Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-06-27

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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] Akinci: "This is the time for decision making on the Cyprus problem"

[02] Columnist describes as "completely opposite" Turkes and Akinci's statements on the Crans Montana Conference for Cyprus

[03] Ankara is reportedly unease with the so-called coalition government in the occupied area of Cyprus

[04] A person involved with the FETO organization is claimed to be under the protection of the Republic of Cyprus

[05] Siber worries whether the increase of "universities" in the occupied area of Cyprus will be a compromise on quality

[06] The chairman of social activity association of occupied Rizokarpaso asked from the "government" to "distribute" also "rural plots" to the youth of the village

[07] The German government 'does not expect President Erdogan's bodyguards at G-20'

[08] Human Rights Association head: "Turkey in worst period in terms of rights abuses"

[09] Survey: "Turks in Germany alienated from politics"

[10] Turkey's Youth Ministry prepares list of 'harmful' digital games, including Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, Pacman

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] Akinci: "This is the time for decision making on the Cyprus problem"

He made these statements during his departure to Crans Montana for the forthcoming meeting on the Cyprus problem which is to be launched on June 28.

Akinci stated that the time for taking decisions on Cyprus has arrived and that the Crans Montana meeting will be a decision making summit rather than a negotiation summit. He went on and added that he is cautiously optimist regarding a positive outcome of the talks but as he said he does not want to have his hopes high due to the "intensive election climate in south Cyprus", as he claimed.

He also said that there will be two parallel negotiation tables at Crans Montana and that there is no other method for reaching a result. Akinci said that at the one table there would be the two sides in Cyprus, the three guarantor countries and the EU as an observer and at the second table the other officials that will go on with the negotiations. As he said at the table that the above mentioned five sites will seat, the chapter of security and guarantees will be discussed while all the other chapters will be discussed at the second table. He however said that it would be wrong to call the summit "a security and guarantees summit" because these issues are only a part of the meeting adding that all the other issues are equally important.

He also said that reaching a decision on the 10-15 issues that are opened in the 6 chapters is very important and noted that if this is achieved then the framework of the solution will appear. This will mean that a new page is opened on Cyprus and issues like the preparation of the federal state, the constitution of the two founding states, the federal law and some other technical issues will remain to be discussed in the next few months.

Finally he stated that they want to reach a result in favor of the aims and the will of the Turkish Cypriot "people" and that a solution can be reached if all the sites work logically without asking the impossible.

(CS)

[02] Columnist describes as "completely opposite" Turkes and Akinci's statements on the Crans Montana Conference for Cyprus

"Do the statements that 'if the Greek Cypriot side is determined like us and Turkey and wants the solution heart and soul, there is absolutely no reason for not having a solution from Crans Montana', not mean that there will be a solution, if the Greek Cypriot side accepts all the conditions of Turkey? Does this not show clearly the result of Crans Montana?"

The columnist recalls that after his meeting with President Erdogan Akinci said: "I am satisfied with seeing once more Turkey's determination for a solution. Both Turkey and we want a solution heart and soul". Levent argues:

"While these statements were still sounding in our ears, the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes, during an activity he participated in London after visiting Cyprus, blew up the Crans Montana summit, even before its convention, by saying the following words, which are completely opposite with what Akinci had said! 'A meeting is forcibly held again on 27-28 June by the UN at Crans Montana, I have to use this expression forcibly'.

Look one who wants a solution soul and heart. Is this wanting something heart and soul? Does someone who wants a solution heart and soul, not go to search for this solution heart and soul? However, you say that you are going to Crans Montana forcibly by the UN. […] This means that the UN is trying to force you do something! Tell them nephew Tugrul! Say 'we will come to Crans Montana but know that no good can be achieved by force'! […]"

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ankara is reportedly unease with the so-called coalition government in the occupied area of Cyprus

According to Karahasan, Ankara is disturbed with the "coalition government" which on the one hand failed to "make reforms" within the framework of the implementation of the "economic protocol" and on the other hand for the recently alleged corruption in "bureaucracy".

