Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-12-04

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader met in Nicosia.

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press saw the face-to-face meeting between President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas.

[03] Brussels to pursue EU defense plans despite Turkish objections.

[04] Leyla Tavsanoglu writes that the young Turkish Cypriots want to enter into the EU with the Greek Cypriots[0

[05] "AVRUPA" writes that there is a plan to kill 200 "traitors" in the occupied areas.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Turkey urged to abandon its intransigence on ESDP and Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader met in Nicosia

The statement is as follows:

"At the meeting held today, 4 December 2001, between His Excellency Mr. Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and His Excellency Mr. Rauf Denktas, the Turkish Cypriot leader, at the residence of the UN chief of mission, and in the presence of Mr. Alvaro de Soto, the special adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, the two leaders agreed to the following: that the Secretary-General, in the exercise of his mission of good offices, would invite the two leaders to direct talks, that these talks will be held in Cyprus, starting in January 2002 on United Nations premises, that there will be no preconditions, that all issues will be on the table, that they will continue to negotiate in good faith until a comprehensive settlement is achieved, and that nothing will be agreed until everything is agreed."

This is the statement that has been agreed by the two leaders in my presence. That is the only statement.

[02] How the Turkish Cypriot press saw the face-to-face meeting between President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas

The titles and the subtitles of the front pages of the daily Turkish Cypriot newspapers are the following:

KIBRIS: "Historic Summit"

Political circles that refer to this meeting as "Historic Summit" say that this meeting will be the beginning of a new era and will open the road of an agreement in the island.

HALKIN SESI: "Today is the Day"

There is a wave of support for Denktas. After the meeting with the leaders of the political parties Denktas stated, "We go with good will".

BIRLIK: "We go with good will"

After four years a face-to-face meeting will be held between Denktas and Clerides.

VATAN: "Difficult Summit"

The Turkish Cypriots have entered a new phase of their national struggle.They go to the negotiation table with good will for a mutual partnership and to protect their political equality and their economic rights.

KIBRISLI: "Three meetings"

Denktas-Clerides meeting, Powell contacts in Ankara and the assessment of ESDP in Brussels.

ORTAM: "In breathless suspense".

The Cyprus problem is being discussed again at a time when the settlement expectations reached the peak.

YENI DEMOKRAT: "The big rendezvous"

Denktas briefed the political parties.

YENIDUZEN: "Proposal for routine meetings"

Denktas has prepared to give a concrete proposal at today's summit meeting.

AVRUPA: "Let it finish!"

The last chance of opening a new page in the Cyprus history.

[03] Brussels to pursue EU defence plans despite Turkish objections

"The European Union will push ahead with plans to create a defense force at a summit this month, despite strong objections from NATO-member Turkey, a top EU official said Saturday.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said plans to set up a 60,000-member rapid reaction force by 2003 would formally be declared at an EU leaders' summit in Laeken, near Brussels, on December 14-15.

"Even if Turkey continues to put up obstacles ... we will still declare the force operational at Laeken," he said. "If that happens, the declaration will not be with NATO's consent but it will be one of cooperation with NATO on a case by case basis."

Verhofstadt, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, is touring European capitals to build consensus on issues like common defense and ambitious plans for EU expansion eastward.

Turkey, not an EU member and therefore excluded from the force, insists on having a strong say in the military alliance's operations in areas it considers to be in its sphere of interest. It has threatened to disrupt the force by blocking its access to NATO facilities.

Ankara also opposes Cyprus' planned accession to the European Union.

Both issues will be discussed during a scheduled visit to Turkey by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Greece and Turkey have come to the brink of war three times since 1974, over Cyprus and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea.

Verhofstadt Saturday denied reports that the EU might agree to keep its future force out of areas of potential Greek-Turkish conflict. "It is totally inaccurate (to suggest) that such exceptions could be discussed," he said.

While in Athens, Verhofstadt met Greek Premier Costas Simitis, who advocated rapid EU expansion.

Simitis also renewed calls for greater EU support to help Greece deal with a growing wave of illegal immigration. "We have a problem in this country, we have already said this," Simitis said.

Greece, with dozens of islands facing the Turkish coastline, is a favoured entry point for tens of thousands of people from Asia, eastern Europe and the Middle East trying to sneak into the EU each year. "

[04] Leyla Tavsanoglu writes that the young Turkish Cypriots want to enter into the EU with the Greek Cypriots

However, how much advantage will entering into the EU provide under `minority Turkish Cypriot people/ status, that the Greek Cypriot side agreed to recognize to the Turkish Cypriots?"

She then wonders why recently "the EU parameters" carry more weight that the "UN parameters" in the Cyprus problem, "it is a question mark in people's mind" why the UN accepted to stay at the background?

She then says that "the inclination in Washington is that within the framework of a fair and mutually acceptable solution in Cyprus the UN Peace Force in Cyprus could be withdrawn and replaced by a NATO force. The aim of this could be writing off the decision taken by the UN Security Council on 4th April, 1964, that envisages sending UN Peace Force to Cyprus. This decision (4th April 1964) also considers the Makarios government and the successive governments after that legitimate government of Cyprus".

