Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-11-28

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] MGK: Turkey Will Not Allow Solution Violating International Accords in Cyprus

[02] Denktas: If Greek Cypriots Join EU, /TRNC/ Will Close All Borders

[03] Turkey: Joint EU Parliament Committee's Eser, Cohn-Bendit Argue Over Cyprus

[04] Turkish Cypriots businessmen share concerns of their Turkish colleagues

[05] The so-called "Assembly" approves the "draft-law" regarding punishing the bearers of passports of the Republic of Cyprus; Serdar Denktas "extremely concerned"

[06] KTAMS on the Cyprus problem

[07] Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman: Cyprus More Important Than EU Accession

[08] Turkey: AKP's Gul Says Not Cyprus, Nor Full EU Membership Will Be Given Up

[09] Turkey's Ciller Says Cyprus should be viewed as problem with Greece, not EU

[10] Turkish Sources Report Progress in ESDP Dispute with EU

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[11] Turkey: Columnist Mentions Incidents of Smuggling in Occupied Area After 1980, Strongly criticize Denktas

[12] Mehmet Ali Birand comments that no one should hide behind the military

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] MGK: Turkey Will Not Allow Solution Violating International Accords in Cyprus

The meeting was chaired by the President and attended by the Prime Minister, the chief of the General Staff, the deputy prime ministers, the ministers who are members of the MGK, the force commanders, the Gendarmerie commander, and the MGK secretary general.

The MGK was briefed on the Strategy Document adopted by the EU Commission on 13 November 2001 and the yearly Progress Report on Turkey. The MGK made a general assessment of the issue and discussed the work to be done in the coming period. The MGK also assessed the developments regarding Cyprus's full membership in the EU, and the measures taken by Turkey in connection with these developments. Turkey will continue with all its goodwill to search for a solution that will be jointly acceptable to the two sides in Cyprus, the report said. With this understanding, Turkey supports Mr. Denktas' call for a meeting. However, Turkey will not allow the establishment of a system that violates international agreements, that threatens the security of Turkey and the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", or that turns the Turkish Cypriots into a minority under Greek Cypriot domination.

Moreover the Istanbul NTV (promote TV Channel 28.11.01) reported that a decision was made to draw up an action plan against the possibility of Cyprus's full membership of the EU during the meeting. The meeting, which lasted five hours and 45 minutes under the chairmanship of President Sezer, discussed the Progress Report published by the EU Commission with regard to Turkey and the Cyprus issue.

A decision was adopted during the meeting to prepare a new action plan on Cyprus. The task was assigned to the Foreign Ministry. It was learned that the new plan will consist of the measures outlining the concrete steps to be taken by Turkey in the event that "south Cyprus" accedes to the EU. It was further demanded that the policies to be formulated must be sufficiently resolved in nature to demonstrate that Turkey is not bluffing.

[02] Denktas: If Greek Cypriots Join EU, /TRNC/ Will Close All Borders

Denktas explained the history and legal status of Cyprus since 1950s in the conference in which nearly 200 students participated.

Alleging that the Greek Cypriot side does its best to make Turkish Cypriots miss the train, Denktas claimed that Greek Cypriots would not be successful in that.

Denktas said that the developments in the Cyprus issue are not going fine, noting that ``if the Greek Cypriot side joins the EU, TRNC will close all of its borders. In this case, the EU will be in a difficult situation. EU countries have to think about that. ``

[03] Turkey: Joint EU Parliament Committee's Eser, Cohn-Bendit Argue Over Cyprus

Responding to a question about the solution of the Cyprus issue, Cohn Bendit declared that there was only ``one Cyprus`` in respect of EU and the U.N., adding that they don't discuss the integration of south or north of Cyprus to the EU. He said EU takes up the island as a whole, adding that ``we want to integrate Cyprus into EU as a whole."

