Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-07-24

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

TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA

No. 139/00 -- 22-23-24

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets party leaders; to prepare reply for de Soto.

[02] Denktash warns of agents, ploy to separate Turkish Cypriots from Turkey

[03] Denktash meets with US official Dobbibns.

[04] Talat says Denktash against democratization process.

[05] Denktash off to proximity talks, denies change of status quo.

[06] Turkish sources claim Annan is inadequately informed over Strovilia.

[07] Turkish Army says commander Ozeyranli acting according to "laws" in pseudostate.

[08] Akinci on relations between Turkey, pseudostate.

[09] No progress expected from talks.

[10] Denktash on "presidential system".

[11] NGOs start popular struggle.

[12] Interview with Sener Levent after release on "spying" charges.

[13] Church buildings turned into hotel.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash meets party leaders; to prepare reply for de Soto

Denktash held a meeting with the political party leaders prior to the third round proximity talks to resume in Geneva on 24 July. "Prime minister" Dervis Eroglu; Mustafa Akinci, "state minister and deputy prime minister"; "foreign affairs and defense minister" Tahsin Ertugruloglu; and leaders and representatives from other political parties attended the meeting.

In a statement prior to the meeting, Denktash claimed that "the existence of the TRNC is the important issue in an agreement to be reached". Denktash said that this is the joint policy pursued by the "TRNC" and Turkey and that they will struggle for an agreement within this framework.

Denktash added: "If they lift the embargoes, establish a friendship with us, refrain from portraying us as their enemy to their youths, and thus, believe in us, then we shall be ready to build bridges as two separate states for a joint life."

Pointing out that they are ready to think about measures that will present a single Cyprus to the outside world, Denktash said that the Greek Cypriots should not interfere with Turkey/s guarantees.

[02] Denktash warns of agents, ploy to separate Turkish Cypriots from Turkey.

In a written statement he issued in connection with the recent "spying incident" in the pseudostate, Denktash asserted that since the concerned "authority" did not respond to the accusations levelled at the "security forces" and at the "security forces" commander, he, Denktash, "had to protect this holy institution of the state".

Denktash charged that the concerned "authorities" maintained their silence in the face of the long-lasting attacks and accusations of "plot" levelled against the "security forces", and that the commander was left alone.

Denktash said that the minute he returned from Geneva he showed an interest in the issue and investigated the allegations of a "plot". He said: "Even if there was a whiff of a plot in the air, it would have been my duty to announce that to the people. Because I know agents-provocateurs well, I did not do anything else in light of a briefing I received for two and a half hours, I announced that the accusations against our most honourable and holiest military institution were invalid and I said that there was evidence".

Denktash said that the "government" and "parliament" must raise their voices against acts that undermine trust in the "state", in the "government", in motherland Turkey, and in the army, against acts that undermine the people/s unity, and create a concern for the future. He said:

"This land belongs to us and it will continue to belong to us under the motherland/s guarantee. It is our duty to provide peace and prosperity to the people. It is not befitting for principled and democratic statesmen to support for the sake of populism agents assigned to mislead our people due to economic difficulties".

Denktash concluded his statement as follows: "The Turkish Cypriots cannot exist without Turkey. However, the only aim of the agents is to cause a rift between us and Turkey. This ploy goes back to 1955. We must be aware of that. Nobody can camouflage the real danger by ignoring it or by ignoring this ploy".

[03] Denktash meets with US Official Dobbins

Denktash, in turn, said that during his meeting with the US officials, he conveyed to Dobbins his views on the Cyprus issue and his thoughts on a solution.

[04] Talat says Denktash against democratization process

Talat noted that Denktash with the statement he made prior to his departure, warned the people that they are living in a "country" full of spies, frightened them, and standing in judgement without the benefit of a trial, continued to accuse with spying the individuals in whose names an investigation is being conducted.

