Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-03-08

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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] Cavusoglu argues that Cyprus is the only place in the region where hope for a solution exists

[02] Turkes: 'We support an agreement based on equality in Cyprus"

[03] British High Commissioner to Cyprus visited Akinci

[04] "Motion of no confidence" was rejected

[05] Election campaign for the referendum in Turkey is held in the occupied area of Cyprus

[06] Opinion poll about the percentages of the Turkish Cypriot parties

[07] Cavusoglu accuses Germany of favouring 'no' campaign in charter referendum; he met with German FM

[08] Kilicdaroglu: Government right on Germany but acting with double standards

[09] Erdogan and Putin to discuss energy issues in Moscow

[10] Knesset Speaker: "Turkey and Israel to work on practical issues at first"

[11] Violence by far the biggest problem women face in Turkey

[12] Monastery in occupied Vouno village is about to collapse

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Cavusoglu argues that Cyprus is the only place in the region where hope for a solution exists

Referring to the Cyprus problem he claimed: "Unfortunately, in the Greek Cypriot sector they have entered into a pre-election climate one year early. Delay was caused in the negotiations both by the enosis decision and by the fact that the Greek Cypriot side started denying the political equality in spite of the fact that it had accepted it before and this is included in the text of the joint statement announced by the two sides. This is why we insisted on the convention of the five-party conference. I hope that these mistakes will be corrected again and the sides will exhibit their sincerity. And we will support the process. And there will be a solution in Cyprus. There are many problems in our region, crises, [and] frozen disputes. There is no hope for solving these frozen disputes soon. Only in Cyprus there is hope. If the Cyprus problem is solved, we think that essentially it will contribute in the solution of the other frozen disputes. […]"

(I/Ts.)

[02] Turkes: 'We support an agreement based on equality in Cyprus"

Addressing a breakfast this morning with representatives of the Press today in the occupied area of Cyprus, Turkes claimed that Turkey supports a bi-communal federation based on equality and alleged: "Showing the political administration of the state of the Republic of Turkey as being opposed to this is injustice. In this side no one slams the door and goes out or no one says 'come and give account to us'. All these happen in the other side. However, I have a complaint to the esteemed members of the press here. Please write their mistakes as well".

Turkes recalled the fire on Troodos Mountains last summer and alleged that the Greek Cypriots denied the Turkish side's proposal for help because the water would have been taken from the sea in the occupied area of the island. "We wanted the Turkish media to process this incident well", he claimed and asked for these issues to be taken into account when criticism is made.

"I am sorry to say that not everything you write is true. Sometimes I even wonder whether you miss the accuracy and your percentage of being mistaken passes 50%", he argued.

Turkes further alleged that the Turkish Cypriots are the first priority for Turkey and said: "An important share is separated every year from our national budget over our office for economic and social cooperation in order for further improving and developing the economic life of this community which is under isolation. We are pursuing these, we are carrying out these in order for us to protect the projects here and create the budget balance here".

Referring to the aim of his illegal visit to the occupied area of Cyprus, Turkes said that that constitutional amendment in Turkey is not an issue which directly concerns the Turkish Cypriots, but "a significant number" of Turkish citizens live in the occupied area of Cyprus and Prime Minister Yildirim will address a rally tomorrow in the occupied part of Nicosia in order for coming together with these people. "It is a work directed towards our citizens who vote in Turkey and all our citizens are invited to this", he noted.

(I/Ts.)

[03] British High Commissioner to Cyprus visited Akinci

The latest developments in the stalled Cyprus negotiations process were discussed during the meeting.

Akinci's spokesman Baris Burcu and the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami were present at the meeting.

No statement was issued before or after the meeting.

[04] "Motion of no confidence" was rejected

Opposition party representatives, who addressed yesterday's session of "parliament" in which the "motion" was discussed, claimed that the UBP-DP "coalition government" had lost the public's trust and confidence.

Members of the "coalition government" on the other hand argued that "the government needed to remain in office to complete its tasks and promises".

Meanwhile, "BRT" also reported that the "assembly unanimously approved that the legal parliamentary committee urgently examines a proposal made by the Republican Turkish Party to hold early elections on the 2nd of July 2017".

The examining of a proposal put forward by the DP leader and self-styled deputy prime minister Serdar Denktas to hold "elections" in April 2018 by the "committee" was also approved with a majority vote.

Speaking during yesterday's session, the leader of the main opposition CTP Tufan Erhurman challenged self-styled prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun by stating that the head of the coalition which has not been in power for more than a year had been talking about heading into early elections. He said that the opposition had proposed early elections calling on the "prime minister's" bluff.

Ozgurgun for his part said that his party was not afraid of holding "elections".

Responding to criticisms that the UBP-DP coalition was a "minority government", Ozgurgun said that they had the support of 27 "deputies" in the 50 seat "parliament". He defended his "government's actions", stating that they had taken over a bad budget when coming to "office" and added: "We have put on an impressive performance in dealing with the country's problems from the day we took office".

