[06] Akansoy: "6,238 rural plots of land were distributed"

[07] Excavations will take place in Tekke Bahcesi Mosque in the occupied part of Lefkosia

[08] Turkish Cypriot daily says that Turkey is selling 13 times more goods to the Turkish Cypriots than the goods it purchases from them

[09] The breakaway regime participated in the Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition in Istanbul

[10] Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: A Russian fighter jet violated Turkish airspace on Friday.

[11] Spanish Ambassador: Spain's non-removal of Patriot missiles shows proof of solidarity with Turkey

[12] Turkey's EU Minister heads to Paris, Brussels for official meetings

[13] Chilling' police 'insult' circular aims to quell criticism of state officials, say pundits

[14] Nobel laureate Pamuk chides EU for ignoring Turkey's rights record

[15] Many hotels in Turkish resorts up for sale amid tourism woes

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] The so-called foreign ministry on UNFICYP extension

In a statement issued evaluating the decision, the "ministry" said that "the unanimously adopted resolution extending UNFICYP's mandate welcomed the progress reached in the current negotiations process, the prevailing positive momentum and praised the leader's determination to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem".

"It is however, as stated by international circles interested in the Cyprus Problem, obvious that the current positive momentum in the talks cannot be maintained for ever. Therefore reference in the resolution to the need for any political or financial assistance of the international community towards achieving that goal is welcomed" the statement read.

[02] Colak calls on Qatari businessmen to invest in the occupied area of Cyprus

During her visit Colak was, inter alia, accompanied by the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, Fikri Toros and the member of the administrative council of the Turkish Cypriot "chamber of industry", Cavlan Paralik.

Colak began her contacts the day before yesterday by meeting with the "TRNC citizen", Taisir Mustafa and visited the newly established Middle East Modified Butimen Company, which is a partnership of the Qatari businessmen Khalifa Al Jassim and Ahmad Al Shabi.

During a lunch hosted in her honor by the above-mentioned businessmen, Colak briefed them on the negotiating process in Cyprus and on the existing investment possibilities as well as the possibilities which will exist after the solution. During the lunch, Toros and Paralik also invited the Qatari businessmen to invest in the occupied area of Cyprus and referred to methods by which the existing trade relations between Qatar and the breakaway regime could be broadened.

In the evening the self-styled representative of the regime in Doha, Aytug Plumer hosted a dinner in Colak's honor. Ahmet Demirok, Turkey's Ambassador to Doha and other foreign ambassadors participated in the dinner.

During the second day of her visit, Colak met with Demirok at the Turkish embassy and afterwards visited Dr. Khalid Ibrahim Al Suladi, administrator of Katara Cultural Village.

Yesterday Colak also met with Sheikh Faisal Al Thani, chairman of Qatar Businessmen Association and told him that the investment possibilities in Cyprus will increase with the positive climate which will be created in case a solution to the Cyprus problem is reached.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Colak says that she worries about the energy summits held by Cyprus and Greece and the statements made by Foreign Minister Kasoulides

"Everyone may have personal wishes and views. And these views may be expressed. The issue of Varosha and the other issues are on the table. Negotiations are continuing. For this reason, making such statements in during the ongoing negotiating process is not helpful to the solution. Now, because the negotiations are being held, no one is at the position of putting preconditions. I find this statement timeless and unnecessary".

Referring to the recent tripartite meeting held in Nicosia and the agreement on the energy issue, Colak argued that they are worried about agreements and discussions regarding the energy issue, which could exclude the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey, before a solution to the Cyprus problem is reached. She added: "It is difficult to say that the statements made after the agreement include concrete steps. However, we think that their statement that they are open for cooperation with other sides as regards the hydrocarbons is meaningful. We are seeing with concern any initiative which could exclude the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey on the energy issue. For the time being general expressions are being used, there is no concrete step. The important thing is how the expressions used during this meeting will be implemented".

Colak argued that the steps taken before the solution of the Cyprus problem by all sides should not be influencing the negotiating process and claimed: "They should feel at least partly the sensitivity we are feeling".

(I/Ts.)

