Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-02-07

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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 the special session of the so-called Assembly.

[02] Rauf Denktas reveals that the reason for his intransigence at the Cyprus talks is his belief that the EU will begin negotiations with his puppet regime in case no solution is found.

[03] Turkish diplomatic sources say the revised Annan plan will be presented in the first week of March.

[04] Turkish sources say Turkey is positive towards Kofi Annan/s invitation for security issues.

[05] The Leader of the Justice and Development Party (JDP) Erdogan officially put his candidacy for the by-elections to be held in March.

[06] Former Turkish deputy applies to European Court to suspend by-elections.

[07] HALKIN SESI: "Here are our proposals".

[08] Talat supports that Denktas is trying to prevent a third UN plan from being submitted.

[09] Angolemli says Denktas does not want a solution and accession to the EU.

[10] Hasipoglu says that it seems that no give and take is going on at the Cyprus talks.

[11] The Platform "This Country is Ours" held another rally yesterday in occupied Nicosia and called on Denktas to resign. [12 ]Izzet Izcan: Time is running short for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

[13] Ali Erel said that the solution opportunity must be evaluated.

[14] Weston said that the procedures for the solution of the Cyprus problem is speeded up and the time is running short.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS

[15] Can you believe it?

[16] Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the attitude of the puppet regime on the issue of distributing its "citizenship" to people from Turkey.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader before and after the special session of the so-called Assembly

Following are the replies by Mr Denktas to reporters/ questions before the session:

Question: Are you seeking a decision from the "Assembly"?

Answer: No, I did not come for any decision. I came to brief the "Assembly" about the point we have reached at the talks. As I said previously, we submitted our sine qua nons to the Greek Cypriots and upon receiving their sine qua nons I was going to brief the "Assembly", so as to make the entire picture clear to all. We hoped to obtain their sine qua nons yesterday--this was the procedure that the Greek Cypriots themselves wanted but instead of presenting them they leveled plenty of criticism against our own ones, declaring that they will accept none of our essential demands. In the process they also revealed their true intentions. I thought it would be appropriate for the "Assembly" to know about these. The UN Secretary-General's map is on the table. Though I have no doubt as regards whether the "Assembly" would accept it or not--for all the parties have already declared that it cannot be accepted and has to be modified - I wanted to take the "Assembly's" opinion on how to modify it, or what could be done about it.

Question: You made a statement yesterday to the effect that the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides wholly endorsed the Annan plan, but this morning he said he has not said such a thing.

Answer: It means that he was bluffing to draw us into a guessing-game. When we did not fall for the trick, he came out today and said the truth, that is, he did not accept it. He couldn't have anyway, he will not, for they have far more reservations about the plan than we do. They see this document as one that only defines the status of the Turkish Cypriots. They themselves claim to enjoy the status of the legal Cyprus Government and regard it as a document that defines only our status and embeds us inside the Cyprus Republic under that defined status. That is why they are not greatly concerned. They think this should be our concern, as they would remain the Cyprus Government whether they accept the document or not.

Question: There are persistent reports about the third Annan plan being in the offing. Was Clerides' bluffing or maneuvering just to obstruct the emergence of the third plan?

Answer: I guess he is trying to put me in a difficult position at the talks. As you know, he is a very clever and capable interlocutor. When I cornered him with direct questions, he uttered that word momentarily. I did not believe him, and I have been vindicated in my distrust.

Question: And as a last question, today's KIBRIS published another KADEM [Center for Social Research and Educational Consultancy in Cyprus] poll. How do you assess particularly the figures relating to the "Assembly's" support for you?

Answer: I haven't seen the papers, had no time in the morning. What does it say?

Reporter: That you have only 28.5 percent support at the "Assembly". Answer: Well, we will see now at the meeting if this is so. I do not give much importance to such surveys published in KIBRIS paper, for the paper has taken sides and because of that it is trying, and quite successfully, to defend its position. That is why I do not consider its reports as impartial.

Following are Mr Denktas/ replies to reporters' questions after the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours:

Question: Mr Denktas, can you comment?

Answer: The meeting has ended. We heard what our colleagues had to say. We agreed on many issues. Of course, there were differences on many other issues. So, we will be more prepared when we participate in the Cyprus talks tomorrow.

