Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 18-09-28

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

[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Akinci met with the German and Dutch Foreign Ministers

[02] Cavusoglu: "It is meaningless to start the Cyprus negotiations just for the sake of conversation"

[03] Ozersay will address the OIC's Foreign Ministers in New York

[04] Ozersay: "A new probe period is needed in Cyprus"

[05] Erhurman argues that the Cyprus talks should be resumed only if there is a timetable

[06] Kucuk: "New excavations for missing persons to be launched in Keryneia"

[07] Four candidates will run for the UBP leadership in the party's general congress

[08] Hunger threshold in Turley lower than the breakaway regime

[09] A new "digital university" has been established in the occupied area of Cyprus

[B] Turkish Press

[01] President Erdogan in Germany for a historic visit

[02] Turkey to make defense deals with any country, NATO member or not, says Erdogan

[03] Cavusoglu is heading to France after Germany visit

[04] Albayrak held contacts with big firms in the US

[05] Turkey is carrying out military exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean

[01] Akinci met with the German and Dutch Foreign Ministers According to Illegal Turkish Cypriot Bayrak television(27.09.18, http://www.brtk.net/akincinew-yorkta-ikili-temaslarina-devam-etti/), Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met yesterday with Stef Blok, Holland's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was held at the UN headquarters and lasted for half an hour. Akinci conveyed the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side on the Cyprus problem and exchanged views with his interlocutor, whose country is holding the temporary presidency of the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper(28.09.18) reports that Akinci met also with the German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass. The meeting was held at the German House and lasted for half an hour. Finally, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper(28.09.18) reports that in a message to President Anastasiades on the occasion of his birthday, Akinci recalled that 50 years were completed since the beginning of the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and wished for both of the leaders to act with a common sense of responsibility for the future of the two communities and mainly the young generation, so that a mutually accepted solution is reached without wasting any more time. (I/Ts.)

[02] Cavusoglu: "It is meaningless to start the Cyprus negotiations just for the sake of conversation" Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper(28.09.18) reports that in statements to Turkish journalists, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has evaluated his visit to New York. Noting that they have held unofficial contacts on the Cyprus problem in New York, Cavusoglu alleged the following: "Unfortunately, our previous efforts gave no result. The last one was in Crans Montana. In order to start a new negotiating process, now we should talk among us and decide what we will be negotiating and for what we will be negotiating. No one can digest another failure. Therefore, we are continuing our discussions. As the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the three guarantor countries we came together again at lunch. Discussions are being held with the Greek Cypriot side as well. Discussions should be made with all sides. In any case, we are continuously discussing with the TRNC. The TRNC's foreign minister is also here. We discussed these matters with him as well. We discussed with him these matters and he was accepted by our President of the Republic. We will continue this kind of unofficial meetings. We also discussed the issue with Kotzias in Izmir as well. Everyone saw that it is meaningless to start negotiations again only for the sake of the conversations without deciding what we will be negotiating and without being focused on the result. The world also saw this. We also think this. We conveyed these views to the UN as well". (I/Ts.)

[03] Ozersay will address the OIC's Foreign Ministers in New York According to Illegal Turkish Cypriot Bayrak television(27.09.18, http://www.brtk.net/ozersay-her-platformda-kibris-turk-halkinin-beklentilerini-aktariyoruz/), Kudret Ozersay, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, will address the annual meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in New York. In a statement on his social media account, Ozersay said that he met with the General Secretary of OIC, Yousef Al-Othaimeen within the framework of the preparation for this address. He noted that many heads of state and government as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs are visiting New York for the session of the UN General Assembly and argued: "We will continue conveying our views and the expectation of the Turkish Cypriot people at every platform in which we are given an opportunity". (I/Ts.)