In a written statement he issued, Talat said that the recent incidents have clearly shown to the world that the Turkish Cypriots have not fulfilled the requirements of self-government. Talat said that the political and economic chaos coupled with the ineptitude of the "government" weakened the Turkish Cypriots both within and outside the "country", charging that it has almost brought them to the brink of dissolution.

[05] Denktash off to proximity talks, denies change of status quo

Replying to reporters/ questions at illegal Tymbou airport, Denktash was asked to comment on the statement issued by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan regarding the demands of the Greek Cypriot side. He replied that Annan made a statement in light of the information given to him by the Greek Cypriots. Denktash claimed that there have been no changes in the status quo, adding:

"We are on our own land. It is up to us to decide where to put what on our own land. There have been no changes. The peace force is not being prevented from doing anything there. The Greek Cypriots continue to lead their lives as they did in the past. The British are also living comfortably without any restriction. In fact, the British have confirmed three to four times that we live on our own land".

Denktash asserted that he will inform Kofi Annan of this situation in written form, adding: "Our state should not disturb anyone. Revoking our decision is impossible. People should not concern themselves with the impossible".

Denktash claimed that the decision was made on "TRNC land", adding: "As sovereign powers on our own land, we carried out a procedure".

Asked to asses the call of the G-8, Denktash recalled that the same call was issued last time. Denktash said that the G-8 wants the proximity talks to continue and to yield results. He noted that there are certain references the Turkish Cypriots do not like. He added: "During the proximity talks, we are trying to prepare the foundations for direct talks. We hope that these foundations will be prepared. If they are, the doors will be opened for the solution of the Cyprus problem".

Furthermore, illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (10:30 hours, 23.7.00) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash arrived in Istanbul yesterday and went to the International Hospital where he had an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken. Asked what health problem he had, Denktash replied: "I have calcification of the neck. I had an MRI taken. We found the calcification. It is not something important. I was told I need physiotherapy."

Denktash then left for Geneva aboard a scheduled Turkish Airlines plane:

[06] Turkish sources claim Annan is inadequately informed over Strovilia

Assessing to Anatolia the letter Annan sent to Mignonette Patricia Durrant, the UN Security Council/s term present, last Thursday, the diplomatic sources denied that the sentry box established in Stroviliia changed the military status quo.

A diplomatic source who chose to remain anonymous pointed out that the "United Nations has made an issue out of the TRNC move to place a sentry box within its territories."

The same sources criticized the fact that in his letter Annan "did not mention the fact that the addendum which envisages an agreement between the TRNC and UNFICYP was removed from the recent UN resolution on Cyprus", claiming that "it would be very wrong for the Security Council to react against the TRNC in the aftermath of Annan/s letter seeking support.".

Warning that such a reaction will adversely affect the ongoing Cyprus proximity talks, the sources said that "given such a development, the TRNC might consider withdrawing from the negotiation process".

Meanwhile, information has been received that "TRNC officials" in New York have begun to take initiatives involving the Security Council members in connection with Annan/s letter.

In his letter, Annan asked that the measures the "TRNC" took against UNFICYP be reversed and that that sentry box established in the village of Strovilia be removed on grounds that it changes the military status quo in the region.

[07] Turkish Army says commander Ozeyranli acting according to "laws" in pseudostate

The General Staff Presidency issued a statement in connection with the report in the 19th July issue of YENI BINYIL that had appeared under the following headline: "Kivrikoglu criticized Ozeyranli during a meeting with Ecevit. Commander Ozeyranli acted alone".

Pointing out that Briga. Gen. Ozeyranli is discharging his duties in keeping with the so-called TRNC constitution and in subordination to the Dervis Eroglu "government", the (military) authorities confined themselves to only saying "He (Ozeyranli) has done this (interrogate the AVRUPA journalists in the spying case) within the guidelines prescribed in the TRNC constitution".

