Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-05-03

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader replies to points raised by George Papandreou during his latest official visit to Ankara.

[02] Tansu Ciller against concessions in Cyprus.

[03] Talat proposes transition to Euro-Type Monetary System and implementation of confidence-building measures.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] Columnist in SABAH criticizes Turkey for not issuing visas to Greek Cypriot Journalists.

[08] Article in HURRIYET accuses Denktash of intransigence.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader replies to points raised by George Papandreou during his latest official visit to Ankara

The interview is the following:

Question: Is Greece genuinely supporting Turkey in the EU?

Answer: As long as Turkey´s EU membership can be used to gain the concessions over Cyprus that the Greeks and Greek Cypriots want, then yes, Papandreou is going to be seen genuinely supporting Turkey´s accession to the EU.

Question: From the perspective of Greek Cyprus´ EU membership, Papandreou said such a move would be a great opportunity for the island. Is this true for the Turkish community, too?

Answer: By means of this application for membership, which was carried out with purely political aims and which is being accepted as a valid application for the entire island, the Greek Cypriot administration is creating a great opportunity to spread its sovereignty to the north of the island and, in spite of the population exchange made in 1974 and the agreements made in 1977-79, to send its population north and displace the Turks that are living there now. In addition to this, the nationalist investment support that will be provided by Greece to a Cyprus that is an EU member, will allow them to buy up all our land with large amounts of money. Currently, the Greek Cypriot leadership is planning to issue resolutions at the European Parliament stating that as the island is EU territory, the Turkish military occupation should end and the Turkish army withdraw. This will only confuse matters and create the opportunity to have more resolutions to this effect issued and to create new `incidents´.

Furthermore, by providing the EU army with a base on Cyprus, this will give them a great opportunity to set Turkey and the EU against each other on Cyprus. In short, the politically motivated Greek Cypriot application for EU membership will be seen as an application on behalf of the entire island and will give the Greek/Greek Cypriot double an unrivalled opportunity to create the biggest crisis in this region in over 40 years.

Question: Papandreou is proposing that both sides make cutbacks to their military spending and that both the Turkish and Greek armies withdraw their forces from the island completely. Even if this is done, he mentions nothing about the existence and threat posed by the 70,000-strong Greek Cypriot National Guard with its tanks, artillery and missiles. Could Turkey and TRNC accept this?

Answer: Kyprianou in 1974, 75 and 76; Vassiliou in 1990-91 and Clerides whenever he feels like it have raised the issue of disarmament. The aim is to render the Cypriot Turks completely defenseless. What happens then is easy. Using the weapons they will hide in order to show they have disarmed the island, they will easily cleanse the island of the Turks, just like in Crete. Leaving the Turkish Cypriots entirely defenseless against 700,00 power-hungry Greek Cypriots enemies will be unacceptable!

There is something people forget and that is that the 1960 agreements was thought of as an interim formula to prevent land partitioning through Enosis. By means of this formula, the active protection of the Turkish Cypriots by Turkey became guaranteed. With these international agreements, what had been given the Turkish Cypriots in order to make them accept the 1960 agreements was a basis and vital right that was impossible to eradicate, neutralize or steal back from them.

From a geopolitical angle, the fact that Turkey´s own rights depended on this as well gave our people a double guarantee. Were it not for this right and the fact that the deployment on Cyprus of a Turkish Regiment effectively backing the guarantees was recognized, the 1960 agreements would never have happened. It is for this reason that the Greek Cypriot administration has been struggling since 1960 to eradicate, wipe out or forcibly displace the Turkish Cypriots and turn Cyprus into the Greek Republic of Cyprus and remove the guarantees that had halted Enosis. In the Akritas Plan the idea of `neutralizing´ the Guarantee Agreement´ was shown to be a key national target. Success would mean removing all obstacles to Enosis.

Clerides corroborates this: "If Cyprus were to become an EU member, the Turkish guarantee would become null and void and the displaced Greek Cypriots would win the right to migrate back north. The victory of Hellenism would be assured".

Consequently, it is quite natural for Papandreou to invite Turkey to demilitarize and to leave disarming the island up to the Greek Cypriots. The moment they neutralize the guarantee agreement on Cyprus, they will mount frequent ambushes with shotguns and murder the Turkish Cypriots saying, "I have the right to move north; get out of my house", and will continue their attacks until they have taken Cyprus in much the same way as happened on Crete. It is for these reasons that in all the 38 years of talks, we have always said, "Do not touch the guarantee agreement".

Question: Papandreou says that 60 percent of the Greek people want to have good relations with Turkey. Can you say the same is true for the Greek government?

Answer: Papandreou´s policy of rapprochement towards Turkey had given us hope. His expectations that Turkey would give concessions over Cyprus as a precondition for friendship has dampened these hopes somewhat.

