Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-08-22

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Interview to KIBRIS newspaper by the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Rauf Denktas.

[02] Turkey's National Security Council held its monthly meeting on 21 August.

[03] High level Turkish Foreign Ministry Delegation is to arrive in the occupied areas.

[04] Efforts to unite the left in the occupied Cyprus. [B.]COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Time for political reforms in Turkey.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Interview to KIBRIS newspaper by the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Rauf Denktas Following is the full text of an exclusive interview given by Denktas to

KIBRIS: What are your expectations, regarding your meeting with the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan?

Denktas: With the invitation of Esteemed Kofi Annan, I am going to Salzburg. Without any doubt we are going to discuss the Cyprus problem. Without any doubt the situation regarding the talks will be on the agenda. The world knows the reasons why the talks were broken at the 5th round. The Esteemed Secretary-General definitely is aware of the reasons why the talks were broken.

Therefore, the talks were started with an agreed framework, for an accepted objective.

The objective was to prepare the ground for comprehensive negotiations.

The ground is based on the acceptance of the equal sovereignty of the two sides. The two equal partners were going to establish a new partnership. Among the tangible parameters of years of negotiations were that sides will live on two different grounds: that one would not impose its hegemony on the other, that the three freedoms would be curbed, that there would be no retreat from the 1975 population exchange, that it is necessary to realize a global property exchange, since living together was not possible (this has been accepted by the sides), that the guarantorship agreement will continue, that there will not be outside intervention to the negotiations and that the agreement which will be reached will be put into separate referenda by both sides.

In brief, the 1960 Republic was a republic of a suis generis state, which was based on equal partnership, and its independence was limited for the sake of safeguarding the partnership. And in order for the partners to live in secure conditions and the state to be viable, sources of conflict were prohibited.

It was not a unitary state from the functions point of view. It was a federative state. There was no Cypriot nation. It was not a nation-state either, it was a partnership state established by two national communities which were taking pride of being part of the two nations. For the continuation of this state an internal and external equilibrium was established and the partnership was guaranteed.

Avenues to own the island by destroying the partnership were banned.

Despite this, what was done was done. We have always attended the meetings with these realities before us.

I was not in a position to neither propose to my people nor to make them accept an agreement that the Greek Cypriots could come up in a few years time and say `it is not working/ and they could destroy it.

In brief, the new agreement to be reached should have been stronger than the 1960 guaranteed partnership.

Whereas, the Greek Cypriots destroyed the 1960 partnership with a view to turning us into a minority, to opening the door to Enosis and to owning the whole of Cyprus.

What they had wanted was to realize what they were unable to realize through force of arms, through negotiations. And what we have wanted was to prohibit the Greek Cypriots to create a situation that they will again try to own Cyprus, to establish hegemony on us.

For this reason, in every stage of the negotiations I gave importance to two vital points:

1: Our status-equal sovereignty - that we were not a minority, that the Greek Cypriots have no and will have no right to dominate us.

2. No shadow will be cast on the Greco-Turkish balance established by the Treaties of Guarantee and Alliance.

However, there were the UN Security Council resolutions that prohibited the Greek Cypriots from learning a lesson, and that they put the confidence in the Greek Cypriots that they were the owners of Cyprus and its sovereignty.

These resolutions were in contravention of the 1960 Treaties: These resolutions were a great injustice committed against the Turkish partner.

As time went by, while the Greek Cypriots were consolidating their title of «the Cyprus government» we have taken practical steps that demonstrated that we will never accept this situation, despite all these difficulties.

In conclusion, we have found the Greek Cypriots under a pseudo title as `Cyprus/ a candidate to the EU. In the face of Greece/s blackmail and propaganda ability, they turned a deaf ear to all our objections.

EU/s intervention to the Cyprus problem is also contrary to the UN Security Council resolutions. The Security Council stipulates that `the Cyprus problem shall be settled between the two sides, without outside intervention within the framework of the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General. Unfortunately, those who adopted this resolution are those who turn a blind eye to what the Greek Cypriots did for us from 1963 to 1974.

