Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 01-12-13

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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 addressed a panel in Istanbul. Insists on recognition of his illegal puppet regime.

[02] Turkish Prime Minister was interviewed by SABAH newspaper.

[03] Denktas/ advisor admits that efforts to recognize the pseudostate were prevented by the UN Security Council.

[04] HURRIYET on the crisis after the dismissal of teacher Nilgun Orhon.

[05] National People/s Movement condemns Turkish Cypriot teachers ignoring completely the freedoms of thought and expression.

[06] "Partition in Cyprus is a death warrant".

[07] The occupation regime sequestrated Avrupa/s furniture; this is the third confiscation.

[08] Ortam: "The supporters of the non-solution are panicked".

[09] The Turkish Foreign Minister insists on the so-called existence of the pseudostate.

[10] Strikes in all the schools in the occupied areas.

[11] Ertug the new representative of the pseudostate in Washington.

[12] YENIDUZEN columnist news target of the occupation regime.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[13] Mehmet Ali Birand: Denktas and Clerides should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] The Turkish Cypriot leader addressed a panel in Istanbul. Insists on recognition of his illegal puppet regime

Rauf Denktas, attended a panel discussion in Istanbul on "Cyprus will not be a Bosnia" organized by the Istanbul Branch of the Great Unity Party.

TRT 2 television broadcast that in his speech Denktas said "that the Cyprus issue will not be resolved if only one of the de facto two republics in Cyprus is considered legitimate" and expressed readiness to accept an agreement, which considers the two peoples on the island equal and sovereign and which gives the picture of one Cyprus to the world. Denktas added that the EU should not pose any obstacles to this end.

Reminding that he had extended an invitation for a meeting to President Clerides because of his concern "that the biased policies of the EU can prompt new crises in Cyprus," Denktas alleged that there are two separate peoples in Cyprus and that no force on earth can change this fact, Denktas urged "the EU to give up its mistaken policies on the Cyprus issue."

Referring to Europe Denktas said: "If Europe is the Europe we believe in and long for, it should prove that it complies with the supremacy of law. It should stop extending support to one of the sides in a two-sided cause and violate human rights and constitutional rights. It should stop eliminating the rights stemming from international agreements. We do not ask for much. We only ask for them to let us talk as two sovereigns. Cyprus is both sides' motherland but we could not and were not allowed to coexist. Now, Let us try to find a solution to establish equal living conditions and find a formula to convey Cyprus as one country to the outside world."

Calling on those who criticize the policies pursued in the occupied areas and Turkey, Denktas said: "There are those who claim that the Turkish Cypriot side remained backward. It is your fault. If we are guilty as Turkish Cypriots, I call on all those who lodge these complaints, which are mostly exaggerated even if there is some truth in it, and ask them the following questions: Are you giving up Turkey because it also has its share of unrest, corruption, irregularities, depletion of banks, and other issues. How can anybody give up his motherland and nation? Are you giving up the flag? I ask you whether Cyprus should be given up just because my administration is inadequate and my people did not get the administration they deserve."

The semi-official Ankara Anatolia reported Denktas saying that Turkey's European Union (EU) path had not been blocked and would never be so due to the Cyprus question.

AA reported that Denktas begins his speech with the words of Ataturk who said, "which independence can rise over the advices of foreigners?" Pointing out that "Turkey did not bluff for the solution of Cyprus question, Denktas continues: "Why did I invite Clerides to a meeting suddenly? Because, I believed that Turkey was not bluffing. I saw it. I know that there is no possibility of solving the Cyprus question by weapons. If it is to be solved by weapons, the strongest side will solve the question. It will take Cyprus and it will be over. But, it is not Greece which will achieve this.

"According to the plans of the Greek Cypriots, they get armed in a way that they can resist to a conflict or clash that can occur in the island for only five or six days. These people were to embark on an adventure by dreaming that the EU would come and save them. By this thought, I made that call by knowing that Turkey was not bluffing. This was my duty for my nation and Cyprus. I preferred a face-to-face meeting with Clerides for peace, compromise and an untroubled Cyprus. I am pleased that positive response came from Clerides."

Explaining that "the flag in Cyprus was not easily hoisted," Denktas added "that there was no reason to lower that flag." Denktas pointed out that a Cyprus flag could be hoisted in the island on condition of the recognition of existence of two states.

Denktas went on: "The ball is now in the hands of those who prevented the settlement of Cyprus question by starting an illegal attempt. There is no reason not to reach an agreement in case of equal treatment to both sides."