Under the "TRNC constitution", the "Security Forces" act in unison with the Turkish Armed Forces only in times of war. It is therefore being indicated that Ozeyranli does not have to get permission from the Turkish Armed Forces in Ankara for his decisions. Both the Army and the government in Ankara are preferring to remain silent over the polemics between Ozeyeranli, "prime minister" Eroglu, and AVRUPA newspaper, which has assumed a hostile attitude toward the Turkish Army.

[08] Akinci on relations between Turkey, pseudostate

Asked why he wants the linking of the Turkish Cypriot "police force" to the so-called ministry of interior affairs, Akinci inter alia said "the police force throughout the world is linked to the Ministry of Interior Affairs as a basic condition of democratization". I do not want my people to lag behind other democratic societies, he added. "Moreover, I am arguing in favour of the maintaining of relations between the TRNC and Turkey based on mutual friendliness and respect".

Stating that the Turkish Cypriots must be rendered capable of managing their own institutions, and that there is a silent majority of people in Cyprus who are not expressing themselves for fear that they may be understood wrongly, Akinci elaborated:

"No sooner we voice the idea that it is time to change the motherland- daughterland relations between Turkey and the TRNC into friendship, they accuse us of fostering enmity against the motherland and Turkey. There is a silent majority of people in the TRNC who are concerned over this approach. We must start cultivating relations of friendship with Turkey. The notion that `the TRNC is the daughterland and must remain so/ cannot be accepted any more. An end must be put to the treatment of the TRNC as a child that needs nursing. We must attain the structure with which we can stand on our own feet."

In reply to a question Akinci said: "No one has remained who has not been accused of treason in this country. Accusations have been levelled against people who demand a solution to the Cyprus problem. Accusations have been levelled throughout the years against people ranging in age between seven and seventy. However, these things happened during the Cold War era. We are now living in the 21st century".

To the question "who is running Cyprus", Akinci replied: "In the same way that it is wrong to say that Turkey is interfering up to the last details of everything in the TRNC, it would also be wrong to say that the TRNC government is independent or that it is making all its decisions freely, while there are other issues regarding which decisions are made somewhere else.

There is no interference regarding issues pertaining to the municipalities. However, there are certain fields regarding which either Denktash or Ankara put their weight. For example, we have our own Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Although the word `defense/ is included in the name of the former ministry, in reality, it has no relations whatsoever with defense matters. Turkey and Denktash determine the policies regarding defense matters."

To the comment "Mumtaz Soysal, who has earlier acted as the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, has once said: `If necessary, we would defend Cyprus against the Turkish Cypriots/ will /", Akinci said that Soysal was referring to the fact that Turkey has strategic interests in Cyprus. "I, for my part, accept the fact that Turkey has strategic interests in Cyprus. Why did Turkey come to Cyprus? It is true that the Turkish Cypriots were under a serious threat here, but Turkey did not come to Cyprus only for this reason. Turkey did not want to have a source of threat against it in the south of the country. Bulent Ecevit has signalled this clearly when he has said: `Anyone who looks at Turkey/s map will clearly see that Turkey has strategic interests in Cyprus/".

Asked whether he is in favour of the withdrawal of the Turkish forces from the island, Akinci replied: "The day will come when the Turkish army will withdraw from the island. Only a small contingent will remain here. In fact, the Turkish army is not saying that 30,000-35,000 of its soldiers will remain here forever. However, the Turkish army will not withdraw from the island if an agreement is not signed in this regard. Yet, the withdrawal of the Turkish army is a must. This is the general feeling of the Turkish Cypriots. Meanwhile, we are not obliged to uphold all of Turkey/s policies. We have the right to criticize some of Turkey/s policies. We have also not forgotten the historic facts and the conditions prevailing in 1974. Twenty-six years have passed since the beginning of the Peace Operation. It is time for us to find solutions to the problem. Let the Turkish army return to its main duty."

