Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-07-30

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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 insists on recognition of his puppet regime.

[02] Early polls process in full swing.

[03] Local elections reveal Turkey's political picture.

[04] A "National Struggle Museum" was opened in occupied Nicosia.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas insists on recognition of his puppet regime

In a statement to illegal BRT Denktas charged that the Greek Cypriots protest the idea of an agreement on two sovereign entities as if such an agreement would divide the island. He stressed that the Turkish Cypriots own one of the two states that were formed as a natural consequence of the Greek Cypriot struggle to own the whole island. Acting from this starting point, he said, the Turkish Cypriots found a formula for unification and for years have been extending their hand in peace to the Greek Cypriots.

Denktas asked: "If we do not exist, if there is no `Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus/ and its sovereign people, then who will unite with who?" He added:

"If the Greek Cypriots answer this question, they will see that the acknowledgment of the Turkish Cypriot sovereignty is the essence of unification. The Greek Cypriots say that there is a Cyprus republic and that they want to include the Turkish Cypriots in this republic. That is the way they want to end the struggle they have been waging for years with arms, terrorism, and embargoes. The Turkish Cypriots will not fall into this trap."

Denktas warned that if the EU admits Cyprus as its member then the separation in Cyprus will deepen and become permanent. We understand that the EU does not want that, he said, and if that is the case, then the existence of the Turkish Cypriots must be accepted and a way must be sought to unite. Anything other that is empty words, blackmail, and statements that have nothing to do with reality. Reality is what the Greek Cypriots did to the Turkish Cypriots, he said, but even so, the Turkish Cypriots are ready to establish a new partnership with those who made them suffer in the past.

Denktas stressed that the Turkish Cypriots want a partnership based on sovereignty, a partnership that the Greek Cypriots will not be able to destroy again.

[02] Early polls process in full swing

Parliament on Monday set in motion the three-day process to vote for early elections on November 3 as the last ditch effort of the Motherland Party (MP) to convince the prime minister to resign and stall parliamentary action failed.

Turkey was rocked over the weekend by speculation that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, leader of the Democratic Left Party (DLP) would resign and thus prevent Parliament from debating the early elections issue.

However, on Monday morning Parliament Deputy Speaker Murat Sokmenoglu said while Parliament cannot debate draft laws if the government quits it can still debate and clear the early elections decision...

Ecevit told reporters Monday after a meeting of his DLP deputies in Parliament that he would not use "resignation" as a method to stall early elections.

Motherland Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, a junior partner in the coalition, met with Ecevit later and reportedly urged him to quit. The Turkish Daily News was told Ecevit declined.

Later, Ecevit emerged from the meeting and said he had discussed the possibility of averting early elections and that he had concluded that this was impossible.

Ecevit met with Nationalist Action Party (NAP) leader Devlet Bahceli on Sunday in yet another bid to change his mind about early elections. But Bahceli turned him down and said elections will have to be held in November this year.

Parliament, meanwhile, met with 491 deputies, the highest number in attendance for the past few years, and decided to send the early elections issue to the Constitutional Commission for approval. The commission chief Turan Tayan of MP called for a meeting of the commission at 1 p.m. Tuesday. The commission is expected to clear the early elections decision on Tuesday afternoon and Parliament will then vote on the decision on Wednesday.

Observers said the passage of the decision seems to be a foregone conclusion with many deputies saying they will vote for the decision even if they are opposed to elections in November.

Parliament also decided to send a package of European Union reforms to the Justice Commission to be discussed immediately. Once the early elections decision is taken Parliament may clear the EU reforms but sources say this may not be so easy. Only the NAP opposes the reforms but Parliament sources say other parties may also be less enthusiastic to pass the reforms at this stage.

Ecevit agreed with his two coalition partners earlier this month to hold snap polls. But he has since insisted elections could damage the economy, impede a reform effort aimed at EU membership and bring pro-Islamist and Kurdish parties to power.

Ecevit has also expressed worries about a power vacuum in Ankara as speculation mounts that the United States could launch an offensive against neighbouring Iraq with the aim of ousting President Saddam Hussein.

[03] Local elections reveal Turkey's political picture

Local elections held in the Marmara region town of Eregli on Sunday, revealed the political panorama of the Turkish political scene, while the country has already entered an election mood.

According to the unofficial results of the local elections, the Justice and Development Party (JDP) came in first with 605 votes, while the Republican People's Party (RPP) ranked second with 449 votes.

Junior coalition partner, the Motherland Party (MP), and main coalition partner, the Nationalist Action Party (NAP), followed.

Meanwhile, the other coalition partner, the Democratic Left Party (DLP), was only able to get 52 votes.

Recent public opinion polls have revealed that the JDP would emerge from the ballot box as the number one party, while the RPP would be the number two parties, if elections were held today.

Turkey has been debating snap polls for months, but after the prime minister and leader of the DLP fell ill in May, debates reached a peak. After NAP leader Devlet Bahceli called for early elections to be held on November 3, to end the political uncertainty caused by the premier's poor health and the divisions within the government that have weakened the country's fragile economy, elections became inevitable.

However, according to the public opinion polls, there is a slim chance that the members of the three-way coalition government will pass the 10 percent national threshold necessary for a political party to enter Parliament.

Meanwhile, the DLP, which was the party with the largest grouping in Parliament, witnessed a split, decreasing its chances of success in the elections.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, on Monday, repeated his warnings that the polls could throw the crisis-hit country into greater turmoil.

Earlier this month, the 77-year-old leader agreed with his two coalition partners to hold snap polls, but he has since insisted that general elections on November 3 could damage the economy, impede a European Union-inspired reform effort and bring pro-Islamist and Kurdish parties to power.

Ecevit has also expressed concerns about a power vacuum in Ankara, as speculation mounts that the United States could launch an offensive against neighbouring Iraq with the aim of ousting President Saddam Hussein.

Meanwhile, the NAP has been trying to regain the support of its grassroots, which in the 1999 elections carried the party to Parliament as the senior coalition partner. Currently, the NAP has the largest group in Parliament.

The NAP has set its election strategy on an anti-EU policy.

According to various public opinion polls conducted by various institutions, some 40 percent are against Turkey's membership to the 15-member bloc.

The NAP has been eying this 40 percent in order to increase its vote capacity.

In contrast to the NAP, junior coalition partner MP is playing the EU card to increase its vote capacity. MP, in previous elections, has always successfully entered Parliament and has served as either a coalition partner or as the main opposition. For the first time in its history, it faces the risk of not being able to enter Parliament. Supporting Turkey's EU bid is their strongest card in the upcoming elections.

Subtitle: JDP and RPP

Despite the fact that the majority of the existing political parties are facing the risk of staying outside Parliament after the elections, it is almost certain that both the JDP and the RPP will be the winners in the election.

JDP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces judicial hardships and it is still uncertain if he will be able to enter the elections due to his political ban. There are currently two ongoing cases against him regarding his assets. However, the JDP grassroots seem to be unaffected by Erdogan's judicial problems.

Meanwhile, the RPP, which was not successful in entering Parliament in the 1999 elections, is increasing its vote capacity. It is rumoured that it will be the only centre-left party in the next Parliament.

[04] A "National Struggle Museum" was opened in occupied Nicosia

During the opening speech, Denktas said that museums of this kind are very important, because the history gives lessons to the next generations.

Ilkay Feridun, the so-called Director of the Antiquities and Museums Department, said that the building of the museum began to be built in 1978 and was completed in 1982.

"In twenty years we have succeeded in organizing it into a modern museum," Feridun concluded.

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