Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-08-28

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader before and after meeting President Clerides under the auspices of the United Nations.

[02] Denktas and Eroglu leave for Ankara.

[03] Denktas threatens with integration of the occupied part of Cyprus with Turkey in case the EU accepts Cyprus before a solution.

[04] The "Court of Appeal" of the pseudostate meets today for Sener Levent and Memduh Ener; The pseudoassembly could not meet for the second time.

[05] The deficit of the pseudostate during the first seven months of 2002 exceeded 14 trillion liras.

[06] The pseudostate participates in Izmir/s 71st International Fair.

[07] Attempt to curb the "wild donkey" population in the occupied Karpass peninsula.

[08] Turkish Cypriot teachers who took part in the bi-communal choir in Istanbul will be prosecuted.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Commentary in Turkish Daily News calls on the Turkish politicians to get into action in view of developments in the next four months.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader before and after meeting President Clerides under the auspices of the United Nations

Replying to reporters' questions at his residence before leaving for the meeting, Denktas explained that a general assessment will be conducted. The advisors of the two sides will not attend the meeting and he will hold a meeting with Clerides , Denktas explained. He added that Alvaro de Soto, UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Cyprus, will be present at the meeting.

The meeting lasted one hour and 15 minutes. Replying to reporters' questions at the end of the meeting on whether there are any clues or proposals regarding the meeting to be held with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Paris on 6 September, Denktas said: "No, there is no proposal. A general assessment will be conducted on 6 September. The Paris meeting will be an assessment phase, as was the case during Annan's Cyprus visit. Everyone is expecting something to happen by the end of the year, and the Paris meeting will focus on what can be done in this time. The Greek Cypriots' statement to the effect that a Cyprus Republic exists, it will continue to exist, and the essence will be built on this basis does not leave much room for hope."

Denktas was asked: The Greek Cypriot press is claiming that work is under way under the leadership of Lord David Hannay, British special envoy for Cyprus, on constitutional issues. What is your opinion on this subject? Denktas answered: "It is natural for Hannay to conduct his own work as a party wanting to help. However, this does not affect us. No one can surprise us. We do not want surprises."

The next meeting between the two leaders will be held on 30 August.

[02] Denktas and Eroglu leave for Ankara

[03] Denktas threatens with integration of the occupied part of Cyprus with Turkey in case the EU accepts Cyprus before a solution

KIBRIS writes that in an interview yesterday with Reuters News Agency, the Turkish Cypriot leader said that "if talks do not work out by the end of the year and if the EU makes the mistake of saying they accept Cyprus now as it is, then we have to look for new alternatives for our future".

"One alternative is to re-align our administration and consider giving to Turkey our foreign affairs and defense ministries and monetary matters under a protocol until Turkey enters the EU", noted Mr Denktas adding that no decisions had been made, but that closer integration with Turkey "is one of the options".

The Turkish Cypriot leader repeated that the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU prior to a solution of the Cyprus problem would mean "the end of the road". "Then we have to look after our country, because we are not that Cyprus", concluded Mr Denktas.

[04] The "Court of Appeal" of the pseudostate meets today for Sener Levent and Memduh Ener; The pseudoassembly could not meet for the second time

Furthermore, AFRIKA refers to the second unsuccessful attempt of Republican Turkish Party and Communal Liberation Party to convene the pseudoassembly in order to discuss the matter of pardoning and setting free the two journalists. The "assembly" was not able to have a meeting yesterday because only 17 "MP's" were present. Last Wednesday, when the two parties convened the "body" for the first time, only 16 "MP's" responded the call of Mr Serter, so-called "speaker of the Assembly".

Commenting on the issue, RTP leader, Mehmet Ali Talat said that the "assembly" "refused to wipe up the disgrace" of keeping imprisoned two people whose crime was to express their thoughts. Mr Talat said he was optimistic about the discussion of the issue at the "Court of Appeal".

