Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-11-08

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reference to Cyprus by Erdogan after meeting with the US Ambassador to Turkey.

[02] President Sezer's adviser: It will be wrong to consider the recent statements by the JDP on Cyprus as a change in Turkey's policy.

[03] Ankara is pleased because Senator Joseph Biden will be replaced from the Foreign Relations Committee.

[04] Hasipoglu: "The Turks and the Greeks will not be satisfied from the solution".

[05] A new trade union under the name "BASS" has been established in the pseudostate.

[06] The so-called "Civil Defense 2002" general exercise will take place in Morphou.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Sami Kohen on the discussions about the Belgian model.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Reference to Cyprus by Erdogan after meeting with the US Ambassador to Turkey

In his opening remarks Pearson said: "I just want to say that I have had very good meeting with Mr Erdogan. I passed along the congratulations of the President for his excellent victory in this democratic election, and for his responsible and excellently conducted campaign. The themes on which Mr Erdogan conducted his campaign; that is to say, the EU accession date, the economic prosperity of the country, the democratic reforms, government effectiveness, and anti-corruption are exactly those themes which the Untied States supports. We believe very strongly that Turkey has a new leadership, a new spirit, and my country stands ready to work cooperatively with Turkey in its new endeavours. We especially want to find new opportunities for trade, for investment, in order to bring economic prosperity more rapidly to the Turkish people. I thank Mr. Erdogan for this meeting and I thank you for the opportunity to express these views. Thank you very much."

Erdogan, in turn, said: "Mr Pearson paid a courtesy visit and conveyed Mr Bush's congratulations to us. We, in turn, conveyed our congratulations on the occasion of the Republican victory." Explaining that Mr Pearson conveyed the US appreciation of the JDP campaign, Erdogan adds: "We, in turn, expressed our determination to meet the demands of our nation by keeping our promises promptly. We said that our goal is to have the nation say they found the government they sought." Recounting that he expressed the hope to Pearson that an JDP delegation may visit the United States once the government is formed, Erdogan adds: "We asked his support on this issue. The meeting was conducted in a very positive atmosphere. I would like to thank him again for the courtesy visit he paid."

In reply to a question on whether the JDP will continue with the EU process even if the Cyprus solution proposed by the EU is not acceptable to all the sides, Erdogan says: "There is no such thing as acceptable to everybody. Let us only consider what we heard from everybody, and I believe that it will be more appropriate if you also conduct the assessment based on this information. We have put forward our stand on Cyprus. We are following the developments very carefully. Our goal, however, is to secure a just and lasting peace. The following are the two important factors: two sovereign and equal states. This is our goal. We have to achieve this goal. In my opinion, finding a solution in Cyprus through mutual understanding will have a positive influence on the Turkish-Greek relations."

[02] President Sezer's adviser: It will be wrong to consider the recent statements by the JDP on Cyprus as a change in Turkey's policy

Ildem said that President Sezer met with the leaders of the two political parties, which will certainly be represented in the Parliament after the November 3 elections, and those meetings should be considered as courtesy visits. He added that, as Erdogan also mentioned in his speech, appointment of Prime Minister and possible candidates for this position were not brought into agenda during the meetings.

Noting that there will be some constitutional steps in the coming days, Ildem said that Sezer would make necessary evaluations in that period and he added that the President would have consultations with JDP, as it became the ruling party. He added that Sezer will also not undervalue his authority of appointing the Prime Minister among the other members of Parliament.

When asked on Sezer`s approach for the appointment of a Prime Minister who has a wife without headscarf, Ildem said that he will not explain the President's view about appointing Prime Minister and added that 109th article of the Constitution is clear and Sezer will not undervalue his authority which is given to him by the Constitution. He said that he is not in a condition of giving details about the criteria.

When asked his view about the reference to the Belgian model by Erdogan about the Cyprus question, Ildem said: "I suppose the statements of Mr Erdogan about Cyprus have later been completed with the views voiced by both him and party officials later. I only want to state that the policy of Turkey in Cyprus is a state policy and there is continuation in state policies. I suppose JDP officials issued these statements by being aware of that. I don't think that there is a contradiction. In that respect, it will be wrong to consider the recent statements of JDP about Cyprus as a change in Turkey's policy in Cyprus."

[03] Ankara is pleased because Senator Joseph Biden will be replaced from the Foreign Relations Committee

The Republican Party has made history in the US by-elections. The Republicans, who conducted a campaign based on President George W. Bush's personal popularity, have defied the general expectation that the party controlling the White House would suffer a loss in the congressional elections. They maintained their majority in the House of Representatives and regained the majority in the Senate after a two-year break.

The final results of the by-elections will not be released before December because of recounts in some constituencies and a runoff in Louisiana. In the by-elections, which were held to elect all the 435 members of the House, a third of 100 members of the Senate as well as 36 governors, the Republicans outperformed the Democrats in all the three categories. The Republicans secured 51 seats in the Senate and won 226 seats in the House so far.

The outcome of the by-election, which was interpreted as confirmation of the public support for the Bush Administration's anti-terror policy, has strengthened Bush's position for the next two years. The new Republican majority in the Senate will give Bush the opportunity to rule without facing opposition in a variety of domestic political issues, especially granting of new tax cuts and appointment of judges to federal courts. As regards foreign policy, the Bush White House is in a stronger position against the rest of the world now. The policies to be proposed by the Bush team about every issue including Iraq will easily command support from the Congress.

Subtitle: Well-known politicians

Jeb Bush, Florida Governor and President Bush's younger brother, was re-elected in the voting. In South Carolina, Elizabeth Dole, wife of the former Senate majority leader and the Republican presidential candidate who represents another well-known family in US politics, was elected to the Senate.

