Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-03-06

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 44/97 -- 6.3.1997

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Inal Batu: Turkey to back Varosha opening if missiles deployed.

[02] EPP says Turkey not candidate to become EU member.

[03] "KIBRIS FM" TV station by Asil Nadir.

[04] Congress of Turkish Cypriots Living Abroad to be held in occupied area.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Coup in Turkey seen leading to Kurdish state, Cyprus "Federation".

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Inal Batu: Turkey to back Varosha opening if missiles deployed

In a statement to Avrasya Radio, Amb. Batu claimed that Varosha is "TRNC territory" and is no different from other regions.

Alleging that Varosha was not settled as a goodwill gesture in the wake of the 1974 invasion, Batu expressed hopes "that this goodwill will not be misinterpreted".

Upon being reminded that there are statements to the effect that Turkey and its Armed Forces will be responsible for Varosha in the event that it is opened for settlement and that this move would be interpreted as a challenge to the UN Security Council (UNSC), Batu claimed that the Greek Cypriot purchase of missiles is also in violation of UNSC resolutions. Explaining that, under normal circumstances, "territorial and border adjustments" would be discussed in the wake of an agreement between the two communities on the island and in the event that a federation was set up, Ambassador Batu added: "The issue of within which side's territories Maras would fall could then be determined within the framework of these adjustments".

[02] EPP says Turkey not candidate to become EU member

Senior European politicians were said to have arrived at a "consensus" during a meeting of the mainly Christian Democrat European People's Party (EPP) that there is no possibility for Turkey to become a European Union (EU) member in the foreseeable future.

Turkey's immediate reaction was to call in EU Ambassadors to the Foreign Ministry, formally lodge its complaint and express deep disappointment over the European stance.

What struck Ankara was the fact that German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi were among the politicians who were said to have endorsed this view.

All three leaders have, to date, maintained a position of encouraging Turkey in terms of its ambitions for integration with Europe.

Despite the announcement that the EPP position was "unanimous" confusion appeared on Wednesday over the position taken by Italy. This confusion was compounded when Italy's state secretary for foreign affairs reportedly contacted his Turkish counterpart Onur Oymen to say that Italian Prime Minister Prodi had not participated in the decision, which could therefore not be characterized as "unanimous".

Analysts noted, however, that Prime Minister Prodi himself had not made any statement following the announcement by EPP President Wilfred Martens after their meeting, to suggest that a "consensus" decision had not been arrived at.

Asked about the EPP statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters on Wednesday that they had only learned of the EPP statement from the press as nothing official had been transmitted to Ankara.

He said Turkey would continue with its policies geared toward full membership in the EU despite the EPP statement.

"The basic framework of Turkey's foreign policy is known. Our foreign policy will continue to be implemented within this context. Our hope is to have Turkey take its place in the EU's expansion process and in the future European architecture", Atacanli said.

Portuguese opposition leader Marcelo Reblo de Sousa, who attended the meeting, said the EPP "had refused to bow to Turkish threats" (to block NATO enlargement).

He said the political leaders had doubts about Turkey's commitment to human rights. "Human rights are very far from being respected in Turkey. It doesn't make sense to accept a country that doesn't respect them", he said.

"Turkey is not a candidate to become a member of the European Union, short- term or long", former Belgian Prime Minister and EPP President Wilfried Martens said on Tuesday after the meeting of the European politicians.

He said the meeting members had expressed a desire to have a close relationship with Ankara.

He indicated that the next phase of expansion for the EU involved the Eastern and Central European countries and Cyprus. Martens also suggested outright that Turkey's EU membership was unacceptable.

The remarks of the former Belgian Prime Minister appeared to be in line with a growing trend in Europe, first initiated by EU term President Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo last month.

In an address to the European Parliament, van Mierlo referred to the need to be "honest with Turkey" by admitting openly whether or not Europe wants such a large Islamic country in its midst.

Others attending Tuesday's EPP meeting were less blunt, but still indicated that Ankara was a long way from seeing its dream of full integration into Europe fulfilled.

"Regarding Turkish membership in the EU, everybody is clearly very hesitant", Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters.

Meeting the ambassadors in the afternoon, Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen told them that the stance now being taken against Turkey in Europe is not in keeping with the agreements Ankara has with the EU.

In a written statement, ANAP deputy Akarcali claimed that the EPP remarks to the effect that Cyprus would be included in the next phase of expansion by the EU meant, in effect, that a settlement to the Cyprus problem other than the current status quo would become impossible.