Karahasan adds that Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Responsible for Cyprus Affairs Tugrul Turkes' "visit" in the "TRNC" took place in this framework. "The issues being discussed during the meetings with the political parties sent some messages towards the future of north Cyprus", writes Karahasan.

(…)

(AK)

[04] A person involved with the FETO organization is claimed to be under the protection of the Republic of Cyprus

The paper alleges that the person with the initials Y.B. has been firstly put under an 8-day arrest and later was put under protection.

Yeni Bakis notes that this development is taking place at a period which is critical for the Cyprus problem.

(CS)

[05] Siber worries whether the increase of "universities" in the occupied area of Cyprus will be a compromise on quality

Siber also noted that the opening of a "university" in the area will greatly contribute to the development of the occupied village of Trikomo.

(DPs)

[06] The chairman of social activity association of occupied Rizokarpaso asked from the "government" to "distribute" also "rural plots" to the youth of the village

In a written statement, the chairman of the association Firat Borak argued that the main problem of the village for years now is their youth migration, adding that no political party or "government official" has found a solution yet. Borak proposed the "distribution" of "rural plots" to the youth in order to prevent the migration to urban towns to be done in more justly way, adding that the youth people living in the village have also rights. He asked from the "government" to implement this measure also for occupied Rizokarpaso village.

(DPs)

[07] The German government 'does not expect President Erdogan's bodyguards at G-20'

The melee outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence during Erdogan's visit to the United States in May overshadowed the trip and further strained U.S.-Turkish relations.

Eleven people were hurt during the brawl. The U.S. authorities subsequently issued arrest warrants for 16 people, including 12 of Erdogan's bodyguards, over the incident.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said on June 26 that he could "assume with a good conscience that these people who have been incriminated by the U.S. judicial authorities won't set foot on German soil in the foreseeable future, including during the G-20 summit."

Schaefer would not confirm or deny an unsourced report in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that his Ministry made clear to Turkey the bodyguards would not be welcome.

According to the June 25 report by the daily, the German Foreign Ministry's warnings were repeated to Bundestag members in closed-door meetings.

The German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said earlier that foreign powers "do not hold sovereign powers" while on official visits, saying "foreign colleagues only have the right to self-defence," the daily reported.

"On our streets, only the Hamburg police have a say - and no one else. This includes foreign security forces," Hamburg Senator Andy Grote told Die Welt.

According to a separate report in the local daily Hamburger Abendblatt, the Turkish Embassy sent the German Foreign Ministry a list of 50 people who were to accompany Erdogan to Hamburg. The list reportedly included several agents who were involved in the brawl in Washington.

More than 10,000 left-wing extremists are expected to descend on Hamburg to protest the G-20 Summit, Deutsche Welle reported.

[08] Human Rights Association head: "Turkey in worst period in terms of rights abuses"

Turkdogan said IHD's annual report listed the highest number of human rights violations since its establishment on July 17, 1986. "When I was announcing the 2016 report in the beginning of April, I said 'I'm revealing the worst rights violations report since 1999.' However, our former head Husnu Ondul warned me that this period is the worst in terms of violations including the former state of emergency period," Turkdogan told daily Cumhuriyet on June 26, referring to the state of emergency period that lasted for 15 years and ended in 2002.

Turkey is currently under a state of emergency, which was declared after the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by the followers of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen.

While the emergency rule was declared for three months after the attempted takeover, it has been extended since then.

"When you look at the number of jailed journalists, mayors and lawmakers, Husnu was right. We can say that this is the grimmest picture since the foundation of IHD. The war may not have reached the numbers of the 1990s, but it's unfortunately close to that," Turkdogan added.

When asked about the areas in which abuses took place the most, Turkdogan noted that there were serious violations in the category of extrajudicial executions.