Subtitle: "Turkey's Friends" won

The new Republican majority in the US Congress will not bring about a radical change in US foreign policy. However, the hawkish wing of the American Right perceives the results as a support lent to them in many fields ranging from the national missile defense system to the plan aimed at overthrowing Iraqi leader Saddam Husayn.

One of the results of the US by-elections, which may affect Turkey, is that the Republicans will take over the chairmanships of Senate committees. Ankara is pleased because Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, Dem., will be replaced. Turkish diplomats hope that Biden, who is known for his criticisms targeting Turkey's Cyprus policy and human rights record, will be replaced by Senator Richard Lugar, Rep., whom they consider "a staunch ally of Turkey." It is expected that the proposed financial support package for Turkey, which is on the Bush Administration's agenda, will easily clear the Senate if it eventually gets off the drawing board. Meanwhile, Ankara also welcomed re-election of many members of the "Turkey's Friends" group in the House of Representatives.

[04] Hasipoglu: "The Turks and the Greeks will not be satisfied from the solution"

Talking yesterday at the pseudo-assembly during the discussions on the "budget" of the pseudostate, Mr Ertugruloglu expressed the opinion that strong diplomacy, economy and army are needed in the case of Cyprus and added that the Turkish side has succeeded only in the military field. He further argued that the Turkish side has accepted a percentage around 29 % plus in the adjustment of the territorial aspect of the Cyprus problem and added: "You cannot say 'we shall not give even a small stone' after accepting this".

Speaking during the same session, Huseyin Angolemli, leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP), said that in the past the Turkish side has made concessions on the territorial aspect and supported that reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem will be possible in case the Greek side makes concessions on the constitutional and the Turkish side on the territorial issues.

Furthermore, Mehmet Ali Talat, chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), said that during the last few days there is chaos in the Turkish side on the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat noted that the absence of the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, because of the situation of his health and the election process in Turkey, caused a climate of uncertainty.

Mr Talat expressed also the opinion that Mr Denktas will not sign an agreement on the Cyprus problem. "In such a case he will resign", he added.

[05] A new trade union under the name "BASS" has been established in the pseudostate

[06] The so-called "Civil Defense 2002" general exercise will take place in Morphou

According to the paper in the so-called Civil Defense 2002 general exercise will participate, among others, the permanent employees of the so-called Civil Defense Organization, the Rapid Intervention Unit, 197 members of public organizations, 42 members of the Search and Rescue Association of the so-called Universities, the so-called ministries of Health and Social Welfare and members of the pseudopolice.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] Sami Kohen on the discussions about the Belgian model

Justice and Development Party [JDP] leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan referred to the "model in Belgium" while discussing the Cyprus problem in a statement he made to a Greek television network after his election victory. However, he seemed to forget a frequently used expression in diplomacy, "The devil lurks in a model's details." The Greek and Greek Cypriot officials were surprised by what he said. Nevertheless, they welcomed it. He asserted: "Cyprus is made up of two parts, not one. There is south Cyprus and north Cyprus. The JDP supports the model in Belgium for the island and believes that the Cyprus problem can be solved. A proposal was made to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in that direction when he visited the island some time ago. We want the direct talks that are carried out at the present time to yield a result."

Erdogan's statement complies with the views the JDP outlined on Cyprus in its election manifesto. It said in a paragraph on Cyprus: "Our party believes that a solution must definitely be found to the Cyprus problem. Undoubtedly, the solution to be found must not ignore the Turkish Cypriot people's existence, identity, and right to self-determination. As in Belgium, the establishment of a state administration on the island based on the two communities will be in the interest of the two sides."

Considering the general framework of his statement, Erdogan most probably had the model in Belgium in mind. The Greek officials in Athens interpreted it as the possible approach the new administration might adopt in Turkey. That made the Government circles in Ankara, particularly the Foreign Ministry, uneasy. Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel strongly reacted to Erdogan's statement by describing it as an "example of unawareness." Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry spokesman disclosed that JDP leader Erdogan's statement is not binding on Ankara.

Conflicting views were outlined in the JDP. Deputy leader Abdullah Gul confirmed two days ago that a reference was made to the model in Belgium in the manifesto. However, Yasar Yakis said after the Foreign Ministry briefed Erdogan on the Cyprus problem: "We were only inspired by the model in Belgium. The model cannot be the determining factor by itself."

The conflicting statements have confused the diplomats who are closely concerned with the Cyprus problem. We will most probably have to wait for some more time to be able to clearly establish whether or not the JDP administration will make changes in its policy.

Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and his advisers referred to the model in Belgium several times in the past. In fact, one of his advisers, Ergun Olgun, informed the European Parliament that those who make an effort to solve the Cyprus problem can benefit from the experience Belgium gained through its administration based on the country's two ethnic communities. But, what was his statement related to? That is an important detail. It was related to the question of "relations with the EU." Those who carefully listened to or read Olgun's presentation will remember that "detail."

Prof. Mumtaz Soysal, who is an adviser to Denktas in the talks on Cyprus, underlined that point to us yesterday. He asserted that the Turkish side referred to the model in Belgium only in connection with the relations to be established with the EU. Otherwise, he said, adopting the model in Belgium to solve the Cyprus problem will be out of the question. In fact, the Flemish and Walloon communities can use their separate sovereignty rights in Belgium's relations with the EU.

The Turkish Cypriot side has proposed that the model in Belgium be considered as a source of inspiration for the island's foreign policy and the model in Switzerland be considered in a similar way for the island's internal affairs. Regarding the JDP approach, it created the impression that the party might agree to take only the model in Belgium as a basis for the package of agreements that will be reached to solve the Cyprus problem. Considering that, no one should be surprised if the proposal (not to use the word model) Kofi Annan is expected to make to the sides next week is in that direction.

/SK

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