To a question on the economic disparity between the two sides in Cyprus, he said: "The per capita income in the TRNC is more than what you mentioned now if you take the underground economy into consideration. Yet, there is still a big difference between the per capita income in the TRNC and that in the Greek Cypriot sector. The fault lies in Turkey, the whole world, and us. The first problem consists of the fact that we established a `booty economy/ that works on the distribution of the booty that we won from the Greek Cypriots. During the 1976 elections, refrigerators and television sets left by the Greek Cypriots were distributed among the people.

In the subsequent elections, immovable assets belonging to the Greek Cypriots were distributed among Turkish Cypriot migrants arriving from south Cyprus in return for the immovable assets that these migrants left in south Cyprus. The process of distributing these assets has not come to an end 25 years after it was started, because these properties were being distributed in return for votes during every election.

In the next stage, state cadres were offered, thus swelling the number of cadres within the state. The retirement law was thereafter introduced, which produced an army of retirees. Turkey, for its part, printed currency notes and handed them over to us with the aim of bringing down inflation. Meanwhile, we failed to sell our products due to the embargoes imposed on us. In the end, we created a structure here that is based on more consumption than production.

To a question on the "spying case", Akinci said: "The AVRUPA newspaper is of a special kind. There is no institution or organization that it has not criticized. Some of these criticisms can be justified while others are unjustifiable. The newspaper/s style may be debated, but the endeavour to accuse the newspaper/s writers of involvement in spying activities in the absence of sufficient proof of court decision cannot be justified. Moreover, I do not think that the citiizens believe that these journalists are spies".

As for relations with Turkey, Akinci said he was asking the maintaining of relations based on equality instead of maintaining a motherland- daughterland relationship. "It is time for us to cast aside the motherland- daughterland expression", he said.

Replying a question on the EU issue, Akinci said: "We want to enter the EU after finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. As you know, a big mistake is being committed. A propaganda campaign has been mounted claiming that `Cyprus cannot enter the EU before Turkey even if a solution is found to the Cyprus problem/. This policy has been drawn up by Denktash. The upholding of this policy would be tantamount to rendering a service to the Greek Cypriots, because the Greek Cypriots would then enter the EU in the name of the whole island.

The EU, which does not recognize the TRNC, will then recognize everyone living on the island as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Consequently, a wave of migration will start from the TRNC. The Turkish Cypriots, whose numbers have dropped dramatically in the recent years, will completely vanish from the face of the island. The Turkish Cypriots living on the island have already turned into a community of white-haired people".

To a comment that most probably there are more Turkish than "TRNC citizens" in the "TRNC", Akinci said:

"It is true that the number of our brethren coming from Turkey is growing, while the number of Turkish Cypriots is dropping, but the real figures are not known. If we fail to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, south Cyprus will enter the EU. The EU/s borders will reach the green line dividing the island. Turkey will then encounter serious accusations.

There will be two sorts of accusations. In the first sort, Europeans will tell the Turks: `You came to the island to save the Turkish Cypriots. Where are the Turkish Cypriots now?/ In the second sort of accusations, the Europeans will tell the Turks: `Your position is that of an occupying force on the territories of a country that is an EU member/".

[09] No progress expected from talks.

[10] Denktash on "presidential system"

This cannot go on like this. We have lost many things in 26 years. I am very sorry for this.

We have a lot of qualified young people to run for this office, However, they consider these young people as their rivals and keep them at bay.

If they do not adopt this system (presidential), then let them appoint technocrat ministers. And the formulae to be prepared with these technocrats and experts should be put into practice without populist considerations. There is no other way out.

Holding an early election is tantamount to another economic disaster. It is tantamount to having two more months of chaos".

[11] NGOs start popular struggle

The representatives of the 17 NGOs met at the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and agreed that economic difficulties could only be overcome through a popular struggle.

Speaking at the meeting, director of HALKIN SESI newspaper Mehmet Kucuk said that his paper will again fulfil its duty and responsibility as it has been doing since 1942.

Speakers at the meeting declared that "People/s Movement" was a second liberation struggle. They added that once consensus is reached between them they will start waging the struggle.

