Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-03-14

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. 50/01 -- 14.3.01

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash calls on Greece to tell Greek Cypriots there are two states in Cyprus.

[02] Izzet Izcan accuses Denktash of being intransigent. Calls on Turkish Cypriots to join the Republic/s EU accession negotiating team.

[03] Rauf Denktkash replies to Mr. Kasoulides.

[04] Koyuncuoglu: It would be a disaster for the Turkish Cypriots if they entered the EU without Turkey.

[05] Newspaper claims Turkey will make concessions on Cyprus in return for money from the US.

[06] Demirel: Greek and Turkish Cypriots must live together.

[07] Cosar calls for resignation of Eroglu.

[08] Pine trees in the occupied areas hit by infectious disease.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] Cengiz Candar draws bleak picture of Turkish economy.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktash Calls on Greece To Tell Greek Cypriots There Are two States in Cyprus

Denktash noted that the purpose of establishing the partnership Republic in 1960 and the goal of the concessions made by Turkey, the Turkish Cypriots, Greece and the Greek Cypriots in order to establish this Republic was to remove Cyprus from being a problem between Turkey and Greece and to transform the island into a bridge of peace. He stressed that this was the reason why Enosis and the partition of the island were banned. Denktash stated that the Greek Cypriot administration is not the state for which Greece a cosignatory of the 1960 agreements is a guarantor state. Pointing out that an honorable guarantee system was devised in a bid to safeguard the partnership and to prevent the destruction of the partnership Republic, Denktash alleged that a decision was reached to exclude Cyprus from organizations which do not have Turkey and Greece as members. He continued: Greece and Makarios destroyed this friendship bridge for the sake of Enosis, took every step banned by the agreements, and committed every sort of crime through the force of arms for 11 years in order to reduce the Turkish Cypriot partners of the Republic to the status of a minority.

Denktash also alleged that Greece obtained military bases on the island in violation of the agreements, and concluded: It is again Greece that violated the agreements prompting the Greek Cypriot administration to become a candidate country through a unilateral application and that threatened to veto the other candidate states in the event the Greek Cypriot administration is not accepted as a full member.

[02] Izzet Izcan accuses Denktash of being intransigent. Calls on Turkish Cypriots to join the Republic/s EU accession negotiating team

Mr. Izcan noted that the status quo in Cyprus is unacceptable adding that the Turkish Cypriots must be salvaged from this situation.

Mr. Izcan said that all the democratic political powers within the Turkish Cypriot community will continue in unity their struggle in order to bring peace to the island.

The Turkish Cypriot politician stressed that it is not too late to solve the Cyprus problem in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the High Level Agreements, so that Cyprus as a whole could become a member of the European Union.

[03] Rauf Denktash replies to Mr. Kasoulides The Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, in an exclusive interview with

When asked to comment on Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides/ statement that Turkey can do nothing in case Cyprus becomes EU member without the settlement of the Cyprus problem, but resort to blackmail and threat, which Turkey is doing now, Denktash said:

The accusation that Turkey and the "TRNC" resort to blackmail and display intransigence is not true. The declaration that the rights stipulated by the international agreements, shall be defended to the very end and that we will not bow before injustice cannot be branded blackmail, it is a serious warning".

When reminded that Foreign Minister Kasoulides/ statement that the application for EU was made for the whole of Cyprus, Denktash used the Greek world "Andropi" (shame) and said it seems that they are not ashamed of the things they have meted out to the Turkish Cypriots for 11 years (1963-74).

Denktash repeated his known views that the Cyprus Government is not the government of the whole of Cyprus and that the Turkish Cypriots will defend their "state" and that the world is committing a mistake in the handling of the Cyprus problem.

Denktash urged the Turkish Cypriots to continue the "struggle" with Motherland Turkey against, as he put it, the Greek-Greek Cypriot blackmail.

[04] Koyuncuoglu: It would be a disaster for the Turkish Cypriots if they entered the EU without Turkey

[05] Newspaper claims Turkey will make concessions on Cyprus in return for money from the US

[06] Demirel: Greek and Turkish Cypriots must live together In an interview he gave to HALKIN SESI (14.3.01), on the occasion of the

Replying to questions by Mehmet Remzi Gokhan, Demirel claimed that the Cyprus problem would be solved when the "equal rights" of the Turkish Cypriots are accepted. Mr. Demirel said that it was not possible for the Turkish Cypriots to enter the EU without Turkey.

"The Turkish Cypriots could not make any moves separately from Turkey for whatever reason" he added.

Mr. Demirel noted that the so-called TRNC does not cause economic problems to Turkey because its population is as small as the Turkish province of Bilecik.

"I am one of those who believe that the TRNC is a national cause for Turkey" said Demirel adding that for him there is no difference between the occupied areas of Cyprus and any other district of Turkey.

"We shall react in the same way when someone touches the TRNC, as if he has touched Edirne (Andrianoupolis)", he noted.

