TCC Press Review | 6 Mar 2019 |

Front Page Headlines

Yenidüzen

266 complaints, 102 cases of serious assault

Head of the Department for the Prevention of Violence against Women, Inspector Mehmet Sözmener, spoke to Yenidüzen.

  • Doorway for Republic of Cyprus citizenship opens for 529 persons – KTÖS General Secretary Şener Elcil speaks to Yenidüzen on 529 children to be granted Republic of Cyprus citizenship.

Kıbrıs Postası

Opposition that runs on rumours

Ersin Tatar, leader of the main opposition National Unity Party (UBP), failed to deliver an effective opposition during a live debate on Diyalog TV.

  • ‘Different models and new ideas needed for a solution in Cyprus’ – Newly elected Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Mustafa Şentop visits Akıncı and other Turkish Cypriot authorities during his first official visit abroad.
  • ‘Turkish Cypriots have rights over natural resources’ – Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar spoke on Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Blue Homeland military exercise.

Kıbrıs

Sewage water is a serious threat

Experts highlighted that the sewage water pouring into the Morphou River poses serious threats as it will contaminate the underground water resources.

  • Importing haricot beans from Ethiopia – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) MP Salahi Şahiner emphasized the bitter reality in agriculture.
  • New ideas and different models needed – Newly elected Speaker of the Turkish Parliament touched on the Cyprus problem during his meeting with Akıncı.

Havadis

Minister exceeds his authority

Former Board Director of TC Electricity Company (KIBTEK) İsmet Akim emphasized that the Energy Minister cannot intervene with the work of KIBTEK.

  • Catastrophic fire at Kyrenia American University – Fire that broke out at Serhat Akpınar’s office put out with great difficulty.
  • Foaming river – Foam from the river flowing to Lefka from the Greek Cypriot side causes concern among local residents.

Diyalog

Erhürman: Markets will take a breather in April / Tatar: Salaries have been paid with debt

Turkish Cypriots living in Cyprus and abroad locked onto to their screens to watch the televised debate on Diyalog TV between Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman and UBP leader Ersin Tatar.

  • Loss of use amounts to billions of Euros – Greek Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides says that they cannot compensate GC refugees for the property they left behind in the North.

Afrika

A step to break free from isolation

Yasemin Movement holds first press conference to promote candidates. KTÖS General Secretary Şener Elcil calls on TC public to vote and support Yasemin Movement.

Main News

Şentop says new ideas and different models needed

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Diyalog, Afrika
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Turkish Cypriots authorities received Mustafa Şentop, the newly elected Speaker of the Turkish Parliament who was in North on Tuesday for a one-day visit.

During the meeting, President Mustafa Akıncı said there is no need to see, once again, old ideas coming to the table as if they were new, and to see that nothing can be achieved with them. This will result in deadlocks and in Turkish Cypriots being accused [of the non-solution], he said.

Akıncı added that the Greek Cypriot side prefers the continuation of the status quo on the island.

Mustafa Şentop said different models and new ideas are needed for a solution in Cyprus, adding: “A resumption of talks without a common vision between the two sides is meaningless.”

Şentop said it was impossible to reach a new partnership unless the Greek Cypriot mindset changed. The Greek Cypriot side perceives the Turkish Cypriots as a minority and rejects the fact that Turkish Cypriots are equal owners of the island.

Şentop was also received by Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman. During that meeting, the Turkish Parliamentary Speaker said that the Greek Cypriot side was not ready to share political equality and governance with the Turkish Cypriots and that it desired the continuation of the status quo on the island.

For his part, Erhürman said the Turkish Cypriots were waging a struggle on two fronts; the first was for the welfare of the Turkish Cypriots, and the second to reach a solution on the Cyprus problem.

Erhürman said the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey were working in harmony regarding the Cyprus problem but complained that Turkey’s and the Turkish Cypriot side’s pro-solution attitude was not reflected in the relevant UN reports.

Şentop was also received on Tuesday by his counterpart in the North, Teberrüken Uluçay. Şentop reiterated the Turkish Parliament’s determination to protect and defend Turkish Cypriots’ freedom and sovereignty and its determination to reach a lasting peace on the basis of the realities on the island. Uluçay emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two parliaments.

KEY ACTORS
Şentop (Turkey)
>>
Different models and new ideas needed for a solution in Cyprus.
>> Resumption of talks without a common vision is meaningless.
>> To achieve new partnership, GC mindset must change. GCs not ready for political equality & power sharing with TCs. GCs insist on status quo.  
>> Turkey determined to protect & defend TCs’ freedom & sovereignty.
>> Turkey determined to reach lasting peace based on realities on the island.

Akıncı
>>
Old ideas rehashed as new will yield no results.
>> Tabling old ideas will result in deadlocks and TCs will be accused over the non-solution.

