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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 00-08-04Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIANo. 148/00 -- 4.8.00[A] NEWS ITEMS
[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS
[A] NEWS ITEMS[01] Turkey reiterates strong support for Denktash, calls for confederationAnatolia Agency (10.30 hours, 3.8.00) reports that the Turkish government said on Thursday that both sides in Cyprus should mutually recognize each other/s political equality and sovereignty in order to create a common ground for negotiation on the island.The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the purpose of the Geneva talks was to ``prepare the necessary ground for face-to-face talks.'' ``Only after this ground is created, negotiations can be initiated'', the Ministry said. ``In order to create a common ground for negotiations, we are expecting both sides to recognize the sovereignty and political equality of each other, to acknowledge that neither of them is empowered to speak on behalf of each other, and to admit that neither of them represents the other and neither of them can claim sovereignty over the other''. ``The Turkish government strongly supports Mr. Denktash/s views and approach over the matter. Turkey/s support, as a guarantor and motherland, will continue for Denktash,'' the statement added. ``The confederation solution which is based on the political equality and sovereignty of the two states on the island will open the way for a long lasting answer which will secure full security to both sides'', the Foreign Ministry claimed. ``Such a new partnership can make it possible for both governments and people to live next to each other in peace and crate institutions for cooperation in certain fields.'' [02] Group of 41 NGO/s begin visits to seek support for signature campaignAccording to illegal Bayrak Radio 1 (10:30 hours, 3.8.00) the civilian initiative group comprised of 41 nongovernmental organizations (NGO/s) of the occupied area, including the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Patriotic Unity Movement (YBH) has begun to hold meetings to seek support for its signature campaign launched under the slogan ``This country is ours''. The representatives of the civilian initiative group visited the National Revival Party (UDP) and the Democratic Party (DP).UDP leader Enver Emin said that his party concurs with many of the views raised by the 41 NGO/s but in the solution of the Cyprus problem it favours taking into consideration the resolutions of the Turkish Assembly and of the so-called assembly of the pseudostate, as well as bilateral agreements. DP leader Serdar Denktash, in turn, remarked that the Turkish Cypriots do not have a problem of not being able to govern themselves, that the presidential system must be discussed, but that now is not the time. Serdar Denktash also stressed that it was extremely wrong on the part of the ``assembly speaker'' to describe the recent bank depositors/ action as a Greek Cypriot provocation. Serdar Denktash remarked that many of the views advocated by the civilian initiative group incorporate the common desire of the people, but he disagrees with the EU issue included in the document submitted for signature and he has doubts on how the signatures will be used. [03] USA said to prefer Denktash to ErogluAccording to HURRIYET (4.8.00), the US Administration, prior to the last so- called presidential elections in the occupied area, had informed Ankara that it would be much better if Rauf Denktash stayed in his post and Dervish Eroglu by-passed. Quoting reliable sources, HURRIYET says that the US acted this way because it was worried that Dervish Eroglu, who considered ``non-solution as a solution in Cyprus'' could undermine the negotiation process.The same sources also said that prior to the so-called presidential elections, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit and told him ``it would be much better if Rauf Denktash remains as president''. Ecevit was warm towards Albright/s proposal. [04] Denktash to fly to Ankara for contactsAccording to KIBRIS (4.8.00), it has been announced that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will fly directly to Turkey from Geneva tomorrow after the end of the third round of indirect talks.Denktash will meet with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Turkish State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. During the meetings they will evaluate the test developments in the Cyprus problem. [05] Cem insists on confederationKIBRIS (4.8.00) reports that Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, in an article in Italian daily LA STAMPA, has claimed that ``Turkey/s intervention in Cyprus cannot be considered as occupation''.In his article Cem claimed that the prevailing view of the public opinion regarding Cyprus is due to the fact that the majority of the people do not have enough information. ``The intervention which symbolises the freedom for 200 thousand Turkish Cypriots cannot be branded as occupation'', he claimed. Noting that a settlement on the island - which will be satisfactory for both sides - cannot be described with ``romantic definitions'', Cem added: ``It is possible to reach acceptable results with moves that comply with the realities of the island''. ``The model which will be acceptable to both sides is clear: a confederation created by the two states, which complies with the Cyprus realities. Two independent structures with mutual agreement will transfer some of their functions to the confederal organs, thus common points as well as differences will be safeguarded'' Cem claimed. [06] New ``lawsuits'' against AVRUPAAVRUPA (4.8.00) reports that Denktash/s ``police'' yesterday read 14 new ``lawsuits'' filed against AVRUPA, its editor-in chief Sener Levent and the director of the ``AVRUPA Press and Publication Company Ltd''., Elvan Levent.Subjects for the lawsuits were articles and reports published in AVRUPA during the AVRUPA-Denktash ``hearings''. [07] Talat meets foreign diplomatsAccording to YENIDUZEN (4.8.00) the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Mehmet Ali Talat met yesterday with the Undersecretary at the British High Commission in Cyprus, Philip Barton.During the meeting, they exchanged views on the political and economic problems in the occupied area. Meanwhile, Talat also had a meeting yesterday with the newly-appointed Australian High Commissioner, Frank Ingruber. [08] Turkish Cypriot law professor criticizes policies regarding pseudostateAccording to AVRUPA (4.8.00) Prof. Bakir Caglar in a statement to the paper said that he is no longer smelling the aroma of jasmine in Cyprus but the aroma of blood.Bakir Caglar, who is a Turkish Cypriot living in Turkey and is teaching constitutional Law at the Istanbul University, said that human rights in the occupied area