[07] Cosar calls for resignation of Eroglu KIBRIS (14.3.01) reports under banner headlines that the chairman of the

Speaking before a delegation of Turkish Cypriot Civil Servants Union (KTAMS), headed by the Union/s Chairman Ali Seylani, Salih Cosar branded the so-called Eroglu government inapt and invited the s-called government to tender its resignation.

[08] Pine trees in the occupied areas hit by infectious disease KIBRIS (14.3.01) reports that the forests in the occupied areas are

The so-called Director of Forestry Department Altay Kazma said that unless effective measures are taken the disease will cause total damage to the trees in a period of 4-5 years.

The specialists explained that the results can be seen only in 4-5 years, but the fight against the disease must begin now otherwise it will be too late. It will be a great calamity. The pine processonary caterpillar disease prevents the growth of trees. Kazma added that complete annihilation of the disease can only be achieved in autumn, so they demanded from the pseudostate a 43 billion TL budget for the next campaign in November 2001.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[09] Cengiz Candar Draws Bleak Picture of Turkish Economy Writing in his regular column in YENI SAFAK (Ankara Edition) (11.3.01) under

Turkey will tomorrow enter probably the most critical week in its near history, because State Minister Kemal Dervis will return home today. His return means that he will submit the new program to the government and demand its endorsement by the coalition partners without dragging their feet.

The program will also put an end to sharing of state-owned banks among different political parties (or their leaders) in what is considered a rough sharing out of public funds, albeit reluctantly. In other words, the fate of Emlakbank, Vakifbank and Ziraat Bank, which the ANAP [Motherland Party] and the MHP [Nationalist Action Party] were greedily holding in their hands when Kemal Dervis was appointed State Minister in charge of the economy, as well as the Privatization Administration will be determined not by the coalition partners, but by the program and its author, namely Kemal Dervis.

What if all these do not happen? They may not eventually happen and that would dash hopes for a cash injection by the United States and international finance institutions, which is being eagerly waited for by the markets and Turkey for breathing a sigh of relief and which Kemal Dervis is trying to secure. In fact, Dervis hinted in his messages he sent from Washington that things would turn out this way. Dervis is currently Turkey's most powerful figure. He derives his strength from the government's financial failure. Thus, Engin Ardic has summarized the situation in the most radical and, in a sense, striking manner in his article in yesterday's issue of daily Star:

"We should clearly admit that the Republic of Turkey has gone bankrupt. In addition to its foreign debts nearing $100 billion Kemal Dervis is now trying to secure another $25 billion according to some speculations, or $40 billion according to fresh rumours. It would be virtually impossible for Turkey to repay such a huge amount of money. Its resources and assets would not suffice. It could neither avert it, to wit it could not resort to what they euphemistically call a "consolidation" of its debts. If that happens, governments and banks, which have lent loans to Turkey, would directly seize our resources. In other words, a Public Debts Administration, reminiscent of the one founded during the Ottoman era, could be set up. Then, you would either succumb and withdraw your forces from Cyprus and make expected concessions in south-east Anatolia, which would mean that you are finished off, or, you spend the next century by repaying these loans with great difficulties and make no progress at all, if you do not fall back."

Is the situation really so grave? The answer is yes. The situation may not be so serious, but it is very close. Therefore, it is simply inconceivable that politicians, especially Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, are still unable to grasp the gravity of the situation. Ecevit, who should take much of the blame for the recent crisis, still speaks of how the floating exchange rate policy would boost exports. He is happy as if everything has started changing for the better thanks to the crisis. If this is not an example of a political imprudence or ignorance of economics - the public can now see that he is suffering from both - one can judge that this is a pathetic medical incident. Since the said person is the Prime Minister of Turkey, our nation is facing a dire situation.

Nevertheless, nobody, other than Ankara representatives of a group of newspapers, takes him seriously and minds what he says. Since Kemal Dervis will return home today we are not going to waste our time by listening to nonsense talk. We will rather be able to focus on very serious and vital issues.

In fact, international circles take Turkey more seriously than its own leaders and media. They frequently issue political and economic reports. One of them is Lehman Brothers, which is a well-known institution. In a report titled "Turkey: Five Fundamental Lessons", which has also been sent to Kemal Dervis by e-mail, Lehman Brothers lists these five fundamental lessons, which should be drawn from the recent crisis and could lead to a more severe crisis if ignored, as follows:

[80] If the problems faced by the banking industry are not addressed within the framework of an appropriate timetable, risks associated with these

[86] Dangers which might be caused by very swift fiscal adjustments.

[88] The pivotal role of transparency and credibility.

[90] Consultation and consensus-building.

[92] Exchange rate regimes in the age of globalization.

From my standpoint, the fourth lesson is the main, yet invisible reason for the failure of the last program. Therefore, I strongly believe that it is essential for Kemal Dervis to meet not only with the cabinet members, but also with representatives of the opposition parties, the TOBB [Union of Turkish Chambers and Exchanges], the TUSIAD [Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen], trade unions and other non-governmental organizations in order to win their supports.

The situation is very grave.

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