Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 97-11-10

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. 208/97 -- 8-9-10.11.97

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Foreign Ministry's Batu to Moscow 17 November to discuss S-300's.

[02] Talat sees Holbrooke role in solving accession talks issue.

[03] Denktash, Cem, Gurel comment following assessment meeting.

[04] Denktash says `not surprised' with President Clerides candidacy.

[05] Turkish army investigating Colonel's death.

[06] Akin on Interpol's list.

[07] Denktash invites guests for UDI celebrations.

[08] HURRIYET on interview with Government Spokesman.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] Holbrooke, Hannay said to pressure President Clerides on EU.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Foreign Ministry's Batu to Moscow 17 November to discuss S-300's

Batu announced that Diego Cordovez, the UN Secretary General's special envoy in Cyprus, will hold contacts in Cyprus on 18 November and in Ankara on 24 November. Rauf Denktash will go to Ankara on 20 November to undergo angiography. During his stay, Denktash will hold consultations in connection with the Cyprus issue.

Batu also discussed the proposal made by Richard Holbrooke, US special envoy to Cyprus, according to which the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides will attend the full membership talks between Cyprus and the EU under equal status and separately. They will attend the negotiations without flags, leaving their ID's outside. Holbrooke is also proposing that the federation talks under the auspices of the United Nations be held in parallel with the EU accession talks.

[02] Talat sees Holbrooke role in solving accession talks issue

In a written statement he issued, Talat recalled that the US President's special envoy to Cyprus will arrive on the island at the beginning of the week. He claimed that this shows that there will be greater intensity regarding the issues on which an agreement could not be reached at the intercommunal talks. The CTP leader stressed that the Turkish Cypriot community must take part in the process of the EU accession talks, adding: "At this stage, it seems inevitable that a formula that will reflect the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot community during the process will be found." Talat assessed Holbrooke's upcoming visit as an opportunity to resolve that question, stressing that both leaders in Cyprus must approach this opportunity positively.

[03] Denktash, Cem, Gurel comment following assessment meeting

The two Turkish ministers and the accompanying Turkish Foreign Ministry high-level officials assessed the Cyprus issue with the Turkish Cypriot "officials". Rauf Denktash; "prime minister" Dervis Eroglu; "deputy prime minister" Serdar Denktash; Taner Etkin, "foreign affairs and defense minister"; and the "presidential" political advisers were present at the meeting.

In his statements during the news conference, Denktash said that the Turkish Cypriot "cause" was being pursued jointly with Turkey and claimed: "This will be written in the annals of history in the best way." Recalling that Turkey always supported the Turkish Cypriot community at all circumstances since 1960, Denktash said: "This support has reached the point where federation talks were launched."

Pointing to the Cyprus application to the EU, Denktash recalled the agreements signed with Turkey on the issue of the steps that will be taken after the application is accepted by the EU. Explaining that today's meeting emphasized once again that the signed agreements with Turkey are serious decisions, Denktash added that all the necessary steps will be taken in a bid to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot side. Denktash continued claiming: "We are ready to sign a new bizonal partnership agreement under equal conditions so that the obstacles can be surmounted. We were always willing to sign such an agreement. There is no need to repeat the meaning of the words bicommunal and bizonal. The existence of the TRNC is enough to prove the meaning of these words. I hope that the Greek Cypriot side will relinquish its claim that it is the only state in Cyprus and accept to negotiate under equal conditions."

Denktash added claiming: "This is where we stand. I only hope that our goodwill is not misinterpreted and the Greek Cypriots do not cause another havoc by saying: Denktash seeks recognition once again. It is not a shame to seek recognition.

We, however, call on the Greek Cypriot to settle this issue between us - the two communities and peoples of Cyprus."

Cem, in turn, said that numerous issues were discussed and assessed at the meeting and added: "It was an extremely favourable meeting. We benefited from President Denktash' experience in finding ways to resolve issues. I will convey the views crystallized at the meeting to Turkey", Cem added.

Gurel said that the visit confirmed once again that Turkey and the "TRNC" are two inseparable but free and sovereign entities. Gurel stated: "In the event that a lasting solution, which is acceptable to everybody, is sought in Cyprus, it should be based on political realities; in other words, the recognition of the TRNC's existence. I call on all third parties and the Greek Cypriot Administration to accept this."

Denktash, who replied to reporters' questions after the meeting, said that a document was not signed with the Turkish officials and added: "The Turkish Cypriot side will determine the steps it will take only after the EU adopts a decision on the issue of the Greek Cypriot membership. We are a state and this fact has to be recognized. The Greek Cypriots should know that they do not and will not have any rights over our government", he claimed.

