Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-08-06

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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 accuses RTP leader Talat of misleading the Turkish Cypriots.

[02] Eroglu welcomes Turkey's EU laws, favours Cyprus/ accession into EU after settlement.

[03] Serdar Denktas announced candidacy for Democratic Party leadership.

[04] Two Turkish Cypriot `Deputies/ resign from National Unity Party.

[05] Yalman news Land Forces Commander.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITOIRALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Denktas/ policy on Cyprus criticized.

[07] What is the next step?

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Denktas accuses RTP leader Talat of misleading the Turkish Cypriots

``Turkey started getting ready for the Copenhagen test not because the EU wants it but because it deserves these reforms. Turkey as a sovereign state decided to join the EU. Turkey is taking the necessary steps with the approval of its parliament and it will continue doing so,`` he said.

Denktas accused Republican Turkish Party (RTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat for misleading people regarding the EU issue. He alleged that Talat is telling people not to talk about sovereignty and join the EU with Greek Cypriots. He said that the Turkish Cypriots would fall into a trap if they become EU members before they make other countries recognize their sovereignty.

Denktas indicated that the EU didn`t regard Turkish Cypriots as a sovereign nation and considered the Greek Cypriot side as the official government of Cyprus. ``It is the Greek Cypriot side which applied to the EU under the false title of the Cyprus Republic. The Greek Cypriot side did this in order to destroy Turkish Cypriots, something they couldn`t do using arms,`` Denktas alleged.

Repeating his known allegations Denktas said: ``If we fall into this trap, all Greek Cypriots will return to their old places. If we don`t join the EU as a sovereign state, we will be destroyed."

Denktas further declared that in the occupied area, chaos has been created as regards the Cyprus problem, that "paid and unpaid" propagandists were creating chaos in the minds of the Turkish Cypriots.

"We are going though not only an economic crisis but a political crisis as well", Denktas declared.

"Under the present chaotic situation people lost their faith and they are confused, they don/t know whom to believe", Denktas said and added that with grants from the Americans, the propagandists who started with 30 people are now 3000 people.

[02] Eroglu welcomes Turkey's EU laws, favours Cyprus/ accession into EU after settlement

Responding to a question, Eroglu said approval of the EU harmonization in the Turkish Parliament was a success.

Eroglu said: ``Turkey has been in dialogue with the EU for years,`` and noted that Turkey exerted efforts to harmonize with the EU norms and fulfilled its duties not to be excluded from the EU. He said all the steps were taken on the way to democratization.

Eroglu said they favoured inclusion of the pseudostate into the EU after an agreement, and noted that they closely followed the works in Turkey pertaining to the EU, and that soon people will feel the work being done to this effect.

Eroglu said that their target was to enter the EU after an agreement, and noted that, ``continuation of the talks is to reach an agreement. Both sides should reveal the same intention for an agreement. We are sitting at the negotiation table with good will and looking for ways of compromise.``

[03] Serdar Denktas announced candidacy for Democratic Party leadership

Announcing his candidacy for the party/s leadership, Serdar Denktas said that he was not against the leadership of anyone nor did he become cross with any person within the party. He had put his candidacy to demonstrate that there is democracy within the DP.

[04] Two Turkish Cypriot 'Deputies' resign from National Unity Party

Following these resignations, the number of NUP seats at the so-called Assembly decreased from 23 to 21. The new distribution of seats at the "Assembly" is as follows: NUP, 21; Democratic Party [DP], 11; Communal Liberation Party, (CLP) six; Republican Turkish Party [RTP], five; Nationalist Justice Party, one; independents, four. Two seats are vacant in the wake of the death of DP "Deputy" Ahmet Erbasin and the election of RTP "Deputy" Sumer Aygin as so-called Kyrenia mayor.

[05] Yalman new Land Forces Commander

A written statement issued after three days of meetings of the highest military body of the country, announced that retiring Chief of General Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu will be replaced as of August 30 by General Hilmi Ozkok.

According to the statement, the Gendarmerie Command that will be vacated by General Yalman on August 30 will be filled by General Mehmet Sener Eruygur, who is currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Land Forces Command.

The post that will be vacated by General Eruygur, will be filled by General Mehmet Ilker Basbug, who is currently serving as the senior advisor to the all-powerful National Security Council.

General Fevzi Turkeri, on the other hand, was named the new Second Army Commander, replacing General Edip Baser.

According to the statement, the council promoted 31 generals and admirals to higher ranks and 46 colonels have become generals. The duty of 50 generals and admirals were extended by one more year, while 36 admirals and generals were retired.

The council also discharged 46 military personnel from the Armed Forces on charges of bad discipline.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[06] Denktas/ policy on Cyprus criticized

Denktas is clever! Why? Because he does not want Cyprus to join the EU before Turkey becomes a member of the organization, even if the island's problem is solved.

Is Clerides really stupid? Has he made a mistake by deciding to give priority to the EU target instead of the effort made to solve the Cyprus problem? Has he decided to ignore the one-third of the island?

Is Denktas really clever? Was it right for him to abandon the Turkish Cypriot people's rights as cofounder partners of the Cyprus Republic to the Greek Cypriots? Was it right for him to keep the Turkish Cypriots out of the EU and facilitate the Greek Cypriot side's accession to the organization?

Obviously, Denktas' policy facilitates Clerides' work. It does not safeguard the Turkish Cypriot people's interests.