If Cyprus has a territory, which is under occupation, this means that

Cyprus won't join the EU practically. This causes a problem in the membership negotiations. I don't want to lie. This will be the problem in 2004. A decision was taken in Helsinki and the EU will monitor whether or not the two sides took a common initiative on the issue. The EU Council can say that the Greek Cypriot side didn't take sufficient steps. If both sides take necessary initiatives, Cyprus will be integrated. There is also such a possibility. Don't ignore this. ``

Kursat Eser who talked to Bendit claimed that ``if you don't deeply investigate the reason of the operation launched in 1974 in Cyprus, you can just tell that the people there are invaders. But don't forget, no blood was shed on the island since 1974. Peace prevails there. EU can't remove the existing agreements. In this respect, Turkey will use all of its rights. ``

Cohn Bendit said in his part that he shares Eser/s views, adding that he defended the same view in the speeches he made both in Turkey and Greece, adding that Greek generals had played a role in the massacres committed in Cyprus.

``We are not in 1974 today. There are no fascist generals in

Greece anymore. There is a democratic Greece. Secondly, we want to have a peace keeping force of the EU in Cyprus to protect the citizens both in southern and northern Cyprus, `` Bendit stressed.

Eser said that EU considers Turkey-EU relations as a different problem than the Cyprus issue, adding that Turkey is uneasy when the two problems are interconnected to each other.

``If the EU says that it wants to accept the Greek Cypriot side in any case and Turkey has to solve the Cyprus question and if the EU ignores the proximity talks held under the supervision of U.N., we think that this is a reason of causing a fight rather than agreement,`` Eser said.

[04] Turkish Cypriots businessmen share concerns of their Turkish colleagues

Mr Denktas, speaking in Rome, claimed that the Turkish businessmen do not see the future on the Cyprus issue and added that if Turkey makes concessions in order to contribute to the solution of the problem, then Turkey will come face to face with the same "threats" to solve other problems, such as the Aegean, the Armenian and the Kurdish questions.

Furthermore, asked to comment on the issue after a meeting with the Slovak ambassador to Ankara, Turkey's former President Suleyman Demirel said the following: "Cyprus could not be imagined without Denktas. The solution of the Cyprus problem without Denktas is not possible. Turkey will not abandon either Cyprus or Denktas".

Meanwhile, speaking in the Netherlands Turkey's State Minister responsible for Cyprus, Sukru Sina Gurel characterized TUSIAD's statement "unsuitable, wrong and as going beyond the responsibilities" of the Association. "Turkey' s foreign policy is formed by the government elected by the parliament and not by TUSIAD", added Mr Gurel.

In the same vein were the statements of Turkey's Agriculture and Village Affairs Minister, Husnu Yusuf Gokalp, who said that "the government and not TUSIAD rules Turkey".

Reactions against TUSIAD's statement came also from Turkey's Islamic political parties and other businessmen organizations.

On the other hand, the Turkish Cypriot Businessmen Association (ISAD) issued a statement noting that the Turkish Cypriot businessmen share the concerns of TUSIAD regarding the problems "caused by the perception that the Turkish side is intransigent and by the one sided accession of the Greek Cypriot side".

[05] The so-called "Assembly" approves the "draft-law" regarding punishing the bearers of passports of the Republic of Cyprus; Serdar Denktas "extremely concerned"

Serdar Denktas, however, so-called Tourism and Environment "Minister", said that he was "extremely concerned" about the "passport draft law", because nothing will be achieved with this restriction. Mr Denktas expressed the view that the efforts of the occupation regime must be in the direction of solving the economic problems of the pseudostate instead of preventing people from taking the "Greek Cypriot passport", something that they have been forced to do by the bad economic situation. Mr Denktas asked for the postponement of the voting and a further discussion.

The "seats" in the "Assembly" are distributed as follows: NUP 23, DP 11, CLP 6, RTP 6, Nationalist Justice Party 1, independent 2 and one empty "seat".

