Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 96-11-01

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TURKISH PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No.197/96 1.11.96

CONTENTS

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash comments on meeting with UN official Feissel.

[02] Reactions to the arrest warrants.

[03] Morphou to become "administrative district".

[04] Gang arrested for forging passports.

[05] Kenan Akin: "Solomos Solomou was a dog".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Turkish magazine says no doubt about Kenan Akin's involvement in Solomou's murder.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash comments on meeting with UN official Feissel

Denktash met with Gustave Feissel, the UN Secretary General's assistant special envoy in Cyprus, and conferred with him for some time. The meeting was undertaken at Denktash' request prior to Feissel's trip to New York. It lasted approximately half an hour.

In a statement he issued after the meeting, Denktash said: "I conveyed to Feissel our views on the Greek Cypriot provocations, on their declarations to the effect that a way out is being explored that has nothing to do with the set of ideas, and on the situation, which is not advancing toward conciliation."

Clarifying his approach on disengaging the soldiers, who are very close to each other in the buffer zone, Denktash stressed the importance of reaching a conclusion. He further said that efforts to disengage the soldiers, who are very close to each other in the Nicosia area and in the buffer zone, should be speeded up and that a conclusion should be reached as soon as possible.

Feissel, in turn, said that efforts will be made to make 1997 the year in which the Cyprus issue was solved. Replying to reporters' questions prior to his meeting with Denktash, Feissel said that Han Sung-chu, the UN Secretary General's special envoy in Cyprus, will visit Cyprus in the middle of December.

In reply to a question on British Secretary of State Malcolm Rifkind's upcoming visit to Cyprus, Feissel said that the diplomatic traffic will intensify and that efforts will be exerted to make 1997 the year of a solution. Explaining that he will go to New York at the end of the week, Feissel added that the work to be undertaken in 1997 was going to be assessed during his meetings.

In reply to questions on military issues, Feissel said that the military dialogue had been launched. Feissel further explained that the military dialogue would be pursued along the lines of the 1989 framework.

[02] Reactions to the arrest warrants

"Let them come and recourse to the TRNC's courts. The UN would be `mad' to convey the Greek Cypriots demand" said Denktash and claimed that the Cyprus government has no right to do such thing.

"They are conducting propaganda, they are boasting. If they have such a claim and complaint, before going to the outside world, let them open up cases at the TRNC courts" declared Denktash and alleged that they could resort to retaliatory measures.

Answering a relevant question Denktash said: "Do you think the UN is stupid to convey us the arrest warrants issued by the Greek Cypriots? They have no authority and right to do such thing. They can go wherever they want."

"Let them accept bizonality, bicommunality, equality and the sovereignty. Let them accept Turkey's guarantorship and come to the negotiation table, let us talk" declared Denktash.(MY)

[03] Morphou to become "administrative district"

"This is in the government's protocol, as I have told you earlier. Morphou will become an administrative district prior to elections" declared Serdar Denktash. (MY)

[04] Gang arrested for forging passports

The paper says that the gang were providing forged passports mainly for mainland Turks who wanted to go to Britain.

KIBRIS says that the gang were getting 200 million TL for each forged passport. (MY)

[05] Kenan Akin: "Solomos Solomou was a dog"

"Question: Were you there on the day of the incident?

Akin: In the morning I was there, at around 9:30 I left.

Question: Did you return after the incident?

Akin: No.

Question: Did you see your picture published in the Greek Cypriot press which was taken from television and enlarged?

Akin: Could have. I was not there when the incident took place. But I felt sorry for not being there. I wish I was there. I could have pulled the trigger at least once. I wish I was there, definitely I was going to shoot.

Question: Don't you think that this is an issue to be tackled by the security forces? Apart from this, it is reportedly said that in your election region you were saying that you have killed and you took the responsibility.

Akin: No... During the incident I was on a picnic near the beach with my wife and my child.

Question: Do you have a gun?

Akin: Yes, but I do not carry it.

Question: Following the claims against you, is there any investigation against you by your party, by the government or by the legal organs?

Akin: The esteemed President asked me at one of our meetings. I told him I was on a picnic by the beach with my wife and my child. There was no investigation within the party. Only our general chairman put a question at the party's general assembly. He should have been convinced of what I had said, so that he would not have considered it necessary to establish a commission to open an enquiry.

Question: Do you envisage making any attempt to clear your name of these claims against you by opening an inquiry?