Also touching upon the Cyprus problem, Ozgurgun claimed that the negotiations had come to a standstill due to the Cyprus' House of Representative's vote on commemorating the 1950 Enosis plebiscite. He argued that "the parliament always supported the continuation of the negotiations but expressed the view that the assembly should review its position regarding the talks following the Greek Cypriot House's [editor's note: as he refers to the Cyprus Parliament] Enosis vote".

[05] Election campaign for the referendum in Turkey is held in the occupied area of Cyprus

In its "Letter from Afrika" column, the paper recalls that European countries such as Germany, Holland and Austria have not permitted pre-election rallies to take place on their land and adds, inter alia, the following: "[…] We are the TRNC! Help yourself. Our squares are yours. Our sports halls are yours. Speak as much as you like. Organize rallies! They stack posters on our rubbish bins. […] How suitable it is. The rose of the back garden! The nightingale of the large intestine! This is a dumping ground, a dumping ground! Come all of you, come. Do you want four freedoms? We shall give you eight! […]"

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (08.03.17) refers to the issue under the title "'Yes' propaganda on a rubbish bin" and reports that the political propaganda in view of the referendum in Turkey has started in the occupied area of Cyprus as well.

Under the title "The young people say 'yes'", Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (08.03.17) reports that three representatives of AKP's 'Election Coordination Centre", who work in the occupied area of Cyprus for the referendum in Turkey, participated in a program of ADA TV and explained the positions of the their party regarding the referendum. They said that they keep equal distance from everyone regardless of what they will vote in the referendum and expressed the wish to meet with everyone living in the occupied area of Cyprus.

(I/Ts.)

[06] Opinion poll about the percentages of the Turkish Cypriot parties

According to the results of the survey the Turkish Cypriot parties would receive the following if elections were held today:

National Unity Party (UBP) 39,78%

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) 20,75%

People's Party (HP) 18,74%

Social Democracy Party (TDP) 7,65%

Democratic Party (DP) 7,41%

Communal Liberation Party- New Forces (TKP-YG) 1,67%

United Cyprus Party (BKP) 1,57%

Revival Party (YDP) 1,29%

New Cyprus Party (YKP) 1,14%

(CS)

[07] Cavusoglu accuses Germany of favouring 'no' campaign in charter referendum; he met with German FM

In a speech on March 7 to nearly 400 people at the Turkish Consulate General in Hamburg, Cavusoglu criticized the German authorities for favouring those opposed to the changes, which could impose an executive presidency with vastly enhanced powers for the current head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Those who are in favour of 'yes' in the referendum are obstructed, but those who favour 'no' are supported," he alleged, referring to the April 16 referendum on constitutional amendments.

"This is not a right attitude. Nobody has the right to interfere in a referendum and election in another country. This is also not democratic", Cavusoglu claimed.

The Minister was speaking at the diplomatic mission after a planned address at a hall in Hamburg was cancelled on March 6.

He argued that German police, intelligence agencies and local authorities had exerted pressure on the hall's management to cancel the event on the grounds of insufficient fire safety. "Unfortunately this is a systematic obstruction," he added.

Since last week, there have been nine venue cancelations in six cities.

Cavusoglu also accused German authorities of "double standards" and said he would raise the matter with his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, on March 8.

On the same issue, HDN (online, 08.03.17), under the title "Turkish FM says he held 'very beneficial' meeting with his German counterpart amid tension", reports that Cavusoglu said he held a very beneficial meeting with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel on March 8, amid continued tension between the two countries over the cancelation of Turkish Ministers' meetings in Germany.

Cavusoglu also said that Turkey would host Gabriel in the coming period.

Earlier in the day, Gabriel said that Berlin and Ankara should return to "normal, better relations," after his meeting with Cavusoglu.

Despite the differences on both sides, "there is no alternative to dialogue because that is the only way we can return step by step to a normal and friendly relationship", Gabriel said.

"Neither Germany nor Turkey have an interest in causing lasting damage to bilateral ties," Gabriel said.

"The talks were 'tough'", Gabriel said and added that Ankara's comparisons to Nazis in any row is a "red line that cannot be crossed".

[08] Kilicdaroglu: Government right on Germany but acting with double standards;

The CHP defends Turkish Ministers' right to campaign in Germany ahead of a Turkish referendum, he said, but criticized the government for its stance on Turkish politicians from Bulgaria.

"You are criticizing Germany. But you are doing worse yourself. There should not be any double standards in politics," he said on March 7, giving an example of Bulgarian-Turkish politician Erdinc Ismail Hayrullah, the leader of the Bulgaria-Turkey Friendship Group, who was denied entrance to Turkey to make campaign for his party in Bulgaria.

Kilicdaroglu first called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m to reveal the reasons why Hayrullah was denied entry to Turkey before accusing the government of "polarizing Turkish citizens in Bulgaria as they do in Turkey".

