Subject: Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 17-10-03 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW CONTENTS No. 190/17 03.10.17 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Ozgurgun: "The time has come to introduce the presidential system in the country" [02] Denktas: "The Cyprus negotiations will not resume from where they were left off at Crans-Montana" [03] "Exceptional citizenship" to 12 more persons [04] Columnist writes that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Aktag visited the occupied area of Cyprus like "an occupation governor" [05] A signature campaign against the continuation of the summer time [06] "The international athletics championship 2017" is being held in the occupied area of Cyprus [07] Yildirim: Ankara opposed the independence referendum of Catalonia in Spain [08] Turkey's top General Akar visits Iran amid Iraq crisis [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Ozgurgun: "The time has come to introduce the presidential system in the country" Illegal Bayrak television (03.10.17) broadcast that self-styled prime minister Huseyin Ozgurgun said that "the time had come to seriously consider introducing the presidential system in the country". Speaking on a program at illegal Bayrak, he stated that criticisms on old political mechanisms was normal and said: "I did not establish this structure or system. In fact, I personally am having difficulties while governing." Alleging that criticisms regarding the "granting" of new "citizenships" only served the Greek Cypriot side's policies, Ozgurgun claimed that they always take seriously criticisms on "government policies" into consideration. Claiming that "the government" will continue to work seriously to pass "legislation" and bring to life other projects until the elections, he said that they are considering holding early "general elections" on the 15th of April next year. [02] Denktas: "The Cyprus negotiations will not resume from where they were left off at Crans-Montana" Illegal Bayrak (03.10.17) broadcast that "deputy prime minister and finance minister Serdar Denktas claimed that the Cyprus negotiations will not resume from where they were left off at Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Speaking during a program on BRT, Denktas alleged that both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side had made more concessions in Crans-Montana than they could ever make. "The fact is that the Greek Cypriot side does not recognize the Turkish Cypriot peoples' political equality and more importantly they see us as a minority" he alleged. Claiming that the "Greek Cypriot Administration's" policy was aimed at making Turkey its collocutor rather than the Turkish Cypriot side, Denktas alleged that the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades's latest post on social media that "president" Mustafa Ak?nc? was his citizen and he would speak with him, clearly demonstrated the Greek Cypriot side's views. He also claimed that it is the international community which is responsible for the Greek Cypriot side's stance. "The Greek Cypriot side, through the means provided by the international community, has achieved the settlement it desires. What it is trying to do now is to try and dominate or control the people living on this side. We as the Democratic Party shared our views with the president as soon as we returned from Crans Montana on what should be done" he alleged. Claiming that there was a common understanding on the Cyprus problem but no progress, Denktas accused the opposition on this issue. "We should be in a position to act quicker but unfortunately the opposition is not collaborating. We are constantly faced with criticisms from the opposition" he said. Denktas also said that the talks could only resume if the Greek Cypriot side recognizes the political equality of "North Cyprus". "The Greek Cypriot side must exercise common sense and logic. We on the other hand must be in a position strong enough to encourage Greek Cypriot business circles towards a settlement. This will help increase the pressure on the Greek Cypriot Administration. We are saying no to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation but two equal entities could cooperate and work together on determining hour a comprehensive federation could work" he said. In addition, Turkish Cypriot Democrat Bakis newspaper, (03.10.17) under the title: "We will not become minority", writes that Denktas alleged that the world started realizing what the Turkish Cypriots have known for years: That they will not become a minority in the island. Commenting on the news about a document provided by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Cyprus which demands from the applicants to note in which minority group they belong to, including the Turkish Cypriot Community, Denktas alleged that this is how the Greek Cypriot Community sees the Turkish Cypriots. He also claimed that this was also stated by President Anastasiades who said that minority cannot run the majority. Denktas also referred to the statements of Jack Straw, the former Secretary of the British Foreign Office who wrote in an article in Independent newspaper that "only a partitioned island will bring the dispute between Turkish and Greek Cypriots to an end in Cyprus". Denktas further stated that he feels proud that they did not take a step back from those who consider the Turkish Cypriots to be a minority and from the fact that they supported their "independence and sovereignty". [03] "Exceptional citizenship" to 12 more persons Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.10.17) with the above title reports that twelve more persons "obtained" "exceptional citizenship" without considering residency conditions with a "decision" of the "council of ministers", which was published in the "official gazette" on September 28, 2017. Therefore, the number of persons, who were "granted" the "exceptional citizenship" by the "coalition government", was raised to 952 within a year and a half. The paper underlined the fact that none of the persons, who "obtained" the "TRNC citizenship", was born in the occupied area of Cyprus. The names of those persons are published in the paper. (DPs) [04] Columnist writes that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Aktag visited the occupied area of Cyprus like "an occupation governor" Turkish Cypriot columnist Ali Kismir comments in daily Afrika newspaper (03.10.17) on