Question: What will you take to the talks tomorrow?

Answer: Well, what I will take will have no value if I disclose it to you now.

Question: What was the general atmosphere during the meeting?

Answer: It was good. Of course, the opposition expressed its opinion.

Question: Did you find the support you looked for?

Answer: I believe I have. The majority is on our side.

Question: Apart from briefing the "Republican Assembly", did you ask for anything? Have you asked anything in connection with your decision on a referendum?

Answer: No. This is not the time to discuss a referendum.

[02] Rauf Denktas reveals that the reason for his intransigence at the Cyprus talks is his belief that the EU will begin negotiations with his puppet regime in case no solution is found

Talking yesterday during one of his many meetings with delegations from occupied villages, Mr Denktas claimed that in case no solution is found the world would be more curious about the reasons why the Turkish Cypriots have not joined the EU and thus the Cyprus issue would "be learned better".

Mr Denktas said also that they had prepared a plan aiming at the improvement of the economy of the occupied areas and added that they would shortly send it to Turkey. The Turkish Cypriot leader noted that they expect Prime Minister Gul and Justice and Development Party's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit the occupied areas and added that he expects an economic package to be prepared for Mr Gul's visit.

Denktas said: "Things we should have done since a long time are: making our economy better, paving the way for the young people, selecting the ways for our opening to the world through Turkey etc. A good program-plan has been prepared here regarding all these. We shall send it to Turkey shortly. Turkey will study it and I think it will make a step in order to help us economically in other ways".

[03] Turkish diplomatic sources say the revised Annan plan will be presented in the first week of March

Denktas called it a bluff, while all others preferred to wait and see what will come next. The statement of Clerides, however, that he was ready to accept the U.N. plan intact, is likely to create further problems for Denktas.

The Turkish Cypriot leader, facing growing domestic opposition demanding him to sign the U.N. document "with or without changes be made" has been stressing that accusations that he opposed the U.N. plan were unjust as the Greek Cypriot side also did not disclose its acceptance of the U.N. document.

This week, Denktas had presented a list of "musts" he wanted to see in a Cyprus accord while Ankara, in intense war diplomacy with Washington, has been conducting for the past several weeks a silent diplomacy and explaining American, British and U.N. top diplomats that the Turkish Cypriot leader's concerns ought to be seriously considered if a settlement was wanted on the island.

Although both Ankara, U.N., U.S. and British diplomatic sources have been ruling out a "correlation" between the looming Iraq war and the Cyprus problem, there has been fear in the Greek Cypriot sector for some time that if the Iraq war started by the time a second revision to the U.N. plan was submitted to the two sides in early March on the "take-it-or-leave-it" basis, because of the peaking strategic importance of Turkey in those days, the revisions in the U.N. document might be catering more to the Turkish Cypriot demands.

According to reports a remark by Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul in a telephone conversation with Vice President Dick Cheney that "I cannot explain in one go to my people an operation on Iraq and a back step on Cyprus" further cemented the worries of the Greek Cypriot side that the second revision to the Annan plan would produce a text far more unacceptable for them than the existing document.

It was clear, on the other hand, that if not improved, particularly regarding the sovereignty of the component states, status of guarantor powers and territorial aspects, Denktas would not accept the existing U.N. plan.

Indeed, at Monday's meeting with Clerides and U.N. envoy Alvaro de Soto at a U.N. compound in the Nicosia buffer zone, Denktas handed a written document underlining the changes he wanted to see in the U.N. plan before he could sign it.

Clerides did not present a paper listing the changes he wanted to see in the document, but rejected all of the Turkish Cypriot demands.

Denktas did not disclose the contents of the new paper he presented, but well-placed sources told the Turkish Daily News that the Turkish Cypriot leader reportedly listed sovereignty of the component states, effective guarantee of Turkey, adherence to the principles of bi-zonality and bi-communality in handling the refugees and territorial aspects of the problem as musts of a settlement.

In Ankara, leading sources said that unlike the statements of ruling Justice and Development Party (JDP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's criticizing the policies of Denktas and indicating that there was a change in the Cyprus policy of Turkey, at the Turkish policy making mechanisms the Cyprus issue was still approached within the framework of Turkey's strategic interests.