Now this time, people have started supporting the unilateral application made by the Greek Cypriots, who aimed at succeeding in what they were unable to realize through force of arms to realize it by way of the EU, to the EU membership, saying that `EU membership will help in reaching a reconciliation/.

Thus, they have done away with any reason that the Greek Cypriots should establish a new (stronger than 1960 partnership) with us.

Under these conditions in 1997 Clerides at the Troutbeck and in Glion meetings has said his last words (based on the EU decisions and the statements). That the settlement of the Cyprus problem is the EU membership and EU norms and that property exchange is against these norms, that everybody has the right to return to his/her property, that the right to intervention stipulated by the Treaty of Guarantee is null and void, that a multi-national force will come (to Cyprus), that the Turkish troops will leave, that the refugees will return to their places, that the name of the agreement to be reached could be federation but it cannot be a federation based on separate sovereignty, that we cannot as Turkish side interfere to the right of the Cyprus/ government to provide bases to Greece, that the Cyprus Government's functions cannot be terminated because of the ongoing intercommunal talks, and that the EU application for membership is part of the government's functions, and that this too cannot be intervened. Under these conditions the intercommunal talks had no meaning.

In fact, application of and attachment to the EU norms have done away with all the parameters that were on the negotiation table. Under these conditions nothing was left to negotiate. In fact, Clerides has disclosed his intentions by telling the press that `we are attending the talks as a matter of tactics, our tactics is to say `yes/ to everything that the Turks say `no/, this way we present them as intransigent and we will continue to do this/.

The policy of `to continue the talks/ was facilitating the Greek Cypriots/ work. They were telling lies to the world that recognize them, as the `government of Cyprus/ the government is in negotiation with the minority, ` do not worry/.

Let us not forget;

In 1992, Clerides won the elections by rejecting the Set of Ideas, that is the federation, and he had replied to my call for a «meeting» that «there is no common ground for a meeting».

In 1994 in our face to face meeting he told me: «We can talk if you support Cyprus/ EU membership, if you do not support it let us not waste each other' s time». During the 1997 meetings, he had demonstrated that he will not abandon the path as the government of `Cyprus/ to own Cyprus, since he got the EU support. In brief, there was nothing between us to discuss.

It is with this reason that the intercommunal talks were ended, and `state-to-state negotiations and the confederation/ page was opened.

In the bargaining regarding the proximity talks all these were taken into consideration and a result was obtained. However, at the fifth round we have came face to face with a fait accomplis. As a result of if the talks did not continue.

With his 12 September statement the UN Secretary-General has drawn a simple outline. The two equal sides will establish a new partnership. One side cannot represent the other, each side represents its own side, and speaks for its side. The Greek Cypriots revolted against this. Their parliament unanimously rejected it. Clearly, equality, sovereignty, partnership, were not for them subject for discussion.

They will settle the problem with the EU membership and with EU norms. The EU perceives the Greek Cypriots as `government/ and us as `minority/. It neither takes into account the suis generis situation of 1960, nor the rights of the Turkish side, nor the political reasons.

Greece with arms wide open, blackmails the world for Cyprus/s membership and to us she (Greece) offers toffee apple and cheers. It is good you should know these realities while we are coming forward to the UN Secretary-General/s invitation.

KIBRIS: Does this meeting mean «the negotiation process towards the settlement of the Cyprus problem resumed?»

Denktas: I do not know what the UN Secretary-General will tell me. I have great respect to the Secretary-General. Since UThant he is the most perfect, most trusting UN Secretary-General I have ever worked with. I have complaints about his mandate.

The authority entrusted to him by the UN Security Council, is the main reason in not being able to settle the Cyprus problem. The hands of the UN Secretary-General is tied up with a power that was taken without diagnosis of the problem, that did not take into consideration the realities in Cyprus, and that it emanated from haphazardly taken decisions.

The UN Secretary-General was told: `Do not touch the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and the existence of the Cyprus government. We have recognized the legal government of this state and you too will recognize it, and you will solve the problem between the Turks that this government calls them minority and the Greek Cypriots that make up the government/. The UN Secretary-General is unable to come out of this framework. May be it is our mistake, that we have given the Greek Cypriots this chance to present themselves as the `government of Cyprus/ by continuing to negotiate with them.

