Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 19-11-13

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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] Tatar is travelling to Istanbul for contacts

[02] So called police denies rumors that Tatar is wanted by Interpol

[03] The People's Party supports its leader's candidacy for the "presidential elections"

[04] AKP Deputy Chairman reiterates that Turkey is determined to protect the Turkish Cypriots' rights

[05] Businessman Akacan is jailed for two years; his father-in-law Altinbas remains in custody

[06] Akinci will participate in the military parade in a white classic Cadillac

[07] Hotel capacity for October reached 64%

[B] Turkish Press

[01] "More ISIL members will be deported if EU sanctions Turkey", threatens Erdogan

[02] Turkey re-arrests journalist Altan one week after his release from jail

[03] Turkey replace four pro-Kurdish Mayors with government appointees

[04] Erdogan demands closer coordination on foreign policy

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[A] Turkish Cypriot Press

[01] Tatar is travelling to Istanbul for contacts

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (13.11.19) reports that "prime minister" Ersin Tatar is travelling to Istanbul in order to hold various contacts and to participate in a special program of the private FOX TV channel about Cyprus. He will also hold meetings and listen to the problems of Turkish Cypriots living in Istanbul.

(CS)

[02] So called police denies rumors that Tatar is wanted by Interpol

Turkish Cypriot daily "Diyalog" (13.11.19) reports that the so-called police denied rumors that "prime minister" Ersin Tatar is wanted by Interpol and therefore he cannot travel in any other country than Turkey.

Tatar asked the "police" to investigate the issue and the paper publishes a letter sent to the "prime minister" by the "chief of police" who did not receive any positive information by the Interpol part of the Turkish Police that an investigation is undertaken about Tatar by Interpol.

In addition, the paper also reports that Tatar stated to Diyalog that he is going to London on November 27.

(CS)

[03] The People's Party supports its leader's candidacy for the "presidential elections"

Turkish Cypriot daily "Kibris" (13.11.19) reports that the general secretary of the People's Party (HP) Yenal Senin stated that the party's leader Kudret Ozersay will be one of the stronger candidates for the forthcoming "2020 presidential elections". He also stated that the party will announce whether or not Ozersay will be a candidate for the "election" in a month.

He also said that the "coalition government" between HP and the National Unity Party (UBP) will not collapse due to the discussion for the "elections" "We don't have the luxury of putting the people through such a crisis. The country's economy requires stability. I'm not sure if the country can take another early election. It seems early elections are not on the cards for the near future," he said.

Senan also complained that a smearing campaign had been launched against Ozersay and his possible nomination.

(CS)

[04] AKP Deputy Chairman reiterates that Turkey is determined to protect the Turkish Cypriots' rights

According to illegal Bayrak television (13.11.19, https://tinyurl.com/slcxaql), the Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Numan Kurtulmus said that they did not give credit to the voices coming from Europe and the West regarding Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that Turkey was determined to protect the Turkish Cypriots' rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Speaking during his meeting with the self-styled agriculture and natural resources minister Dursun Oguz, Kurtulmus evaluated the decisions taken by the European Union against Turkey regarding its drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. "We do not give credit to the voices coming from here and there, from Europe and the West and we do not take them seriously. Turkey has more right than anyone, especially more than those who have been asking 'why Turkey is there?' to be in the region. Turkey has the longest seashore in the Eastern Mediterranean. Secondly, Turkey is a guarantor power in Cyprus, especially for the protection of the TRNC and the continuation of the status quo in Cyprus. Therefore, we as riparian states have rights and as a guarantor in Cyprus it is our national duty to protect the rights of our brothers and sisters in the TRNC" Kurtulmus claimed.

"It is not possible to understand the voices coming from some European countries which have nothing to do with the Eastern Mediterranean as well as to understand why they feel uncomfortable from Turkey's existence and oil exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean", he claimed.

[05] Businessman Akacan is jailed for two years; his father-in-law Altinbas remains in custody

Under the title "Two years for Akacan", Turksih Cypriot daily newspaper Afrika (13.11.19), on its front page, reports that "Girne criminal court sentenced businessman Bulut Akacan and his two bodyguards Vasif Kurbanov and Orcun Ozorcun, who were involved in assault incident, to two years in prison".

Meanwhile, the paper also reports that "while the court ordered businessman Vakkas Altinbas [Bulut Akacan's father-in-law] and four of the seven suspects, who were arrested on Monday on charges submitting forged documents and obtaining property under false pretences, to remain in custody for another three days', the rest of the two suspects, one of them Mehmet Akacan, father of Bulut, were released on bail pending trial.

(DPs)

[06] Akinci will participate in the military parade in a white classic Cadillac

Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Halkin Sesi (13.11.19) reports that "Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will greet the public, as part of the military's procession on 15th of November, from travelling inside a civilian vehicle – white classic Cadillac – instead of a military vehicles, as it was in past practices".

It is reported that Akinci did not want to participate in the military parade within the framework of the celebrations for the 36th anniversary of the unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) in the occupied part of Nicosia with a military vehicle. It was also reported that a white classic Cadillac has been rented for a week by Akinci's office.