[06] KTAMS on the Cyprus problem

Ali Seylani, chairman of KTAMS issued a statement yesterday noting that the solution must be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on the political equality of the two communities. Mr Seylani argued that accession to the EU must follow the solution.

[07] Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman: Cyprus More Important Than EU Accession

David Sultan, Israeli Ambassador to Turkey, visited Aygun.

Aygun said that the developments related to Cyprus were very saddening and he noted, ``it is out of question for us to give up Cyprus if the European Union (EU) makes Cyprus a matter of bargaining. ``

Stating that Turkey, which was in EU membership process, was very upset about developments related with Cyprus, Aygun said, ``I believe that Turkey should certainly revise the Customs Union during the EU accession process. The customs walls have been lifted for six years but we cannot enter into EU. It is out of question for us to give up Cyprus if the EU makes Cyprus a matter of bargaining. We can give up EU but we will not give up Cyprus. Cyprus is our honour. ``

Aygun added that if Cyprus was abandoned for the sake of EU accession, some other concessions like the Aegean and Northern Iraq would continue.

[08] Turkey: AKP's Gul Says Not Cyprus, Nor Full EU Membership Will Be Given Up

Gul held a meeting in AK Party Headquarters and said Turkey was going through the most serious economic crisis of its history because of the 57th government.

Claiming that Turkey was condemned to the mercy of the international organizations and powerful countries due to its economic difficulties, Gul said there were difficulties regarding with Cyprus and EU membership under those conditions.

Gul said, ``neither Cyprus nor the EU membership will be given up,`` noting that Turkey made great sacrifices in this respect.

[09] Turkey's Ciller Says Cyprus should be viewed as problem with Greece, not EU

Replying to a reporter's question in Istanbul, Ciller said that if the occupied area is integrated with Turkey, Turkey will have to face the EU, not Greece.

She said: The solution of this problem must be moved to a very different framework. What is that framework? It is to take up the Cyprus issue and even the Aegean problem between Turkey and Greece as a whole, and to place it on the agenda as a problem between Turkey and Greece, as a problem between the Turkish and Greek parliaments. It is to move toward a solution together with Greece and the two administrations on the island. If you think to annex the /north Cyprus/, you will not find before, you Greece, but the EU. This is wrong. This approach is wrong. The issue should be put into right platform, right "frame work".

[10] Turkish Sources Report Progress in ESDP Dispute with EU

Ambassador Ugur Ziyal, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Lieutenant General Resat Turgut, Chairman of the Plans and Principles Section of the General Staff, representing Turkey, met for ten hours in the State Guest House with U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Robert Bradke and British Foreign Ministry Political Affairs Director Peter Ricketts, who represented the EU.

The following points were reached in the negotiations, which focused on two main topics:

1. The Aegean and Cyprus: Turkey was able to gain acceptance of its demand to the effect that the ESDP and the European military force which will be established will not intervene in Turkish-Greek disputes or with regard to Cyprus. Sources state that progress was obtained on the topic of non-intervention by the EU military force in disputes between "a member state of the Union and a member state of NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization]" or between "two NATO allies", and report that "We reached agreement that such a thing would not happen."

2. Participation in EU military operations: Turkey wanted to take part in autonomous (i.e., not using NATO capabilities) EU operations in areas of strategic importance to it, such as the Balkans and the Caucasus. The EU, for its part, proposed that, in each such case, Turkey's request to participate be evaluated and decided upon through a consultative mechanism known as an "expanded discussion board". Officials state: "On this topic, we are still at the point where we started out. We want to participate, while their proposals do not satisfy us. There have to be more talks." They thus indicate that agreement has not yet been reached.

The EU and the U.S. want the points of dispute between Turkey and the EU to be resolved by the NATO Council meeting on 6 December and the EU summit meeting which will take place on 15 December.

Moreover HURRIEYET/S (28.11.2001) Brussels correspondent Zeynel Lule, reports that, Turkey and the EU, are on the merge of reaching agreement on the ESDP. He says that to this effect the EU term president Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt has arrived in Ankara for trying to convince Turkish leadership.