[12] Interview with Sener Levent after release on ``spying'' charges Turkish daily Yeni Binyil (20/7/00) publishes the text of an interview by

Sener Levent, who holds the view that the Cyprus police should be attached to the Interior Ministry and not the Security Forces Commander in TRNC Ali Nihat Ozeyranli, for which the Commander accused him of 'treason', says, 'We cannot stand this any more'.'' Following is the text of the interview:

``(Aydin): 'Spying' is a serious charge. What did you do that you were accused of these crimes?

(Levent): These allegations have been a conspiracy right from the start. It even stinks of one. They invented what did not exist. They extended my time under arrest through a whole series of falsifications and provocation. In the end they brought an investigating officer to the court. The night before they took me to the courthouse, in the early morning, they took me from the penitentiary and interrogated me. But they asked me questions that could become a complete diplomatic scandal.

(Aydin): What kind of scandal, what did they ask you?

(Levent): On occasion, individuals come to us from both the British and the Russian Embassies. Everybody knows I talked with these people. They asked me the names of the diplomats that came to me and what we talked about. They asked me questions as if I had been spying and passing them information. There was the leader of the Greek Cypriot Communist Party (AKEL) Christofias. I am said to have met with him. I did once, about 10 years ago at a press conference.

(Aydin): There is talk about one of your meetings. You are alleged to have discussed an armed assault on someone. The investigation officer Refik Oztumen said this in court. What was this meeting?

(Levent): During the questioning they said, 'Now we are going to play you a cassette.' It was a conversation between two people. They get me up in the dead of night and take me away for questioning. I admitted the voice belonged to me. Do you know why? What they did was illegal. I did it to show in court that the military was illegally tapping the phones of the police and civilians for fun. Anyway, it was me talking.

When I owned up to it, they told me it had been recorded and sent to them by an informant. They knew what they were doing was a crime. They tried to cover it up.

(Aydin): Who had you been talking with?

(Levent): The person I was talking with was a Turk who lives in the south of the island. His name is Ibrahim Aziz. He has been living there for years now. He is someone who made his mark on Cypriot political life as a member of AKEL, he is a close friend. One of his friends, Dervis Kavazoglu, was killed by the Turkish Resistance Organization in 1965.

We talked about these problems during the day at Pila Village, where both Greeks and Turks live together. While we talked there were people around us. Later an aging man in his 50s approached us. We had not been speaking loudly but there were many people there who had been listening to the conversation. He was witness to the conversation. We never said, 'Who are you? What do you thing you're listening to? Get lost,' or anything. I found out who it had been when I got back and spoke with Ibrahim Aziz on the phone that evening. He called and asked things like: 'What happened? Were you able to go undisturbed? Did anything unpleasant happen on the roads?' He was always on edge as his friend had been killed. To begin with I thought that was why he was asking such questions. When he dwelt on the matter, I asked what the problem was. He said he had determined that one of the men listening in on our conversation had been a police agent and joked, 'The police probably know everything by now', to which I said, 'That's nice! We never said anything wrong and besides, there were plenty of witnesses about.' (Aydin): What was it about your conversation that got you branded a spy? (Levent): At the end of the conversation this is what happens: Ibrahim Aziz asks me, 'All right Sener, what are you going to do?' Because Denktash had taken our newspaper to court, our computer had been seized by the bailiffs. That is what he was asking. I said, 'What else is there to do? I 'll probably get my gun and get into a fight. ' During the questioning, the investigation officer seized that part of the conversation. 'What do you say to that, then,' he asked laughing, to which I replied, 'I was angry, just letting off steam.' That is exactly how he wrote it in the minutes. Once, when Mustafa Akinci was President, he said, 'Why don't we take up arms and head for the hills?' In these parts, when people get angry, they let off steam by saying 'Shoot them all, gun them all down,' and so on. And then Ibrahim Aziz takes it a bit seriously and says, 'Don't even thing such things.' The interrogating officer told the court he said, 'Now is not the right time.' (Aydin): They also say you took photographs in a restricted military area. (Levent): That's nonsense. 'Why?' you are going to say. Everybody laughs at this because supposedly I pasted pictures of the places Denktash was staying, of Yilan Island over half a page of the paper. There is nothing to be seen in those photographs.

