Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 01-05-17

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

[B] TOYÑÊÉÊA ÊAÉ TÏÕÑÊÏÊÕÐÑÉAÊA Ì.Ì.Å. TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER

No. 92/01 -- 17.5.01

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The reaction of the 41 organisations members of the platform ``This country is ours'' and professor Bakir Caglar to the ECHR decision.

[02] Avrupa reveals the activities of the underground organisation TMT-B/.

[03] Reactions by small political parties and other groups to the ECHR decision.

[04] Serious crisis in the so-called ``coalition government''.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

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[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Turkish columnist calls on Turkey to return to the federation proposal (2).

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The reaction of the 41 organisations members of the platform ``This country is ours'' and professor Bakir Caglar to the ECHR decision

In a statement issued yesterday by the platform, it is stressed that the decision is ``very important'', as since 1999 Turkey is a candidate to join the European Union.

The 41 organisations express the view that the Turkish side's intransigent policy and Rauf Denktash`s withdrawal from the proximity talks without taking into consideration the fact that the majority of the Turkish Cypriot community demands a federal solution, played important role for the decision of ECHR.

Meanwhile, ``Yeniduzen'' (17.5.01) publishes an interview with professor Bakir Caglar, who had been for years Turkey`s advocate at ECHR. According to professor Caglar the main factor for Turkey`s loosing the case is Rauf Denktash`s withdrawal from the proximity talks.

Mr. Caglar expresses the view that ``the Court was forced to take this decision as no doors were left open''. ``If there was progress towards finding a solution, no such decision would have been taken'', he says, proposing the return of the Turkish side to the negotiating table in an effort to ``ease the climate''. ``This climate can be eased, but absolutely nothing can be done on the issue of the decision'', he concludes.

[02] Avrupa reveals the activities of the underground organisation TMT - B` According to ``Avrupa'' (17.5.01), the so-called presidency of the pseudostate

According to the paper's information, the organizer of TMT - B` is Taner Etkin, one of the counsellors of the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and former so-called Minister of Foreign Affairs. Taner Etkin has participated in the latest proximity talks.

The paper reports that Mr. Etkin visits every village in the occupied Cyprus and organises meetings in order to register new members . As its founders wish the organisation to remain secret, adds ``Avrupa'', they are about to ``make it legal'' with the name ``National People/s Movement''.

According to ``Avrupa'', the aims of the organisation have been specified as follows: 1) Fight against those who do not support the Confederation solution. Among these people are the journalists of ``Avrupa'' as well. 2) Fight against those who support the EU, 3) Fight against those who have conducts with the Greek Cypriots and participate in the bi-communal activities, 4) Fight against those who apply for taking passports of the Republic of Cyprus.

The paper writes that special groups have come especially from Turkey to train the members of the new organisation. However, it is not known whether these special groups went to the occupied areas ``through the official channels'' or whether civilian officials in Ankara are aware of these activities, continues ``Avrupa''.

``Political observers are worried that South Cyprus` EU accession course will be very critical for the Turkish Cypriot patriots and that these secret activities, which are preparing the ground for plots, provocations and bloody crimes, will be increased'', concludes ``Avrupa''.

[03] Reactions by small political parties and other groups to the ECHR decision

In a statement issued yesterday, the leader of the National Revival Party (NRP), Enver Emin, alleges that the decision ``shows clearly that the European justice has been put in the service of politics''.

Mr. Emin expresses also the view that the Turkish side ``must think, make new assessments and find new ways of approaching this kind of decisions''.

Meanwhile, the President of the Liberal Party (LP), Dr. Ahmet Bolayir, claims in his statement that in the future the decision will have both legal and political repercussions.

Mr. Bolayir alleges that the rights of thousands of Turkish Cypriots had been also violated before 1974 and adds that his party believes that it is necessary that these people apply to the international judicial organs to prove the so-called ``violation of their rights''.

Furthermore, the Vice President of the so-called Association of the Kokkina Village ``Fighters'', Isfendiyar Astug, said that the decision is ``an insult to humanity''.

``These so-called protectors of the human rights'', adds Mr. Astug referring to the Europeans, ``must know that the Turkish Cypriots are determined to continue their struggle in every way, including the armed struggle, in order to be able to live humanly and have their human rights''.

[04] Serious crisis in the so-called ``coalition government''

``KIBRIS'' under the title ``Breaking point'' reports that CLP seems to be angry after the NUP leader Dervish Eroglu`s statement that ``there is no rule according to which the coalition governments last for five years''. The paper says that the so-called ministers of CLP did not participate in the meeting of the ``Council of Ministers'' planned to take place yesterday.

