Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-02-19

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas supports the Turkish Cypriot students of the illegal DAU

[02] Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot businessmen to meet today at Ledra Palace Hotel

[03] AFRIKA addresses the members of the illegal "Assembly" asking their contribution for finding the "unknown" people who threaten its journalists

[04] The occupation authorities did not allow the Turkish Cypriot journalists to attend a joint meeting of the political parties at Ledra Palace

[05] Mehmet Ali Talat criticized the latest economic package

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Sami Kohen assesses the prospects of Turkey starting accession negotiations in 2003. French diplomats note that Cyprus will become EU member by the end of 2002

[07] Columnist in YENIDUZEN writes that Turkey too voted in 1964 that Cyprus Republic is a legitimate state

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas supports the Turkish Cypriot students of the illegal DAU

During a meeting yesterday with a delegation of the students, Mr Denktas sent a message to the administrators of the illegal university to solve the problem. "I think that the university could limit some expenses and help these kids to pay in Turkish money at the level of the minimum salary. I cannot see a reason for not having this done", said the Turkish Cypriot leader, adding that everyone should make a sacrifice because of the economic situation in the pseudostate.

Mr Denktas said that he believed that the problem could be solved and repeated that the students have the right on their side. He also noted that he expressed these views after he discussed the situation both with the so-called ambassador of Turkey to occupied Nicosia, Hayati Guven and the so-called "Prime Minister" and "Deputy Prime Minister" Dervis Eroglu and Salih Cosar respectively.

[02] Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot businessmen to meet today at Ledra Palace Hotel

According to a written statement issued yesterday by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, the businessmen will discuss, among other things, the following: "Encouragement and support to the negotiators at the talks began between the leaders aiming at finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, lifting the embargo applied on the Turkish Cypriot community by the Greek Cypriot side and the European Union, preparing projects in order to launch an economic cooperation aiming at filling the existing economic gap between the two sides and discussing the economic relations during the accession to the EU of the new partnership which will be based on two equal states".

It is mentioned that the two chambers were to meet in the occupied areas on 14 January 2002, but the meeting was postponed because the occupation regime did not allow the Greek Cypriot delegation to enter the pseudostate.

[03] AFRIKA addresses the members of the illegal "Assembly" asking their contribution for finding the "unknown" people who threaten its journalists

The paper writes that it was forced to do this because its application to the so-called "police" had no result. The paper notes, inter alia, the following:

".Eh, you honourable Members of the Parliament. You may not know what to do before all this pain, which exists in our country. Your power may not be enough to change this order of things. However, you cannot remain silent when the life of the citizens is in danger. Look, how many times we have written to you from this newspaper, which is the second in circulation. We are ready to give you a lot of testimonies, but for some reason there is yet no answer from you. What is the reason of this insensitivity? Is it not interesting for you to hear the voice of a potential killer?

.We do not trust the authorities of the Republic of Turkey anymore, which are responsible for the security of this country. Unfortunately our police, who are depended upon them, are also unable. You honourable Members of the Parliament, for this reason we are applying to you. Come let us find out together who are the potential killers"!

[04] The occupation authorities did not allow the Turkish Cypriot journalists to attend a joint meeting of the political parties at Ledra Palace

In their joint communique, which was issued after the meeting at Ledra Palace, the leaders and the representatives of the political parties said that they discussed the political aspects of current developments on the Cyprus problem and proposals for further bi-communal events. They also expressed their unanimous support and readiness to organise such events.

The communique notes: "The representatives believe the meetings between the political parties have to be continued and intensified". The next meeting will be held on March 28.

In the meeting, which was organized by the Slovak Embassy in Cyprus, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP) Huseyin Angolemli, Foreign Relations' Responsible of CLP Gungor Gunkan, the member of the administrative committee of CLP Erdogan Naim, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP) Mehmet Ali Talat, Foreign Relations' Responsible of RTP Kutlay Erk, the General Secretary of Patriotic Unity Movement (PUM) Izzet Izcan, Foreign Relations' Responsible of PUM Alpay Durduran, Foreign Relations' Responsible of National Revival Party (NRP) Mehmet Bayrut and the member of NRP Dervis Musannif participated.

On behalf of the Greek Cypriot political parties, Andreas Christou and Eleni Mavrou from the left-wing AKEL, Panayiotis Demetriou and Katie Clerides from the Democratic Rally (DISY), Nicos Kleanthous from the Democratic Party (DIKO), Marios Karatzias from the Social Democrats Movement (KISOS), George Vassiliou and Andreas Ladas from the United Democrats (EDI) and Antonis Pashalides and Takis Hadjioannou from the Eurodemocratic Reformist Party participated in the meeting.

