Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-11-07

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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] Gezici opinion poll: Tatar in the lead for the "presidential elections" – Majority supports a two-state solution in Cyprus

[02] Reactions to Gezici opinion poll

[03] Ustel: "We will exert pressure to Europe for flights"

[B] Turkish Press

[01] Erdogan, Trump to meet in Washington on Nov. 13

[02] Turkey slams Israel's approval of settler homes

[03] Erdogan says Turkey has captured Baghdadi's wife

[04] Turkey, China to work together in media, communications, against propaganda

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[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Gezici opinion poll: Tatar in the lead for the "presidential elections" – Majority supports a two-state solution in Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Gunes (07.11.19) reports that Turkish Gezici Company announced yesterday the results of a public opinion poll held between 26 and 28 October with the participation of 4,267 persons regarding the "presidential elections" to be held in April 2020 in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus.

According to these results, Ersin Tatar, chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP) is in the lead in the first round of the "elections" with 33,9% of the votes, followed by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci with 28,2%, chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Tufan Erhurman with 19,7%, chairman of the People's Party (HP) Kudret Ozersay with 10,5%, chairman of the settlers' Revival Party (YDP) with 4% and "deputy" of the Democratic Party (DP) Serdar Denktas with 3,7%.

Asked who they would vote for in the second round, 44,7% (54,6% including the undecided) of the participants in the survey said Tatar and 37,2% (45,4%, including the undecided) Akinci. The undecided voters reached 18,1% in this scenario. Tatar seems to be able to win all his possible rivals in the second round. Akinci, on the other hand, seems to lose from Tatar, but to win if he remains in the second round with Ozersay or Erhurman. In case Erhurman and Ozersay were the candidates who passed to the second round, CTP chairman seems to win over the HP chairman.

Asked what they would vote if "parliamentary elections" were held, the participants in the survey replied: UBP 42,6%, CTP 25,3%, HP 11,9%, Social Democracy Party (TDP) 6%, Communal Liberation Party – New Forces (TKP-YG) 1,9%, DP 4,8%, YDP 6,1% and Nationalist Democracy party (MDP) 1,4%.

Asked what kind of a solution proposal should be submitted in the Cyprus problem, 78,6% of the participants said two separate states, 16,3% federation with the Greek Cypriots and 5,3% confederation.

Replying to a question regarding Turkey's guarantees, 83,2% of the participants in the survey said that the guarantees should continue unchanged, 3,7% that they should be annulled, 3,9% that the UN and the EU should be the guarantors, and 9,2% that they had not decided on the issue. Moreover, 85,5% of the participants stated that they did not want the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from the island and 9,25 said that they wanted the withdrawal of the Turkish army. 5,35 said that they were undecided on this issue.

Asked whether they believed that there would be an agreement on the Cyprus problem, 82,65 said no and only 13,2% said yes. 87,1% said that the Greek Cypriots did not want a solution.

Asked whether Akinci had made a concession which annoyed them during the Cyprus talks, 60,5% of the participants in the survey said yes and 30,9% said no. Asked on which issue was this concession that annoyed them, 25,2% replied on the guarantees, 20,6% on the return of occupied Morfou, 13% on the annulment of the Turkish Cypriot veto, 20,2% on the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation army from the island and 21% on all issues.

Asked whether they agreed with Akinci's statement regarding Turkey's "Peace Spring Operation" in Syria, 74,4% said that they definitely did not agree and that this statement was wrong, while only 25,6% said they definitely agreed.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Reactions to Gezici opinion poll

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Afrika (07.11.19) publishes the results of the public opinion poll announced yesterday by Turkish Company Gezici under the title "Dirty operation against Akinci" and refers to "efforts to manipulate perceptions". The paper reports that the same Turkish company has not announced the result of its previous survey, according to which Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci was in the lead. "Gezici started meddling in our elections again", notes the paper.

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Halk?n Sesi (07.11.19) reports that commenting on the results of opinion polls for the "presidential elections", Yenal Senin, general secretary of the People's Party (HP) said that "perception management" would have no benefit. "The important thing for us is to take the pulse of the streets", he noted in statements on a TV program. He argued that the results could be "unexpected" and gave as example the "presidential elections" held in 2015. He recalled that it had been said that HP's chairman Kudret Ozersay would take 4-7% of the votes, but in the end he had received 21,3%.

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Haberci (07.11.19) reports that Fikri Ataoglu, candidate for the presidency of the Democratic Party (DP) said that the survey was "illegal" and had no value for them. He argued that a crime was committed and that this was a result of a survey held with money.

Erdogan Sorakin, general secretary of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) expressed the view that it would not be correct to say anything about the "elections" from now, because there were six months until then. "There is the tripartite meeting to be held on 25 November before the elections. Many things could change in politics", he added.

Mehmet Davulcu, general secretary of the Communal Liberation party – New Forces (TKP-UG) accused Gezici of "manipulation" adding that "it is a company which carries our surveys for money in Cyprus". "It takes what some circles want to hear, arranges it and presents it", he argued.

Erhan Arikli, chairman of the settlers' Revival party (YDP), said that regardless of what the public opinion polls were saying, the YDP was advancing with steady steps towards its target.

