Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-05-31

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ecevit alleges that the world views the Cyprus problem as artificial.

[02] Rauf Denktash/s Advisor to form a political party.

[03] NUP and DP welcome NSC decision.

[04] More bomb attacks are expected in the pseudostate after Turkey/s NSC decision.

[05] The USA is said to plan buying the Russian S-300 missiles and deploying them in countries like Turkey.

[06] Inal Batu calls on the Turkish Cypriot side to return to the negotiating table.

[07] Denktash denies reports that he is the leader of NPM.

[08] NUP and DP to form a pseudo-government in the occupied areas.

[09] Tansu Ciller is asking for discussion of the Cyprus problem in the Turkish Parliament.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[10] Columnist in SABAH criticizes Ecevit/s proposal for two states in Cyprus.

[11] Turkish columnist accuses Sener Levent of treason.

[12] The policy of getting real tough.

[13] Turkish Cypriot columnist defends the right of the refugees to return to their homes.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Ecevit alleges that the world views the Cyprus problem as artificial

[02] Rauf Denktash/s Adviser to form a political party

The full text of the report is the following: Mumtaz Soysal, who is preparing to form a "Kemalist" party on the political left, argued that Turkey is besieged by the United States and Western countries and that a "national resistance [movement] must be organized" against them. Criticizing [Minister of State Kemal] Dervish, Soysal said: "We will become a colony if there is no resistance." Below are some of Soysal's views.

--Need for a new party: The state of the economy and political cadres is obvious. One of the parties on the left has clearly stopped being leftist. In the other party reform in cadres and ideology remains blocked. There is a need for a new party.

--National front: There is an assault and siege against Turkey. The Western world, comprised of the United States and the EU, is saying that "Turkey is not being run well" and that "this place must be run differently" just as they did in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. They put Turk Telekom on sale and privatize public banks because Turkey is run badly. It will not stop there. The situation is somewhat reminiscent of the [Mondreaux] Armistice period [in 1919]. A national front is needed against that.

--Sense of direction: Europe is debating what it will be 20 years later. In contrast we have lost our sense of direction and are mired in confusion. The people we thought could show the way and the branches we held on to turned out to be hollow. That is how some people were brought from outside. This did not happen even in the worst period of the Ottoman Empire.

--There is no difference: In the past the ideology that set a direction was Kemalism. Now we need an ideology like that. Dervish's policies are not any different from those that have been proposed thus far. Dervis's job at the World Bank was to implement this model in societies without creating any social catastrophes. When you take a look at Africa which Dervish visited most often you see a continent where the maldistribution of wealth has become steadily worse and where all hope has been lost. Now he is not proposing anything different from that. Dervish is telling us what Cottarrelli was saying in the past, only in Turkish. The government is consenting to the proposals of whoever brings the money.

--Dervis not on left: I do not see Dervish on the left. If others see him that way they are making a mistake; they will go to the right even as they intend to go to the left. Dervish has no chance on the left, but he may have a chance in the country overall. In the presence of such terror, in a helpless and desperate society that is trying to hang on to straws in the air he can be successful in the sense that he can say: "I brought $13 billion. I will find more money if you follow me. I came from the United States. I have good relations there."

--DLP and Baykal: The DLP [Democratic Left Party] has stopped being a democratic left party. It has joined the bandwagon of MP [Motherland Party] policies. Baykal returned to the RPP [Republican People's Party] saying that he has changed but his deeds showed that he has not changed. There is no change in that party's course.

--Erdal Inonu: We have unqualified respect for Inonu. During our talks we agreed that the new party must not be a party of the discontented and that it should be made up of new names or that at least older names should not be conspicuous initially. There are some differences between this approach of ours and the approach Inonu may propose, but this is not a problem. He remains attached to his former Social Democracy Party approach which demanded less change of order. He believes that an ideology that is not marked by such a sharp tone of Kemalism may be more successful. Our negotiations are continuing. We may meet in the middle somewhere.

--Kurdish-language education: They tell us that Kurdish is the mother tongue of 10 million to 12 million people in Turkey and that consequently there should be Kurdish-language education. At first glance this may appear to be a very liberal demand that respects the individual. However this proposal means forcing people to become a minority. Introducing Kurdish-language education for the sake of appeasing the EU seems artificial. People can form associations and institutes to speak and to develop their mother tongues freely. If they have enough money they can also publish newspapers and broadcast television programmes.