Now I go to meet the UN Secretary-General. I will discuss with him whether the talks will resume or not. Whereas, in the Greek Cypriot side the news that the talks will resume in September is being spread. We are getting unofficial information from the Americans to this effect that talks will resume in New York in September!

That is, for them (Greek Cypriots and Americans) my meeting with the UN Secretary-General is just a showpiece and as though nothing has happened, I will go to New York at the date fixed by others and I will, like a duty bound actor take part in a scenario written by others. God willing the UN Secretary-General is not under such impression.

Resumption of the talks in September depends on the evaluation that I will do with my government and if need be with Turkey after my meeting with the UN Secretary-General. Otherwise, if they are preparing the ground to accuse me of `Denktas refused this as well/ by arranging a meeting in September, without my knowledge, then this is something else.

[Question - Answer regarding finding common ground omitted]

KIBRIS: Did the EU-Turkey relation, relations between Greece and Turkey and the economic problems facing Turkey change the view towards Cyprus? What are the views of Turkey towards Cyprus?

Denktas: According to the 1960 Agreements Turkey, together with Greece, has equal rights and status on Cyprus.

This concerns Turkey's security and her rights and interests in the region as well as her status.

Turkey has informed and continues to inform the world that she will not give up this. With all the difficulties that she is facing, Turkey is determined to defend this right. For us this is the vital security, therefore we too are under great responsibility. Cyprus has an important place in the security of 65 million (Turks). Everybody should feel the responsibility of this.

KIBRIS: The report given to Clerides by the Greek Cypriot Administration/s Attorney-General, Mr. Markides, was in the Greek Cypriot press. According to this report, it speaks about a single state against the Turkish side/s two state proposals.

How would you evaluate the Greek Cypriot side/s approach to the settlement of the Cyprus problem?

Denktas: Confederation provides for Cyprus/s reflection to the outside world as single (state) and at home provides to the sides a strong guarantee based on states. [paragraph omitted]

2. Turkey's National Security Council held its monthly meeting on 21 August Ankara Anatolia (A.A) news agency (21.8.01) sent the following dispatch regarding the monthly meeting of the National Security Council: «The participants of the National Security Council (NSC) meeting have decided to send constitutional amendment drafts to Parliament which were also proposed in Turkey's National Program that was prepared to speed up Turkey's accession to the EU.

At the meeting, which focused on the fight against separatist organizations, the participants reviewed the measures taken as part of the Action Plan which was put into practice in order to bring a solution to the problems of East and Southeast Anatolia regions.

NSC General Secretariat announced that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu, council member ministers, force commanders, Gendarmerie General Commander and NSC General Secretary attended the meeting which was chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

Deputy prime ministers Devlet Bahceli, Husamettin Ozkan and Mesut Yilmaz also attended the meeting while State Minister Abdulhaluk Mehmet Cay was present only during a part of the meeting.

The statement said: ``At the meeting, the results of the fight against illegal fundamentalist and separatist activities and organized crime gangs which pose a threat for the country`s security were debated in light of the security and intelligence reports of the previous month. Within this framework, the implementation of measures foreseen in the Action Plan, which was put to practice to solve the problems of the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions rapidly, were also reviewed. ``

The statement continued: ``During the meeting, the foreign policy developments, which are of vital importance and which closely concern Turkey`s security, were evaluated. In this context, the reports regarding our relations with Turkish Republics in Central Asia and Caucasus were discussed and the measures to be taken to promote our relations with friendly countries in the region were taken up.``

``Also, the wish to develop constitutional amendment proposals, which are in compliance with the measures foreseen in the National Program that was prepared within the framework of European Union (EU) membership, and to have these proposals passed by Parliament was expressed during the meeting,`` the statement added.

[03] High level Turkish Foreign Ministry Delegation is to arrive in the occupied areas

The delegation will meet a Turkish Cypriot delegation headed by Denktas and then it will hold separate meetings with Denktas and other Turkish Cypriot political leaders.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation, which will be arriving in the occupied area at the invitation of the occupation regime, will leave for Ankara on 25 August.

