Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 02-12-03

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

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Washington requested assistance from Turkey on Iraq. Diplomatic sources disclosed that reply to the request might be delayed because of Cyprus.

[02] Statements by Alvaro de Soto in Ankara after meeting Ugur Ziyal.

[03] The answer of the Turkish side to the UN Secretary - General might be given tomorrow.

[04] Denktas: The answer will be consisting of about 30 pages.

[05] Information from the puppet regime on the number of Turkish Cypriots working in the free area.

[06] Election results cancelled in Siirt. Erdogan might stand as a candidate.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] The Turkish Cypriots get more than they deserve through the Annan Plan.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Washington requested assistance from Turkey on Iraq. Diplomatic sources disclosed that reply to the request might be delayed because of Cyprus

Diplomatic sources in Washington said understanding of the United States and Turkey on ``time`` could not coincide, although the U.S. side called for rapid action regarding the issue.

A diplomatic source said the United States may not get a full response to their questions at a time when Turkey's agenda was busy with the European Union (EU) and Cyprus.

Diplomatic sources stated that the approach of the new Turkish government would be revealed during the contacts of Wolfowitz and Grossman, pointing out that Parliament was the decision authority in case of deployment of soldiers in Turkey or requesting soldiers from Turkey.

Turkish diplomatic sources said the assurances given by the United States that establishment of an independent Kurdish state would not be allowed in Northern Iraq were convincing, yet that Ankara continued to have concerns that control could be lost in a chaos atmosphere in case of an operation.

Turkish diplomatic sources said the U.S. officials were getting prepared for an aid package for Turkey whether or not there is war in Iraq, and noted that Ankara to a great extend completed its calculations pertaining to possible loses in any case.

Sources said Turkey would prefer a new U.N. Security Council resolution to be issued with respect to international legitimacy in case of a U.S. operation against Iraq.

Diplomatic sources said Iraqi Turkomans would continue to be one of the fundamental elements of Turkey's Iraq policy in any case.

[02] Statements by Alvaro de Soto in Ankara after meeting Ugur Ziyal

In reply to a question on whether there is a timetable, De Soto said: "We will decide on the timetable in line with the content of the replies." Noting that the goal is to attain a result by 12 December when the Copenhagen Summit will convene, De Soto added that he is hopeful about cooperation toward a solution.

[03] The answer of the Turkish side to the UN Secretary - General might be given tomorrow

The paper writes that Mr Ergun Olgun, Turkish Cypriot leader's advisor at the talks, returned to the occupied areas yesterday after consulting with Ankara regarding the answer to be given to the UN Secretary - General.

Mr Olgun, who had gone to Ankara following instructions by the Turkish Cypriot leader, told KIBRIS that the answer would not be given today to Mr Annan and added that the Turkish side objects to the provisions of the plan regarding the issues of sovereignty, the properties, the guarantee rights of Turkey and the territorial aspect.

Mr Olgun said that this morning the text of the answer would be conveyed to Mr Rauf Denktas, who might give his answer to Mr Annan tomorrow.

[04] Denktas: The answer will be consisting of about 30 pages

Responding last night to reporters' questions when he was on his way to Columbia Presbyterian hospital in order to have a check up, Mr Denktas said that he heard that the Greek Cypriot side had conveyed a 31-page letter with its objections to the UN Secretary - General and added: "Our concerns will be at least as much".

Mr Denktas noted that they would convey their answer to the UN within a few days and expressed the opinion that it is not possible to achieve a result by exerting pressures to the sides.

Asked whether "they are upsetting" him, Mr Denktas said "no" and expressed his trust to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Referring to the situation of his health the Turkish Cypriot leader said that the tubes have been removed and that the doctors are treating the inflammation. However, he added, he started feeling some pain on his leg, which he did not think that it is something serious. Mr Denktas said that he wanted to return to the occupied areas of Cyprus until the end of this week.

NTV television (03.12.02) broadcast that in his statements Denktas stressed that forcing the issue will lead to a non-solution because matters under discussion for years cannot be concluded in a few weeks.

[05] Information from the puppet regime on the number of Turkish Cypriots working in the free area

Seven hundred eighty three Turkish Cypriots work for Greek Cypriot building contractors and 124 for Turkish Cypriot building contractors in the free areas. Also, 746 Turkish Cypriots work at the area of the British Base of Dhekelia and 32 at the UN Forces in Cyprus.