[04] Candan evaluated their contacts in Brussels

Evaluating to the paper their contacts in Brussels, Candan said that they held a series of contacts at the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the EU Commission where they discussed Turkey's EU bid the Cyprus problem and EU's financial contribution for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Candan added that during their meetings in Brussels, they discussed also with the EU officials the issue of their representation at the European Parliament after the solution and the preparations that needed to be done toward this issue. Candan reminded of a decision of the Council of the EU dated on June 2014, envisaging that four months after the solution to be, there will be elections for the European Parliament in the island for the election of 4 Greek Cypriots and 2 Turkish Cypriots MPs.

Candan referred also to the gesture of the President of the Republic of Cyprus for the Turkish language to become an official EU language and said that this issue had a positive echo. He also stressed the need for the "foreign ministry" to undertake steps towards this matter.

Candan said further that during their contacts, they stressed the need for steps to be taken prior to the solution for the Turkish Cypriot's representation at the EP. He recalled that there are two empty seats at the EP belonging to the Turkish Cypriots and argued that they could achieve their representation to the EP under the observer status.

(AK)

[05] Figures on the number of foreign workers in the occupied area of Cyprus

The above figure includes also the work permits given to the foreign students in the occupied area of Cyprus, writes the paper.

Also, according to the data, an increase of 10.32% has been observed during the above mentioned period on the numberof foreign workers with work permit in the "country", since, comparing with the period of October 2013-September 2014, the numbers of foreign workers was 43 thousand 323 persons.

(AK)

[06] Akansoy: "6,238 rural plots of land were distributed"

Akansoy added that the "authorities" had signed sales contract with 2, 198 persons while he added that only 1,857 residences were constructed in these plots.

(AK)

[07] Excavations will take place in Tekke Bahcesi Mosque in the occupied part of Lefkosia

According to the paper, there were difficulties before reaching the decision for the excavation in the mosque area; however some families of missing persons had information that the bodies of their relatives were brought in the area in 1963 after the Agios Vasilios events and gave a struggle for the excavations to take place in Tekke Bahcesi Mosque.

Speaking to the paper, the chairman of the Cyprus Missing People's Union, Fuat Nalcioglu, accused the Autonomous Committee on the Missing Persons of drifting apart from its humanitarian mission and of been politicalized. "They see the issue as just a job", he stated.

(CS)

[08] Turkish Cypriot daily says that Turkey is selling 13 times more goods to the Turkish Cypriots than the goods it purchases from them

According to data given by Turkey's Exporters' Council (TIM), the imports of the regime from Turkey reached 1 billion 3 million 487 dollars in 2014. The imports of the regime from Turkey were 995 million 290 thousand dollars in 2011, 972 million 388 thousand dollars in 2012 and 999 million 600 thousand dollars in 2013.

(I/Ts.)

[09] The breakaway regime participated in the Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition in Istanbul

Self-styled minister of tourism Faiz Sucuoglu attended the opening of the exhibition. According to Bayrak Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mahir Unal visited the stand and met with Sucuoglu.

Unal said that Turkey and the breakaway regime will walk together and that Turkey will continue to provide all necessary support to the occupied area of Cyprus. The Turkish minister also reminded that he will be paying a visit to the breakaway regime with a delegation in February.

Sucuoglu stated that the usual 52 meter square of the breakaway regime stand had been expanded to 208 meter squares this year, in order to promote tourism.

Stating that not enough importance had been given to advertisements and promotions in Turkey in the past, Sucuoglu said that they were carrying out an extensive publicity campaign in Turkey this year, hoping to benefit from this in the coming months.

In addition, speaking to Bayrak Sucuoglu stated that he is optimistic and hopeful for the tourism sector this year and also announced that Corendon Airways will be re-launching charter flights to the breakaway regime as of the 1st of May this year. He also said that tickets were already on sale in the Netherlands and Belgium.

[10] Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: A Russian fighter jet violated Turkish airspace on Friday.

"A Russian SU-34 fighter jet violated Turkish airspace yesterday (Jan. 29, 2016) at 11.46 a.m. local time in Turkey [0946 GMT]," the statement read.

