Front Page Headlines
“We’ve been disgraced”
A ruckus broke out in parliament after acting Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre violated parliament’s bylaws by reading out a document signed only by the National Unity Party (UBP), the People’s Party (HP), Democratic Party (DP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP) as if it was a “Parliamentary Declaration”. DP MP Serdar Denktaş said that reading out the declaration as if there was consensus on it was a big mistake. HP leader and Deputy Prime Minister Kudret Özersay said Töre had made a big mistake by reading out the document by force. Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman asked: “Is this what we have come to after talking about unity and refraining from actions that could divide society?” Social Democratic Party (TDP) MP Hüseyin Angolemli said: “Everyone has now understood that you intend to pursue a lynching campaign.”
- Statement from CTP: “We shall continue to work with responsibility for peace” – “The President is elected with the will of TRNC voters. To question this is extremely dangerous. For years we have been watching in sorrow the pain terrorism has caused the Republic of Turkey. Stability and peace need to be brought to the region as soon as possible. Everyone must act responsibly and refrain from actions that divide society. Let us remove the tensions.”
“We must not become prisoners of slogans and we have to strengthen our relationship with Turkey”
Former leader of DP Serdar Denktaş said Turkey has distanced itself from full collaboration and agreement on matters related to the Cyprus problem. He said it was important not to become “prisoners of slogans but to strengthen collaboration with Turkey.”
- It was read out despite the prime minister’s objections – The declaration of support signed by four political parties was read out in parliament, despite objections from the prime minister on grounds it could be a violation of parliamentary bylaws. CTP and TDP MPs walked out of the session. CTP leader Tufan Erhürman spoke to Kıbrıs Postası.
“Joint declaration” crisis in parliament
DP, CTP and TDP reacted to the reading out in parliament of a declaration in support of Turkey’s Peace Spring Operation as if it was signed by all the parties. They said declaration was only signed by UBP, HP, DP and YDP which was why it could not be a joint parliamentary declaration.
- UBP celebrated its 44th anniversary – UBP leader and Prime Minister Ersin said UBP is the assurance of living in peace and security on this land.
Zorlu carries out fait accompli in parliament
All hell broke loose after acting speaker of the parliament Zorlu Töre read out a declaration in support of Turkey’s Peace Spring operation, which was only signed by four political parties. Töre, despite all objections, continued reading the declaration. CTP, TDP and DP walked out of the session in protest.
- “Political party cannot revoke the authority given by the people!” – Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu issued a statement in response to UBP’s party assembly decision.
History will not forget this
Parliament worked on a joint declaration for two days to express ‘support to Turkey’ but could not succeed. Four of the six parties in parliament signed the declaration. CTP and TDP refused to sign the declaration citing various reasons. Both parties issued statements yesterday expressing their views. While CTP and TDP criticised an earlier declaration issued by the UBP assembly, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar defended his party’s declaration, stating that he had been under pressure from party members to issue support. He said that the UBP declaration was not an obstacle for a parliamentary declaration. DP MP Serdar Denktaş said that they had disgraced themselves on such a sensitive subject.
The fanatics want his head
The insults against Mustafa Akıncı on Turkish channels after Tayyip Erdoğan targeted him just keeps on coming in. Some of the insults are even being made by sports commentators. A referee and football commentator Ahmet Çakar called Akıncı illiterate and said he was ashamed to see Akıncı as the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
- Declaration from four parties in parliament – The reading out of a declaration signed by four parties in parliament led to a crisis. While Zeki Çeler and Hüseyin Angolemli said that TDP supported the Turkish military operation, Tufan Erhürman said that no one had informed them of the declaration.
Main News
Akıncı hits back at UBP
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Governance & Power Sharing, External Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
On Tuesday, President Akıncı hit back at the National Unity Party (UBP) which issued a declaration on Monday night condemning him for his recent remarks on the military operation in Syria.
UBP had claimed that President Akıncı no longer represented the political will of the Turkish Cypriot community and should not be involved in any future negotiations on the Cyprus Problem.