"They have formed the Friend Party (DP) as opposed to the Rights and Freedoms Party (HOH). The ones from the DP can enter Turkey, but HOH cannot enter Turkey. Can there be such a double standard?" he said, suggesting that the ruling party was supporting the former.

Meanwhile, the paper also reports that opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli has slammed Germany, Austria and the Netherlands for their negative stance on Turkish ministers delivering speeches in their countries for the upcoming referendum in Turkey that will decide whether the current parliamentary system should be shifted into an executive presidency.

"It is a right and a must for political parties to inform citizens living in Europe on the April 16 referendum. Why was Germany bothered by this? What is the main reason behind curbing freedom of speech?" Bahceli said at a parliamentary group meeting of the MHP in Ankara on March 7, as he added that the democratic rights and authorities of ministers and lawmakers had been restricted.

Bahceli added that if Germany was acting with the insistence and suggestions from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) when banning speeches of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) ministers and lawmakers, then the MHP would regard it as a display of enmity against Turkey.

Bahceli also asked whether Germany placed itself in the naysayers' camp in the referendum.

"The German Chancellor should retract from its wrongdoing and refrain from steps that would escalate tension," he added.

[09] Erdogan and Putin to discuss energy issues in Moscow

During the meeting, bilateral relations between Ankara and Moscow are expected to be discussed "extensively", the statement said.

The High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) is usually headed by President Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Putin and includes government Ministers from both countries.

The statement added that the leaders will exchange views on regional and international issues, particularly Syria.

"Several agreements will also be signed during the visit, which is expected to contribute to the development of Turkish-Russian relations", it said.

[10] Knesset Speaker: "Turkey and Israel to work on practical issues at first"

"But once we try to cooperate we can have legitimate differences and issues," he told the journalists, who were staging the first such visit to Israel since the two countries began normalizing their relationship in mid-2016. "The roadmap is about building platforms on practical issues that we can work on".

Edelstein said that although there was a Turkey-Israeli friendship group in the Knesset, there was no similar group in the Turkish Parliament.

He also invited the Turkish Speaker of Parliament, Ismail Kahraman, to Israel, while also saying he would be happy to visit Ankara if an invitation is extended.

Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel's Minister of Regional Cooperation and Acting Minister of Communications, told the group of Turkish journalists that there was no anti-semitism in Turkey.

"There is no indication that [the Jewish community in Turkey] don't feel safe in Turkey. They are tense like all Turkey inhabitants, Muslim or Jew, but they are comfortable with the fact that there is no anti-Semitism in Turkey whatsoever", Hanegbi said March 6.

"The establishment and the government are encouraging the security forces to make sure that nothing happens," said Hanegbi, adding that he believed the only place they are more fragile with regards to Jews was France.

Asked if he would visit Turkey this summer as he has previously visited the country many times, Hanegbi said he would wait to go to Turkey for a vacation. "This year, I would prefer to go to Greece and Cyprus, but it will change in the future", Hangebi said.

[11] Violence by far the biggest problem women face in Turkey

Some 53% of women and 57% of men believe that "violence" is the most important problem women face in society, according to the poll conducted by the Gender and Women's Studies Research Center at Kadir Has University.

Unemployment comes second for 12% of all respondents, while lack of education comes third for 11% of all respondents.

With the poll being conducted for the third time this year, violence also topped the list in the previous two years, with 86.6% in 2015 saying it was the biggest problem and 77.8% in 2016 saying it was the biggest problem.

The Women's Studies Research Center suggests two possible explanations for the drop this year. One explanation was that 2015 was the year when the brutal murder of young university student Ozgecan Arslan by a bus driver in Mersin led to a nationwide outcry, thus raising awareness. Another possible explanation is that the deterioration in the economic situation over the past year means that unemployment might have taken more of a priority for some.

The poll also once again confirmed that gender equality is not widely internalized in Turkey even by women themselves. More than 50% of women said they think men should provide the income of the household and that an unemployed man is a "weak man". Some 47% of women also said women should work only if the household suffers from economic difficulty.

The poll revealed once again that lack of affordable childcare is an important reason for women's persistently low participation in the workforce.

Some 21% of women respondents said they had never worked because there was not enough support for childcare, which is the most important reason cited for never having worked. Some 20% said they were unable to get permission from their father or family, while 17% said they just wanted to assume household responsibilities and did not want to work.

[12] Monastery in occupied Vouno village is about to collapse

According to the paper, the monastery which was used as stable for various animals was recently cleaned from animals' droppings, bottles, and other garbage that piled up in the area for years. However, restoration is needed since there are still graffiti at the wall. Also some parts of the monastery are ready to collapse.

Havadis notes that many tourists visit the area and the monastery and criticize its condition. The "mayor" of occupied Vouno village Durmus Asandir stated that the monastery is going to collapse completely within the next ten years in case no measures are taken for its restoration.

(CS) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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