The Turkish Air Force has declared an 'orange alert' in key bases around the country, military sources have said.

Speaking to reporters at Istanbul Ataturk Airport before his departure for Chile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the violation of Turkish airspace, which he also described as NATO airspace, was a result of Russian attempts to escalate existing tension in the region. "Russia will have to bear the consequences if the violations continue," he said.

Erdogan said the Turkish Foreign Ministry had made contact with Russia to arrange a meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss the incident, but added that Ankara had yet to receive a response.

[11] Spanish Ambassador: Spain's non-removal of Patriot missiles shows proof of solidarity with Turkey

Despite the decision by the U.S. and Germany to withdraw Patriot missiles from Turkey, given their assessment of the downgraded threat level from Syria, Spain as another NATO member has maintained deployment of their Patriot missiles within Turkey. According to the Spanish Ambassador to Ankara, this is a proof of Spain's friendship and solidarity toward the Turkish people. Speaking to Daily Sabah, Ambassador Peydro underlined that Spain has long been a strong supporter of Turkey's EU accession process, while reminding that there is a long way to go, and that some issues will not be easy to solve.

[12] Turkey's EU Minister heads to Paris, Brussels for official meetings

In Paris, the Minister is scheduled to meet with French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir in a working lunch, as well as members and chiefs of France's Foreign Affairs Ministry and EU commission. Bozkir will also give an address to French Deputies.

Following his day-time meeting, Bozkir will join French businessmen at a dinner hosted by Turkey's Ambassador to France, while Desir is also expected to be in attendance.

After his visit to Paris, Bozkir is scheduled to visit Brussels to meet with European Commissioner for Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica. Bozkir will also get together with Turkish citizens living in Belgium at a meeting organized by the Belgian branch of the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD).

[13] Chilling' police 'insult' circular aims to quell criticism of state officials, say pundits

According to a report published in the Cumhuriyet daily on Saturday, the National Police Department sent the circular on Jan. 6, in which it warned the Turkey's police departments to take immediate legal action against individuals who engage in "any insult crime" against Erdogan and other senior state officials."

The circular in question includes three orders: "When senior state officials are insulted, suspects will be detained immediately and the necessary legal proceedings will be launched against them;" "Counterterrorism and intelligence units [of police departments] will be informed to conduct detailed examinations of the suspects;" and "Those investigated suspects will be held in custody at events attended by senior state officials."

The circular also reminds the police departments that an individual who insults senior state officials will face four years in prison and this sentence might increase by one sixth under the Turkish Penal Code's (TCK) Article 299, which is frequently being used as the basis for cases involving charges of insulting Erdogan.

[14] Nobel laureate Pamuk chides EU for ignoring Turkey's rights record

"They have forgotten all their values," Pamuk said in an interview, referring to the EU, adding that the fight against the Islamic State [Iraq and the Levant] group and the migrant crisis had "tied Europe's hands."

Pamuk criticized the 28-nation bloc for ignoring Turkey's recent record in freedom of expression. "They are looking to us as they looked to Saudi Arabia once upon a time: If (Turkey) is doing what we want, we don't care what they do at home."

Pamuk lamented recent developments in Turkey, including the detention of leading opposition journalists Can Dundar and Erdem Gul on charges of revealing classified information.

[15] Many hotels in Turkish resorts up for sale amid tourism woes

The Mediterranean resort of Antalya has the highest number of tourism facilities -- 410 -- that are listed for sale, followed by the provinces of Mugla, which has 349 for sale; Izmir, 203; Aydin, 162; Balikesir, 139; Canakkale, 35 and Denizli, which has 20 in total listed.

The total sale price of the 410 hotels in Antalya amounts to TL 30 billion, while the remaining 908 have sale prices of a total of TL 8.8 billion.

Denizli Colossae Thermal Chairman Abdurrahman Karamanlioglu said a number of hotels in resort towns were left on the brink of bankruptcy after Russia imposed sanctions against Turkey after the latter downed a Russian warplane in November last year. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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(CS/ AM)

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