YENIDUZEN (19/2/02) reports that the General Secretary of RTP, Ferdi Sabit Soyer, criticizing the fact that Denktas' regime did not give permission to the Turkish Cypriot Press to cover yesterday's joint meeting between the leaders and representatives of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot political parties, said: "We protest against this fact of not giving permission to the Turkish Cypriot journalists, which undermines our peoples' right to direct information and we condemn this dissemination of misinformation policy that is applied to our people with the logic of the Cold War era."

He also said that ruling circles force private and so-called official media organs to be in unison. He finally accused Denktas' regime of imposing embargo on the Turkish Cypriot Press.

[05] Mehmet Ali Talat criticized the latest economic package

Talat, in his written statement issued yesterday, said that the so-called government of National Union Party (NUP)-Democratic Party (DP) prepared an economic package with the Turkish technocrats who came from Turkey without announcing anything to the Turkish Cypriot people. And the so-called government NUP-DP imposed this package on the Turkish Cypriot people.

Calling on the Turkish Cypriot people to struggle against this economic package that aims at curtailing the democratic rights and freedoms of the Turkish Cypriot people, Talat said that the pseudo-government tried to make the Turkish Cypriots accept this economic package, which has been described by him as "imposition".

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[06] Sami Kohen assesses the prospects of Turkey starting accession negotiations in 2003. French diplomats note that Cyprus will become EU member by the end of 2002

This is Ankara's target date. During his meeting with EU Commission official Gunter Verheugen yesterday, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem stressed that it is necessary to accelerate the process and that it is possible to make a decision with regard to the negotiation process in 2003.

The day before yesterday deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also pointed out that 2003 is an important year and that efforts should be made to "catch the train."

There is no doubt that the fact that Turkey has determined such a target for itself and the fact that it is making efforts to rapidly carry out its responsibilities to this end constitute positive signs, but, from the EU's standpoint, it is more important for Turkey to comply with the criteria than determining the schedule for the negotiations on its membership.

This is why Verheugen noted yesterday that Turkey has to make further progress and added that it is not necessary to be as fast as a "race car" for becoming an EU member.

Turkey's 2003 target was discussed during the "Turkey-France Strategic Meeting" that was held in Istanbul.

During the "brainstorm" with the leading French diplomats and strategists, the Turkish side explained the importance of holding the membership negotiations in 2003. The French diplomats and experts who have close relations with the EU noted, however, that the schedule issue should not be put to the fore. Furthermore they openly stated that they find the predictions with regard to 2003 too optimistic. A diplomat said: "It is possible to make such a decision in 2003. This is not impossible. Everything depends on Turkey's performance in complying with the economic and political criteria."

This means that the EU is not sure whether or not negotiations will be held in 2003. As a matter of fact, in face-to-face talks, the officials state that this is impossible. This can only be possible if Turkey complies with all the conditions and the criteria within 2002.

Cyprus is one of the conditions. Verheugen repeated this in his statement. The issue was also discussed during yesterday's "Strategic Meeting."

The French side noted that the decision with regard to Cyprus' EU membership will be finalized by the end of 2002. In other words, they noted that even if a solution is not found in Cyprus, south Cyprus will become an EU member by the end of 2002. The Turkish side, in turn, warned that this will result in grave outcomes in the region and stressed that this might even lead "to a disaster."

According to the Turkish officials, the fact that the EU has declared that Cyprus will become an EU member even if a solution is not found encourages the Greeks. This weakens the chances for an agreement. The French diplomats, in turn, view the EU factor as a factor that encourages conciliation.

During the EU/ICO Forum in Istanbul, I had the opportunity to talk to Ioannis Kasoulides, foreign minister of the Cypriot Greek Administration. His remarks proved that the Greek side is sure of its EU membership and that despite the fact that it represents only half of the island, it aims at taking its place in Europe. It seems that the Greek side is not very concerned with the fact that after it becomes an EU member, the /TRNC, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus/, might integrate with Turkey. In other words, they might be ready to sacrifice the north at that point.

We do not know, however, how much the EU officials and the Clerides administration are concerned with the "possible grave outcomes" of such a policy -- which was discussed in yesterday's Turkish-French meeting -- and whether or not they ponder over these outcomes..."

[07] Columnist in YENIDUZEN writes that Turkey too voted in 1964 that Cyprus Republic is a legitimate state

"The visit of Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement, to Turkey must be evaluated from every point of view. Let's take up first the words of the Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Ecevit said: 'The Cyprus problem can be easily solved if EU does not interfere and if no other country interferes.' The day that I read these statements by Ecevit in the press, I also read Verheugen's speech at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey.

Verheugen said: 'It is obvious that the EU does not want to take part in the discussions of finding a solution. This procedure concerns only the sides. It is up to them to decide the future of Cyprus.'

It means that Verheugen said: ' We do not interfere."

Soyer, inter alia, also wrote that Verheugen stressed in his speech at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey that the status of Cyprus' application to be an EU member is clear and Soyer added that the 1964 UN resolution, which accepted the Republic of Cyprus as a legitimate state, was adopted also with Turkey's vote.

EG/

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