Moreover, KIBRIS (10.11.97) reports that the Denktash regime will put forward the "recognition" issue as precondition to resume federation negotiations.

KIBRIS further reports that this "precondition" which is kept secret, will be announced by Denktash after his meeting with Holbrooke either today or tomorrow.

The paper says that this decision was taken during the joint meeting held between Cem and Denktash.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that federations are established between states and not between a community and a state. "Not a single step will be taken unless the TRNC's status as a state and a Republic are not taken into consideration", Cem said.

KIBRIS reports that the joint meeting in which delegations from both sides took part lasted one hour more than it was scheduled. And it was a closed session. On the Turkish Cypriot side it was attended by community leader Rauf Denktash, Dervish Eroglu, so-called deputy PM Serdar Denktash, so- called Foreign Minister Taner Etkin, so-called Foreign Ministry under-secretary Osman Ertug, so-called Political Affairs Director Mustafa Evran, Denktash's advisor Necati Munir Ertekun, and so-called Foreign Ministry under-secretary Resat Caglar. On the Turkish side, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, state minister Sukru Gurel, Turkish Foreign Ministry under-secretary Ambassador Korkmaz Haktanir, deputy under-secretary Ambassador Inal Batu, Foreign Ministry's deputy director of the Greek Desk Ambassador Hayati Goren and Turkish envoy to the occupied area Ertugrul Apakan were present.

KIBRIS says that opposition leaders Talat of the Republican Turkish Party and Akinci of the Communal Liberation Party were not invited to take part in the closed session.

Speaking to reporters, Republican Turkish Party leader Mehmet Ali Talat, branded the "recognition" precondition for resuming federation negotiations as an "inapplicable decision".

"The international public opinion will not allow this", Talat said. He criticized the decision and said they should be flexible and leave room for manoeuvre. In his turn Communal Liberation Party leader Mustafa Akinci has said that even Turkey does not fully recognize the occupied area.

"To raise the recognition issue as a precondition for resumption of talks will be tantamount to leaving the negotiation table as the accused of being the intransigent side at the negotiation table", Akinci said. (MY)

[04] Denktash says 'not surprised' with President Clerides' candidacy

Denktash further alleged that whoever gets elected as Cyprus president, whether it be Mr. Clerides or somebody else, should have enough moral courage to tell the world that he was not elected by the whole of Cyprus. "The United States has to realize this fact", he added.

[05] Turkish army investigating Colonel's death

One eyewitness said the bullet resounded and passed through the tip of the colonel's ear, and another said that the colonel uttered the word "ah" once and fell to the ground.

The belief that Berkay was hit by a bullet accidentally shot by one of the rifles used for firing during the exercises gained weight over the fact that it was an assassination attempt or other probabilities. Indicating that the rifles will be collected to carry out ballistics examinations on the 5.56-caliber bullet that killed Berkay, military sources said: "The incident is something that happens once in every million cases. When Berkay was hit, a team belonging to the special forces command was holding an operation to annihilate the S-300 missiles from four positions. Following the infiltration operation of the annihilation teams, the teams that landed in the region to protect the (annihilation) teams began firing. In the meantime, our precision marksmen started firing with long-range rifles to hunt down mock enemy guards. Only these (teams) were using M-16 rifles. A ricocheting bullet fired by the teams from the four positions or by the precision marksmen martyred our colonel."

There is continued mystery concerning the incident that resulted in Berkay's death on the last day of the Toros-2/97 exercises, held jointly by the TAF and the pseudostate, when live ammunition was used during the assaults. Allegations were not confirmed that Colonel Berkay, who was sitting behind the Land Forces Commander General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, "deputy president" Hakki Atun, and "TRNC ministers" at the tent, was killed as a result of an assassination attempt.

Reaffirming that the incident was caused by a ricocheting bullet, military sources told MILLIYET: "Had the incident been an assassination attempt, the person venturing to carry out the attempt would not have stopped by firing only one bullet, but would have machinegunned the other officials in the protocol tent too. A person carrying out an assassination attempt would have tried to kill the Land Forces Commander General Kivrikoglu or the TRNC Deputy President Hakki Atun first. For this reason, the fact that the bullet hit a person sitting in the back seats has eliminated the suspicions regarding an assassination attempt."