Sources said, at the latest National Security Council (NSC) meeting, which ended with a statement reaffirming Turkey's full support for Denktas, the Cyprus issue was discussed extensively and it was underlined that the Cyprus problem was too important to be considered only as a problem of only the "brethren" living on the island, but in essence is a matter related directly to Turkish mainland security.

Accordingly, it was stressed that Turkey could never allow a hostile administration on the island as such a development would confine Turkey to Anatolia and complete its encircling.

At the last NSC meeting it was reportedly underlined that the approach of the JDP to the Cyprus problem and Erdogan's tendency to place the Cyprus problem, Turkish-Greek issues and Turkish-European Union relations in one basket was a wrong perception that could erode Turkey's positions on both three spheres that ought to be handled separately.

Regarding the U.N. blueprint for a comprehensive settlement on the eastern Mediterranean island, according to sources, there was full understanding between Denktas and the civilian and military establishment that, unless substantially revised and improved, the document cannot help a resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Regarding the sovereignty issue, the sources said in the U.N. plan it appears that the component states have relinquished their sovereignty in favor of the partnership state. "What would happen if tomorrow the partnership state dissolves? A settlement must clearly safeguard the sovereignty of the component states. We cannot just act with 'The past is past, it won't happen again, Greek Cypriots won't usurp with force of arms the partnership state again because the island will be now part of the EU' and such assumptions. Turkish Cypriot sovereignty ought to be clearly emphasized," a leading source explained.

On the future guarantor status of Turkey, besides Greece and Britain, the sources said Ankara and Denktas wanted the 1960 regime maintained intact and won't be diluted. "Effective Turkish guarantee, including the right of unilateral intervention, must be maintained and all restriction on the Turkish troops to remain on the island after a settlement must be taken out of the document," the source said.

On the refugees and territorial adjustments, the sources said the bi-zonality and bi-communality principles, as well as the parameters on how to handle the territorial aspects of the problem, agreed back in late 1970s between the two sides on the island, must be respected in handling these two extremely delicate issues.

The sources said either return of Greek Cypriots to northern Turkish Cypriot territories should not be allowed, or the number of refugees to return ought to be taken down to a negligible percentage of the northern population and their citizenship rights ought to be arranged with a regime similar to that of the 1960 Constitution.

According to the 1960 Constitution, Greek Cypriots, wherever they live on the island, were voting in polls for Greek Cypriot contingency of the House of Representatives and Turkish Cypriots for Turkish Cypriot contingency.

The U.N. maps, sources said, were unacceptable, but if all other issues were resolved with some finely-tuned adjustments on the existing borders the Turkish Cypriot territory could be taken down below 30 percent while the number of Turkish Cypriots to be relocated could be held at a much lower level.

Turkish Cypriots complain that if accepted the current U.N. maps would relocate some 60,000 people, almost a third of the entire population of northern Cyprus.

The sources said a second revision to the Annan plan, presented in November and revised in December last year, could open the way to a resolution of the almost four-decades-old problem and the "bluff" of Clerides would not succeed in preventing the U.N. from presenting a second revision to the existing settlement plan.

According to the current schedule, Denktas and Clerides are under pressure to reach an accord by the end of this month. Diplomatic sources, however, said the U.N. will likely wait until the end of February and if by that day the two sides could not produce a compromise settlement, Annan will present his much anticipated second revision in the first week of March and tell the side that they have few days to either accept it or reject it."

[04] Turkish sources say Turkey is positive towards Kofi Annan/s invitation for security issues

Sources told the A.A correspondent that Turkey would convey its response to United Nations Secretary-General Annan as soon as possible.

Annan sent letters to Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Costas Simitis of Greece and requested them to start negotiations about signing an agreement as guarantor states on the issue of security in Cyprus.

[05] The Leader of the Justice and Development Party (JDP) Erdogan officially put his candidacy for the by-elections to be held in March

Erdogan's application was submitted to the Supreme Election Board yesterday. Erdogan was unable to take part in the 3rd November elections because of the legal case opened against him. If elected Erdogan will be Prime Minister.

The Supreme Election Board will decide whether Erdogan could be a candidate or not.