The six-member Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation is made up of the following officials:

Faruk Logoglu, Turkish Foreign Ministry Under Secretary, Ambassador Yigit Alpogan Deputy Under Secretary, Ertugrul Apakan, General Director, Cyprus Section, Ambassador Berki Dibek, Adviser to the Under-Secretary, Ambassador Necip Eguz, Deputy General Director, Cyprus Section and Can Dizdar, Chief Clerk to the Cyprus Section.

The delegation will meet Denktas, Hasipoglu, Eroglu, Salih Cosar, Turkish occupation forces commander Lt. General Ahmet Ozteker and the so-called Security Forces Commander, Brigadier General Galip Mendi.

[04] Efforts to unite the left in the occupied Cyprus

The paper reports that the aim of the three political organizations is not to create a "leftist union", but to cooperate especially for the 2002 so-called local elections. It was also known that the 41 organizations participating in the platform "This Country is Ours" supports this initiative.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Time for political reforms in Turkey

«Starting tomorrow, Turkey will be entering a very important phase from the standpoint of its future.

The reason for saying "starting tomorrow" is that the last meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) prior to the Constitutional changes will take place tomorrow.

Tomorrow, those at the top in Turkey will decisively push the button for change by breaking the longstanding tradition of "one step forward and two steps back", or else they will flip the switch to derail the train leading to Europe.

Will Turkey, which has shown considerable success in taking important steps in a short time in terms of economic reforms, be able to demonstrate the same success in terms of political reforms?

From this standpoint, tomorrow's NSC meeting will be an important indicator.

* * * In my column yesterday [19 August], I posed the question as to whether Mesut Yilmaz would open the question of national security to discussion at this meeting.

We learned from Fikret Bila's column in yesterday's "Milliyet" that Yilmaz is indeed going to speak on the topic of changes in the Constitution.

And it's just this that's the important thing: laying the groundwork, without delay, for the implementation of the European Union's Copenhagen Criteria.

Otherwise, a debate on national security is a fairly abstruse matter. Yilmaz simply must speak up. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will very likely be at the meeting as well, but since he has chosen to limit himself to the impact that the European Union process has on foreign relations, he has been completely silent as regards the steps that Turkey must take in this regard.

And he will also certainly explain once again the importance of the progress report that the European Union will draw up regarding Turkey in the fall.

* * *

Let us not deceive ourselves: if the European Union has not to date asked us "What are you doing?", it's because of Brussels' preference not to move along too quickly, rather than because everything is going well in Turkey. It hasn't been reflected to the public, but Brussels is once again checking the accuracy of the figures that Cem and Yilmaz have provided in terms of television and radio stations broadcasting in Kurdish.

Cyprus will also come under close scrutiny.

In such a critical period, the NSC meeting takes on additional significance. Concerns that the steps to be taken could lead to some negative developments from the standpoint of national security and national unity must not undermine courage for democratization. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to insulate the National Assembly from the shadow of the NSC, as has always been the problem to date. This meeting will reveal everyone's true inner face. We will see what the ANAP [Motherland Party] leader, who says that Turkey's integration with the European Union has been hindered by hiding behind national security concerns, will do to advance what he sees to be the truth.

Will the Prime Minister, who was so proud at the Helsinki decision [which offered candidacy to Turkey] exercise his authority?

And will the military wing of the NSC, which in its official statements repeats at every opportunity that it supports the goal of membership in the European Union, remove its lien and open to Turkey the path to Europe?

And what about the President? How strongly will Sezer, who says that Turkey's future lies in Europe, back change?

* * * Don't put off Turkey any longer. Listen to the voice of the people. Surveys show that in Turkey the percentage of the population that supports the European Union has risen to 70-some percent. The people of this country want modernization and change.

The message that the state has rolled up its sleeves to support the realization of this demand should emerge from tomorrow's NSC meeting.

You can be sure that the results of this meeting will also affect the economy. This is the soundest way to end the hysterical dollar crisis, and the reluctance of foreign capital to invest. This is, indeed, the path of national security».

KV/SK

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