The Turkish Cypriots cannot put up with the shameful state of affairs anymore. That is impossible. Everyone is frustrated. Everyone is like a time bomb that is ready to explode. It will be good if something is achieved by the end of 2002. Otherwise, the people will have to take care of their own problems by themselves. Some of them will continue to endure the difficult situation. However, the others will either explode or look for opportunities in foreign countries. Those who obtain red passports will fly to London. Was it not Lord David Hannay who said that all of us will be able to reside in London?

What will Denktas do if south Cyprus joins the EU? Will he still say, "Those who want to go away can do so. The doors are open."

In an amazingly pretentious approach, he said: "I have had enough." Who has had enough? Is it he or the people?

No matter what might be said, Clerides is not stupid. He has seen Denktas' weakness. He has realized that he definitely does not want the island's problem to be solved. That is why he has turned to the EU. We will all be able to see Clerides' design against Denktas after the Greek Cypriot side joins the EU and strengthens its position.

It is still not too late. We have missed the train that would help us solve the Cyprus problem. But, the EU train has not yet been missed. The two sides must board it together. That is important. That requires a little effort. We have to maintain our cause in accordance with International Law. We have to safeguard our rights as the cofounder partner of the Cyprus Republic. The solution of the Cyprus problem can be deferred until after Cyprus joins the EU, when more favourable conditions will exist.

Allowing the Greek Cypriots to join the EU as the side that represents the Cyprus Republic will be the most serious mistake we might make. Warning that the Turkish Cypriot side will withdraw from the talks held to solve the Cyprus problem will be useless. Such threats will definitely be useless because Clerides will not need Denktas after the Greek Cypriots join the EU and the Turkish Cypriots remain outside.

Considering that, can it be said that Clerides is stupid and Denktas is clever?"

[07] What is the next step?

"To the astonishment of many people in Turkey, and even in Western Europe, the Turkish Parliament has passed some very sensitive laws, which are also in line with the Copenhagen criteria.

The laws pertaining to the abolition of capital punishment, the freeing of restrictions to the use of the mother-tongue in broadcasting and also to the teaching and learning of the mother-tongue were very delicate issues for Turkey because they all meant more freedom and acceptance for the country's Kurdish population.

The abolition of capital punishment also means that Apo, the leader of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) movement, will not be hanged.

He is unquestionably responsible for the deaths of approximately 30,000 people, while he was the leader of the terrorist strife.

Some still believe that these new laws are big PKK concessions!

In my mind, these new laws are extremely important for Turkey, not only because they will bring us closer to the European Union, but also because they will enable us to live in peace, all together, under the guidance of liberal democratic principals, the most developed rules of coexistence mankind has realized thus far in history.

Contrary to the views of those who see these new laws as concessions to the PKK, I feel that Turkey has taken away most of this terrorist movement's justifications for their activities.

I hope that the Kurdish people will now feel more integrated into the country to which they already belong.

The new laws are, without doubt, a great leap forward for Turkey's becoming a member of the EU. I am sure that, now, the EU will be more enthusiastic about giving a calendar for Turkish membership, in the meeting to be held on Dec. 12-13 of this year in Copenhagen.

However, we should not feel that we have finished our homework!

We also have to take similarly radical decisions in Cyprus, i.e. give concessions to the Greek side, which will be welcomed not only by Greece and the Greek Cypriots, but also by the other countries in the world, and, obviously, by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Such a decision will not maximize the benefits to Turkish Cypriots, but should aim to optimize the benefits to both parties.

I hope that after having seen the radical decisions made by Turkey last week, Rauf Denktas, the leader of the Turkish Cypriots, reconsiders his stand.

I hope that he grasps now that the great majority of people in Turkey think that membership in the EU is the country's most important project since the Republic.

This great majority will not allow any obstacle to bloc the way.

The results of the early elections will also channel the view of people outside Turkey in regards to how the Turkish people personally feel about the EU.

The elections will turn into an EU referendum!

The percentage of votes won by the ultranationalist National Action Party (NAP) will clearly reflect the weight of the anti-EU sentiment in the country.

All the other effective parties say that they are pro-EU.

One can follow the attitude of these parties toward the EU by looking at how they voted on the sensitive laws that passed last week.

The Motherland Party (MP) of Mesut Yilmaz, the Democratic Left Party (DLP) of Bulent Ecevit and the recently established New Turkey Party (NTP) of Ismail Cem voted as a bloc in favour of the EU laws.

The Justice and Development Party (JDP) of R.T. Erdogan, the True Path Party (TPP) of Tansu Ciller and the Felicity Party (FP) of Recai Kutan -- really of Islamist Necmettin Erbakan -- were split in two on the so-called sensitive laws.

Meanwhile, if you follow the results of the polls, they all agree that the JDP is leading by a great margin.

They are followed by the Republican People's Party (RPP) of Deniz Baykal.

If the JDP, born from the ashes of an old Islamist party, wins, some people in Turkey believe that a government run by the JDP would give the impression in Europe that Turkish people do not really want the EU.

Some people in the West may feel that way, but I do not agree with them.

It is the JDP that needs the liberal democratic principals of the EU most, for legitimization.

At any rate, those who want to challenge the JDP in the elections have two options:

1) Certain parties form an alliance;

2) Kemal Dervis acts together with Deniz Baykal's' RPP, i.e. Baykal remains chairman of the party, but announces that Dervis will become prime-minister if they win the election. "

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