While the so-called prime minister Eroglu stated that the meeting had been cancelled because the ``Minister'' of Education, was going to have an operation, CLP leader Mustafa Akinci said that no meeting could take place ``in such an climate of uncertainty''.

Furthermore, in its main editorial ``Vatan'' writes that a new ``coalition'' between NUP and the Democratic Party is almost certain and adds that it is expected that this new ``coalition'' will be finalised by the end of the week.

``Ortam'' writes that this is the ``Decision day'' for the continuation or not, of the so-called ``coalition government''.

``Yeni Demokrat'' wonders whether there is a ``government'', as there is an ``uncertainty'' in the NUP - CLP ``coalition''.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[01] Turkish columnist calls on Turkey to return to the federation proposal (2)

The full text of the article is the following:

``Do not tell me that everybody is coping with troubles and Turkey is in a terrible situation and therefore I should avoid adding the Cyprus question to our crowded list of existing problems.

In my article published two days ago I underlined that the Cyprus issue would eventually lead to extremely grave consequences for both Turkey and Turkish Cypriots, giving examples. Views I summed up in that article have received a great support from Turkish Cypriots.

`This path could lead to imposition of an embargo on Turkey/, I warned in that article. The situation is so critical.

I was watching afternoon news on TV on the same day the article was published when I heard that the Cyprus question had been placed on the top of the agenda of a NSC (National Security Council) meeting to be held this month. I was very delighted, immediately concluding that wisdom had prevailed and facts had finally been perceived and would be discussed. Chauvinist ideas should absolutely be prevented from dominating that meeting.

While I was pondering over this matter I received an invitation to a panel discussion from an organization named ATC, which is engaged in some mysterious activities I could never figure out so far. The words ``North Cyprus Minister'' were inscribed on the envelope and according to the invitation State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel would attend the panel discussion as a guest speaker. I thought it should be a newly-formed ministry. I was later informed that Gurel was in Washington. I immediately phoned the Beltway team, who told me that Gurel was making very harsh statements about the Cyprus question. ``They would regret should they admit Greek Cypriots to the EU. If that happens we would make sure that they regret their decision. Besides, rulings handed out by the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) should not be overstated'', he has reportedly said in sum.

There is a proverb which goes, `the mice has become angry with the mountain, but the latter has not even noticed it /. What do Gurel/s remarks suggest? Are we going to impose an embargo on the EU or cause even a bigger calamity by attempting to annex the TRNC? Are we going to sever our ties with the rest of the world and burn our bridges?

These opinion reflect the mentality of people who sympathize with the policy of non-alignment and does not care whether Turkey shares the same fate with Iraq. They have not even grasped how disastrous the ECHR/s ruling, which has condemned Turkey, could be for Turkey and they neither seem to be aware of its meaning. They are also unable to see that the EU accounts for 75 percent of Turkey/s exports and they cannot predict consequences of an embargo that may be imposed by the European Union.

While the Foreign Minister is there another minister is talking. Is this possible? Of course not, it is strange. Well, is he taken seriously? If we look at the levels that the person who is a Turkish Minister, met with in Washington, for example the level of the person at the National Security Council the answer is not that much encouraging.

Anyway, Chief of Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu should immediately meet with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who will return to Turkey tomorrow, behind closed doors. We should avoid making people, whom we have saved, wait for another saviour to save them from ourselves. The era marked by nationalist rhetoric has already ended in the whole world.

``There is a need for a new policy on the Cyprus question. They will sooner or later force us to accept territorial integrity of the island. The era of 70s has ended'', I said almost six years ago, provoking angry reactions from hawks and the rich in the TRNC.

Finally, we have found ourselves in a desperate situation. We are approaching a point where in actions would speak louder than words.

None of my views should be interpreted as a suggestion that Greek Cypriots should be given free rein of everything in the island. We should swiftly take logical steps at least to ensure that the world lends an ear to our arguments even if we cannot immediately tip the scales in our favour during the negotiating process. According to TV reports, we could not even send a team of lawyers to defend our case in the ECHR. These are the consequences of the blunders we have made and the short-sighted policy we have pursued.

Since Turkey has embarked upon a far-reaching reform process, our foreign policy should also be reformed in the most rational and expeditious manner to enable it to protect the Turkish public/s interests over the short, medium and long term. It should also give due consideration to Liebermann transformation.

We have only one Turkey. Therefore, we must hold it dear''.

From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/

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