From those who work at the area of the Dhekelia British Base, 237 are employed in the agricultural sector, 171 persons work as firemen and workers. Apart from them, 90 persons are policemen and 42 are cleaners or in similar jobs. In addition to that 90 Turkish Cypriots are employed by the Greek Cypriot constructors and 40 by the Turkish Cypriot constructors. These numbers include 35 persons, who are married at the Base area and 41 who work at the British base.

Moreover, the 32 Turkish Cypriots employed by UNFICYP work at Ledra Palace and Nicosia International Airport area.

[06] Election results cancelled in Siirt. Erdogan might stand as a candidate

The SEB agreed with the appeal lodged by the Justice and Development (JDP) that the election results were invalid as polling booths were not opened in three communities in the township of Pervani township and that elsewhere a ballot box had been broken into.

According to initial reports, a repeat of the ballot may be held in February.

As a result of the SEB's ruling, three deputies, Mervan Gül from the JDP, Ekrem Bilek from Republican People's Party (RPP) and independent Fadıl Akgündüz lost their parliamentary status.

Akgündüz, who before his election to parliament was wanted by authorities on charges of fraud and other offences, had only returned to Turkey after the election and his gaining of full immunity from prosecution, conferred on parliamentary deputies. With the loss of his parliamentary status, he is again subject to prosecution.

The SEB ruling also opens the way for JDP chairman Recip Tayyip Erdoğan, to stand as a candidate in the new ballot. Erdoğan was prevented by the courts from standing as a candidate in the November 3 poll, due to a previous conviction for inciting religious hatred. The JDP government is working on amending the laws banning persons from running for parliament after being convicted of such crimes.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[07] The Turkish Cypriots get more than they deserve through the Annan Plan

"Turkey must promptly accept the so-called "Annan Plan" on Cyprus.

Otherwise:

1) There will never be another chance to solve the "Cyprus Problem" after Greek-Cyprus has been accepted as a member to EU by December 12th.

2) According to the "Loizidou Decision" taken at the European Human Rights Court (EHRC), Turkey may have to pay around $20-30 billion in compensation to the Greek-Cypriots whose lands were captured by the Turkish side in the war of 1974!

1) The Greek proportion is 80 percent of the island's total population. Around 200,000 Greeks had to leave their houses, work, land and occupations and fled to the Greek side of Cyprus at the end of the 1974 war.

But the "Annan Plan" proposes to leave 28.5 percent of the island to the Turkish side, an area much larger than the Turkish population and land ownership deserve.

More than that, both ethnicities are earning their full autonomy in their own land and the Turks will be represented equally with the Greeks in the Federal Government although their population share is only 20 percent!

Both the Cypriot Greek and mainland Greeks have accepted this plan that is largely against their interest only to help Cyprus be accepted to the membership of the EU by December 12th, 2002, at the EU summit in Copenhagen.

Once they are accepted to the EU, it will be impossible to get similar concessions from the Greek side.

2) The first article of the Affix Protocol of European Human Rights Agreement openly "guarantees the protection of ownership rights to the citizens of the member countries."

Based on this article, the EHRC fined Turkey to pay $650,000 to a Greek-Cypriot by the name of Mrs Loizidou, who lodged a case at the Court with the allegation that her land had been captured by Turkey in 1974 and since then she has been denied the ownership right to her land.

Turkey has not paid the $650,000 compensation to Mrs Loizidou so far, but the

Court has ruled that the deadline for payment is February 2003. Mr Kazim Bergez, a Turkish law expert on the EHRC, delivered me the information on the "Loizidou Decision."

Turkey, irrespective of its possible membership to EU, will either face:

a) Based on the "Loizidou Decision," to pay around $20-30 billion of compensation to the 200 thousand Cypriot-Greeks who have lost their land in 1974 war.

b) Or may face expulsion from the Council of Europe to which it is a founding member since its establishment in 1949.

The sanction on not carrying out EHRC decisions is expulsion from the Council.

I do not want to even imagine the economic, political and social costs of expulsion from the Council of Europe.

Turkey has captured a very important opportunity to solve one of its most serious problems -- "the Cyprus Problem" -- with the Annan Plan.

I know that the majority of people both in the motherland and the baby-land want to be rid of this problem.

Let us do what we have to do -- and promptly!"

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