TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA (Cyprus PIO review) 95-12-11

From: Panayiotis Zaphiris <pzaphiri@Glue.umd.edu>

Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Directory

TURKISH PRESS

AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 232/95 9-10-11/12/95

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Agreement reached on "Coalition"

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1630 hours, 9/12/95) the Democratic Party (DP) and the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) have reached agreement on all issues for the establishment of their third "coalition government".

In a statement after a meeting between DP and RTP officials, DP Secretary General Serdar Denktash said that the matter will be brought before the authorized party organs and, if endorsed, the "coalition protocol" will be signed on 11 December. Denktash said that the talks conducted in the past few days were aimed at preventing the recurrence of previous problems, adding: "It was difficult, but we reached an agreement."

In turn, RTP Secretary General Alpay Avsaroglu notes that the principles included in previous protocols were discussed with a view to preventing future problems on the same subjects.

[02] Turksish Foreign Ministry says no change in basic policies on Cyprus

According to TRT Television Network (1800 hours, 10/12/95) Ambassador Onur Oymen, Turkish Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary, has decclared that Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey and there has not been any change in the basic policies pursued by Turkey since the onset of the Cyprus invasion.

In a news conference in Ankara, Oymen pointed out that reports and commentaries concerning Cyprus have recently been published in the foreign press, and these were reflected in the Turkish press as well. Oymen said that the Cyprus issue must be solved before the Cyprus Government's membership in the EU is raised. This membership is out of the question before the resolution of the Cyprus problem, Oymen claimed. He added: "There is no desire in European capitals to accept either a Cyprus that has not resolved its problem or a part of Cyprus into the EU."

"In this respect, no one should be under the impression that there has been a change in Turkey's Cyprus policy. I repeat: Turkey supports the establishment of a bizonal and bicommunal federal state in Cyprus. It also supports the confidence-building measures (CBM) package urged by the Turkish Cypriot side and expects the other side to accept this package. Turkey strongly believes that Cyprus cannot become a full member of the EU before the Cyprus problem is solved, and it states this view on every possible occasion", he said.

Underlining Turkey's view that a solution in Cyprus can be reached through the free will of the two communities, Oymen stated: "Our Kinsen in Cyprus should be reassured. Turkey's guarantee stems from agreements. It is still valid and will continue to be valid in the future as well."

It is also wrong to portray Turkey as a direct party to the problem, Oymen claimed, swether alleging that the parties to the Cyprus issue consist of the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side.

In reply to a question, Oymen said that in her meeting with British Labor Party leader Tony Blair, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller stressed that the Greek Cypriot side should accept the CBMs. Oymen added that during the same meeting, Ciller expressed the view that the Cyprus Government's full membership in the EU should not be discussed before the Cyprus problem is resolved.

Further on the same meeting, according to TRT (9/12/95), the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement denying a report published in a Turkish newspaper on 9 December in reference to an article in THE TIMES of London. According to the Foreign Ministry statement, the Cyprus issue was among the topics discussed in the meeting between Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and British Labor Party leader Tony Blair on 22 November 1995 and Ciller stressed that the Cyprus Government should not be admitted to the EU before a final solution is reached in Cyprus and that if the Cyprus problem is to be resolved, the Greek Cypriot side should not be encouraged in this regard.

The Foreign Ministry statement continues: "As stipulated in the UN negotiating process, the question of Cyprus' membership in th EU should be decided by means of negotiations between the two communities after a comprehensive solution has been reached on the island. There has not been any change in Turkey's position on this matter. Our honorable prime minister states this position at every occasion during her foreign visits."

[03] Rasit leaves for Islamic Conference in Guinea

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1130 hours, 8/12/95) Atay Ahmet Rasit, the so-called foriegn affairs and defense minister, left the island to attend the 23rd Islamic foreign ministers conference. The conference will be held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, on 9-13 December. Rasit ia accompanied by the "political affairs director" of the so-called Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministry.

[04] Denktash reacts to President Clerides' proposal on referendum

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (11:30 hours, 8/12/95) the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in a statement claimed that President Clerides' proposal to hold a referendum is aimed at changing the agenda. He alleged: "He has consistently stated to me and all diplomats that he would accept Turkish Cypriot sovereignty, their political equality, a rotational presidency, and their other similar demands under certain conditions. As soon as we accepted most of his preconditions and, along with Mr Beattie, we gave him the go ahead, he attempted to change the agenda. He even denied what he said to the diplomats and raised the issue of a referendum for the Eu in order to change the agenda."