--Dinosaur: Whenever you level the slightest criticism against globalization you are accused of being a reactionary, a dinosaur, or a fossil. Opposing the privatization of Turk Telekom--or its sale in this form--is seen as virtual treason. During the Armistice years it was said in Istanbul: "We have been defeated, so let us not do anything. Resistance will produce an even bigger catastrophe." Unfortunately there is a similar factionalization today.

--EU membership: If the EU does not change its position on Cyprus, the Aegean, and Kurdish issues [Turkey's] application [for membership] may be withdrawn. Cyprus and the Aegean issues have been included in the short-term problems. The EU has been explicit on the issue of the Kurdish language but it is not clear what they want on the Southeast. Do they want a federation? This is not very clear.

--No delegates: I expressed my willingness to serve as the general chairman of the RPP but I realized that they were not interested. When I looked behind me to see if anyone is with me there were no delegates behind me. The delegate structure did not inspire my confidence. Had there been sufficient strength behind me or had their delegate structure not been the way it was I would have liked to play a role.

--Rearguard action: Now they are pulling my arm. That is how I left academic life and entered parliament. I was told: "Professor, you have been saying these from the outset. You have been training students but that is not how it is done. Enter the system and exert your influence." I did those even though there were aspects that were incompatible with my character. If I had any support behind me I would have made a bid for the general chairmanship of the parties you mention. I am in the same position today. I am willing to do this. If there are other people also then this resistance can begin. Perhaps initially this will be a rearguard action, but like every rearguard action it can lead to a counteroffensive and victory. It should be so, otherwise it would be bad for Turkey.

--We will become a colony: Things will worsen steadily if a battle is not waged. At a minimum we will become a sorry oppressed colony. Even today we have the appearance of a semi-colony. Who is running Turkey? Turkey is not being run from Turkey. Was our economic model formulated in Turkey? The EU gave us a draft National Programme and we copied that draft onto official paper.

--Thought terrorism: You are in a crisis. The economy has collapsed. You should not have allowed it to collapse, but since it collapsed they are giving you money. If they give you money they will of course impose terms. We swallowed all these slowly. We do everything we are told. The entire system is subject to terror from outside. The terrorism over thought is affecting even the President.

[03] NUP and DP welcome NSC Decision

The NUP Press Bureau issued a statement today drawing attention to the fact that the Cyprus developments and the issue of strengthening the economy of the pseudostate were discussed at the NSC meeting. The statement expressed satisfaction with the content of the NSC communique, adding that it was in full harmony with the decision on the Cyprus issue adopted at the NUP congress. The NUP statement noted that the time has come for the Greek Cypriot-Greek duo and its supporters to understand that an agreement cannot be reached in Cyprus without taking into consideration the interests of the Turkish nation and without accepting the existence of the «TRNC» and that those who want to reduce the status of the Turkish Cypriots to that of a minority will have to face the Turkish nation. Pointing out that the relations between Turkey and the «TRNC» will be further advanced, the NUP statement stressed that, as has been stated in the NSC communique, the Turkish Cypriots will attain the prosperity and tranquillity they deserve as a result of Turkey's intensified support.

Expressing the belief that significant successes will be attained in both the Cyprus issue and in the solution of the economic problems through planned, dynamic, and determined activities to be conducted in cooperation with Turkey, the NUP statement noted that those who do not want to see the reality of the «TRNC» might change their attitude as a result of the developments to be achieved through these activities.

Meanwhile, Salih Cosar, Democratic Party leader has stressed that Turkey, through the NSC decision it adopted on the Cyprus issue, has once more shown to friends and foes that it is a serious guarantor state in Cyprus.

In a written statement he issued today, Cosar drew attention to the NSC communique which noted that a return to the pre-1974 period or the turning of a blind eye to a fait accomplis that might clear the way to such a return is out of the question. Cosar said that the NSC communique clearly noted that an agreement on Cyprus can be reached only through the acceptance of the «sovereignty» of both sides on the island. Pointing out that the NSC communique, which was adopted in the aftermath of the elections held in south Cyprus, conveyed significant messages to the Greek Cypriot neighbours, Cosar added: We hope that Greek Cypriot politicians, who advocated that their borders extend up to Kyrenia throughout the election campaign, will understand these messages and will accept the Cyprus realities. Noting that the NSC communique conveyed significant messages to the EU as well, Cosar said that, from time to time, Turkey makes such important decisions and puts the Turkish Cypriots at ease both domestically and in the international political arena. Alleging that, given the current situation, the time has come for the world to understand that there can be no return to the past, Cosar said that the EU and the world states should respect the rights of the two peoples on the island to self-administration and accept the existence of two separate «sovereign states» in Cyprus. He concluded by saying that so long as this reality is not accepted, it will be impossible to reach a realistic conciliation on the island.