[04] Ozersay: "A new probe period is needed in Cyprus" Turkish Cypriot daily Volkan newspaper(28.09.18) reports that Kudret Ozersay, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has alleged that the current situation in the relations of the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and the interests of the international community were not in a position to carry the negotiating process as regards the Cyprus problem to the top of their agenda and exert pressure on the Greek Cypriots. In statements to the Voice of America in Turkish, Ozersay claimed that "therefore we are facing a Greek Cypriot side which benefits from the current status quo and should be pressured or encouraged to want a solution". He argued: "This could be done by the international players. In a period during which the interest of the international players is so low and the international politics are in this shape, in a period during which stars are not aligned but also they have almost been scattered, I cannot see an environment which will encourage or force the Greek Cypriot side to a comprehensive solution". Ozersay reiterated the view that we need a period during which the future of Cyprus will be probed and expressed the hope that the contacts in New York will achieve this. He argued that the correct thing to do is for the UNSG to appoint someone to examine "where we will be going from now on". "That is, not the resumption of the negotiations, not their continuation from the point they were left off, something which will mean nothing else but the continuation of a vicious circle", he alleged and claimed: "In my view, what we need is to launch a period of a sincere probe by asking the questions 'where we are committing a mistake, what we must examine in order for this process, which has been failing for 50 years, to lead us elsewhere, do we really want to reach the place which we say that we want to reach, that is, is the bi-zonal bi-communal federation the place we really want to reach, are we all sincere when we say this, do we feel the need to the same extent f or this?" According to Ozersay, the fact that all methods have been exhausted and no solution could be reached shows that the problem lays in the substance, that is, the target rather than in the method. He further alleged that the problem is not the bi-zonal bi-communal federation and when we see the demands submitted by the sides we realize that they understand different things from this term. Claiming that the basic need now is to cooperate in many fields before the comprehensive solution, Ozersay argued that this would increase mutual trust and create economic interdependence. Giving the hydrocarbons issue as an example, he alleged that economic interdependence would be created, if a bi-communal company was established and the two communities extracted and marketed the natural gas which exists both in the south and in the north area of the island. Furthermore, Ozersay accused the international community of not fulfilling its "duties" on the issue of "encouraging" the Greek Cypriots for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and criticized the US because it "stands by the Greek Cypriots' side" with an American company. Alleging that this is contrary to the US responsibility deriving from the international relations, Ozersay expressed the view that the US might have chosen to cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus not only in the fields of energy and defense in an effort to prevent the Russian Federation from entering not only in Syria and in the area but in Cyprus as well. Ozersay said that they will not hesitate to take similar steps with Turkey on issues such as military and defense cooperation and energy. (I/Ts.)

[05] Erhurman argues that the Cyprus talks should be resumed only if there is a timetable Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (28.09.18) reports that self-styled prime minister Tufan Erhurman, who attended a television programme at Turkish Cypriot private channel Kanal Sim, made statements regarding the economy in the occupied area of Cyprus after the devaluation of the TL and on the Cyprus problem. Erhurman argued that the Cyprus talks should be resumed by focus on the result, adding that they don't believe that the process, "Let us start again the negotiations at the buffer zone, let the special representatives to meet", will bring us to the solution. He further argued: "We don't want to sustain a discouragement to the pro-solution people with the issue 'it seems they will negotiate'. (?) At this point, we, Turkey, Akinci, we all say the same thing. We want to reach a solution. We know what the method of this work should be. If they sit at the negotiating table, the duration (of the negotiations) should be specified upfront. UN Secretary General also knows the issues that have not been agreed. I don't know what UN Secretary General Guterres crosses his mind. Lute was a good listener as Akinci said. I don't know what UNSG will do after this. Guterres says, 'Let us start this job, if you solve it'. I am cautioous what will be the outcome from t he Akinci-Guterres meeting. The meeting of the three guarantors is important. We should not play this game, if someone tries to destroy the last remaining hopes... I think that Anastasiades is satisfied from the status quo and he thinks that the time works for his benefit. At the same time, I am thinking that he has little courage to explain to his people the issue of the political equality. It is clear for years now on what issues there was no agreement." (DPs)