He alleged: "The Turkish Cypriot people will not accept any agreement, which does not incorporate Turkey's effective guarantee as it stands today. Therefore, let Clerides cease playing around with the guarantee and alliance agreement. Our community cannot say yes to any agreement that would violate or weaken the principle of bizonality, because this concerns our security. Consequently, Clerides should stop conveying to the Greek Cypriots the message that the borders will be eliminated and everyone will return to their homes when we establish a federation. Let Clerides come in earnest to discuss bizonality. Let him engage in a sincere discussion with us regarding the future of two equal and sovereign people, who have been governing themselves separately for the past 32 years."

[05] Ciller on Turkey's CU and Cyprus issues

According to TRT Television Network (1300 hours, 9/12/95) Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has declared that membership in the Customs Union (CU) has been a Turkish State policy for 32 years and that efforts will continue until the last moment to achieve a positive result. Ciller held a news conference on the subject of the CU in Ankara last Saturday.

Pointing out that there are forces both inside and outside the country that are against the CU, the prime minister said that the government is struggling to overcome these forces and achieve Turkey's 32-year-old goal.

Ciller stated that 300 million Turkish-speaking people are behind Turkey and that Turkey will act as a bridge between Europe and this population with regard to peace and economic relations.

The prime minister claimed that there is freedom of the press in Turkey, adding that there are a total of the 15 local and 360 nationwide television stations and 1,500 radio stations in Turkey.

Asked to react to reports that concessions were made with regard to Cyprus in exchange for the CU, Ciller denied such reports. She alleged that Turkey's membership in the CU was totally separated from the Cyprus issue during her talks with European leaders and the Social Democrats. Ciller declared: "The Cyprus question is a state issue. It is the nation's issue. No one can sell or shake Cyprus. Everyone should be aware of this."

According to illegal Bayrak Radio (1630 hours, 9/12/95), the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has welcomed this statement by Turkish Prime Minsiter Tansu Ciller on the Cyprus problem. In a statement to ANATOLIA AGENCY, Denktash said: "The promises we received to date in our contacts with the Turkish Government have bee confirmed. There are no indications to the contrary."

Denktash stressed that no one has made any concessions, which are unacceptable to the Turkish Cypriots, on this cause and no one can make any such concessions in the future.

[06] Mesut Yilmaz on Cyprus - says the island will become a full EU member in a couple of years

According to turkish Kanal-6 Television (1955 hours, 8/12/95) Motherland Party leader Mesut Yilmaz in an interview by correspondents Mehmet Turhan Akkoprulu, Ceyhan Altinyeleklioglu, Turhan Yavuz, Tulin Koksal, and Utki Cevizoglu, on the "Election Screen" program, responded to questions on Cyprus as follows:

"Yilmaz: Let me say that the Cyprus question does not involve only Cyprus. It is also a cause that symbolizes the determination of Turkey, as a republic of 72 years, to protect its interests outside its national borders. It is a national policy, a state policy, pursued by all the governments since the 1950's, with a consistency unobserved in any other issue. What do we want in Cyprus? What do the Turkish Governments want in Cyprus? What does Turkey want in Cyprus as a state policy? I will reply to that in a moment. What was the aim of all the governments until this coalition came to power? Do we want to annex Cyprus to Turkey? Do we want an independent state in Cyprus? No. We want a solution that will ensure, or rather guarantee, the security of our kinsen living in Cyprus. What does Greece want? Let me tell you. I was foreign minister for three years. As prime minister, I also talked with the Greeks in connection with the Cyprus problem. Greece pursues its Cyprus policy as a state policy in the same way; however, Greece's aim is enosis. Enosis can occur in two ways: Either Cyprus is annexed to Greece, or a second independent Greek state is established. The Greek policy does not entail the concept of a Turkish community that has equal rights in Cyprus. It involves only the concept of a Turkish minority -- a Turkish minority that will live either in the annexed Cyprus or in the indendepent Greek Cypriot state. That is their policy.

We have been contributing to the negotiations with goodwill for years to make sure that a federation is established, that a federal solution is reached. Various solution packages were proposed during the former UN secretary general's term and during the current one. Turkey accepted all of them. For the Greek Cypriots, a federation is a temporary solution after which they will turn the Turkish Cypriot community into a minority. With this in mind, they always insist on certain conditions in the solution. For example, they want the right to settle and buy property on the Turkish Cypriot side, etc. The only reason the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkish Republic have resisted so far is to prevent the control of the island entirely by the Greek Cypriots. Otherwise, it is not that we want to annex the island to Turkey or anything. Nor do we insist on the establishment of an independent Turkish Cypriot state. What we are saying is: So long as you do not give up your enosis policy, the present situation remains.