[04] More bomb attacks are expected in the pseudostate after Turkey`s NSC decision

Invoking reliable sources, the paper reports that this matter was discussed at NSC`s recent meeting and adds that the creation of the terrorist organisation National People's Movement (NPM) by the so-called «presidency» of the pseudostate, the removal of Communal Liberation Party (CLP) from the pseudogovernment and the proposal for so-called presidential system to serve Denktash`s aims, are accepted as «very serious steps» towards silencing the opposition voices. The paper notes that the decision shows once more to the world Turkey`s intransigence.

Meanwhile, yesterday Patriotic Union Movement's (PUM) leader, Izzet Izcan, issued a statement criticising Turkey`s NSC decision and stressing that this decision aims at making the division of Cyprus permanent. Mr. Izcan notes that the decision aims at eliminating the Turkish Cypriots and annex the occupied areas to Turkey. He also invites all the political powers which are against the decision to a common struggle.

[05] The USA is said to plan buying the Russian S-300 missiles and deploying them in countries like Turkey

As «Milliyet`s» correspondent in Washington, Yasemin Congar reports/, this proposal was not enough to persuade Moscow, which insists on annulling - and preventing Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and preventing the NMDS.

The paper says that for some time now there are articles in the international press, according to which the Bush administration is putting forward the «S-300 trump-card» in order to overcome Russia's opposition to the NMDS. However, one of the spokesmen of the State Department, Phil Reeker, has stated that it was still very early to say that any specific system had been proposed. «We are going to look into a lot of possibilities», he said adding that «we are going to discuss the matter with friendly allied states, including Turkey».

Invoking diplomatic sources, «Milliyet» reports that the aim of Bush administration is to «make Moscow a kind of part» in NMDS project. According to the plan the missiles are going to be deployed not only in Turkey but also in some European countries, aiming at creating a defence shield against short and medium range missiles.

However, the USA have not yet secured the support of their allies, writes «Milliyet», concluding that at NATO`s Foreign Ministers recent meeting in Budapest, the European Ministers expressed their objection to their American colleague Colin Powell/s proposal.

[06] Inal Batu calls on the Turkish Cypriot side to return to the negotiating table

The Turkish retired ambassador Inal Batu, who participated in the programme «Magnifying Glass» of TRT-2, said that he knows the Chechoslovakia model very well because he was there as ambassador when the separation occurred. Batu stressed that the sides in Chechoslovakia separated peacefully and shaking hands, and the international opinion accepted it. But the situation in Cyprus is not similar at all. Neither the Greek Cypriot side and Greece nor international opinion will accept this. As a matter of fact, this is not also the official policy of Turkey declared until today.

Finally, Inal Batu said that the Turkish Cypriot side made a big mistake by with-drawing from the proximity talks and stressed: «You must return to the negotiations table immediately».

[07] Denktash denies reports that he is the leader of NPM

[08] NUP and DP to form a pseudo-government in the occupied areas

The paper reports that the NUP-DP «coalition protocol» was finalized yesterday after talks that lasted four hours between delegations from the two parties. The talks will be continued today for the distribution of «ministries» on a 6+4 formula.

The paper makes a general survey of the political situation from the Turkish invasion of 20 July 1974 until today and specifies three periods in the political life of the occupation regime stressing that the so-called coalition governments were short-lived.

[09] Tansu Ciller is asking for discussion of the Cyprus problem in the Turkish Parliament

Tansu Ciller stated that the Cyprus problem must be brought to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as a national policy issue. Ciller added that the Turkish policy on Cyprus must be discussed and be made known to the Assembly alleging that the TGNA does not have sufficient information on the policy followed by the Turkish Government on Cyprus.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[10] Columnist in SABAH criticizes Ecevit's Proposal for Two States in Cyprus

«Speaking to journalists, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit focused on two problems. He said in brief:

1. The `TRNC/ must adopt the presidential system.

2. The model adopted by former Czechoslovakia, which was divided to become the Czech and Slovak Republics, must be considered for Cyprus.