Finally, in statements to illegal Bayrak (07.11.19, https://www.brtk.net/ozyigit-cumhurbaskanligi-seciminden-sonra-erken-secim-gundeme-gelebilir/), Cemal Ozygit, chairman of the Social Democracy Party (TDP) said that they would evaluate the results of Gezici survey. Noting that all other surveys showed that Akinci was in the lead, Ozyigit argued that he when he visited villages in the occupied area he saw that people were gathering around Akinci especially after his statement on Turkey's "Peace Spring Operation" and the reactions from Turkey to these statements.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Ustel: "We will exert pressure to Europe for flights"

Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Halkin Sesi (07.11.19) reports that self-styled minister of tourism Unal Ustel, who is currently in London for the World Travel Market 2019, said that "this year a very special work has been done in order to increase the branding awareness of the country".

Speaking during his visit at the WTM, Ustel said that efforts are continuing so that those who travel from Britain to "Ercan" [translator's note: the occupied airport of Tymbou] do not to have to depart from Turkey as it used to be in the past. He claimed that in a short while they will overcome this difficulty. He argued that especially with the completion of the works the airport "Ercan", "there is no reason not to have direct flights", adding: "We will exert pressure to Europe and if it is necessary, we will even resort to legal remedies".

Noting that this is the first time that they are embarking on such a large scale campaign, Ustel claimed that they have "broken the unjust embargo and the isolation imposed on the TRNC" through the advertisements in digital media.

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[B] Turkish Press

[01] Erdogan, Trump to meet in Washington on Nov. 13

Ankara Anatolia news agency (07.11.19 https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/erdogan-trump-to-meet-in-washington-on-nov-13/1637727) reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call Wednesday, reaffirming their meeting in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 13.

The two leaders also discussed regional developments as well as bilateral issues, according to the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate.

"Just had a very good call with President Erdogan of Turkey. He informed me that they have captured numerous ISIS fighters that were reported to have escaped during the conflict -- including a wife and sister of terrorist killer al- Baghdadi," Trump said in a tweet, referring to the slain Daesh/ISIS leader.

"Look forward to seeing President Erdogan next Wednesday, November 13th at the White House," Trump added. Erdogan said on Twitter that they had an "efficient" telephone conversation and discussed bilateral relations and issues in the region. "During the meeting, we discussed the steps we will take in many areas, especially the fight against terrorism and trade targets between our countries," he said.

"I believe that the phone call we made today will have beneficial consequences for our bilateral relations and regional issues during our visit to the U.S. on Nov. 13," Erdogan added.

The scheduled meeting comes in the aftermath of a deal reached between Ankara and Washington on Oct. 17 to pause Turkey's military operation in northern Syria in order to allow YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from a planned safe zone.

[02] Turkey slams Israel's approval of settler homes

Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (07.11.19 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-slams-israels-approval-of-settler-homes-148399) reports that Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Nov. 6 said that Israel's decision to construct more than 2,300 new settler homes in occupied Palestinian territories was "mockingly ignoring international law".

The ministry said in a statement: "The approval by Israel to build 2342 additional housing units in the illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is another obvious example of Israel's policy to change the demographic structure of the region. These illegal settlements approved by Israeli authorities showed a 50 percent increase this year compared to last year in a "solid evidence of Israel's aim to destroy the vision for a two-state solution," it said.

"We reject this illegal decision of Israel, which continues to violate the fundamental rights of the Palestinians by mockingly ignoring international law and reiterate our call on all members of the international community to fulfill their responsibility to counter the oppression and occupation of the Palestinian people," the statement said.

[03] Erdogan says Turkey has captured Baghdadi's wife

Turkish daily Yeni Safak (07.11.19 https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/erdogan-says-turkey-has-captured-baghdadis-wife-3504598) reports that Turkey has captured the wife of Daesh leader al-Baghdadi, who was recently killed in an operation by U.S. forces in Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday.

"The United States said Baghdadi killed himself in a tunnel. They started a communication campaign about this," Erdogan said in a speech at Ankara University. "But, I am announcing it here for the first time: We captured his wife and didn't make a fuss like them. Similarly, we also captured his sister and brother in law in Syria."

A senior Turkish official said earlier this week that Turkey had captured Baghdadi's sister, her husband and daughter.

[04] Turkey, China to work together in media, communications, against propaganda

Turkish daily Yeni Safak (07.11.19 https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-china-to-fight-propaganda-3504619) reports that Turkey and China will fight propaganda spread through the media together, Turkey's director of communications said on Wednesday. According to a statement by the directorate, Fahrettin Altun received a delegation headed by Gao Jianmin, the deputy minister of China's National Radio and Television Administration.

During the meeting, Altun said: "We think Turkey and China should work in the new period in very close coordination on media and communications within the new cooperation philosophy." Underlining that Turkey hoped for strong cooperation between the two "friendly countries" in the fields of media, communication and public diplomacy, Altun stressed the importance of sharing mutual experiences and producing concrete projects in these fields.

He underlined that both Turkey and China had been the target of international propaganda, adding: "We can fight this undue and adverse propaganda, particularly by conducting joint public diplomacy activities and media projects. "Pointing to both countries' breakthroughs in the television and movie industries, Altun praised Turkey's public broadcaster TRT for its contributions to the sector. During the meeting, for his part Gao Jianmin said: "We are ready to take concrete steps to further deepen the friendship between our countries as well as establish more effective communication and cooperation mechanisms."

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(CS/ EH)

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