This policy was pursued meticulously and with determination until the current government. Pressures were indeed exerted on us. The United States imposed an embargo on us in the 1970's. Europe pressured us. We did not compromise. At the beginning of this year, a meeting was held in London, at the beginning of February. Mr Karayalcin attended as the foreign minister. After that meeting, Greece's veto was lifted all of a sudden. Turkey did not voice any reservations in the CU protocol signed on 6 March about the full membership of the Greek Cypriot Administration in the EU; whereas, according to the London and Zurich agreements, we had the right to veto Cyprus' membership in any international organization in any way -- that is, Cyprus cannot join any international organization unless Turkey and Greece approve the move. We gave up this right. Why? For the CU. We gave it up by remaining silent. The Europeans declared that after Turkey's membership in the CU, they will start full membership negotiations with the Greek Cypriot Administration in June 1996. I believe that south cyprus will become a full EU member in a couple of years. In fact, the EU says it itself. The EU map for the year 2000 inlcudes Cyprus as well as Malta. Do you know what that means? It means that this particular policy Turkey pursued in a most determined, conscientious, and resistant manner during the history of its republic went bankrupt. It means that Turkey sold the TRNC. In the eyes of the EU, south Cyprus is not only the Greek Cypriot Administration, but an administration that represents the entire island. When the EU admits south Cyprus as a full member, it is really admitting the entire island as a full member. Then, it will be impossible for the TRNC to retain its own separate identity. Yes, a federation can be held on the Turkish Cypriot side. However, it would be a very difficult choice for the Turkish Cypriots given the economic difficulties reigning in the TRNC today."

Akkoprulu: Are you saying that we have missed the opportunity? If you come to power after 24 December, will there not be any measures you can take to change this situation?

Yilmaz: Look at the statements Mr Karayalcin made after the 6 March protocol. He says that unless the Cyprus question is resolved, Cyprus cannot join the EU. These statements do not have any practical value. They are more rhetoric. They are made to deceive the Turkish Cypriot community and the Turkish public. The EU officials themselves announced that they will start full membership negotiations with south Cyprus in June. Turkey does not have the power to prevent that, especially if it is a member of the CU. No government has betrayed the Cyprus cause as much as the current government.

Yavuz: Let us say that you come to power on 25 December, that Turkey joins the CU on 1 January, and that Turkey has made concessions on Cyprus because it joined the CU. What can you do until June? What kind of policy can you pursue regarding Cyprus? Richard Holbrooke, the United States, resolved the Bosnia- Herzegovina problem. Richard Holbrooke will come to Turkey in January or early February, and then to Cyprus and Greece. What kind of a policy will you pursue if you are in power then?

Yilmaz: Holbrooke is a very successful diplomat. He proved that in Bosnia, however, there is a diplomat who is more successful than he is: Kissinger. And Kissinger says that Cyprus is one of the most difficult problems to solve in the world. We hope that Turkey will join the CU in January. In the six months following that, we will do what the current government did not do, namely to remind the Europeans that Turkey has rights given to it by agreements, and we will make every effort to reach at least a preliminary solution in Cyprus. That is what we will do. Europe must also remind the Greek Cypriots that they must take steps to eliminate Turkey's justified concerns, and that they must give up their intransigent stand regarding the establishment of a federal state. We have enough trump cards for that; we have enough to say. What we do not have at the moment is a government that can say these things."

[07] Meeting to discuss "domestic situation and national cause"

According to KIBRIS (9.12.95) the so-called Turkish Cypriot Fighters Association called the representatives of various organizations, that believe that "the TRNC should survive and live on" to a meeting. The invitation signed by the chairman of the Association Halil Pasa, calls on those interested to gather and discuss "the domestic situation the economic life and the national cause."

The invitation also says that during the meeting there will be discussion on ways how to reach the objectives in the national cause." (M.Y.)

[08] New York "representative" continues sending letters to Boutros Ghali

According to KIBRIS (9.12.95), the so-called New York representative of the pseudostate Osman Ertug, in a letter to the UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali, tried to deny reports about the plundering, destruction and sacribege of the cultural heritage in the occupied area.

Ertug's letter, circulated as an UN document, also alleges that is is the Greek Cypriots and not the Turkish Cypriots who show contempt of holy cites and places. (M.Y.)