Erhürman
>>
TCs waging a battle on two fronts: Cyprob, & working for the welfare of TCs.
>> GC leaders’ attitude not hopeful.
>> TC and Turkish sides’ pro-solution attitude not reflected in UN reports.
>> GC leader wants continuation of status quo, so comes up with various ideas


Erhürman and Tatar battle it out in televised debate

Kıbrıs Postası, Diyalog
Negotiations Process, Territory, External Security

OVERVIEW

Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman and main opposition National Unity Party (UBP) leader Ersin Tatar battled it out on Tuesday in a televised debate programme aired on Diyalog TV.

The Cyprus Issue was among the issues discussed on the programme. The UBP leader argued that the four coalition partners had different views and positions regarding the Cyprus Problem.

PM Erhürman reminded that UBP had also formed coalition governments in the past with parties that did not share its views on the settlement of the Cyprus Problem. He said that the coalition parties may have different views regarding a settlement but this did not mean they were not in harmony. Erhürman said numerous laws were prepared and passed by the current coalition government as a result of that harmony.

In response, the UBP leader said that a solution with Greek Cypriots was not possible, the federation model had reached a dead end and that efforts should focus on a two-state solution. Tatar added that the party’s grassroots believed that a federation had no future.

PM Erhürman said that to discuss a two-state solution one needed to also open up the issue of territory. “Anyone who believes that the Turkish Cypriot side will keep 29.2 per cent of the current territory it holds in the event of a two-state solution has no clue as to what has been going on in the negotiations to date. If you insist on a two-state solution, the Greek Cypriots who are EU citizens will demand their land on the basis of (EU) laws,” he said.

Erhürman argued that the government did not have the luxury of not being consistent and needed to act rationally when seeking its rights.

The Prime Minister also said that the government did not support a solution which did not include political equality and Turkey’s guarantees.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar (UBP)

>> Solution with GCs not possible, federation model has reached a dead end.
>> Two-state solution should be discussed at negotiating table.

Erhürman (CTP)
>> Discussion of two-state solution requires opening up territory chapter.
>> Mistake to think TC side will keep 29.2% of land in a two-state scenario.
>> GCs will demand land in exchange for two-state scenario on basis of EU laws.
>> Coalition does not support solution which does not include political equality and Turkey’s guarantees.


Hulusi Akar: “Turkish Cypriots have rights over natural resources”

Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Regional/International Relations, Energy

OVERVIEW

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar spoke on Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean during inspections of the Blue Homeland military exercise.

Akar said Turkey prefers peaceful solutions to existing problems, noting that Turkey has adopted the same stance in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus.

He reminded all that the Turkish Cypriots have rights over the natural resources around the island of Cyprus, noting the increased strategic importance of the Eastern Mediterranean region due to new hydrocarbon discoveries.

Turkey provides the necessary support for peace and stability in the region, however, “any decision or deal excluding Turkey would not be lasting or legitimate,” said Akar.

KEY ACTORS
Akar (Turkey)
>>
Turkey prefers peaceful and lasting solutions to existing problems.
>> TCs have rights in the natural resources around Cyprus.
>> Any agreement without Turkey will not be lasting or legitimate.
>> Turkey provides necessary support for peace and stability in the region.


Yasemin Movement promotes EP election candidates

Yeniduzen, Afrika
EU Matters, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The Yasemin Movement promoted its six candidates for the upcoming European Parliamentary (EP) elections at a press conference on Tuesday.

EP candidates Şener Levent, Leyla Kıralp, Faize Özdemirciler, Zeki Beşiktepeli, İbrahim Aziz, Oz Karahan and Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) General Secretary Şener Elcil were present at the press conference.

Elcil called on the Turkish Cypriot community to vote and to support the Yasemin Movement in the elections.

Elcil said that the Yasemin Movement will be the Cypriots’ voice against the occupation regime. He said the Turkish Cypriot community was excluded from the EU aquis and was forced to live as political hostages.

The KTÖS General Secretary said that acquiring EU citizenship and passports was not enough and that they were striving to live humanely in a unified country.

Yasemin Movement spokesman Şener Levent, for his part, argued that the Greek Cypriot side was trying to create difficulties for the 80,000 or so Turkish Cypriots who could vote in the EP elections.

He also said that the Turkish Cypriot side officially rejected participation in the EP elections.

Levent also claimed that Turkish Cypriot representatives who attended EP sessions as observers defended Turkey’s official positions and arguments.

He said the voice of the opposition was never heard in Brussels and that the Yasemin Movement vowed to change this.

Levent also argued that the conditions put forward by Turkey at the negotiations were the reason for the non-solution of the Cyprus Problem.

The key to a settlement was in the hands of more powerful countries such as the US and UK, he added.

KEY ACTORS
Elcil (KTÖS)
>>
Yasemin Movement will be Cypriots’ voice against the occupation regime.
>> TCs excluded from EU acquis and held as political hostages
>>
Acquiring EU citizenship and passports not enough. Efforts are to live humanely in a unified country.

Levent (Yasemin Movement)
>>
GC side creating difficulties for 80,000-odd TC voters.
>>
TC representatives who attend EP sessions as observers defend Turkey’spositions. Do not represent opposition in Brussels.
>> Reason for non-solution is Turkey’s conditions put forward at negotiating table.
>> Key to a settlement in hands of powerful countries such as the US and UK.


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