Akıncı’s spokesman Barış Burcu in a written statement on Tuesday said that UBP’s statement would go down as a stain in the history of Turkish Cypriot democracy.
He said that the claim had no validity.
“To think that the authority bestowed on President Mustafa Akıncı can be revoked with a decision taken by the body of a political party is absurd. The people’s will is shaped by the people’s vote and does not just vanish because a party body wishes it to,” he said.
Burcu said UBP should be ashamed for disregarding the people’s will.
“This shameful act will not receive the support of any citizen, irrelevant of their political orientation and background,” he added.
Burcu said that President Akıncı will continue his duties with determination with the support and authority given to him by the people.
Meanwhile, opposition MPs walked out of Tuesday’s session of parliament after UBP MP and acting Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre attempted to read out a declaration that was only signed by UBP, the People’s Party (HP), Democratic Party (DP) and Rebirth Party (YDP), expressing support to Turkey’s military offensive in Syria.
MPs from the Republican Turkish party (CTP), Social Democratic (TDP) and DP walked out as Töre insisted on reading out the declaration.
Returning to plenary after the declaration was read out, Denktaş took to the stand explaining that DP had signed the declaration with the intention of it being a joint declaration based on consensus.
He said Töre had made a big mistake by reading out the declaration as if it was a joint parliamentary declaration.
“Parliament disgraced itself on this sensitive issue with all the commotion and ruckus,” he said, adding that CTP and TDP had felt as if they were being subjected to a fait accompli.
Denktaş pointed out that parliament represents the Turkish Cypriot people and that more work should have been carried out on the declaration for all six parties to sign it.
YDP leader Erhan Arıklı claimed that all the parties had expressed support to the declaration with the exception of a few changes requested by CTP and TDP.
“All the political parties have expressed their support to Turkey’s operation during Monday’s parliamentary session,” Arıklı stressed.
TDP MP Zeki Çeler pointed out that his party had earlier expressed support to the declaration until UBP had adopted its own declaration on Monday night.
Çeler said that attempts by the other parties to create the perception that TDP and Akıncı were against Turkey’s military operation were unacceptable.
Speaking after Çeler, Erhürman also criticized the deputy speaker’s attempts.
“Just as we were talking about refraining from actions that could divide or polarize society, we found the acting speaker reading out a declaration which had been signed by four of the six parties. We had no prior information that this was going to happen,” Erhürman said.
He said that CTP MPs had been trying to iron out differences on the joint declaration only to see it being read out.
Also speaking, HP leader Kudret Özersay said that a consensus did exist on the issue but that parliament had failed to say out loud what everyone agreed on.
He underlined the need for a consensus on any parliamentary declaration and said it was wrong for the acting speaker to read out the declaration.
“That was a violation of parliament’s bylaws,” he said.
Speaking last, UBP leader Ersin Tatar recalled that the joint declaration was originally his idea.
He pointed the blame for the commotion on TDP claiming that they did not want to sign the document because it stood against Akıncı’s earlier remarks.
Rejecting all accusations, Tatar said: “The main person responsible for all the tension in the country is the President. He is the one responsible for polarizing the community.”
In a separate statement on Tuesday expressing support to President Akıncı, CTP underlined the need to tone down social tensions in the country
“To tarnish the reputation of Turkish Cypriot institutions and the office of the president before the international community is extremely dangerous in terms of our political will,” the statement read.
CTP said it was important not to question the president’s authority.
“The Turkish Cypriot community is loyal to the principle of ‘Peace at Home and Peace Abroad’,” CTP said. “Peace means there is no war or terror anywhere in the world; that a fair and lasting comprehensive settlement is reached in Cyprus; and that people live a life of harmony, not polarization,” said the party.
“For this reason, we must act with maximum responsibility, especially in sensitive times, and to refrain from any acts of confrontation and polarization,” CTP added.
The party underlined the importance of tolerance, stating that the only way to discuss different opinions was through debate and not slander.
CTP also reminded that the president, who is recognized by the United Nations as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, is elected by the people.
“The source of this institution is the political will of the TRNC constituents,” CTP stressed.
