Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-08-23

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader comments on his meeting with Mr. Verheugen and the resumption of talks on Cyprus.

[02] Efforts to unite the leftist parties are continuing in the occupied areas.

[03] Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Turkey replies to questions on the issue of recognizing the pseudostate.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] «Columnist in Turkish Daily News comments on the latest meeting of the National Security Council and the Islamist party.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader comments on his meeting with Mr. Verheugen and the resumption of talks on Cyprus

In his statement to the BRT, Denktas said that Verheugen asked to meet him after Denktas announced that he would be meeting with Annan. He continued: "I accepted. The first meeting was scheduled to be held in Salzburg. He was supposed to meet me in Salzburg in the morning of 28 August. The next day he informed me that he was having difficulty arriving in Salzburg and asked whether I could come to Brussels. I told him that this did not suit my schedule and that I would not be able to come to Brussels. Later he informed me that he would come to Zurich where my plane would have a stopover of three to four hours. I accepted. In this manner, I will be meeting with Mr. Verheugen before going to Salzburg".

Upon being reminded about Greek Cypriot press reports to the effect that Verheugen wanted to meet him in order to soften him, Denktas said: "One should not pay attention to the speculations and conjectures of the Greek Cypriot press. This press has, for years, considered it its duty to instigate the evil in Cyprus. It is being said that Verheugen informed both the Greek Cypriot administration and Athens that he will be meeting with me. It is not being said, however, that he has informed Ankara on the issue".

Reminded about Greek Cypriot press reports that Verheugen would speak in no uncertain terms about the unacceptable Turkish Cypriot wish to be recognized, Denktas said: "I hope that this report is unfounded and that Mr. Verheugen has requested to meet me in order to be informed about the latest situation. He will want to know why we have reservations concerning the EU and how the foundation for an agreement was disrupted as a result of the untimely intervention of the EU. He will want to understand the injustices that have been committed against the Turkish Cypriots for the last 37 years. I cannot accept anyone's assessment about the `state/ I represent. Those who wish to recognize us will, and those who do not will not. No one, however, can deny the existence of the `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus/. We have contacts and trade and cultural relations with close to 80 countries recognized by Turkey. We are defending a just cause. We will continue to defend this cause. We want them to see and listen to us as one of the two equal sides involved in the Cyprus issue in the knowledge that the Cyprus problem cannot be solved without our signature. We want them to understand us provided they have the goodwill. We assess the contact with Mr. Verheugen within this framework».

Asked to comment on recent Greek Cypriot press reports that the Cyprus talks will resume in New York on 8-9 September, Denktas said: "If this date turns out to be correct and if decisions have been made to the effect that the talks will resume in September even before I have met with Mr. Annan, then this means that we are once again facing a great plot. You will find the answer to that in the daily `Kibris/ today. I am not an actor who will play the role of the uninformed idiot in someone else's scenario. We have the right to insist on the equal treatment which the people I represent deserve. Reaching an agreement with the Greek Cypriots on the resumption of the talks at a specified date and venue, leaking this to us through the press, and waiting for our reaction cannot be considered equal treatment. It is tantamount to serving the Greek Cypriots. It is tantamount to reducing the meeting I will be holding with the UN Secretary-General to one of show. I cannot be part of such a plot. The Cyprus issue cannot be solved through the scenarios of those who rendered the bloody Greek Cypriot administration a legitimate government. We insist on equal treatment. We do not accept anything such as the September meeting. Such a meeting depends on the meeting I will hold with the UN Secretary-General".

[02] Efforts to unite the leftist parties are continuing in the occupied areas

The General Secretaries of Communal Liberation Party (CLP), Republican Turkish Party (RTP) and Patriotic Union Movement (PUM) discussed ways of cooperating on issues relating to domestic policies.

Prior to the meting the general-secretaries told journalists that in principle they look favourably towards this cooperation. However, adds YENIDUZEN, they expressed guarded optimism.

The CLP General Secretary Ozal Ziya said that the conditions that the occupied area is in and the developments in the Cyprus problem render the joining of leftist and democratic forces necessary.

He said that towards this end the first step could be next year/s so-called «local elections».

The Republican Turkish Party General Secretary Ferdi Sabit Soyer said that views propagated and defended by the leftist forces for years, proved to be right.

He said that it was the basic responsibility of the leftist forces to prepare the people for a federal solution, based on the Turkish Cypriots/ security and freedom.

The General Secretary of PUM Izzet Izcan has stressed the importance of the cooperation in order to overcome the difficulties existing in the economy, human rights, democracy and peace.

He urged that people should put aside their party differences and agree on a minimum common programme.

[03] Azerbaijan/s Ambassador to Turkey replies to questions on the issue of recognizing the pseudostate

Following are the replies by Mr. Aliyev to questions on the issue of Azerbaijan recognizing the puppet regime set up in occupied Cyprus by Turkey after its illegal and unprovoked invasion of 1974 and its continuing occupation of the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus, in violation of the international law:

Question: You say that Azerbaijan has a fair cause and Turkey supports Azerbaijan naturally. So, why don/t you recongize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus?

Answer: Azerbaijan is a newly established state which is dealing with problems. Turkish Cypriots are our brothers and are being represented in Baku. We feel sympathy to Turks, wherever they are.

Question: But you don/t recognize them.

Answer: Azerbaijan should solve its problems first.

Question: Will you recognize it when you solve your problems?

Answer: This is not something which will be declared by an ambassdor. There is a president heading Azerbaijan. Please ask questions that I can answer.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[04] Columnist in Turkish Daily News comments on the latest meeting of the National Security Council and the Islamist party

«Two bomb shells in one day. One is the news that the military-dominated

National Security Council (NSC) is not at all so enthusiastic about constitutional amendments that will introduce serious political reforms and the other is that the authorities are already out to get the newly founded AK Party and its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Both examples show the inferior quality of Turkey's democracy...

Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has been telling the nation for a long time that the military would obstruct reforms in the form of constitutional amendments. He had said the extraordinary Parliament session on September 17 would show whether his fears were justified. As a matter of fact the NSC statement on Tuesday showed clearly that the military is not happy at all with these amendments and wants at least some of them to be scrapped or delayed. Thus the fears voiced by Yilmaz were justified even before the Parliament could even convene.

So all that talk by the government about reformation and democratization goes up in smoke and what we will have at the end of the day may well be a watered down version of what was supposed to be "sweeping improvements" and some people will tell us "better some improvement than nothing." Then of course there is the all out media offensive against Erdogan and his party which has now culminated with one prosecutor opening a court case in Istanbul accusing the young political star of insulting the state and the chief supreme court prosecutor demanding that Erdogan be removed as chairman of the AK Party along with six female founding members who wear headscarves...

This happens in a country when public opinion polls show Erdogan enjoying popular support of nearly 40 percent. But that of course is nothing to deter those who want to finish him off. After all the Welfare Party was the leading party in Parliament with the highest number of seats when it was closed down and the Virtue Party was the main opposition party in Parliament when it was banned. So such public support is simply insignificant for those forces that run this country...

Ban parties, ban leaders and stall reforms. Then turn to the world and say, "I want reformation and I want to set up a real democracy," and expect to be taken seriously.

You cannot restore economic stability and you cannot win the respect of the Turkish masses like this. Such an attitude will only lead to more instability, chaos and will deepen our crisis. Do we really want this?»

KV/SK

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