We agree to the first point. Yes, the `TRNC/ should have adopted the presidential system a long time ago. The Turkish Cypriots failed to do so. The controversy between the `TRNC President and Prime Minister/ on who has authority will be settled and decisions will be made by a single authority if they do so.

Ecevit's second point is a new idea. Turkey has made a new proposal for the first time, regardless of whether you would or would not agree with it. If taken into consideration, what are its chances of being accepted? To be able to reply to the question, we have to recall the fact that the division in Czechoslovakia was realized on the basis of the common decision of the two communities that lived in that country. The Czech and Slovak peoples made a joint decision to separate through amending their constitution.

If that is to be taken as a starting point, then it must be noted that the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities have to make a similar decision for the establishment of two separate states in Cyprus. The two peoples must agree to that. However, a glance at the picture on the island will bring to light the fact that the northern and southern parts giving the "green light" to such a process is a remote possibility. It will be very difficult and, in fact, impossible for the Greek Cypriots and even the Turkish Cypriots in north Cyprus to support the idea. The chances of the formula being adopted if the sides do not agree or if even one of the sides agrees to it is nil. That is because the conditions that existed in Czechoslovakia in the past and the conditions that exist in Cyprus at the present time are very different. They differ like black and white.

Having established that, we should realize that the only alternative that would contribute toward the interests of Turkey and the `TRNC/ is to try to achieve a result through the package of confidence-building measures. And someone should explain that to Ecevit. They must try to restore the momentum that existed in 1994. In other words, they must try to persuade the US Administration to agree to a meeting that will be similar to the Camp David talks in the past. The leaders of the two communities and the prime ministers or the foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece should meet to hold talks. An EU representative might also participate in the convocation. The idea was first put forward by former President Turgut Ozal. However, Motherland Party Leader Mesut Yilmaz later rejected it. I have not been able to understand why he decided to do so. The formula could have been the only way to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. It might be that he feared that the opposition might use the meeting as an excuse to accuse him of "selling Cyprus."

We would now like to take up another point Ecevit outlined to the journalists. He said: "The Greek Cypriot side's accession to the EU before the Cyprus problem is solved will create very negative results."

We wonder what Turkey would do. Would we quarrel with everyone? Would we impose sanctions on the EU countries? As argued by some brilliant officials, would we annex the `TRNC/ to create the impression that Turkey is a third world country? Yes, what would we do? If we look at the EU expansion programme, we would see that the Greek Cypriot side is quickly moving to join the organization. In view of that, we believe that the Foreign Ministry explaining the realities and the possible scenarios to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and the General Staff will be very useful. One of former President Suleyman Demirel's renowned remarks is: "One should see what cannot be achieved in order to be able to determine what can be done." We are quickly losing time on the Cyprus problem and what cannot be achieved is now quite clear. We suggest that Ankara should start to consider the matter from the point of view of globalization. Turkey will find out that life will be easier if it realizes that the countries in the world now have the right to interfere in each other's internal affairs, measures are taken for monetary union in Europe, the removal of borders is becoming a strong possibility in Europe, and an effort is made to unite the European countries under a single flag with their own banners flying under it, as in the case of the United States. We believe that it will no longer suffer from heroic behaviour if it does so.

We will have taken the initial step towards salvation when the officials in Ankara decide to find an appropriate way to reply to the question "Where is the world going to?"

[11] Turkish columnist accuses Sener Levent of treason

«The unpleasant events unfolding in the «TRNC» apparently cause Turkey much headache. When the admission of the Greek Cypriot sector into the EU in approximately two years became a possibility, some Greek and Greek Cypriot agents working in the «TRNC» collaborated with the owner of the daily Avrupa, the traitor Sener Levent, and arranged for a few hundred people to obtain Greek Cypriot passports.

Actually everything began after the campaign to admit Cyprus into the EU. «TRNC» leaders know the European agents who infiltrate the Turkish Cypriot side from the Greek Cypriot side using their diplomatic passports. The Slovak ambassador who is tasked and financed by Germany infiltrated the Turkish Cypriots and told them that entry into the EU will save them and that Turkey cannot be of any help to the «TRNC».

There is an authority vacuum in the «TRNC» which is going through a critical period.

