Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-06-18

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Rauf Denktas: "The 1960 agreements exist, the joint republic was destroyed".

[02] The so-called TRNC Assembly Speaker claims that the Turkish Cypriot side has the same say on the matter of the British Bases as the Greek Cypriot side.

[03] The Turkish and Greek Cypriot Chambers will meet in Brussels

[04] ORTAM: Two foreign football players from the occupied areas will get a transfer to the free areas.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Former Turkish Ambassador suggests Turkey should use the Turkomans living in Northern Iraq as strategic minority as in the case of Cyprus.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Rauf Denktas: "The 1960 agreements exist, the joint republic was destroyed"

Prior to his meeting with Eroglu and Cosar, Denktas commented on the reaction of the Greek Cypriot side to the statement of Lord David Hannay, UK special envoy in Cyprus, to the effect that there will be a new state formed in Cyprus. Alleging that the Greek Cypriots are trying to invalidate the 1960 agreements by threats, Denktas added: "The republic established through these agreements was already destroyed in 1963."

Denktas later met with Eroglu.

In a statement to the press prior to the meeting on Greek Cypriot reaction to Hannay's statement, Denktas said that in their reactions, the Greek Cypriots were giving the message that the Cyprus republic exists in the same way as the 1960 agreements exist. Denktas further said that the Greek Cypriots were making this same claim during the talks and that, now, they were making it public. Explaining that the 1960 agreements exist, Denktas alleged that the Greek Cypriots destroyed the partnership republic in 1963. Repeating his claim that the Greek Cypriots cannot become members of any organization and be a legitimate representative of Cyprus under a false title, Denktas added: "They cannot have Cyprus join the EU legitimately before the Cyprus issue is settled."

Denktas continued: "In the event that they do this, the whole world will realize that it is only Greek Cyprus, which joins the EU member."

Continuing with this situation under a false name and pursuing this same path has not settled the problem for 39 years and has totally divided Cyprus into two, Denktas said: "It is the right of the Greek Cypriots to do this; however, they cannot achieve anything legally. They cannot represent us legally. They will seal the division of Cyprus in the event that they proceed with this."

Explaining that the agreements can be reviewed, Denktas said that it will be the responsibility of the Greek Cypriots and the Greeks if they did not accept to revise the agreements.

Denktas further said: "The division in Cyprus is the outcome of what the Greek Cypriots have done for 11 years. There are two sovereign people who can administer themselves in two parts of the island. These two sides' forming a supra administration and government and be represented with a single voice in the EU was accepted in the Belgian model. We accept this. We will, however, never give up our sovereignty. If they want to become a full member of the EU soon, they should accept our equality and sovereignty. If they continue to reject our equality and sovereignty, it will be more difficult to find a solution."

Claiming that the goal of the Greek Cypriots is to eliminate bizonality, Denktas added that the Greek Cypriots aim at destroying Turkey's rights over Cyprus.

Eroglu, in turn, explained that the Cyprus talks were taken up at the meeting with Denktas. The talks in Cyprus are continuing, added Eroglu, noting that the Greek Cypriots should put forward acceptable proposals at the negotiation table. Noting that he briefed Denktas on economic issues, Eroglu said that efforts are being exerted to surmount the economic difficulties and that the economic programs are being implemented. Recalling that there were fluctuations in the foreign exchange rates in the past days, Eroglu said: "For this reason, there are delays in the outcome of the measures taken previously."

[02] The so-called TRNC Assembly Speaker claims that the Turkish Cypriot side has the same say on the matter of the British Bases as the Greek Cypriot side

Serter said: "They try to make Lord Hannay to take back his words, in which he expressed the reality. Even the fact that they want to bring in the agenda the issue of the British Bases shows that the Greek Cypriot side does not hesitate to resort to blackmail to achieve its goal. At this stage, I would like to remind that the Turkish Cypriot side has no less say on the matter of the British Bases than the Greek Cypriot side."

[03] The Turkish and Greek Cypriot Chambers will meet in Brussels

The delegation will have contacts regarding a project, which was prepared to be financed by EU funds. At the meeting, the projects concerning 1.5 million Euro that will be given to Cyprus for the year 2002, will be discussed, of which 750 thousand Euro will be for the Turkish Cypriots. In the meeting a delegation from the Greek Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and Industry will also participate. In case this project is carried out with success then the amount will be increased in the coming years.