"The violation of one's right to freedom, meaning arbitrary detentions and arrests, are at the highest level. People are being arrested over their thoughts, which is the practice of preventing and punishing freedom of expression. One of the direst developments is the claims of people going missing under detention, which hasn't been experienced since 2004. There are 11 abduction claims that we announced to the public after the thwarted coup," he added.

In the interview, Turkdogan said one of the most significant factors preventing justice in Turkey is the "policy of impunity."

"This policy previously became a state policy due to the frequency of coups and in time it has become a culture," he said.

[09] Survey: "Turks in Germany alienated from politics"

The survey conducted for the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD), one of the most influential Turkish diaspora organizations in Europe, showed growing alienation from Germany's political parties among the country's three million-strong Turkish community.

41% of the respondents said they have not decided yet which party to vote for, while 15% of them said they would not cast ballots, stay away from the voting.

Social Democrat Party (SPD) has remained the most popular party among Turkish immigrants, with 22% of the respondents voicing support for the party.

The poll found that only 7% of respondents were considering to vote for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc CDU/CSU.

UETD's president Zafer Sirakaya said their survey has revealed that the majority of Turkish immigrants feel their interests are not represented by the mainstream political parties at the German Parliament. He called on political parties to promote political inclusion of immigrants.

"Political parties should include Turkish immigrants in political life, with representatives who did not cut their ties to their community, who did not become strangers to their own community," he said at a press conference in Berlin.

UETD's survey was carried out by the research institute IFF International, and it was conducted by telephone among a random sample of 1,000 Turkish immigrants in Germany.

Germany is home to three million Turkish immigrants, and nearly half of them hold German citizenship. Around one million ethnic Turks are eligible to vote on the September 24 elections.

[10] Turkey's Youth Ministry prepares list of 'harmful' digital games, including Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, Pacman

The Ministry reportedly established a special team to determine criteria, including whether the games contained "content that can harm the youth", adding that many include "Islamophobia, drug use, pornography and violence."

The head of the Ministry's Education, Culture and Research Commission, Huzeyfe Y?lmaz, informed Parliament on the issue, saying the digital gaming sector in Turkey has been expanding rapidly.

Y?lmaz said the digital gaming sector had reached a business volume worth $100 billion, growing between 8 and 10% annually and even surpassing the Hollywood movie business.

There are 1 billion gamers worldwide, Y?lmaz said, adding that there are 25 million gamers in Turkey, where the digital gaming sector amounts to $600 million. According to the Ministry, Turkish gamers spend a total of 39 million hours playing games every day.

Y?lmaz said Turkey has "successful game developers," many of whom sell their products abroad, but he warned of "harmful effects" from some foreign games.

"'Nusrat' is a game developed by our Ministry and it has been downloaded over 2.5 million times. However, foreign games including Islamophobia, sexuality and violence are among the harmful material in the sector. We are trying to raise awareness on the issue among families, youngsters, teachers and students. We also have to go beyond raising awareness, and that is why further development of [approved] games should increase," she told Parliament.

The Ministry has been focusing on the issue of Islamophobia in games, she said, claiming that many games are used to spread negative perceptions against Islam. "The goal [of many games] is to give people a negative perception about Islam. Digital games are used as a tool to spread Islamophobia ... Often the player is put in the role of a soldier and they gain points by killing Muslims, who are shown to them as terrorists. The main goal is creating enmity towards Islam," she said, adding that the Ministry had opened a website called "oyunlardaislamofobi.com" in order for users to report games involving Islamophobia.

Among the games listed as being Islamophobic are Guitar Hero III, Devil May Cry – Dante's Awakening, Resident Evil, Call of Duty, Hitman, Counter-Strike, Serious Sam, Muslim Massacre, Bomb Gaza, Pacman and Tekken.

The Ministry previously prompted ridicule among some in Turkey for claiming that the classic game Pacman is based around the idea of the central character "collecting veiled Muslim women."

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(DPs / AM)

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