have been suspended. He claimed that arrangements to be introduced in the so-called TRNC Constitution will further isolate the Turkish Cypriots. He also criticized the proposal made by Denktash to introduce the ``presidential system'' in the occupied area. He said some people want ``northern Cyprus'' to become one of the provinces of Turkey. [09] Ertugruloglu interviewed on Geneva talks, Cyprus solution , confederationNTV (15:35 hours, 3.8.00) carries a report on an interview with Tahsin Ertugruloglu, ``minister of foreign affairs and defense'', in Geneva.Ertugruloglu said that ``both sides are free to lay on the negotiation table any issue they want. Consequently, there are no restrictions and no framework while the process is under way. It is for this reason that the TRNC is participating in this process. In addition, we have been constantly raising our confederation proposal within the framework of the indirect talks since August 1998, when we first made it known to the international community. The issue, which we maintain, explain, and insist upon is that an agreement between the sides can be secured in Cyprus only if it is based on a confederation. We are continuing to explain this issue. No official has made any approaches and told us that we do not have the right to place a confederation proposal on the table. We, therefore, continued to participate in the talks. I think that this process was beneficial for us in that it gave us an opportunity to maintain, explain, defend, and advance our just cause. The term confederation and its contents were placed on the agenda of the international community, at least on the agenda of those interested in the Cyprus issue. I believe that this is a gain for us''. Asked whether there is the possibility of them not going to New York for the next round of talks, he replied: ``We will conduct an assessment. We will conduct an assessment into our present situation, future probabilities, and the dangers we may have to face. The point we stress, however, is the following: a confederation solution is the last chance for securing a conciliation between the two sides in Cyprus. The international community, if it does not want to miss this chance, has the choice of rectifying the mistaken policy it pursued for 37 years and produce an atmosphere of conciliation, which can only be secured under a confederal roof, or continue to pursue the 37-year-old mistaken policies. This stand did not and will not produce any conciliatory results.'' [10] Promotion, retirement of Turkish commandersA report in daily HURRIYET (4,8.00) says that the Supreme Military Council (YAS) in Turkey which currently discusses the promotion of 114 generals and admirals has made an unexpected decision. It appointed Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, Military Adviser to the Prime Ministry, as Second in Command of the General Staff. He replaced Gen. Edip Baser, who has been appointed as Commander of the 2nd Army. The decision to appoint General Buyukanit as the Second in Command of the General Staff only a year after he was promoted to the rank of Full General was the first of its kind in military tradition.According to the decisions the YAS made during its convocations, Gen. Atilla Ates, Commander of the Ground forces, and Gen. Rasim Betir, Commander of the Gendarmerie Forces, will retire on 30 August. General Ozkok/s appointment as the Commander of the Ground Forces for two years created a strong opportunity for him to be appointed as the Chief of the General Staff in 2002. The Council appointed Gen. Necdet Timur, Chief of the Ground Forces General Staff, as Commander of the 1st Army. It promoted Gen. Sener Eruygur to the rank of Full General and appointed him to replace Gen. Necdet Timur as Chief of the Ground Forces General Staff. Brig. Gen. Nihat Ozeyranli, who was involved in the recent developments in the occupied area of Cyprus, was promoted. [B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS[11] Ankara told to formulate new policy on CyprusA commentary by Sami Kohen in MILLIYET (2.8.00), referring to the recent crisis in the occupied area, inter alia says that ``at the point we are now, mutual recrimination over who is to blame for the crisis is only going to make its resolution that much harder. The truth of the matter is that both the erroneous policies of former administrations in Turkey and the incompetence of the TRNC leaders have been contributing factors in the emergence of this crisis. To put it bluntly, Ankara has at various times (going by the policies of the government at the time) run TRNC both economically and politically. Most of the time, and especially in the economy, Turkey/s own problems, like inflation have been `exported/ to TRNC. While Turkey is at the same time trying to get the world to recognize TRNC as an independent state, it is also smothering it with its wings. A good many practices, from the transfer of `the settlers/ to turning a blind eye to corruption linked to Turkey, have seriously upset the Turkish Cypriot community. The situation has taken on such a form that the average man in the street has begun to think that when Turkey sneezes TRNC gets pneumonia.The main issue in TRNC is that they have always seen full dependence on Turkey as an advantage and have arranged their affairs according to the money that was going to come from Turkey, while turning a blind eye to the corruption and extravagance. TRNC has never formed a sound economic base. When things go sour, it is all too easy to let Ankara should the burden.'' [36] Columnist blames Ecevit for situation in CyprusNecat Dogru, writing in SABAH (3.8.00) under the title ``Stinging questions to Ecevit on Cyprus'' wonders why after 26 years the situation in the occupied area has reached a miserable point.He names three people who laid the foundations of the occupied area 26 years ago. ``Under Chief Architect Bulent Ecevit, Prof. Turan Feyzioglu laid the foundation stones of the economic structure of the occupied area and Prof. Mumtaz Soysal those of the political structure'', notes Dogru. He says that most probably both Feyzioglu and Soysal prepared what Ecevit had asked for, so it was Ecevit who gave a start to this 26 year-long run. ``But unfortunately, after 26 years during which Turkey transferred around 5 billion US dollars to Cyprus, nothing happened and this long run came to this miserable end''. He accuses the Ankara governments of being responsible for this situation which created not a producing society but a consumer society and an army of young retired ``civil servants''. He concludes by wondering ``What is the result of self-criticism by Ecevit, who is the chief architect of this situation, and by Prof. Soysal?. Do you have any new plans for Cyprus? If yes, what are they?'' Dogru asks. 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 |
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