"To say, on the one hand, that Turkey will not be admitted and, on the other, that Cyprus will be included in an expanded European Union means endorsing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Because it is clear that the Turkish Cypriots will not be left to the mercy of the Greeks in an international organisation that Turkey is not a member", Akarcali claimed.

Using strong language, Akarcali said the EPP statement did not represent the end of the line for Turkey.

[03] "KIBRIS FM" TV station by Asil Nadir

The so-called Company will soon start broadcasting under the name KIBRIS-FM on 103.4 and 100.2 FM MHz.

KIBRIS-FM, adds KIBRIS, has started broadcasting signals and will soon start broadcasting music on an experimental basis.

The 10 KW relay station at the occupied Kyparissovouno on the Kyrenia range will enable KIBRIS-FM to cover the whole island except the Paphos area.

The second relay station at occupied Kantara with a 2.5 KW power will be on the air in two or three weeks time.

KIBRIS report that as soon as KIBRIS-FM is on the air, Asil Nadir will put into practice the private TV project.

(MY)

[04] Congress of Turkish Cypriots Living Abroad to be held in occupied area

Turkish Cypriots living in different countries will come together and will discuss how they will conduct effective lobbying in the international field to promote their problems.

The congress is being organised by the so-called Foreign and Defence Ministry of the pseudo-state.

(MY)

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Coup in Turkey seen leading to Kurdish state, Cyprus "Federation"

After referring to a recent article in the same newspaper where Ali Bulac wrote that the "One Minute of Darkness action" (Tr.

Note: a protest over the Susurluk-related developments to which the Welfare Party reacted strongly) symbolizes "a period of short term military interventions", he reminds us of BBP (Great Unity Party) leader Muhsin Yazicioglu's blunt assessment that these actions "are the preparation of the psychological grounds for a possible coup".

And Kirac continues: "Besides those who stage a coup and those who partake in a military intervention, the position of the 'third individuals' is also important. Among them there are those who, like us, fear a coup and think it will hurt the country, and those who see it as beneficial and by resorting to various methods call for a coup. When one reads the statements by some individuals -- whom the Islamic community knows at close quarters -- to the effect that 'the Kurdish problem could be solved only through a military coup', one comes to the conclusion that pro-coupists can be found in every section of the population. Of course, each wants it for his own reason.

But sometimes even the reasons are identical. We recall how the PKK (Workers Party of Kurdistan) leader Abdullah Ocalan said on Med-TV a few months ago that 'the Kurdish problem could be solved only through a military coup'.

We also know that, for whatever reason, it is the United States that most wants the solution of the 'Kurdish problem'.

A note: In a commentary entitled 'Attention! The coup will lead to the formation of a Kurdish State', Aydogan Orkun in his 'Thought Diary' column in Yeni Safak on 27 February referred to CIA analyst Graham Fuller's statement to the effect that 'military administrations would speed up the process of the formation of the Kurdish State', and went on to argue that a possible coup will end up with the partition of Turkey.

No matter who says what, this damned thing called a coup is not possible to stage without the permission of the international power centres. As known, it is rumored that when the 12 September (1980) coup was staged a high- ranking U.S. official said: 'Our boys have done it'. That is why State Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to the United States last week was important. There were those who gave different meanings to the participation of Deputy Chief of the General Staff Cevik Bir --it is known that he is particularly liked by the Americans -- in the same visit alongside Gul. The fact that Bir and Gul defended contradictory views on some issues attracted attention. In particular the ones on Iran were exaggerated and placed on the agenda.

There were also these two officials' statements on Cyprus.

According to press reports, while Bir has defended 'a bicommunal federal state structure', Gul has said that the existence of two separate states should be recognized. I had always thought that the second, the one voiced by Gul, was Turkey's final thesis on the Cyprus problem. Was it not the Westerners who were calling for a 'bicommunal federal state?'

But I have been mistaken. The politicians and the media poured criticism onto Gul, State Minister coordinating policy on the Turkish states and Cyprus, for making such a statement. They accused him of being incongruous with Turkey's official policy.

I have not seen any other statement on this issue from the government or any other official. I only saw Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Rauf Denktash' statement in the Turkish Daily News supporting Abdullah Gul's statement. That was enough for me, for I more or less know who wants to solve the 'Cyprus problem' in a certain way and who resists such a solution".

EF/EI

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article