Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-08-05

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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' statements before and after the meeting with President Clerides

[02] Talat replied to Denktas' accusations on sovereignty

[03] Bahceli Remarks on EU Ties and Cyprus issue

[04] Turkish Parliament scraps Death Penalty

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas' statements before and after the meeting with President Clerides

Recounting that the Greek Cypriot press reported that President Clerides will respond to the Turkish Cypriot views on the territorial issue, Denktas said: "We may have a short discussion on the missing persons issue if we have time."

In reply to a question on whether the EP Foreign Relations Committee sent an invitation to hold an open discussion with Clerides, Denktas said that an official invitation had been issued and that he replied affirmatively to the question on whether he is willing to attend the meeting. Noting that both the Greek Cypriot press and Clerides did not reject this meeting and that he said that the decision will be made after the 6 September meeting with the UN Secretary General, Denktas added: "What does this mean? It is as though he said that it is better not to go. We will see."

Upon being reminded reports that Clerides will attend the meeting with an official who will take notes, Denktas said that only persons, who will take notes, will attend the meeting with the Secretary - General because the invitation is along these lines, adding that he will also bring somebody who will take notes to the meeting.

In a statement he issued after the meeting with President Clerides, Denktas said that the Greek Cypriot side voiced its opinions at this meeting and that both sides maintained their views. Noting that there will be another round of meetings on 27 August, Denktas added that both sides can come up with a more comprehensive idea at the new meeting as an end-result of all the meetings. Denktas continued: "We will find out whether an agreement can be reached if we conduct better work."

In reply to a question on whether the break in the talks should be interpreted as the end of the fifth round or just an assessment break, Denktas said that the break should be interpreted as a period of assessment. Denktas said that whoever wants can take a vacation; however, an assessment is essential because the documents are complex. There are a lot of documents that have to be assessed and this is what we will do now. In reply to a question on whether any agreements were reached at the meetings, Denktas said that it will be misleading to issue a statement on this subject, stressing that the issue is to settle the question. Explaining that the principle accepted for settling the issue is that there will be no agreement unless there is an agreement on all the issues, Denktas added that it will be misleading to say that the discussions on one issue are going well when the principle is known to all.

In reply to another question on whether there is progress, Denktas said: "It is obvious that both sides have expectations since meetings have been continuing for so long. Only at the end, however, we will know whether both sides have the same expectations. This is where the difficulty lies. We talk about visions, expectations, and principles. The Greek Cypriot side, however, does not want to talk about this because their visions and expectations are approximately 180 degrees different from ours. The important thing is to have them meet and for this, both sides have to conduct a reassessment." Denktas expressed the hope that both sides will conduct a more comprehensive assessment during the break.

In reply to another question, Denktas said that the UN Secretary - General will submit to the Turkish Cypriot side some proposals, which he compiled from his assessment of the meetings held so far and the document in his hand, and that he will also take into consideration the assessment of the Turkish Cypriot side.

Responding to a question on whether there is any progress on the territorial issue, Denktas said that the territorial issue will be reassessed in the wake of the Greek Cypriots response in this regard.

In reply to a question on what kind of approach he will take in the event that the UN Secretary - General submits proposals, Denktas added: "The UN Secretary - General has realized by now that his proposals elicit a reaction from one or both of the sides. In my opinion, the UN Secretary - General should only assist both sides to settle the issue and not present any proposals."

Upon being reminded the statement issued by Republican Turkish Party leader Mehmet Ali Talat to the effect that Denktas is insisting on sovereignty in vain, Denktas said that Mehmet Ali Talat should withdraw from the Assembly upon these remarks because he has taken an oath to protect the sovereignty. Denktas continued: "There is no second and third sovereignty. You have to first be sovereign. If you want, you can call the other a second sovereignty if you give a central government or an organization the rights stemming from your original sovereignty. There can be no second and third sovereignty if there is no sovereignty to start with. There must be a sovereignty somewhere to give birth to another one. Only then can you go to Brussels and give them whatever sovereignty they want."

Explaining that a EU membership can naturally bring forth a second sovereignty, Denktas added that the consequences of joining the EU without Turkey can be bad. Noting that it is time that the EU takes Turkey into consideration and look into the formulas acceptable to Turkey, Denktas stressed that nobody can change the fact that Turkey has irreversible rights over Cyprus stemming from international agreements. Recounting that Turkey declared that it is ready to do the necessary in order to protect its rights over Cyprus, Denktas urged everybody not to play with these rights. Denktas continued by noting that it should be accepted by everybody that Turkey has the right of veto over Cyprus if the international agreements are valid as claimed.

In reply to a question on whether the calls of the EP Foreign Relations Committee and the UN Secretary - General were coordinated or just a coincidence, Denktas said that there are no coincidences in diplomacy. Denktas said: "This shows that our defence is our flesh and bone. This proves that our defence is essential. The fact that all those people who have never called us are now calling us proves that they want to know more about what we say. The reason for the increase in visitors is because they want to know more about the facts they know nothing about."

[02] Talat replied to Denktas' accusations on sovereignty

In a written statement he issued today, Talat criticized the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas for declaring that those who say there is no sovereignty must leave the so-called Assembly immediately.

Stressing that the RTP is the most determined advocate of the Turkish Cypriots' right to free self-rule, Talat added that the criticism levelled at the party is not based on the truth. He said: "Mr. Denktas is attacking us for remarks we did not make on the issue of sovereignty. He himself tramples upon the Turkish Cypriots' claims to sovereignty every day."

Talat said that reducing the debate on sovereignty to simple nationalistic slogans shows a lack of familiarity with the issue. "The right thing that needs to be done", he concluded, "is for the administrations at various levels in Cyprus -- a country that will become an EU member -- to share the sovereignties."

[03] Bahceli Remarks on EU Ties and Cyprus issue

``However, it should be known that problems are not solved by separating people into groups like opponents and supporters and turning the membership process into a fake travel to heaven with unbelievable promises. And it should be known that making unjust criticisms against the nationalist movement does not approach Turkey to the EU,`` he said.

``Turkey's EU membership is not a process that is realized only with fulfilment of only political criteria. The EU administration should prove its good will about Turkey and it should absolutely keep its word. The EU should immediately change its policies which encourage the Greek Cypriot side on Cyprus. It should give up setting up secret relations with poor excuses of separatist terrorist gang,`` he said.

``Those who compete against each other at the parliament in order to save head terrorist (Tr. Note he means Ocalan) from the punishment he deserved and those who did not take developments against Turkish Cypriots seriously have caused the Turkish nation harm instead of doing it a favour,`` Bahceli said.

[04] Turkish Parliament scraps Death Penalty

The Turkish Grand National Assembly, which voted for the reform package, including the scraping of the capital punishment, which was adopted, 256 in favour 162 against and one abstention the Nationalist Action Party vehemently approved the lifting of the death penalty and education in Kurdish language.

The Nationalist Action Party has declared that it will recourse to the Constitutional Court to annul the package.

/X.Chr.

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