The trio of EU, Greece, and the Greek Cypriot sector have given the contract to create chaos in the «TRNC» to Avrupa, a daily published in northern Cyprus. Avrupa was bombed last week. When the paper's circulation dropped--it was around 400--they probably conspired to plant the bomb to attract attention to themselves.

The newspaper must sell in order to perform its function of treason. In our opinion they resorted to this course when their circulation declined.

It is even possible that terrorist groups that operate out of the Greek Cypriot sector may have been asked to plant the bomb. They may also have wanted to create an atmosphere of terror in the «TRNC».

We cannot understand why Avrupa has not been shut down yet. It has long deserved to get shut down because of its articles against «TRNC President» Rauf Denktash.

Here is what this paper wrote:

Denktash has lost his humanity and sold his soul to the devil to such an extent that he can say that we planted the bomb--or we had it planted--at our printing shop. Now he has put in motion a new conspiracy against our paper."

The paper went further to incite the Turkish Cypriot people:

"It is your duty as much as ours to stop this sick man who is going insane.

"You have to be very meticulous. They are saying: 'Rauf Denktash, when you die no one will say prayers for your soul.' That is because he is the worst man Cyprus has ever produced."

Our dear readers, these are exactly the phrases Avrupa published in the TRNC.

Where does this individual get the courage to insult a president this way?

Let us familiarize ourselves with Sener Levent, the owner of Avrupa.

He studied in Moscow during the Soviet period. He has argued for the unification of Cyprus and sees the Turkish army as an occupation force.

He has written this several times in his paper. He argues that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are brothers.

He has said that relief will come to the «TRNC» only when the Turkish army departs. By now you can see whom the author of such articles is serving. Tomorrow we will write about the problems we will face if Cyprus is admitted into the EU.

[12] The policy of getting real tough

«The National Security Council (NSC) statement on Tuesday was loud and clear: Turkey is highly irritated with recent developments surrounding Cyprus and is serving notice to Greece as well as the European Union and the United States that any fait accomplis on the island will be unacceptable and may even be a cause of war that will destabilize the Eastern Mediterranean.

The statement came as rumours intensified that the West would pressure Turkey to make major concessions on Cyprus and allow the Turkish Cypriots to join the EU along with the Greeks by using the current serious economic crisis as leverage. The assumption is that the West will say, "no financial aid unless you make concessions on Cyprus."

We feel that this assumption is wrong. The West knows well that Turkey has never accepted any form of blackmail on Cyprus and even endured a tough American arms embargo in the 1970s. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank bail out programmes for the Turkish economy are tied to tough conditions of structural changes and application of the austerity programme and has nothing to do with political issues.

The West knows well that mixing economy with politics, especially on such sensitive issues as Cyprus, will only backfire and toughen up Turkey. The Turks already have a major dispute with the allies over the proposed use of NATO assets by the EU for defense operations. Even the current government with an ailing economy has stood up to Western pressure and has not accepted European terms.

We feel that the Western powers should be careful not to give any ammunition to the conservative establishment in Turkey to become more militant. They have to realize that the Turkish people, who are suffering serious economic difficulties, are in no mood to be pushed around by the West and thus may be more than willing to go along with the whims of the conservatives.

We are not saying pay lip service to militancy or the demands of hardliners. But we are saying no one, especially not the Greek Cypriots, should try to exploit Turkey's problems and impose their will on the Turkish Cypriots. The West should prod the Greeks more than ever for a fair deal on the island that will allow the two Cypriot sides to enter the EU as equals. The alternative will be more complications and a deepening of the Cyprus problem».

[13] Turkish Cypriot columnist defends the right of the refugees to return to their homes

Serhat Incirli writes, among other things, the following:

«.Let us not hide behind our finger. If a man is from Kyrenia he must have the right to live there. However, this right must be applied within the framework of a federal solution. . If the Greek refugees come and settle in the area controlled by the Turks, if they do not hesitate to settle, of course they will come. Yes, if a federal solution is to be achieved in the island, is there something more natural than a specific number of Greeks and Turkish Cypriots returning to their old villages, if they wish to do so? But, do not look at the moral difficulties of going back. The material difficulties are also a reality. For example, those Greeks who are from Morphou, if they return back will they find the five per cent of their gardens? Let us not refrain from the realities. May be it is not possible for everybody to return to his home, but let us not forget that those people have the right to go back to their homes. Let us find such a solution that no one will speak again about this matter.»

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