[04] ORTAM: Two foreign football players from the occupied areas will get a transfer to the free areas

According to the paper, the two players are Ghora, forward, who played in Binatli and Ruffin, midfield, who has been a player of Yalova. The players have gone to the free areas of Cyprus via Istanbul and Athens and they reportedly arrived at Larnaca last night.

ORTAM writes that Ghora and Ruffin will be tested by Greek Cypriot teams and they will probably sign a contract.

Meanwhile, according to the same paper one more foreign football player, who was playing in a Turkish Cypriot team last year, is making preparations to get a transfer for the free areas.

[B] COMMENTS AND EDITORIALS

[05] Former Turkish Ambassador suggests Turkey should use the Turkomans living in Northern Iraq as strategic minority as in the case of Cyprus

An interesting bargaining process is being conducted in Washington over northern Iraq. The Bush administration is searching for ways of maintaining cooperation with the Iraqi Kurdish leaders within the framework of the operation on toppling the Saddam regime. The Bush administration is keeping this operation constantly on its agenda.

The Kurdish side, for its part, is trying to gain a final promise from the United States regarding the Kurdish federal state--which would also include Musul and Kirkuk, two cities that are rich in oil reserves--that may be established in northern Iraq in return for the support the Kurdish groups would provide to the United States in its operation against Iraq.

Reflecting an image that they are acting in sincerity, Democratic Party of Kurdistan, (KDP) Leader Mesut Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, (PUK) Leader Jalal Talabani are stressing that they respect the territorial integrity of Iraq and that they are not seeking to establish an independent Kurdish state, thus trying to create the impression that they have not formed a front against Turkey.

Meanwhile, both Barzani and Talabani are aware of the fact that a mini Kurdish state that lacks the necessary economic resources and that does not have access to any sea route does not have any chance to survive. However, should they establish this mini Kurdish state, the Kurdish groups would possess Kirkuk and Musul after cutting this region from Iraq and annexing it to the Kurdish state. Moreover, should the Kurdish groups gain the backing they are hoping to get from Western countries, Barzani and Talabani will definitely unite and declare an independent Kurdistan.

It appears that the Kurdish leaders do not want Turkish soldiers to take part in any operation that may be launched against Saddam. As a pretext, the Kurdish leaders are claiming that the participation of the Turkish troops in this operation would provoke Iran to interfere, thus creating chaos in the region.

This approach clearly reveals the calculations that the Kurdish leaders are making regarding the issue: The Kurdish leaders are seeking to bring about the political status of their choice and to take possession of the oil reserves in the region in the new political structuring process in Iraq by taking the frontline positions in a likely US military operation aimed at toppling the Saddam regime...

In parallel to this bargaining, the Kurdish lobby in Washington, for its part, is exerting efforts to influence the American public in Washington. As a matter of fact, we learned from our press that a conference organized in Washington last week by the Mustafa Barzani Global Kurdish Studies Center has constituted a "successful" propaganda tool aimed at the establishment of a Kurdish federal state in Iraq and at placing Kirkuk under the control of Kurdish groups in the future.

All these reveal the vital importance to Turkey of preventing Barzani and Talabani from gaining control over northern Iraq in the event that the United States launches a military operation against Iraq. Should it refrain from taking part in this military operation against Iraq and leave the United States and the Kurds to launch this operation on their own, Turkey would not be able to preclude the introduction of measures that are not to its liking in northern Iraq or to protect the interests of the Turkomans in the future.

All these factors reveal that the fate of Musul and Kirkuk are as important as Cyprus for Turkey from the strategic point of view. As a matter of fact, this is exactly why Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit earlier pointed out that the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq would be considered a reason for war.

It is also for this reason that Turkish officials said to US Secretary of State Colin Powell during his recent visit to Ankara that should Iraq be partitioned and a Kurdish state be established in Iraq, Turkey would not accept the inclusion of Musul and Kirkuk within the borders of this state.

As a matter of fact, all the elements of the structure of a state have already been formed in northern Iraq and a Kurdish state has in reality been established in this region. In light of this reality, as I indicated several times in this column in the past, has not the time come for Turkey to announce that the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq would result in the declaring of an autonomous Turkmen region in a belt extending from Telafer to Mendeli by having Kirkuk included within the borders of this autonomous Turkmen region?

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