“Opening a debate on whether or not the presidency represents the will of the TRNC people will harm the Turkish Cypriot community’s reputation before the international community,” CTP concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Burcu
>> The idea that a political party body can remove the authority bestowed on the president is absurd.
>> The president is elected by the people & does not vanish because a party body wishes it to.
CTP
>> Attempts to tarnish the reputation of TC institutions & office of president before the international community is extremely dangerous in terms of TCs’ political will.
>> TC community remains loyal to the principle ‘Peace at Home and Peace Abroad’, which means no war or terror anywhere in the world; a fair & lasting comprehensive settlement in Cyprus; & for people to live a life of harmony, not polarization.
Denktaş: Two states under EU umbrella frightens me
Kıbrıs Postası
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
“It is not possible to achieve anything in the Cyprus problem negotiations unless the world changes its one-sided position on Cyprus,” former DP leader Serdar Denktaş told Kıbrıs Postası web TV on Tuesday.
He added that there was no need to resume talks for a settlement in Cyprus as 50 years of talks on a bicommunal, bizonal federation (BBF) had failed to yield any results.
At the same time, Denktaş said: “The idea of a two-state solution under EU umbrella as it was written in the government programme frightens me.”
This might raise the need to try other inconvenient formulas since both efforts for a federal solution and the recognition of the TRNC will have failed.
“Perhaps we should just focus on strengthening the country’s economy for the time being,” he said.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, Denktaş said that the most logical way to proceed was to solve the issue through reconciliation.
Denktaş said it was not possible to rule out a heated conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Time will show if Turkey’s determination is right or not,” he noted.
He went on to say, “We must not become prisoners of slogans and we have to strengthen our collaboration with Turkey because Turkey has distanced itself from full collaboration and agreement on matters related to the Cyprus problem.”
KEY ACTORS
Denktaş (DP)
>> Not possible to achieve anything in Cyprob talks unless world changes its one-sided position on Cyprus.
>> Proposal for two-state solution under EU umbrella frightening since neither decades of talks on a BBF nor effort for TRNC recognition will have achieved any result, potentially leading to a search for more inconvenient formulas.
>> Perhaps focus should be on strengthening economy.
>> Logical way forward in hydrocarbons is to find a conclusion through reconciliation.
>> Heated conflict possible in the East Med.
>> Time will show if Turkey’s determination is right or not.
>> TCs should not be prisoners of slogans on Cyprob but strengthen collaboration with Turkey instead, since latter has distanced itself from full collaboration on the issue.
‘EU once again disregarded the Turkish Cypriots’
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog
EU Matters, Energy, External Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry on Tuesday criticized the EU Foreign Affairs Council’s decision on Turkey’s drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the military offensive in Syria.
In a written statement on Tuesday, the ministry said that the decision once again ignored the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
It accused the Greek Cypriot side of pursuing maximalist and provocative policies on the issue of hydrocarbons while rejecting the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposal to cooperate on the issue.
“All decisions which exclude Turkish Cypriots are a violation of international law and are unacceptable,” the ministry said.
The Turkish Cypriot side has been pursuing a policy of goodwill and cooperation on the island’s natural resources for years, said the statement.
“We have been repeating our proposal for cooperation with the Greek Cypriot leadership since 2011. Just this July, the Turkish Cypriot side took a step to reduce tensions arising from the Greek Cypriot side’s unilateral hydrocarbon activities by proposing the co-management of the island’s resources. This proposal was also rejected and the Greek Cypriot side continued to take one-sided steps,” the statement read.
The ministry recalled that Cyprus did not only belong to Greek Cypriots and that no decision could be taken on the future of the island without seeking the consent of Turkish Cypriots.
It pointed out that the Greek Cypriot administration which had been accepted as a full member of the EU in violation of the Copenhagen Criteria was not legitimate and did not represent all rights on the island.
“There are two administrations, two separate peoples and two political wills as demonstrated during the referendum on the UN-sponsored Annan Plan, the statement read.
It also stated that the EU’s stance against Turkey which had launched a military offensive in Syria on grounds of self-defence under UN Security Council resolutions was disappointing.