[06] Kucuk: "New excavations for missing persons to be launched in Keryneia" Turkish Cypriot daily Hakikat newspaper (29.08.18) reports that Gulden Plumer Kucuk, the Representative of the Turkish Cypriot side to the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in statements yesterday to illegal TAK announced that new excavations works will be launched today in occupied Keryneia in the framework of the efforts which are taking place to find the remains of missing persons in Cyprus. According to Kucuk, after evaluating information about a Greek Cypriot missing person in occupied Keryneia, they will launch excavation works. She added that further of these excavations are taking place also in Strovolos, since they are looking for the remains of two Turkish Cypriot missing persons. Kucuk went on saying that no remains of missing persons were found out during the excavations works which are expecting to be completed today in Katokopia. Referring further to the excavations in Chatoz, Kucuk added that they are looking for the remains of 15 Greek Cypriots but no remains have been found yet. (AK)

[07] Four candidates will run for the UBP leadership in the party's general congress Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (28.09.18) reports that the National Unity Party (UBP) general congress will take place between 27-28 of October. According to the paper, four candidates will run for the party's leadership while in total 150 candidates will run for an election in the "party's central committee", which consists of 72 members. The paper adds that Sunat Atun, "deputy" with UBP in occupied Famagusta and Faiz Sucuoglu, "deputy" in the occupied part of Lefkosia have already submitted yesterday their candidacy to the party. Along with the party's chairman Huseyin Ozgurgun, Sucuoglu, Atun and "deputy" in the occupied part of Lefkosia Ersin Tatar will run for the party leadership. In a short statement yesterday, Atun stated that his aim is the reinforcement of the structure of the party in order to play a more active role in all issues. He added that together with an experts' team, they will carry out efforts in order for the "country to overcome economic difficulties", while at the same time, as he said, to help the party to become stronger with political willpower. Also, in a written statement yesterday, Sucuoglu said that a "strong UBP, means a strong TRNC and a strong people". (AK)

[08] Hunger threshold in Turley lower than the breakaway regime Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (28/09/18) reports that the "Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants Trade Union" (KTAMS) chairman Guven Bengihan stated that the hunger threshold in the breakaway regime is 2,625 Turkish Lira while in Turkey is 1,893. These numbers refer to a four-person family. Speaking during a press conference, Bengihan accused the "government" of not taking sufficient measures to deal with the economic crisis, noting that the "people" is becoming poorer every passing day. He also stated that new demonstrations and strikes will take place in the coming week as a reaction to the so-called government. (CS)

[09] A new "digital university" has been established in the occupied area of Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (28.09.18) reports that a new digital education "university" called "Netkent Mediterranean Research and Science University" has been established in the occupied area of Cyprus and is expected to launch lessons as of 15 October 2018. The "rector" of the new "university" is Prof. Dr. Hasan Bulent Kahraman. The aim of the new "educational organization" is to provide the opportunity to students to follow digital education without exams. The "Netkent university" would use online tools and the most modern and development technologies following the new rising generation education model. Among the founders of the "university" are businessmen Vedat Eskinat and Ali Eskinat who had invested in several fields related with e-education during the last 10 years. Presenting yesterday the aims and the vision of the "university", Kahraman explained that among the aims of the new "educational organization" is to provide to all graduate students, workers and "people" who want to be educated and follow technology to have a second change for education. Kahraman added that he would try to spread interactive education not only in the " TRNC" but also in Turkey, the Turkic Republics and North Afrika. He added that more information about the new "university" can be found at the "university's website" which is www.netkent.edu.tr (AK)