(DPs)

[07] Hotel capacity for October reached 64%

Turkish Cypriot daily "Kibris" (13.11.19) reports that according to a statement of the "Turkish Cypriot hoteliers' union" the capacity of hotels in October reached 64%.

This number refers to every 1-5 start hotels operating in the breakaway regime, the paper writes, noting that the hotel capacity for 5-star hotels was 74% that is 9% higher than the same period of the previous year.

(CS)

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[B] Turkish Press

[01] "More ISIL members will be deported if EU sanctions Turkey", threatens Erdogan

Under the title "Turkey to press Trump to keep promises on YPG withdrawal", Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet Daily News (12.11.19, http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-press-trump-to-keep-promises-on-ypg-withdrawal-148598) reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Europe that Turkey could release ISIL prisoners and send them back to Europe in the event of EU sanctions over Cyprus, adding: "You may take this lightly, but these doors [to Europe] will open and these Daesh [ISIL] members will be sent to you".

Speaking to reporters before departing for Washington where he will meet the U.S. President, Erdogan said that he would not give in to EU demands to stop oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean around Cyprus, adding: "Do not dare give an ultimatum to Turkey about the developments on Cyprus."

He further said that Turkey would continue repatriating foreign ISIL militants to their home countries, even if those countries decline to take them back. "Hey EU, know this: Turkey is not one of those countries you have come to know until now. We are a country that sits at the negotiating table with you..." he said and added, "These negotiations may suddenly end."

"You should revise your stance toward Turkey," he said, recalling that Turkey holds so many ISIL members in prison and controls them in Syria.

Asked about a U.S. citizen deported by Turkey on Nov. 11 on the ground of being an ISIL member, Erdogan said it was not a matter of Turkey. "He was being stuck between the borders, he is not a problem of Turkey. We continue to send them back. If they [the original countries] are accepting or not, is not our problem. The ISIL suspect was marooned in the no-man's land between the Turkish and Greek borders after the Greek authorities refused him entry. Turkey, Greece and the U.S. were in talks for his extradition as the suspect entered Turkey through Greece and was captured in Syria during the Turkish military offensive.

Meanwhile, Erdogan said: "Neither Russia nor the United States have been able to clean (northern Syria) of terrorist organizations within the time they promised", adding that he would raise the issue with Trump, and after his return, with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone. The core of the talks in Washington will be the issue of Syria, he stated. (…)

Erdogan further said he will also raise Turkey's long-standing extradition request for U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara blames for orchestrating the 2016 failed coup, and the U.S. charges against Turkey's state-owned Halkbank for Iran sanctions-busting are also contentious.

[02] Turkey re-arrests journalist Altan one week after his release from jail

According to Turkish news portal Turkish Minute (12.11.19, https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/11/12/turkish-court-reverses-altan-release-decision-after-prosecutors-appeal/), well-known Turkish journalist and writer Ahmet Altan was sent to jail on Tuesday evening one week after he was released from prison where he remained for more than three years on terrorism and coup charges, Turkish media reports said.

The 69-year-old Altan's re-arrest came shortly after a Turkish court on Tuesday reversed a previous ruling to release the journalist on appeal after convicting him of aiding a terrorist organization. The ruling was challenged by a prosecutor immediately after the hearing. (…)

Altan, a staunch critic of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has apparently angered the government with an article he wrote shortly after his release from prison. The article, titled, "I'm free but my friends still languish in Turkish jails," attracted widespread attention in Turkey and was also published by prominent foreign newspapers.

In the article Altan talked about the innocent people in Turkey's jails and the lack of a functioning judiciary in the country, which he said is under the absolute control of the government. In his article Altan also wrote he knew it was possible that he might soon be re-arrested.

[03] Turkey replace four pro-Kurdish Mayors with government appointees

According to Turkey's state news agency Anadolu (13.11.19, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-suspends-4-mayors-amid-terror-probes/1643604), four mayors were suspended in eastern Turkey on Wednesday over alleged terror ties. The Interior Ministry suspended Songul Erden, the Mayor of Idil district in southeastern Sirnak province. In southeastern Diyarbakir province, Belgin Diken, the Mayor of Yenisehir district, and Ahmet Celik, Mayor of Hazro district, were suspended from their posts.

Also, in the eastern Tunceli province, Orhan Celebi, the Mayor of Akpazar town of Malazgirt district, was suspended.

As part of investigations into the mayors, the four were removed from their offices for allegedly being members of an armed terror group and spreading terrorist propaganda, said security sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

District Governors -- Zafer Sag in Idil, Murat Besikci in Yenisehir, Ali Oner in Hazro, and Menderes Topcuoglu in Malazgirt, were appointed as Deputy Mayors.

[04] Erdogan demands closer coordination on foreign policy

Accoridng to Turkish news portal Ahval (12.11.19, http://ahval.co/en-64688), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded closer oversight of activities by the Foreign Ministry in a circular published on Tuesday, independent news site Diken reported.

Erdogan's circular said there should be "close coordination" between the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry over high-level statements on foreign policy. It also said there should be close coordination on foreign contacts made by public officials assigned abroad. (…) Tuesday's circular was published in Turkey's Official Gazette.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

(DPs/ AM)

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