Lule quoting diplomatic sources in Ankara reports that British Foreign Ministry Political Affair Director Ricketts has promised that in case of a crisis in Cyprus and in the Aegean, the European Army will not be used.

Lule further says that Mr Verhofstadt has briefed the Turkish officials that, a full stop will be put to this issue during Laeken summit to be held between 14-15 December and in 2003 the European Army will be established.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[11] Turkey: Columnist Mentions Incidents of Smuggling in Occupied Area After 1980, Strongly criticize Denktas

/Is Turkey the landlord on Cyprus or the tenant? Now, some people will say, /Now, is this the time for this?" Let them say whatever they want. Whenever we have opened our mouths to say something related to Cyprus, they silenced us by saying, /no, for goodness sake/. However, the smugglers who made use of this silence left neither a landlord nor a tenant. They totally robbed everyone.

The Cyprus problem is the most important item on Turkey's agenda. The Turkish Cypriots and Turkey have been transformed into the /milching cow/ of Denktas and his group.

From now on, Turkey will even be able think of going to war with the EU on the subject of Cyprus. The pathetic picture of today is the result of the carelessness of Denktas and his team and in Turkey of Suleyman Demirel's blind devotion to Denktas.

A Turkish community was created on Cyprus, which considers Turkey and to be from Turkey as something bad. How was this done? Let me explain.

Smugglers, pillagers, people who take bribes and thieves were shown favouritism on the island. Everything, including law, was designed according to this lawlessness. If the reports and the documents attached to them sent by the Turkish generals, who served there after 1980, would be made public in Turkey, could Denktas and his team go out in the street and show their faces any more? The island is small and everyone knows very well what has been done.

Cyprus, the Smuggling Centre

The island, especially after 1980, became a place where all sorts of smuggling prevailed. The bosses of the Turkish section passed through the customs everything they brought. No one asked any questions. When a raid was organized on the customs, upon the determination of the Turkish military, Kamuran Ezel, who was responsible for the customs in that period, fled immediately to the Greek Cypriot section after the raid was started. The result? Several months later, he returned to his old job as if nothing had happened and later he retired. Who do you think protected him?

Another story about smuggling is about historical works of art. The Turkish military, when they finished their operations on the island, took an inventory of the historical works of art on the island and put them under protection. Later, they left the control of them to Denktas and his men. What happened? Pillaging, pillaging.

Smuggling Friends of an Author

A name: Antonio Mancini. The head of the gang used in smuggling the priceless works of art from Cyprus. He also has Turks working with him. For example, a famous Turkish author: Refik Erduran. If in my place, Nazim Hikmet (Tr. Note Nazim Hikmet was a famous Turkish poet who was accused of being communist and traitor. He escaped to Soviet Union and died in exile) would have listened to what Erduran did on Cyprus, he would not have escaped with his boat; he would not even have chosen to be next to him. How many famous authors had a chance to stay in the rented palace of the smuggler Mancini and to be the witness to the historical pillaging by the gang established with the English on the island? Perhaps our famous author stayed at that house enjoying himself and kept the records that witness the historical pillaging! I hope that he publishes them and that we will learn from him what we do not know yet. If he does not do that, there will be many others who would write about this story.

Our author did not stop at only witnessing, but even offered a bribe without blushing to the Turkish general, responsible for security on Cyprus in that period, who had arrested Mancini. The response he got was worse than swearing.

The priceless icons, amphora and other historical works of art seized by this smuggler and his gang, have been smuggled off the island in the suitcases of guests, who came on luxurious yachts with British flags and were accommodated on the island at the highest level. When the yachts with the suitcases containing the works of art were leaving from the pier, at the pier, the smugglers were accompanied by a fat man who drove a yellow Mercedes.

Why were these not mentioned at that time? It is always the same old story, /Now, is this the time for this? / Yes, it is the time now! Because if it is postponed any longer, then a difficult solution will become impossible.