Commenting on the full membership process of Turkey to the EU, Denktas said: "The membership process of Turkey to EU has not been impeded due to the Cyprus question and it will not be impeded. I wish success for Turkey on the way to EU. The statements of Turkish leaders, the resolution of the parliament and the excitement of the Turkish people about Cyprus gives us power in respect of a solution of the Cyprus problem. I don't believe in lies. What is behind the carrots shown to us? I have the will to investigate that. Will EU accept Turkey or not? I hope it will accept Turkey."

Alleging that "Turkey makes all sorts of sacrifices for Cyprus," Denktas concluded: "We will never give up Turkey and we will never give up the Cyprus cause."

[02] Turkish Prime Minister was interviewed by SABAH newspaper

Question: Do you see a change in Europe's perspective on Turkey in the light of the recent developments?

Answer: I am seeing positive developments, because we are doing our part of the job with a great seriousness and they appreciate that. We have given a special attention to preparation and implementation of the National Program. They are aware of this. In addition, we are witnessing some promising signs in our economy. They are closely monitoring these developments. There is a general improvement in our relations with the EU.

Question: Are you expecting a concrete step?

Answer: There is no need for a concrete step at this stage. What really matters is maintaining our relations at a satisfactory level.

Question: Has Turkey arrived at a turning point in terms of its relations with the EU?

Answer: Any such conclusion would be an overstatement of the actual situation. What I can say is that our relations are progressing steadily.

Question: What are your expectations from the Laeken summit?

Answer: We all will see the outcome together. Such meetings provide an important opportunity for having direct talks. The leaders of the EU-member countries will gather on the first day. We will attend the meeting to be held on the second day.

Question: Turkey has taken momentous steps regarding the Cyprus question, the ESDP and constitutional reforms. These steps have naturally fuelled expectations for accession to the EU. What is your personal expectation?

Answer: They have to set out our timetable. We should be able to see the near future.

Question: Speaking of the near future, do you have any expectation for 2004?

Answer: A timetable has not been drawn up yet. It would not be appropriate for me to mention a specific date.

Question: How do you feel about Greece's stance on the issue of ESDP?

Answer: This is an issue between Greece and other EU-member countries. We are only monitoring the developments from outside. We have made our position clear and got the results we were expecting to get. Whether they will actually be put into practice is an issue that will be discussed by the EU's decision-making organs. However, I hope that there will be no problem.

[03] Denktas/ advisor admits that efforts to recognise the pseudostate were prevented by the UN Security Council

The Cyprus question had recently been taken up in parallel with the European Union (EU), Soysal stated and reminded the listeners about the statements of the EU regarding Cyprus during the Helsinki Summit.

Soysal noted that the Helsinki declaration expressed the view that a political solution in Cyprus was not a precondition for EU membership of Cyprus.

They should not ignore the further statement of EU saying that if a political solution was not found to the question till the membership negotiations were concluded, all concerned factors would be taken into consideration, Soysal said.

Soysal stated that in such a case, the EU would evaluate which of the sides was keeping itself away from a solution and that it was the Greek Cypriot administration, not Denktas who stayed away from a solution.

Proximity talks between the two sides were interrupted on November 8, 2000, Soysal pointed out.

Soysal said that the Turkish side had serious objections to both the style and contents of the proximity talks and that it was very obvious that those talks would not bear fruit.

Denktas and Clerides would launch a new process on January 16, Soysal stated and stressed the importance of direct talks without any preconditions.

Asked if recognition of the so-called TRNC by other countries would affect the parameters in Cyprus, Soysal said that there was such an initiative in the days when "TRNC" was founded, but that those initiatives were prevented by the U.N. Security Council.

``Some messages are coming from time to time. But, if the state which launches such an initiative faces financial problems in the international community due to its decision, you have to compensate it as a state. That is, it is a dream to have a strong foreign policy without having a strong economy,`` Soysal said.

[04] HURRIYET on the crisis after the dismissal of techer Nilgun Orhon

by Huseyin Alkan from occupied Nicosia under the title: "The 'Ayse Went on Vacation' Crisis":

Nilgun Orhon is a history teacher in Northern Cyprus and her father was killed in action in 1974. Recently, she was dismissed from her school because of the articles she wrote in her column in the "Avrupa" newspaper, openly accusing Turkey for "occupying" Northern Cyprus. This has started a new crisis. At some schools, the teachers did not enter classes at the request of the Union of Teachers, which is supporting Orhon. A noisy quarrel was experienced between the police and the unionists and six teachers were taken into custody for a period of time. The opposition boycotted the "Parliament".