Turkish Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Cypriot Affairs Recep Aktag's illegal visit to the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus. Kismir reports, inter alia, the following: "The man came to our country. He regulated the government. He reprimanded the UBP and the DP. He called on the Greek Cypriots and said: 'Cheap electricity is coming'. He said that there are 100 thousand Turkish voters in the TRNC. As it is known, the rest are 'infidels'! He met with the children, who had participated in the visit to the Dardanelles, and with their families. He extended his thanks to them and gave them advices. In brief, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Recep Aktag came to the TRNC and rumpled like an occupation governor. However, not even one of our political parties and/or politicians could come out and say 'hey man, what are you saying'. They did not have enough courage! Now some of them are waving behind closed doors after Akdag is gone. And they are trying to gather points. My brother, why didn't you stand up and say what you had to say to the man while he was in Cyprus and was in the position to reply to what you said? Why you could not say to him 'who are you'? This is a situation for which everyone, who says that 'I am a politician and I claim the administration of this country', should be ashamed. However, no one is ashamed. Everybody keeps pace with the game played in the northern part of the island. The man comes and regulates all of us. 'You will do this', he says. And my politicians, who did not say even a single word for these statements, are going around the villages during the election periods and say 'I am candidate for the government'! The government of what and of who? What are you candidate to administrate […]? The KTHY [Translator's note: The so-called 'Turkish Cypriot airlines'], […], The Sanayi Holding. The Saray Hotel. You got rid of all of them. Now it is the turn of AOA [Translator's note: Atarurk Teachers' Academy], KIB-TEK [Translator's note: The so-called Electricity Authority] and the Telecommunication Office. Aktag says that 'these will also become ours'. How? By calling on the government saying 'conform to the Economic Package'. 'Support your signature', he says. Very well, what does this signature mean? 'In return of the money we send, the water, energy and communications will be bound to us'. The water is ok. The only thing left is for it to be privatized and be given away to the capital from Turkey. The agenda on the energy issue is to bring energy from Turkey with cables and to close down KIB-TEK. The communications are anyway under the control of two GSM companies. […] Ankara has pressed the button to make official all these. Aktag expressed this wish in Cyprus, on our lands. The progressive and revolutionary part [of my society] was contended only with watching these statements. The substance of the issue is that even those who say 'we will be masters of our home' were not ashamed before these statements. […]" (I/Ts.) [05] A signature campaign against the continuation of the summer time Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.10.17) reports that 33 organizations, among them the left-wing political parties of the opposition, as the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the Social Democracy Party (TDP), the New Cyprus Party (YKP), the United Cyprus Party (BKP), launched a campaign to collect signatures against the continuation of the summer time in the occupied area of Cyprus. Representatives of the organizations gathered yesterday morning in front of the "parliament" protesting that their opinion regarding the issue was totally ignored and asked support from the society. Their protests will continue until October 19. (DPs) [06] "The international athletics championship 2017" is being held in the occupied area of Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (03.10.17) reports that the "TRNC athletics federation", in a press conference yesterday, announced that the "international Dr Fazil Kucuk sport games" will be held this year under the name "International athletics championship 2017". Yigitcan Hekimoglu, who took part in the 4x100m relay as a member of the Turkish national team, in the 2017 World Championship, will take part in the sport games. Ramil Guliyev, who became World Champion in the men's 200 metre race, as well as Ukrainian Yuliya Levchenko, who won a silver medal at the World Championship, will also take part at the "international athletics championship 2017" in the occupied area of Cyprus, which started today. (DPs) [07] Yildirim: Ankara opposed the independence referendum of Catalonia in Spain Ankara Anatolia news agency (03.10.17) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m urged KRG officials to pursue talks with Baghdad. He also added that Ankara opposed the independence referendum of Catalonia in Spain, which took place on Oct. 1 amid the Spanish government's attempted suppression. "Just as we oppose the northern Iraqi [referendum] it is normal that we also oppose this [Catalan referendum]. The background of the issue should be examined. Forming an early opinion would be a mistake," Y?ld?r?m said. "EU countries should be the first to respond. As they are all one state, let's see how they respond. We have given our reaction to our neighbor, they will give their reaction to their neighbors," he added. [08] Turkey's top General Akar visits Iran amid Iraq crisis Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (03.10.17) reports that the Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar visited Tehran on October 2 to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Major Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, as regional measures against the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) intensify following the Sept. 25 independence referendum. Akar's visit comes ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Tehran on Oct. 4 for a high-level cooperation council meeting. "Turkey and Iran are two friendly countries that have shared common values for centuries. We are improving our cooperation against existing threats and risks," Akar said in a joint press conference alongside his counterpart. Akar's visit to Tehran came on the same day as Iranian and Iraqi forces conducted joint military exercises near the border with the KRG territories. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.pio.gov.cy (CS/AM) Copyright (C) 2017 Press and Information Office, All rights reserved.