Furthermore, CLP leader, Huseyin Angolemli accused the "MP's" who did not participate in the session of committing a crime against the community and added that the issue will be on the agenda on 9 September when the "assembly" will resume its works.

[05] The deficit of the pseudostate during the first seven months of 2002 exceeded 14 trillion liras

According to KIBRIS by the end of July 2002 the pseudostate paid 369 trillion and 298 billion Turkish liras, whereas its revenue reached 354 trillion and 966 billion liras.

[06] The pseudostate participates in Izmir's 71st International Fair

The pseudostate is represented in the Fair by 20 firms and five illegal universities.

[07] Attempt to curb the wild donkey population in the occupied Karpass peninsula

The so-called council of ministers recently decided to export these donkeys because their population reached around two thousand and they were destroying the cultivated fields in search for food.

Greens and animal protection organizations raised their voices against the exporting of the donkeys. As a result of these protests the Denktas regime is trying to accommodate the view that the number of the donkeys should be curbed and limited to around 500 hundred.

The general secretary of the Association for the Protection of the Rizokarpasso Turtles, Dursun Cebi, in a written statement said that a specific area should be allocated and fenced for these animals so that they will not harm the farmers and their fields. He favoured exporting certain numbers of them until a proper protection area is specified for them.

The chairman of the Nationalist Justice Party (NJP) Kenan Akin and the so-called director of the environment protection department Bulent Arkin also favoured the export of these animals.

[08] Turkish Cypriot teachers who took part in the bi-communal choir in Istanbul will be prosecuted

On their part, in a joint statement the Turkish Cypriot Teachers Union (KTOS) and the Secondary Schools Teachers Union (KTOEOS) criticised the regime's attempt and said: "The five members of the bi-communal choir which is made up of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, who took part in the music activity organized by ODP and KIBES in Istanbul and financed by the UNDP and UNOPS, will be prosecuted and punished".

The statement gives the names of the teachers who went to Istanbul with the permission of the trade unions to take part in the choir, and criticises the attempt to punish them.

The statement accuses Denktas who, it says, ''is negotiating for the sake of negotiation', is trying with the help of ruling circles to oppress and annihilate, with methods that recall counter guerrilla practices, the peace-loving Turkish Cypriots.

''The regime created in the north under Denktas' leadership is the reason for the annihilation of the Turkish Cypriots on the island. The government, especially the ministry of education, with the orders they take, with fascist attitudes, are engaged in creating animosity against the teachers. With a view to protesting strongly this fascist oppression exhibited against the teachers and the enlightened people, who oppose the attacks directed to the Turkish Cypriots, who are forced to live a slave's life in his/her own country, we will organize a protest meeting in front of the national education and culture ministry on 28.08.02'', the statement concludes.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[09] Commentary in Turkish Daily News calls on the Turkish politicians to get into action in view of developments in the next four months

"When I returned to Ankara from Copenhagen, I was in for a big disappointment. Not one single soul came up and asked me, "What is happening with the European Union?" Dervis is the talk of the town. No one seems to have eyes for anything else.

Politics are going through a period full of excitement, and it is only natural that people are curious. However, we should not forget that the Dervis issue is a temporary one -- here now, gone tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Turkey has entered the most critical four month period in the history of the Republic. We will either be able to obtain from the EU a date for the start of the accession talks, or we will be forgotten.

The factor that upsets me most is the fact that at a stage where it has accomplished the most difficult task, making a series of reforms which everybody finds incredible, Turkey now acts as if it has forgotten all about the target it has set out to reach. After accomplishing such a difficult task, it is as if we just cast that issue aside, falling into a stupor.

This is incredible.

Not a word comes from President Sezer. Though this is not his duty, don't we have the right to expect him to be stirred into action also, to the extent that he attaches importance to the EU?