Ecvet Yusuf was a company commander in the [1974] "Peace Operation", and was known to be the first person killed in action on 20 July [1974]. An investigation was opened on 5 December [2001] against his daughter, Nilgun Orhon, a history teacher, due to the articles she wrote in the "Avrupa" newspaper. The "Ministry of Education" decided to dismiss her from her school and cut her salary in half until the completion of the investigation. In the justification for the investigation by the Ministry the following was stated: "Nilgun Orhon, with the articles in her column, has had an attitude in conflict with the national struggle of the people of the "TRNC", with the help of the motherland [Turkey] and she has behaved in violation in a serious manner of the words and spirit of the Constitution, which contains the principles for the existence of the "TRNC" and also against the self-respect and honour of the teaching profession".

She criticized the Cyprus policy of Turkey in her articles and by referring to the Turkish Armed Forces, which came to Cyprus with the password of "Ayse went on vacation" in 1974, wrote "Let Ayse return to work from her vacation". After the investigation started, Orhon obtained a medical report to be on sick leave. Orhon said that she had not received the correspondence dismissing her from her position and went to teach her classes the following day. In the meantime, the administrators of the Union of Teachers met at the teachers' room of the school to give support to Orhon. The unionists, upon the warning of the police that protests cannot be made at the school, responded by saying, "Protests are made at places of work and this is our place of work. Should we make the protest at the hammam?"

When the police wanted to remove Orhon and the unionists outside, a noisy quarrel was experienced. Upon the incident, the union took a decision for a strike at the school and hung a banner in the schoolyard saying "There is a strike at this workplace". Tensions were experienced yesterday when the unionist teachers, who had met once again in the teachers' room, were being removed and six of the unionists were taken to the police department. The teachers, who were taken into custody, were released after a period of time. In the meantime, close to 300 teachers, who learned that their colleagues were taken into custody, left their classrooms and came in front of the police department. The teachers later marched to the Parliament and the Ministry of Education. The left opposition parties, which asserted that the teachers had been beaten in front of their students, left the Parliament, where the budget discussions were going on, as a protest.

The sentence, "Ayse went on vacation" was used as the password of the second "Peace Operation" on 14 August 1974, which drew the boundaries of the present-day Cyprus. During the ceasefire made after the first operation on 20 July, negotiations were being carried out in Geneva. Turkey was being represented by Turan Gunes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the period, in the second Geneva talks, starting on 8 August 1974. The morning of 11 August, when Prime Minister Ecevit understood that no conclusion would emerge from the negotiations, said the following to Prof. Haluk Ulman, who was in the delegation at Geneva, "Please tell Mr. Turan Gunes that Ayse wanted to go on vacation. Her preparations are completed. If his work is going to be prolonged, then I will tell her to go". Ayse was the name of Foreign Minister Turan Gunes' daughter. As a measure against the possibility of the telephones being tapped between Ecevit and Gunes, they had previously decided on a password. According to the password, "Ayse is going on vacation" would mean that the second peace operation would be started. When it became definite that no results would be obtained from the negotiations, Ankara warned the delegation in Geneva. The operation started with Ayse's going on vacation.

[05] The National People's Movement condemns Turkish Cypriot teachers ignoring completely the freedoms of thought and expression

[06] ''Partition in Cyprus is a death warrant''

He first gave a brief history of Cyprus starting from the Ottoman invasion and occupation of the island in1571 until the invasion and occupation of part of the island in 1974.

Referring to the period of 1968 when Clerides -Denktash negotiations were taking place, he said that the existence of Junta in Greece was an unfortunate event, otherwise, he said maybe today we would not have been talking about Cyprus problem.

Justifying the Turkish invasion of the island following the Junta-inspired coupe in Cyprus on 15/7/1974, admiral Kiyat said that the invasion from the military point of view was a great success. However, he added, because of the lack of political objectives it was a failure from the political point of view.

He said that any military operation should have political objectives. "If this lacks then one can not speak of political success'', Kiyat declared.

Saying that during his three months of stay in Cyprus he had learned a lot of things about Cyprus, admiral Kiyat added that the level of culture and education of the Turkish Cypriots compared to Turkey is high.

Noting that the Turkish army was ready for a possible invasion of the island since the early 60/s, Kiyat said that however, the politicians were not ready and the clear indication of that, he said, is that the Turkish side started with partition, went to federation, then to confederation and then to two separate states. He went on and said that the Turkish side also lacks ''will''. He then explained why the Turkish side gave up the partition policy, but, he said, by declaring the TRNC the same result was achieved, that is, Greece was brought near to the southern shores of Turkey.

He then criticized the confederation proposal saying that it too lacks political maturity. He also said that fortunately today Turkey's interests coincide with that of Cyprus' otherwise, he said, he would have preferred the interests of 65 million strong Turkey.

Referring to Denktas's policies he said that ''Denktas has greatly influenced Turkish foreign policy'. However, he said, Denktas is stuck to the past and he is living in the past. Without giving names admiral Kiyat criticized those who speak about a genocide if Cyprus is admitted in the EU. ''Today to talk about a genocide within the EU is nonsense'', Kiyat said.