[12] Mehmet Ali Birand comments that no one should hide behind the military In his regular column "Opinion" of Turkish Daily News (28/11/01) Mehmet Ali Birand wrote the following commentary:

In recent months, a new message is being spread through whispered rumours. The more Turkey comes under strain, especially in its foreign relations, and the more the civilian authority fails to conduct a policy with a vision, the civilian officials send the ball into the court of the military wing.

The message being whispered in the ears is that the military have adopted a very stern stance on certain issues.

For example, a certain impression is being created in the following vein: The recent developments involving Cyprus, the rhetoric and approach that are getting increasingly more rigid, all stem from the General Staff. Those circles stress that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) policies on this issue, for example, are inspired by the Turkish Armed Forces.

Frankly, this allegation has proved to be quite convincing in general. It is being considered normal that the military do not want to take their hands off Cyprus, that they adopt a rigid stance by citing strategic grounds so that their power will not be eroded.

Slogans such as "We must not lose the lands we have earned at the cost of our blood," or "The offspring of the mainland must not be lost," are indeed in line with the military rhetoric.

In the end, the policy of increasing the tension in Cyprus is being "billed" to the military in the eyes of the general public.

Another issue involves the European Army or, to put it differently, the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

The positions have become so ossified that this is about to become a veritable tangle. The more no solution is found the more tense becomes Turkey's relations with the EU.

The civilian authority is, once again, giving a wink. It points a finger at the military and says, using the age-old term used when referring to the military: "The powers that have a very rigid stance. It is simply impossible to budge them from that position."

Well, seen from outside, this allegation does not sound illogical at all.

The public sees nothing unusual in the impression it gets, that is, that the Turkish Armed Forces are putting down their feet firmly to abort any potential military intervention (!) the European Army may decide to stage in Northern Cyprus on the grounds that the North is "under foreign occupation."

Some of the few civilians that can talk with the military reflect this issue in a different way because they cannot fully understand the issue at hand. Bureaucrats, striving to protect themselves by hiding behind the Turkish Armed Forces shield, point at "where the blockage is" by mimicking.

Meanwhile, the General Staff remains as silent as a Buddha. As if it is a statue, it proves unable to say anything. If it did make any statement on this issue we would pounce upon it anyway, declaring, "You are intervening in politics!" Europe will put another sign on that part of its reports that involves the weight the army carries in Turkey.

Under the circumstances, the impression created is that the Turkish Armed Forces is blocking Turkey's path on the most vital issues, domestic or otherwise.

This is being exaggerated The civilian authority is exaggerating the situation. The facts are not like that.

It is true that the military has a different viewpoint and this is only normal. However, when one takes a deeper look to see who leads the race of "hawkish behaviour" you see a quite different picture.

When it comes to the Cyprus policy, the prime minister is more hawkish than anybody else. Seeing their prime minister's stance, the bureaucrats lie low in fear. They content themselves with criticizing this policy only out in the corridors or during private chats with very special friends.

On the European Army issue, who do you think has made the biggest contribution to the negotiations reaching this spot?

A few leading Foreign Ministry officials...

Is the civilian authority a mouse? No one even comes up and asks, "Prime minister, is this not your duty?"

The military will naturally communicate their views and these views may be hard-line in some aspects. However, should not the political authority have the final say? Does not the responsibility belong to the political authority? If things go wrong in the future who will pay the price? Will the prime minister turn to the chief of staff and tell him: "I have implemented strictly whatever you told me. Look at what has happened now?" Would not the chief of staff then have the right to respond by saying: "The political decision is for you to take. If you had told us to implement some other policy there would be no way we could object to that."

Let us not kid ourselves.

Let us stop acting like a mouse.

Let us produce common policies that reflect a strong personality, self-confidence and vision.

2002 will be a vitally important year, too important for Turkey to afford playing such games."

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