Prime Minister Ecevit does not care either. Yet, he knows how to take to the rally grounds, albeit with great difficulty. The Parliament, meanwhile, is preoccupied with its own troubles. Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel, who does not hide the fact that he does not like the EU, also seems to have acted with only the greatest reluctance on this issue. That leaves Mesut Yilmaz and Ismail Cem, who have taken to the road despite all their political problems. They are carrying the flag on their own.

Where is Deniz Baykal? Where is Tansu Ciller?

With such an overall picture, everybody, starting with the bureaucrats, merely watch one another without doing anything.

Everybody should rise up, take to the streets How can one not feel sad.

For the first time, Turkey has in its hands strong cards with which it can persuade the EU. Yet, it cannot use them.

The next four months will be highly critical. We should focus all our attention on these four months and strive accordingly. Each week, a different Turkish delegation should be visiting the capital cities of the 15 EU countries.

Not only the official delegations must tour these capitals, but also parliamentarians, the party leaders that support the EU goal, the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), businessmen, Turkish scientists, writers and everybody who can write or speak up should be up in arms, taking to the streets to impress the EU, which will be determining Turkey's future. Most importantly, all these activities should be coordinated by a single source.

Turkey is in a position where it can score a goal. While in the penalty area, it must not act like a confused soccer team whose members just keep passing the ball to one another.

This opportunity must not be missed.

Yet, the next four-month period is dotted with dates each more meaningful than the other, dates which will have a bearing on one another:

1. On Sunday, September 22, an election will be held in Germany. If the Christian Democrats win, Turkey will be adversely affected. This is because former Chancellor Kohl's party is definitely opposing Turkey joining the EU.

2. On October 16, the EU Commission will disclose the "progress report." That report will be highly important because it will announce to what extent all the candidate countries, Turkey included, comply with the Copenhagen criteria, and, in which areas they lag behind, if any.

That report will be, in a way, a "card" indicating who manages to "pass" the exam. When making their decisions, the 15 member countries will make use of and be affected by that report.

Each and every sentence to be written by the Commission will either bolster Turkey's position or make Turkey's job more difficult. Therefore, Turkey must keep the Commission under very close scrutiny. The Commission's representation office in Ankara, especially, should be briefed very well.

3. On October 24, the leaders of the 15 member countries will meet in Brussels to determine the policy to be followed regarding EU enlargement. They will determine what to tell which country, what to give to whom at the Copenhagen Summit.

That meeting will be important for Turkey from two aspects. For one thing, no negative statement should be made about Turkey's status. This is because, in that case, there is a strong chance that the November 3 election would be affected and the Nationalist Action Party (NAP) would get more votes.

Secondly, Cyprus's membership must not be determined in a clear manner. If it were to be determined clearly, the intercommunal talks would collapse. The Greek Cypriot administration would be free to act any way it wanted and, still, the Turkish side would get blamed.

To avert these dangers, Ankara must make a big effort.

4. On November 3, a general election will be held in Turkey. The election results will be placed under close scrutiny by the EU. The outcome of the election is likely to have a bearing on whether the EU's Copenhagen Summit gives Turkey a date for the start of the accession talks.

The possibility of the NAP taking part in the new coalition government will make it harder for the EU to set such a date. A high-ranking EU official has already told me about that, saying, clearly, "We have the impression that if the NAP manages to be in the government it will not let the reforms be implemented. Therefore, we would hesitate to open the door for Turkey. We would rather wait and see."

5. On December 12, the EU will have the final say at the Copenhagen Summit. The most critical and historic debate at the summit will be on the Cyprus issue. There is talk of some enormous last-minute bargaining in which America will also be involved. The date to be given to Turkey will affect to a great extent also the developments concerning Cyprus.

At the end of this breathtaking marathon, Turkey will either grab its "fate" from the "lion's mouth" or the "EU wedding" will have to wait for some other time.

It is up to you to make the choice. If you want, let us spend time with Dervis. If you like, let us roll up our sleeves for the sake of our children's future, leaving everything else aside and leaving for the European capitals.

/SK

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