“Terrorism is one of the biggest problems which targets humankind today. The fight against terrorism should be every country’s top priority. On this notion, we support Turkey in its justified struggle and express our hope that the operation is concluded with success in the shortest time,” the statement concluded.
KEY ACTORS
Özersay (HP)
>> EU Foreign Affairs Council’s decision unacceptable because it ignores rights of TCs.
>> GC pursuing maximalist & provocative policies on hydrocarbons while rejecting TC’s proposal to cooperate on the issue.
>> All decisions excluding TCs are a violation of international law & unacceptable.
>> TC side has been pursuing a policy of goodwill & cooperation on the island’s natural resources.
>> Cyprus does not only belong to GCs & no decision can be taken on the future of the island without seeking the rights of TCs.
>> There are two administrations, two separate peoples & two political wills in Cyprus as demonstrated by referendum on the Annan Plan.
>> EU’s stance against Turkey for its military offensive in Syria disappointing.
>> The fight against terrorism should be every country’s top priority.
This ship needs two captains
Havadis
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
UBP MP Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said on Tuesday that the Greek Cypriots had no intention of sharing power with the Turkish Cypriots.
Hasioğlu was speaking on a TV programme during which he evaluated the round table meeting he attended within the framework of the 141st Assembly meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Council in Belgrade, Serbia.
He said that MPs representing political parties from both sides shared their views on the terms of reference, divergence points, new alternatives, current parameters, the hydrocarbons crisis, the Maraş (Varosha) initiative and the direct trade regulation.
Hasipoğlu said that during the roundtable, DISY leader Averof Neofytou compared Cyprus to a ship which he said shared a common destiny and which needed to sail forward for a functional federation.
“After being given the floor, I told Neofytou and all the other participants that if Cyprus is a ship it requires two captains to steer it in the right direction. I told him it was imperative that neither captain would try to undermine the authority of the other. I told them that any such attempt would undermine the voyage and that ship would sail in the wrong direction as it did in 1963,” Hasipoğlu said.
Hasipoğlu also said that if the Greek Cypriots had no intention of sailing the ship together they should be clear about it now so that Turkish Cypriots may set sail with their own ship.
KEY ACTORS
Hasipoğlu (UBP)
>> GCs have no intention of sharing power with TCs in the event of a solution.
>> If Cyprus is a ship it will need two captains to steer it.
>> An attempt by one captain to undermine the authority of the other would cause the ship to sail in the wrong direction as it did in 1963.
>> GCs need to decide if they want a federation. If not they have to make their intention clear to TCs.
Greek Cypriot driver released on bail
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
A Greek Cypriot driver who accidentally killed a Turkish Cypriot pedestrian named Hüseyin Aşık on the Kyrenia-Morphou road on 11 October was released on bail following a hearing on Tuesday, several dailies reported on Wednesday.
The police officer in charge of conducting the investigation told the Kyrenia District Court that the suspect had testified voluntarily.
Turkish Cypriot Police charged the Greek Cypriot driver with reckless driving and manslaughter.
The court set a bail of ₺10,000 for his release and a bond of ₺200,000 to ensure his presence at the trial.
The Greek Cypriot driver has also been prohibited from leaving the north.
CFP graduation ceremony held
Kıbrıs
CBMs
OVERVIEW
A graduation ceremony took place at the Senior School in Nicosia for Turkish and Greek Cypriot youth aged 15 to 18, who took part in the Creating Friendships for Peace programme formerly known as the Cyprus Friendship Programme, Kıbrıs reported on Wednesday.
In addition to taking part in bicommunal camps in Troodos, the group visited five different states in the US where they stayed with families and attended several social activities.
According to a statement by CFP’s Turkish Cypriot coordinator, Simge Kahvecioğlu Zekican, a bicommunal choir sang a bilingual song during the ceremony and participants shared their experiences with the other participants.
“Our goal with the bicommunal peace project is to develop trust and friendship among the Cypriot youth and to replace prejudice with hope,” Simge Kahvecioğlu Zekican said in her statement.