She then claims that the Greek Cypriot side is under pressure, following the 11 September, 2001 events in the USA as well as from the Gulf countries regarding recognition threats.

She criticizes those writers, industrialists, journalists and academicians for their stance against Denktas.

"By expressing views, regarding the future of the island by those who do not know the past of both sides and the present realities, face committing mistakes," she concludes.

[05] "AVRUPA" writes that there is a plan to kill 200 "traitors" in the occupied areas

"200 Individuals Will be Killed":

"It has been learned that at least 200 individuals belonging to sectors regarded as "traitors" will be killed on the day an agreement is signed on the Cyprus problem contrary to the desires of Turkey and Rauf Denktas and that a list has already been drawn up for this purpose.

They Took an Oath

An article published in Kibrisli newspaper issue number 643 dated 30 November 2001 confirms the reports gathered in this regard. The article in question says the following: "A number of thoughtless people who have taken the state [in north Cyprus] under their own control may extend to you the support that the United States, the EU, and the Greek Cypriots have failed to extend to you in the struggle that you are waging.

"However, we have sworn by the God who has created us, by these blessed days [in the month of Ramadan], by the dawn, by the dusk, and by the dark horizons that at least a few hundred of you will not see those days. Let our martyrs who are watching us be our witnesses.

"No... No... Do not take this as a threat. This is your predestined fate. Cut this article off and keep it with you. Should the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus be sacrificed to the Greek Cypriot sector... Well, on that day... Yes, on that day... We will find you one by one. Believe us, we will not hear your cries beseeching us: 'Please kill us,' because we will seal our ears with pieces of cotton.

"Yes, the articles that you have written will serve as our judgment against you on that day. All of them... Yes, we will start our jobs by forcing you to eat the pages on which you have written your articles on which you have poured your hatred and grudges."

We Had Warned

Our newspaper has warned Turkish Cypriot Security Forces [GKK] Commander Brigadier-General Galip Mendi and Minister of Civilian Affairs Colonel Namik Koc several times in the past about these circles, which have now exposed their plans for committing crimes. However, these security officers have failed to take any action regarding the matter.

As everyone knows, the military offices, the [Turkish] Embassy, and Denktas strongly support the "KIBRISLI" newspaper".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Turkey urged to abandon its intransigence on ESDP and Cyprus

"Another critical month, another critical turning point. This is the month of Turkey and Europe.

Tomorrow Denktas and Clerides get together in Cyprus for the first time in two years. In the later hours of the same day U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will land in Ankara. During the day the Deputy Foreign Minister of Belgium, the term president of the EU, will hold talks in Ankara to discuss the draft decision that will be submitted to the Laeken summit in ten days about the formation of a European army.

Secretary Powell is obviously not coming to Ankara to discuss only these matters. However Cyprus, the European army, and the European Security and Defense Policy [ESDP] are among the most important items on the agenda of this visit because relations between Turkey and the EU are important for the stability of the Mediterranean.

How far can Turkey's objections [to the ESDP] go?

If Turkey persists in its stance to block the EU from utilizing NATO resources Europe will begin to build its own independent army.

Washington does not want this. In contrast some EU countries with strong defense industries, such as France, have from the outset insisted on forming a defense force that is independent of NATO and that does not have to stand in Washington's shadow.

Most recently some promises were made to allay Turkey's concerns.

These included guarantees that the European army will not be sent to Cyprus and that NATO resources will not be used in disputes among countries that are members of the alliance.

However, these assurances upset another NATO member, Greece. Athens declared that if the use of the European army in Cyprus is blocked it would exercise its veto right within NATO.

The problem has not been settled for any of the parties to the dispute.

This creates an opportunity for Turkey. Rather than being the party that insists on deadlock it can accept the assurances given and pass on the unpleasantness of vetoing within NATO to those who are not pleased with the results. Denktas meets Clerides face to face tomorrow after a hiatus of two years. I hope that the two leaders do not present us with a clone of the Cyprus problem once again.

This situation mostly hurts the interests of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Denktas has not helped by leaving or returning to the table.

Time is being lost.

The truth is that once the negotiation process resumes the EU will really begin dealing with the Cyprus problem.

Here is an example: The EU grants some exceptions in the negotiations it conducts with candidate states. Brussels has begun to say that some exceptions may be granted to Cyprus on the issues of freedom of travel and freedom of owning property.

In other words the EU acquis will not block elements of any settlement. In contrast, exactly the opposite decision was taken at the Cardiff summit in 1998. That decision said that any settlement must conform with EU norms and principles.

Brussels is now taking a step back. This is now being said only as a whisper. However these are steps that the Turkish side can pursue and seize for itself.

Then Cyprus will be a real problem for Europe. There will be a big uproar in Athens and Cyprus.

It will not be so easy to brand the Turkish side as "intransigent" and to direct the pressure "to settle" on Turkey alone.

It will be better realized that stability in the Mediterranean cannot be achieved if Turkey is not given the perspective of full membership and if equality between Turkey and Greece is not ensured.

Would it not be better if there were no problems and solutions that would allay the concerns of the Turkish side could be found quickly?

Forcing the limits of solution avenues is certainly better than cloning the problems".

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