The autopsy held at an occupied Kyrenia hospital, where Berkay was transferred, has established that he was killed by a 5.56-caliber bullet belonging to an M-16 rifle used by special teams.

Indicating that the investigation regarding the incident is continuing and that the bullet removed from Colonel Berkay's body has been sent to Ankara for ballistics tests, military sources said that light will be shed on the incident after finding the gun that fired the bullet.

[06] Akin on Interpol's list

Kenan Akin and the so-called commander of the rapid deployment force of the pseudostate Ertan Emanet are on Interpol's list for their part in the cold- blooded killing of Solomos Solomou in Dherinia.

KIBRIS says that Kenan Akin is on Interpol's red bulletin. In an interview to Turkish daily SABAH, reports KIBRIS, Akin said: "I did not do it. I was not there. If I had been there I would have done the same thing. I wish I had done this honourable action. I wish I had the honour of doing it. One has to kiss the land that pulled the trigger".

Akin went on and said:: "Shame on Turkey's Interpol.

This is tantamount to executing someone without trial. With the one-sided application of the Greek Cypriot side we have been included on the red bulletin. The Greek Cypriots doctored the picture. Turkey should have done something on this issue.

Unfortunately it did not!"

Meanwhile, the head of the Interpol's Turkish branch, Ihsan Yilmazturk, has said that they have protested Interpol's stance to the General Secretariat of Interpol. He alleged that the arrest warrant issued by Interpol is against the accepted procedures.

KIBRIS says that in the face of Interpol's arrest warrants, Akin's and Emanet's leaving the occupied area is prohibited. (MY)

[07] Denktash invites guests for UDI celebrations

[08] HURRIYET on interview with Government Spokesman

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] HOLBROOKE, HANNAY SAID TO PRESSURE PRESIDENT CLERIDES ON EU

``What has happened now that Holbrooke decided to pay a hurried visit to Cyprus,'' columnist Basaran Duzgun wonders.

The reply to that question should be sought in the decision to be adopted by the EU in December 1997, on Cyprus and Turkey, he claims.

The Turkish side has made public its final position on the EU issued. It rejected all the membership talks held with the Cyprus Government in the absence of the Turkish Cypriot side and emphasized that there could be no solution in Cyprus without granting Turkey the prospect of full membership, he adds.

``It now transpires that Britain and the United States have endorsed the view expressed by the Turkish left in Cyprus and finally by [Republican Turkish Party, CTP, leader] Mehmet Ali Talat during his tour of important European capitals to the effect that `the Turkish Cypriots too should participate in the EU membership talks.'

Special Coordinator Holbrooke has put forward important proposals to surmount the problem concerning the EU membership during his four meetings with TRNC [ Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] President Denktash in the United States and during his long telephone conversation with the latter in Istanbul two nights ago.

Holbrooke proposed that just as in the intercommunal talks, the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots should negotiate membership with the EU without a flag and status.

TRNC President Denktash described this proposal as `unimplementable, something that would not be accepted by Clerides' while at the same time conveying the message that he is open to any eventuality that would stress the equal status of the Turkish Cypriots.

Holbrooke coordinated his efforts in this direction with British Foreign Office Special Cyprus Representative David Hannay.

Britain, which will be assuming the EU term presidency in 1998, is making preparations to find a solution to the problem within the framework of mutual understanding.

Within the context of Holbrooke's plan, Special Representative Hannay is getting ready to tell Greek Cypriot Administration leader Clerides `to take steps to ensure the Turkish Cypriots' participation too in the EU process.'

At first Clerides argued that `the Turkish Cypriots should be included in the Cyprus Republic delegation,' but when that view found no acceptance, he advanced the thesis that `the Turkish Cypriots could join in as observers.' But that thesis too found no acceptance.

The United States, which attaches great importance to the views of Britain and Turkey, two countries which do not want to push the Turkish Cypriots out of Europe, has rolled its sleeves to solve the problem and is getting ready to pressure the Clerides administration to accept the `flagless and statusless' formula.

Having learned the Turkish side's sensitivities during his long meetings with TRNC President Dentktash in the United States, Holbrooke wil come to Cyprus next week and try the method of pressuring Clerides for a solution of the problem. Similar pressure will be put on Clerides by Britain and through this double pressure an attempt will be made to surmount the crisis by including the Turkish Cypriots in the EU membership process.

We will all wait and see if this plan of Holbrooke and Hannay will work. But it could easily be said that Holbrooke's untimely and unscheduled decision to fly to the island is a step aimed at blowing the existing status quo in the island to bits''.

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