Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-06-30

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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] $1.2 billion Turkey-"TRNC" deal enters into force

[02] Erdogan and Putin agreed to meet in person in first phone call after jet crisis

[03] Istanbul airport terror attack death toll rises to 42

[04] Turkey and China signed a deal on nuclear cooperation

[05] The "municipal council" of occupied Nicosia is discussing again the issue of joining the system of taking water from Turkey

[06] Cavusoglu: Distribution of water in the occupied part of Lefkosia can start as from the weekend

[07] Hudaoglu stated that the water transferred from Turkey will not be enough to cover the annual needs of the Turkish Cypriots for potable water

[08] Akinci met with the former and the newly appointed chairman of the "Civil Defence organization"

[09] Social Democratic Party (SDP) will hold its first ordinary congress on July 1

[10] Fresh secularism debate stirred in Turkey over authority given to religious heads on marriage

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] $1.2 billion Turkey-"TRNC" deal enters into force

The agreement was signed in Ankara on May 27 and became valid following ratification by Turkey's Cabinet members on June 13.

The new agreement proposes loans and grants of up to $1.2 billion from Turkey to "Northern Cyprus" to support public finance, real sector, infrastructure investments, defence and structural reforms for a three-year period.

Aside from financial help, Turkey will also provide technical support to Turkish Cypriots in all fields and Turkish public officials will also be able to be stationed temporarily at "Northern Cyprus" as long as requested.

Also, a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint customs committee between the Trade Ministry of Turkey and the "finance ministry" of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus was also ratified, the "official gazette" revealed.

According to the MoU, a joint committee will identify key areas of cooperation and also oversee collaboration in "customs areas" between Turkey and the "TRNC".

[02] Erdogan and Putin agreed to meet in person in first phone call after jet crisis

Shortly after the phone call, presidential sources said that the meeting had ended on a positive note and that Putin also offered his condolences for the deadly suicide attacks that hit Turkey's largest airport in Istanbul on Tuesday night.

A written statement was released later, which emphasized that both leaders had both expressed determination to revive mutual relations and fight terrorism.

The two leaders also agreed to meet in person, Erdogan's office said, adding that "necessary steps" should be taken to revive relations. The statement said that Erdogan and Putin "highlighted the importance of the normalization of bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia".

Putin said during the meeting that the current situation is to the disadvantage of both Russia and Turkey, emphasizing that both countries had to turn a clean page to overcome the crisis, according to Turkish presidential sources.

"As major regional powers, Russia and Turkey have a lot to do", Putin reportedly said. The Russian President also fully agreed with Erdogan's statement on counter-terrorism following Tuesday night's terror attack in Istanbul, presidential sources stated.

Erdogan told Putin that, "We intend to take important steps at the bilateral and regional levels. We will further strengthen our cooperation with Russia," reported presidential sources. The Turkish president reportedly said it was "important that we listened to the demands of our peoples".

Later that day the Kremlin also released a statement regarding the call, saying Putin had ordered trade relations with Turkey to restart.

On the same issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News newspaper (online, 29.06.16) reported that Putin will order government to start negotiations to restore bilateral trade cooperation with Turkey, according to a statement by Kremlin. He will also drop restriction measures against Russian tourists visiting Turkey, the statement added.

[03] Istanbul airport terror attack death toll rises to 42

According to a statement issued by the Istanbul Governor's Office earlier, among the 42 were 10 foreign nationals and three others who had dual Turkish citizenship.

A total of 109 injured people out of 239 have been discharged from hospitals in Turkey's most populous city, the statement added.

The Turkish Prime Ministry announced a one-day national mourning in the aftermath of the Istanbul airport attack. Turkey will host its flags at half-mast across the country and in Turkish foreign representations around the world, the Prime Ministry said in the statement.