(Aydin): Seeing that there is no case for spying and no crime, why then has this tension been escalating? Who is behind it all?

(Levent): Security Forces Commander Ali Nihat Ozeryanli and that disgrace of a police chief Erdem Demirbag are behind it. Erdem Demirbag is a disgrace to our society. If he's got a conscience, he is an uncultured, bullying fascist who should resign. And not just them, all those politicians and the judicial office chiefs who are behind this have to be fired as well, because these are the kind of people who will go on and do what they did to us to anybody who thinks differently.

(Aydin): You maintain that the police should be attached to the Interior Ministry and not to the military, which means mainland Turkey. How do these incidents affect the arguments?

(Levent): We are no longer going to be satisfied with just this. The whole business will be back on the agenda. We will no longer be satisfied just with the civilianizing of the police. The will of the people of Cyprus is evident. Events have gone beyond this. The first thing to do is to move towards total civilianization. The second is for us to take possession of our own will. We no longer need to have Ankara's permission; we cannot live in Ankara's shadow. We want both political and economic freedom. To date, whatever Ankara has said has happened. Thirdly, we want all the people of Cyprus to join the European Union as a whole; we will support this. (Aydin): Ankara will not say yes to this, however...

(Levent): We want Cyprus to enter the EU as a federation and to sit at the negotiating table. Turkey, in fact, is making problems here. As she cannot join the EU herself, she does not want Cyprus' membership to be accepted. Turkey should see the positive effects both politically and economically such a move would create. Turkey is also experiencing similar problems to the one here. I mean, there is a civilian-military issue to be resolved for the EU. Turkey is doing us a great disservice. The civilian-military debate is escalting here, too.

(Aydin): The National Security Council is remaining tight-lipped on this issue. Turkey has not come down on one side or the other. However, from what you say, the General Staff is partly behind the escalation of the tension...

(Levent): Of course, they will not comment because they have never been able to convince anybody. There have been loads of reactions from Europe and professional bodies. In Turkey, nobody has believed these allegations. In addition, nothing has ever happened here without the knowledge of the General Staff.

Rauf Denktash is the biggest obstacle the Cypriot people face. He has to go now.

(Aydin): Denktash said he would take appropriate legal action against the allegations. What do you say?

(Levent): Now that we have been released, they are those who are going to say that law and justice prevails here, of course. But this does not necessarily mean justice. That is because they have not been able to prove anything that could put us away. Then again, I do know there are some courageous judges about. The next phase will be a positive step for justice. I believe this incident is going to stop them being bullied around.

(Aydin): Your paper has been seized by bailiffs; what are you going to do next?

(Levent): The opposition sank into the swamp of their own conspiracy. From now on, democratization and civilianization will move ahead more quickly and we will continue our printing through our efforts along these lines. In the past in Cyprus, people holding differing views had never got together. This incident has brought like-minded people together.''

[13] Church buildings turned into hotel KIBRIS (23.07.2000) reports under the banner headlines ``Lapethos Ayia

KIBRIS reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has inaugurated the new tourist complex. The 60 - bed capacity hotel consists of the three buildings surrounding the church. The operator of the complex is Sanpa Tourism Ltd. which is also the owner of the Club Lapethos. The owner of the Sanpa is Mehmet Salih Dogu. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony Mehmet Salih Dogu said that they have ``leased'' the property from Vakiflar Administration, who is the ``owner'' of the buildings. He further claimed that the restoration work was carried out according to the views of the so- called Antiquities Department.

Dago said that Ayia Anastasia was not a monastery as claimed by the Turkish Cypriot press but a church complex with surrounding buildings.

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