[B] Turkish Press

[01] President Erdogan in Germany for a historic visit Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (28.09.18 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/president-erdogan-in-germany-for-a-historic-visit-137296) reports that the much anticipated three-day state visit to Germany by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a seven-year hiatus began on Sept. 27 with a heavy-loaded agenda on mainly bilateral political and economic issues that aim at normalizing once seriously damaged ties. A written statement issued by the presidency informed that Erdogan would meet both President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel on the occasion of the visit that will last until Sept. 29. Erdogan and his accompanying delegation have arrived in Germany in afternoon on Sept. 27 following his four-day visit to the United States on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly. "Turkey-Germany cooperation in political, economic, security, defense, cultural and social areas as well as the issues related to the Turkish community in Germany will be addressed during the talks," read the presidential statement. "Regional and global developments, particularly those concerning Syria, cooperation in the fight against terrorism and irregular migration, Turkey-EU relations and other issues that are of concern to both countries will also be on the agenda," it added. Erdogan is expected to address representatives of NGOs and executives of leading German companies at the Turkey-Germany Business Council and will inaugurate the central mosque in Cologne. The Turkish President's visit will be the first state visit from Turkey to Germany after a seven-year hiatus, although his last visit to Germany in the form of a working visit took place in 2014.

[02] Turkey to make defense deals with any country, NATO member or not, says Erdogan Turkish daily Sabah (28.09.18 https://www.dailysabah.com/defense/2018/09/28/turkey-to-purchase-from-jointly-produce-weaponry-with-any-country-nato-member-or-not-erdogan-says) reports that Turkey could purchase weaponry from any country, be it a NATO member or not, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Thursday. Speaking to reporters after his New York visit, Erdogan also added that Turkey could "even jointly produce weaponry" with any country including Russia and China, and is preparing itself accordingly. "It is not appropriate to try to block a country if there is free market economy involved," Erdogan said. In December, Turkey officially signed a $2.5 billion agreement with Russia for the S-400s ? Russia's most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system. With the move, Turkey is set to become the first NATO member country to acquire the system. Turkey's interest in the Russian systems started due to Washington's indifferent attitude on technology transfer in the case of a possible purchase of the American-made Raytheon Patriot missiles. Turkish officials said in July that Ankara may consider buying Patriot missiles but it won't consider them as an alternative to the Russian S-400 system. Turkish officials have repeatedly stressed the fact that ties with other countries are not seen as alternatives to one another and that Turkey's diplomacy is based on mutual advantage. As well as its diplomatic and economic ties, the country pursues this balance policy in meeting its defense needs.

[03] Cavusoglu is heading to France after Germany visit Turkish daily Cumhuriyet (28.09.18) reports that the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that after completing his visit to Germany he will visit France and hold contacts with the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. As he said they will have a long meeting with his French counterpart focusing mainly to Syria issue, Idlib, the fight against terrorism and other related subjects. Following his visit to France he will go to Geneva to participate in the "Western Balkans Summit".

[04] Albayrak held contacts with big firms in the US Turkish Hurriyet daily (28.09.18 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/bakan-albayrak-abdnin-en-buyukleri-ile-gorustu-40970225) reports that Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, held meetings with great investments firms and banks in New York. According to information obtained by Ankara Anatolia, Albayrak in the framework of his contacts held meetings with the following: Stone Harbour, Alliance Bernstein, Massachusetts Financial Services, Neuberger Berman, Wellington Management, NWI Management, Lazard, PGIM Citibank, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Commenting after the meetings, Albayrak stated: "We are moving forward with confident steps and strong coordination to our goals. We have prepared our road map for a much stronger structure and we will implement it with determination". (CS)

[05] Turkey is carrying out military exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean Under the title "Joint forces against the 'deep enemy'", Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (28.09.18, http://www.milliyet.com.tr/derin-dusman-a-karsi-guc-birligi-gundem-2750358/) reports that the Mediterranean's biggest anti-submarine military exercise Blue Whale-2018 (Mavi Balina) hosted by Turkey started today. The Mavi Balina-2018 military exercise, under the leadership of the Turkish Naval Forces Command and with the participation of 13 countries, including the USA, will last until October 7. The warships and aircraft submarine defence systems will be tried in the drill. Ninety vessels, eleven helicopters and nine planes will be in the skies and off the coast of the Eastern Mediterranean for approximately ten days. According to the paper, vessels, aircraft and soldiers from USA, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Algeria, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Romania and Saudi Arabia will take part in the military exercise. Turkey's Air Forces will also give great support to the Turkey's Naval Force during the exercise. (DPs) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION (CS/ AM)

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