They were unable to seize the island over 1955-58 seeing Turkey as the enemy. What they wanted between 1963 and the earthquake disaster of 1999 was to turn the joint republic attained over 1955-60 through a policy of friendship into Enosis or a Greek Republic of Cyprus through a policy of hostility. When Turkey did not react, what they then decided upon was to use the earthquake as a pretext (even if the people are genuine) and at a government level abandon the stick and use the EU carrot to take Cyprus. That is how we evaluate the situation.

Question: While Papandreou frequently stresses good relations with Turkey, he says nothing about the Turkish community on the island or the Turkish state that is there. Can we therefore say that Athens and the Greek Cypriot administration have given up their idea of Enosis on the island?

Answer: By denying after 1963 everything that had been guaranteed in the 1960 agreements, Greece has been trying to make its Cypriot partner the legitimate government and state on the island. Despite it being forbidden according to the 1960 agreements, Greece is trying to seize Cyprus via the back door using the EU. There is no longer any direct need for Enosis. A second Greek republic under the EU umbrella is an outcome as acceptable as Enosis. Consequently, whether they call it Enosis or not, laying claim to the whole of Cyprus and the annihilation of the Turkish-Greek balance formed on Cyprus in 1960 leading to making the island the last in a long chain of Greek islands is Greece´s sure fire and principle target.

Activities to establish Enosis on Cyprus are by no means over. It has been determined that 27 percent of Greek Cypriots want a federation. They also want a "German-style federation" where everybody returns to their original places and where by means of a unified voting list the Turks become an ethnic minority.

Around 45 percent of the Turkish Cypriots say, "Firstly we want an agreement and our status defined", while another 45 percent say, "Firstly we want an agreement, our status defined and to part of Turkey". If we are not to give any opportunity to those who want to upset the peace achieved by the Cyprus Peace Operation of 1974, we have to evaluate these facts very well.

[02] Tansu Ciller against concessions in Cyprus KIBRIS (3.5.01) reports that the leader of True Path Party, Tansu Ciller,

Ciller expressed concern over Turkey´s foreign policy and said: "The Greek Cypriot side announced that there are signs for some compromises related to Cyprus. We hope this is a lie. We hope that it is not true. Otherwise the nation will condemn the destiny of those who will exchange the territory that was soaked with heroic blood for money".

[03] Talat proposes transition to Euro-Type Monetary System and implementation of confidence-building measures

Talat gave the press conference at the RTP headquarters presenting RTP's booklet on solutions for economic and political issues as well as the Cyprus question. Dwelling on the recent economic crises, Talat said that the negative results of the high interest rates brought from the outside were felt more in north Cyprus than they were in Turkey. He further noted the need for structural changes in the economy. Pointing out that the implementation of the necessary economic reforms can be possible only by bringing to power honest and just "governments", channelling local savings to local banks, and directing savings to local investments, Talat noted the need for a new political and economic structuring that will render the "state" and the economic funds more transparent and more conducive to supervision. He further said that the reasons for the economic crises being experienced in the occupied Cyprus are the faulty economic and political structures and the failure of the pseudo-state to establish its own economic administration.

Referring to political issues and the solution of the Cyprus question, Talat reiterated the federation thesis advocated by his party and dwelt on issues such as EU membership, relations with Turkey, and the confidence- building measures to be taken mutually with the Cyprus government. He noted that the current socio-economic conditions necessitate a new political structuring in line with the present realities. Pointing out that it is wrong to expect Turkey to solve the problems, Talat said that the understanding of 'let Turkey give and let us distribute' is greatly damaging to bilateral relations. He stressed the need for rational relations based on mutual interests. Dwelling on the need for confidence- building measures between the pseudostate and the Greek Cypriots, Talat explained the measures that should be taken in that direction. Talat disclosed his 12-article package of proposals, which includes opening the fenced area of Varoshia to the economic activities of both sides, the joint use of the Nicosia International Airport, and the implementation of similar measures in Pyla. He said that such an initiative will eliminate the "embargoes" and the atmosphere of mutual disputes.

Finally, Talat said that the necessary steps should be taken as soon as possible for the pseudostate to participate as a politically equal side in the talks being held between the EU and the Cyprus government.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] Columnist in SABAH criticizes Turkey for not issuing visas to Greek Cypriot Journalists

These four Greek Cypriot journalists, were going to debate the Cyprus problem for one and half day with their Turkish, Greek, German and Turkish Cypriot colleagues, at a conference organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

When we came together, at one of the small conference rooms of the Dedeman Hotel last weekend we noted that the Greek Cypriots were not among us.

And when we asked the organizer of the conference, why the Greek Cypriots were not present, we learned that our Foreign Ministry did not issue a visa for them.

Only God knows under which extraordinary policy considerations visas were not issued to these Greek Cypriots.

What would have happened, had the Greek Cypriots come here and for one and the half day discussed the Cyprus problem with their Greek, Turkish, German and Turkish Cypriot colleagues? Nothing would have happened.

Turkey´s Cyprus image has been created with this case and hundreds of similar cases. This image, however, is not a good one.