He concluded by saying: ''The EU is a vision for Turkey. For Cyprus, for the two communities it is security prosperity and stability''.

[07] The occupation regime sequestrated Avrupa's furniture; this is the third confiscation

Under the front-page banner title "The third confiscation", "Avrupa" notes that this was the third time the paper's property is confiscated "by Denktas who wants his billions".

The paper continues: "While Denktas leaved his son/s father-in-law, who seized trillion of liras, to go around freely, he confiscated the armchairs, the tables and the chairs of Avrupa. Denktas and Anakara who have been destroying the Turkish Cypriots for 27 years have decided to silence Avrupa whatever the consequences. Denktas, the National People's Movement and the Security Forces are preparing new conspiracies against the writers of Avrupa.

The last furnishings of Avrupa were loaded yesterday morning on a track by the collectors, because of the compensation of Denktas. After that the collectors came to our printing house to confiscate the machines. They established the number of the machines and said they would come today to take them..

Since our newspaper was established, it has been a victim of bomb attacks twice and three times its belongings have been confiscated. Denktas and the Security Forces set up against us plots accusing us of spying. Charges, which have never been seen in the history of the world Press, have been filed against us.

After the collectors the police came yesterday to our office and brought us another bunch of charges. These trials are to be started right after the New Year.".

[08] Ortam: "The supporters of the non-solution are panicked"

The paper reports that the hopes increased among the Turkish Cypriots after the 4 December meeting between President Clerides and the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, have remained only a hope.

According to "Ortam" those who oppose a solution "are being organized in order to intimidate the supporters of the solution".

"By using the security forces of the state and violating the laws, they are conducting operations to intimidate and terrorize the people and the organizations they determined to be their target", notes "Ortam" referring to the Nilgun Orhon issue and the confiscation of the furniture of "Avrupa" newspaper.

"These are signs that days of darkness came to Cyprus", concludes the paper.

[09] The Turkish Foreign Minister insists on the so-called existence of the pseudostate

Talking yesterday on a programme of NTV television Mr Cem noted that for three years Turkey has been trying to apply a policy in Cyprus "based on two solid principles". "The one started to be applied on the August 1998", he said and added:

"Here is the confederation proposal which has been sincerely prepared by Turkey and the TRNC. .This proposal was really an invitation for reconciliation, a proposal for reconciliation, a realistic method of reconciliation. I can say it very sincerely; Turkey has exerted efforts for a solution accepted by both nations. And we continue to try. .Secondly, this is not a threat, it is not a blackmail. We have explained this to everybody and now everybody began to understand. It is not possible for the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to enter the EU without the approval of Turkey and the TRNC, as if it is the only government of the island, as if it is the only representative of the island, as if it is the only owner of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriots to live in despair as a minority under the rule of the Greek Cypriot majority. We cannot accept this. Turkey cannot say yes to this. We did and are still doing everything we can to prevent things from reaching this point. If, however, we reach such a point, we have explained very clearly that great problems will be created for everyone. I think that now hope for a good start has been born..

There are some points which are extremely important for the two sides, the two nations in Cyprus.The Greek Cypriots say and will be saying they want one international personality. As far as we are concerned, we are not going to abandon the state. That is, the existence of two equal states, two sovereign units, which will agree on the principle of the one personality and the creation of a common state. We shall not abandon this. Therefore, these two opinions have to reconcile somewhere.".

[10] Strikes in all the schools in the occupied areas

The Turkish Cypriot teachers were protesting about the issue of Nilgun Orhon, a teacher who has been fired because of articles she wrote in "Avrupa" newspaper, and the "illegal practices" used by the so-called police during the protest acts which took place two days ago in the "20 July Lyceum of Applied Sciences".

[11] Ertug the new representative of the pseudostate in Washington

The so-called general director of the above-mentioned "Ministry", Resat Caglar is appointed in the place of Mr Ertug.

[12] YENIDUZEN columnist new target of the occupation regime

Irkad refused to admit the accusations and said: "Because of the article I had received death threats. Specially military circles warned me to be careful because someone will kill me and on 28 August 2001, my car was burned".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[13] Mehmet Ali Birand: Denktas and Clerides should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

In his commentary the well-known Turkish journalist stresses that this time there is real opportunity for the solution of the Cyprus problem and, inter alia, says:

"All those who want resolution to the Cyprus problem must be stirred into action. They must not merely watch on. Turkey, Greece, the EU, the US must all act together to encourage these two leaders. Denktas must be given equal treatment. Clerides must be given support. And, to show them how they can go into history, Denktas and Clerides should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This opportunity must not be missed".

KV/SK

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