[06] Former Turkish deputy applies to European Court to suspend by-elections

Kumas said in his petition that the domestic law channels were hindered as the Supreme Election Board (SEB), which rejected his applications, was the supreme authority on this issue.

Kumas claimed that the SEB decision only allowing Justice and Development Party (JDP) and Republican People's Party (RPP) and independent deputies to win seats in Parliament was against democracy. He said that the SEB prevented him from being a candidate at the by-elections scheduled for March 9.

Kumas demanded compensation and said that the parties that would surpass the 10 percent threshold on March 9 should win seats in Parliament and that new independent candidates, other than those who ran in the November 3, 2002, polls, would be able to participate in the Siirt by-elections.

Accordingly, ruling JDP, opposition RPP, pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP), leftists Turkish Communist Party (TKP) and Workers' Party (IP) and businessman Cem Uzan's Young Party (YP) will participate in the Siirt elections.

According to SEB decisions, all 18 parties which attended the November 3 polls are eligible to take part in the by-elections but only those that surpassed the 10 percent national election threshold in November 3 polls could win Siirt's seats in Parliament.

In line with the electoral board decisions, DEHAP, TKP, IP and YP can run in the Siirt elections but cannot win seats in Parliament, even if they receive the majority of the votes. This enables JDP and RPP to win Siirt's seats.

Siirt sent three deputies to Parliament at the November 3 polls; JDP's Mervan Gul, RPP's Ekrem Bilek and independent lawmaker Fadil Akgunduz.

However, these deputies lost their posts after the elections were canceled in Siirt because of an irregularity in a polling station. Akgunduz was imprisoned because a warrant for his arrest was issued for a corruption case against him. Gul withdrew his candidacy in order to pave way for his leader Tayyip Erdogan to run in this election.

[07] HALKIN SESI: "Here are our proposals"

In the said document Denktas refuses to accept the map attached to the Annan plan. He wants to raise the quota of settlers from Turkey who will be allowed to receive Cypriot nationality from 33 thousand to 50 thousand. He also wants Turkey's effective guarantorship to be continued and the UN should not be tasked to establish peace in Cyprus. The sovereignty of the partnership state, says Denktas, emanates from the two partner peoples and the component states equally. He further says that unless the approval of the guarantor states are secured Cyprus cannot take part into multinational military operations or bilateral operations.

[08] Talat supports that Denktas is trying to prevent a third UN plan from being submitted

Talking after the session of the illegal assembly of the puppet regime Mr Talat said, inter alia, the following:

".With the views he set forward and with his performance at the negotiations until today he proved once more that he is at the table but he is not really negotiating. The negotiations demand the discussion of every single element of the plan and finishing them and making progress. However, we have chosen the way of bringing onto the table as 'sine qua nons elements, which we know that the other side will not accept and boiling over with rage afterwards saying that the Greek Cypriots have rejected all these.".

Meanwhile, YENIDUZEN, RTP's mouthpiece writes today (07.02.03) that "it has been revealed that Denktas did not submit to Clerides even the proposals on which the Turkish Cypriot political parties had agreed".

[09] Angolemli says Denktas does not want a solution and accession to the EU

Talking yesterday after the session of the illegal assembly of the puppet regime, Mr Angolemli criticized Mr Denktas because he permits persons and groups, which oppose the solution and the EU accession, to be brought from Turkey into the occupied areas and make propaganda against the Annan plan, while at the same time they insult the Turkish Cypriots.

Noting that Denktas is not at peace with the Turkish Cypriots, Mr Angolemli expressed the opinion that it seems that the two sides will not be able to reach an agreement on the Annan plan until 28 February. He also argued that there is a possibility of a third Annan plan, which will be submitted to referendum on 30 March.

[10] Hasipoglu says that it seems that no give and take is going on at the Cyprus talks

Talking yesterday after the session of the illegal assembly of the puppet regime, Mr Hasipoglu noted: "We said today also that we insist on the creation of a third region on the map issue. We noted that the plan could be signed in case the issues of the properties and the political equality are arranged. Otherwise, the plan cannot be signed in its present form".

[11] The Platform "This Country is Ours" held another rally yesterday in occupied Nicosia and called on Denktas to resign

According to the paper, people gathered at the Tenth Year Park in occupied Nicosia and called again for a solution of the Cyprus problem and European Union membership. According to the paper, members of the parties and the trade unions that consist the Platform walked to the pseudoassembly and left a letter to be passed on to its "speaker" Vehbi Zeki Serter.