In the International Community the prevailing conviction is that the Turkish side because of its tough stance, has pushed the peace negotiations in the island into an impasse. There is almost unanimous agreement that the TRNC President Rauf Denktash does not want peace. The Turkish public opinion is unaware of this, because, the brainwashers have taken away from the Turkish public opinion the quality of taking objective decisions.

This is not a failure that a country could easily achieve, on an issue that it has right but the prevailing majority of the world public opinion considers it hundred percent wrong. Such a clear defeat could only be achieved after much thinking and super human efforts. This could be an interesting subject for research: "Methods for Clear Defeat in the Foreign Policy-Learn how you could be considered wrong".

Turkey has a lot of foreign policy problems. In the Foreign Ministry there are no settlement plans for any of these problems. If there are, they are very well hidden . Turkey´s making any concession on the foreign policy issues is out of the question, because in all these issues Turkey is hundred percent right. And on the Cyprus problem it has the most right.

Unfortunately, on this issue too we are alone.

The Turkish foreign policy is a Titanic and Cyprus is an Iceberg that floats in the darkness of the nights.

It is very easy not to issue visas for four Greek journalists. But it is not so easy to decide to prevent accession of Cyprus or what to do when the EU soon issues full membership visa to Cyprus".

[64] Article in HURRIYET accuses Denktash of intransigence Hadi Uluengin, writing in HURRIYET (2.5.01) under the title "Naked King"

Referring to reports published in the Greek Cypriot press and quoted by HURRIYET´s "Nicosia correspondent" Huseyin Alkan, that following the economic crisis that hit Turkey and had strong repercussions in the occupied area, the Turkish Cypriots started rushing to get passports of the Republic of Cyprus, Hadi Uluengin says: "Following the economic crisis in Turkey, there was an explosion in the number of the TRNC citizens that want to acquire Greek Cypriot passport... Our Nicosia correspondent Huseyin Alkan, was reporting this issue in HURRIYET.

But since the source is from the south I am sure, Denktash administration will deny this, will brand it "the Greek Cypriot propaganda!". It has already done so... In that case let me give you some figures taken before the crisis.

And in order for Denktash Bey (way of address) not to brand these figures propaganda as well, I will start with figures taken from the official domestic statistical figures of the Immigration Office of Great Britain.

Hold it well, this `suis generis´ state in the name of TRNC, has the highest percentage in the World in `exporting´ `political refugees´. Populationwise when it is compared to other countries there is no other country that equals or surpasses it. Do you know that only in 1995, the number of the Turkish Cypriots that demanded political asylum from Britain is 783... And on the family basis the total for 1995, 1996 and 1997 is 1132 families that demanded political asylum?.

And in order to prevent this situation the British government has imposed as of 1st January 1999 visa requirements to those who hold TRNC travelling documents. The British government now issues `visiting visas´ to those who hold Turkish passport.

Without any doubt this `political asylum´ is in fact an `economic asylum´ that aims at improving the economic situation, and emanates from raising the standards of living.

Since 1974, around 50-60 thousand people have emigrated mainly to the Commonwealth countries. Since the 1974 operation, the number of native Turks (Turkish Cypriots) living in Cyprus was halved and at present half of the population of the TRNC is made up of people from Turkey. That´s enough. Let us name this situation. `The saved´ ones who want to take care of their own affairs want to get rid of their `saviours´.

That´s enough. Let us say that `the King in the TRNC is naked, totally naked´. However, you cannot declare it that easily!

Of course not in Denktash Bey´s TRNC but in Turkey, which shoulders Mr. Denktash´s TRNC where there is an easy going life, where Denktash has created very solid `Lobby that opposes a settlement´. This lobby is so powerful and so evil that not only you cannot say that a barrister of the `Wall Period¨ (He means the Berlin Wall and cold war era. Tr. Note. He means Denktash) who has made up his mind not to reach a conciliation in the island, mortgaged the foreign policy of a sixty million strong country for a quarter of a century, but you cannot even cite these absolute figures mentioned above, because they will start accusing you of `selling off Cyprus´ or for `treason´ . They will smear your mouth hot pepper.

You cannot even ask Denktash why apart from Turkey no other country recognizes his `state´ or ask him why `you are attending a protest meeting in Malatya (south Turkey) to protest a third country, but you refuse to attend Cyprus negotiations, even if Turkish diplomats in the corridors of the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara, because of fear of the lobby, could only whisper. `As long as Denktash is there settlement hangs in the air´ because the `non-solution Lobby´ will rub your mouth with venom.

Whereas, the king is naked! And the realities are persistent! and objective.

Whether economic emigration or political asylum or getting Greek Cypriot passport, the reality is: `The saved ones are getting rid of the saviour and leaving north Cyprus´. The TRNC gets the world Championship in exporting political refugees! As things go this way in north Cyprus, only, you, me, our son and of course the naked king will remain. Let them rub our mouth with hot pepper or venom.

The king in the TRNC is naked".

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