[04] Turkey and China signed a deal on nuclear cooperation

During his visit to Beijing, Albayrak hold a series of bilateral meetings, where he discussed Turkey's investment opportunities in energy, coal and renewable energy in particular, and invited Chinese firms to invest in Turkey.

[05] The "municipal council" of occupied Nicosia is discussing again the issue of joining the system of taking water from Turkey

Noting that the votes of the members of the "municipal council" which belong to the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Social Democracy Party (TDP) will determine the decision, the paper writes that the CTP's vote is expected to be positive tomorrow. The "municipal council" members which belong to the CTP had rejected the "agreement" because they considered that the price of the water was high. The two members which belong to the TDP and Murat Kanatli from the New Cyprus Party (YKP) had voted "no" because they believe that the "agreement" was opening the door to privatizations. The positive votes came from the members, which belong to the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democratic Party (DP).

(I/Ts.)

[06] Cavusoglu: Distribution of water in the occupied part of Lefkosia can start as from the weekend

The " Lefkosia municipality council" had previously rejected the use of the transferred water due to its selling price, but according to the Turkish Cypriot press, it may decide differently in the coming days.

Cavusoglu further stated that following the distribution of water to occupied Famagusta and Morfou, the water will start distributing to occupied Trikomo and the southern part of Mesaoria as well.

(CS)

[07] Hudaoglu stated that the water transferred from Turkey will not be enough to cover the annual needs of the Turkish Cypriots for potable water

Referring to the provision in the "water protocol agreement" which envisages that Turkey's State Water Affairs Department (DSI) will be responsible for the administration and the serving of the purification plant and the pumping station, he described this provision as an "issue that will create quarrels" and asked for the Turkish Cypriots to be educated on this issue and to be included in the system.

Explaining that the annual need for potable water in the "TRNC" increases, Hudaoglu stated that the need for potable water has reached to 105 million tons and argued that the 75 million tons of water send annually by Turkey to the occupation regime will not be enough to cover their needs.

(AK)

[08] Akinci met with the former and the newly appointed chairman of the "Civil Defence organization"

Speaking during the meeting, Akinci stressed the need to get prepared in order to be ready to confront a possible big disaster in the "country" and underlined that "the biggest disaster derives from the non-good preparation". Stressing the important role of the "civil defense organization" in emergency cases, Akinci stated that he would support the "organization".

(AK)

[09] Social Democratic Party (SDP) will hold its first ordinary congress on July 1

The party was established two years ago by its chairman Tozun Tunali.

(CS)

[10] Fresh secularism debate stirred in Turkey over authority given to religious heads on marriage

Speaking at his Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group meeting on June 28, Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m said that local muftis and muhtars (village heads) of villages with neighbourhood status will be given authority to conduct marriages.

Legal experts and academics have suggested that such a regulation would contradict with Turkey's constitutionally protected principles of secularism. Turkey Bar Association (TBB) head Metin Feyzioglu has claimed that the regulation is "the first step in switching from secular to sharia law".

"This regulation will remove women's right to marry of their own free will. This is a dangerous development that is removing safety," argued Feyzioglu, adding that the "modern Turkish Republic's gains" will be taken away from women with the regulation.

"Currently, in marriages conducted at municipalities, only registrars can conduct marriages and they do not see themselves authorized to act on other issues. Muftis, imams, and muhtars, however, are different. They will be able to put pressure on young people to marry. It will be women who see the greatest harm from this pressure," he added.

Dr Devrim Gungor of Ankara University's Law Faculty also said that the regulation was "against the constitution's principles of secularism and the state of law."

"In a secular state of law, imams or muftis cannot be given jurisdiction to conduct marriages. Marriage is a legal institution that is made official by the Civil Code," said Gungor, adding that parties can choose to have a religious ceremony only after these civil requirements are met.

"For example, in Italy, which hosts the Catholic Church, church marriages do not have legal acceptance and only have a symbolic meaning. Only municipalities can conduct lawful marriages," said Gungor. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio

(DPs/ AM)

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