The letter voices the determination of the Turkish Cypriots for a solution to be found to the Cyprus problem and membership of the EU. It also voices that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktas, does not represent the interests of the Turkish Cypriots. While expressing the view that reaching an agreement by the 28th of February is of vital importance for the existence of the Turkish Cypriots the letter stresses the need for the Annan plan to be accepted and signed.

Speaking at the rally, Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (RTP), said that what Denktas presented to the Greek Cypriot side as Sine qua non are essential for him and not for the Turkish Cypriot side.

On his part, Huseyin Angolemli, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party (CLP), accused Rauf Denktas and the coalition "government " of National Unity Party (NUP) and the Democratic Party (DP) that are against a solution of the Cyprus problem and stressed that the will of the Turkish Cypriots for a solution is shown by the crowd of the rally.

[12] Izzet Izcan: Time is running short for the solution of the Cyprus problem

According to the paper, Mr Izcan accused Rauf Denktas that he plays tactic games aiming at winning time.

[13] Ali Erel said that the solution opportunity must be evaluated

Mr Erel stated that the solution is necessary for the existence of the Turkish Cypriots, for their security and for their economic development. He also said that the Turkish Cypriots believe that if the Cyprus problem is solved, Cyprus, as a country-member of the EU, could leave its distresses behind and work for the prosperity and the economic development.

[14] Weston said that the procedures for the solution of the Cyprus problem is speeded up and the time is running short

Speaking after his meeting with Ugur Ziyal, the Turkish Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, the American Envoy stated that the steps taken for the solution of the Cyprus problem are being speeded up and stressed that the time is running short. He also said that only Greece and Turkey, as the guarantor countries of Cyprus, can make decisions regarding the security issues in the island and stressed that USA would support a dialogue of the two countries regarding this matter. Mr Weston also stressed that the USA supports the efforts made for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

[B] COMMENTARIES, EDITORIALS AND ANALYSIS`

[15] Can you believe it?

The article is as follows:

"Turkey entered Iraq in order to enforce justice. It put this forth as a pretext in order to fight on the side of the Americans. It will restore justice to the people of Iraq. It is obvious that the mentality in Turkey, which approved the bloodshed in Iraq and maintains designs against other countries hiding behind the above pretext, has not changed. And the various pretexts, which Turkey is trying to put forth in order to prove that it is right, are contrary to international law.

Did Turkey not come to Cyprus with the pretext of restoring the territorial integrity and the constitutional order? What did it actually do? Its actions are there. It speeded up the annihilation of the Turkish Cypriots whom it claimed to have saved. It has partitioned the island into two and created an injustice with the military order it has established and through its collaborators on the island.

Now it says the same things about Iraq. Do you believe it?"

[16] Turkish Cypriot columnist criticizes the attitude of the puppet regime on the issue of distributing its "citizenship" to people from Turkey

".If you want the truth I have always had my doubts on the issue of the referendum to which reference began to be made within the last few days. I am not at ease on this issue. I do not trust at all the officials in northern Cyprus and in Ankara. I think that they would do everything not to have a result they do not like at a referendum. They have even started doing this!

They are making every citizen of Turkey they meet a citizen of the TRNC! Sinan Aygun, chairman of Ankara's Chamber of Commerce, who had come with a group named 'The Marmara Group' in order to give support to Denktas who has totally lost the support of his own people, admitted this. He has boastingly said that he was made a citizen of the TRNC within half an hour. He did not stop here but added that if needed thousands of Turks will come from Turkey in order to reject the Annan plan.

In a meeting at the Near East University a man from Turkey took out his identity card and shouted to Eroglu: 'Make me too a citizen of the TRNC'. If you were in my shoes, would you trust the referendum conducted by those people?

Therefore, I call on the officials of the UN and the EU: You must ensure that this referendum is conducted under the observation of neutral observers mainly from the UN and the EU and that only people whose both parents are Turkish Cypriots participate in it. If you cannot ensure this you must know that this referendum will not be reflecting the real will of the Turkish Cypriots. .".

/SK

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