Akin: These are Greek Cypriot lies. The other side are educating their children with Turkish animosity. You are never writing this. Why are you making the killing of a dog sound so important?" (MY)

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Turkish magazine says no doubt about Kenan Akin's involvement in Solomou's murder

In an introductory note it is written: "The tension in Cyprus was reflected in the Turkish press only as regards the `flag fight'. However, there are terrible claims regarding the killings that occurred during the incidents. There are eye witnesses of the killing of the Greek Cypriot protestor Solomos Solomou by the Minister of Agriculture of the TRNC Kenan Akin, and of the killing of Petros Kakoullis, who crossed the border while collecting snails and was shot dead when he had already gave himself up.

The Greek Cypriots are taking these issues, which are considered a disgrace in a democratic country, to international platforms, and are pushing the Turkish side into the corner. As the case is, the TRNC officials do not even investigate the claim".

And the main article says:

"Everything happened before the cameras. Photographers and cameramen from the world press have second by second photographed the incident. World televisions immediately after the incident repeatedly showed how the Greek Cypriot protestor Solomos Solomou slipped through the hands of the UN Peace Force soldiers, crossed into the TRNC side of the Green Line and under the bewilderment of people present there tried to climb on the flag post, and finally how he fell down from the flag post following the fire opened against him from the Turkish side.

The next day, the newspapers reported the incident publishing pictures taken from the video. In fact HURRIYET daily, on 15 August, published the picture under banner headlines showing the moment Solomos was hit. In the photograph, the man in civilian clothes standing on the balcony of the building just behind the protestor, who was wearing eye glasses and was firing a pistol, was marked in a circle. According to the caption under the picture, the man who was firing was a Turkish security officer.

In those days public opinion had shown interest not in the identity of the killer but in the one who was killed...

Following the incident the sides on the island started to direct against each other the well-known accusations. Solomos's killing was on the verge of being forgotten, as a small detail in the bloody history of Cyprus, when an interesting coincidence took place.

Such a resemblance...

A Turkish soldier, Allahverdi Kilic, while on sentry duty, was killed by unidentified people in the early morning of 8 September. Bayrak Radio Television reporting the developments on that day, included the condolence visits paid to the father of the killed soldier at the Famagusta hospital.

One of the persons who visited the hospital was the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the TRNC, Kenan Akin. During the visit the minister was wearing a stripped short-sleeved dark T-shirt.

Following the airing of this scene on that day, a few hours later, the Greek Cypriot radio broke out the news with the following striking claim: "Minister Akin killed Solomos".

Two days later, the Greek Cypriot television screened the incident with comparative pictures. The next day all the Greek Cypriot newspapers were full of Kenan Akin's picture taken during the condolence visit and the picture taken at the moment Solomos was killed. The British newspaper the Guardian broke the news to the world.

Indeed, when the photograph was enlarged and clarified, the appearance of the person in the shadow was clearly seen. The photographs, when put side by side with the pictures shown on BRT on 8 September, are very clear and leave no room for doubt.

Former leftist, new Grey Wolf

Kenan Akin has been living on the island since 1975. For years he was working in a government company as a lathe-worker. During this time he was an active member of the leftist DEV-IS trade union. Later on, his name was mentioned among the founding members of the right-wing New Birth Party. Then he went into business. A short time after he entered the parliament, his name was involved in the first attack. The TRNC Attorney General, in order to secure Akin's trial regarding the beating up of two customs-policemen, had asked from the parliament the removal of Akin's immunity. The immunity was not removed. As the case was, this time he drew the attention by attacking the chairman of the New Cyprus Party Alpay Durduran.

Kenan Akin continued engaging in politics in the Democratic Party ranks headed by Serdar Denktash. He was appointed Minister and a few days later Solomou was killed.

It seems that no one in the TRNC government wing wants to believe that Kenan Akin was involved in the Solomos' killing. Moreover, politicians whom AKTUEL referred to to take their views, charged that even if the Minister was involved in the crime he was right. Their reason is the same: "Who ever it was they would do the same".

Legal authorities are undecided whether to open up an investigation or not. The TRNC Attorney General Office is conducting a general investigation regarding the day the incident took place. According to the Attorney General, Akin Sait, all the pictures, photographs are in the hands of the Attorney General's Office. For the time being there is absolutely no evidence supporting the claims that Akin was involved in the incident. "Our work is not completed yet", says the Attorney General.

However, the opposition is firm not to let the claims go. Especially the Republican Turkish Party is getting ready to bring the issue to the parliament. The RTP's General Secretary Ferdi Sabit Soyer said: `We have heard that following the incident Mr. Akin, speaking in his election regions, was arrogantly saying that he had killed Solomos. We have conveyed this claim to the President and to the prime minister'. The RTP has taken the words of these two officials that the case will be brought to light. Sabit added: `We will raise the issue according to the parliamentary traditions. Despite our warnings, Akin was made Minister. This is a mistake which will affect all of us'". (MY) EF/SK